Abstract: An automotive discharge lamp, having an inner tube including a light emitting unit having a first space therein and seal portions formed on the light emitting unit, a discharge medium containing a first gas enclosed in the first space, a metal foil sealed in the seal portions, electrodes with one end connected to the metal foil and other end extended into the first space, and an outer tube connected to the inner tube to form a second space between the outer tube and the inner tube, wherein the second space has a second gas enclosed therein and the oxygen concentration in the second space is 1.0 volume % or less.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, the image forming apparatus includes, an endless device having a plurality of suction holes, and a negative pressure chamber which communicates with the suction holes, a rotation mechanism which rotates the endless device, a suction mechanism which discharges air in the negative pressure chamber, an opening and closing mechanism which has a switching blade which opens and closes the suction holes, a driving mechanism which moves the switching blade to a first position and a second position, a recording head unit, a supply mechanism which supplies the recording medium to the endless device, and a controller. If the switching blade moves to the first position, the suction holes are shut. If the switching blade moves to the second position, the suction holes communicate with the negative pressure chamber. The controller drives the opening and closing mechanism according to the size of the recording medium.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes a retaining roller, a nipping device, a retaining device, an image forming head, and a controller. The retaining roller retains a recording medium and rotates. The nipping device is capable of operating to open and close and holds the recording medium between the nipping device and the surface of the retaining roller to mechanically retain the recording medium. The retaining device retains the recording medium on the surface of the retaining roller. The controller controls, on the basis of a condition for use of the recording medium, the nipping device to nip the recording medium between the nipping device and the surface of the retaining roller.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes a retaining roller, a triboelectric charging device, and an inkjet head. The retaining roller includes a first charging section including a first dielectric and a second charging section including a second dielectric, which have different triboelectric charging characteristics, alternately on the surface of the retaining roller, retains a recording medium on the surface, and rotates. The triboelectric charging device charges the surface of the retaining roller by friction. The inkjet head forms an image on the recording medium retained on the surface of the retaining roller.

Abstract: In an image transferring apparatus of the invention, a transfer roller which comes in press contact with a sheet sent through a sheet conveyance path and transfers a toner image formed by an image forming section onto the sheet is constructed to be capable of being pulled out from a main body frame, and after pulling from the main body frame, when it is again mounted to the main body frame, it can be easily mounted to the main body frame without receiving a reaction force caused by a pressing force to bring the transfer roller into press contact with the sheet.

Abstract: Provided is a mercury-free vehicle discharge lamp that is stably lighted with a power of 18 to 30 W in a steady time. The lamp is defined in a light-emitting portion (11). A discharge medium including a metal halogen compound and a rare gas are sealed into the lamp. The lamp also has a discharge space in which electrodes (32) are disposed and satisfies the following equation. ?40?(a?35)×5.5+(x?13.5)×10+(1.85?t)×100+(2.

Abstract: A walking assist device which assists the knee joint with well synchronizing with the upper leg motion during the swing phase at low cost may be provided. The walking assist device comprises an upper link, a lower link, a rotary joint, an actuator, and a controller. The upper link is to be attached to an upper leg of a user. The lower link is to be attached to the lower leg of the user. The rotary joint swingably connects the lower link to the upper link. The rotary joint is coaxially aligned with the user's knee joint when the user wears the walking assist device. The actuator swings the lower link relative to the upper link. The controller controls the actuator so that the lower link guides the user's walking motion.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an ink-jet image forming apparatus includes an ink-jet head ejecting an aqueous ink to form an image on a surface of a recording medium, a carrying belt carrying the recording medium and at least a part of which is situated upstream from the ink-jet head in a direction of carrying the recording medium, and a solution adhering unit adhering a solution to a water-retentive surface of the carrying belt.

