Abstract: An imaging system includes a lubricant roller to transfer a lubricant to the image carrier, a solid lubricant in contact the lubricant roller to supply the lubricant to the lubricant roller, and a pressing member to urge the solid lubricant against the lubricant roller. The lubricant roller includes a foam that is in contact with the image carrier. The foam is selected to have a permeability of approximately 0.15 dm3/s to 1.4 dm3/s.

Abstract: An example lubricant coating device includes a rotatable applicator to apply lubricant from a solid lubricant source to a member to be coated, and a supporting device to support the solid lubricant source in a contact state with the rotatable applicator. The supporting device changes a supporting angle of the solid lubricant source relative to the rotatable applicator when a consumption of the solid lubricant source reaches a consumption threshold.

Abstract: An example lubricant coating device includes a rotatable applicator to apply lubricant from a solid lubricant source to a member to be coated, and a supporting device to support the solid lubricant source in a contact state with the rotatable applicator. The supporting device changes a supporting angle of the solid lubricant source relative to the rotatable applicator when a consumption of the solid lubricant source reaches a consumption threshold.

Abstract: An example lubricant application device includes a rotatable applicator to apply a lubricant from a solid lubricant source to a rotating member, a support member to support the solid lubricant source in contact with the rotatable applicator, a near-end detection member and an end detection member coupled to the support member. The near-end detection member is coupled to the support member such that it comes in contact with the rotatable applicator after a first amount of the solid lubricant source has been consumed. The end detection member is coupled to the support member such that it comes in contact with the rotatable applicator after a second amount of the solid lubricant source has been consumed.

Abstract: An imaging system includes a lubricant roller to transfer a lubricant to the image carrier, a solid lubricant in contact the lubricant roller to supply the lubricant to the lubricant roller, and a pressing member to urge the solid lubricant against the lubricant roller. The lubricant roller includes a foam that is in contact with the image carrier. The foam is selected to have a permeability of approximately 0.15 dm3/s to 1.4 dm3/s.

Abstract: A lubricant application device for an image forming apparatus includes a grinding roller that is rotatable to scrape off a lubricant from a solid lubricant source, and a scattering member to scatter the lubricant from the grinding roller toward a separate rotating member.

Abstract: A lubricant application device for an image forming apparatus includes a grinding roller that is rotatable to scrape off a lubricant from a solid lubricant source, and a scattering member to scatter the lubricant from the grinding roller toward a separate rotating member.

Abstract: An example lubricant application device includes a rotatable applicator to apply a lubricant from a solid lubricant source to a rotating member, a support member to support the solid lubricant source in contact with the rotatable applicator, a near-end detection member and an end detection member coupled to the support member. The near-end detection member is coupled to the support member such that it comes in contact with the rotatable applicator after a first amount of the solid lubricant source has been consumed. The end detection member is coupled to the support member such that it comes in contact with the rotatable applicator after a second amount of the solid lubricant source has been consumed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier to rotate about a rotation axis, a cleaning blade to contact a surface of the image carrier, and a protective agent coater. The protective agent coater has a rotatable shaft extending along the rotation axis of the image carrier, an elastic body formed around the rotatable shaft, and a waste toner supply member. The waste toner supply member supplies waste toner to the elastic body of the protective agent coater. The elastic body transfers protective agent from a protective agent supply to the image carrier. The protective agent coater is positioned upstream of the cleaning blade in the rotation direction of the image carrier.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprises an image carrier to rotate about a rotation axis, a cleaning blade to contact a surface of the image carrier, and a protective agent coater. The protective agent coater has a rotatable shaft extending along the rotation axis of the image carrier, an elastic body formed around the rotatable shaft, and a waste toner supply member. The waste toner supply member supplies waste toner to the elastic body of the protective agent coater. The elastic body transfers protective agent from a protective agent supply to the image carrier. The protective agent coater is positioned upstream of the cleaning blade in the rotation direction of the image carrier.

Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes a photoreceptor forming an electrostatic latent image on a surface thereof, a charging roller being in contact with the photoreceptor to uniformly charge the surface thereof, a developing device forming a toner image on the photoreceptor, and a cleaning device cleaning contaminants on a surface of the charging roller, in which the charging roller has a conductive elastic layer formed around an axis and a direction of polishing marks on the surface of the charging roller is in a circumferential direction.

Abstract: Secure failure diagnosis of a brake switch is enabled with a simple configuration. Inconsistency detection is performed for output signals from two brake switches 6a and 6b provided such that an operation condition of a brake pedal 1 may be detected (S102), and when inconsistency is detected, after a certain time has passed from the relevant detection point, inconsistency detection is newly performed for output signals from the two brake switches 6a and 6b (S108), and when inconsistency is detected again, a determination counter performs count of a predetermined incremental value, those operation being periodically repeated (S110), and when a count value reaches a predetermined value ? after the determination counter performs the count, the two brake switches 6a and 6b are determined to be failed (S114 and S118).

Abstract: Secure failure of a brake switch is enabled with a simple configuration. When brake switches 6a and 6b are determined to be not ON together and not OFF together (S110 and S112), first and second determination counters perform count respectively (S114 and S120), and on the other hand, when the two brake switches 6a and 6b are determined to be ON together, a count value of the first determination counter is set to zero (S132), and when the brake switches are determined to be OFF together, a count value of the second determination counter is set to zero (S136), those operation being periodically repeated, and when one of the count values of the first and second determination counters exceeds one of respective predetermined values ? and ? (S118 and S214), one of the two brake switches 6a and 6b is determined to be failed, which enables detection of a failure state that one of the brake switches is normally ON or normally OFF.

Abstract: According to the invention, erroneous learning of an accelerator pedal fully-closed position is reliably detected, problems originating from the erroneous learning are prevented from arising, and further improvements in reliability of vehicle motion are achieved.

Abstract: Secure failure of a brake switch is enabled with a simple configuration. When brake switches 6a and 6b are determined to be not ON together and not OFF together (S110 and S112), first and second determination counters perform count respectively (S114 and S120), and on the other hand, when the two brake switches 6a and 6b are determined to be ON together, a count value of the first determination counter is set to zero (S132), and when the brake switches are determined to be OFF together, a count value of the second determination counter is set to zero (S136), those operation being periodically repeated, and when one of the count values of the first and second determination counters exceeds one of respective predetermined values ? and ? (S118 and S214), one of the two brake switches 6a and 6b is determined to be failed, which enables detection of a failure state that one of the brake switches is normally ON or normally OFF.

Abstract: Erroneous learning of an accelerator pedal fully-closed position is reliably detected, problems originating from the erroneous learning are prevented from arising, and further improvements in reliability of vehicle motion are achieved.

Abstract: Secure failure diagnosis of a brake switch is enabled with a simple configuration. Inconsistency detection is performed for output signals from two brake switches 6a and 6b provided such that an operation condition of a brake pedal 1 may be detected (S102), and when inconsistency is detected, after a certain time has passed from the relevant detection point, inconsistency detection is newly performed for output signals from the two brake switches 6a and 6b (S108), and when inconsistency is detected again, a determination counter performs count of a predetermined incremental value, those operation being periodically repeated (S110), and when a count value reaches a predetermined value ? after the determination counter performs the count, the two brake switches 6a and 6b are determined to be failed (S114 and S118).