Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an option device, the option device is coupled with a lower surface of an apparatus main body. A second connector is configured to be displaced between a first position and a second position. A push portion is configured to be pressed toward an inside of the option device when the option device is coupled with the lower surface. A link portion is pivotably supported, coupled with both the push portion and the second connector, and configured to, interlocking with the push portion being pressed, cause the second connector to be displaced from second position to first position. A first coupling portion couples the push portion with the link portion. A second coupling portion is configured to couple the second connector with the link portion. The first coupling portion and/or the second coupling portion is configured to release the coupling with the link portion.

Abstract: An paper stacker includes a side fence and a lift plate. The side fence extends in a stacking direction and is configured to regulate a position in a width direction of paper. The lift plate is capable of moving the paper to a paper feed point. The side fence includes a main body, a swell segment swelling from the main body toward an edge of the paper below the paper feed point, and an urging segment including an urging surface portion above the swell segment. The urging surface portion is capable of moving toward the edge of the paper to urge the edge of the paper at the paper feed point.

Abstract: A sheet stacking device includes a sheet accommodating unit, a pair of wall portions and a loading plate. The sheet accommodating unit has an open upper surface part and accommodates sheets therein. The sheets have a pair of first side edges extending in a first direction and a pair of second side edges perpendicular to the first direction. The pair of wall portions stands to face the first side edges of the sheets. The loading plate is arranged in the sheet accommodating unit. Each of the pair of wall portions includes a first observation port for exposing one end of the first side edges of the sheets in the first direction and an one area of the inner part outer than the one end in the first direction to outside of the sheet accommodating unit.

Abstract: A plasma torch is provided with an electrode for generating a plasma arc, a nozzle having an opening through which the plasma arc passes, and a cover member. The cover member is arranged to cover the nozzle in the jetting direction of the plasma arc from the nozzle. The cover member has an opening through which the plasma arc passes. The cover member is made from a magnetic material.

Abstract: A method of cutting a cut member out of an original sheet by means of thermal cutting and machining, and includes a hole-cutting process, a finishing process, and an outer periphery-cutting process. During the hole-cutting process, a hole is created in the original sheet by means of thermal cutting while leaving a machining allowance in addition to the finished size of the hole. During the finishing process, a cutting tool is inserted into the hole which has been created through the hole-cutting process, and the cutting tool is guided along the inner circumference of the hole so as to cut the thermally-cut end surface in order to machine the hole to the finished size. During the outer periphery-cutting process, the outer periphery of the cut member is cut by means of thermal cutting to take the cut member out of the original sheet.

Abstract: A piezoelectric sensor that includes a piezoelectric film, first and second adhesive layers, first and second plate electrodes and a glass plate. The piezoelectric film includes first and second principal surfaces. The first adhesive layer attaches the first plate electrode to the first principal surface. The second adhesive layer attaches the second plate electrode to the second principal surface. The second plate electrode is attached to the glass plate such that the second adhesive layer and the second plate electrode are interposed between the piezoelectric film and the glass plate. The glass plate is distorted by being pushed. The second adhesive layer is thicker than the first adhesive layer.

Abstract: Problem to be Solved: The present invention is intended to provide a polynucleotide encoding the light-chain variable region and the heavy-chain variable region of an anti-dog IgE antibody; and an anti-dog IgE antibody containing these variable regions. Solution: The present invention is DNA encoding a heavy-chain variable region consisting of the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 2 or 6 and DNA encoding a light-chain variable region consisting of the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 4 or 8, and an anti-dog IgE monoclonal antibody which binds to dog IgE, containing these variable regions or a functional fragment thereof which binds to dog IgE.

Abstract: There are provided a person recognition apparatus, method, and a non-transitory computer readable recording medium which can perform accurate person recognition according to a time dependent face change. A sorting section sorts a plurality of images by shooting date and time. A group division section divides the plurality of images into a plurality of groups according to a predetermined shooting date and time range. A face recognition section extracts feature amounts by face recognition for each group. An in-group person determination section determines a person having a similarity of a predetermined reference threshold value or higher as the same person and integrates the feature amounts relevant to the person for each group. An inter-group person recognition section recognizes persons having a similarity of a predetermined recognition threshold value or higher as the same person between two groups based on the feature amounts integrated in adjacent groups.

