Author: claimsbot

1. A vacuum cleaner, comprising:
a cleaner body having a suction motor, a dust collecting unit, and a body frame in which the suction motor and the dust-collecting unit are disposed;
a suction inlet body hinged to a lower end of the body frame;
an extension pipe assembly detachably fixed on the body frame, the extension pipe assembly having a hose and an extension pipe connected in fluid communication with the hose; and
a suction path switching unit disposed on the body frame and having a switching duct, at least a portion of the switching duct is elastically arranged on a suction path to be displaceable on the suction path,
wherein, as the extension pipe is fixed on or separated from the body frame, the portion of the switching duct is selectively displaced to a first position of opening a first suction path flowing from the suction inlet body to the dust collecting unit or a second position of opening a second suction path flowing from the extension pipe to the dust collecting unit.
2. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the switching duct is entirely elastically arranged on the suction path to be movable up and down on the suction path.
3. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 2, wherein the suction path switching unit further comprises:
a first suction duct having a first side fluidly communicating with the suction inlet body;
a second suction duct having a first side fluidly communicating with the hose; and
a guide duct fluidly communicating with the dust collecting unit,
wherein the switching duct at a first side thereof is in fluid communication with the guide duct and at a second side thereof, selectively fluidly communicates with one of the second sides of the first suction duct and the second suction duct.
4. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 3, wherein the switching duct at the first side thereof is slidably inserted into the guide duct, and
wherein the second sides of the first suction duct and the second suction duct are arranged on the same vertical line in a relation corresponding to a moving section of the switching duct to each other, such that the switching duct moves up or down to fluidly communicate with the first suction duct or the second suction duct.
5. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 4, wherein the switching duct further comprises a partition extending therefrom, the switching duct being disposed on the same vertical line so that when the switching duct is in the second position the partition blocks the first suction duct.
6. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 3, wherein the switching duct has an upper outer circumference thereof formed integrally with a push projection pressed or released by the extension pipe, the extension pipe being slidably inserted into a socket formed on the body frame thus to be insertable into or separatable from the socket.
7. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 6, wherein, as the push projection is released by the extension pipe and upwardly and elastically supported by a return spring, the switching duct fluidly communicates with the second suction duct.
8. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the switching duct has a portion formed to be bendable and capable of expansion and contraction.
9. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 8, wherein the suction path switching unit further comprises:
a first suction duct having a first side fluidly communicating with the suction inlet body;
a second suction duct having a first side fluidly communicating with the hose;
a guide duct having a first side fluidly communicating with the dust collecting unit;
a housing which fluidly communicates with second sides of the first suction duct, the second suction duct, and the guide duct, wherein the switching duct is disposed in the housing so that the portion of the switching duct is displaceable to one of the first position and the second position to be in fluid communication with the first suction duct and the second suction duct, respectively, and the rest of the of the switching duct is in fluid communication with the guide duct; and
a switch operating part connected to the portion of the switching duct within the housing to selectively displace the portion of the switching duct to one of the first position and the second position in cooperation with an operation of fixing or separating the extension pipe on or from the body frame.
10. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 9, wherein the switching duct comprises:
a fixing part fixed in fluid communication with the guide duct within the housing;
a moving part selectively displaceable to one of the first position and the second position to be in fluid communication with one of the first suction duct and the second suction duct within the housing; and
a connecting part formed to be bendable and capable of expansion and contraction and to interconnect the fixing part and the moving part.
11. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 10, wherein the connecting part comprises a bellows type hose.
12. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 10, wherein the moving part comprises a free end fluidly communicating with the first suction duct or the second suction duct, the free end having a gasket disposed to seal between the moving part and the first suction duct or the second suction duct.
13. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 10, wherein the switch operating part comprises:
a rotating lever having a first end that is connected to the moving part and a first side of a second end that is rotatably supported on the housing;
a pushing part having a first side that is hinged to a second side of the second end of the rotating lever and a second side that penetrates through the housing and is exposed to the outside of the housing; and
a returning spring to elastically support the pushing part to push the pushing part outside the housing.
14. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 13, wherein the housing has a supporting hole formed in the form of a vertical oval at an inner center of the housing,
wherein the first side of the second end of the rotating lever has a supporting axis displaceably supported in the supporting hole.
15. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 13, wherein the switch operating part further comprises a guide part to guide the rotating lever to correctly rotate.
16. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 15, wherein the guide part comprises a guide rib projected from the housing within the housing to guide an outer edge of the rotating lever when the rotating lever rotates.

