Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a driving device, a transfer body, a toner detector, an error notification device, and a controller. The toner detector detects, at a preparation running and while the driving device drives a latent image bearer, one of a toner adhesion amount at a background portion of the latent image bearer and a toner adhesion amount at a background corresponding region of a transfer body. The error notification device notifies a user of an error with the toner adhesion being equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value. The driving device stops only a developer bearer after driving both the latent image bearer and the developer bearer at the preparation running, but before a trailing edge of a detection target region of one of the background portion of the latent image bearer and the background corresponding region advances to an opposite position to the toner detector.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer rotating in a first direction while bearing a toner image thereon in a normal image forming operation; a toner image forming device to form the toner image on the image bearer; a transferring device to transfer the toner image to a recording medium eventually; a cleaning blade to block toner remaining on image bearer without being transferred; and a controller. The controller controls the image bearer to perform an inverse rotation operation in which the image bearer rotates in a second direction opposite to the first direction after controlling the toner image forming device to perform a special image forming operation such that the amount of toner input to the cleaning blade in the special image forming operation is greater than the amount of toner input to the cleaning blade in the normal image forming operation, and then stopping the image bearer.

Abstract: To provide a grease composition for HDD which is excellent in low outgas generation and acoustic properties and a process for production thereof. In a grease composition used in the bearing for a hard disk drive, a basal oil comprising a paraffin-base hydrocarbon and a polyurea as a thickener are contained.

Abstract: An exhaust manifold M is comprised of a plurality of inner exhaust pipe shells secured to an upper flange, and a plurality of outer exhaust pipe shells secured to the upper flange to individually cover the inner exhaust pipe shells, wherein a downstream end of each of the corresponding inner exhaust pipe shells slidably contacts an annular bead bulging from an outer peripheral surface of the downstream end of the outer exhaust pipe shells. An inner collecting pipe shell communicates with the plurality of inner exhaust pipe shells and is secured at its upstream end to the plurality of outer exhaust pipe shells, and an outer collecting pipe shell which is secured at its upstream end to the plurality of outer exhaust pipe shells covers the inner collecting pipe shell. A downstream end of the inner collecting pipe shell slidably contacts an annular mesh member interposed therebetween.

Abstract: A starter system for a hot internal combustion engine, the starter system including a first valve which opens upon starting of the engine in a heated state to permit supplemental air to be drawn into the engine intake passage to dilute the air-fuel mixture therein, and a second valve down stream of the first valve arranged to cut off supplemental air flow as vacuum pressure corresponding to complete firing of the engine develops in the intake passage.