Abstract: A roll member includes: a conductive elastic layer that contains a fatty acid metal salt; and a surface layer that is provided on the conductive elastic layer and contains a filler, in which the surface layer includes a first layer provided on the conductive elastic layer side and a second layer provided immediately above the first layer, and a content of the filler in the first layer is less than a content of the filler in the second layer.

Abstract: A battery pack in one aspect of the present disclosure includes a first cell, a memory device, a target current calculator, and an information notifier. The memory device stores a maximum variation of a charging current value. The maximum variation is determined depending on a characteristic of the battery pack. The target current calculator calculates a newest value of a target current value based on (i) a previous value of the target current value and (ii) the maximum variation. The information notifier transmits a charge condition information including the newest value.

Abstract: An electrophotographic roller includes: a mandrel and an elastic layer on the mandrel, and having a crown shape in which a diameter decreases from a central position O in a longitudinal direction of the mandrel toward an end portion. When a position of the end portion in the longitudinal direction of the elastic layer is defined as X2, a position between the O and the X2 is defined as Xl, a distance between the O and the X1 is defined as L1, and a distance between the X1 and the X2 is defined as L2, L1=0.6×(L1+L2). When outer diameters of the electrophotographic roller at O, X1 and X2 are defined as Do, DX1 and DX2, respectively, and Z1=(Do?DX1)/2 and Z2=(DX1?DX2)/2 are defined, Z1, Z2, L1 and L2 satisfy (Z2/L2)<1.931×(Z1/L1).

Abstract: A charging member includes a conductive base material; an elastic layer that is provided on the conductive base material and has a storage elastic modulus G of 5.0 MPa or less at 100 Hz; and a surface layer that is provided on the elastic layer, in which in a Cole-Cole plot obtained by measuring the charging member in a range of 1 MHz to 0.1 Hz by an alternating current impedance method, a resistance component Ra of a capacitive semicircle including 2.5 kHz is 6.3×104? or less.

Abstract: A conductive member includes a substrate, an elastic layer on the substrate, and a surface layer on the elastic layer. The surface layer contains a conductive agent and has a sea-island structure including a sea containing a first resin and islands containing a second resin. The area occupancy of the islands in a cross section of the surface layer is 10% or more and 50% or less.

Abstract: An imaging system includes a photoreceptor including a surface to form a static latent image, a non-contact charging device being spaced apart from the photoreceptor, a power source to apply a voltage to the charging device, and a controller. The charging device charges an image-forming portion of the surface of the photoreceptor during an image-forming period and charges a non-image-forming portion of the surface of the photoreceptor during a non-image-forming period. The controller changes a signal parameter of the voltage to be applied by the power source during the non-image-forming period, in order to adjust a current flowing from the charging device to the photoreceptor.

Abstract: Provided is a conductive roll for an electrophotographic machine. The conductive roll is a charging roll and includes a shaft body, and an elastic body layer formed on an outer periphery of the shaft body. The elastic body layer is a crosslinked body of a composition containing a diene-based polymer (a), a sulfur or peroxide crosslinking agent (b), carbon black (c), and a coupling agent (d). (c) has a specific surface area of 40 to 300 m2/g. (d) is a coupling agent having a NHR1 group and a SSO3H group, or a coupling agent having a NHR1 group and an ene structure (where R1 is H or a hydrocarbon group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms). The contents of (c) and (d) in the composition are respectively 10 to 45 parts by mass and 0.5 to 20 parts by mass with respect to 100 parts by mass of (a).

Abstract: A roll member includes a conductive elastic layer, and a surface layer provided on the conductive elastic layer. The surface layer contains a crosslinked product of crosslinkable nylon, the crosslinking degree of the surface layer specified by formula (1) below is 0.3 or more and 0.7 or less, and the thermal degradation index of the surface layer specified by formula (2) below is 2.1 or more and 2.3 or less.

