Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor includes an electroconductive substrate; and at least a photosensitive layer provided on the electroconductive substrate, wherein the electrophotographic photoreceptor has an outermost layer which contains microcapsules having a lubricating oil encompassed therein. The microcapsules may be composed of an inorganic porous particle or an organic polymer material, and the lubricating oil may be a silicone oil or a fluoro oil. Such a photoreceptor has a surface with excellent lubricity and is less susceptible to surface damage and filming from toner or the like while exhibiting good reuseability of toner.

Abstract: In a heat exchanger in which the number of parts is small, assembling is easy, bonded portions of each part are fewer and reliability of brazing is improved, a core body is constituted by turning up and bending a strip-shaped metal plate in a fanfold manner, and first flow passages and second flow passages are formed alternately in the thickness direction. Both ends of each of the first flow passages are blocked by each come tooth of a pair of comb-state members, and a fin is set within the second flow passages so as to constitute a core. And in the heat exchanger in which a cylindrical casing is fitted with the outer periphery of the core body, the comb-state member has its tooth base crossing perpendicularly with each of the comb tooth and a root of each comb tooth bent in the L-shape along the tooth base, the plane of the tooth base is brought into contact with a turned-up end edge, and each connection portion between the comb-state member and the core body is integrally brazed/fixed.

Abstract: Integrally formed plastic segments comprising an inner surface plate constituting an inner peripheral surface and lateral plates vertically arranged on an edge part of the inner surface plate extending in a circumferential direction are coupled in a circumferential direction to assemble pipe units 10, 10?. The pipe units are coupled sequentially in the longitudinal direction of a pipe, and a rehabilitating pipe is laid down in an existing pipeline. When an existing pipe 21 is bent, the pipe units are coupled at a bending part 21b in the longitudinal direction of the pipe via coupling members so that central axes X1, X2 of the pipes are angled toward each other to create a bend. A gap formed between the pipe units at the bent part is covered by a cladding. Such a configuration enables a rehabilitating pipe to be watertight and resistant to external forces.

Abstract: This invention is structured by: forming a core body by turning-up a strip-shaped metal plate in fanfold manner to create a large number of flat flow passages; blocking the individual flow passages at both ends thereof using the respective comb teeth of a pair of comb-state members; and fitting the casing to the core body, while providing inlet/outlet port of the fluid at a side face of the casing. The object of the invention is to establish uniform communication of the fluid in individual flat flow passages.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image reading apparatus capable of reading images with a sufficiently wide dynamic range. An image reading apparatus of this invention has a light source, a reading section which generates image data based on light obtained from an original illuminated with light from the light source, a first level changing section which changes a light receiving level in the reading section in a first manner, a second level changing section which changes the light receiving level in a second manner different from the first manner, a control section in which plural light receiving levels are generated by synergistically changing a light receiving level, and a combining section which combines plural image data obtained by reading an image of an original at plural light receiving levels.

Abstract: A segment (1) is an integrally formed plastic unit comprising an inner-surface plate constituting an inner circumferential surface and lateral plates and end plates that are vertically arranged on a rim of the inner-surface plate. The segments are linked in a circumferential direction and in a pipe length direction to construct the rehabilitating pipe. A pipe unit (10) is made from segments linked in the circumferential direction. A band (30) is attached for encircling the outer circumference of the pipe unit and restraining same. A fastening force is produced on the band by a metal fastener, and the pipe unit is restrained in a fastened state by the band. Therefore, the pipe unit does not readily deform due to external forces, and the strength of the rehabilitating pipe itself can be increased.

Abstract: A centering member 20 is pressed downward using an elastic member 28; the centering member 20 is provided at the bottom of a platform 14. A plate 26 receiving an upper end of the elastic member 28 is positioned high while the platform 14 is elevating. The plate 26 is positioned low after the platform 14 has been completely elevated. While the platform 14 is elevating or lowering, a pressing force on the centering member 20 is reduced. After the platform 14 has been completely elevated, the pressing force is weakened. The present invention suppresses vibration of the platform having been completely elevated. The present invention also prevents the article from exerting a strong upward force on the platform via a pressing member when the article is loaded or unloaded.

Abstract: A bypass duct portion is integrally provided in a casing of an EGR cooler so that heat distortion generated at a part of the casing when bypassing of an exhaust gas is rationally absorbed, and the EGR cooler body and a valve case are brazed/fixed all together so as to improve strength of the valve case, whereby, the bypass duct portion is formed between an inner surface of the casing and the core, a switch is provided for switching and guiding the exhaust gas to either of the core or the bypass duct portion, and a large number of outer ribs formed in the circumferential direction respectively are arranged side by side while being separated from each other in the longitudinal direction in the bypass duct portion of the casing so as to constitute a heat stress absorbing portion.

Abstract: In a heat exchanger having a casing in which a joint of the casing and between a core and the casing are brazed and fixed without a gap, the section of a portion in contact with the casing body is formed at a right angle at both ends of an upper edge portion of a header plate, and an upper lid is fitted so that it is brought into contact with the upper edge of the header plate over the entire length.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photoconductor includes an undercoat layer and a photosensitive layer sequentially provided on a conductive substrate. The undercoat layer is mainly composed of a resin and contains a metal oxide. The resin is provided by mixing and polymerizing raw materials of aromatic dicarboxylic acid in a range of 0.1 to 10 mol %, two or more types of dicarboxylic acid other than the aromatic dicarboxylic acid, two or more types of diamine, and at least one type of cyclic amide compound. The resin exhibits an acid value and a base value each of at most 6.0 KOH mg/g. Advantageously, generation of secondary aggregates in the undercoat layer, which result in image defects such as black spots and fogging on a white field, is suppressed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a forming unit configured to form a latent electrostatic image on a latent electrostatic image bearing member based on a digital image; a developing unit configured to develop the latent electrostatic image with a toner to form a visible image; a transferring unit configured to transfer the visible image to one of an electrophotographic image receiving roll and an electrophotographic image receiving sheet; and a smoothing and fixing unit configured to smooth and fix the transferred image on one of the electrophotographic image receiving roll and the electrophotographic image receiving sheet to thereby form a series of electrophotographic prints and an electrophotographic print. In the apparatus, the hardware including the media, printer and unit for aftertreatment optimally matches with the toner, and the apparatus can produce high-quality images equal to silver-halide photographs.

