Abstract: An image forming apparatus using a two-component developer including a toner and a carrier as a developer, and provided with a toner replenishing device for replenishing with the toner has remaining amount detecting means for detecting the remaining amount of toner in a toner container, and informing means for generating a signal indicative of a small remaining amount of toner when the remaining amount of toner in the toner container becomes equal to or less than a predetermined amount, and a limit value is made effective only in a state in which the signal indicative of a small remaining amount of toner is being outputted. Also, by the density of the developer in a developing container becoming smaller than a predetermined limit value, a state in which a developing device is not being replenished with the toner from the toner replenishing device is judged. The limit value has a plurality of standards, and a value is selected and used in conformity with the remaining amount of toner in the toner container.

Abstract: An electric blower employed in a vacuum cleaner for creating a suction air stream in order to collect dust particles reduces level of noise heard by the operator, by reducing flow resistance in the vacuum cleaner, facilitated by the limiting the volume thereof to about 20% of that of the main body of the vacuum cleaner. Moreover, by limiting the volume of the blower, dust storage capacity can be expanded without having to significantly change the dimensions of the main body used by a convention vacuum cleaner. Thus providing greater comfort and convenience to the operator.

Abstract: The developer agitating member has a shaft portion, a spiral rib and an inclined rib protruding from the outer peripheral surface of the shaft portion and provided in the spiral rib in the axial direction of the shaft portion. Thereby, in a developing apparatus, a process cartridge and an image forming apparatus, the developer agitating member can efficiently agitate and convey a developer.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus has a developer container containing a developer therein, a developer toner density detecting portion for detecting the permeability of the developer in the developer container to thereby detect toner density, and an engine controller for detecting whether the image forming apparatus has gone wrong, on the basis of the toner density detected by the developer toner density detecting portion. Thereby, it becomes possible to detect the failure of a developing apparatus reliably and early by an inexpensive construction.

Abstract: A vacuum cleaner includes an electric blower for generating a suction air flow, a suction head in communication with the electric blower for drawing in dirt, a filter bag communication with the electric blower for capturing and collecting dirt, an exhaust unit for discharging exhaust air from the electric blower to atmosphere, and an ion generator for generating negative ions and/or positive ions. The ion generator is placed between the suction head and the filter bag.

Abstract: This invention relates to a toner replenishing method including the steps of conveying, from a toner storing section which forms a fluid mixture of toner and air, the fluid mixture to a toner separating section provided away from the toner storing section through toner supplying fluid conveying means, separating the toner from air in the toner separating section, and supplying the toner from the toner separating section to a developing unit, and a toner replenishing unit which practices the toner replenishing method. The toner replenishing method of the invention further includes the step of returning part of air separated from the toner from the toner separating section to the toner storing section by using a returning fluid conveying mechanism. The toner replenishing unit of the present invention includes a returning fluid conveying mechanism between the toner storing section and the toner separating section.

Abstract: To reduce the exposed length of a winker cord, making the winker cord have a better appearance and also to provide better protection of the winker cord. A front winker (winker device) has a winker holder mounted on a front fork member of a motorcycle with a winker supported on an outer side of the winker holder by a winker support base, and a winker cord extending from the winker holder. The winker holder includes a pair of front and rear holder members, and is mounted on the front fork member in sandwiching relation thereto. The winker cord is inserted though a cord insertion hole defined in the holder members and is exposed out of the winker holder inwardly of the front fork member. A vehicular light-emitting device is capable of emitting light sideways for preventing emitted light from being applied to the driver and also for preventing rainwater from entering the light-emitting device.

Abstract: To reduce moment generated at the proximal portion and the supporting portion of a brake pedal and to prevent an increase in weight even when the brake pedal is disposed outside a vehicle body and an operating unit is disposed away from the brake pedal within the vehicle body. A supporting shaft rotates integrally with the brake pedal by being connected with the brake pedal at one end with a supporting member for supporting both ends of the supporting shaft. An operating member is provided for operating an operating unit by rotation of the brake pedal and the supporting shaft by being connected to the other end of the supporting shaft at the position away from the brake pedal are provided. A pedal pad unit includes a flat depressing surface forming portion to be covered by a cover on the front face on which the driver depresses and a mounting portion extending from the depressing surface forming portion in the direction opposite from the cover for being pivotally mounted on the pedal lever unit.