Abstract: A method and system for enabling a patterned liquid, can involve creating a heat image on an imaging blanket by selectively heating the imaging blanket with a digitally controlled energy source, and subjecting the heat image to a selective deposition of a fountain solution material to enable vapor condensation on unheated areas and vapor rejection from heated areas to generate a fountain material image.

Abstract: An electroconductive roll includes a core member, a rubber base material disposed around the core member, and a surface layer disposed around the rubber base material. The surface area of the surface layer per unit projected area is equal to or greater than 1.255, and is equal to or less than 6.635.

Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus, including: an image bearing member; an exposure unit; a developing member which is rotatable at a rotation speed different from the image bearing member; a developer supply member; a developing voltage-applying unit; a supply voltage-applying unit; and a control unit. The control unit controls execution of: an image forming operation in which a developer image is formed by supplying developer on the image bearing member; and a cleaning operation which removes a substance adhered to the image bearing member using the developing member. In the cleaning operation, the control unit controls the developing voltage-applying unit or the supply voltage-applying unit so that the cleaning force using the developing member becomes stronger than that in the image forming operation.

Abstract: An electrophotographic roller includes: a mandrel and an elastic layer on the mandrel, and having a crown shape in which a diameter decreases from a central position O in a longitudinal direction of the mandrel toward an end portion. When a position of the end portion in the longitudinal direction of the elastic layer is defined as X2, a position between the O and the X2 is defined as X1, a distance between the O and the X1 is defined as L1, and a distance between the X1 and the X2 is defined as L2, L1=0.6×(L1+L2). When outer diameters of the electrophotographic roller at O, X1 and X2 are defined as Do, DX1 and DX2, respectively, and Z1=(Do?DX1)/2 and Z2=(DX1?DX2)/2 are defined, Z1, Z2, L1 and L2 satisfy (Z2/L2)<1.931×(Z1/L1).

Abstract: A conductive roller includes a support member, an elastic layer disposed on an outer peripheral surface of the support member, and a surface layer disposed on an outer peripheral surface of the elastic layer. The elastic layer includes a cylindrical elastic foam and a conductive covering layer covering an exposed surface of the elastic foam and has a volume resistance value of 105? or less at an applied voltage of 10 V. The elastic foam has a conductive particle content of 1% by mass or less based on the total mass of the elastic foam.

Abstract: An identification element (50) for a shank tool has an elastic inner ring (10) and an outer ring (20) arranged around the inner ring (10), said outer ring having a recess formed annularly in the outer ring. An RFID transponder is arranged in the recess. The inner ring (10) of the identification element (50) encloses a shank of the shank tool.

Abstract: The present invention aims to provide a masterbatch for foam molding which can be suitably used in molding involving high shear force or molding requiring low molding temperature and which can provide a foam molded article having a high expansion ratio and good appearance quality. The present invention also aims to provide a foam molded article formed from the masterbatch for foam molding. Provided is a masterbatch for foam molding, containing: a base resin; and a thermally expandable microcapsule, the masterbatch having a true specific gravity of 0.80 g/cm3 or more and a Mooney viscosity ML 1+4 (100° C.) of 20 to 90, the base resin containing an EPDM resin, the masterbatch containing the thermally expandable microcapsule in an amount of 40 to 300 parts by weight relative to 100 parts by weight of the base resin.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a novel rotaxane and a polyurethane using the same. The present invention provides a rotaxane having a crown ether and a chain molecule piercing through the cyclic structure of the crown ether, wherein a hydroxyl group exists at one terminal of the chain molecule, and a hydroxyl group bonds to the cyclic structure of the crown ether. The present invention further provides a polyurethane using the rotaxane as a polyol component.

