Abstract: A measuring method includes performing preliminary measurement, while changing a combination of parameter values of at least two different measurement parameters, concerning each combination, performing processing to obtain a sensitivity distribution as a distribution of sensitivities indicating a change in measurement value with a change in parameter value concerning each of the at least two measurement parameters based on measurement values obtained in the performing preliminary measurement, determining a parameter value to be used concerning each of the at least two measurement parameters based on the sensitivity distribution concerning each of the at least two measurement parameters, and performing main measurement in accordance with the parameter value of each of the at least two measurement parameters determined in the determining.

Abstract: A calibration method of a detection system including an illumination system configured to illuminate a detection target, and an imaging system configured to form an image of light from the detection target on a photoelectric conversion element, the method including obtaining, for each of at least two combinations of first apertures in the illumination system and second apertures in the imaging system, each of which is formed by selecting one first aperture and one second aperture from the plurality of first apertures and the plurality of second apertures, a defocus characteristic indicating a shift amount of the image on the photoelectric conversion element with respect to a defocus amount of the detection target in a state in which each of the first aperture and the second aperture is positioned in a first position shifted from a reference position.

Abstract: The present invention provides a measurement apparatus for measuring a position of a first pattern and a position of a second pattern provided in a target object, the apparatus including an image capturing unit including a plurality of pixels which detect light from the first pattern and light from the second pattern, and configured to form an image capturing region used to capture the first pattern and the second pattern by the plurality of pixels, and a control unit configured to adjust the image capturing unit such that a relative ratio of an intensity of a detection signal of the first pattern generated based on an output from a first image capturing region and an intensity of a detection signal of the second pattern generated based on an output from a second image capturing region falls within an allowable range.

Abstract: A measurement apparatus including an illumination system configured to illuminate a target with light including light of a first wavelength and light of a second wavelength, a wavefront changing unit configured to change a wavefront aberration in light from the target, and a control unit configured to control the wavefront changing unit, wherein the wavefront changing unit includes a first region where the light of the first wavelength enters, and a second region where the light of the second wavelength enters, and the control unit controls the wavefront changing unit such that a first correction wavefront for correcting a first wavefront aberration in the light of the first wavelength is generated in the first region, and a second correction wavefront for correcting a second wavefront aberration in the light of the second wavelength is generated in the second region.

Abstract: A method of determining a position of a mark including a first pattern arranged in a first layer of a substrate and a second pattern arranged in a second layer of the substrate, includes determining information concerning the position of the mark as provisional position information based on an image of the mark, acquiring relative position information indicating a relative position between the first pattern and the second pattern, and determining the position of the mark based on the provisional position information and the relative position information.

Abstract: The present invention provides a measurement apparatus for measuring a position of a first pattern and a position of a second pattern provided in a target object, the apparatus including an image capturing unit including a plurality of pixels which detect light from the first pattern and light from the second pattern, and configured to form an image capturing region used to capture the first pattern and the second pattern by the plurality of pixels, and a control unit configured to adjust the image capturing unit such that a relative ratio of an intensity of a detection signal of the first pattern generated based on an output from a first image capturing region and an intensity of a detection signal of the second pattern generated based on an output from a second image capturing region falls within an allowable range.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, having a cartridge and a main body, is provided. The cartridge has a cartridge-side coupling to transmit a driving force to a drivable member in the cartridge. The cartridge is detachably attached to the main body. The main body includes a body-side coupling movable between a connecting position, at which the body-side coupling is connected with the cartridge-side coupling, and a separated position, at which the body-side coupling is separated from the cartridge-side coupling; a joint cam movable between a first position, at which the joint cam locates the body-side coupling at the connecting position, and a second position, at which the joint cam locates the body-side coupling at the separated position; and a rotator having a dent. The dent allows entry of an end portion of the joint cam there-into when the joint cam is located at the first position.

