Abstract: A transfer fixation apparatus includes: a fixing member that carries the toner image; a pressurizing member that becomes in contact with the fixing member with pressure to form a nip through which the recording target medium is transported; and a plurality of heating members that are provided at relatively upstream positions when viewed from the relatively downstream nip and apply heat to the surface of the recording target medium that is transported toward the nip, wherein the number of heating members that apply heat to the surface of the recording target medium is changed depending on whether the transfer of the toner image is performed only on the front side of the recording target medium or the transfer of the toner image is performed also on the reverse side of the recording target medium after the transfer of the toner image on the front side of the recording target medium.

Abstract: A fluid discharge head includes a fluid chamber filled with ink; a discharge opening configured to discharge a droplet of ink from the fluid chamber; a plurality of piezoelectric elements configured as displacement generating units to provide kinetic energy to the ink for the discharge of the ink droplet; and a vibrating plate forming a part of the fluid chamber and connected to the piezoelectric elements, the vibrating plate being configured to transmit a displacement generated by the piezoelectric elements to the ink in the fluid chamber. The vibrating plate includes vibrating portions for the respective the piezoelectric elements. The vibrating portions are configured to be independently displaced for the corresponding piezoelectric elements, and at least one of the piezoelectric elements is configured as a pressure detecting unit to detect an ink pressure in the fluid chamber.

Abstract: A foamed liquid coating apparatus prevents curling or warping of a sheet caused by coating irregularities when coated with a preprocessing solution using a coating roller or a liquid discharge head. The foamed liquid coating apparatus includes a container holding a liquid that can be foamed. A first foamed liquid producing/transporting unit produces a foamed liquid having a foam size greater than a required foam size from the liquid supplied from the container. A second foamed liquid producing/transporting unit produces a foamed liquid having the required foam size from the foamed liquid produced by the first foamed liquid producing/transporting unit. The foamed liquid produced by the second foamed liquid producing/transporting unit is applied onto a first coating roller. The foamed liquid is further supplied from the first coating roller to a second coating roller that coats a sheet with the foamed liquid.

Abstract: A battery state estimating unit (110) estimates an internal state of a secondary battery according to a battery model equation in every arithmetic cycle, and calculates an SOC based on a result of the estimation. A parameter characteristic map (120) stores a characteristic map based on a result of actual measurement performed in an initial state (in a new state) on a parameter diffusion coefficient (Ds) and a DC resistance (Ra) in the battery model equation. The parameter change rate estimating unit (130) estimates a DC resistance change rate (gr) represented by a ratio of a present DC resistance (Rc) with respect to a new-state parameter value (Ran) by parameter identification based on the battery model equation, using battery data (Tb, Vb and Ib) measured by sensors as well as the new-state parameter value (Ran) of the DC resistance corresponding to the p resent battery state and read from the parameter characteristic map (120).

Abstract: An image transfer device provided in an image forming apparatus in which, employing an endless belt as an intermediate transfer member, image transfer is performed at nip positions of a primary transfer portion and secondary transfer portion. Generation of warp in the transferred image resulting from transmission of fluctuations in load and torque of the endless belt generated at the nip position of one transfer portion nip to the nip position of the other transfer portion is prevented. The endless belt is turned between rollers and the endless belt is individually driven at the primary transfer portion and secondary transfer portion by drive sources to generate deflection between the primary transfer portion and the secondary transfer portion.

Abstract: A diffusion estimation unit follows a diffusion equation in an active material that is represented by a polar coordinate to estimate a distribution in concentration of lithium in the active material. An open circuit voltage estimation unit obtains an open circuit voltage in accordance with a local SOC(?) based on a concentration of lithium obtained at an interface of the active material as estimated by the diffusion estimation unit. A current estimation unit uses a battery's voltage measured by a voltage sensor, the estimated open circuit voltage, and a parameter value that is set for the battery by a battery parameter value setting unit, and follows a voltage-current relationship model expression simplified from an electrochemical reaction expression to estimate the battery's current density.

Abstract: A battery model unit includes an electrode reaction model unit based on the Butler_Volmer equation, an electrolyte lithium concentration distribution model unit analyzing a lithium ion concentration distribution in an electrolyte solution by a diffusion equation, an active material lithium concentration distribution model unit analyzing an ion concentration distribution in a solid state of an active material by a diffusion equation, a current/potential distribution model unit for obtaining a potential distribution according to the charge conservation law, a thermal diffusion model unit and a boundary condition setting unit.

Abstract: A transfer unit for use in an image forming apparatus includes a transfer belt, and a counter member. The transfer belt, having a given circumferential length, receives an un-fixed image, formed of an image developer, from an image carrier at a first nip, which is defined between the transfer belt and the image carrier. The counter member faces the transfer belt to form a second nip with the transfer belt. The un-fixed image is transferred from the transfer belt to a recording medium passing through the second nip. A slack portion is generated in the transfer belt, when a front edge of the recording medium passes through the second nip. The slack portion of the transfer belt being generated in a first portion of the transfer belt returning from the second nip to the first nip.

Abstract: A transfer fixation apparatus includes: a fixing member that carries the toner image; a pressurizing member that becomes in contact with the fixing member with pressure to form a nip through which the recording target medium is transported; and a plurality of heating members that are provided at relatively upstream positions when viewed from the relatively downstream nip and apply heat to the surface of the recording target medium that is transported toward the nip, wherein the number of heating members that apply heat to the surface of the recording target medium is changed depending on whether the transfer of the toner image is performed only on the front side of the recording target medium or the transfer of the toner image is performed also on the reverse side of the recording target medium after the transfer of the toner image on the front side of the recording target medium.