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 process of manufacturing a structural component with an end fitting made from an organic matrix composite, the process comprising:
providing a mandrel with a main axis;
providing a reinforcement at an end of the mandrel to present an assembly, the reinforcement including a bore which pierces through main faces of the reinforcement, the bore including an axis perpendicular to the main axis of the mandrel;
inserting pins into the reinforcement such that the pins project outwardly from the main faces of the reinforcement, all of the pins being perpendicular to the main axis of the mandrel and to the main faces of the reinforcement;
braiding rovings of a fibrous material onto the assembly, the braiding of the rovings in a region of the reinforcement crisscrossing around the pins forming a cross shape around the pins to produce a preform;
impregnating the preform with an organic resin; and
curing the impregnated preform,
wherein the bore houses a connecting member.
2. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein a reinforcement is positioned at each end of the mandrel.
3. The process as claimed in claim 2, wherein the reinforcement is a fibrous reinforcement.
4. The process as claimed in claim 3, wherein the reinforcement is formed of a resin impregnated fibrous material.
5. The process as claimed in claim 4, wherein, with the mandrel formed of a resin impregnated fibrous material, the resin of the mandrel and of the reinforcement is precured before the fibrous structure is braided and the assembly undergoes full curing once resin has been injected into the fibrous structure.
6. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the reinforcement has a rectangular cross section.
7. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pins are incorporated into the reinforcement either in a first region situated between the mandrel and a region of the bore, or in a second region situated on another side of the bore in relation to the mandrel, or in both the first region and the second region.
8. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pins are arranged in a grid pattern, spacing between the pins allowing at least one roving and the crossing of two rovings to be accommodated therein.
9. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein a height of the pins is at most equal to a height of the braiding.
10. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pins are made of metal or of carbon.

1: A fixing member including a substrate, an elastic layer including heat resistance rubber provided on the substrate, and a separation layer including fluorocarbon resin provided on said elastic layer, said elastic layer including silicone rubber andor fluorosilicone rubber as a major component, the fixing member made by a method comprising:
baking the separation layer on the elastic layer at a temperature lower than an oxidation starting temperature of the heat resistance rubber such that said heat resistance rubber in said elastic layer does not oxidize and said separation layer does not crack,
wherein said fluorocarbon resin has a tensile strength such that a 30 \u03bcm coating film baked at 340\xb0 C. has a tensile strength equal to or greater than 25 MPa.
2: The fixing member according to claim 1, wherein said baking the separation layer includes baking said fluorocarbon resin including Tetrafluoroethylene\u2022Perfluoroalkylvinylether copolymer resin (PFA) as a major component.
3: The fixing member according to claim 1, wherein said baking the separation layer includes baking said separation layer containing inorganic filler.
4: The fixing member according to claim 3, wherein said baking the separation layer includes baking said separation layer containing said inorganic filler including carbon.
5: The fixing member according to claim 4, wherein said baking the separation layer includes baking said separation layer containing said inorganic filler including a content of said carbon from 1 mass % to 5 mass %.
6: The fixing member according to claim 1, wherein said substrate is a roller made of a metal member including aluminum, stainless steel, brass, or iron.
7: The fixing member according to claim 1, wherein said substrate is (a) a sheet or an endless belt made of a metal member including stainless steel, or nickel, (b) a sheet or an endless belt made of heat resistance rubber including polyimide or polyamideimide, or (c) a laminated sheet or an endless belt in which said (a) and (b) are laminated.
8: An image forming apparatus comprising the fixing member according to claim 1.
9: A manufacturing method of a fixing member comprising:
forming a first primer layer by applying first primer onto a substrate surrounding an aperture configured to receive a heater;
forming an elastic layer by applying heat resistance synthetic rubber solution onto said first primer layer, said elastic layer including silicone rubber andor fluorosilicone rubber as a major component, said elastic layer not including any oxidized heat resistance synthetic rubber solution;
forming a second primer layer by applying second primer onto said elastic layer;
forming a fluorocarbon resin applied layer by applying dispersion liquid or powdered paint including fluorocarbon resin with which a tensile strength of a 30 \u03bcm coating film burned at 340\xb0 C. is equal or greater than 25 MPa as a major component onto said second primer layer, said fluorocarbon resin applied layer not including any cracks; and
baking said fluorocarbon resin applied layer with a baking temperature which is equal or higher than 340\xb0 C. and less than a temperature for starting oxidation of the heat resistance synthetic rubber constituting said elastic layer such that the elastic layer is not oxidized and cracks are not formed in the fluorocarbon resin applied layer.
10: The manufacturing method of the fixing member according to claim 9, wherein said fluorocarbon resin comprises Tetrafluoroethylene\u2022Perfluoroalkylvinylether copolymer resin (PFA).
11: The manufacturing method of the fixing member according to claim 9, wherein said dispersion liquid or said powdered paint contains inorganic filler.
12: The manufacturing method of the fixing member according to claim 11, wherein said inorganic filler comprises a carbon.
13: The manufacturing method of the fixing member according to claim 12, wherein a content of said carbon is from 1 mass % to 5 mass %.
14: The manufacturing method of the fixing member according to claim 9, wherein said substrate is a roller made of a metal member including aluminum, stainless still, brass, or iron.
15: The manufacturing method of the fixing member according to claim 9, wherein said substrate is (a) a sheet or an endless belt made of a metal member including stainless still or nickel, (b) a sheet or an endless belt made of a metal member including polyimide or polyamideimide, or (c) a laminated sheet or an endless belt in which said (a) and (b) are laminated.
16: A manufacturing method of an image forming apparatus comprising:
forming a first primer layer by applying first primer onto a substrate surrounding an aperture configured to receive a heater;
forming an elastic layer by applying heat resistance synthetic rubber solution onto said first primer layer, said elastic layer including silicone rubber andor fluorosilicone rubber as a major component, said elastic layer not including any oxidized heat resistance synthetic rubber solution;
forming a second primer layer by applying second primer onto said elastic layer;
forming a fluorocarbon resin applied layer by applying dispersion liquid or powdered paint including fluorocarbon resin with which a tensile strength of a 30 \u03bcm coating film burned at 340\xb0 C. is equal or greater than 25 MPa as a major component onto said second primer layer, said fluorocarbon resin applied layer not including any cracks;
baking said fluorocarbon resin applied layer with a baking temperature which is equal or higher than 340\xb0 C. and less than a temperature for starting oxidation of the heat resistance synthetic rubber constructing said elastic layer such that the elastic layer is not oxidized and cracks are not formed in the fluorocarbon resin applied layer; and
incorporating the fixing member obtained by said steps into an image forming apparatus.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

