Abstract: An electric booster including a plunger movable by operation of a brake pedal, an electric motor controlled based on a relative displacement between the plunger and the linear motion member, which is detected by a relative displacement sensor, and a ball and screw mechanism. The linear motion member pushes a piston of a master cylinder through a reaction member, thereby generating a brake force. Part of a reaction force from the master cylinder is fed back to the brake pedal through the reaction member. When a reference position sensor detects that a relative position of the plunger to the linear motion member coincides with a predetermined reference position, a detection value of the relative displacement sensor is stored as a relative displacement reference value, and relative displacement between the plunger and the linear motion member is determined.

Abstract: A brake apparatus, which is configured to generate a hydraulic pressure in a master cylinder, sets a control position of a primary piston. According to a movement of an input piston in response to an operation of a brake pedal, the brake apparatus generates a hydraulic pressure in a primary chamber of the master cylinder by driving the primary piston by an electric motor to supply brake fluid to a brake caliper, thereby exerting a brake effect. The brake apparatus sets a first control position where the primary chamber is out of communication with a reservoir, and a second control position where the primary chamber is in communication with the reservoir as a holding position of the primary piston when no brake is applied. Then, the brake apparatus appropriately switches the holding position of the piston between the first control position and the second control position.

Abstract: There is provided a developing device including a toner holding member that is rotatably provided to face an image holding member and holds and transports a nonmagnetic single-component toner toward a development region to develop an electrostatic latent image on the image holding member, a supplying member that is rotatably provided in elastic contact with the toner holding member to supply the toner from a contact region therebetween to the toner holding member, a toner replenishing unit that faces a replenishment region at a portion apart from the contact region to replenish a new toner, and a regulating member that is provided on a downstream side of the contact region in a rotation direction thereof and on an upstream side of the development region to triboelectrically charge the toner held on the toner holding member and regulate the amount of toner provided for the development.

Abstract: A motor drive device inputs two detection signals from a rotation position sensor thereby to detect a rotation position, and controls a voltage to be applied to a motor according to the detected rotation position. The motor drive device has a control unit for outputting a first voltage in a first state in which the square sum of sampling values sampled from the two detection signals is a predetermined value, and outputting a second voltage in a second state in which the square sum is not the predetermined value.

Abstract: A developing device includes a toner holding member that is rotatably installed opposite to an image holding member which holds a latent image and circularly moves, a supply member that has a rough surface capable of capturing toner, a toner supply portion that supplies new toner, and a restriction member that restricts an amount of toner used for development, wherein the toner supply portion connects an accommodation chamber to a developing chamber via a toner transport path, wherein a developing chamber side opening is located on a lower side of an accommodation chamber side opening of the toner transport path, and wherein a width size in a direction following a rotation direction of the supply member in the developing chamber side opening of the toner transport path is set to be smaller than an outer diameter of the supply member in a projection plane viewed from the supply member side.

Abstract: A developing device includes a transporting unit that rotates while facing an image carrier that carries an electrostatic latent image, the transporting unit transporting developer toward the image carrier; a feeding unit that contacts the transporting unit to feed the developer to the transporting unit; a transport path that connects a containing chamber that contains the developer to a feeding chamber that houses the feeding unit; a supplying unit that retains the developer to be supplied in the transport path and supplies the developer to the feeding unit in a supply region that is separated from a contact region in which the feeding unit contacts the transporting unit; and an attaching unit that is disposed downstream of the contact region and upstream of the supply region in a rotation direction of the feeding unit and that attaches the developer to the feeding unit at a location below the contact region.

Abstract: A developing device including a toner holding member that faces but is not in contact with an image carrier carrying a latent image and that rotates while holding a nonmagnetic toner, a charging member that charges the toner, and a developing electric field forming unit that forms a developing electric field at least including a direct current component to cause the charged toner to fly and adhere to the latent image to develop the latent image. When the developing electric field is applied such that the toner is caused to fly toward the image carrier by the direct current component of the developing electric field, maintaining a non-electrostatic adhesion of the toner to the toner holding member to be about 2 nN or more under a low-temperature low-humidity environment of a temperature of 10° C. and a relative humidity of 15%. The toner holding member's surface has a specific surface roughness specified by a specific oil retention volume.

