Abstract: In a charging member having a support and one or more cover layer(s), the ten-point average surface roughness of the surface of the charging member, the height of a hill of the surface of the charging member, the area at the part of the hill, and the area of a region surrounded by hills each having the height H (?m) and other hills each having a height of not less than the height H (?m), and not including any hills having a height of more than 0.5H (?m) satisfy a specific relationship. Also, a surface layer of the charging member contains high-molecular compound particles whose average particle diameter is between 2 and 50 ?m and whose range of particle size distribution of average particle diameter is above 0?m and not greater than 7 ?m.

Abstract: In a conductive member having a support and provided thereon at least one cover layer, the cover layer has a surface layer, and the surface layer contains fine particles. In the surface layer, fine particles present at the surface-layer lower part corresponding to a range within 30% of the total layer thickness from the lowermost plane have an average particle diameter which is larger than the average particle diameter of fine particles present at the surface-layer upper part corresponding to a range within 30% of the total layer thickness from the uppermost plane. A process cartridge and an electrophotographic apparatus have such a conductive member.

Abstract: A thermoplastic elastomer composition dynamically vulcanized to a gelation rate of 50 to 95% which is superior in heat resistance and durability while maintaining flexibility and superior in air permeation preventive property which can be efficiently used as, for example, a pneumatic tire as an air permeation preventive layer. The method includes mixing a composition (C) mixed under conditions of a ratio of melt viscosities of the rubber composition (A)/resin (B) of 0.8 to 1.2 and the formula (?A/?B)×(?B/?A)<1.0 under conditions of a ratio of melt viscosities of the rubber composition (D)/composition (C) of 0.8 to 1.2 and the formula (?D/?C)×(?C/?D)<1.0, wherein ?A: volume fraction of rubber composition (A), ?B: volume fraction of resin (B), ?A: melt viscosity of rubber composition (A), ?B: melt viscosity of resin (B), ?C: volume fraction of composition (C), ?D: volume fraction of rubber composition (D), ?C: melt viscosity of composition (C), ?D: melt viscosity of rubber composition (D).

Abstract: In a charging member having a support and provided thereon one or more cover layer(s), where the ten-point average surface roughness of the surface of the charging member is represented by Rz (&mgr;m), the height of a hill of the surface of the charging member is represented by H (&mgr;m), the area at the part of the hill is represented by Sa (&mgr;m2), and the area of a region surrounded by hills each having the height H (&mgr;m) and other hills each having a height of not less than the height H (&mgr;m), and not including any hills having a height of more than 0.5H (&mgr;m) is represented by Sb (&mgr;m2), these Ra, H, Sa and Sb satisfy a specific relationship.

Abstract: In a conductive member having a support and provided thereon at least one cover layer, the cover layer has a surface layer, and the surface layer contains fine particles. In the surface layer, fine particles present at the surface layer lower part corresponding to a range within 30% of the total layer thickness from the lowermost plane have an average particle diameter which is larger than the average particle diameter of fine particles present at the surface layer upper part corresponding to a range within 30% of the total layer thickness from the uppermost plane. A process cartridge and an electrophotographic apparatus have such a conductive member.

Abstract: A thermoplastic elastomer composition dynamically vulcanized to a gelation rate of 50 to 95% which is superior in heat resistance and durability while maintaining flexibility and superior in air permeation preventive property which can be efficiently used as, for example, a pneumatic tire as an air permeation preventive layer.

Abstract: A process for producing a pneumatic tire using, as an air permeation preventive layer, a strip-shaped or cylindrical-shaped single-layer or multiple-layer thermoplastic film, comprising: applying, to at least a part of the joining portion of the thermoplastic film or tire member facing the thermoplastic film, a tackifier-adhesive composition containing a polymer component having an absolute value of the difference of the critical surface tension with the rubber component of the tire member and the polymer component of the surface layer of the thermoplastic film of not more than 6 mN/m, respectively.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire having an air permeation preventive layer comprising a low permeability thermoplastic elastomer composition comprising a thermoplastic elastomer having a thermoplastic resin composition as a continuous phase and a rubber composition as a dispersed phase, in which a barrier resin composition is contained, which low permeability thermoplastic elastomer composition has a phase structure in which the barrier resin composition is dispersed in the form of a flat state in the thermoplastic elastomer, is abundant in flexibility, is superior in gas permeation preventive property, and enables the tire to be reduced in weight.

