Abstract: A lithographic apparatus injects gas between a reticle (MA) and reticle blades (REB-X, REB-Y) to protect the reticle from contamination. The gas may be injected either into the space defined between the reticle and the closest pair of reticle blades, or into the space defined between the two pairs of reticle blades.

Abstract: To provide a mask aligner that can appropriately manage very small-quantity production and multiproduct production. The present invention is a mask aligner 1 that exposes a wafer W in a predetermined size through a mask M, and has a configuration that includes: a conveying device 5 for conveying the wafer W and the mask M; an exposure stage 3f on which the wafer W conveyed by the conveying device 5 is installed; a mask holder 3b that is mounted to face the exposure stage 3f and on which the mask M conveyed by the conveying device 5 is installed; and an LED light source 8c mounted to face the exposure stage 3f via the mask holder 3b.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus has a support structure configured to support a patterning device, the patterning device serving to pattern a radiation beam according to a desired pattern and having a planar main surface through which the radiation beam passes; an outlet opening configured to direct a flow of a gas onto the patterning device; and an inlet opening configured to extract the gas which has exited the outlet opening, wherein the outlet opening and inlet opening are in a facing surface facing the planar main surface of the patterning device.

Abstract: An optical collector (15) for collecting extreme ultraviolet radiation or EUV light generated at a central EUV production site comprises a reflective shell (25). To cope with thermal loading of the collector and avoid deformations, the reflective shell (25) is mounted on a support structure (24), such that a cooling channel (29) is established between the back side of the reflective shell (25) and the support structure (24), the thickness of the reflective shell (25) is substantially reduced, such that the convective heat transfer between the back side of the reflective shell (25) and a cooling medium (26) flowing through the cooling channel (29) dominates the process of removing heat from the reflective shell (25) with respect to heat conduction, and a cooling circuit (33) is connected to the cooling channel (29); to supply a cooling medium (26) to the cooling channel (29) with a controlled coolant pressure and/or mass flow.

Abstract: An electrostatic charge image developer contains toner including toner particles, and strontium titanate particles having a volume average particle diameter of 3 ?m to 7 ?m. The electrostatic charge image developer also contains a carrier including core particle, and a coating layer that coats the core particle and contains a cyclohexyl methacrylate resin.

Abstract: A magnetic carrier contains a resin-filled magnetic core particle and a resin covering layer provided on a surface of the resin-filled magnetic core particle. The resin-filled magnetic core particle is a porous magnetic particle containing a resin in pores thereof. The magnetic carrier has a 50% particle diameter (D50) of 30.0 ?m or more and 80.0 ?m or less on a volume basis. An electric current flowing through the magnetic carrier at a voltage of 500 V ranges from 8.0 to 50.0 ?A. A proportion JR1 of a composition that is made up of the resin in a magnetic carrier portion of a region R1 and a proportion JR2 of the composition in a magnetic carrier portion of a region R2 satisfy the following relationship. The region R1 and the region R2 are illustrated in FIG. 1. 1.20?JR2/JR1?2.00.

Abstract: Examples described herein relate to a control for a non-contact charging roller. For example, a charging assembly may control a selectable non-contact distance between a charge roller and an imaging surface.

Abstract: An image forming method includes exposing a surface of an image bearer with light according to an image pattern including an image portion and a non-image portion, the image portion constituted of a plurality of pixels, to form an electrostatic latent image correspondent to the image pattern, comparing the image pattern adjacent to each of the pixels with a comparison pattern constituted of a plurality of pixels to specify at least a group of pixels existing at a boundary with respect to the non-image portion as a group of non-exposure pixels among the pixels constituting the image portion, and executing determination of specifying at least a group of pixels adjacent to the group of non-exposure pixels as a group of high power exposure pixels exposed with light of a higher light power than a predetermined light power required for exposing the image portion among the pixels constituting the image portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an electrostatic latent image bearer; a charger to charge a surface of the electrostatic latent image bearer; a power source to output a charging bias supplied to the charger; an electrostatic latent image writing unit to write an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the electrostatic latent image bearer charged by the charger; a developing unit including a developing member to develop the electrostatic latent image to obtain a toner image; a developing power source to output a developing bias supplied to the developing unit; a processor to adjust the charging bias output from the power source to a predetermined target value; and a storage unit to store an adjustment value algorithm.

