Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording medium has a substrate, a soft magnetic underlayer formed on the substrate, arrayed soft magnetic dots formed on the soft magnetic underlayer, and a ferromagnetic recording layer formed on the soft magnetic dots and having magnetic anisotropy in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the substrate.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photoconductor has an electroconductive support and a photoconductive layer which is formed thereon and contains at least one resin of a polyurethane resin, a polyester resin, or a polycarbonate resin, each resin having at least a structural unit of formula (1): wherein R1, R2, R3, a, b, and n are the same as those specified in the specification. An electrophotographic image forming apparatus and method, and a process cartridge employ the above photoconductor.

Abstract: A product wrapping method and machine whereby a continuous tubular wrapping, formed gradually about an orderly succession of equally spaced products with a first given spacing, is fed through an operating station and divided into segments, each enclosing a respective product; and the segments and respective products, rotated 90.degree. about an axis crosswise to a transfer plane, are transferred with a second given spacing along a substantially straight path to an output conveyor by a transfer device, which grips each product and the respective segment before the product leaves the operating station.