Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing belt being endless and rotatable in a predetermined direction of rotation. The fixing belt includes an inner circumferential face applied with a fluorine compound. A nip formation pad is not rotatable. The inner circumferential face of the fixing belt slides over the nip formation pad. A pressure rotator presses against the nip formation pad via the fixing belt to form a fixing nip between the fixing belt and the pressure rotator. At least one heater heats the fixing belt. The heater includes a glass tube filled with an inert gas containing, as a main ingredient, a substance having a first molecular weight greater than a second molecular weight of argon.

Abstract: A casting mold and a production method thereof with which exfoliation of coating is controlled and liquidity of molten metal can be maintained are provided. This casting mold 1 includes a surface processing part 3 in which a plurality of groove parts 5 of a grid groove 4 formed in a surface of a molten metal contact part of a mold material 2 is coated with a carbon film 6. In this surface processing part 3, a width W1 of the groove parts 5 is 35 ?m or narrower, skewness Ssk of three-dimensional surface roughness is in a range of ?0.8 to ?0.2, and indentation hardness of the carbon film 6 tested by a nanoindenter is 1000 N/mm2 or higher. With this arrangement, it is possible to optimize the surface processing part 3 in such a manner that a penetration rate of the molten metal (aluminum 10) is controlled to be low and the coating (carbon film 6) is unlikely to exfoliate from the groove parts 5.

Abstract: A fixing device includes an endless, rotatable fixing belt, a pressure rotator, a nip formation pad, a support, and a vibration repressor. The pressure rotator presses an outer surface of the fixing belt. The nip formation pad is disposed at an inner side of the fixing belt, to abut on the pressure rotator with the fixing belt interposed between the nip formation pad and the pressure rotator to form a fixing nip. The support is disposed at the inner side of the fixing belt, to support the nip formation pad. The vibration repressor is disposed between the nip formation pad and the support, to repress vibration of the nip formation pad.

Abstract: A three-dimensional coordinate measurement apparatus capable of reducing shaking of a Y carriage and improving measurement accuracy. The Y carriage is supported by two strut members which are across a surface plate and movable in a Y-axis direction. The two strut members include a first strut member having a driving mechanism and a second strut member which moves following the first strut member. A guide portion parallel to the Y-axis direction is formed in the surface plate on a first strut member side. Side surface support members support the first strut member on the surface plate by holding both opposed side surfaces of the guide portion. The driving mechanism includes a roller having an axis perpendicular to a surface plate surface, and the roller is brought into contact with one side surface of the guide portion and rolled to move the Y carriage relatively to the surface plate.

Abstract: A plastic film has opposite side edge portions superposed and heat sealed with each other longitudinally thereof in accordance with an improved method so as to adequately heat seal the side edge portions with each other so as not to be low in seal strength and not to be impaired in appearance. A pair of heaters is disposed on the opposite side edge portions. The heaters have heating surfaces spaced from and opposed to each other and operative to preheat the side edge portions. A plurality of suction holes is formed in each of the heating surfaces. The side edge portions are attracted by the suction holes to be brought into contact with the heating surfaces.

Abstract: There is provided a three-dimensional coordinate measurement apparatus capable of reducing shaking of a Y carriage and improving measurement accuracy. A groove is formed along a Y-axis direction in a right side part of a surface plate made of stone, and a Y guide is formed between the groove and a right side surface of the surface plate to support a Y carriage in a portal shape in a movable manner in the Y-axis direction. A support section is provided at a lower end of a right Y carriage on the right side of the Y carriage, and the support section is supported by the surface plate through air pads which are disposed by two air pads back and forth on the corresponding one of a top surface, a right side surface, and a bottom surface, of the surface plate, and a right side surface of the groove.

