Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member and a charge member contacted to the image bearing member for electrically charging the image bearing member. An oscillating voltage including an AC voltage component is applied to the charge member. A first detector detects an AC current applied to the charge member and a second detector detects the AC current corresponding to a peak or a neighborhood of the peak of the AC voltage. A controller effects control such that current detected by the second detector is a predetermined level when the current detected by the first detector is within a predetermined range, and such that current detected by the first detector is a predetermined level when the current detected by the first detector is outside the predetermined range.

Abstract: A display apparatus, a portable information processing apparatus, an information recording medium, and an electronic apparatus that can be easily applied to an apparatus of which the size of a display screen is smaller and by which plural types of information can be visually grasped without unnecessary operations to be performed and functions corresponding to icons can be easily understood. The display apparatus of the present invention comprises a display to combine a time axis with a background screen to be three-dimensionally displayed and to display the combined screen on a display screen, a width of the time axis changing to be wider as it approaches a past time and changing to be narrower as it approaches the future. The display apparatus also comprises a storage section to store background screen data used to display the background screen and time-axis display data used to display the time axis.

Abstract: A honeycomb structure made of a silicon carbide-based porous body and having a number of through-holes extending in the axial direction, separated by partition walls.

Abstract: It is directed to a silicon carbide-based porous body, wherein said body is a porous one which contains silicon carbide particles as an aggregate and metallic silicon, and has an oxygen-containing phase at the surfaces of silicon carbide particles and/or metallic silicon or in the vicinity of the surfaces thereof. The silicon carbide-based porous body contains refractory particles such as silicon carbide particles or the like and yet can be produced at a relatively low firing temperature at a low cost, has a high thermal conductivity, and is superior in oxidation resistance, acid resistance, chemical resistance to ash and particulates.

Abstract: The portable image recording apparatus comprises a coding unit which codes an input sound and image data relating to an image, a parameter setting unit which variably sets a frame rate and a bit rate of coding to be executed by the coding unit according to a type of contents of the image; and a recording unit which records the coded data obtained by the coding unit into a small-sized recording medium.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is disclosed in which an electrophotographic photosensitive member is rotated at a peripheral speed of 150 mm/second or more and a specific toner is used. The toner has a weight-average particle diameter from 5 to 12 &mgr;m, and of the toner having a circle-equivalent diameter of 3 &mgr;m or more, particles with a circularity of 0.900 or more are present at a rate of 90% or more in a number-based cumulative valve. The toner also satisfies one of two sets of conditions which are defined by the relationship between a cut rate and a weight-average particle diameter and the relationship between a number-based cumulative valve and a wight-average particle diameter.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developer bearing member and a developer container for containing a developer therein. The developer container has a plurality of developer containing rooms (chambers) provided with developer conveyers for conveying the developer toward the developer bearing member. The rotational speed of the developer conveyor in the room nearest to the developer bearing member is higher than that of the developer conveyers in the other rooms, or the volume of the room nearest to the developer bearing member is smaller than that of the other rooms, or the thickness of the developer conveyer in the room nearest to the developer bearing member is smaller than that of the developer conveyers in the other rooms, or the Young's modulus of the developer conveyor in the room nearest to the developer bearing member is smaller than that of the developer conveyers in the other rooms.

Abstract: A developer amount detecting method for detecting a developer amount for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on an electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a first process for successively detecting the amount of the developer contained in a containing portion by counting the number of individual image signals for forming dots of an image by a main body of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus; and a second process for successively detecting the developer amount by the apparatus main body by transmitting an electric signal according to the amount of the developer contained in the containing portion to the apparatus main body.

Abstract: This specification discloses an image forming apparatus comprising a process cartridge detachably mountable with respect to the main body of the apparatus, the process cartridge being provided with an image bearing member and charging means for charging the image bearing member, a power supply for applying an alternating current voltage to the charging means, and control means for variably controlling an alternating current supplied from the power supply to the charging means in conformity with information about the use situation of the process cartridge. The specification also discloses a process cartridge detachably mountable with respect to the main body of the image forming apparatus.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image forming apparatus having an image forming device for forming an image on a recording material, a storing device for storing a parameter regarding an accumulation operation amount of the image forming apparatus, and a changing device for changing an image forming condition of the image forming device in accordance with the parameter.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image bearing member; a charge member contacted to the image bearing member to electrically charge the image bearing member; voltage applying means for applying to the charge member an oscillating voltage including an AC voltage component; first detecting means for detecting an AC current applied to the charge member from the voltage applying means; second detecting means for detecting the AC current corresponding to a peak or a neighborhood of the peak of the AC voltage; control means for effecting control such that current detected by the second detecting means is a predetermined level when the current detected by the first detecting means is within a predetermined range and such that current detected by the first detecting means is a predetermined level when the current detected by the first detecting means is outside the predetermined range.