Abstract: A sintered magnet contains Sm—Fe—N-based crystal grains and has high coercivity; and a magnetic powder is capable of forming a sintered magnet without lowering the coercivity even if heat is generated in association with the sintering. A sintered magnet comprises a crystal phase composed of a plurality of Sm—Fe—N-based crystal grains and a nonmagnetic metal phase present between the Sm—Fe—N crystal grains adjacent to each other, wherein a ratio of Fe peak intensity IFe to SmFeN peak intensity ISmFeN measured by an X-ray diffraction method is 0.2 or less. A magnetic powder comprises Sm—Fe—N-based crystal particles and a nonmagnetic metal layer covering surfaces of the Sm—Fe—N crystal particles.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a housing, a drum cartridge, a developing cartridge including a developing roller and movable between a contact position and a spaced position, a first spacing member configured to move the developing cartridge between the contact position and the spaced position, a first cam configured to move the first spacing member, and a lock member movable between a lock position at which the photoconductive drum is locked to the housing and a lock releasing position at which the lock of the photoconductive drum with respect to the housing is released. The lock member is configured to move from the lock releasing position to the lock position by being pushed by the first spacing member.

Abstract: A measuring device for measuring a position of a pattern includes a wavelength variable unit configured to vary a spectrum of first light in accordance with an incident position at which the first light is incident to allow the first light to pass therethrough, and a moving unit configured to change the incident position by moving the wavelength variable unit. The wavelength variable unit is moved to a position based on wavelength characteristic information and intensity characteristic information, the wavelength characteristic information indicating a relationship between the position of the wavelength variable unit and a wavelength of the first light transmitted through the wavelength variable unit, the intensity characteristic information indicating a relationship between the position of the wavelength variable unit and an intensity of second light from the pattern illuminated with the first light transmitted through the wavelength variable unit.

Abstract: A developing cartridge includes: a developing roller rotatable about an axis extending in a first direction; a casing having a first outer surface and a second outer surface spaced apart from each other in the first direction; a first separation member positioned at the first outer surface; and a second separation member positioned at the second outer surface. The second separation member has a first end portion configured to contact a body-side cam of an image-forming apparatus. In a state where a drum cartridge is attached to an apparatus body of the image-forming apparatus in an attached state of the developing cartridge to the drum cartridge, the first separation member is pressed by a drum cam of the drum cartridge, and the first end portion of the second separation member is pressed by the body-side cam to move the developing roller from a contacting position to a separated position.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a housing, a toner image forming portion, a foil transfer unit, a sheet tray, and a discharge portion. The toner image forming portion is provided in the housing and configured to form a toner image on a sheet. The foil transfer unit is configured to superpose a foil with a surface of the sheet. The sheet tray is installable in the housing in an inserting direction and configured to accommodate a sheet to be supplied to the toner image forming portion. The first discharge portion is configured to discharge the sheet from the foil transfer unit to the outside of the housing in a discharging direction opposite to the inserting direction. The second discharge portion is configured to discharge the sheet from the toner image forming portion to the outside of the housing without passing through the foil transfer unit in the discharge direction.

Abstract: A cam transmits and blocks light emitted from a light emitting portion. The cam moves to: a first position at which first and second cartridges are attachable to and detachable from a housing; a second position at which a first development roller contacts a first photosensitive drum, the second position being a position at which the cam has moved in a first direction from the first position; and a third position at which the first development roller is separated from the first photosensitive drum and a second development roller is separated from a second photosensitive drum, the third position being a position at which the cam has moved in the first direction from the second position. During an initial operation, based on a detection result of the sensor, a controller determines which of the first position, the second position, and the third position the cam is located at.

