Abstract: A cleaning composition includes (A) at least one compound selected from the group consisting of a fatty acid that includes a hydrocarbon group having 8 to 20 carbon atoms, a phosphonic acid that includes a hydrocarbon group having 3 to 20 carbon atoms, a sulfuric acid ester that includes a hydrocarbon group having 3 to 20 carbon atoms, an alkenylsuccinic acid that includes a hydrocarbon group having 3 to 20 carbon atoms, and salts thereof, (B) an organic acid, (C) a water-soluble amine, (D) a water-soluble polymer, and an aqueous medium, the cleaning composition having a pH of 9 or more.

Abstract: A developing device includes an agitating member agitating and rotating a developer, a developer amount detecting part detecting the developer amount, and a cleaning member being attached to the agitating member to have has an attachment part, a first cleaning part and a second cleaning part and to clean a detecting surface of the developer amount detecting part. The attachment part is formed by an end part of a wire and attached to the agitating member. The first cleaning part is formed by an intermediate part of the wire, and extends from an end part of the attachment part to reach the detecting surface. The second cleaning part is formed by an another end part of the wire, and is constructed by closely winding the wire, protruded to a location in front of the detecting surface and has a greater width than the detecting surface.

Abstract: A developing device includes a case, an agitating member, a moving mechanism and a detecting device. The case contains a developer inside. The agitating member is rotated in the case to agitate the developer while conveying the developer in a rotation axis direction. The moving mechanism reciprocates the agitating member in the rotation axis direction in accordance with the rotation of the agitating member. The detecting device detects a developer amount contained in the case.

Abstract: A toner case includes a main body, a cover, a rotating member, an agitating member, a protrusion arrangement part and a depression arrangement part. The main body has a first wall, a second wall, a third wall, a fourth wall, a bottom board, an opening at an upper side and a toner discharge port discharging a toner stored inside to an outside. The protrusion arrangement part is formed on one of an upper face facing upward formed in the first or second wall and a lower face facing to the upper face formed in the cover. The protrusion arrangement part has a plurality of protrusions arranged in the direction from the third wall to the fourth wall. The depression arrangement part is formed on another of the upper and lower faces. The depression arrangement part has a plurality of depressions, into which the protrusions insert, arranged in the direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an attachment member and a toner case. The toner case has a discharge port openable and closable by a shutter mechanism. The shutter mechanism has a first shutter member and a second shutter member. The first shutter member closes the discharge port in a condition in which the toner case is detached from the attachment member, and opens the discharge port in a condition in which the toner case is attached to the attachment member. The second shutter member covers the back side edge portion of the communication port with which the discharge port is communicated in a condition in which the toner case is detached from the attachment member, and exposes the back side edge portion of the communication port in a condition in which the toner case is attached to the attachment member.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developing container, a first agitating/conveying member, a second agitating/conveying member, a developer supply member, a supply port, and a supply section. The developing container is separated into a developer supply passage, a first conveying chamber, and a second conveying chamber, which are arranged substantially parallel to one another. The supply section is disposed between the developer supply passage and the first conveying chamber, and through the supply section, the developer is supplied from the developer supply passage into the first conveying chamber.

Abstract: An inkjet image forming apparatus includes an ink container and a container installed part. The ink container is configured to store an ink. To the container installed part, the ink container is attached/detached along an installing direction. The ink container includes a container case and a shutter. The container case has a lower face to which a supplying port discharging the ink is located. The shutter is located to leave a space from the supplying port and switchable between a closing state covering a bottom of the supplying port and an opening state exposing the supplying port.

Abstract: A toner replenishing device includes a toner conveying portion, a conveying member, a toner loosening member and a swinging member. The toner conveying portion has a vertical conveying portion for vertically conveying toner, and a horizontal conveying portion for horizontally conveying the toner. The conveying member is disposed in the horizontal conveying portion, and has a shaft member and a projecting portion formed around the shaft member. The toner loosening member is disposed in the vertical conveying portion to be swingable up and down. The swinging member is contactable with the conveying member and the toner loosening member. The swinging member swings up and down by a change in a contact portion with respect to the conveying member between the shaft member and the projecting portion, as the conveying member rotates. The toner loosening member swings up and down as the swinging member swings.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developing container, a first agitating/conveying member, a second agitating/conveying member, a developer supply member, a supply port, and a supply section. The developing container is separated into a developer supply passage, a first conveying chamber, and a second conveying chamber, which are arranged substantially parallel to one another. The supply section is disposed between the developer supply passage and the first conveying chamber, and through the supply section, the developer is supplied from the developer supply passage into the first conveying chamber.

