Abstract: The first aspect of the present invention provides a foamed structure, comprising: a first foamed body extending in a first direction; a second foamed body extending in the first direction and facing the first foamed body with a gap interposed therebetween; and a reinforcement disposed in the gap between the first foamed body and the second foamed body, the reinforcement having an elongated shape, wherein the first foamed body has a portion overlapping with the second foamed body in the first direction view.

Abstract: A fixing device includes an endless belt rotatable in a predetermined direction of rotation and a nip formation assembly disposed opposite an inner circumferential surface of the endless belt. An opposed rotary body is pressed against the nip formation assembly via the endless belt to form a fixing nip between the endless belt and the opposed rotary body through which a recording medium bearing a toner image is conveyed. A belt holder contacts and supports each lateral end of the endless belt in an axial direction thereof. The belt holder is isolated from the opposed rotary body with a first interval interposed therebetween in the axial direction of the endless belt.

Abstract: Provided is an error correction device including an encoding circuit configured to encode a plurality of error correction code sequences, in which the encoding circuit includes a plurality of encoding circuits connected in parallel, and is configured to execute encoding processing for the plurality of error correction code sequences through use of all the plurality of encoding circuits by adjusting an output bus width and a frequency of an operation clock with respect to a difference in transmission rate for any payloads input in one or more systems.

Abstract: Provided is an optical transmission/reception device including an error correction decoding unit (36) for decoding a received sequence encoded with an LDPC code, in which the error correction decoding unit (36) is configured to perform decoding processing using a parity check matrix (70) of a spatially-coupled LDPC code, which includes a plurality of parity check sub-matrices (71) combined with each other, in which the decoding processing is windowed decoding processing that uses a window (80) over one or more parity check sub-matrices (71), and in which a window size of the window (80) and a decoding iteration count due to throughput and requested correction performance are variable and input from a control circuit (12) connected to the error correction decoding device (36).

Abstract: A fixing device includes a stationary member, a roller, an endless belt, a pressure rotator, and a lubricant applicator. The endless belt is stretched over the stationary member and the roller. The pressure rotator is disposed opposite the stationary member via the endless belt to form a fixing nip between the pressure rotator and the endless belt on the stationary member. The lubricant applicator contacts the roller over an entire length of the roller in an axial direction of the roller. The lubricant applicator contacts an inner surface of the endless belt and has an axial length equal to or greater than an axial length of the stationary member.

Abstract: A heater includes a base layer, a heat generator mounted on the base layer, and a slide layer mounted on the base layer. A sliding face of a counterpart slides over the slide layer. The slide layer is made of a material containing fluorine and includes a slide face that contacts the sliding face of the counterpart. The slide face of the slide layer has a surface roughness that is greater than a surface roughness of the sliding face of the counterpart.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a stationary member, a roller, an endless belt, a pressure rotator, and a lubricant applicator. The endless belt is stretched over the stationary member and the roller. The pressure rotator is disposed opposite the stationary member via the endless belt to form a fixing nip between the pressure rotator and the endless belt on the stationary member. The lubricant applicator contacts the roller over an entire length of the roller in an axial direction of the roller. The lubricant applicator contacts an inner surface of the endless belt and has an axial length equal to or greater than an axial length of the stationary member.

Abstract: A composition which can provide foamed moldings and foamed electric wires having a small average cell size and a high foam content and causing fewer sparks. The composition includes a fluororesin (A) and a compound (B) which is a sulfonic acid or a salt thereof. The sulfonic acid is represented by the following formula (1): F(CF2)nSO3H (1) wherein n is 4 or 5, or the following formula (2): F(CF2)nCH2CH2SO3H (2) wherein n is 4 or 5. Also disclosed is a foamed molding formed from the composition and a method for producing a foamed molding.

Abstract: Provided is an error correction device including an encoding circuit configured to encode a plurality of error correction code sequences, in which the encoding circuit includes a plurality of encoding circuits connected in parallel, and is configured to execute encoding processing for the plurality of error correction code sequences through use of all the plurality of encoding circuits by adjusting an output bus width and a frequency of an operation clock with respect to a difference in transmission rate for any payloads input in one or more systems.

Abstract: A fixing device includes an endless fixing rotator, a heater, a nip formation assembly, and an opposed rotator. The endless fixing rotator is rotatable in a direction of rotation. The heater heats the fixing rotator. The nip formation assembly is disposed opposite an inner circumferential surface of the fixing rotator. The opposed rotator is pressed against the nip formation assembly via the fixing rotator to form a fixing nip between the fixing rotator and the opposed rotator. The nip formation assembly includes a nip former to contact the inner circumferential surface of the fixing rotator, maintain a constant thickness against pressure from the opposed rotator, and transfer heat. The opposed rotator is shorter than the nip former in a longitudinal direction of the opposed rotator. The opposed rotator is disposed within an area opposite the nip former.

Abstract: In a series of touch operations of touching on and releasing from an operation face in an operation apparatus capable of detecting a touch operation, when a first touch operation at less than a first pressure of the touch transits to a second touch operation at the first pressure of the touch or more, a region where a touch operation on the operation face is to be detected is changed.

