Abstract: A flowmeter includes a metallic body that has a flow path therein, an impeller that is rotatably supported in the flow path inside the body, a pickup coil that is configured to detect a number of rotations of the impeller, the pickup coil being disposed outside the body, a coil case that is made of metal, and accommodates the pickup coil, an amplifier circuit board that is configured to amplify a detection signal of the pickup coil, and an amplifier case that is made of resin, and accommodates the amplifier circuit board. The coil case and the amplifier case are connected via a resin case that is made of resin and includes an insulation material therein.

Abstract: A control unit of an image forming apparatus controls, in an image forming mode, a potential difference obtained by subtracting the voltage applied to the developer bearing member from the voltage applied to the regulating member so that the potential difference is set to the polarity of the developer, and the control unit controls, in a lubricant discharge mode, the potential difference obtained by subtracting the voltage applied to the developer bearing member from the voltage applied to the regulating member so that the potential difference is set to the polarity of the lubricant or “0”.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a control unit performs a control to cause an exposing unit to expose a plurality of image bearing members at different times to form exposure regions on a plurality of image bearing members, to acquire results acquired by applying direct current voltage lower than discharge start voltage to a plurality of abutting members by an applying unit when the exposure region pass by the abutting parts against the abutting members and detected by a detecting unit, and to, based on the acquired results of the detections, acquire information regarding the surface potentials of the a plurality of image bearing members.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus using a contact charging method includes a control unit capable of executing cleaning in a post-rotation step at the end of a job and in an inter-image step during execution of the job. The cleaning involves moving toner adhering to a charging member from the charging member to an image bearing member. The job is a series of operations started by a predetermined start instruction and involving forming an image on one or more recording materials and outputting the one or more recording materials. When an instruction to start the next job is input during execution of cleaning in the post-rotation step, the control unit stops the cleaning in the middle of the execution, starts the next job, and adjusts timing for executing subsequent cleaning on the basis of information. relating to the amount of cleaning executed before being stopped in the middle of the execution.

Abstract: A toner comprising a toner particle that contains a binder resin, wherein the surface of the toner particle is covered with a resin A; the modulus of elasticity Ea of the resin A and the modulus of elasticity Eb of the binder resin satisfy the following formula: 0.5?(Ea/Eb)×100?50.0; and the adhesion force AT of the toner particle is at least 500 nN when a probe having spherical SiO2 attached at the tip of a cantilever is pressed into the toner particle at 3 ?N.

Abstract: There is provided a toner including toner base particles and an external additive in which the external additive is prevented from being buried in the base particles. The toner can maintain a high transfer efficiency over an extended period of use. The toner includes: (1) toner base particles containing a cycloolefin copolymer and a polyethylene; or (2) toner base particles whose surfaces contain a resin having an elastic deformation rate of 70% or more and a melting temperature of 125.0° C. or less.

Abstract: A control unit of an image forming apparatus controls, in an image forming mode, a potential difference obtained by subtracting the voltage applied to the developer bearing member from the voltage applied to the regulating member so that the potential difference is set to the polarity of the developer, and the control unit controls, in a lubricant discharge mode, the potential difference obtained by subtracting the voltage applied to the developer bearing member from the voltage applied to the regulating member so that the potential difference is set to the polarity of the lubricant or “0”.

Abstract: Provided is a plurality of flaky magnetic metal particles of the embodiments, each flaky magnetic metal particle having a flat surface provided with either or both of a plurality of concavities and a plurality of convexities arranged in a first direction, each concavity or convexity having a width of 0.1 ?m or more, a length of 1 ?m or more, and an aspect ratio of 2 or higher; and at least one first element selected from the group consisting of iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), and nickel (Ni), the flaky magnetic metal particles having an average thickness of between 10 nm and 100 ?m inclusive and an average aspect ratio of between 5 and 10,000 inclusive.

Abstract: A toner comprising a toner particle that contains a binder resin, wherein the surface of the toner particle is covered with a resin A; the modulus of elasticity Ea of the resin A and the modulus of elasticity Eb of the binder resin satisfy the following formula: 0.5?(Ea/Eb)×100?50.0; and the adhesion force AT of the toner particle is at least 500 nN when a probe having spherical SiO2 attached at the tip of a cantilever is pressed into the toner particle at 3 ?N.

Abstract: There is provided a toner including toner base particles and an external additive in which the external additive is prevented from being buried in the base particles. The toner can maintain a high transfer efficiency over an extended period of use. The toner includes: (1) toner base particles containing a cycloolefin copolymer and a polyethylene; or (2) toner base particles whose surfaces contain a resin having an elastic deformation rate of 70% or more and a melting temperature of 125.0° C. or less.

