Abstract: In a pedestrian protection apparatus installed in a lower part of a front of a vehicle, a plate extends in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and includes a front section having at least a portion protruding from the front of the vehicle, a rear section fixed to the vehicle, and a center section provided between the front and rear sections. The front section is more rigid than the rear section, and the center section is less rigid than the front section and more rigid than the rear section.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus that receives print data from an external device and prints out the print data in response to a print command, a searching unit that searches, when new print data is received from the external device, a storage unit storing therein the print data that includes user information for previous print data that includes user information same as that of the new print data; and a notifying unit that sends, when the searching unit finds the previous print data, a notice to the external device saying that the previous print data is still present in the storage unit.

Abstract: A pedestrian protection apparatus for a vehicle, includes a plate member which is disposed at a lower part of a front of the vehicle so as to extend in a frontward and backward direction of the vehicle, which includes a front portion and a rear portion; and a plurality of first reinforcing beads protruding upward and extending in the frontward and backward direction of the vehicle and a plurality of second reinforcing beads protruding downward and extending in the frontward and backward direction. The first reinforcing beads and the second reinforcing beads are provided integrally with the front portion so as to be alternately disposed in a vehicle width direction. The apparatus is arranged to sweep a leg portion that has collided with the front of the vehicle by contact of the plate member with the leg portion, thereby protecting the leg portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus and a print control method prevents a disadvantageous effect to a user due to print failure, before an image forming operation is started. The image forming apparatus includes an interface for connecting an external storage device to the image forming apparatus. Data stored in the external storage device is read via the interface and printed by the image forming apparatus. A memory usage at the time of printing the data is calculated based on a parameter obtained from various information about the data. The calculated memory usage and a memory capacity that is available in the image forming apparatus during printing are compared. An image forming operation for printing the data is controlled depending on a comparison result.

Abstract: A shock absorbing structure for a vehicle including a top wall to which a shock is to be applied and two side walls integrally formed with the top wall and extending from the top wall such that the side walls are opposed to each other, thereby forming an angular U-shaped cross section. The side walls have a waveform in which convex portions and concave portions are alternately and continuously provided. In addition, a bottom plate is integrally formed with an end portion of the respective side walls. The shock absorbing structure further includes a first window portion that is formed over a portion of the each side wall including a part of a bottom portion and parts of opposite side portions of the concave portions and a portion of the bottom plates that is connected to the bottom portion and that is positioned between the opposite side portions.

Abstract: A pedestrian protection apparatus for a vehicle, including: a plate member, which includes front and rear portions, and which is fixed at the rear portion to the vehicle; and at least one reinforcing bead each formed integrally on the front portion of the plate member and each including a bead-extending portion and a bead-end portion which extends integrally from a rear-side edge of the bead-extending portion for connecting the rear-side edge and the rear portion of the plate member, the apparatus being arranged to sweep a leg portion of a pedestrian that has collided with the front of the vehicle by contact of a front end of the plate member with the leg portion, thereby protecting the leg portion, wherein a connecting portion between the bead-end portion and the rear portion of the plate member is gently curved without being folded.

Abstract: A pedestrian protection apparatus for a vehicle, including a plate member which is disposed at a front face of the vehicle, which includes front and rear portions, and which is fixed at the rear portion to the vehicle with at least a leading end part of the front portion protruded from the front face of the vehicle, the apparatus being arranged to sweep a leg portion of a pedestrian, thereby protecting the leg portion, wherein the leading end part includes at least one horizontally extending portion and a plurality of vertically extending portions each having an anterior surface substantially orthogonal to a horizontal plane, the horizontally extending portion and the vertically extending portions being formed integrally with the leading end part so as to be alternately disposed in the frontward and backward direction of the vehicle and extend in a staircase-like form.