Abstract: A removable device is removably attachable to an image forming apparatus main body. The removable device includes an information storage device, a holder, and a low frictional structure. The information storage device includes: an information storage unit that stores information to be communicated between the apparatus main body and the removable device; a terminal to be contacted with an apparatus main-body terminal, for communicating information with the apparatus main body; and a substrate that holds the information storage unit and the terminal and that includes a guide to be fitted to a protrusion provided on the apparatus main body. The holder holds the substrate such that the substrate can move, when the removable device approaches the apparatus main-body terminal, on a virtual plane intersecting with a moving direction of the removable device. The low frictional structure is arranged on a contact area between the substrate and the holder.

Abstract: A powder container contains powder and is attached to an image forming apparatus including: a conveying nozzle to convey the powder; a powder receiving hole of the conveying nozzle to receive the powder from the powder container; an apparatus main-body gear to transmit a driving force to the powder container; and a container receiving section including the conveying nozzle and receiving the powder container. The powder container includes: an opening at one end of the powder container in a longitudinal direction; a nozzle receiver at the opening to receive the conveying nozzle; a conveyor to convey the powder; and a container gear to drive the conveyor by meshing with the apparatus main-body gear. The container gear is to mesh with the apparatus main-body gear at a position closer to the opening than the powder receiving hole in the longitudinal direction. The opening is to mate with the container receiving section.

Abstract: A developing cartridge includes a casing configured to hold developing agent therein, a developing roller rotatably supported by the casing, the developing roller configured to rotate about a first axis, an agitator configured to agitate the developing agent in the casing and to rotate about a second axis and a window member disposed around a through hole. The casing includes a first frame including a first wall having the through hole and a second wall spaced apart from the first wall and a second frame that contacts the first wall and the second wall and includes an extension extending along an outer surface of the first wall. The window member is disposed between the second axis and the second frame. The window member is also disposed between the first wall and the extension and supported by the first wall and the extension.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developer chamber in which developer is accommodated, a developer supplying chamber in which a developer carrying member for developing a latent image forming on an image bearing member is rotatably provided and which is provided with an opening communicating with the developer chamber, a sealing member for sealing the opening, and a feeding member for feeding the developer from the developer chamber to the developer supplying chamber through the opening. The feeding member is rotatably provided in the developer chamber and has a rotation center below a rotation center of the developer carrying member. A part of the developer supplying chamber defining a periphery of the opening and a part of a lower inner surface of the developer supplying chamber are provided in the same plane, and the same plane is flush with or provided above a lower inner surface of the developer chamber.

Abstract: A developer replenishing apparatus includes a developer housing container and a sensor. The developer housing container includes a container main body having a wall that partitions an internal space, a shaft section arranged so as to extend in a first direction in the internal space, a moving wall which moves from an upstream side to a downstream side in the first direction along the shaft section and which conveys the developer, and a developer discharge port which is arranged near a downstream end in the first direction of the container main body. The sensor is arranged at a position that enables the sensor to generate different outputs between before and after the moving wall reaches a prescribed position on a movement route. The determining unit determines a state where there is no developer in the developer housing container when the sensor generates an output determined in advance.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a displacement member supported so as to be displaceable; and a drive mechanism. The drive mechanism is a mechanism configured to displace the displacement member between a first position away from a fall path of a movement path for a powdery developer and a second position at which at least a part of the displacement member enters the fall path.

Abstract: A transfer device (35) includes a conveyance belt (351), a transfer roller (352), and a stretch roller (354). The conveyance belt (351) is in contact with an image carrier (31) that carries a toner image, and conveys a sheet via a contact position with the image carrier (31). A voltage having a polarity opposite to a charging polarity of toner that forms the toner image is applied to the transfer roller (352), and the transfer roller (352) transfers the toner image carried by the image carrier (31) onto the sheet at the contact position. The stretch roller (354) is in an insulated state, and stretches the conveyance belt (351) at a separation position in which the sheet is separated from the conveyance belt (351) and which is downstream of the contact position in a conveyance direction in which the sheet is conveyed by the conveyance belt (351).

