Abstract: A method for manufacturing a resin-layer coated toner is provided. The method for manufacturing the resin-layer coated toner uses a rotary stirring apparatus including a circulating section, a temperature regulation section, a spraying section and an exhausting section, sprays a liquid substance to particles of toner materials and particles of coating materials in a fluidized state to plasticize such particles from a spraying section by carrier gas and gasifies the liquid, circulates the carrier gas in the powder passage and continuously exhausts the carrier gas including the gasified substance through the exhausting section to the outside of the powder passage, and pressure P1 in the powder passage and pressure P0 outside the powder passage satisfy the following formula (1): 0 atm<(Pressure P1 in the powder passage?Pressure P0 outside the powder passage)?0.3 atm??(1).

Abstract: In an electric power steering system, a ball screw nut (23) of a ball screw device that drives a rack shaft is screwed to an axial end portion (6a) of a motor shaft (6) when a threaded portion (31) of a hollow threaded shaft (30) formed at an axial end portion (23a) of the ball screw nut (23) is screwed to a threaded portion (32) formed in the inner periphery of a motor shaft (6). A flange member (33) that is larger in diameter than the ball screw nut (23) is fitted to the outer periphery of the axial end portion (6a) of the motor shaft (6). The flange member (33) is formed in such a manner that when the rotation of the flange member (33) is restricted, the rotation of the ball screw nut (23) and the motor shaft (6) in the same direction is restricted when the ball screw nut (23) is screwed to the motor shaft (6).

Abstract: A door opening/closing apparatus includes an opening/closing handle provided in a vehicle door, electrodes disposed in the door handle, a detection circuit configured to detect a change of electrostatic capacitance which occurs in the vicinity of the electrodes when a human body portion approaches or contacts the door handle and then to output a locking or unlocking operation signal and a device for executing locking or unlocking of the door based on the operation signal, and a transmission/reception antenna for effecting transmission/reception with a portable unit corresponding to the vehicle, wherein the door handle includes an insulating base body, and on a vehicle outer side surface of the base body, there is attached a metal layer comprised of a group of island shaped metal particles that extend along the surface of the base body and that are separated from each other.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a toner is provided. The method for manufacturing a toner uses a rotary stirring apparatus that includes a circulating section for repeatedly performing circulation in a powder passage having a rotary stirring chamber and a circulation tube to return to the rotary stirring chamber by a rotary stirring section having a rotary disc around which rotary blades are installed and a rotary shaft, and a temperature adjusting section provided at least on a part of the powder passage for adjusting temperatures in the powder passage and of the rotary stirring section to a predetermined temperature, and includes a temperature adjusting step; a fine resin particle adhering step; a spraying step; and a film-forming step. The temperature in the powder passage is adjusted to the predetermined temperature by the temperature adjusting section at the fine resin particle adhering step, the spraying step, and the film-forming step.

Abstract: A carrier of the present invention is used in a developer including a toner which includes at least a binder resin and an organic colorant, and the carrier has a core and a coating formed on the surface of the core, the coating including (i) a charge control agent for controlling a charge whose polarity is the same as a polarity of a charge controlled by a charge control agent included in the toner, and (ii) a conductive particles. The use of the carrier of the present invention enables: prevention of decrease in the charging amount of the toner which includes at least a binder resin and an organic colorant; and formation of a stable, high-resolution, high-quality image which has very few image defects such as a photographic fog.

Abstract: A rotation sensor includes a detecting portion, a rotational state determining portion and a pulse generating portion. The detecting portion detects a rotation of a rotational member and outputs a detection signal. The rotational state determining portion determines a rotational state of the rotational member on the basis of the detection signal in a predetermined period. The pulse generating portion generates and outputs a first pulse and a second pulse, of which waveforms differ from each other, in response to a rotational direction of the rotational member after the predetermined period. The pulse generating portion further generates and outputs a third pulse regardless of the rotational state of the rotational member in the predetermined period.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a cassette placing table; a first transfer mechanism having a first substrate holding hand capable of advancing/retreating and using this first substrate holding hand to transfer a substrate with respect to the cassette; a substrate processing unit for executing a predetermined process on a substrate; a second transfer mechanism having a second substrate holding hand capable of advancing/retreating and pivotable at a vertical axis, and using the second substrate holding hand to transfer a substrate with respect to the first transfer mechanism and the substrate processing unit; a moving mechanism for moving the first transfer mechanism in an arrangement direction of the cassettes; and a control unit for controlling transfer of a substrate between the first transfer mechanism and the second transfer mechanism in a position where the first transfer mechanism is opposed to a cassette.

