Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a cleaning unit includes: a cleaning blade that scrapes off untransferred toner remaining on an image support; an application brush that contacts the image support on the downstream side in the rotational direction of the image support relative to the cleaning blade, the application brush rotating in a counter direction at a contact position with the image support, thereby scratching off lubricant particles from a solid lubricant provided at its periphery, and supporting and feeding the lubricant particles toward the contact position with the image support; and a moving force providing unit that provides the lubricant being fed by the application brush with an electrical moving force toward the image support, on the upstream side in the rotational direction of the application brush relative to the contact position of the image support and the application brush.

Abstract: An image forming device includes an image carrying member that is rotatable, a development unit that develops an image on the image carrying member, a transfer unit that transfers a developed toner image from the image carrying member to a transferred member, a cleaning unit making contact with the surface of the image carrying member, a lubricant application unit that applies a lubricant to the surface of the image carrying member; and a switching control unit that switches a development condition of the development unit between a first mode in which the lubricant applied to the surface of the image carrying member is unlikely to be moved to the development unit and a second mode other than the first mode. The development condition is set at the first mode at a time of no image formation such that the lubricant is applied to the image carrying member.

Abstract: A method applicable to an image forming apparatus with a lubricant to be applied to a surface of a photoreceptor for measuring surface roughness of the surface of the photoreceptor after lubricant application, the method including: a first step of measuring a surface profile of the photoreceptor and obtaining first data indicating the surface profile; a second step of generating second data on the basis of the first data, the second data indicating arithmetic mean roughness Ra within a predetermined range; and a third step of calculating a difference value ?Ra between second data before lubricant application and second data after lubricant application obtained by performing the first and second steps both before and after the lubricant is applied to the photoreceptor.

Abstract: A loop brush includes a shaft and a ribbon having loop-shaped fiber bundles arranged regularly on a base cloth. The ribbon is wound around the shaft at a prescribed angle. An arrangement angle that is an angle of an arrangement line, which is a straight line connecting adjacent fiber bundles, with respect to a longitudinal direction of the ribbon differs from a winding angle that is an angle of the longitudinal direction of the ribbon with respect to a circumferential direction of the shaft.

Abstract: A cleaning blade, which is configured to be pressed against a toner image carrier that rotates in one direction, for removing residual toner from the toner image carrier, the cleaning blade having: a contact layer that is located in a side to come into contact with the toner image carrier; and a supporting layer that is located in a side not to come into contact with the toner image carrier, wherein tensile stress characteristic curves of a material of the contact layer and a material of the supporting layer intersect with each other. An image forming apparatus having a toner image carrier and the cleaning blade.

Abstract: A semiconductor light emitting device includes a substrate structure; a semiconductor layer disposed on the substrate structure, the semiconductor layer including a light emitting layer; and an electrode formed on a surface of the semiconductor layer, wherein a relatively coarse uneven portion and a relatively fine uneven portion are formed by a frost process on a surface of the semiconductor layer at a side of the electrode.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a cleaning unit includes: a cleaning blade that scrapes off untransferred toner remaining on an image support; an application brush that contacts the image support on the downstream side in the rotational direction of the image support relative to the cleaning blade, the application brush rotating in a counter direction at a contact position with the image support, thereby scratching off lubricant particles from a solid lubricant provided at its periphery, and supporting and feeding the lubricant particles toward the contact position with the image support; and a moving force providing unit that provides the lubricant being fed by the application brush with an electrical moving force toward the image support, on the upstream side in the rotational direction of the application brush relative to the contact position of the image support and the application brush.

Abstract: A cleaning blade, which is configured to be pressed against a toner image carrier that rotates in one direction, for removing residual toner from the toner image carrier, the cleaning blade having: a contact layer that is located in a side to come into contact with the toner image carrier; and a supporting layer that is located in a side not to come into contact with the toner image carrier, wherein tensile stress characteristic curves of a material of the contact layer and a material of the supporting layer intersect with each other. An image forming apparatus having a toner image carrier and the cleaning blade.

Abstract: A loop brush includes a shaft and a ribbon having loop-shaped fiber bundles arranged regularly on a base cloth. The ribbon is wound around the shaft at a prescribed angle. An arrangement angle that is an angle of an arrangement line, which is a straight line connecting adjacent fiber bundles, with respect to a longitudinal direction of the ribbon differs from a winding angle that is an angle of the longitudinal direction of the ribbon with respect to a circumferential direction of the shaft.