Abstract: There is provided a toner including toner base particles and an external additive in which the external additive is prevented from being buried in the base particles. The toner can maintain a high transfer efficiency over an extended period of use. The toner includes: (1) toner base particles containing a cycloolefin copolymer and a polyethylene; or (2) toner base particles whose surfaces contain a resin having an elastic deformation rate of 70% or more and a melting temperature of 125.0° C. or less.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that forms an image by consecutively superposing toner images that have been formed on a plurality of photosensitive drums, on an intermediate transfer member or a transfer medium. The image forming apparatus is made compact and operates at a low cost. Since a current supply member supplies a current in a rotational direction of an intermediate transfer belt, multiple first transfer portions do not need corresponding voltage sources. Even in the case where a charging member supplies a current, the potential of the intermediate transfer belt is maintained at a predetermined potential by a constant-voltage element connected to support rollers.

Abstract: There is provided a toner including toner base particles and an external additive in which the external additive is prevented from being buried in the base particles. The toner can maintain a high transfer efficiency over an extended period of use. The toner includes: (1) toner base particles containing a cycloolefin copolymer and a polyethylene; or (2) toner base particles whose surfaces contain a resin having an elastic deformation rate of 70% or more and a melting temperature of 125.0° C. or less.

Abstract: A developing device includes: a developing container for accommodating developer, a developer carrying member, and a plate-like elastic member. In a state in which the elastic member contacts the developer carrying member without being deformed, an angle formed between a flat reference surface passing through a surface of the elastic member which is continuous to a contact portion of the elastic member with the developer carrying member and which is downstream of the contact portion with respect to the movement direction and a tangent plane of the developer carrying member and a contact position between the elastic member and the developer carrying member is 10° or more and 45° or less, and the elastic member includes a first region including the contact portion and a second region which is provided continuously from the first region toward the supporting portion and which is lower in rigidity than the first region.

Abstract: A developing device includes: a developing container, a developer carrying member, and a plate-like elastic member. An angle formed between a reference surface passing through a surface of the elastic member continuous to a contact portion of the elastic member with the developer carrying member and downstream of the contact portion with respect to the movement direction of the developer carrying member and a tangent plane of the developer carrying member under no load at a contact position between the elastic member and the developer carrying member is 10° or more and 45° or less. The elastic member includes a first region including the contact portion and a second region provided continuously from the first region toward the supporting portion of the elastic member and lower in rigidity than the first region. The second region is provided downstream of the reference surface with respect to the movement direction.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that forms an image by consecutively superposing toner images that have been formed on a plurality of photosensitive drums, on an intermediate transfer member or a transfer medium. The image forming apparatus is made compact and operates at a low cost. Since a current supply member supplies a current in a rotational direction of an intermediate transfer belt, multiple first transfer portions do not need corresponding voltage sources. Even in the case where a charging member supplies a current, the potential of the intermediate transfer belt is maintained at a predetermined potential by a constant-voltage element connected to support rollers.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that forms an image by consecutively superposing toner images that have been formed on a plurality of photosensitive drums, on an intermediate transfer member or a transfer medium. The image forming apparatus is made compact and operates at a low cost. Since a current supply member supplies a current in a rotational direction of an intermediate transfer belt, multiple first transfer portions do not need corresponding voltage sources. Even in the case where a charging member supplies a current, the potential of the intermediate transfer belt is maintained at a predetermined potential by a constant-voltage element connected to support rollers.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that forms an image by consecutively superposing toner images that have been formed on a plurality of photosensitive drums, on an intermediate transfer member or a transfer medium. The image forming apparatus is made compact and operates at a low cost. Since a current supply member supplies a current in a rotational direction of an intermediate transfer belt, multiple first transfer portions do not need corresponding voltage sources. Even in the case where a charging member supplies a current, the potential of the intermediate transfer belt is maintained at a predetermined potential by a constant-voltage element connected to support rollers.

Abstract: A developer container, which contains a developer to be supplied to a developing chamber in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, the developer container including: a partition wall partitioning the container from the chamber; a conveying member conveying the developer to an opening in the partition wall to supply the developer to the chamber; a sealing member attached to a wall surface of the partition wall to cover the opening; an extending portion extending from the sealing member to an outside of the container, wherein, when the extending portion is pulled, the sealing member is separated into a remaining portion and a removal portion, and a free end of the remaining portion is positioned below an upper edge of the opening; and a spacing holding member disposed between the wall surface of the partition wall and the sealing member to hold a spacing between the wall surface and the sealing member.

Abstract: A method for producing ?-substituted acrylate esters is provided which can be suitably used as an industrial method for producing ?-substituted acrylate esters because the method does not have problems of apparatus corrosion or does not require waste detoxification and allows reaction in a short time with high yield. The method for producing an ?-substituted acrylate ester includes a step of carrying out a reaction of a compound having a specific structure and an active hydrogen-containing compound under a condition where a tertiary amine and an acid and/or a salt thereof coexist.