Abstract: A pedestrian protection apparatus for a vehicle, including: a plate member, which includes front and rear portions, and which is fixed at the rear portion to the vehicle; and at least one reinforcing bead each formed integrally on the front portion of the plate member and each including a bead-extending portion and a bead-end portion which extends integrally from a rear-side edge of the bead-extending portion for connecting the rear-side edge and the rear portion of the plate member, the apparatus being arranged to sweep a leg portion of a pedestrian that has collided with the front of the vehicle by contact of a front end of the plate member with the leg portion, thereby protecting the leg portion, wherein a connecting portion between the bead-end portion and the rear portion of the plate member is gently curved without being folded.

Abstract: A disclosed image forming apparatus enables a report or list to be printed out in a manner optimized for each user. The image forming apparatus includes a user authentication unit for user authentication. A print mode for a report or list is registered for each user of the apparatus. Upon authentication of a user with the authentication unit, the print mode registered for the user is retrieved from memory and used when printing the report or list for the user. The print mode may comprise, e.g., an image magnification ratio relative to a standard print size; a modification of characters used for the printing of an item for each user; or a modification of characters used for the printing of a report, such as a facsimile transmission report, for each user when the report contains particular content.

Abstract: A pedestrian protection apparatus for a vehicle, including: a plate member, which includes front and rear portions, and which is fixed at the rear portion to the vehicle; and at least one reinforcing bead each formed integrally on the front portion of the plate member and each including a bead-extending portion and a bead-end portion which extends integrally from a rear-side edge of the bead-extending portion for connecting the rear-side edge and the rear portion of the plate member, the apparatus being arranged to sweep a leg portion of a pedestrian that has collided with the front of the vehicle by contact of a front end of the plate member with the leg portion, thereby protecting the leg portion, wherein a connecting portion between the bead-end portion and the rear portion of the plate member is gently curved without being folded.

Abstract: A pedestrian protection apparatus for a vehicle, includes a plate member which is disposed at a lower part of a front of the vehicle so as to extend in a frontward and backward direction of the vehicle, which includes a front portion and a rear portion; and a plurality of first reinforcing beads protruding upward and extending in the frontward and backward direction of the vehicle and a plurality of second reinforcing beads protruding downward and extending in the frontward and backward direction. The first reinforcing beads and the second reinforcing beads are provided integrally with the front portion so as to be alternately disposed in a vehicle width direction. The apparatus is arranged to sweep a leg portion that has collided with the front of the vehicle by contact of the plate member with the leg portion, thereby protecting the leg portion.

Abstract: A pedestrian protection apparatus for a vehicle, including a plate member which is disposed at a front face of the vehicle, which includes front and rear portions, and which is fixed at the rear portion to the vehicle with at least a leading end part of the front portion protruded from the front face of the vehicle, the apparatus being arranged to sweep a leg portion of a pedestrian, thereby protecting the leg portion, wherein the leading end part includes at least one horizontally extending portion and a plurality of vertically extending portions each having an anterior surface substantially orthogonal to a horizontal plane, the horizontally extending portion and the vertically extending portions being formed integrally with the leading end part so as to be alternately disposed in the frontward and backward direction of the vehicle and extend in a staircase-like form.

Abstract: In a pedestrian protection apparatus installed in a lower part of a front of a vehicle, a plate extends in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and includes a front section having at least a portion protruding from the front of the vehicle, a rear section fixed to the vehicle, and a center section provided between the front and rear sections. The front section is more rigid than the rear section, and the center section is less rigid than the front section and more rigid than the rear section.

Abstract: An apparatus provides improvement over the apparatus that provides a highly humid air into a boiler or internal combustion engine such as diesel, gasoline, and other similar engines, and improves the fuel economy and reduces the amount of the produced exhaust gases from the boiler, etc. by adding the highly humid air into the suction pipe through which it is delivered into the combustion chamber together with the mixture of the injected fuel gas and air. The highly humid air provided by the improved apparatus contains a mixture of vaporized water flow drawn by suction under the reduced pressure developed within the combustion chamber and an air flow drawn from the atmosphere, the mixture being formed by allowing the two flows to meet together and strike against each other at angles of 55 to 65 degrees.