Abstract: A developer storage container includes: a container body which includes an opening portion opened toward a conveying direction along a rotation shaft and is rotated in a specific direction about the rotation shaft to convey toner stored therein in the conveying direction and discharge the toner from the opening portion; a cap portion which downwardly guides the toner discharged from the opening portion at a position more on a downstream side of the conveying direction than the opening portion; and an extension portion which is formed integrally with the container body and extends from inside the container body toward the downstream side of the conveying direction beyond the opening portion.

Abstract: A developer storage container includes a storage portion, a communication portion, a scooping portion, and a guide portion. The storage portion conveys developer stored therein in a conveying direction along a rotation axis by being rotated around the rotation axis in a specific direction. The communication portion connects the storage portion to an opening portion facing the conveying direction. The scooping portion includes a scooping surface facing the specific direction at an end of the storage portion on a downstream side in the conveying direction and radially outside the communication portion to scoop up the developer in contact with the scooping surface as the storage portion rotates. The guide portion lies radially inside the scooping portion to be contiguous with the scooping surface and an inner peripheral surface of the communication portion, and guides the developer scooped up by the scooping portion to the communication portion.

Abstract: A developer storage container includes a storage portion, a communication portion, and a gear portion. The storage portion conveys developer stored therein in a conveying direction parallel to a rotation axis by being rotated around the rotation axis in a specific direction. The communication portion has a tubular shape coaxial to the rotation axis and extending in the conveying direction from an end of the storage portion on a downstream side in the conveying direction, includes an inner peripheral part that gradually increases its diameter in the conveying direction, and connects the storage portion to an opening portion that has an opening facing the conveying direction. The gear portion is provided for an outer peripheral part of the communication portion and receives a rotational driving force supplied from the outside.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a storage portion, a cover member, a locking mechanism, an unlocking portion, and a contact portion. The storage portion conveys developer stored therein in a conveying direction parallel to a rotation axis by being rotated around the rotation axis parallel to a horizontal plane in a first direction. The cover member opens and closes an insertion hole portion, into which the storage portion is inserted, in a side face of the apparatus body. The locking mechanism imposes a restriction on a state change of the cover member from a closed state to an open state. The unlocking portion removes the restriction on the state change imposed by the locking mechanism as a lever portion swings in a second direction opposite the first direction. The contact portion includes a curved surface and rotates integrally with the storage portion to come into contact with the lever portion.

Abstract: Disclosed is an electrode active material that has a large charge discharge capacity, a high initial efficiency, as well as excellent cycle characteristics and rate characteristics and is favorably used in a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery. An organo sulfur-based electrode active material contains sodium and potassium in a total amount of 100 ppm by mass to 1000 ppm by mass; an electrode for use in a secondary battery, the electrode containing the organo sulfur-based electrode active material as an electrode active material; and a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery including the electrode. Preferably, the organo sulfur-based electrode active material further contains iron in an amount of 1 ppm by mass to 20 ppm by mass. Preferably, the organo sulfur-based electrode active material is sulfur-modified polyacrylonitrile, and the amount of sulfur in the organo sulfur-based electrode active material is 25 mass % to 60 mass %.

Abstract: A developer storage container includes a storage portion, a communication portion, and a gear portion. The storage portion conveys developer stored therein in a conveying direction along a rotation axis by being rotated around the rotation axis in a specific direction. The communication portion is tubular coaxial to the rotation axis and extending in the conveying direction from a downstream end in the conveying direction, and connects the storage portion to an opening portion facing the conveying direction. The gear portion includes a disc-shaped support portion provided for an outer peripheral part of the communication portion concentrically with the rotation axis, a tooth portion along an edge of a support surface, orthogonal to the rotation axis, of the support portion, and a rib extending on the support surface radially from the tooth portion or the outer peripheral part without reaching the other; and receives rotational driving force supplied from outside.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sulfur-modified polyacrylonitrile, which has a content of sulfur of from 30 mass % to 50 mass %, and satisfies the expression: 4,500<140×x?y<5,200 when the content (mass %) of sulfur is represented by “x”, and an average CT value of the sulfur-modified polyacrylonitrile in X-ray CT is represented by “y”.

