Abstract: A monitoring apparatus is connected to a shutter which opens and closes to limit a capturing area of an image capturing device. The monitoring apparatus includes an information obtaining section, configured to obtain information, an existence determiner, configured to determine whether a person exists or not in a predetermined area in accordance with the information obtained by the information obtaining section, and a shutter control unit, configured to control the shutter to be opened in response that the existence determiner determines that the person does not exist in the predetermined area.

Abstract: An aspect of the present invention relates to optical glass, which is oxide glass including cation components in the form of 10 to 40 cation % of P5+, equal to or more than 50 cation % of a combined quantity of Ti4+, Nb5+, W6+, Bi3+, and Te4+, with a cation ratio of a combined content of Ti4+ and Nb5+ to a combined content of W6+ and Bi3+ being equal to or less than 1.3, a combined quantity of B3+, Li+, Na+, K+, Rb+, Cs+, Mg2+, Ca2+, Sr2+, Ba2+, and Zn2+ which amounts to equal to or less than ? of a combined content of Ti4+, Nb5+, W6+, Bi3+, and Te4+, and more than 0% of Li+, Na+, K+, Rb+, and Cs+ combined, and which has a refractive index of equal to or higher than 2.02.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member to bear a latent image on a surface thereof, a developing device to develop the latent image with toner, an intermediate transfer member, a secondary transfer member, a cleaning device, and a main body. The cleaning device cleans the secondary transfer member for a predetermined time period T1 during a startup operation after printing is completed normally before subsequent printing. The main body houses the image bearing member, the developing device, the intermediate transfer member, the secondary transfer member, and the cleaning device. At least one of the image bearing member and the developing device constitutes a process cartridge detachably attachable relative to the main body, and in a case in which the process cartridge is installed in the main body, the cleaning device cleans the secondary transfer member for a time period T2 extended from the predetermined time period T1.

Abstract: The optical glass is described that may be an oxide glass including, denoted as cation %, a total of 5 to 60% of B3+ and Si4+ (with 5 to 50% of B3+), a total of equal to or higher than 5% of Zn2+ and Mg2+, a total of 10 to 50% of La3+, Gd3+, Y3+, and Yb3+, and a total of 6 to 45% of Ti4+, Nb5+, Ta5+, W6+, and Bi3+ (a total content of Ti4+ and Ta5+ being higher than 0% and a content of W6+ being higher than 5%).

Abstract: Provided is a color image forming apparatus that includes: image carriers that form toner image of black and other colors; an intermediate transfer body that makes contact with the image carriers; and transfer units that transfer the toner images on the image carriers to the intermediate transfer body. A line velocity difference is set between the image carriers and the intermediate transfer body. An accelerated cohesion degree of toner is equal to or larger than 54%. A linear velocity difference X1 between the image carrier for black and the intermediate transfer body satisfies a relation of 0<X1?1.2 mm/sec. A linear velocity difference X2 between the image carriers for the colors and the intermediate transfer body satisfies a relation of 2.1?X2?4.0 mm/sec.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a latent image bearing member, a charger, a latent image forming device, a developing device, and a transfer device is provided. The transfer device is adapted to transfer a toner image formed on the latent image bearing member onto an intermediate transfer member or a recording medium by action of a transfer elected field in a transfer position where the latent image bearing member faces the transfer device. When a non-charged portion of the latent image bearing member that has not been charged to a predetermined potential by the charger passes through the transfer position, a strength of the transfer electric field is lowered than that in transferring the toner image.

Abstract: An optical Glass characterized by comprising, denoted as molar percentages: B2O5—5 to 45 percent; SiO2—0 to 6 percent (excluding 6 percent); Li2O, Na2O, K2O in total—0 to 3 percent; ZnO—10 to 40 percent; La2O3. 5 to 30 percent; Gd2O3—1 to 20 percent; and ZrO2, TaO2, TiO2, Nb2O5, WO3, and Bi2O3 in total—2.5 to 20 percent. The cation ratio of the Ti4+ content relative to the total content of Zr4+, Ta5+, Ti4+, Nb5+, W6+, and Bi3+ is 0.30 or lower; in that the temperature Tp at which a viscosity of 107.2 dPa·s is exhibited is 706° C. or lower. The refractive index nd and the Abbé number v(nu)d satisfy all of the following relations (I) to (IV): 34.0?vd<40 (I); nd?1.87 (II); nd?2.245?0.01×vd (III) and nd?2.28?0.01×vd (IV).