Abstract: A flange member 20, which is formed as a separate body from a motor shaft 6, is screwed to an end 6a of the motor shaft 6. The flange member 20 functions as a flange 19 of the motor shaft 6. A flange 18, which is formed at an end 13a of a ball screw nut 13, is fastened to the flange 19 of the motor shaft 6. This couples the ball screw nut 13 to the motor shaft 6. A coupling member 27 is arranged in the joint portion between the ball screw nut 13 and the motor shaft 6. The coupling member 27 is formed by a tubular portion 28 and a plate flange 29, which extends radially outward from the outer circumferential surface of an end of the tubular portion 28. The tubular portion 28 of the coupling member 27 is fixed to the motor shaft 6, and the plate flange 29 is fixed to the flange member 20.

Abstract: A resonance-type power supply is provided in which no short circuit occurs and driving is performed with a constant switching period by performing switching control using a change of magnetic flux of a magnetic component as a trigger. When the change of magnetic flux of the transformer is detected, the first switching control signal is caused to transition to the Hi level. The detection voltage signal is A/D-converted, a first on-time is determined from the level thereof, and a second on-time is calculated by subtracting the first on-time from the constant switching period. When the first switching control signal is caused to transition to the Low level based on the first on-time, the change of magnetic flux of the transformer is detected, and the second switching control signal is caused to transition to the Hi level and is caused to transition to the Low level after the second on-time has elapsed.

Abstract: Disclosed is an aqueous solution of a chromium salt, in which the oxalic acid content is 8% by weight or less relative to chromium. In the aqueous solution of the chromium salt, the total organic carbon content is 4% by weight or less relative to chromium. The chromium salt is preferably a chromium chloride, a chromium phosphate, or a chromium nitrate. The chromium chloride preferably contains a basic chromium chloride represented by the composition formula Cr(OH)xCly (wherein 0<x?2, 1?y<3, and x+y=3). The chromium phosphate is preferably one represented by the composition formula Cr(H3?3/nPO4)n (wherein n is a number satisfying 2?n?3). The chromium nitrate is preferably a basic chromium nitrate represented by the composition formula Cr(OH)x(NO3)y (wherein 0<x?2, 1?y<3, and x+y=3).

Abstract: The ball screw apparatus includes a returning way L2 by mounting a circulating member 15 in mounted holes 16, 17 formed in the ball screw nut 13. The ball screw nut 13 includes a base portion 51 and an expanding portion 52. In the base portion 50 a distance from an axis center O1 of the rack shaft 3 to a bottom portion 14a of the nut side screw groove 14 is constant, and in the expanding portion 52 the distance is larger than that of the base portion 51. The expanding portion 52 includes a connecting area 34.

Abstract: A battery state determining apparatus is provided which can accurately determine a state of a lead battery in an automotive vehicle. The apparatus calculates a corrected engine starting voltage Vst1 from an open-circuit voltage (OCV) measuring section that measures the open circuit voltage Vst of the lead battery at an engine starting time in accordance with a temperature of the vehicle. The apparatus further calculates a battery determination voltage Vst_th representing a voltage of the lead battery at an engine starting time when a growth rate of internal resistance of the lead battery reaches a predetermined value from the open-circuit voltage OCV. The apparatus then determines the battery state of the lead battery by determining whether the corrected engine starting voltage Vst1 is larger than the battery determination voltage Vst_th and whether the corrected engine starting voltage Vst1 belongs to a predetermined region on a characteristic map.