Abstract: A transfer assist member comprising a plurality of layers, at least one of the layers being a check film layer comprised of a crosslinked alkoxyalkylated polyamide.

Abstract: The present invention provides a fixing device including a flexible cylindrical rotary member and an inner-surface opposing portion that opposes an inner surface of the rotary member at an end portion of the rotary member in a generatrix direction. The inner-surface opposing portion moves upstream in a recording material conveying direction in accordance with lateral shift of the rotary member in the generatrix direction. This restricts the lateral shift of the rotary member.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing member and an induction heating section. The fixing member fixes an image onto a sheet. The induction heating section inductively heats the fixing member. The induction heating section includes an annular coil and a cover. The annular coil is elongated in a direction perpendicular to a conveyance direction of the sheet. The cover has first, second, and third opening rows. The annular coil includes first and second linear sections. Both the first and second opening rows are located at a side closer to the first linear section than a center line of the annular coil in the longitudinal direction. The second opening row is located closer to the second linear section than the first opening row. The third opening row is located at a side closer to the second linear section than the center line.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a latent image bearer; a charger; an exposure device; a developing device; a potential detector to detect a surface potential at a detection position between an exposure position and a development position on the latent image bearer in a direction of rotation of the latent image bearer; and a potential controller to determine an image forming condition. The potential controller includes a potential calculator to calculate an exposed area potential based on a detected potential smaller in charging polarity than a potential threshold, out of the detected surface potential, and a threshold determiner to set the potential threshold between the exposed area potential and an unexposed area potential of the latent image bearer based on at least one of a change in the unexposed area potential, a change with time of the latent image bearer, and a change in an ambient condition.

Abstract: The image heating apparatus includes a tubular shaped film; a backup member configured to be brought into contact with an outer surface of the film; a heater having an elongated shape and being configured to be brought into contact with the film, the heater including a substrate and a heat generating resistor formed; a first heat conductive member having a higher thermal conductivity than the substrate and being configured to be brought into contact with a surface of the heater, the first heat conductive member including divided first heat conductive members arranged with a gap formed therebetween; a pinching member configured to pinch the first heat conductive member; and a second heat conductive member provided in a region of the gap so as to be brought into contact with both of the heater and the pinching member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a detection unit that detects information about a used amount of a unit, and a control unit that outputs information indicating that the unit is required to be replaced when the information about the detected used amount reaches a first predetermined threshold value, wherein the control unit changes the threshold value to a second threshold value according to information about the used amount when the unit is replaced.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a curved conveyance path being formed by an outer guide and an inner guide, and a control unit configured to control a first conveyance unit disposed on upstream of the conveyance path and a second conveyance unit disposed on downstream of the conveyance path such that a conveyance speed of the first conveyance unit is set greater than a conveyance speed of the second conveyance unit, in a case where an image surface of the recording material on which an image is formed faces the inner guide, and perform control of the first and the second conveyance units in such a manner that the conveyance speed of the first conveyance unit is set less than the conveyance speed of the second conveyance unit, in a case where the image surface of the recording material on which the image is formed faces the outer guide.

Abstract: A support unit is provided at a downstream side of a tray surface tilted upward in a sheet discharge direction so as to be movable in the sheet discharge direction and a reverse direction of the sheet discharge direction. The support unit has a support plate that supports a discharge sheet from below. The support plate is tilted in a vertical direction by being supported at an upstream end of the support plate in as a fulcrum and is raised and downed with respect to the tray surface so as to change an angle.

Abstract: According to embodiments, an image forming apparatus has a cassette section for holding sheets, a conveying section for conveying the sheet, an image forming section that forms the image on the sheet conveyed by the conveying section, a determining section that determines the type of the sheet fed from the cassette, and a display section that displays different messages corresponding to the type of the sheet if a jam of the sheet has occurred while the sheet is conveyed in the conveying section. The source of a sheet for printing thereon may be changed if a threshold number of paper jams occur using paper fed from a particular cassette.

