Abstract: A particle collecting device includes a vent pipe having a channel space through which air flows, a first air blower that delivers air including a particle at a first end of the vent pipe into the channel space, a collector that is disposed to block a channel in the channel space at an intermediate part of the vent pipe and that collects the particle included in the air delivered by the first air blower, and a second air blower that collects the air traveling through the collector at a second end of the vent pipe and that delivers the air outward from the channel space. The first and second air blowers operate such that a first pressure in a first channel space extending from the first air blower to the collector and a second pressure in a second channel space extending from the collector to the second air blower are maintained to have a relationship in which the second pressure<the first pressure?atmospheric pressure. The first and second channel spaces are included in the channel space of the vent pipe.

Abstract: A particle collecting device includes a vent pipe having a channel space through which air flows, a first air blower that delivers air including a particle at a first end of the vent pipe into the channel space, a collector that is disposed to block a channel in the channel space at an intermediate part of the vent pipe and that collects the particle included in the air delivered by the first air blower, and a second air blower that collects the air traveling through the collector at a second end of the vent pipe and that delivers the air outward from the channel space. The first and second air blowers operate such that a first pressure in a first channel space extending from the first air blower to the collector and a second pressure in a second channel space extending from the collector to the second air blower are maintained to have a relationship in which the second pressure<the first pressure?atmospheric pressure. The first and second channel spaces are included in the channel space of the vent pipe.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body having an inner sheet-output space provided between an image forming unit and an image reading unit provided above the image forming unit, the inner sheet-output space being open on an operator side of the apparatus body; and a sound generating unit provided on the operator side of the apparatus body and facing toward the inner sheet-output space.

Abstract: A device for switching a transport direction of a recording material includes a switching unit and a movement unit. The switching unit switches a transport direction of a recording material by being selectively moved to a first position or a second position. The movement unit moves the switching unit between the first position and the second position by increasing or reducing a force exerted on the switching unit. The movement unit changes, on the basis of a temperature of the movement unit, timing at which the force exerted on the switching unit is increased or reduced.

Abstract: A device for switching a transport direction of a recording material includes a switching unit and a movement unit. The switching unit switches a transport direction of a recording material by being selectively moved to a first position or a second position. The movement unit moves the switching unit between the first position and the second position by increasing or reducing a force exerted on the switching unit. The movement unit changes, on the basis of a temperature of the movement unit, timing at which the force exerted on the switching unit is increased or reduced.

Abstract: An optical recording medium containing in the recording layer a dipyrromethene-metal chelate compound of which the initial principal weight loss temperature is thermogravimetrically from 330° C. through 500° C. inclusive, capable of high speed and high density recording and playback with a laser having a wavelength of 520 to 690 nm.

Abstract: In an optical recording medium, a recording layer is formed by coating a substrate with a solution of coloring matter comprising a coloring matter dissolved in a solvent comprising a mixture of cyclooctane and at least one hydrocarbon having 6 to 9 carbon atoms other than cyclooctane. The obtained optical recording medium enables suppressing the leakage of land prepit signal for address information into RF signal for recorded data at the time of recorded data reproduction, thereby attaining a lowering of error rate.