Abstract: A vibration-wave drive motor incorporating a multilayer piezoelectric element having reduced vibration damping as well as a design lending itself to reduced manufacturing costs and miniaturization. The multilayer piezoelectric element includes a piezoelectric active part formed by a plurality of piezoelectric layers having an internal electrode, and a piezoelectric inactive part formed by an integrated piezoelectric layer with no internal electrodes. The vibration-wave drive motor consists of a vibration body including the multilayer piezoelectric element, and a contact body press contacting the vibration body.

Abstract: In a sheet supplying device for feeding a sheet from a sheet stack configured by stacking plural sets of sheets collated by page order, each of which corresponds to one volume, for each set of sheets, in a state where the sheets are superimposed on one another so as to be sequentially offset from one another in a fore-to-aft direction, the sheet supplying device comprises: first transport means 2 for sucking a sheet in an uppermost position of a sheet stack P placed on a sheet table 1 so as to move the sheet rearward; second transport means 3 for sucking the sheet moved rearward by the first transport means 2 so as to transport the sheet forward; and a control unit 9 controlling suction operations of the first and second transport means 2, 3.

Abstract: A vibration wave driven apparatus which makes it possible to secure a required component accuracy obtained by machining and can increase a power ratio to the size of the apparatus. A plurality of contact parts are formed on one surface of an elastic vibration plate of a vibrator, and are disposed in contact with a friction member of a slider. A piezoelectric element plate is joined to the other surface of the vibration plate. Thinner parts as recessed parts are formed in the vibration plate at locations other than the contact parts, whereby the vibration plate is disposed in contact with the friction member of the slider at the contact parts.

Abstract: A vibration-type driving device comprises a vibration element including a driving member and an electro-mechanical energy conversion element having an electrode and arranged to displace the driving member with a driving signal supplied to the electrode, and a driven element that is kept in contact with the driving member of the vibration element. According to the driving signal supplied to the electrode of the electro-mechanical energy conversion element, the vibration element excites vibrations in two flexural vibration modes in which a direction of generation of a node in one mode is perpendicular to that in the other mode.

Abstract: In a monitoring apparatus adapted to monitor an image forming apparatus, a data acquisition module acquires monitoring information from at least one image forming apparatus. An HTTP server module produces a new encryption key pair including a public key and a private key. The public key is used to encrypt notification information in the user-site centralized monitoring apparatus. The private key is incorporated together with a bunch of private keys produced in the past into a data reading program. Preparations are made so that the data reading program can be downloaded.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus obtains restrictive print information determined for each user who operates a printer driver, and customizes a printer driver by setting a print setting value, as an initial value for the printer driver, which does not conflict with a condition indicated by the restrictive print information.

Abstract: Provided is a driving system for a vibrating type actuator capable of simplifying a driving circuit. A vibrating body of the vibrating type actuator can generate a first mode and a second mode which are different in a vibration form, in accordance with an alternate current signal to be supplied. An alternate current signal having a frequency close to a resonance frequency in the first mode or the second mode is applied either between an electrode Va and a common electrode Vc or between an electrode Vb and the common electrode Vc of the vibrating body of the vibrating type actuator. One of the electrodes to be supplied with the alternate current signal is selected by a switching element operated based on a signal from a driving direction switch.

Abstract: A vibration-type driving device comprises a vibration element including a driving member and an electro-mechanical energy conversion element having an electrode and arranged to displace the driving member with a driving signal supplied to the electrode, and a driven element that is kept in contact with the driving member of the vibration element. According to the driving signal supplied to the electrode of the electro-mechanical energy conversion element, the vibration element excites vibrations in two flexural vibration modes in which a direction of generation of a node in one mode is perpendicular to that in the other mode.

Abstract: In an information processing apparatus which can obtain use histories of the parts in an image forming apparatus, counter values of the parts in the image forming apparatus are obtained, magnitudes of the previously obtained counter value and the presently obtained counter value are discriminated, and if it is determined by the discrimination that the counter value becomes smaller, with respect to the part before exchanging, the previously obtained counter value is set into use results of the part before the exchanging.

Abstract: A vibration-type driving device comprises a vibration element including a driving member and an electro-mechanical energy conversion element having an electrode and arranged to displace the driving member with a driving signal supplied to the electrode, and a driven element that is kept in contact with the driving member of the vibration element. According to the driving signal supplied to the electrode of the electro-mechanical energy conversion element, the vibration element excites vibrations in two flexural vibration modes in which a direction of generation of a node in one mode is perpendicular to that in the other mode.

Abstract: A method for producing a stacked piezoelectric element by alternately stacking a plurality of layers of an electrode material and piezoelectric layers having an electro-mechanical energy converting function and provided with penetrating electrodes, which are obtained by forming through holes in each piezoelectric layer and filling such through holes with the electrode material, to be connected at a contact portion with a layer of the electrode material and sintering the thus stacked layers, includes a step of forming, on a first layer of the electrode material, a second layer of electrode material by printing at a peripheral area of the contact portion between the first layer of the electrode material and the penetrating electrodes.

