Abstract: Provided is an application method including: a feeding step including feeding a viscous material to a discharge member; a temperature measurement step including measuring a temperature of the viscous material in a flow path through which the viscous material is fed to the discharge member; a pressurizing step including pressurizing the viscous material fed to the discharge member, based on the temperature measured in the temperature measurement step; and a discharge step including discharging, through the discharge member, the viscous material pressurized in the pressurizing step.

Abstract: A sealing agent (25) sent from a nozzle tube (36) to a nozzle main body (37) is passed through a main body flow channel portion (37a), a connecting portion (37c), a first flow channel portion (37b), and plural second flow channel portions (37d), sent to a chamber (37e), and discharged from a nozzle port (37f) to the outside. Since the second flow channel portions (37d) are smaller than a downstream end of the first flow channel portion (37b), the sealing agent (25) in the first flow channel portion (37b) is vigorously sent to the chamber (37e), and discharged from the nozzle port (37f) to the outside. As a result, substantially the same quantity of the sealing agent (25) is discharged in the entire range of the chamber (37e).

Abstract: An application unit (13) comprises a rotation unit (26) and a support unit (27). The rotation unit (26) comprises a nozzle unit (28), a nozzle support part (29), a body base (30), a first supply part (31), a second supply part (32), a third supply part (33), a valve (34), and a motor (35). The nozzle support part (29) rotatably supports the nozzle unit (28) such that the central axis of the nozzle unit (28) is inclined with respect to the rotation axis of the rotation unit (26).

Abstract: A coating device includes: a rotating shaft; outer members; and an inner member connected to at least one of the outer members. The inner member includes: a cylindrical body which is connected to at least one of the outer member and includes an annular opening continuing to a coating-material diffusion surface of the outer member; a disk-shaped lid which is provided on the inner side of the opening and has an outer peripheral edge part of a smaller diameter than the opening; and a supporting part which connects the lid and the body. A rear surface of the lid and an inner peripheral surface of the body form a coating-material reservoir. An annular slit is formed between the outer peripheral edge part of the lid and the opening. The supporting part is provided more inside in the radial direction than the slit when viewed along an axial line.

Abstract: A sealing agent (25) sent from a nozzle tube (36) to a nozzle main body (37) is passed through a main body flow channel portion (37a), a connecting portion (37c), a first flow channel portion (37b), and plural second flow channel portions (37d), sent to a chamber (37e), and discharged from a nozzle port (37f) to the outside. Since the second flow channel portions (37d) are smaller than a downstream end of the first flow channel portion (37b), the sealing agent (25) in the first flow channel portion (37b) is vigorously sent to the chamber (37e), and discharged from the nozzle port (37f) to the outside. As a result, substantially the same quantity of the sealing agent (25) is discharged in the entire range of the chamber (37e).

Abstract: An application unit (13) comprises a rotation unit (26) and a support unit (27), The rotation unit (26) comprises a nozzle unit (28), a nozzle support part (29), a body base (30), a first supply part (31), a second supply part (32), a third supply part (33), a valve (34), and a motor (35). The nozzle support part (29) rotatably supports the nozzle unit (28) such that the central axis of the nozzle unit (28) is inclined with respect to the rotation axis of the rotation unit (26).

Abstract: A developing device includes: an magnetic field generating unit that generates an magnetic field; and a cylindrical developer holder, to which a voltage is applied, that surrounds the magnetic field generating unit and rotates, the cylindrical developer holder: having an outer circumferential surface having a plurality of grooves that extend in a direction of a rotational axis, the outer circumferential surface being capable of holding developer including a magnetic substance by using the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generation unit, an electrical resistance of an inner wall surface of each of the grooves being higher than an electrical resistance of the magnetic substance included in the developer; and supplying the developer to an image holder that holds an electrostatic latent image.

Abstract: A developing device includes: an electric field generating unit that generates an electric field; and a cylindrical developer holder, to which a voltage is applied, that surrounds the electric field generating unit and rotates, the cylindrical developer holder: having an outer circumferential surface having a plurality of grooves that extend in a direction of a rotational axis, the outer circumferential surface being capable of holding developer including a magnetic substance by using the electric field generated by the electric field generation unit, an electrical resistance of an inner wall surface of each of the grooves being higher than an electrical resistance of the magnetic substance included in the developer; and supplying the developer to an image holder that holds an electrostatic latent image.

