Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes a sheet discharge sensor that detects a recording material, a fixing device that nips the recording material to fix an unfixed toner image onto the recording material, a fixing motor that drives the fixing device, and an engine control unit that controls the fixing motor. The fixing device includes a fixing roller, a pressure unit that forms a first nip portion with the fixing roller to press the fixing roller, and a heating unit that forms a second nip portion with the fixing roller to heat the fixing roller. The first nip portion nips the recording material to fix the toner image onto the recording material. When determining that the recording material is wound around the fixing device using the sheet discharge sensor, the engine control unit continues to drive the fixing motor.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of image forming units that are each configured to be detachably mountable and include an image carrier; an irradiation unit configured to irradiate respective image carriers of the plurality of image forming units with light to form one or more electrostatic latent images along a direction of the rotational driving; a detection unit configured to detect the electrostatic latent images; a determination unit configured to determine mounted states of the plurality of image forming units based on a detection result by the detection unit; and a control unit configured to perform control such that, for each of the image carriers, the electrostatic latent images are not formed on an image carrier in a period in which at least one of the one or more electrostatic latent images is formed on a different image carrier.

Abstract: A reactor includes an annular core, coils, a sensor detecting a state of the reactor, and a connector outputting signal from the sensor. Resin-molded bodies are provided around the annular core. The resin-molded body has bobbins for the respective coils and core covering portions formed integrally with each other. An exposed area where no resin covers the bottom of the core is formed in the lower face of the covering portions. A holder to fasten the connector is formed integrally with the upper portion of the covering portion. An assembly including the resin-molded bodies in which the annular core is embedded, and the coils wound around the bobbins are retained in a metal casing. A clearance is formed between the assembly and the casing, and a filler is filled in this clearance. The filler covers the exposed area of the core bottom.

Abstract: If a second detecting unit has detected an upper surface of a stack of sheets without a first detecting unit detecting the upper surface of the stack of sheets when a pickup roller is moved from a moved position to a pickup position, a control unit lifts a stacking plate by a first predetermined amount. If the pickup roller is moved from the moved position to the pickup position without the first detecting unit and the second detecting unit detecting the upper surface of the stack of sheets, the control unit lifts the stacking plate by a second predetermined amount greater than the first predetermined amount.

Abstract: An oscillation device includes an oscillator, an oscillation detection unit that detects oscillation of the oscillator and outputs an oscillation detection signal, and a drive unit that generates a drive signal in keeping with the oscillation detection signal and outputs the drive signal to the oscillator. The drive unit includes a phase shift unit that shifts the phase to provide the drive signal as positive feedback to the oscillator. The phase shift unit includes a disturbance generating unit that outputs the periodic signal, a fluctuation unit that causes the amount of phase shift to fluctuate based on the periodic signal, a drive amplitude detection unit that detects the amplitude of the drive signal and outputs a drive amplitude signal, a product detection unit that outputs a detection signal after performing product detection on the drive amplitude signal based on the periodic signal, and an adjustment unit that adjusts the phase-shift amount based on the detection signal.

Abstract: A method for trimming a carbon-containing film includes: (i) providing a substrate having a carbon-containing film formed thereon; (ii) supplying a trimming gas and a rare gas to the reaction space, which trimming gas includes an oxygen-containing gas; and (iii) applying RF power between the electrodes to generate a plasma using the trimming gas and the rare gas and to thereby trim the carbon-containing film while controlling a trimming rate at 55 nm/min or less as a function of at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of a flow rate of an oxygen-containing gas, a flow rate of nitrogen-containing gas to be added to the oxygen-containing gas, pressure in the reaction space, RF power, a duty cycle of RF power, a distance between the electrodes, and a temperature of a susceptor on which the substrate is placed.

Abstract: A reactor includes an annular core, coils, a sensor detecting a state of the reactor, and a connector outputting signal from the sensor. Resin-molded bodies are provided around the annular core. The resin-molded body has bobbins for the respective coils and core covering portions formed integrally with each other. An exposed area where no resin covers the bottom of the core is formed in the lower face of the covering portions. A holder to fasten the connector is formed integrally with the upper portion of the covering portion. An assembly including the resin-molded bodies in which the annular core is embedded, and the coils wound around the bobbins are retained in a metal casing. A clearance is formed between the assembly and the casing, and a filler is filled in this clearance. The filler covers the exposed area of the core bottom.

Abstract: An oscillation device includes an oscillator, an oscillation detection unit that detects oscillation of the oscillator and outputs an oscillation detection signal, and a drive unit that generates a drive signal in keeping with the oscillation detection signal and outputs the drive signal to the oscillator. The drive unit includes a phase shift unit that shifts the phase to provide the drive signal as positive feedback to the oscillator. The phase shift unit includes a disturbance generating unit that outputs the periodic signal, a fluctuation unit that causes the amount of phase shift to fluctuate based on the periodic signal, a drive amplitude detection unit that detects the amplitude of the drive signal and outputs a drive amplitude signal, a product detection unit that outputs a detection signal after performing product detection on the drive amplitude signal based on the periodic signal, and an adjustment unit that adjusts the phase-shift amount based on the detection signal.

Abstract: A peptide selected from the group consisting of Hyp-Gly, Pro-Ala-Gly, Gly-Pro, Glu-Hyp-Gly, (Pro-Hyp-Gly)5, (Pro-Hyp-Gly)2, Pro-Hyp-Gly, Glu-Hyp, Ala-Hyp-Gly, Ser-Hyp-Gly and Phe-Hyp or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof is useful as a whitening promoting agent or atopic dermatitis ameliorating agent.

