Abstract: A reaction solution that is used for image recording with an ink containing a coloring material in a dissolved or dispersed state to destabilize the dissolved or dispersed state of the coloring material in the ink in contact with the ink to provide high quality and abrasion-resistant images, wherein the reaction solution contains at least a polyvalent metal ion and a nonionic polymer, the Ka value according to the Bristow method is from 1.3 mL·m?2·msec?1/2 to 3.0 mL·m?2·msec?1/2 inclusive, and the viscosity is from 20 mPa·s to 150 mPa·s inclusive.

Abstract: The toner for electrostatic charged image development of the present invention is characterized in that it contains at least a binder resin, a mold releasing agent and magnetic metal particles, and the solubility of the magnetic metal particles in a 1 mol/l aqueous HNO3 solution at 50° C. is 500 mg/g·l or less.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor with excellent wear resistance and high durability, and an image formation method having a high toner transferring efficiency and capable of providing images with high quality. The image formation method features a developing step of forming a toner image by developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of a latent image carrier by a developer containing at least a toner, a transferring step of forming a transferred image by transferring the toner image formed on the surface of the latent image carrier to the surface of an object recording medium, and a fixing step of fixing the toner image transferred on the surface of the object recording medium. The latent image carrier has a surface layer containing a cross-linked resin having charge transporting property, and the toner is a toner containing at least a binder resin of mainly a crystalline resin and a coloring agent.

Abstract: The present invention uses a crystalline resin as a binding resin and provides a toner insuring excellent storability of a resulting image, a method of manufacturing the toner, an electrostatically charged image developer containing the toner, and an image forming method. In the electrophotographic toner containing toner mother particles comprising at least a binding resin and a colorant, a main component of said binding resin comprises a crystalline resin with a melting point in the range from 50 to 120° C. and an average volume particle size in the range from 3.0 to 7.5 ?m, while an average value of the BET specific areas of said toner mother particles is in the range from 0.6 to 3.0 m2/g. The electrophotographic toner manufacturing method comprises the steps of coalescing or associating the binding resin particles with colorant particles, and cooling the aggregated particles at the rate of at least 1° C.

Abstract: A replaceable orifice unit is disposed outside a pressure or a flow regulator valve, and therefore easy in maintenance, requires the smallest possible number of components, is compact in construction to save space, free from any fear that fluid impurities in a fluid circuit bank up against an upstream side of an orifice piece (2) of the unit, advantageous in replacing one type of chemicals flowing through the circuit with another type, and also advantageous in manufacturing cost. The replaceable orifice unit is constructed of a tube member (1), in which the orifice piece (2) assuming two symmetrically arranged similar triangular shapes in longitudinal cross section is fixedly mounted. Formed between vertexes of the triangle shapes is an orifice (2a). An O-ring is coaxially disposed between the tube member (1) and the orifice piece (2) to prevent the fluid from passing through therebetween.

Abstract: In a sheet feeding apparatus, a contact-type sensor for detecting sheet-like documents stored in document tray is separated into upper document detector and a lower document detector arranged at upper and lower sides of the document tray, respectively. The sheet-like documents are detected separately with two actuators of the corresponding detectors. Accordingly, the requirement of a prior art for having a contact of the sensor increased in length in order to detect the sheets from a maximum to zero in the sheet storing unit can be eliminated.

Abstract: It is determined whether or not a jammed document is necessarily returned to a document tray when a jam of the document is caused within a carrier path and, then, the elevation operation of the document tray is controlled on the basis of its result of the determination. Since the jammed sheet of which reading has not been completed should be returned to the document tray, the document tray is moved down. Since the jammed sheet of which reading has been completed should not be returned to the document tray, the document tray is maintained at a position as it is. When the apparatus stops due to the carrying jam, a time required for processing the document is shortened.

Abstract: In accordance with the state of a document tray upon powering on a power source, the elevation operation of a document tray is controlled. In the case that the document tray is located not at the highest position, not at the lowest position, but at a middle position upon powering on the power source, the document tray is allowed to remain at the middle position as it is without performing the elevation of the document tray. In the case that the document tray is located at the highest position, the document tray is moved down. By reducing the wasteful operation (the initial operation) after powering on the power source, it is possible to reduce the operation time and the efficient sheet processing can be realized.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus capable of communication with an external unit connected thereto. The apparatus has a connection unit to connect the external unit, a first control unit connectable to the external unit for controlling communication between the connected external unit and the information processing apparatus, a second control unit connectable to the external unit for controlling communication between the connected external unit and the information processing apparatus, and a switching unit to select the first control unit or the second control unit as a control unit connected to the external unit for communication between the connected external unit and the information processing apparatus.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus connectable to an external device, having a first driver storage unit to store a first driver to control a connected external device in a general-purpose manner, a determination unit to determine whether or not a second driver, to control the connected external device in a device-specific manner exists in the external device, an acquisition unit to, if the determination unit determines that the second driver exits, obtain the second driver from the connected external device, and a second driver storage unit to store the obtained second driver.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus which is equipped with card slots can cope with plural kinds of memory cards acting as media, and a recording apparatus does not occur a malfunction in its card reader due to a lack of a current to be supplied to the medium even when the plural media are respectively inserted in the card reader. To do so, when the media are initially inserted in the plural card slots, the slot in which the medium is first inserted is set to be available, and the remaining slots are set to be unavailable. Besides, power is not supplied to the slots which have been set to be unavailable.