Abstract: A developing unit includes a developing roller and a carrying member. The carrying member includes a main helical blade and a sub helical blade. The carrying member stirs developers containing a toner by using the main helical blade and carries in an axial direction the developers being fed to the developing roller. The sub helical blade is helically screwed in an opposite direction to the main helical blade in at least a part of the axial direction. Each of the main helical blade and the sub helical blade has carrying power of the developers. The carrying power of the sub helical blade is smaller than the carrying power of the main helical blade.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier that carries a latent image; a charging device that charges the image carrier with a charging voltage having an AC component; and a roller that carries a developer to be supplied to the image carrier in a developing position, with a surface of the roller provided with axially-formed grooves, the frequency of the AC component of the charging voltage and the number of the grooves provided on the roller being set so that non-uniformity in density of an output image becomes invisible, caused by interference between the frequency of the AC component of the charging voltage and the frequency at which the grooves pass the developing position.

Abstract: A developing device includes a housing that stores developer; a developing roll that is rotatably supported in the housing and has a developing region with a roughened surface that supplies developer to an image region of an image holding member; a step portion that is formed at both sides of the developing region of the developing roll and whose diameter is smaller than that of the developing region; and a seal member that contacts a region of the step portion that is opposite to the image holding member.

Abstract: A granular fibre-free microporous thermal insulation material, having a thermal conductivity less than 0.05 W/mK and a shrinkage of not more than 10%, which is free flowing and consists of granules of an intimate mixture of: 30-95% dry weight microporous insulating material; 5-70% dry weight infrared opacifier material; 0-50% particulate insulating filler material; and 0-5% binder material.

Abstract: A developing device comprises: a housing that stores developer; a developing roll that is rotatably supported in the housing and has a developing region with a roughened surface that supplies developer to an image region of an image holding member; a step portion that is formed at both sides of the developing region of the developing roll and whose diameter is smaller than that of the developing region; and a seal member that contacts a region of the step portion that is opposite to the image holding member.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus comprises an image generating unit for generating an image from image data for an image containing an embossed part formed on a medium, the image generated by the image generating unit being different in form of the embossed part or neighborhood thereof from the image formed on the medium, and a display control unit for displaying the image generated by the image generating unit on a display apparatus.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier that carries a latent image; a charging device that charges the image carrier with a charging voltage having an AC component; and a roller that carries a developer to be supplied to the image carrier in a developing position, with a surface of the roller provided with axially-formed grooves, the frequency of the AC component of the charging voltage and the number of the grooves provided on the roller being set so that non-uniformity in density of an output image becomes invisible, caused by interference between the frequency of the AC component of the charging voltage and the frequency at which the grooves pass the developing position.

Abstract: An image formation apparatus for forming a three dimensional print image on a recording medium by an image of three dimensional printing material and an image of color material in accordance with image data, comprises a designation unit for designating a three dimensional print region using three dimensional printing material and a non-three dimensional print region, with regard to the image data; and an image processing unit for performing different color conversions on the image data depending on the three dimensional print region and the non-three dimensional print region designated by the designation unit.

Abstract: In an image processing section, a foam toner signal generator generates a foam toner signal corresponding to a foam toner amount to be transferred to a three-dimensional print designation region discriminated at a three-dimensional print region discriminator, and a foam toner interpolation signal generator generates a foam toner interpolation signal corresponding to a foam toner amount to be transferred to an image region equal to or greater than a constant area in an ordinary print region discriminated at the three-dimensional print region discriminator. Foam toner of a predetermined amount corresponding to the foam toner signal is transferred to the three-dimensional print region, and foam toner of an amount that is less (of a lower height) than the predetermined amount and corresponds to the foam toner interpolation signal is transferred to the ordinary print region.

Abstract: There is provided an image forming apparatus in which, if the image forming apparatus using only a normal toner is modified to be capable of forming an image formed of a special toner, an appropriate image can be formed in accordance with the characteristics of the special toner.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier and a first developing unit for forming an image on the image carrier using at least one type of first developer to which a second developing unit for forming an image using at least one type of second developer which differs from the first developer is installable. The apparatus includes a developing unit determination part for determining the type of developing unit of the image forming apparatus, and an announcement part for announcing to the user that, when the second developing unit is not installed and an image formation instruction for instructing the formation of an image obtained by using the second developer is inputted, the image formation instruction cannot be made to effect a response.

Abstract: To provide an image forming apparatus capable of forming an image with a normal toner and forming an image with special toner, which makes it possible to perform appropriate fixing of a toner to be used according to characteristics of the toner.