Abstract: Provided are a method of manufacturing an electrically conductive member having excellent properties and such electrically conductive member. A method of manufacturing an electrically conductive member having an electrically conductive film on a surface of a substrate, comprising the steps of: (i) forming a layer containing a colloid on a porous surface of a substrate having at least the porous surface by applying a colloidal solution and (ii) forming an electrically conductive layer by drying the layer containing the colloid.

Abstract: Provided are a method of manufacturing an electrically conductive member having excellent properties and such electrically conductive member. A method of manufacturing an electrically conductive member having an electrically conductive film on a surface of a substrate, comprising the steps of: (i) forming a layer containing a colloid on a porous surface of a substrate having at least the porous surface by applying a colloidal solution and (ii) forming an electrically conductive layer by drying the layer containing the colloid.

Abstract: An image display apparatus includes an image display portion formed of a pair of substrates disposed opposite to each other and having a peripheral edge sealed in order to form a sealed gap, and an insulating liquid and a plurality of coloring charged particles disposed in the sealed gap. The image display apparatus controls positions of the coloring charged particles and displays an image. The apparatus includes a movable sheet member disposed to be movable in the gap between the pair of substrates, a writing unit arranged outside the image display portion, and a unit for moving the movable sheet member and writing unit in a direction substantially parallel to the substrates and in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided, with which it is possible to reduce the overall size of an apparatus. The image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member including a plurality of switching elements that are arranged in a moving direction and a generatrix direction of the image bearing member, and a latent image forming unit for forming a latent image on the image bearing member, the latent image forming unit including a voltage generating unit for generating a voltage in each switching element in accordance with an image signal.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided, with which it is possible to reduce the overall size of an apparatus. The image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member including a plurality of switching elements that are arranged in a moving direction and a generatrix direction of the image bearing member, and a latent image forming unit for forming a latent image on the image bearing member, the latent image forming unit including a voltage generating unit for generating a voltage in each switching element in accordance with an image signal.

Abstract: There is disclosed an image display apparatus which includes an image display portion formed of a pair of substrates disposed opposite to each other and having a peripheral edge sealed in order to form a sealed gap, and an insulating liquid and a plurality of coloring charged particles disposed in the sealed gap, and which controls positions of the coloring charged particles and displays an image, the apparatus comprising: a movable sheet member disposed to be movable in the gap between the pair of substrates; a writing unit arranged outside the image display portion; and a unit for moving the movable sheet member and writing unit in parallel to the substrates and in a direction of a right angle to the arrangement.

Abstract: An image heating device includes a protective member for protecting an end portion of an endless film. The protective member has a hardness which is lower than that of the film. Hence, even if the film and the protective member rub each other, the damage of the end portion of the film can be prevented, and excellent image heating can be performed.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus is provided with:a moving member having an electrically conductive layer and arranged to move together with a recording medium, an exciting coil for generating a magnetic flux, wherein the magnetic flux generated by the exciting coil generates eddy currents in the moving member and the eddy currents make the moving member generate heat, wherein the heat of the moving member heats an image on the recording medium, a magnetic member for guiding the magnetic flux generated by the exciting coil, wherein the moving member and the magnetic member form a substantially closed magnetic circuit, wherein an angle .theta. ?rad! formed between a principal line of magnetic force directed from the magnetic member to the moving member and a principal line of magnetic force directed from the moving member to the magnetic member is determined to be 0<.theta.<.pi..

Abstract: A charging apparatus includes a charging member contactable or proximatable to a member to be charged, the charging member being capable of being supplied with a voltage; wherein the charging member has a magnetic particle layer, and a magnetic force generator with a gap for generating magnetic force in the magnetic particles, the magnetic particle layer and magnetic force generator forming a magnetic circuit; and wherein the magnetic particle has a particle size of no less than 10 .mu.m and no more than 100 .mu.m, and the maximum magnetic flux density in the gap ranges 1,000.times.10.sup.-4 T-10,000.times.10.sup.-4 T.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member; an image forming device for forming an image on the image bearing member, the image forming device being provided with a charging member which is disposed in contact or proximity with the image bearing member to electrically charge the image bearing member; wherein the charging member is supplied with an oscillating voltage, and there is provided a voltage set period in which a peak-to-peak voltage of the oscillating voltage is higher in a period in which the image is not formed on the image bearing member than in a period in which the image is formed on the image bearing member.