Abstract: A power supply device is provided for a vehicle having an idling-stop function, the power supply device including a boosting converter circuit with small loss that compensates for a voltage drop of a battery during starting of the engine and performing a protection function against a case in which the polarities of the battery are mistakenly connected in reverse. A series circuit including two MOSFETs serially connected to one another and an inductor is connected to the ends of a DC power source. A diode is connected to the connection point between the two MOSFETS serially connected to one another and the inductor, and a capacitor is connected in parallel to the two MOSFETS serially connected to one another. The two MOSFETs are serially connected such that the polarities of respective body diodes thereof are opposite to each other.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a capsule toner, capable of obtaining a capsule toner including a coating layer having uniform thickness at high yield is provided. The method for manufacturing a capsule toner includes a fine resin particle adhering step of adhering fine resin particles to surfaces of toner base particles, a spraying step of spraying a spray liquid for plasticizing the toner base particles and the fine resin particles, while fluidizing the toner base particles and the fine resin particles, and a film-forming step of fluidizing the toner base particles and the fine resin particles until the fine resin particles adhered to the surfaces of the toner base particles are softened to form a film. In the spraying step, ultrasonic vibration is applied to set a number average liquid-droplet diameter of the spray liquid to less than 10 ?m.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a capsule toner having improved preservability with no deterioration in low-temperature fixability is provided. The method for manufacturing a capsule toner includes a mixed fine resin particle adhering step of adhering mixed fine resin particles including crystalline polyester fine resin particles and amorphous fine resin particles to surfaces of toner base particles to form mixed fine resin particle-adhered particles, a spraying step of spraying a mixed solution of a liquid for plasticizing the toner base particles and the mixed fine resin particles and a crystal nucleating agent, while fluidizing the mixed fine resin particle-adhered particles, and a film-forming step of making a film of the mixed fine resin particles by impact force so that the film is a resin coating layer on the surfaces of the toner base particles.

Abstract: A toner manufacturing method is provided. The toner manufacturing method includes a step of adhering fine resin particles whose volume average particle size is 5% or more and 17% or less of a volume average particle size of toner base particles, to surfaces of the toner base particles; and a step of plasticizing the toner base particles and the fine resin particles by adding mechanical impact thereto while spraying lower alcohol, and fusing the fine resin particles to the surfaces of the toner base particles to form a plurality of projections of the fine resin particles, on the surfaces of the toner base particles. Surface coverage of the surfaces of the toner base particles with the projections is 10% or more and 50% or less.

Abstract: A capsule toner achieving both low temperature fixability and hot offset resistance, and a method of manufacturing the capsule toner are provided. A capsule toner includes a toner base particle containing a binder resin and a colorant, and a resin coating layer formed on a surface of the toner base particle. The resin coating layer includes a film of plural fine resin particles having different complex viscosities. The plural fine resin particles include first fine resin particles having complex viscosity at a softening temperature of the toner base particles of 5.0×102 Pa·s or more and 1.0×103 Pa·s or less, and second fine resin particles having complex viscosity at a softening temperature of the toner base particles of 1.0×104 Pa·s or more and 1.0×105 Pa·s or less.

Abstract: There are provided a capsule toner, a two-component developer, and a capsule toner manufacturing method. The capsule toner in which a resin coating layer made of fine release-agent particles and fine resin particles is made on the surfaces of toner base particles, and thus excellent offset resistance without impairing blocking resistance can be obtained. The capsule toner includes toner base particles containing a binder resin and a colorant, and a resin coating layer made of fine release-agent particles and fine resin particles, for covering the surfaces of the toner base particles. The fine release-agent particles are dispersed in the resin coating layer.

Abstract: In an electric power steering system, a ball screw nut (23) of a ball screw device that drives a rack shaft is screwed to an axial end portion (6a) of a motor shaft (6) when a threaded portion (31) of a hollow threaded shaft (30) formed at an axial end portion (23a) of the ball screw nut (23) is screwed to a threaded portion (32) formed in the inner periphery of a motor shaft (6). A flange member (33) that is larger in diameter than the ball screw nut (23) is fitted to the outer periphery of the axial end portion (6a) of the motor shaft (6). The flange member (33) is formed in such a manner that when the rotation of the flange member (33) is restricted, the rotation of the ball screw nut (23) and the motor shaft (6) in the same direction is restricted when the ball screw nut (23) is screwed to the motor shaft (6).

Abstract: In an electric power steering system, multiple cutouts (45) are formed in a flange portion (36) formed on an axial end portion (23a) of a ball screw nut (23) of a ball screw device that drives a rack shaft. In addition, a motor shaft (6) has a thin-plate portion (44) that extends on the radially outer side of the ball screw nut (23). When the thin-plate portion (44) that extends from the motor shaft (6) is swaged into the cutouts (45) that serve as engagement recesses that have side walls in the circumferential direction, the rotation of the ball screw nut (23) relative to the motor shaft (6) is restricted.