Abstract: There is provided a developing device including a toner holding member that is rotatably provided to face an image holding member and holds and transports a nonmagnetic single-component toner toward a development region to develop an electrostatic latent image on the image holding member, a supplying member that is rotatably provided in elastic contact with the toner holding member to supply the toner from a contact region therebetween to the toner holding member, a toner replenishing unit that faces a replenishment region at a portion apart from the contact region to replenish a new toner, and a regulating member that is provided on a downstream side of the contact region in a rotation direction thereof and on an upstream side of the development region to triboelectrically charge the toner held on the toner holding member and regulate the amount of toner provided for the development.

Abstract: A developing device includes a transporting unit that rotates while facing an image carrier that carries an electrostatic latent image, the transporting unit transporting developer toward the image carrier; a feeding unit that contacts the transporting unit to feed the developer to the transporting unit; a transport path that connects a containing chamber that contains the developer to a feeding chamber that houses the feeding unit; a supplying unit that retains the developer to be supplied in the transport path and supplies the developer to the feeding unit in a supply region that is separated from a contact region in which the feeding unit contacts the transporting unit; and an attaching unit that is disposed downstream of the contact region and upstream of the supply region in a rotation direction of the feeding unit and that attaches the developer to the feeding unit at a location below the contact region.

Abstract: A developing device includes a toner holding member that is rotatably installed opposite to an image holding member which holds a latent image and circularly moves, a supply member that has a rough surface capable of capturing toner, a toner supply portion that supplies new toner, and a restriction member that restricts an amount of toner used for development, wherein the toner supply portion connects an accommodation chamber to a developing chamber via a toner transport path, wherein a developing chamber side opening is located on a lower side of an accommodation chamber side opening of the toner transport path, and wherein a width size in a direction following a rotation direction of the supply member in the developing chamber side opening of the toner transport path is set to be smaller than an outer diameter of the supply member in a projection plane viewed from the supply member side.

Abstract: A development method is used for a developing device including a toner holding member that faces but is not in contact with an image carrier carrying a latent image and that rotates while holding a nonmagnetic toner, a charging member that charges the toner, and a developing electric field forming unit that forms a developing electric field at least including a direct current component to cause the charged toner to fly and adhere to the latent image to develop the latent image. The method includes, when the developing electric field is applied such that the toner is caused to fly toward the image carrier by the direct current component of the developing electric field alone, maintaining a non-electrostatic adhesion of the toner to the toner holding member to be about 2 nN or more under a low-temperature low-humidity environment of a temperature of 10° C. and a relative humidity of 15%.

Abstract: A motor drive device inputs two detection signals from a rotation position sensor thereby to detect a rotation position, and controls a voltage to be applied to a motor according to the detected rotation position. The motor drive device has a control unit for outputting a first voltage in a first state in which the square sum of sampling values sampled from the two detection signals is a predetermined value, and outputting a second voltage in a second state in which the square sum is not the predetermined value.

Abstract: In response to depression of a brake pedal (6), an electric brake (5) mounted on the rear side starts to generate a braking force at the time of stroke h1 before a fluid pressure brake (4) mounted on the front side starts to generate a braking force when the stroke reaches stroke h2. Accordingly, the rear side is able to generate a braking force prior to the front side, whereby it is possible to reduce a rigid feeling, and therefore improve the pedal feeling.

Abstract: Provided is a brake system capable of preventing fuel efficiency of a vehicle from being lowered. After a brake pedal is released, a pump is driven under a state in which opening/closure of valves included in an ABS/VDC actuator are regulated so that pressure-reduction control for returning a brake fluid in wheel cylinders to a master cylinder is performed. Therefore, the brake fluid remaining in the wheel cylinders is returned to the master cylinder via the pump to increase a hydraulic pressure of the master cylinder. As a result, return characteristics of an electric actuation unit are improved. Therefore, for example, even if viscosity of grease applied onto a rotary-to-linear motion converting mechanism is increased at a low temperature or the like, pistons of the master cylinder can be appropriately returned to initial positions.

