Abstract: An energy management system is configured to calculate a percentage of satisfied based on the report data for each of the plurality of buildings; create, for each of the plurality of buildings, a plan for operating each of the air-conditioning facilities based on the percentage of satisfied and a predetermined target percentage of satisfied; calculate a first energy consumption amount based on the first piece of data; calculate a second energy consumption amount based on the second piece of data, the third piece of data, and the fourth piece of data, the second energy consumption amount being obtained when the each of the air-conditioning facilities is operated after a lapse of a predetermined time period; and control, when the first energy consumption amount is larger than the second energy consumption amount, the operation of the each of the air-conditioning facilities so as to achieve the second energy consumption amount.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image former which forms an image on an image carrying member with toner stored in a storage, a toner supplier which supplies toner to the storage by driving a conveyance member, a density measurer which causes the image former to form an image having a predetermined density at a predetermined timing and measures density of the formed image, a corrector which corrects a driving amount of the conveyance member based on the density measured by the density measurer, and a changer which changes a timing when the density measurer measures the density in response to an event that a predetermined condition is satisfied.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image former which forms an image on an image carrying member with toner stored in a storage, a toner supplier which supplies toner to the storage by driving a conveyance member, a density measurer which causes the image former to form an image having a predetermined density at a predetermined timing and measures density of the formed image, a corrector which corrects a driving amount of the conveyance member based on the density measured by the density measurer, and a changer which changes a timing when the density measurer measures the density in response to an event that a predetermined condition is satisfied.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developer carrying member and first and second conveyance members. The first conveyance member conveys a developer in a first direction through a first conveyance path to the developer carrying member. The second conveyance member conveys the developer in a second direction through a second conveyance path included in a circulation path along with the first conveyance path. The second conveyance member has a helical second screw around a second shaft. The second conveyance path includes a developer replenishing port and a developer discharge port. The second screw is approximately constant in diameter in a second section being a portion extending a predetermined distance from an end of the discharge port in the second direction when viewed in a top view. The second screw conveys the developer at a lower speed in the second section than on an upstream side with respect to the second section.

Abstract: An image forming device includes: a charging unit configured to apply charging bias voltage to a charging member and charge a surface of an image carrying body; an exposure unit configured to expose the surface of the image carrying body, and form an electrostatic latent image; a developing unit configured to apply developing bias voltage to a developer carrying body, and develop the electrostatic latent image; and a control unit configured to control timing to start applying the developing bias voltage relative to timing to start applying the charging bias voltage, wherein the control unit performs control such that the larger an absolute value of the charging bias voltage is, the shorter an interval from timing to start applying the charging bias voltage to timing to start applying the developing bias voltage becomes, and such that the smaller the absolute value is, the longer the interval becomes.

Abstract: There are provided a developing device including a developing roller to develop an image carrier by use of a two-component developer and a developing bias power source, and an image forming apparatus using the developing device. The developing device further includes a variable resistance unit provided on a bias apply path to apply a bias from the developing power source to the developing roller, and a resistance controller to control a resistance value of the variable resistance unit based on a charge amount signal indicating a toner's charge amount in a developer layer on the developing roller. The resistance controller provides a low mode to lower the resistance of the variable resistance unit and a high mode to enhance the resistance. The low mode is set if the toner charge amount is low, and the high mode is set if the toner charge amount is high.

Abstract: An image forming device includes: a charging unit configured to apply charging bias voltage to a charging member and charge a surface of an image carrying body; an exposure unit configured to expose the surface of the image carrying body, and form an electrostatic latent image; a developing unit configured to apply developing bias voltage to a developer carrying body, and develop the electrostatic latent image; and a control unit configured to control timing to start applying the developing bias voltage relative to timing to start applying the charging bias voltage, wherein the control unit performs control such that the larger an absolute value of the charging bias voltage is, the shorter an interval from timing to start applying the charging bias voltage to timing to start applying the developing bias voltage becomes, and such that the smaller the absolute value is, the longer the interval becomes.

Abstract: There are provided a developing device comprising a developing roller to develop an image carrier by use of a two-component developer and a developing bias power source, and an image forming apparatus using the developing device. The developing device further includes a variable resistance unit provided on a bias apply path to apply a bias from the developing power source to the developing roller, and a resistance controller to control a resistance value of the variable resistance unit based on a charge amount signal indicating a toner's charge amount in a developer layer on the developing roller. The resistance controller provides a low mode to lower the resistance of the variable resistance unit and a high mode to enhance the resistance. The low mode is set if the toner charge amount is low, and the high mode is set if the toner charge amount is high.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developer carrying member and first and second conveyance members. The first conveyance member conveys a developer in a first direction through a first conveyance path to the developer carrying member. The second conveyance member conveys the developer in a second direction through a second conveyance path included in a circulation path along with the first conveyance path. The second conveyance member has a helical second screw around a second shaft. The second conveyance path includes a developer replenishing port and a developer discharge port. The second screw is approximately constant in diameter in a second section being a portion extending a predetermined distance from an end of the discharge port in the second direction when viewed in a top view. The second screw conveys the developer at a lower speed in the second section than on an upstream side with respect to the second section.

