Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image bearing body bearing an image, a transferring member being capable of contacting the image bearing body and transferring an image on the image bearing body to a transferring material when a voltage is applied thereto, and control portion for controlling the voltage applied to the transferring member,

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes image forming means for forming an image on a first image bearing member, a transfer member, capable of contacting the first image bearing member, for transferring the image on the first image bearing member to a second image bearing member, a power supply for applying a bias to the transfer member, detection means for detecting a voltage value and a current value at the time of applying the bias to the transfer member, speed change means capable of changing a moving speed of the first image bearing member, environment detection means for detecting a temperature or a humidity, and control means for determining a transfer voltage value at the time of image transfer on the basis of an output of the detection means at the time of applying the bias to the transfer member other than the time of image transfer.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a toner image forming portion for forming a toner image on a first image bearing member, a first transferring portion for transferring, onto a second image bearing member, the toner image on the first image bearing member, a second transferring portion for transferring, onto a transferring material, the toner image on the second image bearing member, a cleaning unit including a cleaning member abutting on the surface of the second image bearing member, and a transferring material recognizing portion for recognizing a type of the transferring material. The toner image forming portion forms a toner image for cleaning on the first image bearing member in accordance with information about a type of the transferring material that is recognized by the transferring material recognizing portion.

Abstract: A radio communication apparatus compatible with a plurality of communication systems and application services comprises a radio transmitting/receiving unit for transmitting and receiving a radio signal, signal processing circuit for executing part of digital signal processing which may be executed when a radio signal is transmitted or received, first processors connected to the signal processing circuit for at least executing communication control related to connection between the radio communication apparatus and the communication systems, and an application program related to the application services, and second processors connected to the signal processing circuit for at least executing another part of the digital signal processing, and control of the signal processing circuit, the amount of processing of the second processors being greater than the amount of processing of the first processors, the processing concerning the executing unit.

Abstract: Conventional hydrogen purification apparatuses cannot be used satisfactorily for applications in which much time is required for startup of the apparatus, and the apparatus is repeatedly started and stopped at frequent intervals because of complicated handling.

Abstract: The present specification discloses a hydrogen generator for generating a hydrogen gas, comprising at least a fuel supply part for supplying a hydrocarbon type fuel, a fuel combustion part, a water supply part, a gas, mixing part for mixing the fuel and a water, and a reforming part filled with the reforming catalyst, wherein at least one of the gas mixing part and the reforming part is heated by an exhaust gas generated in the combustion part. The hydrogen generator according to the present invention aims to improve the heat efficiency, reducing the heat loss from the apparatus with a simple constitution and collecting the waste heat for an effective use thereof.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member for bearing an image; a movable recording material carrying member for electrostatically carrying the recording material; transfer means for electrostatically transferring the image from the image bearing member onto the recording material carried on the recording material carrying member at a transfer position, the transfer means being located at a position across from a side of the recording material carrying member carrying the recording material; and control means for controlling timing of start of change of a current flowing through the transfer means in accordance with a kind of the recording material so that the current reaches a level effective to transfer the image from the image bearing member onto the recording material carried on the recording material carrying member within a period in which a non-image formation area of the recording material at its leading edge is passing the transfer position.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member for bearing an image; a movable recording material carrying member for electrostatically carrying the recording material; transfer means for electrostatically transferring the image from the image bearing member onto the recording material carried on the recording material carrying member at a transfer position, the transfer means being located at a position across from a side of the recording material carrying member carrying the recording material; and control means for controlling timing of start of change of a current flowing through the transfer means in accordance with a kind of the recording material so that the current reaches a level effective to transfer the image from the image bearing member onto the recording material carried on the recording material carrying member within a period in which a non-image formation area of the recording material at its leading edge is passing the transfer position.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member for bearing an image; a movable recording material carrying member for electrostatically carrying the recording material; transfer means for electrostatically transferring the image from the image bearing member onto the recording material carried on the recording material carrying member at a transfer position, the transfer means being located at a position across from a side of the recording material carrying member carrying the recording material; and control means for controlling timing of start of change of a current flowing through the transfer means in accordance with a kind of the recording material so that the current reaches a level effective to transfer the image from the image bearing member onto the recording material carried on the recording material carrying member within a period in which a non-image formation area of the recording material at its leading edge is passing the transfer position.

Abstract: It was difficult to acquire a good CO cleanup efficiency in a hydrogen refining apparatus, for instance, when the start-up and stop operations are frequently repeated.

Abstract: In order to provide a step capable of reliably detecting a CO concentration in a reformed gas at low cost and a hydrogen purifier capable of fully exerting a function of a CO purifying catalyst, a gas concentration detector comprising a reaction chamber which has a catalyst layer and a gas temperature detector and capable of detecting the concentration of carbon monoxide in the gas by means of a signal of the temperature detector referring to a reformed gas passing along through the reaction chamber.

