Abstract: A dispensing tip holder is used when a dispensing tip is attached to a tip of a pipette, and includes a peripheral wall having a shape surrounding an outer peripheral surface of the dispensing tip, and an insertion portion having an insertion opening into which the dispensing tip is to be inserted. The peripheral wall has a first end into which the dispensing tip is to be inserted, and has a second end provided at a position opposite to the first end. The insertion portion is formed in the peripheral wall such that an outer peripheral surface of the dispensing tip abuts against an edge of the insertion opening, and is formed in the peripheral wall such that a tip of the dispensing tip does not project from the second end of the peripheral wall, when the dispensing tip is inserted into the insertion opening from the first end.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion, a swingable member feeding portion, a sheet stacking portion including a stacking tray and a sheet feeding passage and movable between a first position where a sheet feed from the feeding portion is feedable to the sheet feeding passage and a second position away from the first position, and a movable member movable to a space, between the feeding portion and the stacking portion, generating with movement of the stacking portion from the first position to the second position in interrelation with the movement of the stacking portion from the first position to the second position.

Abstract: This invention provides a simple analysis method by a PCR method that simultaneously performs, in a single container, separating nucleic acid of pathogens contained in a tissue fragment and preparing a PCR buffer solution, and a kit used for the analysis method. A method for detecting a pathogen includes: (1) obtaining a liquid specimen mixture by adding a tissue fragment containing a pathogen to a PCR buffer solution containing a proteolytic enzyme; (2) heating the liquid specimen mixture at a first temperature; (3) further heating at a second temperature; (4) performing PCR by adding a portion of the liquid mixture obtained in (3) above to a solid composition for PCR reaction containing DNA polymerase and one or more kinds of PCR primer pair; and (5) detecting a PCR product generated in (4) above.

Abstract: The present invention is a part positioning mechanism configured to insert a protruding portion constituting a part of a second sheet metal part into an opening formed in a first sheet metal part. The first contact portion which contacts the first convex portion of the first sheet metal and the second contact portion which contacts the second convex portion of the first sheet metal are disposed to be shifted in an orthogonal direction which intersects orthogonally with the plate thickness direction and an insertion direction for the protruding portion. The edge of the opening of the first sheet metal part has a first edge which is distant from the protruding portion increases from the first convex portion to the second convex portion, and a second edge which is distant from the protruding portion increases from the second convex portion to the first convex portion.

Abstract: A reaction vessel has plural wells each configured to accommodate a sample on the same plane or on the same straight line. Among the wells of a well plate, a specific well other than a well at a center of point symmetry is an orientation recognizing well in which a fluorescent dye is placed. The reaction vessel can identify a position of the orientation recognizing well by using fluorescence emitted from the fluorescent dye, and can thereby recognize an orientation of the reaction vessel.

Abstract: A dispensing tip holder is used when a dispensing tip is attached to a tip of a pipette, and includes a peripheral wall having a shape surrounding an outer peripheral surface of the dispensing tip, and an insertion portion having an insertion opening into which the dispensing tip is to be inserted. The peripheral wall has a first end into which the dispensing tip is to be inserted, and has a second end provided at a position opposite to the first end. The insertion portion is formed in the peripheral wall such that an outer peripheral surface of the dispensing tip abuts against an edge of the insertion opening, and is formed in the peripheral wall such that a tip of the dispensing tip does not project from the second end of the peripheral wall, when the dispensing tip is inserted into the insertion opening from the first end.

Abstract: To improve a sealing property of a reaction container over a period before and after implementing gene amplification processing. A gene amplification device includes: a reaction container holder having a container insertion part into which a main body of a reaction container including the main body and a lid attached to an upper portion of the main body is inserted, the reaction container holder having a function of raising and lowering a temperature of the reaction container inserted into the container insertion part; and a heat seal part disposed near an contacting portion between the main body and the lid of the reaction container inserted into the container insertion part of the reaction container holder, the heat seal part heating a temperature of the contacting portion to a temperature higher than a heatproof temperature of the main body or the lid of the reaction container.

Abstract: The present invention is a part positioning mechanism configured to insert a protruding portion constituting a part of a second sheet metal part into an opening formed in a first sheet metal part. The first contact portion which contacts the first convex portion of the first sheet metal and the second contact portion which contacts the second convex portion of the first sheet metal are disposed to be shifted in an orthogonal direction which intersects orthogonally with the plate thickness direction and an insertion direction for the protruding portion. The edge of the opening of the first sheet metal part has a first edge which is distant from the protruding portion increases from the first convex portion to the second convex portion, and a second edge which is distant from the protruding portion increases from the second convex portion to the first convex portion.

Abstract: A sliding member integrated with a guide pin is inserted into a guide hole of an electrode main body. An elastic ring is integrated with the guide pin under a state in which the guide pin passes through the elastic ring. A portion of the sliding member has a pressurizing end surface configured to press the elastic ring against an inner end surface of the guide hole. When the pressurizing end surface presses the elastic ring against the inner end surface, flow of the cooling air is interrupted. When the elastic ring is away from the inner end surface, the cooling air is allowed to flow.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion, a swingable member feeding portion, a sheet stacking portion including a stacking tray and a sheet feeding passage and movable between a first position where a sheet feed from the feeding portion is feedable to the sheet feeding passage and a second position away from the first position, and a movable member movable to a space, between the feeding portion and the stacking portion, generating with movement of the stacking portion from the first position to the second position in interrelation with the movement of the stacking portion from the first position to the second position.

