Abstract: Provided is a method of obtaining state data indicating a state of a user. The method includes: obtaining estimation models for obtaining pieces of state data existing in a plurality of layers from sensor data obtained by a sensor; obtaining at least one piece of sensor data; obtaining state data of a lower layer from the at least one piece of sensor data, based on the estimation models; and obtaining state data of a higher layer from the state data of the lower layer, based on the estimation models.

Abstract: Disclosed is a mobile robot provided to randomly store a landmark object and to set a no-entering region on the basis of a plurality of landmark objects and a method of controlling the mobile robot. The mobile robot includes a body, a moving portion configured to move the body, a memory, a collector configured to collect information on an object near the mobile robot, and a processor configured to compare the object information collected by the collector with the object information of the landmark candidate object stored in the memory and recognize a location of a landmark object which is an objective of a landmark on the basis of a result of comparison. When locations of at least two landmark objects are specified, the processor sets a no-entering region between the landmark objects and controls the moving portion to prevent the mobile robot from entering the no-entering region.

Abstract: Disclosed is a mobile robot provided to randomly store a landmark object and to set a no-entering region on the basis of a plurality of landmark objects and a method of controlling the mobile robot. The mobile robot includes a body, a moving portion configured to move the body, a memory, a collector configured to collect information on an object near the mobile robot, and a processor configured to compare the object information collected by the collector with the object information of the landmark candidate object stored in the memory and recognize a location of a landmark object which is an objective of a landmark on the basis of a result of comparison. When locations of at least two landmark objects are specified, the processor sets a no-entering region between the landmark objects and controls the moving portion to prevent the mobile robot from entering the no-entering region.

Abstract: Provided is a method of obtaining state data indicating a state of a user. The method includes: obtaining estimation models for obtaining pieces of state data existing in a plurality of layers from sensor data obtained by a sensor; obtaining at least one piece of sensor data; obtaining state data of a lower layer from the at least one piece of sensor data, based on the estimation models; and obtaining state data of a higher layer from the state data of the lower layer, based on the estimation models.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a capsule toner having improved preservability with no deterioration in low-temperature fixability is provided. The method for manufacturing a capsule toner includes a mixed fine resin particle adhering step of adhering mixed fine resin particles including crystalline polyester fine resin particles and amorphous fine resin particles to surfaces of toner base particles to form mixed fine resin particle-adhered particles, a spraying step of spraying a mixed solution of a liquid for plasticizing the toner base particles and the mixed fine resin particles and a crystal nucleating agent, while fluidizing the mixed fine resin particle-adhered particles, and a film-forming step of making a film of the mixed fine resin particles by impact force so that the film is a resin coating layer on the surfaces of the toner base particles.

Abstract: There are provided a capsule toner, a two-component developer, and a capsule toner manufacturing method. The capsule toner in which a resin coating layer made of fine release-agent particles and fine resin particles is made on the surfaces of toner base particles, and thus excellent offset resistance without impairing blocking resistance can be obtained. The capsule toner includes toner base particles containing a binder resin and a colorant, and a resin coating layer made of fine release-agent particles and fine resin particles, for covering the surfaces of the toner base particles. The fine release-agent particles are dispersed in the resin coating layer.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a capsule toner, capable of obtaining a capsule toner including a coating layer having uniform thickness at high yield is provided. The method for manufacturing a capsule toner includes a fine resin particle adhering step of adhering fine resin particles to surfaces of toner base particles, a spraying step of spraying a spray liquid for plasticizing the toner base particles and the fine resin particles, while fluidizing the toner base particles and the fine resin particles, and a film-forming step of fluidizing the toner base particles and the fine resin particles until the fine resin particles adhered to the surfaces of the toner base particles are softened to form a film. In the spraying step, ultrasonic vibration is applied to set a number average liquid-droplet diameter of the spray liquid to less than 10 ?m.

