Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing device to heat a recording material at a use position, an opening and closing member, and a drawer unit. In a state where the fixing device is at the use position, part of the fixing device is located in a space for the drawer unit to pass through when moved from a first inner position to a first outer position so that movement of the drawer unit from the first inner to the first outer position is restricted. The fixing device is retracted from the use position to a retracted position so that the movement of the drawer unit from the first inner to the first outer position is allowed. Part of the fixing device at the retracted position is at a position higher than a position of an upper cover portion of the opening and closing member at a closed position.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus to form an image on a recording material includes an apparatus main body having a first end provided with an opening and having a second end, a fixing device to heat the recording material, an opening and closing member, a drawer unit having a first photosensitive drum, and a transfer device. When being moved from a first inner position inside the apparatus main body to a first outer position outside the apparatus main body through the main body opening, the drawer unit is to be moved in a moving direction intersecting with a rotation axis of the first photosensitive drum, and is to be moved away from the second end. When being moved from a second inner position inside the apparatus main body to a second outer position outside the apparatus main body, the transfer device is moved away from the second end.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus main body, a drawer unit, and a transfer device a including a belt. When image formation on a recording material is performed, the drawer unit is at a first apparatus main body inner position and the transfer device is at a second apparatus main body inner position. In this drawer unit state, (a) a part of the transfer device is disposed downstream of the drawer unit in a moving direction in which the drawer unit moves from the first inner position to a first apparatus main body outer position, and (b) in a vertical direction, an area where the part of the transfer device is positioned overlaps, at least in part, with an area where the drawer unit is positioned. The transfer device includes a cleaning member to clean the belt and is accommodated in the part of the transfer device.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus main body, a drawer unit, and a transfer device including a belt. The drawer unit includes a first cartridge, a support member to which the first cartridge is detachably attached, and a first photosensitive drum disposed on the support member or the first cartridge. The drawer unit is moved to a first inner position inside the apparatus main body and to a first outer position outside the apparatus main body. The transfer device is moved to a second inner position inside the apparatus main body and to a second outer position outside the apparatus main body. The belt contacts the first photosensitive drum with the transfer device at the second inner position. The transfer device is moved from the second inner to the second outer position when the drawer unit is moved from the first inner to the first outer position.

Abstract: The present invention provides a vibrator made of a non-lead-based piezoelectric material and capable of being driven at a sufficient speed with low power consumption, and provides a vibration wave drive device and an electronical device each using the vibrator. To that end, the vibrator according to the present invention includes a piezoelectric element including a piezoelectric material and electrodes, and an elastic body, wherein a Pb component contained in the piezoelectric material is less than 1000 ppm, and a resonance frequency fA in a vibration mode A and a resonance frequency fB in a vibration mode B satisfy a relation of an absolute value of (fB?fA)>2 (kHz), the vibration mode A and the vibration mode B generating vibration waves in the elastic body with wave fronts of the vibration waves intersecting each other.

Abstract: A vibration wave motor includes an annular oscillator, and an annular moving member provided so as to be in press contact with the oscillator. The oscillator includes an annular vibrating plate, and an annular piezoelectric element provided on a first surface of the vibrating plate. The vibrating plate is in contact with the moving member via a second surface of the vibrating plate, which is opposite the first surface. The piezoelectric element has a plurality of drive phase electrodes. When a driving region represents a region of the oscillator in which the drive phase electrodes are provided, and a non-driving region represents a remaining region of the oscillator, a contact area ratio S1 between the vibrating plate and the moving member in the non-driving region is less than a contact area ratio S2 between the vibrating plate and the moving member in the driving region.

Abstract: A vibration device comprises a vibrating member having at least n (n?2) piezoelectric elements arranged on a vibrating plate, each of the piezoelectric elements being formed by using a lead-free piezoelectric material and electrodes, wherein if the temperature that maximizes the piezoelectric constant of the piezoelectric material of each of the n piezoelectric elements is expressed as Tm (m being a natural number between 1 and n), at least two of T1 through Tn differ from each other.