Abstract: Fiber bundle forms loops protruding beyond a surface side of a base member with constant spaces therebetween, in at least one of opposite ends located in a direction perpendicular to a weaving direction (W) of a ribbon brush, a weft extending between neighboring loops passes under a warp, and a weft extending through the loop passes above the warp.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus having: an image carrier that moves in a direction while holding a toner image on its surface; a cleaner that is located downstream from a transfer point where a toner image is transferred from the image carrier, with respect to the moving direction of the image carrier, to remove residual toner and other residues from the surface of the image carrier; a lubricant supply device for supplying a lubricant to the surface of the image carrier; and a flattener for spreading out the lubricant supplied from the lubricant supply device over the surface of the image carrier by pressing its edge portion against the surface of the image carrier; wherein the flattener has an impact resilience within a range of 48% to 68% under temperature of 25° C., and the edge portion of the flattener is arranged counter the moving direction of the image carrier.

Abstract: A blade member having; a contact layer in contact with a surface of an image carrier; and a support layer superimposed on the contact layer, wherein a first curve indicating a relation between loss tangent and temperature of the contact layer and a second curve indicating a relation between loss tangent and temperature of the support layer intersect with each other in a temperature range of not lower than 25° C. and not higher than 45° C.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a plurality of paper supplying trays; an image forming unit; and a cover. The image forming apparatus further includes a cover opening/closing detecting unit that detects an operation for opening/closing the cover; a paper supplying tray opening/closing detecting unit that detects an operation for opening/closing the paper supplying tray; a paper jam detecting unit that detects a paper jam in at least one place in a paper transporting path; a paper jam release deciding unit that decides whether the paper jam in the detecting place is released or not after the confirmation of a detection; and a completion control unit that controls to complete a paper jam processing based on the decision that the paper jam in all of the places in the paper transporting path is released through the paper jam release deciding unit.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate which includes a first chip area and a second chip area. An insulation film is formed over the substrate. An electrical circuit is formed in the first chip area and is electrically independent from any component in another chip area. The electrical circuit includes an electrical element and an interconnect on the substrate and in the insulation film. Boundary patterns are formed in the insulation film between the first and second chip areas, are electrically independent from the electrical circuit, and have a gap therebetween. One of the boundary patterns surrounds the first chip area.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a belt for a continuously variable transmission (CVT) in which multiple V blocks of a plurality of types having different thicknesses are attached to an endless body. The method includes forming a plurality of V block groups respectively having a different ratio of different types of V blocks; and forming a series of V blocks by attaching a plurality of V blocks to the endless belt to provide said plurality of V block groups. The V block groups have different ratios of the plurality of types of V blocks to provide a belt whose noise level is low and dispersed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a plurality of paper supplying trays; an image forming unit; and a cover. The image forming apparatus further includes a cover opening/closing detecting unit that detects an operation for opening/closing the cover; a paper supplying tray opening/closing detecting unit that detects an operation for opening/closing the paper supplying tray; a paper jam detecting unit that detects a paper jam in at least one place in a paper transporting path; a paper jam release deciding unit that decides whether the paper jam in the detecting place is released or not after the confirmation of a detection; and a completion control unit that controls to complete a paper jam processing based on the decision that the paper jam in all of the places in the paper transporting path is released through the paper jam release deciding unit.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus capable of generating accurate shading correction data while removing noise. A shading reference plate is arranged at a location having different optical distance between the location and an image sensor in an image reading unit from optical distance between original reading position and said image sensor. The shading reference plate is read by the image reading unit whereby secondary reference data is acquired, and a reference sheet is read which is put on a position substantially identical to the original reading position whereby primary reference data is acquired. Primary and secondary correction data is generated based on the primary and secondary reference data, and correction coefficient data is generated based on the primary and secondary correction data. Shading correction data is generated based on read data of the shading reference plate and the correction coefficient data.

Abstract: A semiconductor light emitting device includes: a transparent substrate including a first principal surface and a second principal surface opposite with the first principal surface, in which side surfaces between the first principal surface and the second principal surface are rough surfaces; and a semiconductor light emitting element that is arranged on the first principal surface of the transparent substrate and is composed by stacking nitride semiconductors on each other.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a belt for a continuously variable transmission (CVT) in which multiple V blocks of a plurality of types having different thicknesses are attached to an endless body. The method includes forming a plurality of V block groups respectively having a different ratio of different types of V blocks; and forming a series of V blocks by attaching a plurality of V blocks to the endless belt to provide said plurality of V block groups. The V block groups have different ratios of the plurality of types of V blocks to provide a belt whose noise level is low and dispersed.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus capable of generating accurate shading correction data while removing noise. A shading reference plate is arranged at a location having different optical distance between the location and an image sensor in an image reading unit from optical distance between original reading position and said image sensor. The shading reference plate is read by the image reading unit whereby secondary reference data is acquired, and a reference sheet is read which is put on a position substantially identical to the original reading position whereby primary reference data is acquired. Primary and secondary correction data is generated based on the primary and secondary reference data, and correction coefficient data is generated based on the primary and secondary correction data. Shading correction data is generated based on read data of the shading reference plate and the correction coefficient data.