Abstract: The first aspect of the present invention provides a foamed structure, comprising: a first foamed body extending in a first direction; a second foamed body extending in the first direction and facing the first foamed body with a gap interposed therebetween; and a reinforcement disposed in the gap between the first foamed body and the second foamed body, the reinforcement having an elongated shape, wherein the first foamed body has a portion overlapping with the second foamed body in the first direction view.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing device that includes a heater to heat a fixing rotator, an opposed rotator to press against the fixing rotator to form a fixing nip therebetween, and at least one rotary body to convey a recording medium to the fixing nip. A controller rotates the fixing rotator in a forward direction to fix a toner image on the recording medium. The controller stops the heater and rotates the fixing rotator in a predetermined rotation direction when a failure occurs while the fixing device is activated. The controller determines that the predetermined rotation direction is the forward direction or a backward direction according to the at least one rotary body that sandwiches the recording medium, if the fixing nip and the at least one rotary body sandwich the recording medium simultaneously when the failure occurs while the fixing device is activated.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotator and a lateral end heater to heat a lateral end span of the fixing rotator in an axial direction thereof. A thermal conduction aid contacts the fixing rotator. A nip formation pad contacts the thermal conduction aid. A lateral end temperature detector detects a temperature of the fixing rotator in a lateral end detection span in the axial direction of the fixing rotator. The thermal conduction aid contacts the nip formation pad in a first span including the lateral end detection span in the axial direction of the fixing rotator with a first contact area. The thermal conduction aid contacts the nip formation pad in a second span disposed outboard from the first span in the axial direction of the fixing rotator with a second contact area smaller than the first contact area.

Abstract: The present invention aims to provide a composition which can provide molded foams and foamed electric wires having a small average cell size and a high expansion ratio. The composition of the present invention includes a fluororesin; and boron nitride having an average particle size of 10.5 ?m or greater, or boron nitride having a particle size distribution represented by (D84?D16)/D50 of 1.2 or lower.

Abstract: A fixing device includes an endless belt and a pressure rotator disposed opposite an outer circumferential surface of the endless belt. The pressure rotator has a first span in an axial direction of the endless belt. A nip formation pad, which is disposed opposite an inner circumferential surface of the endless belt, forms a fixing nip between the endless belt and the pressure rotator. The nip formation pad includes a belt-side face disposed opposite the endless belt. A radiant heater, which is disposed opposite the inner circumferential surface of the endless belt, heats the endless belt. A thermal conduction aid, which contacts the belt-side face of the nip formation pad, conducts heat in the axial direction of the endless belt. The thermal conduction aid has a second span within which the first span of the pressure rotator is provided at the fixing nip.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a heat generator being disposed inside a loop formed by a rotator and including a heat generating portion to radiate radiant heat. A reflector is disposed inside the loop formed by the rotator and includes a reflection face to reflect the radiant heat radiated from the heat generator toward the rotator. A support supports the reflector. A holder holds each lateral end of the support in a longitudinal direction of the support, which is perpendicular to the rotation direction of the rotator. A fastener attaches the reflector to the support at an attachment position disposed at each lateral end of the reflector in a longitudinal direction of the reflector. The attachment position is disposed outboard from a lateral edge of the heat generating portion of the heat generator and disposed inboard from the holder in the longitudinal direction of the reflector.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a lateral end heater, disposed opposite a lateral end of an inner circumferential surface of a fixing rotator in an axial direction thereof, to heat the fixing rotator and a thermal conduction aid contacting the fixing rotator and the lateral end heater to conduct heat. The lateral end heater includes a power supply portion disposed outboard from a lateral end of the thermal conduction aid in a longitudinal direction thereof and disposed opposite the inner circumferential surface of the fixing rotator. The power supply portion includes an electrode. A cover covers the power supply portion and includes a cover face disposed opposite the inner circumferential surface of the fixing rotator. A height adjuster adjusts a height of the cover face of the cover and causes the cover face to define an identical plane with a fixing rotator side face of the thermal conduction aid.

Abstract: A fixing device includes an endless fixing belt, a heat source, an opposed member, a nip formation pad, and a heat conductive member. The nip formation pad includes an abutment region, a first opening portion, and second opening portions. The abutment region includes a plurality of abutment surfaces abutting a first face of the heat conductive member. The first opening portion is disposed at a center of the abutment region to form a non-contact area at which the nip formation pad does not contact the heat conductive member. The abutment region includes an upstream abutment area and a downstream abutment area from the first opening portion in a direction of conveyance of a recording medium. The second opening portions divide at least one area of the upstream abutment area and the downstream abutment area into a plurality of portions in a longitudinal direction of the nip formation pad.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a nip former including a first face to form a fixing nip, a second face being disposed upstream from the first face in a rotation direction of a rotator and defining a predetermined angle relative to the first face, and a bent portion coupling the first face to the second face. An inner circumferential surface of the rotator slides over the first face. A lateral end accumulation portion and a center accumulation portion are defined by the second face and the bent portion of the nip former and the inner circumferential surface of the rotator. The lateral end accumulation portion is accumulated with a lubricant in a first amount. The center accumulation portion is disposed inboard from the lateral end accumulation portion in an axial direction of the rotator and accumulated with the lubricant in a second amount greater than the first amount.