Abstract: An image forming apparatus equipped with a heat fixing device includes a heating member having an elastic layer on a substrate and a fluorine resin coated on the elastic layer, a pressure member having a substrate covered with a fluorine resin tube through an elastic layer or without the elastic layer in pressure contact with the heating member, and at least one heater as a heat source. The surface roughness of the fluorine resin of the heating member is greater than the surface roughness of the fluorine resin tube of the pressure member.

Abstract: A method for forming a metal back-attached phosphor screen comprises the step of dissolving/removing or rendering highly resistant a specified area of a metal film formed on a phosphor screen by using a liquid that dissolves or oxidizes the metal film. After part of a metal film is removed or rendered highly resistant, an insulating or highly resistant inorganic material may be applied to the remaining ends thereof. Alternatively, an insulating or highly-resistant inorganic material may be added to a dissolving or oxidizing liquid to dissolve/remove or render highly resistant a metal film, and at the same time ends of the metal film are coated with the inorganic material. In this metal back-attached phosphor screen, electron emission elements and the phosphor screen are protected against destruction/deterioration by discharging.

Abstract: A fixing device for fixing a recording sheet, including: a heating roller, a pressure roller, and an exterior heating roller; wherein the hardness of the elastic layer of the heating roller is less than that of the elastic layer of the pressure roller, and wherein the heat conductivity of the elastic layer of the heating roller is equal to or less than 0.2 W/m K, and the heat conductivity of the elastic layer of the pressure roller is equal to or greater than 0.4 W/m K.

Abstract: An electron source device includes a porous layer (for example, porous alumina layer) which is composed of an insulator and has many microscopic holes provided in a direction perpendicular to a main surface, and first and second conductor layers placed on both sides of the porous layer, and is characterized in that the current density I/S is 1 ?A/cm2 or higher when a direct-current voltage is applied between the second conductor layer and the fist conductor layer while using the second conductor layer as an anode. In this case, S represents the overlapping area of the first conductor layer, the second conductor layer and the porous layer. Consequently, an electron source device having a high electron emission ability and a long life even when the degree of vacuum is low can be obtained at low cost, and hence, a display having a high luminous efficiency and high reliability can be realized.

Abstract: A metal back-attached phosphor screen comprises at least a phosphor layer (3) and a metal back layer (5) on an inner surface of a face plate (1), a first treatment layer (4) containing at lest one kind of inorganic oxide such as SiO2,a silicon oxide containing an alkali metal such as Na, Al2O3, TiO2, or ZrO2 formed on the phosphor layer (3), and the metal back layer (5) formed thereon. A second treatment layer containing the aforementioned inorganic oxide can be formed on the metal back layer (5). A metal back-attached phosphor screen, when used in an image display device such as a FED, can not only inhibit the occurrence of abnormal discharge and improve withstand voltage characteristics but also can increase brightness.

Abstract: A method for forming a phosphor screen comprising the step of forming a phosphor layer containing a thermoplastic resin on the inner surface of a face plate, the step of pressurizing the phosphor layer being heated to plasticate the thermoplastic resin and smooth the surface of the phosphor layer, and the step of forming a metal film on the surface-smoothed phosphor layer and heating the face plate. Thermoplastic resin having a softening temperature of 50–350° C. can be used in the phosphor layer, and 0.05–50 wt % of such a thermoplastic resin in solid content ratio is contained in the layer. Heating/pressurizing conditions preferably involve temperatures of 50–350° C. and pressures of 10–10000 N/cm2. This method enhances the film forming property of a metal back layer and prevents cracks and pinholes in the metal back layer.

Abstract: An image display unit comprising a high-resistance gap section disposed between a grounding section and the outer peripheral edge of a metal back layer so as to surround the outer peripheral edge, the high-resistance gap section having a surface roughness of 1.0 to 15.0 ?m. The high-resistance gap section can have a high-resistance coating layer with a surface resistivity of 1×109 to 1×1015 ?/?. The high-resistance gap section can be formed of plural regions so disposed that their surface roughness or surface resistivity sequentially increases from the inner side toward the outer side. Accordingly, surface discharge from the outer peripheral edge of a metal back layer is restricted to prevent the destruction or deterioration of an electron emission element and a fluorescent surface.

Abstract: A shock absorbing lanyard is a one-piece webbing. The shock absorbing lanyard has a tubular-shaped high strength outer sheath and a high elongation member inside of the outer sheath. The outer sheath and the high elongation member are secured together at spaced apart connection locations and the high elongation member is generally not secured to the outer sheath between the connection locations. Heat treatment shrinks the length of the high elongation member. The outer sheath does not substantially shrink from the heat treatment relative to the high elongation member and gathers together in an accordion-like arrangement. A tensile load applied to the lanyard stretches the high elongation member and unfolds the gathered outer sheath. The high strength outer sheath supports the tensile load when completely unfolded while the high elongation member absorbs energy as it stretches or elongates.

Abstract: A fixing device for fixing a recording sheet, including: a heating roller, a pressure roller, and an exterior heating roller; wherein the hardness of the elastic layer of the heating roller is less than that of the elastic layer of the pressure roller, and wherein the heat conductivity of the elastic layer of the heating roller is equal to or less than 0.2 W/m K, and the heat conductivity of the elastic layer of the pressure roller is equal to or greater than 0.4 W/m K.

