Abstract: The present invention has objects to provide a thermostable cellobiose 2-epimerase, its preparation and uses. The present invention attains the above objects by providing a thermostable cellobiose 2-epimerase, a DNA encoding the enzyme, a recombinant DNA and transformant comprising the DNA, a process for producing the enzyme, and a process for producing isomerized saccharides using the enzyme.

Abstract: A thin film manufacturing method includes placing a substrate in a raw material solution with which a thin film is formed on a first principal plane of the substrate; forming the thin film on the first principal plane of the substrate by applying light to a first principal plane side from a light source; measuring a distance from the first principal plane of the substrate to a liquid surface of the raw material solution by applying light from the light source; and adjusting a position of the substrate in a height direction on the basis of a measurement result obtained at the measuring.

Abstract: A thin-film forming apparatus for forming a thin film on a substrate by using an ink-jet method includes an ink applying unit that applies an ink drop for thin-film formation to a predetermined area on a surface of the substrate; at least one laser light source for heating the ink drop thereby forming a thin film; and a laser-light irradiating unit that irradiates, with a laser light from the laser light source, a first spot positioned on a back side of the predetermined area of the substrate to which the ink drop has been applied.

Abstract: The fixing device includes a fixing unit, a pressure unit that comes into pressure-contact with the fixing unit to form a nip, and control guides. The fixing unit includes a heat roller. The pressure unit includes a pressure belt, and a pressure pad. The pressure pad is attached to a holder and pressed by a spring through a stay, thereby bringing the pressure belt into pressure-contact with the heat roller. The control guides on both sides of the pressure pad control deformation of the pressure pad in an axial direction of the heat roller to make a nip shape uniform.

Abstract: A thin film manufacturing method includes the steps of a) placing a substrate including a first main surface inside a reaction container filled with a raw material solution, and b) forming a thin film by irradiating a light in the direction of the first main surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A low-heat loss, belt nip-type fixing device achieves good recording medium separation performance without increasing the size of the device, prevents image misalignment, and achieves a high-quality image without placing a major burden on the recording medium. This fixing device comprises a heat-fixing roller having an elastic layer and a heat source; and a pressurizing unit having an elastic member with a flat surface for pressing an endless member. The endless member conveys a recording medium, against the elastic layer. A pressurizing spring biases the elastic member toward the side of the recording medium. Biasing is carried out using the pressurizing spring such that the amount of deformation of the elastic member approaches the saturation region (maximum amount of deformation) inside a region of a nip portion, which is formed between the elastic layer of the heat-fixing roller and the endless member of pressurizing unit, and through which is passed a recording medium carrying an unfixed toner image.

Abstract: A fluid discharge head includes a fluid chamber filled with ink; a discharge opening configured to discharge a droplet of ink from the fluid chamber; a plurality of piezoelectric elements configured as displacement generating units to provide kinetic energy to the ink for the discharge of the ink droplet; and a vibrating plate forming a part of the fluid chamber and connected to the piezoelectric elements, the vibrating plate being configured to transmit a displacement generated by the piezoelectric elements to the ink in the fluid chamber. The vibrating plate includes vibrating portions for the respective the piezoelectric elements. The vibrating portions are configured to be independently displaced for the corresponding piezoelectric elements, and at least one of the piezoelectric elements is configured as a pressure detecting unit to detect an ink pressure in the fluid chamber.

Abstract: A pressurizing member includes an elastic member having a uniform elastic modulus of K=EA/t, where E is a Young's modulus, A is an area of the nip portion, and t is a thickness of the elastic member in the direction of application of load. A supporting member that supports the pressurizing member has an entering portion, an exit portion, and a center portion between the entering portion and the exit portion. The thickness of the center portion in a direction of application of load is larger than thicknesses of the entering portion and the exit portion in the direction of application of load so that the supporting unit has a convex portion.

Abstract: A roller member includes a cylindrical core bar. The roller member is rotatably supported at both ends, and forms a nip, to which a recording medium is conveyed, by making a contact with another member. The core bar satisfies 1.0??D/D1×100?3.0, where D1 is an outer diameter of the core bar in millimeters and ?D is an outer diameter deformation value of a convey direction in millimeters.

