Abstract: A low cost image forming apparatus can be provided in which the amount of remaining toner of each color in each development apparatus can be detected by a single detection sensor device and at the same time whether the development apparatus is attached to or detached from the image forming apparatus can be discerned by the detection sensor device. The image forming apparatus includes development apparatuses for each color for developing an electrostatic latent image and supply of the developer is controlled based on the detected amount of toner in each of the development apparatuses. The detection sensor device includes a light emitting member and a light receiving member which receives the light emitted from the light emitting member and output a detection signal in accordance with the intensity of received light.

Abstract: A variable valve device modulates movement of a valve for internal combustion engine by using a hydraulic pressure. The variable valve device is controlled by a control device via a control valve that modulates hydraulic pressure supply to and discharge from the variable valve device. The control device offsets an operating amount of the control valve by an offset component that shifts the operating amount outside a dead band. The control device sets the offset component smaller as the hydraulic medium temperature increases. The control device sets the offset component smaller when a controlling direction coincides with a biasing direction of a biasing member than that when the controlling direction opposes to the biasing direction. Further, the control device cancels the offset component when the actual valve movement is sufficiently close to the target valve movement.

Abstract: When a variable valve lift control apparatus is in a steady condition, a fluctuation control is performed. In the fluctuation control, a target lift amount is increased by a fluctuation width during an up-time and then the target lift amount is decreased by the fluctuation width during a down-time which is longer than the up-time to be returned to an original value. A decreasing amount of the integral term is greater than the increasing amount thereof. Consequently, the integral term can be made smaller than the original value. Even when a control duty is a larger value due to a hysteresis, the fluctuation control gradually decreases the increment of the integral term and converges the control duty to the small value.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a small-sized developing apparatus which well supplies the developer, does not cause the image degradation for a long term. The developing apparatus comprises a developer containing chamber, a developer supply chamber and developing means which is disposed in said developer supply chamber and develops an electrostatic latent image, a boundary wall which is disposed between said developer containing chamber and said developer supply chamber and has a first and a second opening, and an opening and closing member for opening and closing said first opening. The single component developer is supplied through said second opening into the developer supply chamber. The opening and closing member opens and closes, in response to the toner quantity supplied into the toner supply chamber and allows said single component developer to move in only one direction from said developer supply chamber to said developer containing chamber.

Abstract: If a turn signal switch is operated and a right-turn signal or a left-turn signal is input, a turn signal controller outputs a turn signal lamp lighting signal to a relay so as to make the turn signal lamp flash. Detection signals of an operating amount and an operating direction of a joy stick are input to a main controller, and the main controller detects a steering angle of the vehicle on the basis of the input detection signals, and outputs the steering angle to the turn signal controller. The turn signal controller determines that a course change is finished in case the input steering angle becomes smaller than a second steering angle after becoming larger than a first steering angle, and stops a turn signal lamp lighting signal on an output state so as to turn off a flashing turn signal lamp.

Abstract: When a valve timing is held, even if a Duty value of an operational signal of a variable valve timing controller is slightly changed, a holding unresponsive range will be arisen. In the unresponsive range, a variation speed of the valve timing is very small. As temperature is decreased, the unresponsive range is extended and an individual difference becomes notable. While the valve timing is held, a computer learns a deviation amount of a response characteristic of the valve timing based on a variation speed of the valve timing when the Duty value is slightly changed from the holding unresponsive range to outside thereof.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes an additional information conversion means for converting a text of related information into additional information and outputting this additional information, and for outputting an amount of additional information for each point of interest, an embedding region allocating means for outputting region management information including the amount of additional information, for allocating an embedding region for the additional information in an original digital input image on the basis of image size information and the amount of additional information, and for outputting information on the embedding region as region information, and an information embedding means for embedding the region management information in a predetermined region in the original digital input image, and also embedding the additional information in the original digital input image on the basis of the region information to generate and output a watermarked image.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided with a photoconductor to have an electrostatic latent image formed thereon, a developing device for developing the electrostatic latent image with a toner, a toner replenishing device for replenishing the toner into the developing device, and a controller for controlling an image developing operation by the developing device and a toner replenishing operation by the toner replenishing device. The controller executes a non-replenishment mode for causing the developing device to perform image development without being replenished with the toner from the toner replenishing device, a discharge mode, following the non-replenishment mode, for discharging the toner remaining in the developing device and a refill mode, following the discharge mode, for refilling the toner into the developing device by the toner replenishing device.

Abstract: An electronic image into which an electronic watermark is to be embedded is divided into a plurality of image regions spatially, and pixels each having a property of being difficult to visually recognize a variation in a pixel value are extracted as adaptive pixels from each of the plurality of image regions. A variation between the pixel values of the adaptive pixels in one of the plurality of image regions and those of the adaptive pixels in an adjacent one of the plurality of image regions is produced, and the pixel values of the adaptive pixels of the plurality of image regions are varied in a time direction according to the value of an embedded bit set of the electronic watermark. An electronic-watermark-embedded image is then generated by making the variation in the pixel values of the adaptive pixels vary step by step at a boundary between the two of the plurality of image regions and/or in the time direction so that the variation makes a slow transition.