Abstract: Since carbon monoxide is generated as subcomponent in a water vapor reforming reaction, in many cases, a shifter for conducting a shift reaction on water and carbon monoxide is used in combination. Generally, in the case of a stable operation, a concentration of carbon monoxide hardly increases. However, when using conditions of a catalyst are changed due to external factors in the shifter, a concentration of carbon monoxide increases.

Abstract: A hydrogen generating apparatus comprising a reformer, a heating section, a fuel supply section, a water supply section, a shift reactor with a shift catalyst layer, a first heat exchanger on the downstream side of the shift catalyst layer, and a temperature detector for the shift catalyst layer. The temperature of the downstream portion of the shift catalyst layer is raised by the action of the heat exchanger compared with the temperature of the same before the amount of the reformed gas is increased. And, the temperature of the downstream portion is lowered compared with the temperature of the same before the amount of the reformed gas is reduced when reducing the amount of the reformed gas. Accordingly, regardless whether the generation amount of hydrogen is large or small, the hydrogen generating apparatus can supply a constant concentration hydrogen gas while keeping the concentration of byproduct carbon monoxide low.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member for bearing an image; a movable recording material carrying member for electrostatically carrying the recording material; transfer means for electrostatically transferring the image from the image bearing member onto the recording material carried on the recording material carrying member at a transfer position, the transfer means being located at a position across from a side of the recording material carrying member carrying the recording material; and control means for controlling timing of start of change of a current flowing through the transfer means in accordance with a kind of the recording material so that the current reaches a level effective to transfer the image from the image bearing member onto the recording material carried on the recording material carrying member within a period in which a non-image formation area of the recording material at its leading edge is passing the transfer position.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including, an image bearing member, an image forming device for forming a toner image on the image bearing member, a transfer device for electrostatically transferring the toner image formed by the image forming device on the image bearing member to a transfer material, an detector for detecting temperature and humidity in a main body of the apparatus and a controller for such control that the toner amount per unit area of the toner image formed on the image bearing member by the image forming device differs in accordance with a result detected by the detector.

Abstract: A fuel cell electric power generating system is provided which does not occupy a large space, which requires a lower initial cost for equipment than the prior art, and of which the running cost is low. The system includes a reformer 1 producing hydrogen-rich gas by utilizing a source gas, source gas supplying means 3a of supplying the source gas to the reformer 1, air supplying means 5 of supplying purging air to the reformer, and a fuel cell 9 generating electric power by utilizing the hydrogen-rich gas produced at the reformer 1 and air for electric power generation supplied from outside, wherein in stopping the operation of the fuel cell 9, the supply of the source gas to the reformer 1 is stopped and the hydrogen-rich gas remaining within the fuel cell electric power generating system, steam and the purging air are passed in this order.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including, an image bearing member, an image forming device for forming a toner image on the image bearing member, a transfer device for electrostatically transferring the toner image formed by the image forming device on the image bearing member to a transfer material, an detector for detecting temperature and humidity in a main body of the apparatus and a controller for such control that the toner amount per unit area of the toner image formed on the image bearing member by the image forming device differs in accordance with a result detected by the detector.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electric power generator and its operation method, which electric power generator is equipped with a hydrogen generator, a polymer electrolyte fuel cell for generating electric power using hydrogen rich gas from the hydrogen generator, a burner for burning the hydrogen generator, a flow rate controller for controlling the supply amount of a burning fuel to the burner, a communicating pathway connecting the flow rate controller and the burner, a joint where at least a residual fuel gas from a fuel electrode of the fuel cell and/or an incompletely generated gas from the hydrogen generator are combined into the communicating pathway, and a pressure-transferring pipe for releasing the pressure between the joint and the flow rate controller into the flow rate controller; the electric power generator being characterized in that the flow rate controller controls the supply amount of the burning fuel on the basis of the above-mentioned pressure.

Abstract: A hydrogen producing apparatus comprising: a reforming section having a reforming catalyst which causes a reaction between a carbon-containing organic compound as a feedstock and water; a feedstock supply section for supplying the feedstock to the reforming section; a water supply section for supplying water to the reforming section; a heating section for heating the reforming catalyst; a shifting section having a shift catalyst which causes a shift reaction between carbon monoxide and water contained in a reformed gas supplied from the reforming section; and a purifying section having a purifying catalyst which causes oxidation or methanation of carbon monoxide contained in a gas supplied from the shifting section, wherein the shift catalyst comprises a platinum group metal and a metal oxide.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprising an image bearing member for carrying a developed image; image forming means for forming a developed image on said image bearing member; an intermediary transfer member onto which a developed image on said image hearing member is transferred; a transfer member, disposed at a position opposed to said image bearing member with the intermediary transfer member therebetween, for primary transfer of the developed image from said image bearing member onto said intermediary transfer member by application of a voltage thereto and pressing said intermediary transfer member to said image bearing member; transferring means for secondary transfer of the developed image from said intermediary transfer member onto a transfer material; wherein a maximum height Rmax (&mgr;m) representing a surface shape of said intermediary transfer member onto which the developed image is transferred, an average inclination angle &thgr;a (°) representing a surface shape of said intermediary transfer