Abstract: An electric power converter includes a first capacitor being located between an input terminal and an output terminal, and that connects a first terminal being located between the input terminal and a ground, a reactor that connects through electric contact between the first terminal and the output terminal, a switching element that connects through electric contact between the input terminal and the output terminal, and a control unit that executes a first PWM control process controlling a pulse width of the PWM waveform by on and off of the switching device according to the fluctuation of the output voltage, and that executes a second PWM control process widening a pulse width of the PWM and a duty cycle of a PWM than those of the previous cycle when a pulse width becomes a lower limit.

Abstract: Provided is a pressure detection device including: a pressure detection unit; and a flow channel unit provided with a flow channel and a pressure receiving portion. The pressure detection unit includes a pressure sensor including a diaphragm, and a pressure transmission portion which is disposed in a state where one end of the pressure transmission portion is in contact with the diaphragm and the other end thereof is in contact with the diaphragm, and transmits a pressure of a fluid received by the diaphragm to the diaphragm. The pressure transmission portion is disposed in a state where the diaphragm is displaced toward the flow channel and an urging force directed from the diaphragm to the diaphragm is received.

Abstract: The flow channel unit includes: a pair of end flow channels disposed at an inflow port and an outflow port, respectively, and extending along in flow direction; a center flow channel including a pressure receiving portion having a thin film shape and disposed at a position sandwiched between the pair of end flow channels, a distance from an inner peripheral surface of the pressure receiving portion to an outer peripheral surface thereof being shorter than a distance from an inner peripheral surface of the pair of end flow channels to an outer peripheral surface thereof. The pair of end flow channels and the center flow channel are integrally formed of a flexible resin material, and the pressure detection portion is disposed such that the pressure of the fluid circulated through a flow channel is transmitted via the pressure receiving portion.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor includes an electroconductive substrate, a photosensitive layer provided on the electroconductive substrate, and an inorganic surface layer provided on the photosensitive layer, wherein a layer constituting an outermost surface of the photosensitive layer contains from 30% by weight to 70% by weight of silica particles and contains a biphenyl copolymerization type polycarbonate resin including a structural unit represented by the formula (PCA) and a structural unit represented by the formula (PCB) at a copolymerization ratio (PCA:PCB (molar ratio)) of 10:90 to 50:50: wherein, RP1, RP2, RP3, and RP4 each represent a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, a cycloalkyl group having 5 to 7 carbon atoms, or an aryl group having 6 to 12 carbon atoms, and XP1 represents a phenylene group, a biphenylene group, a naphthylene group, an alkylene group, or a cycloalkylene group.

Abstract: There is provided a flow rate adjustment apparatus including a main body inside which a fluid flow passage that guides a fluid has been formed, in which the main body is formed of a conductive fluorine resin material containing a fluorine resin material, and a carbon nanotube dispersed in the fluorine resin material, and in which a volume resistivity of the conductive fluorine resin material is more than 1.0×103 ?·cm and less than 1.0×104 ?·cm.

Abstract: An image recording method including the steps of applying an ink containing a coloring material and anionic resin particles to a recording medium; and applying a liquid composition to the recording medium so as to at least partly overlap with an area where the ink is applied, the liquid composition destabilizing a dispersion state of the coloring material or of the anionic resin particles in the ink. The ink contains a polyamine compound having a group formed by substituting a hydrogen atom of an amino group by a structure represented by —Rnn—H, where R is an alkyleneoxy group including an ethyleneoxy group, and the number of Rs per molecule is 5 or more and 180 or less.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention include a power supply device having one or more converters (DC/DC and/or AC/DC) that convert input power supplied from one or more power sources, and a secondary battery which is charged by receiving power supplied from power sources. In addition, however, the power supply device has the unique feature of increasing power output by serially connecting the secondary battery to the DC/DC converter and/or AC/DC converter. In this regard, the secondary battery may comprise a Lithium Ion battery.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor includes an electroconductive substrate, a photosensitive layer provided on the electroconductive substrate, and an inorganic surface layer provided on the photosensitive layer, wherein a layer constituting an outermost surface of the photosensitive layer contains from 30% by weight to 70% by weight of silica particles and contains a biphenyl copolymerization type polycarbonate resin including a structural unit represented by the formula (PCA) and a structural unit represented by the formula (PCB) at a copolymerization ratio (PCA:PCB (molar ratio)) of 10:90 to 50:50: wherein, RP1, RP2, RP3, and RP4 each represent a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, a cycloalkyl group having 5 to 7 carbon atoms, or an aryl group having 6 to 12 carbon atoms, and XP1 represents a phenylene group, a biphenylene group, a naphthylene group, an alkylene group, or a cycloalkylene group.

Abstract: A unit for an image forming apparatus includes an electrophotographic photoreceptor that includes a conductive substrate, a photosensitive layer provided on the conductive substrate, and a surface layer provided so as to contact with an outermost surface of the photosensitive layer, and an exposure section that exposes the electrophotographic photoreceptor with a light having a wavelength (?) (nm) so as to form an electrostatic latent image on a charged surface of the electrophotographic photoreceptor, wherein a surface roughness (Rz1) (nm) of the outermost surface of the photosensitive layer satisfies an expression of [(Rz1)?(?)/(4×(n2))] where a refractive index of the surface layer is set as (n2), and an outermost surface of the surface layer has a surface shape different from the outermost surface of the photosensitive layer.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a conductive base; an organic photosensitive layer disposed on the conductive base, the organic photosensitive layer including a layer that constitutes a surface and contains a charge transport material, a binder resin having a viscosity-average molecular weight less than about 50,000, and silica particles in an amount of about 40% by weight or more; and an inorganic protective layer disposed on the organic photosensitive layer.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a conductive base; an organic photosensitive layer disposed on the conductive base, the organic photosensitive layer including a layer that constitutes a surface and contains a charge transport material, a binder resin, and silica particles in an amount of about 40% by weight or more; and an inorganic protective layer disposed on the organic photosensitive layer and having a surface roughness Ra of about 5 nm or less.

