Abstract: According to some aspects, an apparatus and a method for controlling a temperature of a battery are disclosed. A cooling fan may be controlled according to a temperature of the battery, thereby preventing a reduction in performance of the battery. According to one aspect, the apparatus includes a temperature sensor configured to output an analog resistance value as a temperature of batteries of a battery pack. The apparatus further includes a battery temperature control part configured to convert the analog resistance value of the temperature sensor into a digital signal to control the temperature of the battery pack, and a cooling fan that is operated by a signal from the battery temperature control part. The battery temperature control part may include a defect discrimination part that senses a defective operation of the cooling fan.

Abstract: A fuel cell system having a fuel cell includes a power generation-time gas supplier that supplies hydrogen-containing fuel gas to an anode of the fuel cell and supplies an oxygen-containing oxidizing gas to a cathode of the fuel cell during power generation of the fuel cell. The fuel cell system also includes an anode potential rise information acquirer that acquires anode potential rise information, which represents information regarding a status of an anode potential rise of the fuel cell, after termination of supplies of the fuel gas and the oxidizing gas by the power generation-time gas supplier. The fuel cell system further includes an anode morphology variation deriver that derives an anode morphology variation representing a degree of a morphology change of a catalyst metal included in the anode, based on the anode potential rise information.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image forming apparatus including: an electrophotographic photoreceptor; a charging unit; an electrostatic latent image forming unit that forms an electrostatic latent image; a developing unit that develops the electrostatic latent image formed at the electrophotographic photoreceptor by a developer to form a toner image, the developing unit storing the developer containing a toner having toner particles containing a crystalline resin and having a shape factor SF1 of from 100 to 150, a volume average particle diameter of from 3 to 6 ?m, and fluorocarbon-based resin particles as an external additive; a transfer unit; and a cleaning unit that cleans the surface of the electrophotographic photoreceptor with a blade containing urethane rubber, the blade disposed applying a pressure to the electrophotographic photoreceptor surface of 0.20 mN/mm or more.

Abstract: An electrostatic image developing toner including: a toner matrix particle having an adhering particle adhered onto the surface of a central particle, wherein a volume average value of a ratio X of a peripheral length PM to a circle-corresponding diameter D is from 3.6 to 5.0.

Abstract: Domains of a charge control resin are formed by dispersing a charge control resin containing a quaternary ammonium salt functional group-containing resin of a copolymer of an addition-polymerizable monomer having a quaternary ammonium salt functional group and a styrene and/or acrylic monomer into a polyester resin as binder resin, and the proportion of the number of domains of the charge control resin with a domain diameter of no less than 0.01 ?m to less than 0.3 ?m versus the number of domains of the charge control resin with a domain diameter of no less than 0.01 ?m, which is measured by a predetermined method, is adjusted to no less than 98% by number.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a toner which is effective in improving image quality while inhibiting white-background fouling, residual-image phenomenon (ghost), blurring (suitability for solid printing), and the like that occur depending on the proportion of a fine powder having a particle diameter not larger than a specific value, and which has satisfactory removability in cleaning, mitigates problems concerning fouling, etc. in long-term use even on a high-speed printer, and attains excellent image stability. Another object is to provide an image-forming apparatus and a toner cartridge each employing the toner. The invention provides a toner for electrostatic-image development satisfying all of the following (1) to (4) or a toner for electrostatic-image development which is a toner containing a charge control agent and satisfying all of the following (5) to (7). The invention further provides an image-forming apparatus and a toner cartridge each employing the toner.

Abstract: A novel electrode that can be used at high temperature in air, a fuel cell using the material, and a method of manufacture of the same are provided. The electrode material containing a component expressed by La1-sAsNi1-x-y-zCuxFeyBzO3-? (wherein, A and B are at least one element independently selected from the group consisting of alkaline earth metals, transition metals excluding Fe, Ni and Cu, and rare earths excluding La, and x>0, y>0, x+y+z<1, 0?s?0.05, and 0?z?0.05) exhibits relatively high conductivity at high temperature, and has the advantage of combination with other materials in relation to coefficient of thermal expansion.

Abstract: The present invention relates to, in the toner including toner particles having a biding agent resin, colorings and a release agent, an electrostatic image developing toner, its composition, and a preparation method thereof. The electrostatic image developing toner is prepared by the method comprising: (1) preparing an inorganic dispersion medium; (2) dispersing/dissolving a polymerizable monomer mixture; (3) micronizing the liquid obtained in step (2) in the liquid obtained in step (1) with high shear force in order to create droplets; (4) performing radical polymerization of the micronized droplets obtained in step (3); (5) aggregating particles obtained in step (4); (6) fusing the aggregate obtained in step (5); (7) cleaning and drying the toner obtained by step (6); and (8) adding additives to impart electrification and fluidity to a toner obtained by step (7).

Abstract: A non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery comprising electrodes including a positive electrode and a negative electrode, a separator positioned between the electrodes, and a non-aqueous electrolyte, wherein the electrodes have a collector carrying an active substance material, and the collector of at least one of the positive electrode and the negative electrode is a three-dimensional structure formed of a resin fiber covered with a metal film.