Abstract: A method for forming an oxide film by plasma-assisted processing includes: (i) supplying a precursor reactive to none of oxygen, CxOy, and NxOy (x and y are integers) without a plasma to a reaction space wherein a substrate is placed; (ii) exposing the precursor to a plasma of CxOy and/or NxOy in the reaction space; and (iii) forming an oxide film on the substrate using the precursor and the plasma.

Abstract: An optical substrate PP (10) is provided with a substrate body, and a concavo-convex structure (20) comprised of a plurality of convex portions (20a) provided on the main surface of the substrate body, where at least one pattern (X) observable with an optical microscope is drawn on the main surface, an interval of the pattern (X) is larger than a pitch of the concavo-convex structure (20), and in an optical microscope image of the pattern (X), a first region (Xa) is capable of being distinguished from a second region (Xb) by a difference in light and dark, a plurality of first regions (Xa) is arranged apart from one another at intervals, and the second region (Xb) connects between the first regions (Xa), so as to concurrently actualize increases in internal quantum efficiency IQE and improvements in light extraction efficiency LEE of a semiconductor light emitting device which have been mutually tradeoffs.

Abstract: A peptide selected from the group consisting of Ala-Hyp-Gly, Hyp-Gly-Pro, Leu-Hyp, Glu-Hyp, Gly-Pro-Hyp, Pro-Ala, Hyp-Gly and Pro-Hyp, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof has a myoblast differentiation promoting effect superior to conventional arts.

Abstract: A method for forming an oxide film by plasma-assisted cyclic processing, includes: (i) supplying a precursor to a reaction space wherein a substrate is placed; (ii) applying a first RF power to the reaction space for a first period of time without supplying a precursor; and (iii) applying a second RF power to the reaction space for a second period of time without supplying the precursor, wherein the first RF power is lower than the second RF power, and/or the first period of time is shorter than the second period of time.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes a determination unit configured to determine whether or not a polygon mirror has converged to the number of rotations that allows image formation to be performed, and the determination unit is capable of detecting a first timing and a second timing and determines that the polygon mirror has converged to a number of rotations that allows the image formation to be performed based on an earlier one of the first timing and the second timing.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a reformed gas production apparatus that includes a reaction chamber containing a reforming catalyst, a supply route to the reaction chamber, a reformed gas conduction route from the reaction chamber, and a reaction chamber temperature control means that controls a temperature of the reaction chamber. The supply route supplies a fluid that includes a fuel containing a hydrocarbon having at least two carbon atoms, at least one of steam and a carbon dioxide-containing gas, and an oxygen-containing gas. The fuel can be a mixed fuel that includes a plurality of types of hydrocarbons that each have at least two carbon atoms. The reaction chamber temperature control means relates to the thermal decomposition index temperature of the fuel, which defines an upper limit temperature of the reforming reaction region.

Abstract: A method for controlling in-plane uniformity of a substrate processed by plasma-assisted process in a reactor, includes: supplying a principal gas to a reaction space, and discharging radially the principal gas from the reaction space through an annular duct; and supplying an secondary gas to the reaction space from an area in close proximity to an outer periphery of a susceptor, outside an outer circumference of the substrate as viewed from above, so as to flow at least partially in an inward direction passing the outer circumference of the substrate, reversing the direction of the secondary gas to flow toward the annular duct in a vicinity of the outer circumference of the substrate, and discharging radially the secondary gas together with the principal gas from the reaction space through the annular duct.

Abstract: A power receiving control circuit is provided that receives AC coil current IRX from a reception coil and that supplies DC output voltage VOUT. A rectifier circuit rectifies the coil current IRX. A linear regulator receives a rectified voltage VRECT across a smoothing capacitor, and generates the output voltage VOUT stabilized to a predetermined target level. A controller has predetermined control characteristics configured as a relation between the value of a charging current ICHG and the target value of the rectified voltage VRECT. The controller detects the value of the charging current ICHG, and transmits information which indicates electric power to be transmitted from a wireless power supply apparatus, with reference to the control characteristics. The controller is configured to be capable of changing the control characteristics.

Abstract: An engine capable of reducing the content of hydrocarbon in exhaust gas is provided. When viewed parallel to cylinder center axes, tangential virtual lines extending from endpoints of curved port central axes along tangent lines of the endpoints pass intake valve ports, straight port central axes extending from the endpoints of the curved port central axes are further away from a partition wall than the tangential virtual lines, and intake air bent through curved ports passes straight ports and is sucked through the intake valve ports along the wall between the cylinders.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a plurality of image forming units that are each configured to be detachably mountable and include an image carrier; a irradiation unit configured to irradiate respective image carriers of the plurality of image forming units with light to form one or more electrostatic latent images along a direction of the rotational driving; a detection unit configured to detect the electrostatic latent images; a determination unit configured to determine mounted states of the plurality of image forming units based on a detection result by the detection unit; and a control unit configured to perform control such that, for each of image carriers, the electrostatic latent images are not formed on an image carrier in a period in which at least one of the one or more electrostatic latent images is formed on a different image carrier.

Abstract: A wireless power receiver circuit forms a wireless power receiving apparatus together with a reception coil. An internal power supply line is connected to a capacitor C. An output line is connected to a secondary battery. An H-bridge circuit includes N-channel MOSFETs MH1, MH2, ML1, and ML2. A first switch is arranged between a rectification line and the internal power supply line. A second switch is arranged between the rectification line and the output line. A voltage VDD of the internal power supply line is supplied to a power supply terminal of a controller.