Abstract: A developer storage container includes a storage portion, a communication portion, and a gear portion. The storage portion conveys developer stored therein in a conveying direction along a rotation axis by being rotated around the rotation axis in a specific direction. The communication portion is tubular coaxial to the rotation axis and extending in the conveying direction from a downstream end in the conveying direction, and connects the storage portion to an opening portion facing the conveying direction. The gear portion includes a disc-shaped support portion provided for an outer peripheral part of the communication portion concentrically with the rotation axis, a tooth portion along an edge of a support surface, orthogonal to the rotation axis, of the support portion, and a rib extending on the support surface radially from the tooth portion or the outer peripheral part without reaching the other; and receives rotational driving force supplied from outside.

Abstract: A developer storage container includes a storage portion, a communication portion, and a gear portion. The storage portion conveys developer stored therein in a conveying direction parallel to a rotation axis by being rotated around the rotation axis in a specific direction. The communication portion has a tubular shape coaxial to the rotation axis and extending in the conveying direction from an end of the storage portion on a downstream side in the conveying direction, includes an inner peripheral part that gradually increases its diameter in the conveying direction, and connects the storage portion to an opening portion that has an opening facing the conveying direction. The gear portion is provided for an outer peripheral part of the communication portion and receives a rotational driving force supplied from the outside.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a storage portion, a cover member, a locking mechanism, an unlocking portion, and a contact portion. The storage portion conveys developer stored therein in a conveying direction parallel to a rotation axis by being rotated around the rotation axis parallel to a horizontal plane in a first direction. The cover member opens and closes an insertion hole portion, into which the storage portion is inserted, in a side face of the apparatus body. The locking mechanism imposes a restriction on a state change of the cover member from a closed state to an open state. The unlocking portion removes the restriction on the state change imposed by the locking mechanism as a lever portion swings in a second direction opposite the first direction. The contact portion includes a curved surface and rotates integrally with the storage portion to come into contact with the lever portion.

Abstract: A developer storage container includes a storage portion, a communication portion, a scooping portion, and a guide portion. The storage portion conveys developer stored therein in a conveying direction along a rotation axis by being rotated around the rotation axis in a specific direction. The communication portion connects the storage portion to an opening portion facing the conveying direction. The scooping portion includes a scooping surface facing the specific direction at an end of the storage portion on a downstream side in the conveying direction and radially outside the communication portion to scoop up the developer in contact with the scooping surface as the storage portion rotates in the specific direction. The guide portion lies radially inside the scooping portion to be contiguous with the scooping surface and an inner peripheral surface of the communication portion, and guides the developer scooped up by the scooping portion to the communication portion.

Abstract: A container attachment device includes a toner container, an attached part for the toner container and a displacement sensor. The displacement sensor faces to the toner container to detect electrostatic capacity according to the toner. The attached part includes a cover opening/closing an opening of the toner container. The cover closing or opening the opening faces to the displacement sensor, and the cover opening or closing the opening is away from the displacement sensor. The displacement sensor detects the electrostatic capacity varying among a first condition opening the cover and detaching the toner container, a second condition closing the cover and detaching the toner container, a third condition opening the cover and attaching the toner container, and a fourth condition closing the cover and attaching the toner container. In the third or fourth condition, the displacement sensor detects the electrostatic capacity according to a toner quantity in the toner container.

Abstract: Provided is a method for producing a composite material in which the dispersibility of an exfoliated layered substance in a resin or the like is improved and with which a synthetic resin having significantly improved properties, such as impact resistance, can be obtained. A method for producing a composite material including an exfoliated layered substance and a coating substance coating a surface of the exfoliated layered substance includes a disintegrating step of disintegrating secondary particles of an exfoliated layered substance in a solution containing a coating substance, or a method for producing a composite material including an exfoliated layered substance and a coating substance coating a surface of the exfoliated layered substance includes a disintegrating step of disintegrating secondary particles of an exfoliated layered substance in a solvent and a dissolving step of dissolving a coating substance in a dispersion containing the exfoliated layered substance that has been disintegrated.

