Abstract: The sheet processing apparatus includes a buffer roller to form a sheet bundle by overlapping a plurality of sheets while respectively displacing an end part of each sheet at one end of the conveying direction toward the conveying direction, a fold conveying path to fold the displaced and overlapped sheet bundle twice into three layers so that the end part at one end covers an end part at the other end and the end parts at the one end are respectively exposed, and a sealer to seal the sheet bundle by adhering the end part at the one end of the twice-folded sheet bundle to a surface of the sheet bundle with a seal. The sealer adheres all of the end parts at the one end and the surface of the sheet bundle with a seal having length longer than exposed length of the end parts at the one end.

Abstract: There is provided an image forming system that are capable of preventing a user or operator from forgetting to carry out a maintenance operation based on required sub-maintenance items after execution of a maintenance operation based on an associated maintenance item, such as component replacement, cleaning, or adjustment. A table of maintenance items and sub-maintenance items associated with respective ones of the maintenance items is stored in a ROM. When a CPU determines that a maintenance operation based on a selected one of the maintenance items has been completed, the CPU determines whether or not there is any sub-maintenance item associated with the selected maintenance item, by referring to the table. When it is determined that there is one or more sub-maintenance items associated with the selected maintenance item, a CPU provides control to display the sub-maintenance item or items in an operating/display unit.

Abstract: A communication device of the present invention is a communication device which performs data communication via a power line (3) whose transmission characteristics fluctuate, and includes: a parameter group setting unit (111) which sets a first group of transmission parameters; a degree-of-limitation determining unit (40) which determines a degree of limitation on group of transmission parameters for limiting a part of the first group of the transmission parameters; a parameter group converting unit (20) which converts, into a second group of transmission parameters, the first group of the transmission parameters, by limiting the part of the first group of the transmission parameters; a channel communicating unit (30) which obtains a result of transmission parameter evaluation data using the second group of the transmission parameters; and a parameter determining unit (111) which determines an optimal transmission parameter for current data communication, based on the result of the transmission parameter eval

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus which has a flattening processing unit which presses a folded end of a folded booklet bundle to flatten the folded end, and cutting units which cut and align edges of the booklet bundle, wherein the edges crossing the folded end of the booklet bundle are cut by the cutting unit and the folded end of the booklet is then flattened by the flattening processing unit.

Abstract: An image forming system that makes it possible to open or remove an external cover of an apparatus to perform maintenance on the apparatus even while the system is operating. Out of a plurality of conveying paths, at least one conveying path for which at least one part related to the conveying path can be subjected to maintenance is determined, in accordance with a type of the image forming process being executed. The conveying path for which it has been determined that the part related to the conveying path can be subjected to maintenance is displayed on a display device.

Abstract: There is provided an image forming system that are capable of preventing a user or operator from forgetting to carry out a maintenance operation based on required sub-maintenance items after execution of a maintenance operation based on an associated maintenance item, such as component replacement, cleaning, or adjustment. A table of maintenance items and sub-maintenance items associated with respective ones of the maintenance items is stored in a ROM. When a CPU determines that a maintenance operation based on a selected one of the maintenance items has been completed, the CPU determines whether or not there is any sub-maintenance item associated with the selected maintenance item, by referring to the table. When it is determined that there is one or more sub-maintenance items associated with the selected maintenance item, a CPU provides control to display the sub-maintenance item or items in an operating/display unit.

Abstract: Provided is a post-processing apparatus which sequentially receives sheets one by one from an image forming apparatus to execute a post-processing on the sheets, including: a first transport device which receives the sheets delivered from the image forming apparatus and transports the sheets; a sheet overlap device which stays the sheets transported by the first transport device and causes another sheet transported sequentially by the first transport device to overlap at least one stayed sheet; a second transport device which transports a plurality of sheets overlapping each other by the sheet overlap device; a plurality of stacking devices capable of stacking a plurality of sheets transported by the second transport device; and a controller which changes control of sheet overlapping caused by the sheet overlap device depending on which stacking device selected from among the plurality of stacking devices the sheets are to be transported to.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus which enables the user to easily remove a sheet bundle left in the apparatus after a bookbinding-mode job is stopped in the middle of execution thereof. In a bookbinding mode of the apparatus, in a sheet stacking section, a plurality of sheets having images formed thereon are stacked as a sheet bundle; in a gluing section, glue is applied to an end face of the sheet bundle; and in a bonding section, a cover sheet is bonded to the sheet bundle to wrap the sheet bundle in the cover sheet. When a bookbinding-mode job is canceled during execution thereof, in the gluing section, glue is applied to the sheet bundle stacked in the stacking section before the job is stopped, and a discharge section discharges the glue-applied sheet bundle which is neither wrapped nor trimmed.

Abstract: A secondary battery capable of obtaining superior cycle characteristics and superior swollenness characteristics is provided. The secondary battery includes a cathode and an anode capable of inserting and extracting an electrode reactant; and an electrolyte containing a solvent and an electrolyte salt. The anode has an anode active material layer on an anode current collector. The anode active material layer contains a plurality of crystalline anode active material particles having silicon (Si) as an element. The plurality of anode active material particles contain a spherical particle and a nonspherical particle.