Abstract: In a brake system, when setting a control origin position for a resolver for detecting a moved position of a booster piston, communication between a master cylinder and wheel cylinders is interrupted by cut valves. Thereafter, the booster piston is moved forward by an electric actuator in a direction in which a hydraulic pressure is generated so that a position detected by the resolver upon detection of generation of the hydraulic pressure by a hydraulic pressure sensor (position at a time of generation of hydraulic pressure) is obtained. A position obtained by moving backward the position at the time of generation of hydraulic pressure by a predetermined amount is set as the control origin position.

Abstract: A powder recovery device includes a powder storage container and at least two powder conveying members. The powder storage container stores powder recovered from a recovery port. The at least two powder conveying members are disposed on upper and lower sides of the recovery port interposed therebetween in the powder storage container, and are disposed in a longitudinal direction of the powder storage container. The at least two powder conveying members are set so that the amount of powder conveyed near the recovery port is larger than the amount of powder conveyed to a back side which is on the opposite side of the recovery port in the longitudinal direction.

Abstract: A brake apparatus, which is configured to generate a hydraulic pressure in a master cylinder by driving a piston by an electric actuator, accurately and appropriately sets a control position of the piston. According to a movement of an input piston in response to an operation of a brake pedal, the brake apparatus generates a hydraulic pressure in a primary chamber of the master cylinder by driving a primary piston by an electric motor to supply brake fluid to a brake caliper, thereby exerting a brake effect. The brake apparatus sets a first control position where the primary chamber is out of communication with a reservoir, and a second control position where the primary chamber is in communication with the reservoir as a holding position of the primary piston when no brake is applied. Then, the brake apparatus can improve the brake responsiveness while preventing occurrence of a brake drag by appropriately switching the holding position of the piston between the two points.

Abstract: An electric booster including a plunger movable by operation of a brake pedal, an electric motor controlled based on a relative displacement between the plunger and the linear motion member, which is detected by a relative displacement sensor, and a ball and screw mechanism. The linear motion member pushes a piston of a master cylinder through a reaction member, thereby generating a brake force. Part of a reaction force from the master cylinder is fed back to the brake pedal through the reaction member. When a reference position sensor detects that a relative position of the plunger to the linear motion member coincides with a predetermined reference position, a detection value of the relative displacement sensor is stored as a relative displacement reference value, and relative displacement between the plunger and the linear motion member is determined.

Abstract: A powder recovery device includes a powder storage container and at least two powder conveying members. The powder storage container stores powder recovered from a recovery port. The at least two powder conveying members are disposed on upper and lower sides of the recovery port interposed therebetween in the powder storage container, and are disposed in a longitudinal direction of the powder storage container. The at least two powder conveying members are set so that the amount of powder conveyed to the recovery port is larger than the amount of powder conveyed to a back side which is on the opposite side of the recovery port in the longitudinal direction.

Abstract: Provided is a brake system capable of preventing fuel efficiency of a vehicle from being lowered. After an operation of a brake pedal (60) is released, a pump (219, 319) is driven under a state in which opening/closure of valves included in an ABS/VDC actuator (8) are regulated so that pressure-reduction control for returning a brake fluid in wheel cylinders (7) to a master cylinder (2) is performed. Therefore, the brake fluid remaining in the wheel cylinders (7) is returned to the master cylinder (2) via the pump (219, 319) to increase a hydraulic pressure of the master cylinder (2). As a result, return characteristics of an electric actuation unit (3) are improved. Therefore, for example, even if viscosity of grease applied onto a rotary-to-linear motion converting mechanism (23) is increased at a low temperature or the like, pistons of the master cylinder (2) can be appropriately returned to initial positions.