Abstract: A vibration wave motor includes a driven body, a vibrator including an annular vibration plate and an annular piezoelectric element, and a vibration damping member, which are arranged in sequence, wherein the vibration plate has, on a side facing the driven body, radially extending groove portions at X places, and, when center depths of the groove portions at X places are sequentially denoted by D1 to DX in a circumferential direction, D1 to DX vary along a curve obtained by superposing one or more sine waves, and wherein the vibration plate is locally supported by the vibration damping member in some or all antinode portions of a standing wave occurring when the vibration wave motor is driven.

Abstract: Provided is a method of manufacturing an oscillator, including: arranging an electrode on a piezoelectric ceramics free from being subjected to polarization treatment, to thereby provide a piezoelectric element; bonding the piezoelectric element and a diaphragm to each other at a temperature T1; bonding the piezoelectric element and a power supply member to each other at a temperature T2; and subjecting the piezoelectric ceramics to polarization treatment at a temperature T3, in which the temperature T1, the temperature T2, and the temperature T3 satisfy a relationship T1>T3 and a relationship T2>T3.

Abstract: A piezoelectric element includes a piezoelectric material layer and an electrode layer, wherein the piezoelectric material layer and the electrode layer are stacked on top of each other, the piezoelectric material layer includes a barium titanate-based material, and two coercive fields Ec1 and Ec2 of the piezoelectric element have the same sign and satisfy (|Ec2|?|Ec1|)?8 kV/cm.

Abstract: A vibrator which is constructed by bonding a piezoelectric element and an elastic body together via a bonding layer. The piezoelectric element has a piezoelectric ceramic and electrodes. The bonding layer has an unbonded region that is located close to a nodal line of a vibration in a primary out-of-plane vibration mode when the vibration is excited in the vibrator, and in the unbonded region, the piezoelectric element and the elastic body are not bonded together.

Abstract: A saddled vehicle includes: a vehicle body frame; an internal combustion engine supported at a lower portion of the vehicle body frame; a fuel tank supported at an upper portion of the vehicle body frame; and a canister. The canister is disposed around the fuel tank at a position lower than a seating portion of an occupant seat. A removable hermetic sealing cap or a one-way valve that prevents entry of rainwater from an outside is included in a drain pipe disposed at a lower portion of the canister. Accordingly, entry of rainwater into the canister is prevented with a simple structure.

Abstract: A piezoelectric element, in which a piezoelectric material layer has a plurality of crystal particles and a plurality of void portions and, in at least one of two or more of the piezoelectric material layers, when the average thickness in the lamination direction of the piezoelectric material layer is defined as TP, the average circle-equivalent diameter of the plurality of crystal particles is defined as DG, the maximum length in the lamination direction of the plurality of void portions not contacting the electrode layers is defined as LV, and the average thickness of the electrode layers contacting the at least one piezoelectric material layer is defined as TE, 0.07TP?DG?0.33TP and TE?LV?0.3TP are established and the lead content is less than 1000 ppm.

Abstract: Provided is an ultrasonic motor including an annular vibrator and an annular moving member that is brought into pressure-contact with the vibrator. The vibrator includes an annular vibrating plate and an annular piezoelectric element. The piezoelectric element includes an annular lead-free piezoelectric ceramic piece, a common electrode arranged on one surface of the piezoelectric ceramic piece, and a plurality of electrodes arranged on the other surface of the piezoelectric ceramic piece. The plurality of electrodes include two drive phase electrodes, one or more non-drive phase electrodes, and one or more detection phase electrodes. A second surface of the vibrating plate includes a plurality of groove regions extending radially, and the depths of the groove regions change in a circumferential direction along a curve obtained by superimposing one or more sine waves on one another. The ultrasonic motor exhibits a sufficient drive speed while suppressing generation of an unnecessary vibration wave.