Abstract: An improved overcoat layer for an organic photoconductor drum of an electrophotographic image forming device is provided. The overcoat layer is prepared from a curable composition including a triphenylamine charge transport containing two ethyl acrylate functional groups and a urethane resin containing six radical polymerizable functional groups. The amount of the triphenylamine charge transport containing two ethyl acrylate functional groups in the curable composition is about 20 to about 80 percent by weight. The amount of the urethane resin containing six radical polymerizable functional groups in the curable composition is about 20 to about 80 percent by weight. This overcoat layer improves wear resistance of the organic photoconductor drum without negatively altering the electrophotographic properties, thus protecting the organic photoconductor drum from damage and ultimately providing a photoconductor with a longer useful life when compared to other organic photoconductors commercially available.

Abstract: A heater includes a substrate, a first electrical contact, a plurality of second electrical contacts, a plurality of electrode portions including first electrode portions electrically connected with the first electrical contact and second electrode portions electrically connected with the second electrical contacts, the first electrode portions and the second electrode portions being arranged alternately with predetermined gaps in a longitudinal direction of the substrate, and a plurality of heat generating portions provided between adjacent ones of the electrode portions so as to electrically connect between adjacent electrode portion. The heat generating portions are capable of generating heat by the electric power supply between adjacent electrode portions. A part of the second electrical contacts is selectably electrically connectable with the second terminal. The electrode portions are covered with the heat generating portions so as to be positioned between the substrate and the heat generating portions.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image holding member; a charging unit; an electrostatic charge image forming unit; a developing unit that accommodates an electrostatic charge image developer that contains toner particles having a shape factor SF1 of 120 to 145 and hydrophobic inorganic oxide particles having a number average particle diameter of 30 nm to 80 nm and satisfies the Formula (1), and develops the electrostatic charge image formed on the surface of the image holding member to form a toner image, by the electrostatic charge image developer; a transfer unit; and a cleaning unit that includes a cleaning blade which contacts with the surface of the image holding member at contact pressure of 9.8 mN/mm to 21.6 mN/mm, and removes toner remaining on the surface of the image holding member after transferring the toner image by the cleaning blade: Q?160?12R??(1).

Abstract: A protective layer forming device, including: a powdery image bearer protecting agent formed of a granulated product containing a fatty acid metal salt and an inorganic lubricant; and a roller-shaped protecting agent supplying member configured to supply the powdery image bearer protecting agent to a surface of an image bearer.

Abstract: A developing cartridge includes a case having a first sidewall and a second sidewall opposite to the first sidewall, and a developing roller disposed between the first sidewall and second sidewall. The developing roller can include a developing roller shaft and a developing roller member configured to carry a developing agent thereon, the developing roller member disposed around the developing roller shaft. Also, the developing cartridge can include an electrode disposed on the first sidewall adjacent to the developing roller shaft, the electrode electrically connected to the developing roller member, and a driven coupling disposed on the second sidewall. The electrode can include, an extending portion extending in a direction away from the first sidewall. An outermost periphery of the driven coupling defines a projection plane projecting in a direction towards the electrode, wherein at least a part of the extending portion is disposed within the projection plane.

Abstract: There is provided an image forming apparatus including a main body, a drum cartridge attachable to and detachable from the main body and including a photosensitive drum, a developing agent cartridge attachable to and detachable from the main body and containing a developing agent to be supplied to the photosensitive drum, and an exposure unit configured to expose a surface of the photosensitive drum. The main body includes a drum cartridge guide which is configured to guide the drum cartridge such that the drum cartridge passes above the exposure unit, when the drum cartridge is attached to or detached from the main body, and a developing cartridge guide which is configured to guide the developing agent cartridge such that the developing agent cartridge passes below the exposure unit, when the developing agent cartridge is attached to or detached from the main body.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a toner cartridge which is detachably mounted from a first direction to store a toner; and a processing unit which is detachably mounted from a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and is provided with a photoconductor, a developing section for supplying a toner fed from the toner cartridge to the surface of the photoconductor to convert an electrostatic latent image to a toner image and a cleaning section for collecting the toner adhered on the surface of the photoconductor.

Abstract: A cooling device includes a rotatable belt extended by a plurarity of extending members that transfers a sheet in contact with the surface of the belt, and a plurality of cooling members to cool the sheet via the belt. A cooling surface of the cooling members contacts an internal surface of the transport belt. The cooling members are detachable. The cooling device also includes an adjuster to adjust a contact condition between the cooling surface and the internal surface according to the number of cooling members installed.