Abstract: A transfer film comprising a base film (11), a parting-agent layer (12), a protective film (13), and a metal film (14), the latter three being formed on the base film (11) in order, wherein the protective film (13) contains a softening agent such as a phosphate, an aliphatic monobasic acid ester, an aliphatic dibasic acid ester, or a dihydric alcohol ester. By using such a transfer film, a metal back layer is formed. Since the transfer layer of the transfer film has a surface resistivity of as high as 102-108 ?/, the surface resistivity of the formed metal back layer is high, and discharge is suppressed.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes a fixing roller, a fixing belt forming a nip between them, a heat source for heating at least one of the rollers, wherein a recording medium carrying an unfixed toner image passes through the nip to perform fixing operation, and a flattener having a conveyance roller and a pressure contact member which is in pressure contact with the conveyance roller, which is provided downstream in the conveying direction of the recording medium of the nip. A convex shape of the nip formed by the fixing roller and the fixing belt, and a convex shape of a nip of the flattener formed by the conveyance roller and the pressure contact member are arranged to have opposite directions to each other, when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction of the recording medium.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus having a fixing device for fixing toner including wax on a transfer sheet comprising a fixing rotating member for fixing toner on the transfer sheet with a rotation thereof, and first cleaning member contacting to the fixing rotating member so as to remove melted wax on the fixing rotating member. A surface roughness Rz of the first cleaning member is not more than 1.6 ?m.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus capable of preventing transfer paper from sticking or jamming, and an image recording apparatus equipped with the same. This fixing apparatus is intended to fix polymerized toner on transfer material and has a) a heating roller having a cylindrical cored bar, and a elastic layer and releasing layer provided around said cylindrical cored bar, b) a pressure roller, in contact with the heating roller, having a cylindrical cored bar, and a elastic layer and releasing layer provided around the cylindrical cored bar, c) a first guide member provided opposite the pressure roller, and d) a second guide member. provided near the heating roller without contacting thereto. In this fixing apparatus, the difference in hardness between the heating roller and pressure roller is 5 through 10 degrees in AskerC, And the hardness of the pressure roller is higher than that of the heating roller.

Abstract: A transfer film comprising a base film (11), a parting-agent layer (12), a protective film (13), and a metal film (14), the latter three being formed on the base film (11) in order, wherein the protective film (13) contains a softening agent such as a phosphate, an aliphatic monobasic acid ester, an aliphatic dibasic acid ester, or a dihydric alcohol ester. By using such a transfer film, a metal back layer is formed. Since the transfer layer of the transfer film has a surface resistivity of as high as 102-108 ?/, the surface resistivity of the formed metal back layer is high, and discharge is suppressed.

Abstract: A phosphor screen with metal back of the present invention has a degree of adhesion of 30% or more in the ratio of the contact area of a phosphor layer (2) and a metal back layer (3). The deterioration (film burning) of emission brightness in FED can be suppressed and the brightness characteristics can be improved. The film thickness of the metal back layer is set to 50 to 100 nm and the light transmittance thereof is set to 10% or less to provide a highly bright display with excellent reflectivity. The phosphor screen with metal back can be formed by transferring a metal film onto the phosphor layer formed on the internal surface of a translucent substrate by using a transfer film.

Abstract: A fixing device for use in an image forming apparatus capable of forming both-side images on a sheet by using a sheet reversing and conveying device. The fixing device has a heat applying rotary body with an elastic layer made of rubber and a toner releasing layer on top thereof, for coming into contact with and heating a side bearing an unfixed toner image of a transfer sheet; a pressure applying rotary body with an elastic layer made of rubber and a toner releasing layer on top thereof, for fixing and conveying the transfer material by coming into pressure contact and rotating with the heat applying rotary body; a drive source for driving one of the rotary bodies; and a heat applying source for heating one of the rotary bodies. The pressure applying rotary body has a micro-hardness smaller than that of the heat applying rotary body.

Abstract: An elastic support assembly for an electric power steering apparatus in which a worm shaft is supported movably in a rotation axis direction through the elastic support assembly includes: a pair of first and second members relatively moving in the rotation axis direction according to a movement of the worm shaft; an elastic body provided between the first and second members in the rotation axis direction; and a cover which covers an outer periphery part of the elastic body from a radial direction of the worm shaft and is connected to the first member.

Abstract: A metal back-attached phosphor screen comprises a metal back layer that has a high-reflectance, high-resistance layer consisting of an In-, Sn- or Bi-oxide layer. The metal back layer of the metal back-attached phosphor screen may have a laminate structure including a high-reflectance layer formed on a phosphor layer side and a high-resistance layer formed on that layer. The high-reflectance layer may be formed of Al, In, Sn or Bi. The high-resistance layer may be formed of an Al-, In-, Sn-, Bi- or Si-oxide or nitride. A high-brightness metal back-attached phosphor screen is provided that prevents the destruction or the deterioration of an electron emission element and a phosphor screen by discharging.

Abstract: A method for forming a metal back-attached phosphor screen comprises the step of dissolving/removing or rendering highly resistant a specified area of a metal film formed on a phosphor screen by using a liquid that dissolves or oxidizes the metal film. After part of a metal film is removed or rendered highly resistant, an insulating or highly resistant inorganic material may be applied to the remaining ends thereof. Alternatively, an insulating or highly-resistant inorganic material may be added to a dissolving or oxidizing liquid to dissolve/remove or render highly resistant a metal film, and at the same time ends of the metal film are coated with the inorganic material. In this metal back-attached phosphor screen, electron emission elements and the phosphor screen are protected against destruction/deterioration by discharging.

Abstract: This invention relates to an image forming apparatus including a fixing unit which includes a heat section having a resilient body and a release layer that covers the resilient body, and a press section having a resilient body and a release layer that covers the resilient body and pressed by the heat section, and which heats and fixes a transfer medium at a nip portion as a press contact portion of the two sections. This fixing unit satisfies at least one of the following three conditions: (a) the tensile strength of the resilient body of the heat section upon a lapse of an arbitrary use time is higher than its initial tensile strength or is not lower than the initial tensile strength by 0.