Abstract: A packing material includes: a packing case; a support member arranged inside the packing case and having a first side plate facing one side face of a packed article in a first direction; a cushioning member disposed between the packing case and the first side plate and absorbing shock applied from the first direction to the packed article; and a shock distribution plate disposed between the first side plate and the cushioning member, larger than the contact area with the cushioning member and elongate in a second direction intersecting with the first direction. The shock distribution plate has such rigidity as not to deform against shock from the cushioning member.

Abstract: A magnetizing apparatus includes a holding member including a rotor fixing portion for holding a rotor, a coil member including a support plate that is thin plate-shaped and a coil that is incorporated inside the support plate, and a coil fixing portion that is provided to the holding member and arranges and fixes a plurality of coil members radially with respect to the center of the rotor fixing portion.

Abstract: A magnetizing method applies, to a rotor including a plurality of magnetic bodies that are arranged in the circumferential direction of the rotor and are to be magnetized, a magnetic field in a radial direction of the rotor to magnetize the magnetic bodies. The magnetizing method includes a step of arranging a magnetizing coil near the outer peripheral portion of the plurality of magnetic bodies and a step of applying a radially outward magnetic field only to one of the magnetic bodies while applying radially inward magnetic fields to the plurality of magnetic bodies.

Abstract: A cushion member includes a tubular cushion and an inner cushion. The tubular cushion is in a tubular form having a tubular axis extending in a first direction. The tubular cushion makes contact with an article to be packed from one side in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The tubular cushion deforms to damp a first impact applied from the second direction. The inner cushion is disposed in the internal space of the tubular cushion. The inner cushion deforms to damp a second impact when, after the first impact, with the tubular cushion deformed, the second impact is applied from the second direction. The lateral direction of a cardboard sheet constituting the inner cushion is the second direction.

Abstract: A packing member includes a storage case for storing an article to be packed and a plurality of cushion members that are disposed in the storage case so as to face the article to be packed. The plurality of cushion members each have coupling portions, and, of the plurality of cushion members, adjacent cushion members are coupled together by the coupling portions.

Abstract: A retaining member has annular inner and outer circumferential portions, a connection portion, engagement projections, a slit, a grip portion, a first inclined surface, and a second inclined surface. The engagement projections projects from a shaft-facing surface of the inner circumferential surface. The slit is formed in the inner circumferential portion. The grip portion projects outward in the radial direction from an outer rim of the outer circumferential portion. The first inclined surface is formed at an upstream-side end part of the grip portion with respect to a direction of fitting to the shaft to be inclined outward in the radial direction from upstream side to downstream side in the fitting direction. The second inclined surface is formed at a downstream-side end part of the grip portion to be inclined outward in the radial direction from downstream side to upstream side in the fitting direction.

Abstract: A retaining member has annular inner and outer circumferential portions, a connection portion, engagement projections, a slit, a grip portion, a first inclined surface, and a second inclined surface. The engagement projections projects from a shaft-facing surface of the inner circumferential surface. The slit is formed in the inner circumferential portion. The grip portion projects outward in the radial direction from an outer rim of the outer circumferential portion. The first inclined surface is formed at an upstream-side end part of the grip portion with respect to a direction of fitting to the shaft to be inclined outward in the radial direction from upstream side to downstream side in the fitting direction. The second inclined surface is formed at a downstream-side end part of the grip portion to be inclined outward in the radial direction from downstream side to upstream side in the fitting direction.

Abstract: In a rotating device, a pair of cuts are formed in an end portion of a metal-made cylindrical body to which a pressure is applied, at positions that face in a diameter direction. A support portion of a synthetic-resin-made bush rotatably supports the cylindrical body. In a state where a center of the cylindrical body matches a rotation center line of the bush, and a first diameter direction connecting respective centers in a circumferential direction of the cuts matches a second diameter direction connecting centers in the circumferential direction of a pair of engaging portions, each interval in the circumferential direction between the engaging portions and edge portions of the cuts is equal to or larger than an interval in a direction perpendicular to the rotation center line between an outer circumferential surface of the support portion and an inner circumferential surface of the end portion.

Abstract: A toner conveyance device includes a conveying screw having a shaft and a spiral blade. The spiral blade includes a start end-side blade adjacent to a bearing positioned at a start end part side in a toner conveyance path, a terminal-side blade adjacent to a bearing positioned at a terminal part side, and an intermediate blade. A toner discharge port is provided between the intermediate blade and the terminal-side blade. A spiral winding direction of the terminal-side blade is opposite to that of the intermediate blade, a spiral winding direction of the start end-side blade is equal to that of the intermediate blade, and a blade diameter of the start end-side blade and a blade diameter of the terminal-side blade are smaller than that of the intermediate blade.

Abstract: A retaining member is integrally formed of an elastically deformable material, and has an inner circumferential portion, an outer circumferential portion, a linkage portion, a plurality of engagement claws, and a slit. The inner and outer circumferential portions are ring-shaped, and the outer circumferential portion is disposed outside the inner circumferential portion in a radial direction. The linkage portion connects the inner circumferential portion and the outer circumferential portion to each other in the radial direction. The engagement claws project from a surface of the inner circumferential portion pointing in a direction of the shaft, and engage with an engagement groove formed in an outer peripheral surface of the shaft. The slit is formed on a side opposite from the linkage portion with a center of the inner circumferential portion located between the slit and the linkage portion, and cuts the inner circumferential portion in the radial direction.

Abstract: A toner conveyance device includes a conveying screw having a shaft and a spiral blade. The spiral blade includes a start end-side blade adjacent to a bearing positioned at a start end part side in a toner conveyance path, a terminal-side blade adjacent to a bearing positioned at a terminal part side, and an intermediate blade. A toner discharge port is provided between the intermediate blade and the terminal-side blade. A spiral winding direction of the terminal-side blade is opposite to that of the intermediate blade, a spiral winding direction of the start end-side blade is equal to that of the intermediate blade, and a blade diameter of the start end-side blade and a blade diameter of the terminal-side blade are smaller than that of the intermediate blade.