Abstract: A developing device mounted on a main body of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus and adapted to develop an electrostatic latent image formed on an electrophotographic photosensitive member, includes a developer container which contains a developer therein and has a developer bearing member for feeding the developer to the electrophotographic photosensitive member in order to develop the electrostatic latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive member, and N (N≧2) antenna electrodes for detecting the residual amount of developer within the developer container by detecting a variation of capacitance due to a developing bias voltage applied to the developer bearing member; wherein a projected area (S) and a distance (R) of the n-th antenna from the developer bearing member satisfy Sn−1≦Sn, and Rn−1≦Rn (2≦n≦N).

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image bearing member, a transfer member cooperating with the image bearing member to form a nip therebetween for transferring an image from the image bearing member to a transfer material in the nip, and a control system for performing constant current control of the transfer member when the transfer material is not present in the nip and for performing constant voltage control of the transfer member with a voltage based on a voltage obtained while in constant current control, during image transferring to the transfer material. When the transfer material is not present in the nip, a predetermined voltage is applied to the transfer member and current flowing through the transfer member is detected, and, when a change in the current is decreased below a predetermined value, the constant current control is started.

Abstract: This invention relates to an image heating device comprising a heating member, a backup member for forming a nip in cooperation with the heating member, a temperature detecting element for detecting a temperature of the heating member, and heating condition determination means for determining a heating condition, according to a change rate of the temperature detected by the temperature detecting element while a recording sheet is held in the nip.

Abstract: An electrophotosensitive material of the present invention is formed by providing a photosensitive layer containing a bis-azo pigment expressed in formula (1): ##STR1## wherein A.sup.1, A.sup.2, R.sup.1 and n are as defined, as a charge generating material, and a diamine compound expressed in formula (2): ##STR2## wherein R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.4, R.sup.5, R.sup.6 and R.sup.7 p and q k, l, m and o are as defined, as a charge-trasferring material, on a conductive substrate. As a charge generating material, a perylene pigment, anthanthrone pigment, X-type metal-free phthalocyanine pigment, imidazoleperylene pigment or perylene bis-azo pigment are preferable used together with the bis-azo pigment. Thus, photosensitive material is excellent in sensitivity and durability.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image heating apparatus comprising a first heater, a second heater having a heat generating distribution different from that of the first heater, a heated member to be heated by the first heater and second heater, a temperature detection element for detecting a temperature of the heated member, and a power supply controlling means for controlling power supply to the first heater and second heater on the basis of a temperature detected by the temperature detection element. The power supply controlling means serves to stop the power supply to the first heater when the temperature detected by the temperature detection element reaches a first temperature, and to stop the power supply to the second heater when the temperature detected by the temperature detection element reaches a second temperature different from the first temperature.

Abstract: In a fixing device used in an image forming apparatus, temperature changes in a heating member are reduced by gradually reducing a power supply duty ratio while the heating member is subjected to temperature control aiming at a set temperature.

Abstract: A peeling apparatus of a separator of a two-sided adhesive tape comprises: a table for mounting and fixing an element having on a surface a two-side adhesive tape having a separator adhered on the top surface, a feeder for feeding a peeling tape having an adhesive surface, a main roller for pressing the adhesive surface of the peeling tape to the separator, thereby adhering the peeling tape to the separator, a positioner for positioning the table by relatively moving the table to the main roller, whereby the separator adhered to the peeling tape is peeled off from the two-side adhesive tape by the move of the table, and a feed reel for taking up the peeling tape. The separator peeled off from the two-side adhesive tape is taken up by the feed reel together with the peeling tape.

Abstract: Specific values X.sub.1 to X.sub.n are set to signal lines both in a normal circuit having no failure and in a failure circuit having an assumed failure (in the step S11). Applying a test vector F to the circuits, a simulation of signal propagation is performed (in the step S14). Since the specific values or the inverted specific values instead of undefined values propagate on the signal lines, with respect to more types of failures than ever, it becomes possible to determine the capability of the test vector for detecting different kinds of failure.