Abstract: A seat back for vehicles including a seat back pad having supporting bodies fixed on a periphery of an opening or a seat frame, or formed integrally with the periphery of the opening by one or multiple-point support, the supporting bodies aligned at predetermined intervals, each arranged in a direction between periphery portions opposite to each other of the opening at a front surface portion formed as a backrest surface for a seated person, the supporting bodies being independent of each other in rod or plate form, each made of a synthetic resin foam having 20 mm or larger in bending deflection amount and 2 to 100 N in load when deflected by 20 mm measured in accordance with a method defined by JIS K7221-2:2006, and having an interspace portion configured such that the supporting bodies are allowed to be deformed by bending in a rear direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an electrophotographic photoreceptor that includes a conductive substrate, an organic photosensitive layer provided on the conductive substrate, and an inorganic protective layer provided on the organic photosensitive layer; a charging unit that charges a surface of the electrophotographic photoreceptor; an electrostatic latent image forming unit that forms an electrostatic latent image on a charged surface of the electrophotographic photoreceptor; a developing unit that develops the electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the electrophotographic photoreceptor to thereby form a toner image, by using a developer which contains a toner, and a carrier in which a ratio occupied by carrier particles having a particle diameter of 50 ?m or greater is equal to or smaller than 1% by number; and a transfer unit that transfers the toner image to a surface of a recording medium.

Abstract: An image-forming method includes a reaction solution-applying step of applying a reaction solution containing a thickening agent and a colorant-aggregating component aggregating a colorant in ink to an intermediate transfer medium, a first ink-applying step of applying a first ink to the intermediate transfer medium provided with the reaction solution, a second ink-applying step of applying a second ink to the intermediate transfer medium provided with the first ink, and a transfer step of transferring an intermediate image formed on the intermediate transfer medium provided with the second ink to a recording medium. An ink layer formed on the intermediate transfer medium by applying the first ink thereto has a yield value of 0.5 Pa or more.

Abstract: To improve connectivity with tubes to be connected to an inlet and an outlet of a flow passage, while increasing the rapidity of an operation of changing a fluid to be passed through the flow passage and also increasing the safety. Provided is a pressure detecting device including a pressure detecting unit detecting a pressure transmitted to a diaphragm, a flow passage unit having a diaphragm for transmitting a pressure of a fluid flowing through the flow passage to the diaphragm, and a nut for removably mounting the flow passage unit onto the pressure detecting unit. The nut mounts the flow passage unit onto the pressure detecting unit when a position of a positioning groove of the pressure detecting unit about an axis coincides with a position of a positioning projection of the flow passage unit about an axis.

Abstract: The valve-integrating container includes a container body and a valve mechanism switching whether a liquid stored in the container body is allowed to flow out. The valve mechanism has a spring, a spring supporting part, and a valve plug. The spring supporting part has a liquid flow channel formed in a cylindrical shape extending along the axis, a lower end portion mounted to an internal threads of a reduced-diameter portion, an upper end portion projecting toward the enlarged-diameter portion, and a guide groove formed on a lower end side outer circumferential surface for guiding a liquid stored in a connecting portion downwardly. The valve plug has on its outer circumferential surface a guide groove guiding the liquid guided by the guide groove downwardly to an opening portion.

Abstract: A liquid composition including a fluorinated nonionic surfactant and a water-soluble inclusion compound. The liquid composition can be used for forming images on a recording medium.

Abstract: An image recording method including the steps of applying an ink containing a pigment to a recording medium and applying a treatment liquid containing an organic acid to the recording medium so as to overlap at least a part of a region to which the ink is applied. The treatment liquid contains at least one organic compound having an anionic group, and an amino group or quaternary ammonium in its molecular structure and having surface-activating capability.

Abstract: In transfer image recording with the use of an intermediate transfer body whose surface on the side where an intermediate image is to be formed has a polyalkylsiloxane structure, an ink is used that contains at least a pigment, water, a water-soluble organic solvent, and a polyether-modified siloxane compound. Good and poor solvents for the polyether-modified siloxane compound are contained as the water-soluble organic solvent. The content of the polyether-modified siloxane compound in the ink is 3% by mass or more and 20% by mass or less based on the total mass of the ink.

Abstract: A load balancing method executed by an information processing apparatus, the load balancing method includes identifying, in first determination processing for determining circumstances based on an event acquired by a sensor included in the information processing apparatus, a type of an event that another information processing apparatus coupled to the information processing apparatus is able to acquire by using a sensor included in the another information processing apparatus; determining whether a logic tree representing the first determination processing is able to change to another logic tree that includes a partial logic tree determined based on an event of the identified type and is equivalent in condition to the logic tree; and assigning second determination processing represented by the partial logic tree included in the another logic tree to the another information processing apparatus, when determining that the logic tree is able to change to the another logic tree.