Abstract: A toner manufacturing method is provided. The toner manufacturing method includes a step of adhering fine resin particles whose volume average particle size is 5% or more and 17% or less of a volume average particle size of toner base particles, to surfaces of the toner base particles; and a step of plasticizing the toner base particles and the fine resin particles by adding mechanical impact thereto while spraying lower alcohol, and fusing the fine resin particles to the surfaces of the toner base particles to form a plurality of projections of the fine resin particles, on the surfaces of the toner base particles. Surface coverage of the surfaces of the toner base particles with the projections is 10% or more and 50% or less.

Abstract: A capsule toner capable of enhancing low temperature fixation property without impairing preservation property under a high temperature environment, a two-component developer, and an image forming apparatus are provided. The capsule toner is constituted of toner particles having toner base particles and a coating layer for coating the surface thereof. The toner base particle includes styrene-acrylic resin or polyester resin as a binder resin, and the coating layer includes styrene-acrylic resin or polyester resin. The capsule toner contains 0.05% by weight or more and 0.70% by weight or less of volatile plasticizer based on a total amount of the capsule toner.

Abstract: A manufacturing apparatus provided with a rotary stirring section and a powder passage is used to manufacture the resin-layer coated carrier. At a fine resin particle adhering step, a magnetic base particle and a fine resin particle are inputted into the powder passage with the rotary stirring section rotating and the fine resin particle is adhered onto the surface of the magnetic base particle. At a spraying step, at least a liquid that plasticizes the fine resin particles is sprayed with spray gas from a spraying section on the magnetic base particle and the fine resin particle which are in a fluidized state in the powder passage. At a film-forming step, rotation by the rotary stirring section is continued to fluidize the magnetic base particles and the fine resin particles until the fine resin particles adhered to the magnetic base particles are softened to form a film.

Abstract: A capsule toner achieving both low temperature fixability and hot offset resistance, and a method of manufacturing the capsule toner are provided. A capsule toner includes a toner base particle containing a binder resin and a colorant, and a resin coating layer formed on a surface of the toner base particle. The resin coating layer includes a film of plural fine resin particles having different complex viscosities. The plural fine resin particles include first fine resin particles having complex viscosity at a softening temperature of the toner base particles of 5.0×102 Pa·s or more and 1.0×103 Pa·s or less, and second fine resin particles having complex viscosity at a softening temperature of the toner base particles of 1.0×104 Pa·s or more and 1.0×105 Pa·s or less.

Abstract: A toner manufacturing method, a toner obtained by the method, a one-component developer, a two-component developer, a developing device and an image forming apparatus are provided. By using a toner manufacturing apparatus including a powder passage, a spraying section for spraying a predetermined substance in the powder passage and a rotary stirring section, provided in the powder passage, and stirring particles in the powder passage to apply impact force to the particles so that the particles are fluidized in the powder passage, performed are a stirring step S3 of fluidizing toner core particles with fine inorganic particles adhering to the surfaces thereof and fine resin particles in the powder passage as the powder by the rotary stirring section, and a spraying step S5 of spraying a volatile liquid which softens fine resin particles as a predetermined substance by the spraying section.

Abstract: There are provided a toner manufacturing method of manufacturing a toner which has excellent characteristics such as fluidity and preservation stability and in which a resin layer having uniform thickness is formed on a surface of tone core particle, a toner obtained by a method thereof, a one-component developer, a two-component developer, a developing device, and an image forming apparatus. By using a toner manufacturing apparatus, a stirring step S3 is performed, and during rotation of a rotary shaft section, after a completion of inputting the fine resin particles into a powder passage, and within a period satisfying 1.7?(load F?load F0)/(load Fcore?load F0)?5.7, a spraying step S4 is started.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a toner includes a pre-mixing step and a coating step. In the pre-mixing step, a secondary aggregate of the fine resin particles is disaggregated, while toner base particles and fine resin particles are mixed and stirred using a rotary stirring apparatus. Thus obtained disaggregated fine resin particles are fixed to the surface of the toner base particle. Thus, a fine resin particle-fixed toner is obtained. The rotary stirring apparatus includes a rotary stirring section, a temperature regulation section, a circulating section, and a spraying section. In the coating step, a liquid is sprayed to the fine resin particle-fixed toner with the spraying section using the rotary stirring apparatus. Thus, a film of the fine resin particles is formed. In the pre-mixing step and the coating step, temperature regulation is conducted in the temperature regulation section.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a resin-layer coated toner is provided. The method for manufacturing the resin-layer coated toner uses a rotary stirring apparatus including a circulating section, a temperature regulation section, a spraying section and an exhausting section, sprays a liquid substance to particles of toner materials and particles of coating materials in a fluidized state to plasticize such particles from a spraying section by carrier gas and gasifies the liquid, circulates the carrier gas in the powder passage and continuously exhausts the carrier gas including the gasified substance through the exhausting section to the outside of the powder passage, and pressure P1 in the powder passage and pressure P0 outside the powder passage satisfy the following formula (1): 0 atm<(Pressure P1 in the powder passage?Pressure P0 outside the powder passage)?0.3 atm??(1).

