Abstract: An alloy material includes: a composition, in a composition range of a ternary alloy of silver (Ag), palladium (Pd), and copper (Cu), the composition containing 20 to 30 wt % of Ag, 35 to 55 wt % of Pd, and 20 to 40 wt % of Cu. The composition as a base is added with tin (Sn) in a range of 0.5 to 2.5 wt %, further added with any one of or a combination of cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), and zinc (Zn) in a range of 0.1 to 1.0 wt %, and added with 0.01 to 0.1 wt % of either one of or a combination of iridium (Ir) and ruthenium (Ru).

Abstract: An alloy material includes: a composition, in a composition range of a ternary alloy of silver (Ag), palladium (Pd), and copper (Cu), the composition containing 20 to 30 wt % of Ag, 35 to 55 wt % of Pd, and 20 to 40 wt % of Cu. The composition as a base is added with tin (Sn) in a range of 0.5 to 2.5 wt %, further added with any one of or a combination of cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), and zinc (Zn) in a range of 0.1 to 1.0 wt %, and added with 0.01 to 0.1 wt % of either one of or a combination of iridium (Ir) and ruthenium (Ru).

Abstract: An alloy material includes: a composition containing 17 at % to 25 at % of silver (Ag), 30 at % to 45 at % of palladium (Pd), and 30 at % to 53 at % of copper (Cu) in a composition range of a ternary alloy of Ag, Pd, and Cu; and at least one of manganese (Mn), tin (Sn), silicon (Si), antimony (Sb), titanium (Ti) and magnesium (Mg) added to the composition in a range of 4.5 at % or less, and the Mn in a range of 0.5 at % to 3.5 at %, the Sn in a range of 1 at % to 2 at %, the Si in a range of 0.5 at % to 2 at %, the Sb in a range of 0.5 at % to 3 at %, the Ti in a range of 0.5 at % to 2 at %, and the Mg in a range of 0.5 at % to 3.5 at % are added to the composition.

Abstract: An alloy material includes: a composition containing 17 at % to 25 at % of silver (Ag), 30 at % to 45 at % of palladium (Pd), and 30 at % to 53 at % of copper (Cu) in a composition range of a ternary alloy of Ag, Pd, and Cu; and at least one of manganese (Mn), tin (Sn), silicon (Si), antimony (Sb), titanium (Ti) and magnesium (Mg) added to the composition in a range of 4.5 at % or less, and the Mn in a range of 0.5 at % to 3.5 at %, the Sn in a range of 1 at % to 2 at %, the Si in a range of 0.5 at % to 2 at %, the Sb in a range of 0.5 at % to 3 at %, the Ti in a range of 0.5 at % to 2 at %, and the Mg in a range of 0.5 at % to 3.5 at % are added to the composition.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a first image forming unit having a first printing section for forming a first image on the paper; a second image forming unit having a second printing section for forming a second image on the paper; and a paper conveying unit for conveying the paper from the first image forming unit to the second image forming unit. Accordingly, two kinds of image can be formed employing one image forming apparatus. The first image and the second image may be formed using the same recording material (toner) or different recording materials (toners).

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a first image forming unit having a first printing section for forming a first image on the paper; a second image forming unit having a second printing section for forming a second image on the paper; and a paper conveying unit for conveying the paper from the first image forming unit to the second image forming unit. Accordingly, two kinds of image can be formed employing one image forming apparatus. The first image and the second image may be formed using the same recording material (toner) or different recording materials (toners).

Abstract: A transfer guide is provided which includes a guide member for guiding paper to a transfer point and a paper holding member using an electrically conductive member attached to the guide member by means of a spring member and disposed in the vicinity of a surface of a photosensitive drum, such that the gap becomes narrow for thin paper and the gap widens for thick paper in correspondence with the ream weight of the paper.

Abstract: A toner cartridge includes a container for containing toner of a volume of 2500 cm3 or more. The container defines an opening portion, a cap is fixed to the opening portion of the container, and the cap defines a first semicircle opening portion. A film covers and seals the first semicircle opening portion of the cap. A shutter is rotatably disposed on the cap and the shutter defines a second semicircle opening portion capable of corresponding to the first semicircle opening portion of the cap, the shutter having a diameter of 70 mm or above.

