Abstract: In an image forming apparatus that forms a toner image on a sheet of paper, a technique for achieving adequate toner collection from the photoconductive surface of the photoconductor to suit the situation is provided.

Abstract: The cleaning apparatus according to the invention is concerned with a cleaning apparatus provided with a cleaning blade which removes a developer remaining on the surface of an image carrier, which is characterized in that the cleaning blade is made of a resinous matrix in which at least one of a fullerene and a carbon nano tube is dispersed. In accordance with the cleaning apparatus according to the invention, it is possible to make high durability and good cleaning performance compatible with each other.

Abstract: There is provided a photoreceptor cleanerless image forming apparatus capable of decreasing color mixture or an exposure error due to reverse transfer toner or untransferred toner. An image forming apparatus 100 according to the present invention comprises four image forming units 100a, 100b, 100c, and 100d configured to be photoreceptor cleanerless in a 4-drum tandem manner. Each image forming unit includes a photoreceptor 103a, 103b, 103c, or 103d, a charger 105a, 105b, 105c, or 105d, an exposure apparatus 106a, 106b, 106c, or 106d, and a developing apparatus 109a, 109b, 109c, or 109d. When exposure intensities Iy, Ic, Im, and Ik are assumed for exposure sources of the exposure apparatuses in the image forming units which form yellow, magenta, cyan, and black images, respectively, the exposure intensities are configured to satisfy conditions of Ik?Ic?Im?Iy and Ik >Iy. This decreases an exposure error (image hysteresis) in an image formed on paper.

Abstract: In a tandem type color image forming apparatus having a function which collects a residual toner for recycle, a particle diameter distribution of a carrier is expressed as that a ratio of the number of carrier particles whose particle diameter is not smaller than ?40 ?m is not greater than 5% and a ratio of the number of carrier particles whose particle diameter is not smaller than ?30 ?m is not greater than 20%, or an intermediate transfer body which has a laminated structure including two or more layers and has a layer with the low hardness arranged on an image carrier, or a total toner layer thickness T1+T2+T3 of first to third transfer image is less than 30 ?m.

Abstract: In the invention, oxidation-treated carbon black having good dispersibility is used to obtain a conductive brush having a uniform resistance even when it is finely processed. An image forming process is carried out by using the conductive brush, whereby abnormal discharge to a photoreceptor is suppressed, and an image defect due to charging unevenness is prevented from occurring without damaging the photoreceptor, so as to improve image quality. The photoreceptor is scraped uniformly and smoothly to prevent filming from occurring, whereby the maintenance property is improved.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an MIS semiconductor device includes forming a high dielectric film on a main surface of a semiconductor substrate, forming a silicon film on the high dielectric film, annealing the semiconductor substrate after the silicon film is formed, processing the high dielectric film and the silicon film into a gate pattern after the semiconductor substrate is annealed, to form a gate insulating film and a gate electrode, and forming source and drain regions on the main surface of the semiconductor substrate using the gate electrode as a mask.

Abstract: In a tandem type color image forming apparatus having a function which collects a residual toner for recycle, a particle diameter distribution of a carrier is expressed as that a ratio of the number of carrier particles whose particle diameter is not smaller than ?40 ?m is not greater than 5% and a ratio of the number of carrier particles-whose particle diameter is not smaller than ?30 ?m is not greater than 20%, or an intermediate transfer body which has a laminated structure including two or more layers and has a layer with the low hardness arranged on an image carrier, or a total toner layer thickness T1+T2+T3 of first to third transfer image is less than 30 ?m.

Abstract: A photoreceptor cleanerless image forming apparatus and method for overlappingly forming yellow, cyan, magenta, and black toner images and decreasing color mixture or an exposure error due to reverse transfer toner or untransferred toner are provided. The image forming apparatus 100 comprises four image forming units 100a, 100b, 100c, and 100d configured to be photoreceptor cleanerless in a 4-drum tandem manner. Each image forming unit includes a photoreceptor 103a, 103b, 103c, or 103d, a charger 105a, 105b, 105c, or 105d, an exposure apparatus 106a, 106b, 106c, or 106d, and a developing apparatus 109a, 109b, 109c, or 109d. When exposure resolutions Ry, Rc, Rm, and Rk are assumed for exposure sources of the exposure apparatuses in the image forming units which form yellow, cyan, magenta, and black images, respectively, the exposure resolutions are configured to satisfy the conditions of Rk?Rc?Rm and Rm>Rk. This decreases an exposure error (image hysteresis) in an image formed on paper.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a feedstock liquid, from which fuel kernels with good quality can be produced, and a method of preparing the feedstock liquid. The present invention provides a feedstock liquid with a viscosity from 4.0×10?2 to 6.5×10?2 Pa·s at 15° C., for the production of ammonium diuranate particles. The present invention also provides a method of preparing a feedstock liquid used for the production of ammonium diuranate particles, which includes mixing a uranyl nitrate solution and tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol to produce a uranyl nitrate mixture, dissolving polyvinyl alcohol in water to produce an aqueous polyvinyl alcohol solution, mixing the aqueous polyvinyl alcohol solution with tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol to produce a polyvinyl alcohol solution, and mixing the uranyl nitrate mixture with the polyvinyl alcohol solution.

Abstract: A drill set for adjusting an implant hole for a self-tap dental screw implant fixture comprises with a diameter d2 at the point of a cutting blade equivalent to a diameter D3 of the tip end of the fixture, a diameter d1 at the back end of the blade equivalent to the maximum root diameter of a first male screw 1e or smaller, and a length l1 of the blade larger than the entire length L1 of the fixture 1, and the second drill 3 with a diameter d5 at the point of a tapered tip end cutting blade 3b equivalent to the diameter D3, and a diameter d3 at the back end of a tapered back end cutting blade 3a equivalent to the maximum root diameter of the first male screw 1e and smaller than the maximum crest diameter thereof, both the blades 3a, 3b forming two-step taper shape.