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a toner is provided. The method for manufacturing a toner uses a rotary stirring apparatus. The rotary stirring apparatus includes at least a circulation section, a temperature regulation section and a spraying section composed of a two-fluid nozzle. The two-fluid nozzle includes a liquid pipe and an air pipe, the liquid pipe is inserted in the air pipe such that an axis of the liquid pipe coincides with an axis of the air pipe, and at least a part of the liquid pipe and the air pipe is fixed such that the centers of those pipes do not move. A substance in liquid form is sprayed in constant rate from the two-fluid nozzle while regulating temperature and circulating the toner base particles and the fine resin particles in a powder passage, thereby forming a film on the surface of the toner base particle.

Abstract: A toner whose flowability, chargeability and fixing property are enhanced, a developer, a developing device and an image forming apparatus are provided. The toner comprises a toner particle in which a shell layer is formed on a surface of a core particle, and external additive, where (1) the shell layer is formed in a film on the surface of the core particle, (2) a shape factor SF-2 is 120 or more and 140 or less, and (3) a BET specific surface area measured by the BET method is 1.2 m2/cm3 or more and 4.0 m2/cm3 or less. The developer containing such a toner is filled into the developing device in the image forming apparatus in order to form an image.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a toner is provided. The method for manufacturing a toner uses a rotary stirring apparatus that includes a circulating section for repeatedly performing circulation in a powder passage having a rotary stirring chamber and a circulation tube to return to the rotary stirring chamber by a rotary stirring section having a rotary disc around which rotary blades are installed and a rotary shaft, and a temperature adjusting section provided at least on a part of the powder passage for adjusting temperatures in the powder passage and of the rotary stirring section to a predetermined temperature, and includes a temperature adjusting step; a fine resin particle adhering step; a spraying step; and a film-forming step. The temperature in the powder passage is adjusted to the predetermined temperature by the temperature adjusting section at the fine resin particle adhering step, the spraying step, and the film-forming step.

Abstract: In a toner at least containing a binder resin and a colorant, a value obtained by dividing a particle size D50p by a particle size D84p is 1.43 or more and 1.64 or less, wherein D50p and D84p respectively represent particle sizes at 50% and 84% of cumulative number counted from a large-size side in a cumulative number distribution. Further, in the toner, an average degree of circularity of toner particles having a volume average particle size of 1 ?m or more and 4 ?m or less is 0.940 or more and 0.960 or less. Further, in the toner, a content of toner particles having an average degree of circularity of 0.850 or less is 10% by number or less among the toner particles having a volume average particle size of 1 ?m or more and 4 ?m or less.

Abstract: A toner includes toner particles containing at least binder resin and colorant. The toner particles contain a large-sized toner particle group of particles and a small-sized toner particle group of particles having a volume average particle size smaller than that of the large-sized toner particle group. In the toner, a volume average particle size D50v is 4 ?m to 8 ?m at 50% in accumulated volume counted from a large particle-side in accumulated volume distribution of entire toner particles; a content of toner particles contained in a toner particle group having a volume average particle size of 7 ?m or more is 24% to 47% by volume based on the entire toner particles; and a content of toner particles contained in a toner particle group having a number average particle size of 5 ?m or less is 10% to 50% by number or less based on the entire toner particles.