Abstract: A centrifugal fan includes: an impeller having a back plate; and a scroll casing including a peripheral wall having a volute shape, a first side wall facing a virtual extension of the back plate and an inner end portion of the volute shape of the scroll casing, an expanded portion, and a first edge end portion being an end of a first edge defining the discharge port, of the first side wall, are arranged in a named order in the rotation direction, the first edge end portion being farther from the rotation shaft than an other end of the first edge and distance L1?distance LM>distance LS is satisfied where LS is a distance between the first side wall at the inner end portion of the volute shape and the virtual extension of the back plate, LM is a distance between the first side wall at the expanded portion and the virtual extension of the back plate, the expanded portion being a portion at which the distance between the first side wall and the virtual extension of the back plate is larger than LS, and L1 is a

Abstract: There is provided a valve device including: a housing; and a float valve. The float valve includes a main float, a sub-float held at an upper portion of the main float to be able to ascend and descend by a predetermined distance with respect to the main float, and a sub-float biasing spring disposed between the main float and the sub-float and configured to bias the sub-float upward with respect to the main float. The sub-float includes a spring support portion configured to support an upper end of the sub-float biasing spring and a seal portion that is configured to come into contact with and separate from an opening portion. The main float is movable further upward with respect to the sub-float by compressing the sub-float biasing spring in a state where the float valve ascends and the opening portion is closed by the sub-float.

Abstract: An induction heating cooker is provided that has a plurality of heating coils arranged under a top plate, that has power consumption, heat generation, and unnecessary radiation suppressed at the time of detection of a load, and that requires a short time for detection of a load. In the induction heating cooker of this disclosure, two or more heating coils are at the same time selected depending on a position of an area operated on the operation section. The operation detecting section performs the load detection only for the heating coils selected by an operation on the operation section. By using such a configuration, a user can select heating coils to be used out of a plurality of heating coils in advance. A load detection operation is not performed for heating coils other than the selected heating coils.

Abstract: An additive for an acid zinc alloy plating bath includes an aliphatic polyamine having not more than 12 carbon atoms. The acid zinc alloy plating bath includes a buffer including an acetic acid-containing material containing acetic acid and/or acetate ions. A method for producing a zinc alloy plated article including an article and a zinc alloy plated coating formed on a plating surface of the article includes forming the zinc alloy plated coating by electroplating using the acid zinc alloy plating bath.

Abstract: An additive for an acid zinc alloy plating bath includes an aliphatic polyamine having not more than 12 carbon atoms. The acid zinc alloy plating bath includes a buffer including an acetic acid-containing material containing acetic acid and/or acetate ions. A method for producing a zinc alloy plated article including an article and a zinc alloy plated coating formed on a plating surface of the article includes forming the zinc alloy plated coating by electroplating using the acid zinc alloy plating bath.

Abstract: An induction heating cooker is provided that has a plurality of heating coils arranged under a top plate, that has power consumption, heat generation, and unnecessary radiation suppressed at the time of detection of a load, and that requires a short time for detection of a load. In the induction heating cooker of this disclosure, two or more heating coils are at the same time selected depending on a position of an area operated on the operation section. The operation detecting section performs the load detection only for the heating coils selected by an operation on the operation section. By using such a configuration, a user can select heating coils to be used out of a plurality of heating coils in advance. A load detection operation is not performed for heating coils other than the selected heating coils.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to improve the photosensitivity characteristics, characteristics on repeated use and stability of a photoreceptor. A photosensitive layer formed on a conductive support of a photoreceptor contains crystalline oxotitanylphthalocyanine having major peaks in an X-ray diffraction spectrum at Bragg angles (2&thgr;±0.2°) of 7.3°, 9.4°, 9.6°, 11.6°, 13.3°, 17,9°, 24.1° and 27.2°, wherein a peak bundle formed by overlapping the peaks at 9.4° and 9.6° is the largest peak, and the peak at 27.2° is the secondary largest peak as a charge generating substance. Furthermore, it contains a bisamine compound, an N,N′-bisenamine compound, a styryl compound, an amine-hydrazone compound, a benzofuran-bishydrazone compound, a bisenamine compound, a benzofuran-bishydrazone compound or a benzofuran-bis-cyclic hydrazone compound represented by the particular structural formulae as a charge transporting substance.

Abstract: The object of the invention is to provide a highly characteristic and lesser defective image using an electrophotographic photoreceptor which can be produced with a better coating property and which is highly sensitive and hardly loses the electrostatic stability during repeated use. A water-soluble or water/alcohol-soluble polyvinyl acetal and an inorganic pigment are involved in an underlayer provided between a conductive support and a photoconductive layer. Particularly, it is favorable to use titanium oxide as the inorganic pigment, make the ratio of polyvinyl acetal/titanium oxide 1/9-9/1 by weight, make the underlayer 0.5-5 .mu.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a highly characteristic image using an electrophotographic photoreceptor of which a charge-generating layer can be produced with a better coating property and which is highly sensitive and electrostatically highly stable in repeated use. The charge-generating layer of a function-separated type photoreceptor contains a n-type non-metallic phthalocyanine and a copolymer of vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate type. Particularly, the ratio of the .tau.-type non-metallic phthalocyanine to the copolymer of vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate type is fixed at 1/3-3/1 by weight. The thickness of the charge-generating layer is fixed at 0.1-0.6 .mu.m. As the copolymer of vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate type, copolymers of vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate, vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate-maleic acid, or vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate-vinyl alcohol are selected. Particularly, it is favorable to select those containing at least 10% by weight of the vinyl alcohol component.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide an electrophotographic photoconductor featuring uniform chargeability to a predetermined potential, low residual potential and excellent stability in the operating environment and repeated use thereof, as well as a method of producing the same. An undercoat layer between a substrate and a photosensitive layer is formed by the use of a coating fluid for undercoat layer containing a coupling agent having an unsaturated bond, a metal oxide, a binder and a mixture solvent. The coupling agent increases affinity of the metal oxide for the binder so that the coating fluid does not suffer the aggregation of the metal oxide or gelation thereof, presenting homogeneity and excellent can-stability. Thus is obtained a uniform undercoat layer.