What is claimed is:

1. A fuel cell stack comprising a plurality of fuel cells stacked together, said fuel cells each including a pair of separators, and an electrolyte electrode assembly interposed between said separators, said electrolyte electrode assembly including an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte interposed between said anode and said cathode, said fuel cell stack further comprising:
current collectors stacked on outermost fuel cells at opposite ends in a stacking direction of said fuel cells; and
a heating member stacked on the outside of at least one of said current collectors, said heating member having a power outputting terminal for conducting electricity from said fuel cell stack.
2. A fuel cell stack according to claim 1, further comprising:
a switch connected to a power outputting terminal of said current collector and said outputting terminal of said heating member;
a temperature sensor connected to said heating member;
a control unit for controlling said switch based on a detection signal outputted from said temperature sensor.
3. A fuel cell stack according to claim 2, wherein
said power outputting terminal of said heating member has a cylindrical shape, and extends in said stacking direction; and
said power outputting terminal of said current collector has a rod shape, and extends through said outputting terminal of said heating member such that an end of said power outputting terminal of said current collector is exposed to the outside.
4. A fuel cell stack according to claim 2, wherein
said power outputting terminal of said heating member has a planar shape and a bent portion, and formed at an end of said heating member, and said power outputting terminal of said current collector has a planar shape and a bent portion, and formed at an end of said current collector.
5. A fuel cell stack according to claim 2, wherein
a plurality of heating members are stacked on said current collector; and
electricity from said fuel cell stack is delivered through an arbitrary number of said heating members selected by said switch.
6. A method of operating a fuel cell stack comprising a plurality of fuel cells stacked together, said fuel cells each including a pair of separators, and an electrolyte electrode assembly interposed between said separators, said electrolyte electrode assembly including an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte interposed between said anode and said cathode, said fuel cell stack further comprising:
current collectors stacked on outermost fuel cells at opposite ends in a stacking direction of said fuel cells; and
a heating member stacked on the outside of at least one of said current collectors, said heating member having a power outputting terminal for conducting electricity from said fuel cell stack,
said method comprising the steps of:
determining whether said fuel cell stack is in a normal operating condition;
delivering electricity from said fuel cell stack through said power outputting terminal of said heating member if it is determined that said fuel cell stack is not in said normal operating condition; and
performing a switching operation to stop delivering said electricity from said fuel cell stack through said power outputting terminal of said heating member and start delivering said electricity from said fuel cell stack through said current collector if it is determined that said fuel cell stack is in said normal operating condition.
7. An operating method according to claim 6, wherein said normal operating condition is a condition in which the temperature of said heating member is not less than a predetermined temperature.
8. An operating method according to claim 6, wherein
a plurality of heating members are stacked on the outside of said current collector; and
electricity from said fuel cell stack is delivered through an arbitrary number of said heating members if it is determined that said fuel cell stack is not in said normal operating condition.