Abstract: A printer includes a image recording section for recording an image on a recording medium at a predetermined recording position, a surface treatment section for performing surface treatment on one surface of the recording medium, a first reversing section for reversing the recording medium after the image has been recorded by the image recording section and supplying the recording medium to an upstream of the image recording section and a second reversing section for reversing the recording medium. The second reversing section reverses the recording medium subjected to the surface treatment by the surface treatment section to supply the recording medium to the upstream of the surface treatment section, and the surface treatment section performs the surface treatment on another surface of the reversed recording medium. The printer performs an image forming method producing a two-side print in which one or two surfaces is subjected to the surface treatment.

Abstract: A liquid sample is aspirated using an aspirating tube provided with a flow path extending lengthwise in the interior of the tube, and an aspiration orifice for aspirating the liquid sample formed near the tip of the tube. The aspiration of the liquid sample to the aspirating tube is monitored during aspiration. Liquid sample is aspirated by the aspirating tube, and the collected material in the aspirating tube in the region at the tip side from the region containing the liquid sample to be used for measurement is delivered to a detecting part provided externally to the aspirating tube, and whether or not liquid sample is contained in the collected material is detected in the detecting part.

Abstract: A sample rack transport apparatus for transporting a sample rack holding a container containing a sample is provided with a rack transport mechanism for transporting sample racks, and a control unit for controlling the operation of the transport mechanism. The transport mechanism has actuators, and the samples rack is transported by the operation of these actuators. The control unit is accommodated in a control box. The transport mechanism and control box are supported in a case. The control box is provided below the transport mechanism, and is configured so as to be slidably transferred into and from the case.

Abstract: A platform 12 is supported by four belts 22 to 25. Of the belts 22 to 25, a pair of belts 24, 25 is attached to a pivoting arm 26 so that the pivoting arm 26 is pivotable around a pivoting shaft 28. Pivoting of the pivoting arm 26 absorbs, for example, the difference in length between the belts 24, 25. The present invention makes it possible to simplify an elevate and lower driving mechanism of the platform 12 and to easily adjust the lengths of the belts 22 to 25. The present invention also makes it possible to prevent vibration during elevation or lowering and to allow the belts 22 to 25 to stand long use.

Abstract: A centering member 20 is pressed downward using an elastic member 28; the centering member 20 is provided at the bottom of a platform 14. A plate 26 receiving an upper end of the elastic member 28 is positioned high while the platform 14 is elevating. The plate 26 is positioned low after the platform 14 has been completely elevated. While the platform 14 is elevating or lowering, a pressing force on the centering member 20 is reduced. After the platform 14 has been completely elevated, the pressing force is weakened. The present invention suppresses vibration of the platform having been completely elevated. The present invention also prevents the article from exerting a strong upward force on the platform via a pressing member when the article is loaded or unloaded.

Abstract: In a system for providing a service to members of a group, a more complex form of the group can be flexibly and appropriately dealt with, and the service that is more convenient for the group can be provided. A group management database stores a group property, thereby a quantity of prints printed by a laboratory and information provided by a terminal can be determined based on the group property and the number of the members, for example. Furthermore, the group can be changed. In addition, security of image search can be set for the group by using the terminal. One of the members in charge of payment is registered for the group so that the member can collectively pay for the group.

Abstract: Photography is automatically performed when a subject assumes expressions or poses that are considered to be desirable. Shapes that represent facial expressions of human subjects are repeatedly extracted from images, which are being imaged by a camera. Degrees of match between the extracted shapes and predetermined shapes are calculated. The subjects are photographed when the calculated degrees of match exceed a predetermined value.

Abstract: In a curve section, a comb tooth mark 28 is provided concentrically with a center line 44 of a running rail 4. A comb tooth sensor 34 on an overhead running vehicle 2 reads comb teeth 40. Then, corrections are made using the ratio of the radius of curvature (R) of the center line 44 and the radius of curvature (r) of the comb tooth mark 28. An encoder interpolates the areas between the teeth 40. Then, the position of the overhead running vehicle 2 in the curve section is determined. The present invention thus enables the exact position of the overhead running vehicle 2 to be recognized even when the overhead running vehicle 2 is located in a curve section. This makes it possible to provide a load port in a curve section.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus in which highly accurate image reading can be carried out by using a line sensor. Light irradiated from a light source is divided into visible light or infrared light by a visible light filter or an infrared light filter, and irradiated onto an image frame of a photographic film. The light transmitted through the image frame is reflected by a mirror and made incident on a linear CCD via a lens unit. At this time, sub-scanning of the image frame is carried out by moving the mirror while the photographic film (i.e., image frame) is stopped, and a frame image is read by the linear CCD. In this way, image reading is carried out by using visible light and infrared light while the image frame is stopped. Accordingly, there is no positional displacement between visible light image data and infrared light image data, and the visible light image data can be corrected with high accuracy based on the infrared light image data.