Abstract: A conductive roller includes a support member, an elastic layer disposed on an outer peripheral surface of the support member, and an outer layer disposed on an outer peripheral surface of the elastic layer. The elastic layer includes a cylindrical elastic foam and has a Young?s modulus of 150 kPa or less.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprises a spacing member provided on a rotation shaft of a charging roller, the spacing member configured to include an engaging portion that engages with a rotation member, and to be rotatable between a spaced position at which a spaced state in which a photosensitive drum and the charging roller are spaced apart is maintained, and a released position at which the spaced state is released and the photosensitive drum and the charging roller are caused to be in contact; and a cover portion provided on the rotation shaft of the charging roller, and configured to cover an end face of the spacing member so that a fitting portion of the charging roller and the spacing member is covered.

Abstract: An example image forming apparatus includes a main body, a driving motor rotatable in a first direction to provide a driving force to a developing cartridge and rotatable in a second direction opposite to the first direction, and a support assembly to, based on the developing cartridge being mounted to the main body, provide the driving force of the driving motor in the first direction to the mounted developing cartridge, and detach the mounted developing cartridge from the main body using the driving force of the driving motor in the second direction.

Abstract: An electrophotographic apparatus including an electrophotographic photosensitive member, a charging unit, and a developing unit, wherein the charging unit includes a conductive member disposed to be contactable with the electrophotographic photosensitive member, a conductive layer of the conductive member has a matrix-domain structure, at least some of the domains are exposed at the outer surface of the conductive member, the volume resistivity RI of the matrix is greater than 1.00×1012 ?·cm and not greater than 1.00×1017 ?·cm, the matrix volume resistivity R1 is at least 1.0×105-times the domain volume resistivity R2, and the developing unit includes a toner, the toner includes a binder resin-containing toner particle and an external additive, and the external additive contains fine particles of a hydrotalcite compound.

Abstract: A process for producing an electrophotographic electroconductive member having an electroconductive support and an electroconductive layer in the order mentioned. The electroconductive layer has a matrix including a crosslinked product of a first rubber, and a domain including a crosslinked product of a second rubber and an electroconductive particle, the process including the steps of: providing a rubber mixture for forming the domain, including carbon black and the second rubber by kneading the carbon black and the second rubber; providing a rubber mixture for forming the matrix, including the first rubber; kneading the rubber mixture for forming the domain and the rubber mixture for forming the matrix to prepare a rubber composition having a matrix-domain structure; forming a layer of the rubber composition on a surface of the electroconductive support; and curing the layer of the rubber composition on the surface of the electroconductive support to form the electroconductive layer.

Abstract: A developing cartridge includes: a developing roller rotatable about an axis extending in a first direction; a casing; and a first cam provided at an outer surface of one end portion of the casing in a second direction. The first cam is movable in a third direction between a first position and a second position closer to the developing roller than the first position is in the third direction. The first cam has: a first inclined surface for receiving a pressing force in the first direction; and a second inclined surface. A distance between the second inclined surface and the casing in the second direction varies as the second inclined surface extends away from the developing roller in the third direction. The first cam is movable between the first position and the second position in response to application of the pressing force to the first inclined surface.

Abstract: Provided is an electrophotographic electroconductive member including an electroconductive support and an electroconductive layer on the support, an electroconductive member is used, in which an electroconductive layer has a matrix comprising a first rubber, and domains dispersed in the matrix, the domains each comprising a second rubber and an electronic electroconductive agent, and for impedance measured by applying an AC voltage with an amplitude of 1 V to the electroconductive layer while varying frequencies between 1.0×10?2 Hz to 1.0×107 Hz under a specific environment, when a double logarithmic plot with a frequency on an abscissa and an impedance on an ordinate is obtained, a slope on a high frequency side is ?0.8 or more and ?0.3 or less, and the impedance a low frequency side is from 1.0×103 to 1.0×107?.

Abstract: A process cartridge is provided, which is configured to recover, with a developing member, developer remaining on an image bearing member after transfer of a developer image to a transfer receiving member, wherein a charging member has a shaft that is conductive and an elastic layer supported on the shaft and being in contact with the image bearing member; the elastic layer has a matrix containing a first rubber, and a plurality of domains containing a second rubber and an electron-conductive agent and interspersed within the matrix. The electric resistance of the domains is lower than the electric resistance of the matrix. The matrix is exposed on an outer surface of the elastic layer and forms multiple depressed portions, and the domains include a domains exposed at a bottom section of the depressed portion.