Abstract: The e-mail system includes: a text information notifying unit (21) for notifying a second information terminal (40) of text information of an e-mail message; a sound information storing unit for storing sound information related to the e-mail message; and a managing unit for managing association between the e-mail message and its related sound data. With this feature, it is possible for a user to reply to an original e-mail message by voice, thereby freeing a user from troublesome inputting text reply. Further, upon receipt of such a voice reply, the sender of the original mail can manage the reply in association with the original mail. Furthermore, upon receipt of an e-mail massage having information about sound information added thereto, it is possible to smoothly obtain the sound information.

Abstract: The toner for electrostatic charged image development of the present invention is characterized in that it contains at least a binder resin, a mold releasing agent and magnetic metal particles, and the solubility of the magnetic metal particles in a 1 mol/l aqueous HNO3 solution at 50° C. is 500 mg/g·l or less.

Abstract: For performing double-side printing, an image forming apparatus forms an image on one side of a sheet and then reverses the sheet if the sheet has not been reversed, forms an image on the other side of the sheet and then reverses the sheet if the sheet has been reversed once, and performs idle conveyance in which an image is not formed on a sheet and then discharges the sheet if the sheet has been reversed twice. According to the image forming apparatus and a method of forming an image by this apparatus, procedures of image formation by a user can be prevented from becoming troublesome and the sheets can be discharged in order of the originals.

Abstract: A replaceable orifice unit is disposed outside a pressure or a flow regulator valve, and therefore easy in maintenance, requires the smallest possible number of components, is compact in construction to save space, free from any fear that fluid impurities in a fluid circuit bank up against an upstream side of an orifice piece (2) of the unit, advantageous in replacing one type of chemicals flowing through the circuit with another type, and also advantageous in manufacturing cost. The replaceable orifice unit is constructed of a tube member (1), in which the orifice piece (2) assuming two symmetrically arranged similar triangular shapes in longitudinal cross section is fixedly mounted. Formed between vertexes of the triangle shapes is an orifice (2a). An O-ring is coaxially disposed between the tube member (1) and the orifice piece (2) to prevent the fluid from passing through therebetween.

Abstract: A shield connection structure for shielding electromagnetic noise for a long time with a simple structure. A shielded cable is located through a cylindrical part of a shield terminal formed of a material having a small conductive resistance. The cylindrical part of the shield terminal is held in contact with a shield braid of the coaxial cable by a caulking layer between the shield braid and the cable core, and a flange part of the shield terminal is fixed via a low-resistance joint, such as a bolt, to a metallic housing. Use of relatively rigid caulking and the low-resistance joint provides a vibration-resistant shielded connection structure suitable for long-lived use in an applications such as a connection for an electric motor in a vehicle.

Abstract: When a document detector provided on a document tray is ON (S11: YES), a controller judges whether or not a document is of a standard size, on the basis of a document size table stored in a storing unit (S12). When the document is of a standard size (S12: YES), after a predetermined time has elapsed (S13: YES), the controller elevates/lowers the document tray on the basis of a detection output of a guide-in roller position detector and causes the document tray to wait in a state capable of supplying and conveying the topmost layer of documents immediately. An image forming apparatus thus constructed can make a judgment as to whether or not to execute supply and conveyance of documents, according to the mount state of the documents.

Abstract: A reaction solution that is used for image recording with an ink containing a coloring material in a dissolved or dispersed state to destabilize the dissolved or dispersed state of the coloring material in the ink in contact with the ink to provide high quality and abrasion-resistant images, wherein the reaction solution contains at least a polyvalent metal ion and a nonionic polymer, the Ka value according to the Bristow method is from 1.3 mL·m−2·msec−1/2 to 3.0 mL·m−2·msec−1/2 inclusive, and the viscosity is from 20 mPa·s to 150 mPa·s inclusive.

Abstract: An optical axis adjuster 7 is provided to change the optical axis direction of a transmitter unit having a transmitter element 65. A restriction member 9 is latched in an external thread 71 which is formed in the outer circumferential surface of the adjuster 7. The adjuster 7 is held by a rotation/revolution support member 74 and rotatable around its central axis O. The rotation/revolution support member 74 is rotatable around a rotation axis 8 extending perpendicularly to the central axis O. Stepped adjustment of the optical axis is effected by revolving the adjuster 7 around the revolution axis 8 such that the restriction member 9 climbs over a thread ridge. Stepless adjustment of the optical axis is conducted by moving the adjuster 7 in cooperation with its rotation around the central axis O, with the restriction member 9 keeping a latched engagement with a thread groove.

Abstract: A shield connection structure capable of shielding electromagnetic noise for a long time with a simple structure, wherein, using a shield sleeve (36), a shield braid (28) of a coaxial line (22) is connected, by caulking, to a cylindrical part (32) of a shield terminal (30) formed of a material having a small conductive resistance, the flange part (34) of the shield terminal (30) is fixed to a metallic cabinet (42) with bolts (40), the degree of caulking and a fixing force by the bolts (40) are adjusted so that an electric resistance between the shield braid (28) and the metallic cabinet (42) is 10 m&OHgr; or below, desirably, 1 m&OHgr; or below, whereby, when the shield connection structure (20) is used for the connection of a cable to the metallic cabinet such as electric motor installed on a vehicle, electromagnetic noise can be shielded for a long period with a simple structure even if a vibration is produced by a vehicle driving device mounted on the vehicle or due to running of the vehicle.