Abstract: A charging apparatus includes a charging surface for charging a member to be charged, wherein a voltage is applied between the charging apparatus and the member to be charged; and projections for contacting the charging apparatus substantially at three positions to the member to be charged to closely face a charging surface to the member to be charged.

Abstract: A charging member has a charging surface having a concave surface that is positioned on the opposite side of a line H than a side at which an object to be charged is disposed, wherein H is a line that (i) is tangent to a surface of the object to be charged at a point at a downstream end of a contact section or a closest-proximity section between the charging surface and the object to be charged, and (ii) extends downstream from the point of tangency, where the downstream direction is determined with respect to a direction of movement of the object to be charged. By this arrangement, a charging region can be enlarged and periodic fluctuations in a surface potential of the object to be charged can be mitigated.

Abstract: A charging member includes an electrode to be supplied with a voltage; a surface layer contactable to a member to be charged; and wherein a cavity is provided between the electrode and the surface layer. The cavity extends in a circumferential direction of the charging member and/or the cavity has a configuration to provide a substantially constant state of contact between the charging member and the member to be charged.

Abstract: A charging member contactable to a member to be charged to electrically charge it includes a charging portion contactable to the member to be charged; a supporting portion for supporting the charging portion, the supporting portion including an elastic layer and a supporting member for supporting the elastic layer; wherein the charging portion is movable toward and away from the supporting portion, and an inside diameter of the charging portion is larger than an outside diameter of the supporting portion.

Abstract: A developing apparatus includes a developer carrying member for carrying developer, an elastic blade press-contacted to the developer carrying member to regulate a layer of developer formed on the developer carrying member, where the elastic blade comprises an electrically conductive layer, and a high resistance layer located at the developer carrying member side of the conductive layer, and an electric field generating device for forming an oscillating electric field between the developer carrying member and the conductive layer, wherein a maximum intensity of the electric field is not less than 10.sup.6 V/m.

Abstract: A charging device, for use with an image forming apparatus with a detachable process cartridge, includes a movable member to be charged, and a charging member adjacent to the movable member. An oscillating voltage is applied to the charging member. The charging member includes a charging surface at the same side as the movable member. A tangent line extends from a point on the charging member, the point being the most downstream point in a moving direction of the movable member at a closest portion between the charging member and the image bearing member, toward the downstream side in the moving direction of the movable member. The charging device may include a first charging region and a second charging region provided at a downstream side from the first charging region, wherein a peak-to-peak voltage of unevenness in charging of a potential of the first charging region is greater than a peak-to-peak voltage of unevenness in charging of a potential of the second charging region.

Abstract: A charging device includes a movable member to be charged; a charging member contactable to the member to be charged to electrically charge the member to be charged, a voltage application means of applying an oscillating voltage between the charging member and the member to be charged; wherein Wc/Wd<1.0 is satisfied, where Wc is a weight of the charging member, and Wd is a weight of the member to be charged; and wherein Vp>f/100 (mm/sec), where Vp (mm/sec) is a moving speed of the member to be charged, and f (Hz) is a frequency of the oscillating voltage.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a rotatable image bearing member including an image bearing layer and a base member for supporting the image bearing layer; a charging member contactable to the image bearing member for electrically charging the image bearing member; a voltage applying device for applying an oscillating voltage to the charging member; a weighting material inside the base member; and an elastic material between the base member and the weighting material. The elastic material has a hardness not more than 70 degrees (JIS-A), a thickness of 1-5 mm and an outer diameter larger by 40-400 microns than an inner diameter of the base member before it is press-fitted into the base member.

Abstract: A charging device contactable to a member in order to charge it electrically. The voltage of the charging member includes an AC component. A controller controls the AC component so as to be a constant current, by which the member to be charged can be stably and uniformly charged even if ambient conditions change.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a movable image bearing member; an image forming device for forming a toner image on the image bearing member; an image transfer device for transferring the toner image onto a transfer material at a transfer position, the transfer device including a rotatable member contactable to such a side of the transfer material as is opposite from a side contactable to the image bearing member and an electric field forming device for forming an electric field between the image bearing member and the rotatable member; wherein the electric field forming device forms a first electric field effective to transfer the toner from the rotatable member to the image bearing member and a second electric field which is opposite in a direction from the first electric field during a period in which the transfer material is absent at the transfer position, wherein each of the first and second electric fields is formed at least for a period required for the entire surface of the rotatable member pass