Author: claimsbot

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.

We claim:

1. A lamp module used in a back light device, comprising:
a resilient holder having an accommodation portion;
a lamp tube having one end accommodated in said accommodation portion of said resilient holder; and
a support unit having a reception portion provided to engage with said resilient holder.
2. The lamp module of claim 1, wherein said accommodation portion of said resilient holder is a cavity.
3. The lamp module of claim 1, wherein said reception portion of said support unit is a groove.
4. The lamp module of claim 3, wherein said resilient holder includes a plug portion for engaging with said groove of said support unit.
5. The lamp module of claim 4, wherein said resilient holder further includes a first clamp portion and a second clamp portion, said plug portion is positioned between said first and second clamp portions, and said plug portion is constrained by said first and second clamp portions when said resilient holder engages with said support unit.
6. The lamp module of claim 5, wherein said first clamp portion has a first thickness and said plug portion has a second thickness, and said first thickness is larger than said second thickness.
7. The lamp module of claim 6, wherein said first thickness is about 1.5 to 2 times larger than said second thickness.
8. The lamp module of claim 1, wherein said resilient holder includes a channel for allowing a cable to pass through to connect to said lamp tube.
9. The lamp module of claim 1, wherein a ditch is formed on one side of said support unit to dissipate heat.
10. The lamp module of claim 9, wherein a heat conductive element is disposed in said ditch to dissipate heat.
11. The lamp module of claim 10, wherein said heat conductive element is made of metal.
12. The lamp module of claim 11, wherein said heat conductive element is a copper rod.
13. A lamp module, used in a direct type back light device, comprising:
a resilient holder having a cavity and a plug portion;
a lamp tube having one end accommodated in said cavity of said resilient holder; and
a support unit having a groove provided to engage with said plug portion of said resilient holder.
14. The lamp module of claim 13, wherein said resilient holder further includes a first clamp portion and a second clamp portion, said plug portion is arranged between said first and second clamp portions, and said plug portion is constrained by said first and second clamp portions when said resilient holder engages with said support unit.
15. The lamp module of claim 14, wherein said first clamp portion has a first thickness and said plug portion has a second thickness, and said first thickness is larger than said second thickness.
16. The lamp module of claim 15, wherein said first thickness is about 1.5 to 2 times larger than said second thickness.
17. The lamp module of claim 13, wherein said resilient holder includes a channel for allowing a cable to pass through to connect said lamp tube.
18. The lamp module of claim 13, wherein a ditch is positioned on one side of said support unit to dissipate heat.
19. The lamp module of claim 18, wherein a heat conductive element is disposed in said ditch to dissipate heat.

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 light-emitting element comprising:
a semiconductor substrate;
an island structure formed on the semiconductor substrate and including at least a current confining layer and p-type and n-type semiconductor layers;
a light-emitting thyristor formed in the island structure and comprising a pnpn structure; and
a shift thyristor formed in the island structure and comprising a pnpn structure, wherein
the island structure defines n groove portions that are completely surrounded by side surfaces of the island structure so that each groove portion of the n groove portions correspond to holes defined in the island structure, wherein each groove portion of the n groove portions comprises a depth that reaches at least the current confining layer and each groove portion of the n groove portions is formed between a formation region of the shift thyristor of the island structure and a formation region of the light-emitting thyristor, and
an oxidized region that is selectively oxidized from a side surface of the island structure and a side surface of the groove portion is formed in the current confining layer.
2. The light-emitting element according to claim 1, wherein
the groove portion extends toward a side from opposing side surfaces of the island structure.
3. The light-emitting element according to claim 1, wherein
the n groove portions are disposed at equal intervals.
4. The light-emitting element according to claim 1, wherein
the groove portion extends toward the inner side from any one of opposing side surfaces of the island structure.
5. The light-emitting element according to claim 1, wherein
a non-oxidized region which is surrounded by an oxidized region that is oxidized from the side surface of the island structure and the side surface of the groove portion is formed in the current confining layer in the formation region of the light-emitting thyristor.
6. The light-emitting element according to claim 2, wherein
a non-oxidized region which is surrounded by an oxidized region that is oxidized from the side surface of the island structure and the side surface of the groove portion is formed in the current confining layer in the formation region of the light-emitting thyristor.
7. The light-emitting element according to claim 3, wherein
a non-oxidized region which is surrounded by an oxidized region that is oxidized from the side surface of the island structure and the side surface of the groove portion is formed in the current confining layer in the formation region of the light-emitting thyristor.
8. The light-emitting element according to claim 4, wherein
a non-oxidized region which is surrounded by an oxidized region that is oxidized from the side surface of the island structure and the side surface of the groove portion is formed in the current confining layer in the formation region of the light-emitting thyristor.
9. The light-emitting element according to claim 1, further comprising:
a gate electrode shared with the light-emitting thyristor and formed in the formation region of the shift thyristor of the island structure.
10. The light-emitting element according to claim 2, further comprising:
a gate electrode shared with the light-emitting thyristor and formed in the formation region of the shift thyristor of the island structure.
11. The light-emitting element according to claim 3, further comprising:
a gate electrode shared with the light-emitting thyristor and formed in the formation region of the shift thyristor of the island structure.
12. The light-emitting element according to claim 4, further comprising:
a gate electrode shared with the light-emitting thyristor and formed in the formation region of the shift thyristor of the island structure.
13. The light-emitting element according to claim 9, further comprising:
a diode formed in the island structure in a region of a pn layer separated from the light-emitting thyristor and the shift thyristor, wherein
an anode layer of the diode is shared with the gates of the light-emitting thyristor and the shift thyristor.
14. The light-emitting element according to claim 1, further comprising:
a semiconductor multilayer reflecting mirror disposed between the pnpn structure of the light-emitting thyristor and the semiconductor substrate.
15. A self-scanning light-emitting element array comprising:
a plurality of the light-emitting elements according to claim 1, wherein
a first transfer signal is applied to a cathode layer of the shift thyristor of each of odd-numbered island structures,
a second transfer signal different from the first transfer signal is applied to a cathode layer of the shift thyristor of each of even-numbered island structures, and
the gates of the shift thyristors of the adjacent island structures are electrically connected by the diode.
16. An optical writing head using the light-emitting element array according to claim 15.
17. An image forming apparatus comprising:
the optical writing head according to claim 16.