Abstract: A gear keeping the bending stress at the dedendum from becoming locally high at the time of power transmission and thereby raising the dedendum bending strength is provided. The radius of curvature is maximum at a critical section position determined by the Hofer's 30° tangent method. Both of the radii of curvature from the critical section position to the first and second connecting points X1 and Y1 are constant or decreasing. In the dedendum line segment 23, there are the points A1 and B1 where the radius of curvature is smaller than the critical section position. In the dedendum line segment 23, the maximum radius of curvature is 3 times or less the minimum radius of curvature. By a cross-sectional view, the critical section position is part of an arc, and the arc extends to the two sides of the critical section position. Due to this, the maximum bending stress becomes smaller and improvement of the dedendum bending strength can be realized.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing belt that is rotatable and a pressure rotator that is pressed against the fixing belt to form a fixing nip therebetween. A polishing roller separably contacts the fixing belt and slides over an outer circumferential surface of the fixing belt while the polishing roller is pressed against the fixing belt. At least one support supports and stretches the fixing belt. A polishing aid, which is disposed opposite the polishing roller via the fixing belt, supports and stretches the fixing belt. The polishing roller is disposed opposite the polishing aid via the fixing belt to form a polishing nip between the polishing roller and the fixing belt while the polishing roller is pressed against the fixing belt. The polishing roller changes a rotation locus of the fixing belt along at least a part of a circumferential face of the polishing roller.

Abstract: A steel for induction hardening includes as a chemical composition, by mass %, C: 0.45% to 0.85%, Si: 0.01% to 0.80%, Mn: 0.1% to 1.5%, Al: 0.01% to 0.05%, REM: 0.0001% to 0.050%, O: 0.0001% to 0.0030%. Ca: 0.0050% or less as necessary, Ti: less than 0.005%, N: 0.015% or less, P: 0.03% or less, S: 0.01% or less, and the balance consists of Fe and impurities. The steel for induction hardening also includes a composition inclusion which is an inclusion containing REM, O, S, and Al, or an inclusion containing REM, Ca, O, S, and Al, to which TiN is adhered.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, there is provided a power conversion device, including a control unit configured to control ON/OFF of a switching element of a neutral-point-clamped power conversion device unit, wherein the control unit drives the power conversion device unit by a one-pulse control, controls a phase difference of an output voltage of the power conversion device unit with respect to a reference phase of to control an active current component of an output current of the power conversion device unit, and controls ON/OFF based on: (a) a phase angle for eliminating a predetermined odd-order harmonic component of the output voltage; and (b) a sum of the reference phase and the phase difference.

Abstract: A ball bearing not allowing locations where the surface pressure becomes locally higher at a race at the time of a high load and thereby keeping cracking from occurring and in turn realizing a longer lifespan is provided. A pair of races (12, 14) and at least one rolling element (16) movably clamped between the pair of races move are provided. A cross-sectional profile line (14a) of a part of each of the pair of races contacting the rolling element has the smallest radius of curvature at a position (P) sticking out the most in the first direction (D1) over which the pair of races face. The cross-sectional profile line becomes larger in radius of curvature the further from the position (P) in a second direction (D2) vertical to the first direction (D1) in the cross-section. The cross-sectional profile line is comprised of a single function.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an exhaust duct to guide air inside the image forming apparatus to an outside of the image forming apparatus. A positive ion generator emits a positive ion into the exhaust duct. A negative ion generator emits a negative ion into the exhaust duct. The negative ion generator is shifted from the positive ion generator in one of an air flow direction of the air moving inside the exhaust duct and a direction perpendicular to the air flow direction.

Abstract: There is provided a three-dimensional coordinate measurement apparatus capable of reducing shaking of a Y carriage and improving measurement accuracy. A groove is formed along a Y-axis direction in a right side part of a surface plate made of stone, and a Y guide is formed between the groove and a right side surface of the surface plate to support a Y carriage in a portal shape in a movable manner in the Y-axis direction. A support section is provided at a lower end of a right Y carriage on the right side of the Y carriage, and the support section is supported by the surface plate through air pads which are disposed by two air pads back and forth on the corresponding one of a top surface, a right side surface, and a bottom surface, of the surface plate, and a right side surface of the groove.