Abstract: Electrolyte solution and an electrolytic capacitor using it having a low impedance characteristic, having a high withstand voltage characteristic of 100V class, and a high temperature life characteristic is provided. The electrolyte solution containing an aluminum tetrafluoride salt, and a solvent with high boiling point, such as sulfolane, 3-methyl sulfolane, and 2,4-dimethyl sulfolane, and the like are used. The electrolytic capacitor of the present invention has a low impedance characteristic, a high withstand voltage characteristic, and an excellent high temperature life characteristic.

Abstract: If a turn signal switch is operated and a right-turn signal or a left-turn signal is input, a turn signal controller outputs a turn signal lamp lighting signal to a relay so as to make the turn signal lamp flash. Detection signals of an operating amount and an operating direction of a joy stick are input to a main controller, and the main controller detects a steering angle of the vehicle on the basis of the input detection signals, and outputs the steering angle to the turn signal controller. The turn signal controller determines that a course change is finished in a case the input steering angle becomes smaller than a second steering angle after becoming larger than a first steering angle, and stops a turn signal lamp lighting signal on an output state so as to turn off a flashing turn signal lamp.

Abstract: An adhesive roll cleaner 1 comprises a core tube and a plurality of adhesive tapes 3 having an adhesive portion A on one side thereof helically wound around the core tube in a layered configuration with the adhesive portion A out. Each of the adhesive tapes 3 is wound with a gap G of prescribed width between a side edge S1 and an adjacent side edge S2, and the width of the adhesive tapes 3 increases toward outside.

Abstract: A working machine such as a wheel loader for moving a load measures the weight of the load accurately. While the load is lifted by a boom of the working machine, a boom angle (?) and a pressure value (P) of a boom cylinder are measured and a boom angular speed (?) is calculated. A corrected factor (?) is determined according to the boom angular speed (?), and a corrected pressure value (P?) is calculated from “P?=P???.” A predetermined table is referred to and the weight (W) of the load is determined based on the boom angle (?) and the corrected pressure value (P) of the boom cylinder. Further, calibrations are performed as needed, and each time when a calibration is made, the average value of the calibrated value and the preceding calibrated value is calculated and data is rewritten to this average value.

Abstract: A novel polarizing plate is disclosed. The polarizing plate comprises at least a polarizing film, a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, and an optical compensation sheet, having an absolute value of Y, defined by the following equation, equal to or smaller than 6.0×10?4: Y=?7.0×105×Cn+4.3×10?13×E?1.34×10?3 where Cn (1/Pa) is photoelastic modulus of said pressure-sensitive adhesive layer and E (Pa) is modulus of elasticity of said optical compensation sheet.

Abstract: A developing device is provided to suppress image density unevenness by adjusting conditions of toner adhesion to an amorphous silicon photoconductor to a suitable range even when using both an amorphous silicon photoconductor and a nonmagnetic monocomponent toner and practicing development in a non-contact system. The developing device satisfies the relational expression: (f×1.5/?)2>?1.576×10?2×q/m×(Vpp/Ds2)+31.9×106 where Ds (m) is a distance between the photoconductor and the toner carrier, f (Hz) is a frequency of an AC bias applied to the toner carrier, Vpp (V) is an amplitude of the AC bias, ? (?) is a ratio of a peripheral speed of the toner carrier to a peripheral speed of the amorphous silicon photoconductor, and q/m (C/kg) is a charge quantity per unit mass of the toner.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus that uses toners of a plurality of different colors, amorphous toner is used during image forming with a first color. Then, a controller, by using a toner remaining-removing switching device, causes toner scraped off from an image carrier by a blade during cleaning to remain at a predetermined region near the blade. Spherical toner is used during image forming with a second color and thereafter. The controller switches the toner remaining-removing switching device during any one of processes starting from the process of the second color until the end of image formation to remove toner remaining at the predetermined region, and the toner subsequently scraped off, from the image carrier.

Abstract: The image forming unit 100 includes a photosensitive drum 11, a rotary developing device 30, and a rotation speed control device 70. Electrostatic latent images are formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 11. The rotary developing device 30 includes a plurality of developing apparatuses 13 having a developing roller 14 disposed in opposition to the photosensitive drum 11, and a distance regulating collar 73 that regulates the distance between the photosensitive drum 11 and the developing roller 14. The rotation speed control device 70 includes a rotation speed control device 71 that controls the rotation speed of the rotary developing device 30 so that for a predetermined period of time until the developing apparatus 13 reaches the developing position the rotation speed of the photosensitive drum 11 and the movement speed in the circumferential direction of the distance regulating collar 73 are equal.

Abstract: A wheel loader automatically adjusts the bucket angle with respect to the ground. The wheel loader includes a hydraulic pump (11), a tilt cylinder (5a) and a tilt valve (14a), a detector (20) which detects that the tilt cylinder (5a) is at a control origin, a target setting device (17) which sets a target value for the length of the tilt cylinder (5a), and a control device (16). The control device (16) calculates a required oil amount for the tilt cylinder (5a) to arrive from the control origin to the target length, calculates an oil amount distributed to the tilt cylinder (5a) after it has arrived at the control origin, and stops the operation of the tilt cylinder (5a) when the distributed oil amount reaches the required amount.