Abstract: The present disclosure provides a negative electrode for use in a lithium-ion secondary battery capable of protecting the negative electrode from breakage and cracks due to expansion and contraction of an Si-based negative electrode active material. The negative electrode is for use in a lithium-ion secondary battery and includes a negative electrode current collector and a negative electrode active material layer formed on the negative electrode current collector. The negative electrode active material layer contains, as a negative electrode active material, an Si-based negative electrode active material including Si as a component and capable of reversibly absorbing and releasing lithium ions. The negative electrode further includes a high-molecular-weight organic compound for improving durability of the lithium-ion secondary battery. The high-molecular-weight organic compound has a weight-average molecular weight of 1000 or higher.

Abstract: A nonaqueous electrolyte for use in a lithium-ion secondary battery, capable of reducing gas generation due to degradation of nonaqueous electrolyte, is provided. The nonaqueous electrolyte disclosed herein is for use in a lithium-ion secondary battery wherein a negative electrode active material in a negative electrode includes at least one of a Si-based negative electrode active material including Si as a component and capable of reversibly absorbing and releasing lithium ions or a graphite-based carbon negative electrode active material. The nonaqueous electrolyte contains a nonaqueous solvent and an electrolyte dissolved in the nonaqueous solvent, and further contains a cyclic carbonate and a high-molecular-weight organic compound having a weight-average molecular weight of 1000 or higher.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a lithium-ion secondary battery of the present invention includes at least four steps as follows: an initial charging step of charging the lithium-ion secondary battery, which has not been subjected to initial charging, under a temperature environment ranging of equal to or higher than ?20° C. and equal to or lower than 15° C.; an aging step of leaving the lithium-ion secondary battery under a temperature environment ranging of equal to or higher than 30° C. and equal to or lower than 80° C. after the initial charging step; a short circuit detecting step of detecting the presence or absence of a short circuit of the lithium-ion secondary battery by measuring a voltage drop quantity of the lithium-ion secondary battery and comparing the voltage drop quantity with a reference value; and a sorting step of sorting out a lithium-ion secondary battery in which no short circuit is detected.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a lithium-ion secondary battery of the present invention includes at least four steps as follows: an initial charging step of charging the lithium-ion secondary battery, which has not been subjected to initial charging, under a temperature environment ranging of equal to or higher than ?20° C. and equal to or lower than 15° C.; an aging step of leaving the lithium-ion secondary battery under a temperature environment ranging of equal to or higher than 30° C. and equal to or lower than 80° C. after the initial charging step; a short circuit detecting step of detecting the presence or absence of a short circuit of the lithium-ion secondary battery by measuring a voltage drop quantity of the lithium-ion secondary battery and comparing the voltage drop quantity with a reference value; and a sorting step of sorting out a lithium-ion secondary battery in which no short circuit is detected.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a transfer belt, a transfer roller, a conductive roller, and a power source. The transfer roller includes a metal shaft electrically floating during an imaging operation. The conductive roller has an electrical resistance lower than an electrical resistance of the transfer roller. The power source is electrically connected to the conductive roller, and the power source includes a first supply path to supply a first electrical bias to the conductive roller during an imaging operation and a second supply path to supply a second electrical bias to the transfer roller during a cleaning operation.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a lithium-ion secondary battery of the present invention includes at least four steps as follows: an initial charging step of charging the lithium-ion secondary battery, which has not been subjected to initial charging, under a temperature environment ranging of equal to or higher than ?20° C. and equal to or lower than 15° C.; an aging step of leaving the lithium-ion secondary battery under a temperature environment ranging of equal to or higher than 30° C. and equal to or lower than 80° C. after the initial charging step; a short circuit detecting step of detecting the presence or absence of a short circuit of the lithium-ion secondary battery by measuring a voltage drop quantity of the lithium-ion secondary battery and comparing the voltage drop quantity with a reference value; and a sorting step of sorting out a lithium-ion secondary battery in which no short circuit is detected.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a transfer belt, a transfer roller, a conductive roller, and a power source. The transfer roller includes a metal shaft electrically floating during an imaging operation. The conductive device has an electrical resistance lower than an electrical resistance of the transfer roller. The power source is electrically connected to the conductive device, and the power source includes a first supply path to supply a first electrical bias to the conductive device during an imaging operation and a second supply path to supply a second electrical bias to the transfer roller during a cleaning operation.