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive member, a charging device, an exposure device, a development device, a transfer device, a first driving device, a voltage application device, and a controller. The first driving device rotatably drives one of the photosensitive member and a combination of the photosensitive member and an intermediate transfer member. The voltage application device supplies a respective predetermined voltage to the charging device, the development device, and the transfer device. The controller controls the first driving device and the voltage application device. When the photosensitive member is stopped, both illumination from the exposure device and the transfer electrical field electrically discharge the surface of the photosensitive member.

Abstract: A needle puncher includes a needle and a grip member. The needle has a tip and a head spaced apart from each other in a longitudinal direction of the needle. The needle also has a held portion disposed between the tip and the head The grip member is configured to hold the needle in a manner such that the tip of the needle is exposed from the grip member. The grip member includes a holding portion and a grip portion. The holding portion holds the held portion of the needle, and the grip portion is gripped by a user of the needle puncher. The holding portion and the grip portion include front ends, respectively. The front end of the holding portion is closer to the head of the needle than the front end of the grip portion is.

Abstract: An adhesive hydrogel contains: a polymer matrix of a copolymer of a monofunctional monomer and a crosslinking monomer (a); another polymer component; water; and a polyhydric alcohol, wherein: either a structural unit derived from the monofunctional monomer contained in the polymer matrix or the other polymer component or both contain a structural unit derived from at least one compound (b) selected from the group consisting of ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acids, ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid salts, and ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid derivatives having a hydroxyl group, an acid group, a salt thereof, an amino group, and/or an ammonium group; and the other polymer component contains a polymer compound (c) with a side chain having an oxyalkylene group or a polyoxyalkylene group.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an optical glass element, comprising: annealing a press-molded product obtained by press molding into a lens shape a glass material comprised of a core portion comprised of an optical glass (first glass) with a transition temperature of 550° C. or higher and a covering portion comprised of a second glass covering the surface of said core portion; and then removing the covering layer from the surface of the press-molded product to obtain an optical glass element. To provide a method for manufacturing high-optical-performance mold-pressed lenses in which the defective external appearance of optical elements comprised of high-temperature glass materials with a Tg of 550° C. or higher is prevented.

Abstract: An image developing device includes a developer supporting body; a first conveyance path in which a first conveyance member is arranged; a second conveyance path in which a second conveyance member is arranged; and a partition member that partitions the first conveyance path and the second conveyance path and that has a first communication port and a second communication port. The first communication path and the second communication path communicates with each other through the first communication port and the second communication port. The image developing device includes a developer amount detection unit that includes an optical detection unit arranged in the second conveyance path and that optically detects an amount of the developer in the image forming device. The developer is caused to accumulate in the vicinity of the developer amount detection unit.

Abstract: A beading loom includes two side supports spaced apart in a lateral direction, and a plurality of shafts rotatably connected to the supports. The shafts include first and second thread fixing shafts, and first and second thread supporting shafts. Each of the first and second thread supporting shafts includes first and second thread supporting portions elongated in the lateral direction. In each thread supporting shaft, the first and the second thread supporting portions are provided at different positions in the circumferential direction of the shaft. Each of the first and the second thread supporting portions includes a plurality of grooves arranged at a pitch in the lateral direction. The pitch of the grooves of the first thread supporting portion differs from the pitch of the grooves of the second thread supporting portion.