Abstract: In order to achieve low cost, small size, and light weight, to improve response at the time of transmission of power, and to prevent the occurrence of unusual noise, a power transmission device (10) of an electric power steering device (1) has a motor section (5) comprising a rotational shaft (7), a rotor (51) attached to an inner end side (7a) of the rotational shaft (7), and a stator (52) positioned opposite to the rotor (51), a worm gear (61) attached to a distal end side (7b) from the motor section (5) on the rotational shaft (7), and a worm wheel gear (62) engaged with the gear (61). The rotational shaft (7) is rotatably supported by first and second bearings (81, 82), the first bearing (81) being held by a housing (4) at a distal end side (7b) to the worm gear (61). The second bearing (82) is held by the housing (4) between the worm gear (61) and the rotor (51) so that the worm gear (61) is sandwiched between the first and second bearings (81, 82).

Abstract: The present invention provides a technique capable performing encoding with a high image quality and a low bit rate. An image encoder according to the present inventions includes: an image separation unit for separating a skeleton image and a texture image from an inputted image; a skeleton image encoding unit for encoding the skeleton image separated; a texture image encoding unit for encoding the texture image separated; a parameter adjustment unit for adjusting a parameter used in encoding processing of the skeleton image and the texture image; a parameter encoding unit for encoding the parameter; and a code multiplexing unit for multiplexing the skeleton image, the texture image, and the parameter which have been encoded.

Abstract: A cleanerless cartridge in which a photoconductor body and a charger are integrated, and a cleaner-equipped cartridge in which a photoconductor body, a charger and a cleaner are integrated are prepared. An image forming apparatus body is configured such that the cartridges are attachable to first- to fourth-stage image forming sections. When the cleanerless cartridge is attached to the first- to fourth-stage image forming sections, an image forming operation is controlled under an image formation condition for a cleanerless process. When the cleaner-equipped cartridge is attached to the first- to fourth-stage image forming sections, an image forming operation is controlled under an image formation condition for a cleaner-equipped process.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for cleaning a plurality of drums in an image forming apparatus includes applying a first bias to each of a plurality of disturbing members, each disturbing member associated with a corresponding drum of a plurality of drums. While performing an image forming operation wherein at least one of the plurality of drums is not use, the bias is changed of a disturbing member corresponding to at least one of the plurality of drums not used in performing the image forming operation from the first bias to a second bias different from the first bias.

Abstract: A color image forming apparatus includes an intermediate transfer member, a first forming portion having a first transfer unit, a second forming portion provided downstream from the first forming portion, a third forming portion provided downstream from the second forming portion, a fourth forming portion provided downstream from the third forming portion, and a control portion. The control portion controls a bias of at least one of the corresponding developing unit and the corresponding transfer unit, when transfer of the toner image from the intermediate transfer member to the recording medium is completed, so that a toner-image residue toner material resting on the intermediate transfer member is returned to the corresponding developing unit through the image bearing member of at least one of the first to fourth forming portions.

Abstract: In a color image forming apparatus of the invention, a developing roller of a developing device includes a magnet roller that is configured such that a developer supply pole, a developer convey pole and a developer release pole are properly arranged and fixed. The developer roller also includes an outer cylindrical roller that is formed of an electrically conductive material such as aluminum. A surface of the cylindrical roller is processed to have irregularities. Using the developing roller, simultaneous development/cleaning is executed. Thus, 100% of toner contributes to image formation, and no waste toner is produced. Post-transfer residual toner on a photoconductor body is efficiently recovered to the developing roller, and occurrence of an image defect such as development memory can be prevented.

Abstract: A steam turbine includes a bucket implanted in a turbine rotor and a nozzle disposed on an upstream side of the bucket and supported by a turbine casing, in which a plurality of stages, each including the bucket and the nozzle, are arranged axially in the turbine so as to define a steam path. A hydrophilic coating portion is disposed in the entire area or an area of at least one portion of a circumferential surface of the turbine rotor, surfaces of the nozzles, surfaces of the buckets, and an inner circumferential surface of the turbine casing.

Abstract: A fuel compact formed by integrally molding coated fuel particles by a press into a cylindrical body and comprising a chamfer having plane or curved surface at its corner to thereby prevent the coated fuel particles from being damaged due to stress on press molding whereby the strength thereof is improved against mechanical contact with a fuel sleeve and a graphite block.

Abstract: A cleanerless cartridge in which a photoconductor body and a charger are integrated, and a cleaner-equipped cartridge in which a photoconductor body, a charger and a cleaner are integrated are prepared. An image forming apparatus body is configured such that the cartridges are attachable to first- to fourth-stage image forming sections. When the cleanerless cartridge is attached to the first- to fourth-stage image forming sections, an image forming operation is controlled under an image formation condition for a cleanerless process. When the cleaner-equipped cartridge is attached to the first- to fourth-stage image forming sections, an image forming operation is controlled under an image formation condition for a cleaner-equipped process.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus of the invention holds a first developing agent of a first color and inverse transfer preventing agent, supplies the first developing agent with predetermined potential, supplies the first developing agent to an image portion of an image carrier, supplies the inverse transfer preventing agent with the first developing agent and electric charge of an inverse polarity, supplies the inverse transfer preventing agent to a non-image portion having a predetermined potential difference relative to an image portion, brings the image carrier into contact with a transfer object medium to which a second developing agent of a second color different from the first color is already transferred and transfers the first developing agent to the transfer object medium.