Abstract: The electro-conductive member has an electro-conductive support, and an electro-conductive layer in this order, the electro-conductive layer including a matrix and domains, the matrix constituted by a first rubber composition containing a cross-linked product of a first rubber, the domains having electro-conductivity, and dispersed in the matrix, each of the domains constituted by a second rubber composition containing a cross-linked product of a second rubber and an electro-conductive particle, the first rubber and the second rubber being diene-based rubbers, the first rubber having at least one monomer unit, the second rubber having at least one monomer unit different from the monomer unit which the first rubber has; a difference of absolute values of SP values between the first rubber and the second rubber is 0.2 (J/cm3)0.5 to 4.0 (J/cm3)0.5; and a tan ?1/tan ?2 is 0.45 to 2.00.

Abstract: Provided are a charging roller excellent in charging characteristics (charging property/charge imparting property), elasticity/flexibility, durability, and filming resistance, and an image forming apparatus using the charging roller. The charging roller includes a shaft, and at least a base layer and a surface layer on an outer peripheral portion of the shaft in a radial direction, where the surface layer contains large-particle size particles and small-particle size particles having different average particle sizes and further contains hydrophilic particles; the water contact angle of the hydrophilic particles measured with a sessile drop technique is preferably more than 0 degree and 90 degrees or less and more preferably 50 degrees or more and 90 degrees or less; the large-particle size particles are large-particle size acrylic resin particles; the small-particle size particles are small-particle size acrylic resin particles; and the hydrophilic particles are hydrophilic silica particles.

Abstract: An electro-conductive layer of an electrophotographic electro-conductive member has a matrix-domain structure. The matrix contains a first rubber. The domain contains a second rubber and electro-conductive particles. Where ? represents an average of ratios of the cross-sectional area of the electro-conductive particles contained in each of the domains to the cross-sectional area of each of the domains appearing on a cross-section of the electro-conductive layer in a thickness direction, and ? represents a standard deviation of the ratios, ?/? is 0 or more and 0.4 or less, and ? is 20% or more and 40% or less. At least eight of samples with a first cubic shape 9 ?m on a side, which are sampled at arbitrary nine positions on the electro-conductive layer, satisfy the specified condition.

Abstract: A roll excellent in abrasion resistance, which contains: a resin layer containing a first atom group having a plurality of sulfur atoms, a plurality of second atom groups having a carbon chain that has a plurality of carbon atoms arranged in a line and has an end bonded to any one of the plurality of sulfur atoms, and a plurality of third atom groups each of which has a urethane bond and is bonded to any one of the plurality of second atom groups; and a cylindrical foamed resin having an outer surface covered with the resin layer.

Abstract: Provided are a developing roll for an electrophotographic device and a method for manufacturing a developing roll for an electrophotographic device, with which toner fusion and toner filming are suppressed. A developing roll for an electrophotographic device includes a shaft body and an elastic body layer formed on an outer circumference of the shaft body. The surface of the elastic body layer has a plurality of large protruding parts having a width of 3.0 to 12 ?m and a height of 3.0 to 12 ?m, and the side surface of the large protruding part 16 has a plurality of small protruding parts which form convex-concavity having a ten-point average roughness Rz of 2.0 to 4.0 ?m.

Abstract: An electroconductive member for electrophotography has an electroconductive support and an electroconductive layer in the order mentioned. The electroconductive layer has a matrix including a crosslinked product of a first rubber, and a domain including a crosslinked product of a second rubber and an electroconductive particle. The impedance of an outer surface of the electroconductive member is 1.0×103 to 1.0×108?. 80% by number or more of domains observed at each of a total of nine 15-?m square observation regions, which are disposed at any three points in a thickness region from the outer surface to a specific depth on each of cross sections in a thickness direction at three points: the center of the electroconductive layer in the longitudinal direction and points at a specific distance from both edges of the electroconductive layer toward the center, satisfy specific requirements.