Abstract: The present invention provides a measurement apparatus for measuring a position of a first pattern and a position of a second pattern provided in a target object, the apparatus including an image capturing unit including a plurality of pixels which detect light from the first pattern and light from the second pattern, and configured to form an image capturing region used to capture the first pattern and the second pattern by the plurality of pixels, and a control unit configured to adjust the image capturing unit such that a relative ratio of an intensity of a detection signal of the first pattern generated based on an output from a first image capturing region and an intensity of a detection signal of the second pattern generated based on an output from a second image capturing region falls within an allowable range.

Abstract: A developing cartridge includes: a developing roller rotatable about an axis extending in a first direction; a casing having a first outer surface and a second outer surface spaced apart from each other in the first direction; a first separation member positioned at the first outer surface; and a second separation member positioned at the second outer surface. The second separation member has a first end portion configured to contact a body-side cam of an image-forming apparatus. In a state where a drum cartridge is attached to an apparatus body of the image-forming apparatus in an attached state of the developing cartridge to the drum cartridge, the first separation member is pressed by a drum cam of the drum cartridge, and the first end portion of the second separation member is pressed by the body-side cam to move the developing roller from a contacting position to a separated position.

Abstract: A belt unit includes: a drive roller; a drive shaft having an axis defining an axial direction and rotatable together with the drive roller about the axis; a bearing rotatably supporting one end portion of the drive shaft; a driven shaft; a driven roller rotatable together with the driven shaft; an endless belt looped over the drive roller and the driven roller under tension; a first frame; and a second frame spaced away from the first frame in the axial direction. The first frame includes: a facing section supporting one end portion of the driven shaft; and a bearing holder holding the bearing. The second frame rotatably supports another end portions of the drive shaft and the driven shaft. The bearing holder is positioned closer to the second frame than the facing section is to the second frame in the axial direction.

Abstract: A first cam moves between: a first position at which the first cam causes a development frame to be located at a contact position; and a second position at which the first cam causes the development frame to be located at a separation position. A second cam moves between: a third position at which the second cam, in cooperation with the first cam, causes the development frame to be located at the contact position in a state where the first cam is located at the first position; and a fourth position at which the second cam, in cooperation with the first cam, causes the development frame to be located at the separation position in a state where the first cam is located at the second position. The first cam is located at a higher position than the second cam in a vertical direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, having a first developing roller, a second developing roller, a third developing roller, a fourth developing roller, a first photosensitive drum, a second photosensitive drum, a third photosensitive drum, a fourth photosensitive drum, a motor, a first output gear, a first gear train, and a second gear train, is provided. The first output gear is arranged coaxially with the motor and outputs a driving force from the motor. The first gear train includes a first intermediate gear meshing with the first output gear and transmits the driving force from the motor through the first output gear to the first, second, third, and fourth developing rollers. The second gear train includes a second intermediate gear meshing with the first output gear and transmits the driving force from the motor through the first output gear to the first, second, third, and fourth photosensitive drums.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a housing, a drum cartridge, a developing cartridge including a developing roller and movable between a contact position and a spaced position, a first spacing member configured to move the developing cartridge between the contact position and the spaced position, a first cam configured to move the first spacing member, and a lock member movable between a lock position at which the photoconductive drum is locked to the housing and a lock releasing position at which the lock of the photoconductive drum with respect to the housing is released. The lock member is configured to move from the lock releasing position to the lock position by being pushed by the first spacing member.

Abstract: Colorimeter having first and second illumination units disposed symmetrically to a reference line in a prescribed plane, first and second light-receiving parts disposed symmetrically to the reference line in the prescribed plane, a calculation unit for determining color information about a measurement object, and an opposing wall that opposes the measurement object when it is measured. The opposing wall has an abutting part that abuts the measurement object when it is measured. The abutting part has a pair of first abutting parts disposed on two sides of a measurement opening to flank the measurement opening; and a pair of second abutting parts disposed on an orthogonal line orthogonal to a first-abutting-part connection line that connects the pair of first abutting parts to each other, the pair of second abutting parts being disposed on two sides of the first-abutting-part connection line to flank the first-abutting-part connection line.