Abstract: A thermoplastic elastomer composition dynamically vulcanized to a gelation rate of 50 to 95% which is superior in heat resistance and durability while maintaining flexibility and superior in air permeation preventive property which can be efficiently used as, for example, a pneumatic tire as an air permeation preventive layer. In particular, a thermoplastic elastomer composition having a reduced particle size of the domain rubber is produced by a material having a high rubber ratio by mixing a composition (C) mixed under conditions of a ratio of melt viscosities of the rubber composition (A)/resin (B) of 0.8 to 1.2 and the formula (&phgr;A/&phgr;B)×(&eegr;B/&eegr;A)<1.0 under conditions of a ratio of melt viscosities of the rubber composition (D)/composition (C) of 0.8 to 1.2 and the formula (&phgr;D/&phgr;C)×(&eegr;C/&eegr;D)<1.

Abstract: A polymer composition for a tire having an air permeation coefficient of 25×10−12 cc·cm/cm2·sec ·cmHg (at 30° C.) or less and a Young's modulus of 1 to 500 MPa, including (A) at least 10% by weight, based on the weight of the total polymer component, of at least one thermoplastic resin having an air permeation coefficient of not more than 25×10−12 cc·cm/cm2·sec·cmHg (at 30° C.) and a Young's modulus of more than 500 MPa and (B) at least 10% by weight, based on the total weight of the polymer component, of at least one elastomer component having an air permeation coefficient of more than 25×10−12 cc·cm/cm2·sec·cmHg (at 30° C.) and a Young's modulus of not more than 500 MPa, wherein the total amount (A)+(B) of the component (A) and the component (B) is not less than 30% by weight based on the weight of the total polymer component, and a pneumatic tire obtained therefrom.

Abstract: A thermoplastic elastomer composition dynamically vulcanized to a gelation rate of 50 to 95% which is superior in heat resistance and durability while maintaining flexibility and superior in air permeation preventive property which can be efficiently used as, for example, a pneumatic tire as an air permeation preventive layer. In particular, a thermoplastic elastomer composition having a reduced particle size of the domain rubber is produced by a material having a high rubber ratio by mixing a composition (C) mixed under conditions of a ratio of melt viscosities of the rubber composition (A)/resin (B) of 0.8 to 1.2 and the formula (&phgr;A/&phgr;B)×(&eegr;B/&eegr;A)<1.0 under conditions of a ratio of melt viscosities of the rubber composition (D)/composition (C) of 0.8 to 1.2 and the formula (&phgr;D/&phgr;C)×(&eegr;C/&eegr;D)<1.

Abstract: A thermoplastic elastomer composition which, when used for the inner tube and/or outer cover of a hose, can improve the hose flexibility at an ordinary temperature and low temperature, oil resistance, and cold resistance and can reduce the production costs since it does not require a vulcanization step and a hose having said properties using this elastomer composition for its inner tube and/or outer cover and a process and apparatus for the production thereof.

Abstract: A thermoplastic elastomer composition containing a component (A) (thermoplastic polyolefin resin), component (B) (epoxy-group-containing ethylene acrylic ester copolymer rubber), and component (C) (acid-modified polyolefin resin) comprising a continuous phase of the component (A) in which the component (B) is dispersed as a dispersed phase and is cross-linked by a peroxide; a thermoplastic elastomer composition comprising a continuous phase of a thermoplastic polyolefin resin (A) and a dispersed phase of an epoxy-group-containing ethylene-acrylic ester copolymer rubber component (B) and acrylonitrile butadiene rubber component (C), which is dynamically cross-linked; and a hose having an inner tube, at least one reinforcing layer, and an outer cover, wherein the inner tube and the outer cover contain a thermoplastic elastomer composition comprised of a thermoplastic resin in which is blended an at least partially cross-linked elastomer component, the reinforcing layer is a brass-plated wire, and the reinforcin