Abstract: A secondary battery capable of obtaining superior cycle characteristics and superior swollenness characteristics is provided. The secondary battery includes a cathode, an anode, and an electrolytic solution. The electrolytic solution is impregnated in a separator provided between the cathode and the anode. An anode active material layer contains a crystalline anode active material having silicon as an element. The anode active material layer has a coating section where the surface of an anode current collector is coated with the anode active material and a non-coating section where the surface of the anode current collector is not coated with the anode active material but is exposed. Thereby, the physical property of the anode active material is hardly deteriorated with age. Further, at the time of charge and discharge, the anode active material layer is hardly expanded and shrunk, and thus the anode current collector is hardly deformed.

Abstract: An image forming system that has an apparatus that receives recording media from an apparatus upstream from it, executes image formation processing, and conveys the recording media to an apparatus positioned downstream from it. The apparatus controls whether to continue conveyance of recording media, change their discharger, and accept recording media in accordance with condition of its own or the downstream apparatus regardless of the configuration of the entire system.

Abstract: A secondary battery capable of improving the cycle characteristics and the initial charge and discharge characteristics is provided. The secondary battery includes a cathode, an anode, and an electrolytic solution. The anode has an anode active material layer on an anode current collector. The anode active material layer contains a crystalline anode active material having silicon as an element, and is linked to the anode current collector.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus is disclosed which is capable of preventing a motor from losing synchronization when initializing a roller position at power-up time, even if a diagonal feed mechanism does not have a sensor for detecting a position of a diagonal feed roller pair.

Abstract: A recording material stacking apparatus equipped with a plurality of discharge ports and a plurality of stacking trays can be set to normal mode and large capacity stacking mode each having a different maximum loading capacity. A stacking tray on the upper side has a plurality of lower limit positions and uses a lower limit position located on the upper side when normal mode is selected. On the other hand, it uses a lower limit position located on the lower side when the large capacity stacking mode is selected. The lower limit position located below a stacking tray on the upper side when this large capacity stacking mode is selected exists at a position in which it blocks a lower discharge port of sheets. Selection of the large capacity stacking mode and normal mode is executed according to a result of computation from data input through an input portion.

Abstract: A recording material stacking apparatus equipped with a plurality of discharge ports and a plurality of stacking trays can be set to normal mode and large capacity stacking mode each having a different maximum loading capacity. A stacking tray on the upper side has a plurality of lower limit positions and uses a lower limit position located on the upper side when normal mode is selected. On the other hand, it uses a lower limit position located on the lower side when the large capacity stacking mode is selected. The lower limit position located below a stacking tray on the upper side when this large capacity stacking mode is selected exists at a position in which it blocks a lower discharge port of sheets. Selection of the large capacity stacking mode and normal mode is executed according to a result of computation from data input through an input portion.

Abstract: The inserter including a storing unit, a sheet-feeding unit; a conveyance unit; and a controller that determines for every sheet a conveying speed of the sheet to be discharged to the downstream side device by the conveyance unit, in which the controller determines: the conveying speed of the sheet, which was discharged from the image forming apparatus, when the sheet is discharged to the downstream side device by the conveyance unit, based on the conveying speed when the inserter receives the sheet discharged from the image forming apparatus; and a conveying speed of the insert-sheet, which was fed by the sheet-feeding unit, when the insert-sheet is discharged to the downstream side device by the conveyance unit, based on a conveying speed of one of a preceding sheet and a succeeding sheet, when one of the preceding sheet and the succeeding sheet is discharged to the downstream side device.

Abstract: A secondary battery capable of improving the cycle characteristics and the initial charge and discharge characteristics is provided. The secondary battery includes a cathode, an anode, and an electrolytic solution. The anode has an anode active material layer on an anode current collector. The anode active material layer contains a crystalline anode active material having silicon as an element, and is linked to the anode current collector.

Abstract: A secondary battery capable of improving the cycle characteristics and the voltage retention characteristics is provided. The secondary battery includes a cathode, an anode, and an electrolyte. The anode includes an anode current collector, an anode active material layer formed on the anode current collector and including an anode active material containing silicon as an element, and a coat formed on the anode active material layer and having an integral structure of three-dimensional network.

Abstract: A sheet post-processing apparatus has a sheet conveying portion which receives and conveys a sheet discharged from an apparatus on an upstream side, and discharges it to an apparatus on a downstream side or a discharge tray, a sheet post-processing portion which carried out post-processing on the sheet, and a power saving control portion which renders the sheet post-processing apparatus into a power saving state, and the power saving control portion maintains electric power supply to the sheet conveying portion, and interrupts electric power supply to the sheet post-processing portion. The sheet post-processing apparatus, even in the power saving state, is capable of discharging the sheet discharged from the apparatus on the upstream side to the apparatus on the downstream side or a discharge tray.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: a stapling device which applies staple processing to a portion assuming a trailing end of a sheet with respect to a transport direction of the sheet; a first punch device which applies punch processing to a portion assuming a leading end of the sheet in the transport direction of the sheet; and a second punch device which applies the punch processing to the portion assuming the trailing end of the sheet in the transport direction of the sheet, in which a setting of both a staple mode for performing the staple processing by the stapling device and a first punch mode for performing the punch processing by the first punch device is inhibited, and a setting of both the staple mode and a second punch mode for performing the punch processing by the second punch device is allowed.