Abstract: [Object] To provide an electronic balance configured to uses a non-contact sensor to perform a predetermined operation, in which a greater number of operations than the number of non-contact sensors can be performed. [Means for solving problem] An electronic balance (1) includes: a non-contact sensor (31; 32) configured to detect an object; a state identifier (306) configured to identify a time pattern of a detection signal of the non-contact sensor (31; 32) as one of a plurality of previously defined time patterns; and an operation controller (30; 303; 304; 305) configured to control an operation of a predetermined section of the electronic balance (1) related to the time pattern identified by the state identifier.

Abstract: The molybdenum crucible includes a cylindrical side wall and a bottom provided integrally with one end of the side wall. The side wall includes a coarse grain region configured to extend from an outer wall toward an inner wall and a fine grain region configured to extend from the inner wall toward the outer wall so as to be in contact with the coarse grain region. The ratio of the coarse grain region in the side wall in the thickness direction thereof is 10% or more and less than 90%. The coarse grain region is defined as such a region in which crystal grains having a grain size of 1 mm or more determined by an intercept method in the height direction of the crucible occupy 95% or more of an area of a measurement region.

Abstract: The ratio of the coarse grain region in the side wall in the thickness direction thereof is 10% or more and less than 90%. The coarse grain region is defined as such a region in which crystal grains having a grain size of 1 mm or more determined by an intercept method in the height direction of the crucible occupy 95% or more of an area of a measurement region, and the fine grain region is defined as such a region in which crystal grains having a grain size of 10 ?m or more and 500 ?m or less determined by the intercept method in the height direction of the crucible occupy 95% or more of the area of the measurement region.

Abstract: A heat-resistant alloy that satisfies physical properties such as proof stress and hardness adapted to an increase in the melting point of a welding object compared to conventional alloys is provided. The heat resistant alloy includes a first phase, as a main component, containing a Mo or W metal phase, a second phase containing a Mo—Si—B—based alloy, and a third phase containing titanium carbonitride, wherein the balance is inevitable compounds and inevitable impurities.

Abstract: A Mo—Si—B-based alloy for a heat-resistant alloy that satisfies, more than conventional, physical properties such as proof stress and hardness adapted to an increase in the melting point of 5 a welding object. The Mo—Si—B-based alloy powder is such that the full width at half maximum of (600) of Mo5SiB2 in X-ray diffraction peak data is 0.08 degrees or more and 0.7 degrees or less.

Abstract: An object of this invention is to provide a crucible for growing a sapphire single crystal, which is optimized for providing a sapphire single crystal and is reusable. A crucible for growing a sapphire single crystal of this invention includes: a base material (3) containing molybdenum as a main component and having a crucible shape; and a coating layer (5) with which only an inner periphery of the base material (3) is coated and which is formed of tungsten and inevitable impurities, in which the coating layer (5) has a surface roughness Ra of 5 ?m or more and 20 ?m or less.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer, an image forming device, a toner concentration detector, a toner supply device, an image density detector, and a controller including a memory device. At a predetermined timing before image formation is started, the controller adjusts a developing potential to adjust an image density of a detection toner image on the image bearer and drives the toner supply device or the developing device to adjust a toner concentration in the developing device. After the image formation is started, the controller drives the toner supply device to adjust the toner concentration, and, in a predetermined sheet interval, adjusts the target concentration based on the image density of the detection toner image formed in a non-image area of the image bearer. When the toner concentration is higher than the target concentration plus a threshold, the controller suspends image formation and readjusts the developing potential.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first electric charging unit having an electric discharge wire to uniformly electrify a surface of the electrostatic latent image bearer, a second electric charging unit having a second electric discharge wire to execute a pre-electric charge removal electric charging process by electrifying the surface of the electrostatic latent image bearer subsequent to a transfer process to transfer a toner image, and a first electric charge removing device to diselectrify the surface of the electrostatic latent image bearer by irradiating it with electric charge removing light subsequent to the pre-electric charge removal electric charging process. The first electric charge removing device is disposed within an electric discharge region of the second electric discharge wire on a downstream side of an extreme upstream edge of the electric discharge region of the second electric discharge wire in a rotational direction of the electrostatic latent image bearer.