Abstract: A fixing device has a web unit with a housing having two shaft members in parallel with each other, the housing defining a through hole on each of two lateral sides of the housing. The web unit also has a web member windably supported by the two shaft members, and a handle having two protrusion protruded from a lateral surface of the housing to outside of the housing. Each of the two protrusions defines a first width and a second width larger than the first width. The fixing device also has a fixing device frame to be detachably disposed to the web unit. The fixing device frame has a guiding groove with a groove through which the two protrusions are guided on the basis of the first width, and a guiding portion at an end of the groove to allow the two protrusions to be changed from the first width to the second width. The attachment or detachment of the web unit to or from the fixing device frame is regulated corresponding to a position of the handle with respect to the housing.

Abstract: A transfer guide is provided which includes a guide member for guiding paper to a transfer point and a paper holding member using an electrically conductive member attached to the guide member by means of a spring member and disposed in the vicinity of a surface of a photosensitive drum, such that the gap becomes narrow for thin paper and the gap widens for thick paper in correspondence with the ream weight of the paper.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developing unit having a photoreceptor, for making an electrostatic latent image on a surface of the photoreceptor visible as a toner image. A toner hopper stores toner to be supplied to the developing unit and a cleaning device removes and recovers the toner remaining on the surface of the photoreceptor after the toner image has been transferred onto a recording material. A toner transporting passage is connected between the cleaning device and the toner hopper, through which the toner recovered by the cleaning device is returned to the toner hopper. A toner exhausting port is disposed at a part of the toner transporting passage, from which the toner being returned from the cleaning device side is exhausted outside the toner transporting passage. An opening and closing member selectively opens or closes the toner exhausting port, wherein an inner diameter of the toner exhausting port is made larger than that of the toner transporting passage.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus and a method of using the image recording apparatus. The image recording apparatus has a sheet sending path connecting a sheet supply section, an image forming section, and a sheet discharge section. A pull-in path branches from the sheet sending path, and a return path branches from the pull-in path to define a branch point. A first pair and a second pair of conveying rollers are provided on the pull-in path on respective sides of the branch point.The first pair and the second pair of conveying rollers are independently drivable in a forward direction and a reverse direction.

Abstract: A uniform image is obtained by matching the sliding friction force, the moving speed and the developing agent in a developing region of two developing rollers and an electric characteristic of a photosensitive body used for image development. Two developing rollers rotating in directions opposite to each other are used, the moving direction of the first developing roller being opposite to the moving direction of the photosensitive body, and a circumferential speed ratio of a circumferential speed of the first developing roller to a circumferential speed of the photosensitive body is within a rage of 0.5 to 2.5; and the moving direction of the second developing roller is equal to the moving direction of the photosensitive body, and a circumferential speed ratio of a circumferential speed of the second developing roller to a circumferential speed of the photosensitive body is within a range of 1.5 to 3.5.

Abstract: A hot-melt type ink jet printer includes a nozzle array, an ink tank containing a hot-melt ink therein, and an ink supply tube connecting the ink tank and the nozzle array, wherein a hot-melt ink is used which is a solid at room temperature but liquifies when heated. The ink supply tube is made of an elastic material that contracts and deforms corresponding to contractions and deformations of the ink contained in the ink supply tube. A cap is attached to the tip end of the ink supply tube so that the inlet of the ink supply tube that is in the ink tank faces to the side or upward.

Abstract: A suction purging unit for removing dusts solidified ink etc. from nozzles of a print head of an ink jet printer, the nozzles being arrayed in a moving direction of the print head. A contact portion is provided at one side of a body portion in which a fluid passage is formed. The contact portion is contactable with at least one of the nozzles for suction purging, and is separated from the nozzle between-suction purging mode. The body portion is pivotally movable toward and away from the print head, and is vertically movable. The body portion is movable along a top surface of the print head when the latter is moved in the moving direction.