Abstract: A non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery is produced using a non-aqueous electrolyte including: a non-aqueous solvent that primarily contains a solvent mixture of ethylene carbonate and propylene carbonate and includes a fluorine-substituted ether having a divalent group represented by a formula: —CFX—CH(CH3)—O—, where X is a hydrogen atom or fluorine atom, in a molecule thereof; and a lithium salt that is dissolved in the non-aqueous solvent. The non-aqueous electrolyte has favorable wettability towards a polyolefin separator, and improves the cycle characteristics and the load characteristics of the non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery.

Abstract: In a negative electrode for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery including an active material portion capable of electrochemically absorbing and desorbing Li, a current collector carrying the active material portion, and a buffer interposed between the active material portion and the current collector, the active material portion includes at least one selected from the group consisting of a Si simple substance, a Si alloy, and a Si compound, the current collector includes Cu, and the buffer has a first layer contacting the current collector and including a group A element which is at least one selected from the group A consisting of Sn, Al, and In, and a second layer contacting the active material portion and including a group B element which is at least one selected from the group B consisting of transition metal elements other than Cu.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes image forming units, a toner supply device, a common-unit detection device, an initial operation execution device, and a determination device. Each image forming unit is detachably provided in the image forming apparatus, and includes at least a development device containing toner. At least two of the image forming units are common image forming units having a common structure. When the common-unit detection device detects a common image forming unit at installation thereof, the initial operation execution device supplies a predetermined amount of toner to a development device of the common image forming unit and mixes to charge the toner by friction for a predetermined time period. Then, the. determination device detects whether the toner in the development device is charged to a predetermined level, and determines, based on the detection, whether to mix the toner one more time for another predetermined time.

Abstract: A non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery of the present invention includes a positive electrode including an active material absorbing and desorbing lithium ions, a negative electrode including an active material absorbing and desorbing lithium ions, a separator interposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, and a non-aqueous electrolyte. The separator includes a material containing a substituent group with electron-withdrawing property. The non-aqueous electrolyte includes a non-aqueous solvent and a solute dissolved therein, and the non-aqueous solvent includes at least one selected from the group consisting of a fluorine-containing aromatic solvent, a fluorine-containing cyclic carbonic acid ester, and a fluorine-containing cyclic carboxylic acid ester.

Abstract: The present invention provides a high-capacity and low-cost non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery, comprising: a negative electrode containing, as a negative electrode active material, a ssubstance capable of absorbing/desorbing lithium ions and/or metal lithium; a separator; a positive electrode; and an electrolyte, wherein the positive electrode active material contained in the positive electrode is composed of crystalline particles of an oxide containing two kinds of transition metal elements, the crystalline particles having a layered crystal structure, and oxygen atoms constituting the oxide forming a cubic closest packing structure.

Abstract: A non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery including a positive electrode, a negative electrode and a non-aqueous electrolyte, wherein the non-aqueous electrolyte includes an onium compound, a lithium salt and a chain carbonate having a C?C unsaturated bond. The onium compound is preferably at least one selected from the group consisting of a chain quaternary ammonium compound, a pyrrolidinium compound and a piperidinium compound. The chain carbonate having a C?C unsaturated bond is preferably at least one selected from the group consisting of diallyl carbonate and allyl phenyl carbonate.

Abstract: A positive electrode active material for a non-aqueous electrolyte battery comprising a lithium-containing transition metal oxide, produced with the use of a dry precursor obtained by: introducing an alkaline solution together with an aqueous solution containing two or more of transition metal salts or two kinds or more of aqueous solutions of different transition metal salts into a reaction vessel to obtain a hydroxide or an oxide as a precursor through coprecipitation with a reductant being coexistent or an inert gas being supplied; and drying the precursor at 300 to 500° C. to obtain a dry precursor.

Abstract: An electrochemical energy storage device includes a negative electrode which contains a carbon material and has a negative electrode potential of 1.4 V or less relative to a lithium reference when being charged, and a non-aqueous electrolyte solution prepared by dissolving a lithium salt, an ammonium salt, and at least one kind of fluorinated benzene selected among hexafluorobenzene, pentafluorobenzene, 1,2,3,4-tetrafluorobenzene, 1,2,3,5-tetrafluorobenzene, 1,2,4,5-tetrafluorobenzene and 1,2,3-trifluorobenzene, in a non-aqueous solvent.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a light source unit configured to emit a light beam, an optical deflector configured to generate a scanning light beam from the light beam of the light source unit, an optical writer having an optical system configured to guide the scanning light beam from the optical deflector onto a surface to be scanned of image carriers and forming an image thereon: and a memory unit to store a plurality of shading correction data that is configured to correct a light shading caused by a light loss between the light beam and the scanning light beam due to accumulation of dirt on the optical deflector.

Abstract: A non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery of the present invention includes a positive electrode including a nickel-containing lithium composite oxide as a positive electrode active material, a negative electrode, a separator interposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode. The separator includes at least one selected from the group consisting of a layer including a polymer of a monomer containing halogen atoms but not containing a hydrogen atom and a layer including an inorganic oxide. The combination of the foregoing positive electrode including a nickel-containing lithium composite oxide and the foregoing separator makes it possible to suppress the deterioration in the rate performance of the battery when the battery is stored, particularly when the battery is stored under high voltage and high temperature.