Abstract: Disclosed is an automotive discharge lamp, comprising an inner tube (1) including a light emitting unit (11) having a first space (15) therein and seal portions formed on the light emitting unit (11), a discharge medium containing a first gas enclosed in the first space (15), a metal foil (31) sealed in the seal portions (12), electrodes (32) with one end connected to the metal foil (31) and other end extended into the first space (15), and an outer tube (5) connected to the inner tube (1) to form a second space (51) between the outer tube (5) and the inner tube (1), wherein the second space (51) has a second gas enclosed therein and the second gas contains oxygen in a concentration of 1.0 volume % or less.

Abstract: In a robot with two or more leg links having ankle joint respectively and pivotably linked to a torso, the robot walks naturally by making the ankle joint of a grounded leg link rotate freely by using passive movement. A controller executes controlling operation of calculating target joint angles of remaining joints other than the ankle joint of the grounded leg link based upon the measured joint angles of the ankle joint of the grounded leg link in the lateral and forward direction. The target joint angles of the remaining joints are calculated so as to satisfy the following condition that a tilting angle of the torso matches a target tilting angle determined based upon the measured joint angle of the ankle joint of the grounded leg link in the forward direction, a cycle period of the idle leg link from lifting to grounding, and a target stride of the idle leg link.

Abstract: In an image transferring apparatus of the invention, a transfer roller which comes in press contact with a sheet sent through a sheet conveyance path and transfers a toner image formed by an image forming section onto the sheet is constructed to be capable of being pulled out from a main body frame, and after pulling from the main body frame, when it is again mounted to the main body frame, it can be easily mounted to the main body frame without receiving a reaction force caused by a pressing force to bring the transfer roller into press contact with the sheet.

Abstract: An embodiment according to the invention is characterized in that a result of a fill-up detection of a waste toner in a housing container which is detected by a toner sensor is compensated for based on total image formation or a period in which an image forming apparatus is operated.

Abstract: A waste-toner transferring device that transfers a waste toner to a waste-toner collecting unit have a first auger transfer unit arranged vertically and a second auger transfer unit that supplies the waste toner to the first auger transfer unit, wherein the first and second auger transfer units respectively have casings provided with inlets and outlets for the waste toner and augers rotatable around shafts arranged along a transfer direction in the casings, and auger vanes are not provided in a predetermined range of the auger arranged in a portion of the outlet of the second auger transfer unit, the predetermined range being narrower than the width of the inlet of the first auger transfer unit.

Abstract: In a robot with two or more leg links having ankle joint respectively and pivotably linked to a torso, the robot walks naturally by making the ankle joint of a grounded leg link rotate freely by using passive movement. A controller executes controlling operation of calculating target joint angles of remaining joints other than the ankle joint of the grounded leg link based upon the measured joint angles of the ankle joint of the grounded leg link in the lateral and forward direction. The target joint angles of the remaining joints are calculated so as to satisfy the following condition that a tilting angle of the torso matches a target tilting angle determined based upon the measured joint angle of the ankle joint of the grounded leg link in the forward direction, a cycle period of the idle leg link from lifting to grounding, and a target stride of the idle leg link.

Abstract: An ink ribbon cassette has a cassette case in which a thermal transfer ink ribbon subjected to a plurality of printing operations on the same surface at the same position. The case is alternately loaded in a thermal printer in a first loading posture and in a second loading posture which is a reversed posture to the first one to change a feed direction of the ribbon in the printer. A count display unit is provided on the case to record the number of times of use of the ribbon and display the number.

Abstract: The sheet supply device comprises a sheet stocker including a lifting table mounted for up and down movement with a large number of sheets accumulated in layers thereon which sheets are different in thickness between opposite sides thereof and a paper feed roller for contacting with an uppermost one of the sheets, a string having one end fastened to each of opposite sides of the lifting table corresponding to the opposite sides of the sheets providing the difference in thickness, a first take-up drum or drums located corresponding to the thicker side of the sheets and each having the other end of the string corresponding to the thicker side of the sheets fastened thereto, a second take-up drum or drums located corresponding to the thinner side of the sheets and each having the other end of the string corresponding to the thinner side of the sheets fastened thereto.