Abstract: A ratio of a radius of curvature of a pressure applying member with an elastic layer, which pushes an endless belt wound around an endless heating member with pressure, in a transferring direction to a radius of curvature of an outer diameter of the heating roller is set to 1.1 or more.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing member of which surface is deformable, a heating unit that heats the fixing member, a pressurizing unit having an endless member and a pressurizing member. The pressurizing member includes an elastic layer and presses the endless member against the fixing member to bring the endless member into pressure contact with the fixing member. The elastic layer has an apparent hardness (ASKER-C) which is larger than that at a point where an apparent hardness starts to change rapidly with respect to a rubber thickness in a load application direction.

Abstract: A base station is provided. The base station conducts wireless communication with one or more terminal devices using an OFDMA system, and has: a channel assigning unit that assigns PRU an extra channel used for data communication and an anchor channel including a map indicating the position of PRU to which the extra channel is assigned, wherein the channel assigning unit assigns the anchor channel to PRU of a predetermined frequency domain and assigns the extra channel to PRU of a domain other than the predetermined frequency domain.

Abstract: A polyester film for recording medium, having one major surface thereof provided with a coating layer containing fine particles of 5 to 60 nm diameter and an organic compound, wherein the number of fine surface projections existing on the surface of the coating layer is in the range of 3 million to 100 million/mm2, and the number of surface defects of 120 nm or greater height attributed to foreign matter contained in the film is 30/100 cm2 or less, and wherein the polyester contains a titanium compound substantially not having any particle diameter. Thus, there are provided a magnetic recording tape for digital data recording that can reduce dropouts and excels in durability, and further provided a polyester film that is suitable as a base film thereof.

Abstract: In a fixing apparatus including heating member having an elastic layer and a heat source and pressing member having an endless shape member and a pressing member for transporting a record medium in a cut sheet shape while being adhered with an unfixed toner image to pass a nip portion formed by the endless shape member and the heating member and fixing the unfixed toner image on the record medium, the fixing apparatus is constructed by a constitution in which a space between the toner image on the record medium and a surface of the heating member is widened immediately after the record medium is projected from an outlet of the nip portion.

Abstract: A disclosed fixing device includes: a heat roller unit having a rotatable roller having an elastic body on a surface thereof and a heating unit heating the roller; a pad disposed along a circumference of the elastic body of the heat roller; a belt member disposed on a curved surface of the pad, the belt member rotating by following a rotation of the heat roller; and a pressure member pressing the belt member to the heat roller using the pad, the fixing device causing a conveyed recording medium carrying a visualized image to pass through a space between the heat roller and the pressure member so as to fix the visualized image on the recording medium, wherein a curvature of the curved surface of the pad is changed in a central portion and end portions in an axial direction of the heat roller.

Abstract: The fixing device includes a fixing unit, a pressure unit that comes into pressure-contact with the fixing unit to form a nip, and control guides. The fixing unit includes a heat roller. The pressure unit includes a pressure belt, and a pressure pad. The pressure pad is attached to a holder and pressed by a spring through a stay, thereby bringing the pressure belt into pressure-contact with the heat roller. The control guides on both sides of the pressure pad control deformation of the pressure pad in an axial direction of the heat roller to make a nip shape uniform.

Abstract: A roller member includes a cylindrical core bar. The roller member is rotatably supported at both ends, and forms a nip, to which a recording medium is conveyed, by making a contact with another member. The core bar satisfies 1.0??D/D1×100?3.0, where D1 is an outer diameter of the core bar in millimeters and ?D is an outer diameter deformation volume of a convey direction in millimeters.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing member of which surface is deformable, a heating unit that heats the fixing member, a pressurizing unit having an endless member and a pressurizing member. The pressurizing member includes an elastic layer and presses the endless member against the fixing member to bring the endless member into pressure contact with the fixing member. The elastic layer has an apparent hardness (ASKER-C) which is larger than that at a point where an apparent hardness starts to change rapidly with respect to a rubber thickness in a load application direction.

Abstract: A pressurizing member includes an elastic member having a uniform elastic modulus of K=EA/t, where E is a Young's modulus, A is an area of the nip portion, and t is a thickness of the elastic member in the direction of application of load. A supporting member that supports the pressurizing member has an entering portion, an exit portion, and a center portion between the entering portion and the exit portion. The thickness of the center portion in a direction of application of load is larger than thicknesses of the entering portion and the exit portion in the direction of application of load so that the supporting unit has a convex portion.

Abstract: A pressurizing unit includes an elastic member that has an entering portion on a side from where a recording medium enters a nip portion, an exit portion on a side from where the recording medium exits the nip portion, and a center portion between the entering portion and the exit portion. The elastic modulus of the center portion is higher than elastic moduli of the entering portion and the exit portion.