Abstract: An electrochemical device comprising an electrode assembly in which two types of electrodes are stacked or wound with separators interposed therebetween and an outer container that accommodates the electrode assembly; wherein electrode terminals extend to the outside from within the outer container. The films which cover the electrode assembly overlap each other on the outside of the outer peripheral portion of the electrode assembly, and the outer container is formed by bonding the films to each other. The portion of the films that overlap and are bonded to each other comprises a first sealed portion in which the films overlap and are bonded to each other in an overlapping state with the electrode terminals interposed therebetween, and comprises a second sealed portion in which the films are bonded to each other in a directly overlapping state without interposition of the electrode terminals.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to further lower the viscosity of a sulfur compound solid electrolyte dispersion paste while suppressing sedimentation of a sulfur compound solid electrolyte. Provided is a sulfur compound solid electrolyte dispersion paste for secondary batteries, containing a dispersion resin (A), a sulfur compound solid electrolyte (B) and a solvent (C), wherein the dispersion resin (A) contains at least one type of acrylic resin (a) having a weight-average molecular weight of 3000 or higher.

Abstract: A method for bonding separators (3) having a multilayer structure that comprises a substrate layer (3a) and a ceramic layer (3b), the ceramic layer (3b) being laminated on at least one surface of the substrate layer (3a) and having higher heat resistance properties than the substrate layer (3a), the method comprising steps of: applying an adhesive member (10) onto the ceramic layer (3b) and then peeling off the adhesive member (10) to remove a portion of the ceramic layer (3b) together with the adhesive member (10); and heating a portion of the separator (3), from which the ceramic layer (3b) has been removed, to heat-weld the separator (3) to other separator (3).

Abstract: An electrochemical device comprising an electrode assembly in which two types of electrodes are stacked or wound with separators interposed therebetween and an outer container that accommodates the electrode assembly; wherein electrode terminals extend to the outside from within the outer container. The films which cover the electrode assembly overlap each other on the outside of the outer peripheral portion of the electrode assembly, and the outer container is formed by bonding the films to each other. The portion of the films that overlap and are bonded to each other comprises a first sealed portion in which the films overlap and are bonded to each other in an overlapping state with the electrode terminals interposed therebetween, and comprises a second sealed portion in which the films are bonded to each other in a directly overlapping state without interposition of the electrode terminals.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to further lower the viscosity of a sulfur compound solid electrolyte dispersion paste while suppressing sedimentation of a sulfur compound solid electrolyte. Provided is a sulfur compound solid electrolyte dispersion paste for secondary batteries, containing a dispersion resin (A), a sulfur compound solid electrolyte (B) and a solvent (C), wherein the dispersion resin (A) contains at least one type of acrylic resin (a) having a weight-average molecular weight of 3000 or higher.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a lithium-ion secondary battery of the present invention includes at least four steps as follows: an initial charging step of charging the lithium-ion secondary battery, which has not been subjected to initial charging, under a temperature environment ranging of equal to or higher than ?20° C. and equal to or lower than 15° C.; an aging step of leaving the lithium-ion secondary battery under a temperature environment ranging of equal to or higher than 30° C. and equal to or lower than 80° C. after the initial charging step; a short circuit detecting step of detecting the presence or absence of a short circuit of the lithium-ion secondary battery by measuring a voltage drop quantity of the lithium-ion secondary battery and comparing the voltage drop quantity with a reference value; and a sorting step of sorting out a lithium-ion secondary battery in which no short circuit is detected.