Abstract: A sheet conveyance apparatus includes a conveyance portion, a reverse conveyance portion, and first and second conveyance regulating portions. An engagement portion contacts the first conveyance regulating portion so that it pivots in a first pivoting direction in an interlocked manner with the second conveyance regulating portion. The first and second conveyance regulating portions are arranged between the conveyance portion and the reverse conveyance portion in a first sheet conveyance direction, and an urging member urges the first and second conveyance regulating portions toward a position where the first and second conveyance regulating portions project to a first conveyance path through which the sheet conveyed from the conveyance portion toward the reverse conveyance portion is conveyed.

Abstract: A sheet conveyance apparatus includes first and second conveyance regulating portions which are respectively supported pivotably at different positions in a width direction, and an engagement portion provided on one of the first and second conveyance regulating portions and configured to be engaged with the other of the first and second conveyance regulating portions. In a state where a sheet whose length in the width direction is a first width is conveyed through a conveyance path, the sheet abuts the first conveyance regulating portion and pivots only the first conveyance regulating portion. In a state where a sheet whose length in the width direction is a second width that is greater than the first width is conveyed through the conveyance path, the sheet abuts the second conveyance regulating portion and pivots the second conveyance regulating portion while also pivoting the first conveyance regulating portion through the engagement portion.

Abstract: A resin composition is provided, which comprises: an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (A); and a saponified ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (B) having an ethylene content of not less than 70 mol %, wherein the component (B) is present in a proportion of 1 to 30 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the component (A). Where the resin composition is used in combination with a scrap laminate including a polyolefin resin layer and an EVOH layer for recycling the scrap laminate, die build-up is suppressed, and a product formed from the resulting recycled material is excellent in appearance and substantially free from coloration.

Abstract: A gene measurement apparatus includes: a temperature control block that is provided with, on its upper surface, a plurality of reaction vessel wells each being used to house a reaction vessel, and that performs temperature treatment on a specimen in the reaction vessel by controlling temperature of the plurality of reaction vessel wells using a heating element or a cooling element; and a reaction vessel detector configured to detect whether the reaction vessel is housed in each of the plurality of reaction vessel wells of the temperature control block before the temperature treatment is started.

Abstract: A sliding member integrated with a guide pin is inserted into a guide hole of an electrode main body. An elastic ring is integrated with the guide pin under a state in which the guide pin passes through the elastic ring. A portion of the sliding member has a pressurizing end surface configured to press the elastic ring against an inner end surface of the guide hole. When the pressurizing end surface presses the elastic ring against the inner end surface, flow of the cooling air is interrupted. When the elastic ring is away from the inner end surface, the cooling air is allowed to flow.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a main assembly; and a fixing unit for fixing an image on a recording material. The fixing unit is detachably mountable to the main assembly. The fixing unit includes a projected portion for regulating a position of the fixing unit relative to the main assembly. The main assembly includes an opening for guiding movement of the projected portion and a recessed portion, provided downstream of the opening with respect to a mounting direction of the fixing unit, for regulating a position of the projected portion. The fixing unit includes an engaging portion engaging with the opening so that the projected portion is prevented from coming out of the opening after entering the recessed portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a main assembly; and a fixing unit for fixing an image on a recording material, wherein the fixing unit is detachably mountable to the main assembly. The fixing unit includes a projected portion for regulating a position of the fixing unit relative to the main assembly. The main assembly includes an opening for guiding movement of the projected portion and a recessed portion, provided downstream of the opening with respect to a mounting direction of the fixing unit, for regulating a position of the projected portion. The fixing unit includes an engaging portion engaging with the opening so that the projected portion is prevented from coming out of the opening after entering the recessed portion.

Abstract: A toner conveying apparatus includes a conveying unit providing a toner conveyance path having an inlet portion and an outlet portion and provided for conveying toner from the inlet portion to the outlet portion, and a first rotation member that is rotatable and located upstream in a toner conveying direction of the conveyance path, wherein the first rotation member rotates about a first rotating shaft to convey toner from an outside of the toner conveyance path toward the inlet portion. In addition, a second rotation member is rotatable and located downstream in the toner conveying direction of the conveyance path, wherein the second rotation member rotates about a second rotating shaft to convey toner from the outlet portion away from the toner conveyance path, and an agitation device agitates toner in the toner conveyance path.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a pair of registration rollers which conveys a sheet to an image forming portion. The pair of registration rollers includes a first registration roller, which is fixed to a registration roller shaft and includes first and second registration roller rubbers formed of an elastic body and third to sixth registration roller rubbers, and a second registration roller includes first to sixth rollers in press contact with the registration roller rubbers of the first registration roller. The press contact portions between the registration roller rubbers of the first registration roller and the first to sixth rollers of the second registration roller are different in length in a sheet conveying direction.

Abstract: The toner conveying apparatus and the image forming apparatus using the toner conveying apparatus include a conveyance case for conveying toner; one rotatable crankshaft located in one end portion of the conveyance case another rotatable crankshaft located in the other end portion of the conveyance case; and an upstream agitation member and a downstream agitation member eccentrically connected to the one rotatable crankshaft and the another rotatable crankshaft to agitate toner inside the conveyance path. Thus, the toner conveying apparatus can prevent a toner conveyance failure more than ever such that toner is retained by depositing and adhering inside a conveyance path.