Abstract: A cleaning device including a cleaning member that moves in a predetermined direction and is in contact with a cleaning target that moves in a predetermined direction and which is directly or indirectly heated by a heater, to remove toner particles on a surface of the cleaning target. A contact surface of the cleaning member with the cleaning target includes a plurality of regions of different toner-releasing ability.

Abstract: A liquid ejection head includes a nozzle plate having a nozzle that ejects liquid drops, an actuator that deforms a portion of the nozzle plate surrounding the nozzle with heat, and a flow path member opposing the nozzle plate, which forms a flow path for guiding liquid to the nozzle. A fluidity resistance path is provided in the flow path between a nozzle plate portion surrounding the nozzle and a portion of the flow path member opposing the nozzle plate portion. A fluidity resistance of the fluidity resistance path is changed by deforming the nozzle plate portion.

Abstract: A transfer-fixing device transfers and fixes a toner image onto a transfer-fixing surface of a recording medium, and includes a transfer-fixing member, a pressing member, a heating member, and a temperature equalization member. The transfer-fixing member carries the toner image. The pressing member pressingly contacts the transfer-fixing member to form a nip between the pressing member and the transfer-fixing member through which the recording medium passes. The heating member heats the transfer-fixing surface of the recording medium conveyed toward the nip so that the recording medium reaches the nip before a temperature of a back surface opposite the transfer-fixing surface of the recording medium increases. The temperature equalization member equalizes temperature distribution on a surface of the transfer-fixing member in a width direction of the transfer-fixing member perpendicular to a conveyance direction of the recording medium, after the surface of the transfer-fixing member passes the nip.

Abstract: The transfer-fixing device includes an image carrier, a pressing member, a heater, and an electrical field generator. The image carrier carries a toner image. The pressing member presses against the image carrier to form a transfer-fixing nip between the pressing member and the image carrier. The heater heats the toner image carried by the image carrier so that a temperature of the toner image is not higher than Tm +10 degrees centigrade when a toner softening point is Tm degrees centigrade. The electrical field generator forms a transfer electrical field at the transfer-fixing nip.

Abstract: A transfer-fixing device includes a transfer-fixing member, a pressing member, a heating device, and a temperature equalizer. The transfer-fixing member carries the toner image. The pressing member presses against the transfer-fixing member to form a nip portion to which the recording medium is conveyed. The heating device heats the transfer-fixing surface of the recording medium conveyed toward the nip portion. The temperature equalizer equalizes a temperature distribution of a surface of the transfer-fixing member in a width direction of the transfer-fixing member after the surface of the transfer-fixing member passes through the nip portion.

Abstract: A transfer unit for use in an image forming apparatus includes a transfer belt, and a counter member. The transfer belt, having a given circumferential length, receives an un-fixed image, formed of an image developer, from an image carrier at a first nip, which is defined between the transfer belt and the image carrier. The counter member faces the transfer belt to form a second nip with the transfer belt. The un-fixed image is transferred from the transfer belt to a recording medium passing through the second nip. A slack portion is generated in the transfer belt, when a front edge of the recording medium passes through the second nip. The slack portion of the transfer belt being generated in a first portion of the transfer belt returning from the second nip to the first nip.

Abstract: An image transfer device provided in an image forming apparatus in which, employing an endless belt as an intermediate transfer member, image transfer is performed at nip positions of a primary transfer portion and secondary transfer portion. Generation of warp in the transferred image resulting from transmission of fluctuations in load and torque of the endless belt generated at the nip position of one transfer portion nip to the nip position of the other transfer portion is prevented. The endless belt is turned between rollers and the endless belt is individually driven at the primary transfer portion and secondary transfer portion by drive sources to generate deflection between the primary transfer portion and the secondary transfer portion.

Abstract: A classifier having a simple constitution for classifying powder with a high accuracy is provided. The classifier is provided with a transfer board having a plurality of electrodes for generating electric fields for transferring and hopping the powder by an electrostatic force. The classifier is further provided with an opposite roller generating an electric field for transporting and attaching the powder (toner) transferred and hopped on the transfer board to the opposite roller, which is opposite to the transfer board.

Abstract: An electrostatic transportation device is provided with a transporting base plate having a plurality of electrodes which generate an electric field which performs transporting and hopping of fine particles by an electrostatic force, wherein a width of each of the electrodes in a travelling direction of the fine particles is set to be in a range of 1 time to 20 times an average particle diameter of the fine particles, a pitch between the electrodes in the travelling direction of the fine particles is set to be in a range of 1 time to 20 times the average particle diameter of the fine particles, and driving waveforms of n phases or more (n is an integer of 3 or more) are applied to respective electrodes.

Abstract: A classifier having a simple constitution for classifying powder with a high accuracy is provided. The classifier is provided with a transfer board having a plurality of electrodes for generating electric fields for transferring and hopping the powder by an electrostatic force. The classifier is further provided with an opposite roller generating an electric field for transporting and attaching the powder (toner) transferred and hopped on the transfer board to the opposite roller, which is opposite to the transfer board.

Abstract: A classifier having a simple constitution for classifying powder with a high accuracy is provided. The classifier is provided with a transfer board having a plurality of electrodes for generating electric fields for transferring and hopping the powder by an electrostatic force. The classifier is further provided with an opposite roller generating an electric field for transporting and attaching the powder (toner) transferred and hopped on the transfer board to the opposite roller, which is opposite to the transfer board.