Abstract: A process for producing a pneumatic tire using, as an air permeation preventive layer, a strip-shaped or cylindrical-shaped single-layer or multiple-layer thermoplastic film, comprising:applying, to at least a part of the joining portion of the thermoplastic film or tire member facing the thermoplastic film, a tackifier-adhesive composition containing a polymer component having an absolute value of the difference of the critical surface tension with the rubber component of the tire member and the polymer component of the surface layer of the thermoplastic film of not more than 6 mN/m, respectively.

Abstract: A polymer composition for a tire having an air permeation coefficient of 25.times.10.sup.-12 cc.multidot.cm/cm.sup.2 .multidot.sec.multidot.cmHg (at 30.degree. C.) or less and a Young's modulus of 1 to 500 MPa, including (A) at least 10% by weight, based on the weight of the total polymer component, of at least one thermoplastic resin having an air permeation coefficient of not more than 25.times.10.sup.-12 cc.multidot.cm/cm.sup.2 .multidot.sec.multidot.cmHg (at 30.degree. C.) and a Young's modulus of more than 500 MPa and (B) at least 10% by weight, based on the total weight of the polymer component, of at least one elastomer component having an air permeation coefficient of more than 25.times.10.sup.-12 cc.multidot.cm/cm.sup.2 .multidot.sec.multidot.cmHg (at 30.degree. C.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire having an air permeation preventive layer comprising a low permeability thermoplastic elastomer composition comprising a thermoplastic elastomer having a thermoplastic resin composition as a continuous phase and a rubber composition as a dispersed phase, in which a barrier resin composition is contained, which low permeability thermoplastic elastomer composition has a phase structure in which the barrier resin composition is dispersed in the form of a flat state in the thermoplastic elastomer, is abundant in flexibility, is superior in gas permeation preventive property, and enables the tire to be reduced in weight.

Abstract: A thermoplastic elastomer composition containing a thermoplastic resin component including 10 to 95% by weight of a polypropylene having a syndiotactic structure and an elastomer component and having a value of .alpha., defined as follows, of 1 or less:.alpha.=(.phi.d/.phi.m).times.(.eta.m/.eta.d)wherein the volume fraction of the thermoplastic resin component is .phi.m, the melt viscosity thereof at the mixing conditions is .eta.m and the volume fraction of the elastomer component is .phi.d, the melt viscosity thereof is .eta.d.

Abstract: A thermoplastic elastomer composition comprising:i) from 15 to 80 parts by weight of a polyamide thermoplastic resin as component A;ii) from 20 to 85 parts by weight of a rubber composition as component B, the rubber composition containing a copolymer rubber composed of a copolymer of a C.sub.4 to C.sub.7 isomonoolefin and a p-alkylstyrene, where at least a part of the p-alkylstyrene unit portions thereof have a halogen atom; andiii) a cross-linking agent,wherein the thermoplastic resin component A forms a continuous phase and at least part of component B is dispersed in component A as a dispersed phase and at least part of the dispersed phase is cross-linked by the cross-linking agent.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire having an air permeation prevention layer composed of a thin film of a resin composition including at least 20% by weight of a thermoplastic polyester elastomer comprised of a block copolymer of polybutylene terephthalate and polyoxyalkylene diimide diacid at a weight ratio of polybutylene terephthalate/polyoxyalkylene diimide diacid of 85/15 or less.

Abstract: A playback type of industrial robot in which displacement of a movable part is detected and a position detection signal is generated. This signal is stored in a memory, and the driving of the movable part is controlled as a function of the signal read out of the memory. The control unit for controlling the memory operation, has applied to it a teaching mode signal. The control unit has also applied to it a playback mode signal. The control unit which is responsive to the playback signal, produces a signal to result in readout of the memory and to set the drive for the movable part into an operative state.