Abstract: A holographic reconstruction of scenes includes a light modulator, an imaging system with at least two imaging means and an illumination device with sufficient coherent light for illumination of hologram coded in the light modulator. The at least two imaging means are arranged such that a first imaging means is provided for the magnified imaging of the light modulator on a second imaging means. The second imaging means is provided for imaging of a plane of a spatial frequency spectrum of the light modulator in a viewing plane at least one viewing window. The viewing window corresponds to a diffraction order of the spatial frequency spectrum.

Abstract: A display device including a pattern generator configured to generate a diffraction pattern from an image; a light source configured to emit emission light; an optical condenser which condenses the emission light to generate illumination light; and a spatial light modulator which diffracts the illumination light according to the diffraction pattern to generate diffracted light. The diffracted light passes through the optical condenser.

Abstract: A barrel includes a mainspring cooperating internally with a core, externally with a track of a drum by way of a resilient sliding bridle. The track and the bridle are of non-circular shape, nesting one inside the other in the free state of the bridle. The track and the bridle are arranged to make one raised portion of the bridle abuttingly engage with a sill of the track when the torque applied to the bridle is less than a torque limit value, and to allow radial constriction of the raised portion when the torque is greater than the limit value. The track and the bridle are arranged to allow the passage of the raised portion over the sill and to allow the bridle to travel angularly under the effect of the torque until the next encounter between the sill and the raised portion.

Abstract: An alarm clock is mounted above a bed and uses a thermal sensor to identify the location of each person sleeping in the bed and to direct light and sound to only one of them for the purpose of selectively waking only that individual. A platform is driven to scan across the bed, and has an infrared sensor creating a temperature profile with a thermal signature indicating the position of each occupant. Platform electronics generate a narrow beam LED light, and an array of ultrasonic speakers serves as a parametric speaker producing a narrow sound beam heard only by the targeted sleeper. At a preset time the alarm is triggered and the platform is pointed at the targeted sleeper identified by his or her infrared thermal signature. The LED light is driven from low to high to simulate dawn. Following maximum brightness, the parametric speaker emits a wake-up audio.

Abstract: The present invention provides a timepiece which can lightly rotate an operation member to rotate an display body, while exhibiting a high level of waterproof performance around the operation member. One of the pipe and a shaft portion of the operation member inserted into the pipe has a first annular contact surface, and a second annular contact surface that have different diameters A packing capable of elastic deformation and configured to effect waterproofing between the pipe and the shaft portion is mounted. In operation, the packing is selectively brought into contact with the first and second contact surfaces such that the packing is pressed harder on one of the first and second contact surfaces than on the other.

Abstract: A timepiece includes a case; a movement that is housed in the case and has multiple motors that drive respective staffs disposed at different locations; a patch antenna that is disposed inside the case and at the back side of the dial; and a battery that supplies power to the motors and is disposed at a position in the case that does not overlap the patch antenna in plan view. The position at which the battery is disposed overlaps at least one of the motors in plan view.

Abstract: Safety systems and methods for production environments are disclosed. Safety systems include at least one sensing device configured to detect presence of an unauthorized human and/or an authorized human at least partially within a defined safety zone, and a controller configured to automatically alter at least one aspect of the production environment responsive to the presence of the unauthorized human and/or the authorized human. Safety methods include detecting presence of an unauthorized human and/or an authorized human at least partially within a defined safety zone, and automatically altering at least one aspect of the production environment responsive to the detecting.

Abstract: An operating device is provided with an operating section, in which a plurality of operating keys for operating a control target is laid out, and a display section, in which a screen corresponding to an input of the operating keys is to be displayed. The operating section does not have names of the operating keys printed thereon. The operating device or a controller has a storage means that stores guide information that guides the names of the operating keys. The names and an image of the operating keys corresponding to a selected language are displayed on the display section in accordance with a predetermined operation.

Abstract: A device and a method for operating an electromechanical adjustment device having an electric drive device, include a control unit that detects the reaching of a mechanical end stop of the adjustment device and controls and/or regulates the electric drive device. After a mechanical end stop of the adjustment device is reached, a change in the direction of rotation is automatically actuated in the electric drive device for a predefinable period of time or a predefinable traveling distance.