Abstract: An ultrasonic motor includes an annular vibrator and an annular moving member that is brought into pressure-contact with the vibrator. The vibrator includes an annular vibrating plate and an annular piezoelectric element. The piezoelectric element includes an annular lead-free piezoelectric ceramic piece, a common electrode arranged on one surface of the piezoelectric ceramic piece, and a plurality of electrodes arranged on the other surface of the piezoelectric ceramic piece. The plurality of electrodes include two drive phase electrodes, one or more non-drive phase electrodes, and one or more detection phase electrodes. A second surface of the vibrating plate includes a plurality of groove regions extending radially, and the depths of the groove regions change in a circumferential direction along a curve obtained by superimposing one or more sine waves on one another. The ultrasonic motor exhibits a sufficient drive speed while suppressing generation of an unnecessary vibration wave.

Abstract: An ultrasonic motor, usable in a drive control system and the like, includes an annular vibrator and an annular moving member arranged so as to be brought into pressure-contact with the vibrator. The vibrator includes an annular vibrating plate and an annular piezoelectric element. The piezoelectric element includes an annular piezoelectric ceramic piece, a common electrode arranged on one surface of the piezoelectric ceramic piece, and a plurality of electrodes arranged on the other surface of the piezoelectric ceramic piece. The piezoelectric ceramic piece contains lead in a content of less than 1,000 ppm. The plurality of electrodes include two drive phase electrodes, one or more non-drive phase electrodes, and one or more detection phase electrodes.

Abstract: A vibration wave motor includes an annular oscillator, and an annular moving member provided so as to be in press contact with the oscillator. The oscillator includes an annular vibrating plate, and an annular piezoelectric element provided on a first surface of the vibrating plate. The vibrating plate is in contact with the moving member via a second surface of the vibrating plate, which is opposite of the first surface. The piezoelectric element has a plurality of drive phase electrodes. When a driving region represents a region of the oscillator in which each drive phase electrode is provided, and a non-driving region represents a remaining region of the oscillator, a contact area ratio S1 between the vibrating plate and the moving member in the non-driving region is less than a contact area ratio S2 between the vibrating plate and the moving member in the driving region.

Abstract: The present invention provides a vibrator made of a non-lead-based piezoelectric material and capable of being driven at a sufficient speed with low power consumption, and provides a vibration wave drive device and an electronical device each using the vibrator. To that end, the vibrator according to the present invention includes a piezoelectric element including a piezoelectric material and electrodes, and an elastic body, wherein a Pb component contained in the piezoelectric material is less than 1000 ppm, and a resonance frequency fA in a vibration mode A and a resonance frequency fB in a vibration mode B satisfy a relation of an absolute value of (fB?fA)>2 (kHz), the vibration mode A and the vibration mode B generating vibration waves in the elastic body with wave fronts of the vibration waves intersecting each other.

Abstract: A vibrator and an ultrasonic motor can exhibit a sufficient drive speed even when using lead-free piezoelectric ceramics. The ultrasonic motor includes an annular vibrator and an annular moving member arranged so as to be brought into pressure-contact with the vibrator. The vibrator includes an annular vibrating plate and an annular piezoelectric element. The piezoelectric element includes an annular piezoelectric ceramic piece, a common electrode arranged on one surface of the piezoelectric ceramic piece, and a plurality of electrodes arranged on the other surface of the piezoelectric ceramic piece. The piezoelectric ceramic piece contains lead in a content of less than 1,000 ppm. The plurality of electrodes include two drive phase electrodes, at least one non-drive phase electrode, and at least one detection phase electrode.

Abstract: A saddled vehicle includes: a vehicle body frame; an internal combustion engine supported at a lower portion of the vehicle body frame; a fuel tank supported at an upper portion of the vehicle body frame; and a canister. The canister is disposed around the fuel tank at a position lower than a seating portion of an occupant seat. A removable hermetic sealing cap or a one-way valve that prevents entry of rainwater from an outside is included in a drain pipe disposed at a lower portion of the canister. Accordingly, entry of rainwater into the canister is prevented with a simple structure.