Abstract: A used developer-carrying member having a resin coating layer on a substrate is regenerated through a step of scraping the resin coating layer of the used developer-carrying member to form a developer-carrying member surface having unevenness showing a central line-average roughness Ra of at most 0.8 &mgr;m, and a step of coating the developer-carrying member surface having the unevenness with a coating layer of a resinous composition comprising at least a binder resin and electroconductive fine powder. The regenerated developer-carrying member can be reinstalled in a developing apparatus and subjected to repetitive electrophotographic image forming cycles.

Abstract: A developing apparatus has a developer container for holding a developer, a developer carrying member for carrying a positively chargeable developer held in the developer container and transporting the developer to a developing zone and a developer layer-thickness regulating member for regulating the thickness of a positively chargeable developer layer to be formed on the developer carrying member. The developer carrying member has at least a substrate and a resin coat layer formed of a resin composition on the surface of the substrate. The resin composition contains at least (I) a binder resin, (II) a conductive fine powder, (III) spherical particles having a number-average particle diameter of from 0.3 &mgr;m to 30 &mgr;m and (IV) a quaternary ammonium salt compound which is positively chargeable to iron powder.

Abstract: A developing apparatus is disclosed which has a developer container, a developer carrying member for carrying a positively chargeable developer held in the developer container and transporting the developer to a developing zone, and a developer layer-thickness regulating member for regulating the thickness of a developer layer formed on the developer carrying member. The developer carrying member has a resin coat layer formed of a resin composition containing at least a resin selected from the group consisting of a phenol resin and a polyamide resin, a conductive material and a quaternary ammonium salt compound which is positively chargeable to iron powder. The resin composition may contain a urethane resin in place of the phenol resin and polyamide resin.

Abstract: A developer carrying member for carrying a developer is includes a substrate and a resin coat layer which is formed on the surface of the substrate and contains a binder resin and a conductive fine powder. The binder resin is composed of a copolymer having a monomeric unit of a methyl methacrylate monomer (M) and a monomeric unit of a nitrogen-containing vinyl monomer (N). A copolymerization molar ratio of the methyl methacrylate monomer (M) to the nitrogen-containing vinyl monomer (N) in the copolymer fulfills the following condition: M:N=4:1 to 999:1. The binder resin has a weight-average molecular weight (Mw) of from 3,000 to 50,000.

Abstract: A developer carrying member is comprised of a substrate and a coat layer which covers the surface of the substrate. The coat layer contains at least a binder resin, conductive spherical particles having a number average particle diameter of from 0.3 .mu.m to 30 .mu.m and a true density of 3 g/cm.sup.3 or below, and a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compound, the particles and the compound being dispersed in the binder resin.

Abstract: A developer carrying member includes a substrate, the surface of which is covered with a conducting layer. The conducting layer contains a binder resin and conducting spherical particles dispersed therein having a number average particle diameter of from 0.3 .mu.m to 30 .mu.m and a true density of 3 g/cm.sup.3 or below.

Abstract: In the present process for producing a toner, previous to the melt-kneading process, the binder resin particles and colorant particles are mixed and treated to application of shear, compression and impact forces to fasten, or fix, the colorant particles to the binder resin particles.

Abstract: A heat fixable toner comprises a binder resin and a release agent. The binder resin comprises a polyester resin, and the release agent comprises a graft-modified polyolefin. A recording medium containing a toner image of said heat fixable toner is heat-fixed by contacting the recording medium with a heater element through a film interposed therebetween. After the heat-fixing step, the film is peeled from the fixed toner image while the film surface temperature is higher than the endothermic peak temperature of the toner.

Abstract: A magnetic toner has magnetic toner particles containing a binder resin and a magnetic material, and an inorganic fine powder treated with an organic compound. The magnetic toner has a volume average particle diameter D.sub.v (.mu.m) of 3 .mu.m.ltoreq.D.sub.v <6 .mu.m, a weight average particle diameter D.sub.4 (.mu.m) of 3.5 .mu.m.ltoreq.D.sub.4 <6.5 .mu.m, a percentage M.sub.r of particles with particle diameters of 5 .mu.m or smaller in number particle size distribution of the magnetic toner, of 60% by number<M.sub.r .ltoreq.90% by number, and the ratio of a percentage N.sub.r of particles with particle diameters of 3.17 .mu.m or smaller in number particle size distribution of the magnetic toner to a percentage N.sub.v of particles with particle diameters of 3.17 .mu.m or smaller in volume particle size distribution of the magnetic toner, N.sub.r /N.sub.v, of from 2.0 to 8.0.

Abstract: A heat fixable toner comprises a binder resin and a release agent. The binder resin comprises a polyester resin, and the release agent comprises a graft-modified polyolefin.

Abstract: A pneumatic pulverizer comprises an acceleration pipe for transporting powders under acceleration by a high pressure gas, a pulverization chamber, a collision member for pulverizing the powders ejected from the acceleration pipe by a force of collision, the collision member being provided against the outlet of the acceleration pipe, a raw material powder supply inlet provided on the acceleration pipe, and a secondary air inlet provided between the raw material powder supply inlet and the outlet of the acceleration pipe.

Abstract: A pneumatic pulverizer comprises an acceleration pipe for transporting powders under acceleration by a high pressure gas, a pulverization chamber, a collision member for pulverizing the powders ejected from the acceleration pipe by a force of collision, the collision member being provided against the outlet of the acceleration pipe, a raw material powder supply inlet provided on the acceleration pipe, and a secondary air inlet provided between the raw material powder supply inlet and the outlet of the acceleration pipe.