Abstract: A method of wireless communication, with a circuit that includes a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader, can be carried out using a circuit that is configured and arranged to communicate with RFID cards that use load modulation of an RF carrier provided by the RFID reader. A presence of the radio frequency (RF) carrier is detected on an antenna. A local clock signal is generated. A difference between the local clock signal and the RF carrier is detected. In response to the detected difference, the frequency of the local clock signal is modified to reduce the detected difference. Load modulation of the RF carrier is mimicked by modulating the local clock signal to encode data; and driving the antenna with the modulated local clock signal.

Abstract: An integrated multivariable predictive controller (MPC) and tester is disclosed. The invention system provides optimal control and step testing of a multivariable dynamic process using a small amplitude step for model identification purposes, without moving too far from optimal control targets. A tunable parameter specifies the trade-off between optimal process operation and minimum movement of process variables, establishing a middle ground between running a MPC on the Minimum Cost setting and the Minimum Move setting. Exploiting this middle ground, embodiments carry out low amplitude step testing near the optimal steady state solution, such that the data is suitable for modeling purposes. The new system decides when the MPC should run in optimization mode and when it can run in constrained step testing mode. The invention system determines when and how big the superimposed step testing signals can be, such that the temporary optimization give-away is constrained to an acceptable range.

Abstract: Adjusting environmental variables in an adaptive parameter adjustment runtime environment, including: executing a parallel program by the adaptive parameter adjustment runtime environment, including beginning operations with a set of default global parameter values; maintaining a list of configurable parameters; changing a parameter value for a parameter in the list of configurable parameters; determining whether an effect of changing the parameter value is positive, negative, or neutral; responsive to determining that the effect of changing the parameter value is positive, changing the parameter value for the parameter; responsive to determining that the effect of changing the parameter value is negative, changing the parameter value for the parameter to a previous value; and responsive to determining that the effect of changing the parameter value is neutral, performing a list management operation on the list of configurable parameters.

Abstract: An integrated remote control system controls a plurality of peripheral electronic devices by a certain integrated operation to provide use convenience of the electronic devices. The integrated remote control system includes an integrated control device configured to store control codes of the peripheral electronic devices and provide the at least one control code of the peripheral electronic devices according to a request. The integrated remote control system also includes a user remote control device configured to request the integrated control device to transmit the control code for controlling the peripheral electronic device, receive the requested control code, and control the at least one of the peripheral electronic devices.

Abstract: Provided is a method of controlling a component for a network system. The method of controlling a component for a network system, which is communicable with the other component, includes recognizing energy information or additional information except for the energy information; and providing recommended information related to an operation of the component within a recommended range on the basis of the recognized energy information or the additional information.

Abstract: An electric power system for a wind turbine includes at least one auxiliary load bus configured to transmit electric power to auxiliary equipment. The auxiliary load bus is further configured to receive electric power having a voltage within a first predetermined tolerance range. The system also includes at least one motor-generator set coupled to the auxiliary load bus. The motor-generator set is configured to receive electric power having a voltage within a second predetermined tolerance range and transmit electric power to the auxiliary load bus in the first predetermined tolerance range.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a technique is provided to configure a home multimedia system. Software executing on a controller or other device access component profiles describing attributes of components, one or more zone configurations that indicate components that are present in one or more zones, and one or more connection configurations that indicates how components that are present in the one or more zones are interconnected. The software applies a set of predefined service rules to the data structures to generate workflows for possible services, wherein each service rule defines one or more components and one or more interactions required for providing a corresponding service, and each workflow indicates how one or more of the components that are present in the one or more zones interact to provide a service. Executable forms of the workflows are generated, and executed to provide services to a user.

Abstract: A system and method are provided that adapt or configure an electronic device to be capable of detecting movement of the plug of a headset relative to a socket therefore (i.e. be capable of detecting relative movement of the coupling between the headset and the device). The plug can then be used to control functions on the electronic device, including those associated with audio programming. The resultant auxiliary controls can also be used for other applications, even those where the device is actively being used, e.g. a video game, to provide further control inputs for the electronic device.