Abstract: A fixing device includes: an endless fusing belt; a heater; a nip member; and a backup member. The endless fusing belt has a width in a widthwise direction. The nip member is disposed spaced apart from the heater. The nip member has a contact surface. The contact surface has widthwise end portions in the widthwise direction. The backup member is configured to nip the fusing belt in cooperation with the nip member. The fusing belt is configured to move in a moving direction at a position where the fusing belt is nipped between the nip member and the backup member. The contact surface has at least two grooves one formed in corresponding one of the widthwise end portions and another formed in the other of the widthwise end portions and extending at an angle equal to or smaller than 10 degrees with respect to the moving direction.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a method for forming a multilayer coating film, the method making it possible to obtain, with excellent curability at low temperatures and in a short period of time, a multilayer coating film exhibiting an excellent finished appearance. The present invention provides a method for forming a multilayer coating film, wherein a substrate is sequentially coated with at least one layer of one or more base coating compositions, and with one or more clear coating compositions, the method being characterized by utilizing a clear coating composition containing a hydroxy-containing acrylic resin (A) having a hydroxy value in a specific range; a polyisocyanate compound (B) having a viscosity in a specific range; and an organometallic catalyst (C) containing a metallic compound (C1) in which the metal is a member selected from the group consisting of zinc, tin, zirconium, bismuth, lead, cobalt, manganese, titanium, aluminum, and molybdenum, and an amidine compound (C2).

Abstract: A fixing device may include an endless belt and a nip member in contact with an inner peripheral surface of the endless belt. The fixing device may further include a backup member that nips the endless belt together with the nip member. The fixing device may include a contact member disposed opposite the backup member with the nip member therebetween. The contact member may be in contact with the nip member. The contact member may include a first portion that extends across a width of a maximum image forming area and a second portion positioned outside the width of the maximum image forming area and inside a width of the nip in an axial direction of the endless belt. A heat transfer coefficient per unit dimension between the nip member and the second portion may be smaller than that between the nip member and the first portion.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a method for forming a multilayer coating film, capable of achieving excellent curability under low-temperature, short-time conditions, and forming a multilayer coating film having excellent chipping resistance and an excellent finished appearance. This method comprises sequentially applying an aqueous first colored coating composition (X), an aqueous second colored coating composition (Y), and a clear coating composition (Z) to a substrate, and simultaneously bake-curing the resulting multilayer coating film. In this method, the aqueous first colored coating composition (X) comprises an aqueous film-forming resin (A) and a specific blocked polyisocyanate compound (B), and the clear coating composition (Z) comprises a hydroxy-containing acrylic resin (K) having a hydroxy value in a specific range, a polyisocyanate compound (L), and an organometallic catalyst (M) containing a metal compound (M1) selected from a specific range and an amidine compound (M2).

Abstract: A fixing device includes an endless belt, a backup roller, and a nip member having a first slide contact surface, a second slide contact surface, and a connecting surface connecting the first and second slide contact surfaces. A curvature radius of the second slide contact surface is greater than that of the backup roller in cross section perpendicular to an axis of the backup roller. The connecting surface is disposed between a first imaginary plane and a second imaginary plane, the first imaginary plane including an edge of the endless belt and extending perpendicularly to the axis of the backup roller, the second imaginary plane including an end of a maximum image area proximate to the edge of the endless belt and extending perpendicularly to the axis of the backup roller.

Abstract: A fixing device includes an endless belt extending in a first direction and configured to rotate, a nip member extending in the first direction and disposed in contact with an inner surface of the endless belt, a backup member extending in the first direction and disposed in contact with an outer surface of the endless belt such that that the backup roller and the nip member sandwich the endless belt therebetween and the backup member and the endless belt form a nip therebetween, a first heating element extending along the endless belt in the first direction and configured to generate heat, and an inner surface guide disposed in contact with an end portion of the inner surface of the endless belt in the first direction and spaced apart from the nip in a second direction. The inner surface guide includes a second heating element configured to generate heat.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus may include a main body having a surface. The main body may accommodate a photosensitive member disposed away from the surface and along a conveying path and a fuser. The fuser may be disposed downstream from the photosensitive member along the conveying path and have a portion disposed further away from the surface than the photosensitive member. The fuser may include an endless belt and a nip plate. The nip plate may include a first surface with lubricant thereon that faces an inner surface of the endless belt, and a second surface that extends from an end of the first surface. The second surface may be spaced apart from the inner surface of the endless belt and include a furthest downstream portion of the nip plate.