Abstract: A developing apparatus for developing an electrostatic latent image includes a movable developer carrying member for carrying a one component developer to a developing zone in which the developer is supplied to an electrostatic latent image bearing member; a regulating member for regulating a thickness of a layer of the developer to be carried to the developing zone on the developer carrying member; wherein the developer carrying member includes a coating layer having a resin material in which fine graphite particles are disposed, and wherein this coating layer triboelectrically charges the developer, and the triboelectric charging capacity of this coating layer is larger in the middle region of the developer carrying member than in the end regions in its longitudinal direction.

Abstract: A microcapsule toner is produced through the steps of: passing resinous base particles (A1) comprising at least a binder resin and modifier particles (B) having a particle size ratio of 0.2 or less with respect to the base particles (A1) through an impact zone having a minimum clearance of 0.5-5 mm between a rotating member and a fixed member or between at least two rotating members at an ambient temperature of 10.degree.-90.degree. C. thereby to fix the modifier particles (B) onto the surfaces of the base particles (A1) under the action of a mechanical impact force to form particles (A2), the modifier particles (B) being particles selected from the group consisting of charge-controlling particles releasing particles, colored particles, charge-suppressing particles and abrasive particles; and passing the particles (A2) and shell-forming resin particles (C) having a particle size ratio of 0.2 or less with respect to the particles (A2) through an impact zone having a minimum clearance of 0.

Abstract: A developing apparatus for developing an electrostatic latent image includes a movable developer carrying member for carrying a one component developer to a developing zone in which the developer is supplied to an electrostatic latent image bearing member; a regulating member for regulating a thickness of a layer of the developer to be carried to the developing zone on the developer carrying member; wherein the developer carrying member includes a coating layer having a resin material in which fine graphite particles are disposed, and wherein this coating layer triboelectrically charges the developer, and the triboelectric charging capacity of this coating layer is larger in the middle region of the developer carrying member than in the end regions in its longitudinal direction.

Abstract: A developing apparatus for developing an electrostatic latent image includes a movable developer carrying member for carrying a one component developer to a developing zone in which the developer is supplied to an electrostatic latent image bearing member; and a regulating member for regulating a thickness of a layer of the developer to be carried to the developing zone on the developer carrying member; wherein the developer carrying member comprises a coating layer comprising a resin material in which fine graphite particles are dispersed, and wherein an inclination of a work function measurement curve of a surface of the coating layer is not less than 10 (cps/eV).

Abstract: A toner for developing an electrostatic latent image is produced by classifying a pulverized feed material in a first classifying means into coarse powder and fine powder; pulverizing the coarse powder and feeding back the pulverized product to the first classifying means; introducing the fine powder to a second classifying means having a multi-division classification zone divided into at least three sections, where it is classified into a coarse powder portion, a median powder portion, and a fine powder portion; and feeding back the coarse powder to said pulverizing means or first classifying means. The median powder has a volume average particle diameter of from 4 .mu.m to 10 .mu.m and a coefficient of variation of number distribution, represented by A, satisfying the following condition: 20.ltoreq.A.ltoreq.45, and the weights B, C, F, G and M are controlled to satisfy the expressions: 0.3 .ltoreq.weight B/weight C.ltoreq.0.8, 0.2.ltoreq.weight G/weight C.ltoreq.0.7 and 0.8.ltoreq.

Abstract: A method of heat-fixing a visible image of toner to a recording medium comprises applying a toner image onto the recording medium, whereinthe toner to form said toner image or the resin component of the toner has the properties such that the melt viscosity .eta.' measured by an overhead-type flow tester is from 10.sup.3 to 10.sup.6 poise at a temperature within the temperature range of from 120.degree. C. to 150.degree. C., and the absolute value of the inclination of a graph is not more than 0.50 ln (poise)/.degree.C. when the natural logarithms ln.eta. of the melt viscosities at 120.degree. C. and 150.degree. C. are plotted with respect to the temperatures; and heat-fixing the toner image retained on the recording medium to the recording medium by use of a heater element as stationarily supported and a pressure member that brings said recording medium into close contact with said heater element through a film interposed between them.

Abstract: A mixture of a colorant, and a binder compound having an aliphatic hydrocarbon long chain and having a relatively low melt viscosity, is kneaded in a molten state in the presence of solid media such as balls or beads to form a uniform mixture in which the colorant particles or aggregates have been disintegrated to a size of 5 .mu. or below. Solid particles which may be used as a toner are formed from the uniform mixture and may be encapsulated, as desired, to provide a capsule toner.

Abstract: An encapsulated toner is provided by coating core particles with an outer shell. The outer shell comprises, as predominant components thereof, vinyl polymers A and B of different molecular weights. More specifically, the ratio of the number-average molecular weight of the vinyl polymer A (Mn.sub.A) to that of the vinyl polymer B (Mn.sub.B) is in the range of 2 to 15. The vinyl polymers A and B respectively have a ratio of weight-average molecular weight to number-average molecular weight of 5 or less. Because of these specific molecular weight characteristics of the shell-constituting polymers, the durability and triboelectric charging characteristics of the encapsulated toner are improved. These effects are enhanced particularly when inorganic fine particles are attached to embedded in the surface or surface layer of the core particles.