Abstract: Provided is an exfoliated layered substance that has favorable dispersibility when added to a resin or the like and has an effect of significantly improving the properties of the resin or the like. There is provided a composite material in which the surface of an exfoliated layered substance is coated with a coating substance, wherein the coating substance is at least one substance selected from the group consisting of an antioxidant, a UV absorber, a hindered amine light stabilizer, a flame retardant, a plasticizer, a lubricant, a surfactant, a polyoxypropylene compound, a radically polymerized polymer having a hydrophilic unit and a hydrophobic unit, a process oil, and a quaternary ammonium salt compound, and the coating substance is contained in an amount of 0.1 to 100 parts by mass, with respect to 100 parts by mass of the exfoliated layered substance.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a cassette attachment part and a collection side attachment part. To the cassette attachment part, a sheet feeding cassette storing a sheet is detachably attached. The collection side attachment part is disposed adjacent to the cassette attachment part. To the collection side attachment part, a collection container storing a waste toner discharged without transferred on the sheet is detachably attached. The cassette attachment part includes a cassette rail which supports the sheet feeding cassette slidably and a rail holding member which holds the cassette rail. The collection side attachment part includes a displacement sensor which is disposed so as to face the collection container and detects an electrostatic capacity varying in response to an accumulation amount of the waste toner stored in the collection container. The rail holding member is disposed so as to face at least a part of the displacement sensor.

Abstract: A cushion member includes a tubular portion and an abutting portion. The tubular portion has, in its inside, a hollow that extends in a second direction perpendicular to a first direction that is a longitudinal direction of a storage portion. The tubular portion can be elastically deformed by an external force in the first direction. The abutting portion abuts on, in the first direction, a portion of the cover portion other than the lid. An evasive cut portion is formed at a portion of the tubular portion that faces the lid of the cover portion in the first direction, the evasive cut portion being a cut that is cut into from an end of the tubular portion in the second direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body, an image carrier, a developing device, a toner container, a container cover, a driver and a lock mechanism. The lock mechanism maintains the locking state if the container body is rotated in the first rotating direction by the driver, and receives a rotational drive force of the driver to switch the state thereof from the locking state to the unlocking state if the container body is rotated in the second rotating direction by the driver.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a cassette attachment part and a collection side attachment part. To the cassette attachment part, a sheet feeding cassette storing a sheet is detachably attached. The collection side attachment part is disposed adjacent to the cassette attachment part. To the collection side attachment part, a collection container storing a waste toner discharged without transferred on the sheet is detachably attached. The cassette attachment part includes a cassette rail which supports the sheet feeding cassette slidably and a rail holding member which holds the cassette rail. The collection side attachment part includes a displacement sensor which is disposed so as to face the collection container and detects an electrostatic capacity varying in response to an accumulation amount of the waste toner stored in the collection container. The rail holding member is disposed so as to face at least a part of the displacement sensor.

Abstract: A container attachment device includes a toner container, an attached part for the toner container and a displacement sensor. The displacement sensor faces to the toner container to detect electrostatic capacity according to the toner. The attached part includes a cover opening/closing an opening of the toner container. The cover closing or opening the opening faces to the displacement sensor, and the cover opening or closing the opening is away from the displacement sensor. The displacement sensor detects the electrostatic capacity varying among a first condition opening the cover and detaching the toner container, a second condition closing the cover and detaching the toner container, a third condition opening the cover and attaching the toner container, and a fourth condition closing the cover and attaching the toner container. In the third or fourth condition, the displacement sensor detects the electrostatic capacity according to a toner quantity in the toner container.

Abstract: An image forming unit of an image forming apparatus includes a developing device and a toner replenishing unit that replenishes the developing device with toner. The toner replenishing unit includes an upper toner container, a lower toner container, a toner conveyance unit. The upper toner container and the lower toner container are disposed in a staggered manner in an apparatus body.