Abstract: The invention provides a transparent toner for developing an electrostatic latent image, including a binder resin and a release agent, the difference between the endothermic peak Tm of the release agent in a temperature increasing process and the exothermic peak Tc of the release agent in a temperature decreasing process being from about 10° C. to about 50° C., where Tm and Tc are measured with a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) according to the ASTM method.

Abstract: A toner includes toner base particles containing at least a binder resin, a coloring agent, and a release agent; and alumina fine particles whose phase angle (?) is |80°| or less at an alternating current frequency of 1 to 10 kHz in an alternating current impedance method.

Abstract: Provided is an excellent phthalocyanine crystal having high sensitivity and little fluctuation in sensitivity for a humidity change in a use environment and applicable to the martial for solar battery, electronic paper, electrophotographic photoreceptor, etc. Namely, phthalocyanine crystal obtained by bringing a phthalocyanine crystal precursor into contact with an aromatic aldehyde compound to convert the crystal form. Also, provided is an electrophotographic photoreceptor that not only exhibits high sensitivity but also has little fluctuation in sensitivity for a humidity change in a use environment. Further, provided is an electrophotographic photoreceptor cartridge and an image-forming device, both of which can produce a stable quality images for a humidity change in a use environment by using the electrophotographic photoreceptor.

Abstract: An emulsion aggregation toner composition is disclosed that includes toner particles with at least one small crystalline molecule, such as a trans-cinnamic diester, at least one amorphous resin, optional waxes, coagulants, pigments, and combinations thereof. In other embodiments, the small crystalline molecule is biodegradable and can be made using raw materials derived from renewable resources. Such small crystalline molecules are also compatible with amorphous binder resins, to provide toner compositions with reduced minimum fusing temperatures without sacrificing electrical performance. Processes for preparing emulsion aggregation toner compositions are also described.

Abstract: A two-component developer including at least a toner and a carrier. The toner includes a coloring particle prepared by agglutinating and fusing a resin particle having colorants and a resin particle having wax, and 0.2-2.0 wt. % hydrophobic silica and 0.01-1.0 wt. % a hydrotalcite-like compound as external additives. A shape coefficient of the toner is 0.93-0.99. The carrier includes at least a magnetic particle coated with a silicone resin layer, with a volume average particle diameter of 20-100 ?m.

Abstract: A carrier for a two-component developer, includes: magnetic particles and a resin coating layer that is coated on the magnetic particles, the resin coating layer containing metal nitride particles having a volume average primary particle diameter of from about 300 to about 2,000 nm.

Abstract: To provide an electrophotographic photoreceptor including the outermost surface layer formed from a cured film of a composition containing a compound having a chain polymerizable functional group and a charge transportable skeleton in a molecule and a chain transfer agent having a sulfur atom in a molecule, in which the reaction rate of the compound having a chain polymerizable functional group and a charge transportable skeleton in a molecule is about 90% to about 100% and the charge mobility of the cured film at an electric field intensity of 1.0×105 v/cm is from about 5.0×10?7 cm2/Vs to about 1.0×10?4 cm2/Vs.

Abstract: A carrier for developing an electrostatic image, includes: magnetic core material particles and a coated layer coated on the magnetic core material particles, the coated layer containing a resin having a monomer unit represented by formula (A): wherein R1 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group; R2 to R4 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an aryl group or an aralkyl group; R5 independently represents an alkyl group, an aryl group or an aralkyl group; n represents an integer of from 0 to 7; and L1 represents a single bond or an alkylene group, provided that at least one of R3 and R4 is not a hydrogen atom.

Abstract: The invention provides an electrophotographic toner having at least: a binder resin, a coloring agent, and an alkali metal salt of polyethylene oxide. The invention further provides an electrophotographic developer having the electrophotographic toner, a process cartridge having a developer bearing body which accommodates the electrophotographic developer, and an image forming apparatus having a toner image forming member that forms a toner image on a recording medium by using the electrophotographic developer and a fixing member that fixes the toner image by heating and pressurizing or by photoirradiation. The processing speed in image formation using the image forming apparatus can be about 1,000 mm/sec or more.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a crystalline resin for toners which includes a composite resin including a polycondensation-based resin component obtained by polycondensing an alcohol component containing an aliphatic diol having 2 to 10 carbon atoms with a carboxylic acid component containing an aromatic dicarboxylic acid, and a styrene-based resin component; a resin binder containing the crystalline resin and a non-crystalline resin; and a toner for electrophotography which contains the resin binder. According to the present invention, there are provided a crystalline resin for toners which is capable of producing a toner that is excellent in not only low-temperature fixing ability but also gloss of images and anti-filming property, a resin binder, and a toner for electrophotography.

Abstract: A process for making toner particles is provided. In embodiments, a suitable process includes adding a washing aid agent to toner particles at the time of washing the toner particles prior to their drying and recover. The washing aid agent assist in the removal of ionic species, including surfactants and ions that are part of the emulsion aggregation process, from the resulting toner particles. Utilization of the washing aid agent produces toner particles having improved charging characteristics.