Abstract: The invention relates to a composition for production of a thermoplastic moulding compound, wherein the composition comprises or consists of the following constituents, A) at least one polymer selected from the group consisting of aromatic polycarbonate, aromatic polyester carbonate and aromatic polyester, B) polymer free of epoxy groups, consisting of B.1) rubber-modified vinyl (co)polymer prepared by the emulsion polymerization method and B.2) optionally, a rubber-free vinyl (co)polymer, C) a block or graft polymer comprising structural elements deriving from styrene and at least one epoxy-comprising vinyl monomer, D) one or more further additives, and to a process for producing a moulding compound from the composition, to the moulding compound itself, to the use of the composition or the moulding compound for production of mouldings, and to the mouldings themselves.

Abstract: Provided is a process cartridge in which lateral running is suppressed while satisfactory potential fluctuation is maintained. The process cartridge includes: an electrophotographic photosensitive member including a support, a lowermost layer, and a photosensitive layer; and a charging member including a support and a conductive layer. In a case where a maximum frequency at which a phase of an impedance reaches 45°, when the impedance is measured by applying an AC voltage to the lowermost layer while changing the AC voltage, is represented by fOPC (Hz), and in a case where a maximum frequency at which a phase of an impedance reaches 45°, when the impedance is measured by applying an AC voltage to the charging member while changing the AC voltage, is represented by fC (Hz), the fOPC and the fC each have a value within a certain range.

Abstract: In a charging roll for electrophotographic equipment, an outer surface layer of an elastic layer includes a binder resin, large-diameter particles having an average particle diameter of 15-50 ?m, and small-diameter particles having an average particle diameter of 3-15 ?m, a difference in average particle diameter between the large-diameter particles and the small-diameter particles is 10-35 ?m, the small-diameter particles are arranged in one layer in the surface layer, the average distance between the small-diameter particles is not more than 1.2 times the average particle diameter of the small-diameter particles, the thickness a of the binder resin covering the large-diameter particles is within the range of 1.5-3.5 ?m, the thickness b of the binder resin covering the small-diameter particles is 3.0-6.0 ?m, and the thickness b is larger than the thickness a.

Abstract: An assembly for an electrophotographic image forming device according to one example includes a rotatable roll having an electrically conductive shaft. An electrically conductive bracket is positioned adjacent to the roll and in a spaced relationship from the roll along a length of the roll. An electrical contact is positioned to receive an electrical voltage from a power supply of the image forming device. The electrical contact is electrically connected to a first end portion of the shaft of the roll by way of a first electrical path and to a second end portion of the shaft of the roll by way of a second electrical path to transfer the electrical voltage to the roll. The bracket forms a portion of the second electrical path such that the electrical voltage transferring from the electrical contact to the second end portion of the shaft of the roll passes through the bracket.

Abstract: An electrophotographic apparatus comprising an electrophotographic photosensitive member, a charging device, and a developing device, wherein the charging device comprises a conductive member arranged to be capable of contacting the electrophotographic photosensitive member, a conductive layer on the conductive member outer surface comprises a matrix and a plurality of domains dispersed in the matrix, at least some of the domains are exposed at the conductive member outer surface, the matrix has a volume resistivity of larger than 1.00×1012 ?·cm and is 1.0×105 times or more one of the domains, the developing device comprises the toner comprising a toner particle, fine particles A and B, the fine particle A has a volume resistivity of 1.0×103 to 1.0×1010 ?·cm, and the fine particle B is silica fine particle and having a volume resistivity of 1.0×1011 to 1.0×1017 ?·cm.