Abstract: A case hardening steel includes as a chemical composition, by mass %, C: 0.10% to 0.40%, Si: 0.01% to 0.80%, Mn: 0.1% to 1.5%, Cr: 0.35% to 2.0%, Al: 0.01% to 0.05%, REM: 0.0001% to 0.050%, O: 0.0001% to 0.0030%, Ca: 0.0050% or less as necessary, Ti: less than 0.005%, N: 0.015% or less, P: 0.03% or less, S: 0.01% or less, and the balance consists of Fe and impurities. The case hardening steel also includes a composition inclusion which is an inclusion containing REM, O, S, and Al, or an inclusion containing REM, Ca, O, S, and Al, to which TiN is adhered.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, there is provided a control device of a neutral-point-clamped power converter apparatus including a converter configured to convert current which were obtained by passing a d-axis current and a q-axis current of a rotating coordinate system through a filter having a time constant which is greater than an inverse number of a fundamental wave frequency of a three-phase currents, to three-phase currents, and a controller configured to calculate, based on the three-phase currents converted, a zero-phase voltage instruction value for controlling voltages into which a DC input voltage is divided at a neutral point, as an instruction value which is superimposed on three-phase voltage instruction values.

Abstract: A rotation angle measurement device includes: relative angle detection means including a reference support whose rotation is regulated in a fixed range in an arbitrary direction of a rotation axis, and a driving rotating body which is coupled to the reference support and is axially supported so as to be all-round rotatable with respect to the reference support, the relative angle detection means which detects a relative rotation angle of the rotating body with respect to the reference support; and non-contact angle detection means which detects a rotation angle of the reference support with reference to a position that does not contact with the rotating body and the reference support. This provides improved accuracy in indexing the rotation angle of a rotating moving shaft and easy installation onto the rotating moving shaft.

Abstract: A bearing steel includes, as a metallographic structure, inclusions which contain complex oxysulfides including Rare Earth Metal, Ca, O, S, and Al, TiN, MnS, Al2O3, and complex oxides including Al and Ca, wherein, a number fraction of the complex oxysulfides in a total number of the inclusions is 50% to less than 100% and a number of complex oxysulfides having a major axis of 5 ?m or more is 0.001 pieces to 2 pieces in an observed section of 1 mm2, and a number of TiN existing independently from the complex oxysulfides and having a major axis of 5 ?m or more is 0.001 pieces to less than 1.0 piece in an observed section of 1 mm2.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotator rotatable in a predetermined direction of rotation and a pressure rotator to press against the fixing rotator to form a fixing nip therebetween, through which a recording medium bearing a toner image is conveyed. A rotation load applicator is coupled to one of the fixing rotator and the pressure rotator to apply a rotation load to the one of the fixing rotator and the pressure rotator. The rotation load is in a range of from 0.1 Nm to 0.6 Nm.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a dicing blade which does not cause cracking and breaking even in a workpiece formed from a brittle material, and can stably perform cutting process in a ductile mode on the workpiece with high precision. A dicing blade 26 which performs the cutting process on the workpiece is integrally formed of a diamond sintered body 80 which is formed by sintering diamond abrasive grains 82 so as to have a discoid shape, and a content of the diamond abrasive grains 82 of the diamond sintered body 80 is 80 vol % or more. It is preferable that recessed parts which are formed on a surface of the diamond sintered body 80 are continuously provided in an outer circumferential part of the dicing blade 26 along a circumferential direction.

Abstract: A fixing device includes an endless, rotatable fixing belt, a pressure rotator, a nip formation pad, a support, and a vibration repressor. The pressure rotator presses an outer surface of the fixing belt. The nip formation pad is disposed at an inner side of the fixing belt, to abut on the pressure rotator with the fixing belt interposed between the nip formation pad and the pressure rotator to form a fixing nip. The support is disposed at the inner side of the fixing belt, to support the nip formation pad. The vibration repressor is disposed between the nip formation pad and the support, to repress vibration of the nip formation pad.