Abstract: An optical glass having a refractive index nd of 1.70 or greater and an Abbé number of 50 or greater. Given as mole percentages, it comprises: B2O3 (20 to 80 percent), SiO2 (0 to 30 percent), Li2O (1 to 25 percent), ZnO (0 to 20 percent), La2O3 (4 to 30 percent), Gd2O3 (1 to 25 percent), Y2O3 (0 to 20 percent), ZrO2 (0 to 5 percent), MgO (0 to 25 percent), CaO (0 to 15 percent), and SrO (0 to 10 percent), with the combined quantity of the above components being 97 percent or greater. The molar ratio of {ZnO/(La2O3+Gd2O3+Y2O3)} is 0.8 or less and the molar ratio of {(CaO+SrO+BaO)/(La2O3+Gd2O3+Y2O3)} is 0.8 or less. Ta2O5 may be incorporated as an optional component, with the molar ratio {(ZrO2+Ta2O5)/(La2O3+Gd2O3+Y2O3)} being 0.4 or less.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a nip formation pad disposed opposite an inner circumferential surface of an endless belt and a pressing rotary body pressed against the nip formation pad via the endless belt to form a fixing nip between the endless belt and the pressing rotary body, through which a recording medium is conveyed. The pressing rotary body has a diameter increasing from a center to each lateral end in an axial direction thereof. The nip formation pad includes a projection disposed downstream from a rotation axis of the pressing rotary body in a recording medium conveyance direction. The projection projects toward the pressing rotary body in an amount increasing from each lateral end to a center in a longitudinal direction of the nip formation pad parallel to the axial direction of the pressing rotary body.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member to bear a latent image on a surface thereof, a developing device to develop the latent image with toner, an intermediate transfer member, a secondary transfer member, a cleaning device, and a main body. The cleaning device cleans the secondary transfer member for a predetermined time period T1 during a startup operation after printing is completed normally before subsequent printing. The main body houses the image bearing member, the developing device, the intermediate transfer member, the secondary transfer member, and the cleaning device. At least one of the image bearing member and the developing device constitutes a process cartridge detachably attachable relative to the main body, and in a case in which the process cartridge is installed in the main body, the cleaning device cleans the secondary transfer member for a time period T2 extended from the predetermined time period T1.

Abstract: An optical glass in the form of an oxide glass, characterized by comprising, denoted as cation percentages: P5+ 14 to 36%; Bi3+ 12 to 34%; Nb5+ 12 to 34%; Ti4+ 5 to 20%; and W6+ 0 to 22%; wherein the total content of Bi3+, Nb5+, Ti4+, and W6+ is equal to or greater than 50%; and in that the Knoop hardness is equal to or higher than 370, the refractive index nd is equal to or higher than 2.02, and the Abbé number vd is equal to or lower than 19.0. A glass material for press molding and an optical element comprised of this optical glass. A method for manufacturing a glass material for press molding comprising the step of mechanically processing this optical glass.

Abstract: A glass material for mold pressing, comprised of a core portion and a covering portion. In one embodiment, the core portion comprises a multicomponent optical glass containing at least one readily reducible component selected from among W, Ti, Bi, and Nb and the covering portion comprises a multicomponent glass containing none or a lower quantity of the readily reducible component than is contained in the core portion. In another embodiment, the core portion comprises a fluorine-containing multicomponent optical glass, and the covering portion comprises a multicomponent glass containing none or a lower quantity of fluorine than is contained in the core portion. A method for manufacturing an optical glass element employing the above glass material that comprises heat softening a glass material that has been preformed into a prescribed shape, and conducting press molding with a pressing mold.

Abstract: A process for producing a glass in the production of a glass molded article formed of an optical glass by melting and clarifying a glass raw material to prepare a molten glass and molding said molten glass, the process comprising preparing a glass raw material that gives an oxide glass comprising, by cationic %, 12 to 65% of B3+, 0 to 20% of Si4+, 0 to 6% of Ge4+, 15 to 50% of total of La3+, Gd3+, Y3+, Yb3+, Sc3+ and Lu3+, 4 to 54% of total of Ta5+, Zr4+, Ti4+, Nb5+, W6+ and Bi3+, 0 to 35% of Zn2+, 0 to 9% of total of Li+, Na+ and K+, and 0 to 15% of total of Mg2+, Ca2+, Sr2+ and Ba2+, a total content of said cationic components in the oxide glass being 99 to 100%, and said glass raw material comprising carbonate and sulfate.

Abstract: An optical glass having ultrahigh refractive index and high dispersion characteristics in the form of a refractive index nd exceeding 2.05 and an Abbe number vd of 18.5 or lower and of permitting the stable production of high-quality glass from a glass melt; and a glass material for press molding and an optical element comprised of the optical glass. The optical glass is in the form of an oxide glass and comprises, denoted as cationic percentages: 16 to 35% of P5+, 14 to 35% of Bi3+, 10 to 33% of Nb5+, 0 to 18% of Ti4+, and 0 to 20% of W6+; the total content of Bi3+, Nb5+, Ti4+, and W6+ being 55% or higher; the refractive index and exceeding 2.05; and the Abbe number vd being 18.5 or lower.