Abstract: A charging device includes a charging roller, a cleaning roller, a pair of first supporting members, a pair of second supporting members and a pair of elastic members. The pair of first supporting members supports the charging roller in a rotatable manner. The pair of second supporting members supports the cleaning roller in a rotatable manner. The pair of elastic members is disposed between the first supporting members and the second supporting members, and pushes back the cleaning roller in a direction separate away from the charging roller. The second supporting member provided on one side in an axial direction of the cleaning roller has a roller-shift preventing part which blocks the cleaning roller. The elastic member provided on the one side in the axial direction pushes back the cleaning roller with force smaller than force of the elastic member provided on the other side in the axial direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developing cartridge, a drum cartridge, a casing, a connector, and a controller. The drum cartridge includes a photosensitive drum, a drum cartridge memory, a charger, and a cleaner. The charger is configured to charge the photosensitive drum and including a wire and a grid electrode. The cleaner is configured to clean the wire. The connector is configured to be electrically connected to the drum cartridge memory. Information is writable to the drum memory through the connector. The detection circuit board is configured to detect a state of discharge of the charger. The controller is configured to perform: determining whether or not the state of discharge detected by the detection circuit board is abnormal; and writing, in the drum cartridge memory, information representing occurrence of the abnormal discharge through the connector in a case where occurrence of the abnormal discharge is determined.

Abstract: A charging member includes a conductive substrate, an elastic layer disposed on the conductive substrate, and a surface layer disposed on the elastic layer. Regarding the surface of the surface layer, in the axial direction, the ratio of the mean spacing of profile irregularities Sm to the ten-point mean roughness Rz and the reduced peak height Spk respectively satisfy 15?Sm/Rz?35 and Spk?5 ?m.

Abstract: A pressing member for fixing includes: an axial section; a cylindrical body that includes the axial section internally inserted, rotates following rotation of the axial section, and is extendable in an axial direction relative to the axial section; and an elastic layer that is stacked on an outer circumference of the cylindrical body.

Abstract: A controller of an image forming apparatus executes acquisition processing of acquiring an area of an image which exists in a predetermined region of a first page where a developer image is first to be formed, heating processing of heating a heating member such that a temperature of the heating member reaches a fixing temperature, and feeding processing of starting feed of a sheet to a process unit after a predetermined period of time elapses from a predetermined timing after a start of print processing. The predetermined region is laid at both end portions in a width direction of the first page. In a case where the area of the image is equal to or smaller than a predetermined value, the controller sets the predetermined period of time in the feeding processing shorter as compared with a case where the area of the image is larger than the predetermined value.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a charging roller in which detachment of particles from a surface layer as well as abrasion and scraping of the particles, which are caused by contact and the like with other member such as a photoreceptor during the use, are unlikely to occur. The charging roller includes: a shaft 1; and an elastic layer 2 and a surface layer 3, which are sequentially formed on the outer circumference of the shaft 1. The surface layer 3 is composed of a mixture of a surface layer resin composition and particles, the surface layer resin composition has a tensile elongation at break of 51% or greater, and the particles have a reaction force of 1.0 to 10.3 mN under 1-?m compression.

Abstract: A charging member including an electro-conductive support; and an elastic layer, the elastic layer is a surface layer thereof and is constituted by a mono layer, the elastic layer includes domains and a matrix, an outer surface of the charging member is constituted by a surface of the matrix and surfaces of the domains, and the charging member has concave portions on the outer surface, the domains exist at bottom portions of the respective concave portions and are exposed to the outer surface of the charging member only at the bottom portions of the respective concave portions, the elastic layer has a volume resistivity of 1×105 ?cm or more and 1×108 ?cm or less, and A2 is 20 times or more of A1, wherein A1 and A2 are current values obtained by a prescribed method.

