Abstract: A developing device for use in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, includes a developing member for developing a latent image formed on an electrophotographic photosensitive member, a developer containing portion for containing a developer to be used in developing with the developing member, the latent image being formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive member, an agitating member for agitating the developer contained in the developer containing portion, and a frame rotatably supporting the agitating member and having a hole for rotatably supporting the agitating member, of which an end enters the hole and is rotatably supported by the hole. The length of the agitating member in contact with the inner surface of the hole is shorter, in the longitudinal direction of the hole, than the length of the agitating member present in the hole.

Abstract: An automobile manufacturing line is provided which comprises a first assembly line, a second assembly line positioned parallel to the first assembly line on one side thereof, and a third assembly line positioned parallel to the first assembly line on the other side thereof. A first conveyor is located between the first and second assembly lines for carrying workpieces from the end of the first assembly line to the beginning of the second assembly line, and a second conveyor is located between the second assembly line and the third assembly line for carrying workpieces from the end of the second assembly line to the beginning of the third assembly line. The first assembly line, the first conveyor, the second assembly line, the second conveyor, and the third assembly line are arranged in a substantially spiral configuration. The first and second conveyors are overhead conveyors such that parts and workpieces can be transported to the assembly lines by passing underneath the conveyors.

Abstract: A developer container used in electrophotographic image forming apparatuses includes a seal member having a sealing property improved to prevent leakage of a developer. The container has a container main body to accommodate the developer, a rotary member rotating in contact with the developer, and the seal member located at an end in a direction of a rotating shaft of the rotary member to prevent the developer from leaking.

Abstract: A process cartridge which can detachably be mounted to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, and which includes a cartridge frame, an electrophotographic photosensitive member, a process device acting on the photosensitive member, a shutter for covering a portion of the photosensitive member exposed from the cartridge frame, a support member for supporting one longitudinal end of the shutter to the cartridge frame for shifting movement between an operation position where the photosensitive member is covered by the shutter and a retract position retracted from the operation position, a support member engagement portion provided on the support member to attach the support member to the cartridge frame, and a frame engagement portion provided on the cartridge frame to attach the support member engagement portion to the cartridge frame.

Abstract: A document is read as an image file and stored. At this time, a table is updated. On the table, each of words included in text information obtained by character-recognizing image information output from the read means is associated with a page number of a page including each word and a storage position of the image information. With this table, not only the image information is provided by a full-text search, but also the page number of the page including the search keyword can be provided. The provision of the page number has a potential to facilitate search operations.

Abstract: A heat exchanger composed by overlapping a plurality of heat exchanger units each of which is formed by inserting a plurality of fins over one or a plurality of heat transfer tubes. The fins are worked so that a pair of opposed fins of the overlapped heat exchanger units are brought into contact with each other at one or more points. This heat exchanger constitutes an air conditioner when the heat exchanger units are overlapped in a direction of gravity.

Abstract: The invention comprises a rotatable sheet feed roller; a rotatable press-contacting roller capable of press-contacting against an outer peripheral surface of the sheet feed roller; a sheet feed motor, being a stepping motor, for rotationally driving the sheet feed roller; and a transmission mechanism for transmitting the rotational power of the sheet feed motor to the sheet feed roller; wherein a line feed starting position of the recording sheet at a initial predetermined pitch is set to permit continuation of line feeding by a predetermined amount from a moment a mechanical condition with respect to the recording sheet changes during line feeding at a portion where the mechanical condition changes. The invention provides a printer that performs line feeding by a very accurate amount by line feeding at a constant pitch, even though a mechanical condition of the sheet feed mechanism changes.

Abstract: A process cartridge includes a toner frame and a developing frame joined together without damaging seal members and so that toner leakage due to damage of the seal members can be prevented. The invention also relates to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus to which such a process cartridge can detachably be mounted. Inner corners of opposed portions of ridges and grooves, provided on joint surfaces of the developing frame and the toner frame where a seal member for sealing an opening formed by fitting the ridges and the grooves together, are provided with parallel inclined surfaces.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for recycling a process cartridge removably mountable to an image forming apparatus, comprising the steps of: (a) dividing a process cartridge into a first frame including an image bearing member, and a second frame including a developing means and a developer containing means for containing developer used by the developing means and having an opening through which the developer is supplied to the developing means; (b) thereafter, removing the developing means from the second frame; (c) thereafter, replenishing developer to the developer containing means through the opening; (d) thereafter, removably attaching a seal for closing the opening to the opening; and (e) thereafter, locking the first and second frames to each other, thereby assembling the process cartridge.

Abstract: An antihistaminic substance comprising an extract from a plant tissue of Stevia, which is primarily contained in its stems and leaves, and in a cold water, hot water or lower alcohol extract thereof. Standing of the extract naturally causes fermentation to separate one or more organic acids such as lactic acid and acetic acid, thereby more enhancing the antihistaminic action. The addition of at least one organic acid to the extract immediately after extraction can also enhance the antihistiminic action. When rainbow trout or broilers are fed diets containing histamine, this extract significantly relieves the action of histamine. The extract also represses symptoms such as flare, itch and pain caused by excessive release of activated histamine or a histaminic substance, thus providing an antihistaminic substance of natural origin having no side effects.