Abstract: An information communication device is provided with a monitoring unit, a communication unit, a storage unit, a switching unit, an acquisition unit, a creation unit, and a transmission unit. In the event that the monitoring unit detects trouble in the basic network, the switching unit switches the communication function of the communication unit from a first communication function to a second communication function. In the event that the monitoring unit detects trouble in the basic network, the creation unit creates notification information about the trouble in the basic network. The transmission unit transmits the created notification information via the switched-to communication function to a contact retrieved from the storage unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes first and second sheet feed cassettes and the like. When a lift plate and sheets thereon are raised in the first sheet feed cassette, causing a pick-up roller to move upward, an arm member is inclined upward from a holder side toward a lever member side. The lever member is raised by the arm member on a second flat plate portion to be in a horizontal attitude, and a vertical wall faces a vertical wall portion of the first sheet feed cassette across a predetermined gap. As a result, when the first sheet feed cassette is pulled out to a certain extent, the vertical wall of the lever member abuts on the vertical wall portion of the first sheet feed cassette, and a conveyance unit is pulled out together with the first sheet feed cassette.

Abstract: A semiconductor device with improved heat radiation and improved insulation performance. The semiconductor device includes a semiconductor element, a lead frame bonded on one surface to the semiconductor element, a first insulating layer disposed on the other surface of the lead frame, and a metal base plate connected to the lead frame with the first insulating layer interposed between them, wherein an outer peripheral portion of the first insulating layer is inside an outer peripheral portion of the metal base plate, and the outer peripheral portion of the first insulating layer is covered with a second insulating layer having higher moisture resistance and higher insulation performance than the first insulating layer, the outer peripheral portion including an electric field concentrated point in an outer peripheral portion of the lead frame.

Abstract: A semiconductor device including: a semiconductor element; a lead frame connected to the semiconductor element; a metal base plate mounted on the lead frame via a first insulation layer; and a second insulation layer disposed on the opposite side of the metal base plate face on which the first insulation layer is disposed; wherein the first insulation layer is an insulation layer whose heat-dissipation performance is higher than that of the second insulation layer, and the second insulation layer is an insulation layer whose insulation performance is the same as that of the first insulation layer or higher than that of the first insulation layer.

Abstract: A sheet stacking device includes sheet stacking portion, electric motor, current detecting portion, abnormality determining portion, and updating portion. The sheet stacking portion is supported to be movable in up-down direction and configured to stack sheets thereon. The electric motor outputs, to the sheet stacking portion, a driving force for moving the sheet stacking portion in up-down direction. The current detecting portion detects a current value of the electric motor. The abnormality determining portion determines that the sheet stacking portion is in abnormal state when the detected current value is greater than a predetermined threshold. The updating portion updates the threshold based on the current value that was detected by the current detecting portion while the sheet stacking portion with a predetermined set amount of sheets stacked thereon was being moved by the driving force received from the electric motor.

Abstract: In an apparatus for reducing vehicle aerodynamic drag equipped with an air jet device installed at upper and lower positions of a rear of a vehicle and each having a vibrator connected to a diaphragm disposed in an enclosed region and adapted to be driven based on a drive signal to vibrate the diaphragm to jet/suck air through an orifice formed in the region, a vehicle traveling condition is detected, the drive signals for the respective air jet devices are determined independently of each other based on the detected traveling condition, and the vibrators of the respective air jet devices are driven based on the determined drive signals to reduce aerodynamic drag acting on the vehicle.

Abstract: The present invention provides an improved and specific mRNA interferase and related methods of protein-based mRNA interference.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes first and second sheet feed cassettes and the like. When a lift plate and sheets thereon are raised in the first sheet feed cassette, causing a pick-up roller to move upward, an arm member is inclined upward from a holder side toward a lever member side. The lever member is raised by the arm member on a second flat plate portion to be in a horizontal attitude, and a vertical wall faces a vertical wall portion of the first sheet feed cassette across a predetermined gap. As a result, when the first sheet feed cassette is pulled out to a certain extent, the vertical wall of the lever member abuts on the vertical wall portion of the first sheet feed cassette, and a conveyance unit is pulled out together with the first sheet feed cassette.

Abstract: A plasma torch is provided with an electrode for generating a plasma arc, a nozzle having an opening through which the plasma arc passes, and a cover member. The cover member is arranged to cover the nozzle in the jetting direction of the plasma arc from the nozzle. The cover member has an opening through which the plasma arc passes. The cover member is made from a magnetic material.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type; a semiconductor region provided in the semiconductor substrate; a first trench formed in the semiconductor region; a second trench formed in the semiconductor substrate; a trench gate electrode provided in the first trench; and a trench source electrode provided in the second trench. The trench source electrode is shaped like a stripe and connected to the source electrode through its longitudinal portion.