Abstract: Provided is a tungsten electrode material that can improve the life of an electrode than conventional by the use of a material in place of thorium oxide. The tungsten electrode material includes a tungsten base alloy and oxide particles dispersed in the tungsten base alloy, wherein the oxide particle is an oxide solid solution in which a Zr oxide and/or a Hf oxide and an oxide of at least one or more kinds of rare earth elements selected from Sc, Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, and Lu are solid-dissolved.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a latent image bearer; a developing device containing two-component developer and including a developer bearer, a development voltage source, and a toner concentration detector; a toner supply device to supply toner to the developing device; a transfer device; and a controller to keep a toner concentration in the developer in the developing device at a target toner concentration during image formation. The controller executes forced toner consumption in which the developing device supplies the toner to the latent image bearer the toner at a predetermined forced toner consumption timing, while inhibiting the toner supply device from supplying toner. When the toner concentration falls to a prescribed toner density lower than the target toner concentration, the controller completes the forced toner consumption and executes a post-consumption toner supply operation.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer, an image forming device, a toner concentration detector, a toner supply device, an image density detector, and a controller including a memory device. At a predetermined timing before image formation is started, the controller adjusts a developing potential to adjust an image density of a detection toner image on the image bearer and drives the toner supply device or the developing device to adjust a toner concentration in the developing device. After the image formation is started, the controller drives the toner supply device to adjust the toner concentration, and, in a predetermined sheet interval, adjusts the target concentration based on the image density of the detection toner image formed in a non-image area of the image bearer. When the toner concentration is higher than the target concentration plus a threshold, the controller suspends image formation and readjusts the developing potential.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a latent image bearer; a developing device containing two-component developer and including a developer bearer, a development voltage source, and a toner concentration detector; a toner supply device to supply toner to the developing device; a transfer device; and a controller to keep a toner concentration in the developer in the developing device at a target toner concentration during image formation. The controller executes forced toner consumption in which the developing device supplies the toner to the latent image bearer the toner at a predetermined forced toner consumption timing, while inhibiting the toner supply device from supplying toner. When the toner concentration falls to a prescribed toner density lower than the target toner concentration, the controller completes the forced toner consumption and executes a post-consumption toner supply operation.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a transfer unit, and a control unit. The image carrier has a surface to bear a toner image thereon. The transfer unit has a transfer member to transfer the toner image onto a recording sheet conveyed in a conveyance direction for trailing-end borderless image formation and duplex image formation. The transfer unit is configured to form the toner image on the recording sheet without forming a margin at a trailing end of the recording sheet in the conveyance sheet in the trailing-end borderless image formation. The transfer unit is configured to form the toner image on front and back faces of the recording sheet in the duplex image formation. When a width of the toner image formed in a borderless image area of the recording sheet in the trailing-end borderless image formation is smaller in a direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction than a threshold value, the control unit permits the duplex image formation.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first electric charging unit having an electric discharge wire to uniformly electrify a surface of the electrostatic latent image bearer, a second electric charging unit having a second electric discharge wire to execute a pre-electric charge removal electric charging process by electrifying the surface of the electrostatic latent image bearer subsequent to a transfer process to transfer a toner image, and a first electric charge removing device to diselectrify the surface of the electrostatic latent image bearer by irradiating it with electric charge removing light subsequent to the pre-electric charge removal electric charging process. The first electric charge removing device is disposed within an electric discharge region of the second electric discharge wire on a downstream side of an extreme upstream edge of the electric discharge region of the second electric discharge wire in a rotational direction of the electrostatic latent image bearer.

Abstract: An object of this invention is to provide a crucible for growing a sapphire single crystal, which is optimized for providing a sapphire single crystal and is reusable. A crucible for growing a sapphire single crystal of this invention includes: a base material (3) containing molybdenum as a main component and having a crucible shape; and a coating layer (5) with which only an inner periphery of the base material (3) is coated and which is formed of tungsten and inevitable impurities, in which the coating layer (5) has a surface roughness Ra of 5 ?m or more and 20 ?m or less.

Abstract: Provided is a Mo—Si—B-based alloy for a heat-resistant alloy that satisfies, more than conventional, physical properties such as proof stress and hardness adapted to an increase in the melting point of a welding object. A Mo—Si—B-based alloy powder of this invention is such that the full width at half maximum of (600) of Mo5SiB2 in X-ray diffraction peak data is 0.08 degrees or more and 0.7 degrees or less.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a transfer unit, and a control unit. The image carrier has a surface to bear a toner image thereon. The transfer unit has a transfer member to transfer the toner image onto a recording sheet conveyed in a conveyance direction for trailing-end borderless image formation and duplex image formation. The transfer unit is configured to form the toner image on the recording sheet without forming a margin at a trailing end of the recording sheet in the conveyance sheet in the trailing-end borderless image formation. The transfer unit is configured to form the toner image on front and back faces of the recording sheet in the duplex image formation. When a width of the toner image formed in a borderless image area of the recording sheet in the trailing-end borderless image formation is smaller in a direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction than a threshold value, the control unit permits the duplex image formation.

Abstract: An electronic balance is provided, which adequately exhibits quick response and displaying stability when being used to measure a number of objects. The electronic balance includes a number-of-objects calculating section, for counting a number (Nwa) of objects from the moving average (Wa) and the unit weight (Wu) when the moving average process is being executed and counting a number (Nw) of objects from the load value (W) and the unit weight (Wu) when the moving average process stops; and a display section, for displaying the calculated numbers (Nw, Nwa) of the to-be-measured objects.

Abstract: Provided is a tungsten electrode material that can improve the life of an electrode than conventional by the use of a material in place of thorium oxide. The tungsten electrode material includes a tungsten base alloy and oxide particles dispersed in the tungsten base alloy, wherein the oxide particle is an oxide solid solution in which a Zr oxide and/or a Hf oxide and an oxide of at least one or more kinds of rare earth elements selected from Sc, Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, and Lu are solid-dissolved.

Abstract: An electronic balance is provided, which adequately exhibits quick response and displaying stability when being used to measure a number of objects. The electronic balance includes a number-of-objects calculating section, for counting a number (Nwa) of objects from the moving average (Wa) and the unit weight (Wu) when the moving average process is being executed and counting a number (Nw) of objects from the load value (W) and the unit weight (Wu) when the moving average process stops; and a display section, for displaying the calculated numbers (Nw, Nwa) of the to-be-measured objects.