Abstract: A toner frame usable with a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, includes (a) a toner containing portion for containing toner to be supplied to a developing member for developing a latent image formed on an electrophotographic photosensitive member; (b) a toner supply opening for supplying the toner into the toner containing portion, wherein the toner supply opening is provided in a longitudinal end portion of the toner containing portion; and (c) a supporting portion for supporting one end portion of a stirring member for stirring toner contained in the toner containing portion, wherein the supporting portion is disposed within a range of the toner supply opening and at a position deviated from a center of the toner supply opening, as seen in a longitudinal direction of the toner frame.

Abstract: A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main body of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes an electrophotographic photosensitive member, a process device acting on the photosensitive member, a cartridge frame having a grip portion to be gripped when the process cartridge is mounted to and dismounted from the main body of the image forming apparatus, and first and second concave portions provided on the cartridge frame at one side and other side of the grip portion in a longitudinal direction of the cartridge frame and being concave toward the interior of the process cartridge.

Abstract: A silver halide color photographic material comprising a blue sensitive emulsion layer unit, a green sensitive emulsion layer unit and a red sensitive emulsion layer unit provided on a support, at least one of said three color sensitive emulsion layer units containing at least three emulsion layers different from one another in sensitivity, in which all photosensitive layers of said three color sensitive emulsion layer units contain photosensitive tabular silver haloiodide grains having an aspect ratio of from two to 100 and said photosensitive tabular silver haloiodide grains contain grains each having a projection at at least one vertex thereof, whereby a color photographic material having excellent relation between sensitivity and granularity and improved push-processing suitability can be provided.

Abstract: A process cartridge remanufacturing method for a process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus includes the steps of providing a new photosensitive drum; providing a new toner-development frame including a new toner frame having a toner containing portion for containing toner, a new development frame having a roller mounting portion for mounting a developing roller for supplying toner to the photosensitive drum, wherein the toner frame and the development frame are welded with a new removable toner seal therebetween for preventing the toner in the toner containing portion from leaking out; preparing a drum frame to be reused having a drum mounting portion for mounting the photosensitive drum; supplying toner into the toner containing portion; mounting the developing roller to the new development frame; mounting the photosensitive drum to the drum frame to be reused; and rotatably engaging the new toner-development frame and the drum frame to be reused.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process cartridge removably mounted to an image forming apparatus, including an electrophotographic photosensitive member, a process mechanism acting on the electrophotographic photosensitive member, a toner containing portion for containing toner used for developing a latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive member, and a grip portion provided contiguous with the toner containing portion and disposed between one longitudinal end and the other longitudinal end of the toner containing portion. The grip portion has a cavity exposed outside and extending in a longitudinal direction of the toner containing portion and defined between upper and lower surfaces of the grip portion. The process cartridge is mounted and dismounted with respect to the image forming apparatus along a direction transverse to a longitudinal direction of the electrophotographic photosensitive member.

Abstract: A method for reconditioning a development roller includes a roller portion for conveying developer, and a plastic flange portion connected to one end of the roller portion to transmit a driving force; wherein after the flange portion and roller portion are separated, a part of the roller portion, which is deformed is removed, and a flange portion, which is longer in the axial direction of the roller portion than the separated flange portion, is joined with said separated and shortened roller portion.

Abstract: An electrically connecting structure including a first electronic part having a first connecting terminal, a second electronic part having a second connecting terminal which is arranged to face the first connecting terminal of the first electronic part, and an anisotropic conductive adhesive arranged between the first connecting terminal and the second connecting terminal. The anisotropic conductive adhesive includes an insulating adhesive, a plurality of first conductive particles which are covered with an insulating layer, and a plurality of second conductive particles which are not covered with any material. The first conductive particles and the second conductive particles have substantially the same size.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process cartridge mountable to an image forming apparatus. The cartridge includes an image bearing member, a processor for acting on the image bearing member, a driving force receiver provided at one end of the image bearing member, a protection member shiftable between a protection position to protect the image bearing member and a retract position, a first projection provided on the side of a toner containing portion, a guide member protruded in the direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the image bearing member, a second projection protruded in the moving direction of the image bearing member, and a third projection protruded from the protection member.

Abstract: A process cartridge includes a rotatable rotary member having a plurality of bearing attachment portions to which bearings are attachable. The plurality of bearing attachment portions are provided on the rotary member with different diameters. A method of reusing a rotation member that is supported at one of a plurality of coaxial rotation surfaces having different diameters includes detaching one of a plurality of bearing members that supports the rotation member at the one of the plurality of coaxial rotation surfaces. Another of the plurality of bearing members is then attached at a corresponding other of the plurality of coaxial rotation surfaces that has a different diameter than the one of the plurality of coaxial rotation surfaces.

Abstract: Flap folding device of a wrapping machine. Side folding guides approach side flaps to hit a hitting part against the closed side faces of a wrapped body part of a content or volume, thereby pressing a wrapped body part, near the base end of the side flaps that face the closed side faces, against the closed side faces. Subsequently, the middle part of each of the side folding guides makes a quarter turn while tracing a corner continued to the closed side faces,. Therefore, the base ends of the side flaps are folded along the corners while being pulled toward the forward end thereof, and, at the same time, are pressed by folding parts against the open sides, through the entire length, from the base end to the forward end, of the side flaps.