Abstract: A cleanbox that can prevent contamination from not only external sources but also from within the cleanbox from such sources as substrates and internal components of the cleanbox, includes a casing container (18) formed by a container main body (12) and a lid member (14) for hermetically sealing a top opening section of the container main body; a dividing wall (20) for forming circulation paths having an upstreaming path and a downstreaming paths within the casing container; a substrate holding section (24) disposed in the upstreaming path for holding broad surfaces of substrates (W) approximately parallel to the upstreaming path; an air filter (26) and a gas removal filter (28) disposed upstream in relation to the substrate holding section in the upstreaming path; and a motor-driven fan (30) housed in the casing container for producing air streams circulating in the circulating paths.

Abstract: An air purifying filter which comprises: (a) an ion-exchange fiber filter and (b) a high- or ultrahigh-performance filter comprising glass fibers is disclosed. The ion-exchange fiber filter preferably comprises a fibrous substrate and ion-exchange groups and hydrophilic groups which are chemically bound to the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A method for evaluating performance of a chemical filter element is disclosed. A moisture content, a weight or a pressure loss of a filter element including an ion exchanger is determined, and the determined value is compared with a prescribed value. Alternatively, the determined value is converted into a residual ion exchange capacity of the filter element, and the residual ion exchange capacity is compared with a prescribed value. When the determined value or the residual ion exchange capacity is equal to or less than the prescribed value, the filter element is exchanged. On the other hand, when the determined value or the residual ion exchange capacity is more than the prescribed value, after waiting a prescribed period, the determining step and the comparing step are repeated.

Abstract: A process for producing a fabric absorbent that is capable of efficient removal of odorous substances, in particular malodorous substances. The absorbent is obtained by exposing an organic high-molecular weight compound, such as polyolefinic polymers or halogenated polyolefinic polymers, to an ionizing radiation and thereafter graft polymerizing the high-molecular weight compound with a polymerizable monomer that contains ion-exchange groups and/or a polymerizable monomer that can be converted to ion-exchange groups so as to incorporate the ion-exchange groups in the high-molecular weight compound.

Abstract: A toner image fixing device which has a satisfactory self-stripping ability to suppress the formation of creases of an envelope, and to prevent the abrasion of the elastic layers of a pair of toner image fixing rollers. In the fixing device, surface strain .di-elect cons.h in the circumferential direction of the first elastic layer of a first toner image fixing roller which comes in contact with a non-fixed toner image on a recording medium, and surface strain .di-elect cons.p in the circumferential direction of the second elastic layer of a second toner image fixing roller are defined by:.di-elect cons.h.gtoreq.0.0583 (.DELTA..di-elect cons.).sup.4 -0.6 (.DELTA..di-elect cons.).sup.3 +2.1917(.DELTA..di-elect cons.).sup.2 -3.65(.DELTA..di-elect cons.)+6where .di-elect cons.h<6%, .DELTA..di-elect cons..ltoreq.3% and .DELTA..di-elect cons.=.di-elect cons.h-.di-elect cons.p.

Abstract: The improved electrically regenerable demineralizing apparatus uses ion exchangers that are produced by radiation-initiated graft polymerization and that are packed in the demineralizing compartment of an electrodialyzer. The apparatus may use a mosaic ion exchanger that consists of alternately arranged cation- and anion-exchange groups. Alternately, the apparatus may have an immobilized amino acid packed in the demineralizing compartment of an electrodialyzer. The apparatus maintains consistent water quality for a prolonged time, is capable of treating from small to large volumes of water and yet is easy to service and manage.

Abstract: The improved electrically regenerable demineralizing apparatus uses ion exchangers that are produced by radiation-initiated graft polymerization and that are packed in the demineralizing compartment of an electrodialyzer. The apparatus may use a mosaic ion exchanger that consists of alternately arranged cation- and anion-exchange groups. Alternately, the apparatus may have an immobilized amino acid packed in the demineralizing compartment of an electrodialyzer. The apparatus maintains consistent water quality for a prolonged time, is capable of treating from small to large volumes of water and yet is easy to service and manage.

Abstract: An image reader is capable of improving the quality of reading a transmission manuscript and of reducing a cost for a luminaire power source compared with the conventional image reader.

Abstract: An absorber is capable of selective adsorption and removal of acidic gases of sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, chlorine compounds and sulfur-containing compounds such as hydrogen sulfide, as well as organic acid gases. The absorber is characterized by having a metal phthalocyanine supported on an ion exchanger, wherein the ion exchanger has a quarternary ammonium group as an ion-exchange group and the metal phthalocyanine contains iron phthalocyanine in an amount of 0.05-30 wt % of the ion exchanger.