Abstract: A stacked electro-mechanical energy conversion element includes a plurality of layers having a circular shape each of which is formed of a material having an electro-mechanical energy conversion function and has a through-hole in the center thereof, a plurality of electrode portions formed at least on one surface of the layers and separated from each other by a plurality of first non-electrode portions, a plurality of wiring conductors which penetrate the plurality of layers and electrically connect electrode portions of the different layers, and a plurality of second non-electrode portions formed in the periphery of the wiring conductors so as to prevent the wiring conductors from being rendered conductive to the electrode portions, wherein the wiring conductors are formed at least on or in the vicinity of an edge of an outer diameter of each layer, and the electrode portions are formed over the edge of the outer diameter except for portions at which the second non-electrode portions are formed.

Abstract: A vibration-wave drive motor incorporating a multilayer piezoelectric element having reduced vibration damping as well as a design lending itself to reduced manufacturing costs and miniaturization. The multilayer piezoelectric element includes a piezoelectric active part formed by a plurality of piezoelectric layers having an internal electrode, and a piezoelectric inactive part formed by an integrated piezoelectric layer with no internal electrodes. The vibration-wave drive motor consists of a vibration body including the multilayer piezoelectric element, and a contact body press contacting the vibration body.

Abstract: In a sheet supplying device for feeding a sheet from a sheet stack configured by stacking plural sets of sheets collated by page order, each of which corresponds to one volume, for each set of sheets, in a state where the sheets are superimposed on one another so as to be sequentially offset from one another in a fore-to-ft direction, the sheet supplying device comprises: first transport means 2 for sucking a sheet in an uppermost position of a sheet stack P placed on a sheet table 1 so as to move the sheet rearward; second transport means 3 for sucking the sheet moved rearward by the first transport means 2 so as to transport the sheet forward; and a control unit 9 controlling suction operations of the first and second transport means 2, 3.

Abstract: A vibration member for use in a vibration wave driving apparatus, and a vibration wave driving apparatus, the vibration member including an elastic member having a through hole, a fastening member having a threaded portion, an electro-mechanical energy transducer having a through hole, and a shaft inserted into the through holes of the elastic member and the electro-mechanical energy transducer, the shaft having a threaded screw portion that meshes with the threaded portion of the fastening member, and a step that restricts a position of the elastic member relative to the shaft in a thrust direction, wherein the elastic member is sandwiched between the step of the shaft and the fastening member and fixed therebetween by screwing and fastening the threaded screw portion of the shaft with the threaded portion of the fastening member, and the shaft is restricted from rotating relative to the elastic member.

Abstract: A control apparatus for a vibration type actuator is disclosed, with which at least three kinds of vibrations are excited, and a desired motion can be carried out with high efficiency. The vibration type actuator includes a rotatable moving member, an elastic member contacting the moving member, and an electro-mechanical energy conversion element exciting at least three different kinds of vibrations in the elastic member by supplying at least three periodic signals having different phases. The control apparatus includes a rotation axis determining unit, a parameter determining unit and a control circuit. The rotation axis determining unit determines a rotation axis for rotating the moving member. The parameter determining unit determines, by using an inverse model, phase and amplitude of the periodical signals.

Abstract: In an information processing apparatus which can obtain use histories of the parts in an image forming apparatus, counter values of the parts in the image forming apparatus are obtained, magnitudes of the previously obtained counter value and the presently obtained counter value are discriminated, and if it is determined by the discrimination that the counter value becomes smaller, with respect to the part before exchanging, the previously obtained counter value is set into use results of the part before the exchanging.

Abstract: A vibration wave driving apparatus for obtaining driving force in 3D directions comprises a vibration member having a shape that is line-symmetrical with respect to two orthogonal axes, electro-mechanical energy conversion elements which can selectively excite in the vibration member three different types of bending vibrations, which each displace in a direction perpendicular to the two axes, and a driven member which is brought into contact with driving portions of the vibration member and driven by vibration excited in the vibration member.

Abstract: There is provided an information processing apparatus which is capable of accurately setting the present time by acquiring time information without using a dedicated time acquisition program and at low costs. The information processing apparatus manages counter information indicating output states of image forming apparatuses connected thereto via a network. The information processing apparatus transmits an e-mail addressed to itself and receives the same e-mail, and then sets the present time based on the time of the transmission of the e-mail, and the time of reception of the e-mail by a server connected to the network.

Abstract: A vibration-type driving device comprises a vibration element including a driving member and an electro-mechanical energy conversion element having an electrode and arranged to displace the driving member with a driving signal supplied to the electrode, and a driven element that is kept in contact with the driving member of the vibration element. According to the driving signal supplied to the electrode of the electro-mechanical energy conversion element, the vibration element excites vibrations in two flexural vibration modes in which a direction of generation of a node in one mode is perpendicular to that in the other mode.