Abstract: In order to provide a 3V level non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery with a flat voltage and excellent cycle life at a high rate with low cost, the present invention provides a positive electrode represented by the formula: Li2±?[Me]4O8?x, wherein 0??<0.4, 0?x<2, and Me is a transition metal containing Mn and at least one selected from the group consisting of Ni, Cr, Fe, Co and Cu, said active material exhibiting topotactic two-phase reactions during charge and discharge.

Abstract: A non-aqueous electrolyte of the present invention contains a lithium salt (A), a quaternary ammonium salt (B) containing a straight chain alkyl group having carbon atoms of 4 or less and a solvent (C) composed of at least one compound selected from the group consisting of ethylene carbonate, propylene carbonate, butylene carbonate, ?-butyrolactone, dimethyl carbonate, ethyl methyl carbonate, diethyl carbonate, dimethoxyethane, ethoxymethoxyethane and diethoxyethane. The molar ratio C/A of the solvent (C) to the lithium salt (A) or the molar ratio C/B of the solvent (C) to the ammonium salt (B) is 6 or less. The non-aqueous electrolyte has a single phase. Consequently, there can be obtained a non-aqueous electrolyte of a high ion concentration having an excellent oxidation resistance and reduction resistance.

Abstract: A scanning lens for an optical scanner includes a specific adjusting axis and a curved surface. The specific adjusting axis makes a rotating center of the scanning lens and center of the curved surface. The scanning lens is disposed on a holding member having a receiving surface, so that the curved surface is in contact with the receiving surface. A position of the scanning lens is adjusted by a rotating mechanism that rotates the scanning lens.

Abstract: A nonaqueous electrolyte solution for electrochemical energy-storing device, comprising (a) a lithium salt, (b) a quaternary ammonium salt containing a quaternary ammonium cation having three or more methyl groups, and (c) a nonaqueous solvent, that allows reliable insertion and extraction of lithium ions into and out of a negative-electrode material having a graphite structure even when the quaternary ammonium salt is dissolved in the nonaqueous electrolyte solution, provides an electrochemical energy-storing device that allows a higher voltage setting in charge and is resistant to capacity deterioration even after repeated charge/discharge cycles.

Abstract: A positive electrode active material for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery including a lithium-containing transition metal oxide having a closest-packed cubic structure of oxygen, the lithium-containing transition metal oxide having a composition represented by the formula (1): Li[Lip(NixMnyCoz)1-p]O2, where x, y, and z represent element contents of nickel, manganese, and cobalt, respectively, and satisfies 0.2+y?x?0.7, 0.15?y, 0.05?z, x+y+z=1, and 0?p?0.1.

Abstract: Provided is a non-aqueous electrolyte for a secondary battery including a non-aqueous solvent, a solute dissolved in the non-aqueous solvent, and an additive, in which the additive includes an unsaturated chain hydrocarbon compound having two or more carbon-carbon unsaturated bonds and including a main chain having five or more carbon atoms. The unsaturated chain hydrocarbon compound preferable as the additive is 1,3-hexadiene or 2,4-hexadiene. The amount of the unsaturated chain hydrocarbon compound is preferably 0.1 to 10 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the non-aqueous solvent.

Abstract: A nonaqueous electrolyte solution being liquid at normal temperature, comprising (A) 1,2-dialkoxyethane represented by Formula: R—O—CH2—CH2—O—R? (wherein, R and R?, which are same or different from each other, independently represent an unsubstituted or fluorine-substituted alkyl group having a carbon number of 3 or less) and (B) lithium bis[trifluoromethanesulfonyl]imide at a molar ratio [(A)/(B)] of 0.75 or more and 2 or less.

Abstract: An optical scanning device includes a deflector that deflects light fluxes emitted from light sources and rotates in a first direction, optical systems that direct deflected light fluxes onto subject surfaces, and a member that prevents a flare beam reflected by one of the optical systems from entering another one of the optical systems. The deflector includes first edges in the first direction and the member includes second edges arranged in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The second edges are out of alignment with each other in the first direction so that a first edge does not pass all of the second edges simultaneously.

Abstract: A composite negative electrode active material including silicon oxide particles represented by SiOx (0.05<x<1.95) capable of charging and discharging lithium, carbon nanofibers (CFN) bonded to the surface of the silicon oxide particles and a catalyst element for promoting the growth of carbon nanofiber. For example, Au, Ag, Pt, Ru, Ir, Cu, Fe, Co, Ni, Mo or Mn is preferred as the catalyst element.

Abstract: A non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery including a positive electrode and a negative electrode each capable of absorbing and desorbing lithium, a separator interposed therebetween, and a non-aqueous electrolyte, wherein the positive electrode includes a positive electrode active material represented by: LiM1-xLxO2 where 0.005?x?0.1 is satisfied, M is at least one selected from the group consisting of Mn, Co and Ni, and L is at least one selected from the group consisting of Mg, Al, Ti, Sr, Zn, B, Ca, Cr, Si, Ga, Sn, P, V, Sb, Nb, Ta, Mo, W, Zr, Y and Fe, and the non-aqueous electrolyte includes a phosphinate compound represented by: where R1, R2 and R3 are each independently an aryl group, or an alkyl group, an alkenyl group or an alkynyl group each having 1 to 5 carbon atoms.