1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
an image forming mechanism for forming an image;
a plurality of containers replaceably provided in the image forming apparatus and configured to contain a substance used to form an image, the plurality of containers including at least three containers, each including a different color of the substance;
a housing configured to house the image forming mechanism and the plurality of containers, the housing comprising:
at least one pivotally openable portion configured to be opened for access to and replacement of the plurality of said containers; and
an operation device provided on a front portion of the housing, the operation device comprising:
an input section configured to receive input from a user; and
a display configured to indicate a status of the substance used to form the image, the display being viewable from a front side of the image forming apparatus, the status including an indication that there is no substance of a particular color for use in the image forming apparatus,
wherein said plurality of containers are arranged in parallel in line in the image forming apparatus in a first predetermined sequence according to colors of the substance, and
wherein a plurality of indicators are arranged in parallel in line on the display in a second predetermined sequence according to indications of colors, the first and second predetermined sequences being equal to each other, each of the plurality of indicators being adjacent to no more than two others of the plurality of indicators.
2. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said colors of the substance comprise yellow, cyan and magenta colors.
3. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plurality of indicators are provided ahead of said plurality of containers.
4. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein among said plurality of indicators and said plurality of containers, a black color is provided ahead of all other colors.
5. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein:
the at least one pivotally openable portion is pivotal about a fulcrum portion and is configured to be opened to reveal the plurality of containers so as to be externally viewable, said fulcrum portion being positioned at a lower level than a top portion of said plurality of containers; and
said display being positioned on a sheet discharging unit and being located on an upper, front side of the image forming apparatus.
6. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein:
the display is pivotally attached to the image forming apparatus.
7. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein:
the display is attached to a cover, and the cover is pivotally attached to the image forming apparatus.
8. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein:
the display which is configured to display an instruction regarding movement of the pivotally openable portion displays an instruction regarding opening.
9. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein:
the display which is configured to display an instruction regarding movement of the pivotally openable portion displays an instruction related to a paper jam.
10. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein:
the display is configured to indicate the status of the substance contained in any one of the plurality of containers, the status indicating at least a depletion of the substance.
11. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein:
the display is configured to indicate the status of the substance contained in any one of the plurality of containers, the status indicating at least a near-depletion of the substance.
12. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein:
the display is configured to indicate the status of the substance contained in any one of the plurality of containers, the status indicating a near-depletion and a depletion state of the substance.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A coating composition comprising an aqueous mixture comprising a catechol compound, one or more fluoroacids, and alumina-modified silica particles with a SiO2:Al2O3 weight ratio from 80:1 to 240:1.
2. The coating composition of claim 1 wherein the one or more fluoroacids are selected from the group consisting of fluorotitanic acid, fluorozirconic acid, fluorosilicic acid, fluoroboronic acid, fluorostannic acid, fluorogermanic acid, fluorohafnic acid, fluoroaluminic acid and salts of each thereof.
3. The coating composition of claim 1 wherein the mixture further comprises a product of the particles and the one or more fluoroacids.
4. The coating composition of claim 1 wherein the particles comprise about 0.01% to about 5% by weight of the composition, and the coating composition has a pH from 4.1 to 5.5.
5. The coating composition of claim 1 wherein the catechol compound is an alizarin compound.
6. The coating composition of claim 1 wherein the catechol compound is 4,3-dihydroxy-9,10-dioxo-2-anthracenesulfonic acid or a salt thereof.
7. The coating composition of claim 1 wherein the catechol compound is pyrocatechol or a conjugated pyrocatechol.
8. The coating composition of claim 1 wherein the catechol compound is pyrocatechol sulfonephthalein.
9. The coating composition of claim 8 wherein the catechol compound is provided as a weight ratio of fluoroacids:catechol from 300:1 to 1:30.
10. The coating composition of claim 1 wherein the one or more fluoroacids are present at a concentration from about 3 ppm to about 400 ppm.
11. The coating composition of claim 1 wherein the one or more fluoroacids are present at a concentration from about 3 ppm to about 3000 ppm, and the coating composition has a pH from 4.1 to 5.5.
12. The coating composition of claim 1 further comprising one or more polymers selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol, polyester, water-soluble polyester derivatives, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyvinylpyrrolidone-vinylcaprolactam copolymer, polyvinylpyrrolidone-vinylimidazole copolymer, and sulfonated polystyrene-maleic anhydride copolymer.
13. The coating composition of claim 1 wherein the coating composition has a pH from 4.1 to 5.5.
14. The coating composition of claim 1 wherein the one or more fluroacids are selected from the group consisting of fluorotitanic acid, fluorozirconic acid, fluorosilicic acid, and salts of each thereof.
15. A coating composition prepared by a process comprising:
providing alumina-modified silica particles with a SiO2:Al2O3 weight ratio from 80:1 to 240:1, one or more fluoroacids, a catechol compound, and water; and
mixing the alumina-modified silica particles, the one or more fluoroacids, the catechol compound, and the water.
16. The coating composition of claim 15 further comprising providing one or more polymers selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol, polyester, water-soluble polyester derivatives, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyvinylpyrrolidone-vinylcaprolactam copolymer, polyvinylpyrrolidone-vinylimidazole copolymer, and sulfonated polystyrene-maleic anhydride copolymer, and mixing the one or more polymers with the silica particles, the one or more acids, and the catechol compound.
17. The coating composition of claim 15 further comprising adding additional amounts of the one or more acids or an alkali material to adjust the pH of the coating composition to a pH value from about 3 to about 6.
18. The coating composition of claim 15 wherein the catechol compound is negatively charged or neutral.
19. The coating composition of claim 15 wherein the catechol is selected from the group consisting of an alizarin compound, a pyrocatechol, a conjugated pyrocatechol, and salts of each thereof.
20. The coating composition of claim 15 wherein the one or more fluoroacids are selected from the group consisting of fluorotitanic acid, fluorozirconic acid, fluorosilicic acid, fluoroboronic acid, fluorostannic acid, fluorogermanic acid, fluorohafnic acid, fluoroaluminic avid, and salts of each thereof.
21. The coating composition of claim 17 wherein the pH is adjusted to a value of 4.1 to 5.5.
22. The coating composition of claim 15 wherein the one or more fluoroacids are present at a concentration from about 3 ppm to about 400 ppm.
23. A coating composition comprising an aqueous mixture comprising:
inorganic particles;
one or more fluoroacids; and
pyrocatechol sulfonephthalein, wherein the coating composition has a pH from 4.1 to 5.5.
24. The coating composition of claim 23 wherein the pyrocatechol sulfonephthalein is provided as a weight ratio of fluoroacids: pyrocatechol sulfonephthalein from 300:1 to 1:30.
25. The coating composition of claim 23 wherein the inorganic particles are selected from the group consisting of metal oxides, and metal fluorides, wherein the metal is titanium, zirconium, aluminum, or iron.
26. The coating composition of claim 23 wherein the inorganic particles are silica particles.