Abstract: A developing device includes an agitating member agitating and rotating a developer, a developer amount detecting part detecting the developer amount, and a cleaning member being attached to the agitating member to have has an attachment part, a first cleaning part and a second cleaning part and to clean a detecting surface of the developer amount detecting part. The attachment part is formed by an end part of a wire and attached to the agitating member. The first cleaning part is formed by an intermediate part of the wire, and extends from an end part of the attachment part to reach the detecting surface. The second cleaning part is formed by an another end part of the wire, and is constructed by closely winding the wire, protruded to a location in front of the detecting surface and has a greater width than the detecting surface.

Abstract: What is provided is an image formation apparatus including: an image formation part provided inside a main body so that the image formation part may be attached to the main body and detached from the main body; a plurality of opening-closing parts which may be opened and closed to attach the image formation part to the main body or detach the image formation part from the main body; and a plurality of locking parts latching each of the plurality of opening-closing parts to the main body, wherein when one of the plurality of locking parts undergoes a releasing operation, an other one of the plurality of locking parts also undergoes a releasing operation.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an attachment member and a toner case. The toner case has a discharge port openable and closable by a shutter mechanism. The shutter mechanism has a first shutter member and a second shutter member. The first shutter member closes the discharge port in a condition in which the toner case is detached from the attachment member, and opens the discharge port in a condition in which the toner case is attached to the attachment member. The second shutter member covers the back side edge portion of the communication port with which the discharge port is communicated in a condition in which the toner case is detached from the attachment member, and exposes the back side edge portion of the communication port in a condition in which the toner case is attached to the attachment member.

Abstract: A toner case includes a main body, a cover, a rotating member, an agitating member, a protrusion arrangement part and a depression arrangement part. The main body has a first wall, a second wall, a third wall, a fourth wall, a bottom board, an opening at an upper side and a toner discharge port discharging a toner stored inside to an outside. The protrusion arrangement part is formed on one of an upper face facing upward formed in the first or second wall and a lower face facing to the upper face formed in the cover. The protrusion arrangement part has a plurality of protrusions arranged in the direction from the third wall to the fourth wall. The depression arrangement part is formed on another of the upper and lower faces. The depression arrangement part has a plurality of depressions, into which the protrusions insert, arranged in the direction.

Abstract: An inkjet image forming apparatus includes an ink container and a container installed part. The ink container is configured to store an ink. To the container installed part, the ink container is attached/detached along an installing direction. The ink container includes a container case and a shutter. The container case has a lower face to which a supplying port discharging the ink is located. The shutter is located to leave a space from the supplying port and switchable between a closing state covering a bottom of the supplying port and an opening state exposing the supplying port.

Abstract: Planarization methods include depositing a mask material on top of an overburden layer on a semiconductor wafer. The mask material is planarized to remove the mask material from up areas of the overburden layer to expose the overburden layer without removing the mask material from down areas. The exposed overburden layer is wet etched and leaves a thickness remaining over an underlying layer. Remaining portions of the mask layer and the exposed portions of the overburden layer are planarized to expose the underlying layer.

Abstract: A planarization method includes planarizing a semiconductor wafer in a first chemical mechanical polish step to remove overburden and planarize a top layer leaving a thickness of top layer material over underlying layers. The top layer material is planarized in a second chemical mechanical polish step to further remove the top layer and expose underlying layers of a second material and a third material such that a selectivity of the top layer material to the second material to the third material is between about 1:1:1 to about 2:1:1 to provide a planar topography.

Abstract: Methods for polishing multiple dielectric layers to form replacement metal gate structures include a first chemical mechanical polish step to remove overburden and planarize a top layer to leave a planarized thickness over a gate structure. A second chemical mechanical polish step includes removal of the thickness to expose an underlying covered surface of a dielectric of the gate structure with a slurry configured to polish the top layer and the underlying covered surface substantially equally to accomplish a planar topography. A third chemical mechanical polish step is employed to remove the dielectric of the gate structure and expose a gate conductor.

Abstract: A polishing method includes polishing, in a first polish, a wafer to remove overburden and planarize a top layer leaving a portion remaining on an underlying layer. A second polishing step includes two phases. In a first phase, the top layer is removed and the underlying layer is exposed, with a top layer to underlying layer selectivity of between about 1:1 to about 2:1 to provide a planar topography. In a second phase, residual portions of the top layer are removed from a top of the underlying layer to ensure complete exposure of an underlying layer surface.