Abstract: In a rotating device, a pair of cuts are formed in an end portion of a metal-made cylindrical body to which a pressure is applied, at positions that face in a diameter direction. A support portion of a synthetic-resin-made bush rotatably supports the cylindrical body. In a state where a center of the cylindrical body matches a rotation center line of the bush, and a first diameter direction connecting respective centers in a circumferential direction of the cuts matches a second diameter direction connecting centers in the circumferential direction of a pair of engaging portions, each interval in the circumferential direction between the engaging portions and edge portions of the cuts is equal to or larger than an interval in a direction perpendicular to the rotation center line between an outer circumferential surface of the support portion and an inner circumferential surface of the end portion.

Abstract: A retaining member is integrally formed of an elastically deformable material, and has an inner circumferential portion, an outer circumferential portion, a linkage portion, a plurality of engagement claws, and a slit. The inner and outer circumferential portions are ring-shaped, and the outer circumferential portion is disposed outside the inner circumferential portion in a radial direction. The linkage portion connects the inner circumferential portion and the outer circumferential portion to each other in the radial direction. The engagement claws project from a surface of the inner circumferential portion pointing in a direction of the shaft, and engage with an engagement groove formed in an outer peripheral surface of the shaft. The slit is formed on a side opposite from the linkage portion with a center of the inner circumferential portion located between the slit and the linkage portion, and cuts the inner circumferential portion in the radial direction.

Abstract: A induction heating unit is configured to inductively heat a heating member being rotated in a predetermined rotating direction by magnetic flux. The induction heating unit includes a housing, a magnetic flux generating source, a core member and a securing member. The magnetic flux generating source is fixed to the housing so as to extend in a sheet width direction intersecting the rotating direction and is configured to generate the magnetic flux. The core member is made of magnetic material, is secured to the housing and is configured so as to make a magnetic path through which the magnetic flux passes. The securing member is made of thermal contraction material and is contracted by being heated at predetermined temperature to secure the core member to the housing.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing belt, a pressuring member, a pressing member and a sheet member. The sheet member is disposed between the fixing belt and the pressing member. The sheet member includes a sliding contact part, an upstream side fixed part, a downstream side fixed part and a loose part. The sliding contact part comes into sliding contact with the inner circumference face of the fixing belt. The upstream side fixed part is fixed to the pressing member at an upstream side of the sliding contact part. The downstream side fixed part is fixed to the pressing member at a downstream side of the sliding contact part. The loose part is formed in at least one of an area between the sliding contact part and the upstream side fixed part and an area between the sliding contact part and the downstream side fixed part.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a housing, an induction heating unit, a first rotator, a second rotator, a shield member, an airflow generation unit, a cooling air path, and inlets. The shield member opposes the induction heating unit on a side thereof opposite from the first rotator. The airflow generation unit generates an airflow to cool the induction heating unit. The cooling air path is provided extending along the shield member on a side thereof opposite from the induction heating unit. The inlets open in the shield member, plurally arranged at intervals and paralleling the axis, for causing the airflow from the cooling air path to flow in toward the induction heating unit. The intervals between adjacent axially end-ward inlets are set narrower than the interval between axially central adjacent inlets.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a housing, an induction heating unit, a first rotator, a second rotator, a shield member, an airflow generation unit, a cooling air path, and inlets. The shield member opposes the induction heating unit on a side thereof opposite from the first rotator. The airflow generation unit generates an airflow to cool the induction heating unit. The cooling air path is provided extending along the shield member on a side thereof opposite from the induction heating unit. The inlets open in the shield member, plurally arranged at intervals and paralleling the axis, for causing the airflow from the cooling air path to flow in toward the induction heating unit. The intervals between adjacent axially end-ward inlets are set narrower than the interval between axially central adjacent inlets.

Abstract: A induction heating unit is configured to inductively heat a heating member being rotated in a predetermined rotating direction by magnetic flux. The induction heating unit includes a housing, a magnetic flux generating source, a core member and a securing member. The magnetic flux generating source is fixed to the housing so as to extend in a sheet width direction intersecting the rotating direction and is configured to generate the magnetic flux. The core member is made of magnetic material, is secured to the housing and is configured so as to make a magnetic path through which the magnetic flux passes. The securing member is made of thermal contraction material and is contracted by being heated at predetermined temperature to secure the core member to the housing.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a heating source, a pressing member, a heating member, a nip pressure switching mechanism, a separating member and a restricting piece. The pressing member comes in pressure-contact with the heating member and forms a fixing nip. The nip pressure switching mechanism moves the pressing member between a first position and a second position. The separating member is movable between a separating position where the separating member is in contact with the heating member or faces the heating member and a cleaning position separated away from the heating member farther than the separating position. The restricting piece restricts the movement of the separating member under a state where the pressing member is at the first position and permits the movement of the separating member under a state where the pressing member is at the second position.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing belt, a pressuring member, a pressing member and a sheet member. The sheet member is disposed between the fixing belt and the pressing member. The sheet member includes a sliding contact part, an upstream side fixed part, a downstream side fixed part and a loose part. The sliding contact part comes into sliding contact with the inner circumference face of the fixing belt. The upstream side fixed part is fixed to the pressing member at an upstream side of the sliding contact part. The downstream side fixed part is fixed to the pressing member at a downstream side of the sliding contact part. The loose part is formed in at least one of an area between the sliding contact part and the upstream side fixed part and an area between the sliding contact part and the downstream side fixed part.