Abstract: To provide a meter cover structure capable of enhancing the visibility of a meter, and preventing, even if an object comes in contact with a meter cover, the meter from being damaged by the contact with the object. A meter cover structure includes a meter, and a meter cover disposed over a fuel tank. The meter cover has an opening portion in which the meter is disposed. A chamfer portion having a linear cross-section tilted downwardly toward the front side is formed at an edge portion, on the rear side of the opening portion, of the meter cover. An upper surface portion of the meter is tilted such that a tilting angle of the upper surface portion of the meter with respect to the chamfer portion of the meter cover is different from a tilting angle of the upper surface portion of the meter with respect to an upper surface portion, continuous to the rear end of the chamfer portion, of the meter cover.

Abstract: A license light for a two-wheeled vehicle capable of uniformly illuminating a display plane of a license plate. A lamp main body is supported in a light housing portion of a light cover mounted to a license plate mounting portion of a rear fender. The lamp main body is configured such that a lamp fixed to a base via a socket is covered with a lens. A prism is provided on an upper surface portion of the lens through which light emitted from the lamp is directed for illuminating a display plane of the license plate. The prism is formed by arraying a plurality of prism elements, each of which is directed in a direction parallel to the center line of a vehicular body, in a direction perpendicular to the center line direction. The light emitted from the lamp is uniformly diffused by the prism, so that the license light is uniformly illuminated with the light with a uniform brightness.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus using a two-component developer including a toner and a carrier as a developer, and provided with a toner replenishing device for replenishing with the toner has remaining amount detecting means for detecting the remaining amount of toner in a toner container, and informing means for generating a signal indicative of a small remaining amount of toner when the remaining amount of toner in the toner container becomes equal to or less than a predetermined amount, and a limit value is made effective only in a state in which the signal indicative of a small remaining amount of toner is being outputted. Also, by the density of the developer in a developing container becoming smaller than a predetermined limit value, a state in which a developing device is not being replenished with the toner from the toner replenishing device is judged. The limit value has a plurality of standards, and a value is selected and used in conformity with the remaining amount of toner in the toner container.

Abstract: A cartridge detachably mountable to a main body of an image forming apparatus which has a developing device for developing an electrostatic image formed on an image bearing member with two-component developer includes a toner and a carrier. The developing device has a density detecting portion for detecting toner density of a start agent of the developer and the main body of the apparatus performs a setting operation for setting a control value for controlling the density detecting portion on the basis of a detection result of the density detecting portion and storing device for storing information that the setting operation is performed.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system that allows a required number of pieces of equipment to be efficiently rented out in a desired plan and that enables a charge to be calculated based on the actual usage of the equipment. A set including a plurality of rental equipment of different rental plan is connected to a communication network via public lines or receivers. At least usage information is sent to a rental company, which is connected to the network, and the host computer of the rental company calculates the charge for the equipment based on this usage information.

Abstract: An electric blower includes a motor unit having a stator and a rotor, a fan unit having an impeller attached to an output shaft of the rotor, and a circuit unit having a heat-generating component for controlling electric power to the motor unit. The circuit unit is arranged in an airflow path of air expelled from an outer periphery of the impeller toward the stator and the rotor of the motor unit. The air suctioned by rotation of the impeller cools the heat-generating component in the circuit unit before cooling the stator and the rotor.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus for controlling a toner supply includes a density detecting component for detecting a density of toner in a developer when forming an image, a toner supply component for supplying toner during image formation in an amount determined by a first toner density detected by the density detecting component, an image forming component for forming an image with toner supplied from the toner supply component in accordance with the toner density detected by the density detecting component, and a storage component for storing a second toner density detected by the density detecting component in preparation for forming a second image after forming a first image, the toner supply component shutting off power to the image forming apparatus after supply of toner to the image forming apparatus using the second toner density stored in the memory is completed when power to the image forming apparatus is switched OFF.

Abstract: A fingerprint identification system, which can reduce repetitions of erroneous fingerprint input operations, includes a fingerprint input sensor on which an individual to be identified places a finger, which reads a fingerprint from the finger; a processor which determines a center of the fingerprint which is read by the fingerprint input sensor and calculates a gap between a center of the fingerprint input sensor and the center of the fingerprint; and a guiding unit which notifies a move direction to the individual based upon the gap and guides the finger to a proper position.

Abstract: A video providing apparatus comprises a video projector, a helmet-shaped head mounting tool, a mirror, a mirror supporting bar, an image pick-up device, and a signal cable. The video projector feeds video light (a bundle of parallel light beams) to the center of the eye of a viewer, for example, by a light condenser device. The video light is directly projected on the retina without being affected by the lens function in the crystalline lens of the eye by Maxwellian view. Accordingly, clear enlarged video can be fed to a person who has a serious disorder or the like in the focus adjusting function of the crystalline lens, to assist the person in reading or the like.