Abstract: A roller for electrophotography that has a low electric resistance value and that is still further reduced in contaminating property of other member is provided. The roller includes an electro-conductive mandrel and a surface layer having an electro-conductive foam. The electro-conductive foam includes a vulcanized product of an unvulcanized rubber composition including an acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber and a hydrin rubber. The vulcanized product has a matrix-domain structure having a sea phase and an island phase, contains ethylene oxide of 8.0% by mass or more and 20.0% by mass or less based on a total amount of the vulcanized product, and has a spin-spin relaxation time T2 of 750 ?s<T2<930 ?s.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive member, a charging roller, a cleaning roller, an urging member and an image forming portion. The charging roller has an outermost surface layer including an electroconductive resin material, first surface particles having an average particle size of more than 7 ?m and less than 30 ?m and second surface particles having an average particle size of more than 2 ?m and less than 6 ?m. The first and second surface particles are dispersed in the electroconductive resin material so as to form first projections and second projections, respectively. The cleaning roller cleaning roller includes a shaft portion and an elastic cleaning portion extending helically around the shaft portion and having a rectangular cross-section perpendicular to an extending direction thereof.

Abstract: A scanning path of light includes a synchronization detection area A where a synchronization detection sensor 47 detects scanning light and an image writing area B where writing of the image data to a photosensitive drum 11 is performed by the scanning light, and a light amount change unit 100 is configured to reduce a change amount of a light amount in the synchronization detection area A as compared with the image writing area B.

Abstract: Provided are a charging member coupleable to an electrophotographic imaging apparatus. The charging member includes an electrically-conductive support body, an electrically-conductive elastomer layer stacked on a surface of the electrically-conductive support body, and an electrically-conductive resin layer stacked as an outermost layer on the electrically-conductive elastomer layer. The electrically-conductive resin layer includes a binder resin and particles comprising at least one type of particles selected from resin particles and inorganic particles, wherein a relative dielectric constant (?r1) of the binder resin is greater than or about equal to a relative dielectric constant (?r2) of at least one type of particles.

Abstract: A control unit can execute regulation control referred to as active transfer voltage control (ATVC) for setting a transfer voltage output from a second voltage unit to a transfer member so as to transfer a toner image from a photosensitive member to a transfer material based on an electric current value detected by a detection unit and a voltage value output from a voltage output unit. When changing a voltage value output from the voltage output unit during execution of the ATVC, the control unit interrupts execution of a predetermined operation of the ATVC in a predetermined time period including a point of time including when the voltage output from the voltage output unit is changed.

Abstract: An imaging device includes a photoconductive drum charged by a charge roll and opposed by a transfer roll to transfer an image from the drum. The drum becomes biased to a negative voltage by setting charges of negative voltage on both the charge roll and transfer roll. A controller switches the bias of the transfer roll to a positive voltage from the negative voltage and a delta or difference in a charge of the drum is determined from before and after the switching. Based on the delta, the voltage on the charge roll is boosted by a boost voltage to improve the charge on the drum. In this way, deteriorating or defective charge rolls can be still used to charge the drum to a proper voltage for imaging. Techniques for determining the delta, the boost and the magnitude of voltage charges are further embodiments.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a charging roller in which detachment of particles from a surface layer as well as abrasion and scraping of the particles, which are caused by contact and the like with other member such as a photoreceptor during the use, are unlikely to occur. The charging roller includes: a shaft 1; and an elastic layer 2 and a surface layer 3, which are sequentially formed on the outer circumference of the shaft 1. The surface layer 3 is composed of a mixture of a surface layer resin composition and particles, the surface layer resin composition has a tensile elongation at break of 51% or greater, and the particles have a reaction force of 1.0 to 10.3 mN under 1-?m compression.

Abstract: A cartridge includes a photosensitive member, a roller including a core metal shaft and a coating layer, roller supporting portions, and a regulating portion for regulating a position of the roller with respect to a longitudinal direction of the roller. The roller supporting portions are provided so as to support one end portion and an other end potion of the core metal shaft, respectively, with respect to a direction of a rotational axis of the roller. The roller is further provided with cylindrical holes disposed at respective ends of the core metal shaft with respect to the direction of the rotational axis and extending in the direction of the rotational axis with the rotational axis as a center. The roller is supported by the roller supporting portions at inner peripheral surfaces of the holes.