Abstract: Provided is an artificial leather substrate including: an entangled fiber body; a filler and a non-volatile oil in liquid form added into the entangled fiber body by impregnation; and preferably, an elastic polymer. Preferably, the content of the non-volatile oil is 0.5 to 10 mass % relative to the entangled fiber body. Further preferably, the artificial leather substrate further includes a smoothing layer for smoothing the substrate surface, the smoothing layer being a layer including a second elastic polymer and a second filler and having a thickness of 10 to 100 ?m.

Abstract: There is provided a developer conveyance member that conveys a contained developer from one end side of a delivery region to other end of the delivery region while agitating the contained developer in a developer container, in which the developer is contained. Around a rotation shaft of the developer conveyance member, a spiral wing toward from one end side to other end side is formed. A plurality of paddle parts for conveying the developer in a direction that is perpendicular to a shaft core are formed around the rotation shaft in a delivery region. The paddle parts are arranged with their positions deviated in a circumferential direction.

Abstract: There is provided a developer conveyance member that conveys a contained developer from one end side of a delivery region to other end of the delivery region while agitating the contained developer in a developer container, in which the developer is contained. Around a rotation shaft of the developer conveyance member, a spiral wing toward from one end side to other end side is formed. A plurality of paddle parts for conveying the developer in a direction that is perpendicular to a shaft core are formed around the rotation shaft in a delivery region. The paddle parts are arranged with their positions deviated in a circumferential direction.

Abstract: Disclosed is a charging device for charging the surface of a rotating image carrier. The charging device includes a shielding case having an opening at a location facing toward the image carrier, a corona electrode hung within the shielding case to extend in a direction perpendicular to the rotating direction of the image carrier, a control electrode disposed at a location of the opening. The shielding case as a pair of side plates opposed to each other in the rotating direction of the image carrier. At least one of the side plates has a portion that outwardly bulges at a location in the vicinity of the opening.

Abstract: Provided is an artificial leather sheet that comprises microfine fibers of an inelastic polymer having a mean fiber diameter of at most 5 ?m and an elastic polymer, in which the major portion of the elastic polymer forms a fibrous structure of the entangled nonwoven fabric with the microfine fibers of inelastic polymer throughout the entire layer of the artificial leather sheet in the thickness direction thereof, and a part of the elastic polymer forms a porous layer integrated with the entangled nonwoven fabric structure on at least one face of the artificial leather sheet. The artificial leather sheet does not substantially undergo structure deformation even when repeatedly elongated and deformed. It has good elastic stretchability, and has a soft and dense feel, and its appearance is good not detracting from the drapability of the sheet.

Abstract: A voltage conversion circuit is provided for efficiently converting the voltage of a DC power source into a lower voltage in accordance with load currents of voltage converters.

Abstract: A colored polyamide fiber composed of a polyamide resin, a pigment, a coupling agent and a compound represented by the following formula I: R?—CO—NH—R—NH—CO—R???(I) wherein R is an alkylene group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and R? and R? are each independently an aliphatic hydrocarbon group having 9 to 18 carbon atoms. The colored polyamide fibers are produced without causing bending and fiber break during the melt spinning even when the raw composition contains the pigment in a high concentration. Since the pigment is uniformly dispersed throughout the colored polyamide fibers, the coloration is deep and the strength is high. The colored polyamide fibers are suitable for the production of artificial leathers.

Abstract: A voltage conversion circuit is provided for efficiently converting the voltage of a DC power source into a lower voltage in accordance with load currents of voltage converters.

Abstract: A portable information device, a power saving mode switching method, and a recording medium in which a power saving mode switching program is stored, for efficiently suppressing power generation peaks. In an information device having a component (1) such as a processor and a component (2) such as a magnetic disk device, it is detected whether it is the peak power generation condition or the peak power completion condition on the basis of access information to the component (2), and a power mode change request is given to a power mode changing means (4); and the power mode changing means (4) changes over the component (1) such as the processor from a normal power mode to a power saving mode where the operating voltage is reduced, the clock frequency is reduced, or the like when the peak power generation condition is detected, and changes over it from the power saving mode to the normal power mode when the peak power completion condition is detected.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus having an information storage device, a power saving control method and a recording medium for storing the program therein, in which repetition of a periodic access pattern is recognized and the present mode is changed over to a power saving mode. In an information processing apparatus having an information storage device 1 such as a magnetic disc device, input/output data amount between a main unit of computer system 2 and the information storage device 1 is monitored by an input/output data amount monitoring unit 3, recorded in an input/output data amount history storage unit 5 at a sampling interval Y by an input/output data amount history management unit 4.