Abstract: A monomer to produce polybenzimidazole is dissolved in polyphosphoric acid. For example, polysulfated phenylene sulfonic acid (acidic group-possessing polymer) is further dissolved in this solution. In this procedure, the acidic group-possessing polymer and the monomer are adsorbed to one another in accordance with the acid-base interaction. When the monomer is polymerized, for example, by means of dehydration polymerization in this state, then polybenzimidazole is synthesized, and the polybenzimidazole and the acidic group-possessing polymer are compatibilized with each other to produce a compatibilized polymer. When the compatibilized polymer is deposited as a solid, and the solid is separated from polyphosphoric acid, then the compatibilized polymer is obtained. A proton conductive solid polymer electrolyte as a final product is manufactured by forming the compatibilized polymer to have a predetermined shape.

Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming apparatus that comprises: an image bearing member; an image forming unit for forming a toner image on the image bearing member; an intermediate transfer member; a first transfer device for transferring the toner image on the image bearing member onto the intermediate transfer member; a second transfer device for transferring the toner image on the intermediate transfer member onto a transfer material; an intermediate transfer member cleaner for cleaning the intermediate transfer member after the transfer; a charging unit for giving the electric charge to the intermediate transfer member; and a control unit by which, when the charging unit is controlled, in non-image area on the intermediate transfer member, the intermediate transfer member is charged to the reverse polarity to the charge of toner, and the toner adhered to the second transfer device is transferred to the intermediate transfer member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: an image forming section for forming a toner image with toner particles having a first electric polarity; an intermediate transfer body; a first transfer section for transferring the toner image to the intermediate transfer body; a second transfer section for transferring to a recording medium; a charger for applying charges to the toner image on the intermediate transfer body before transferring, the charger having a discharge electrode and a grid; and a charge control section for applying a first voltage and a second voltage to the discharge electrode and the grid, respectively, the first voltage having a polarity reversed from the first electric polarity, the second voltage having an potential between a surface potential of the intermediate transfer body where no toner particle is adhered and a second surface potential of a portion where toner particles are maximally adhered.

Abstract: A developing device has a rotary developer carrier, a rotary developer supply and collection member, a first and second rotary developer stirring members for stirring the developer while conveying and circulating the developer between them in the direction opposite to each other and having the same developer conveyance power, and a third rotary developer stirring member having a zero conveyance power in the rotary axis direction, which are provided in a housing in parallel with each other in this order in the direction to leave a latent image carrier. A toner replenishment inlet is provided at an upper part where the second and third stirring members face each other, and on an upstream side of the second stirring member in the developer conveyance direction, and the second and third stirring members are rotated downwardly at the position where both developer stirring members face each other.

Abstract: A polyphosphazene derivative and an aromatic ring compound are bonded to one another to obtain an intermediate product. Subsequently, anhydrous sulfuric acid is added in such an amount that the molar ratio is 2 to 8 with respect to a repeating unit of the intermediate product. Further, SO3 and the intermediate product are reacted with each other to sulfonate the intermediate product. The sulfonation is performed under a condition in which the temperature range is ?20 to 0° C. and the total time is 5 to 30 hours. Accordingly, a sulfonated polyphosphazene derivative is obtained, in which the number average molecular weight is not less than 25,000 and the ion exchange capacity exceeds 3.0 mmol/g.

Abstract: A developing device has a rotary developer carrier, a rotary developer supply and collection member, a first and second rotary developer stirring members for stirring the developer while conveying and circulating the developer between them in the direction opposite to each other and having the same developer conveyance power, and a third rotary developer stirring member having a zero conveyance power in the rotary axis direction, which are provided in a housing in parallel with each other in this order in the direction to leave a latent image carrier. A toner replenishment inlet is provided at an upper part where the second and third stirring members face each other, and on an upstream side of the second stirring member in the developer conveyance direction, and the second and third stirring members are rotated downwardly at the position where both developer stirring members face each other.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, an electrostatic latent image is reverse-developed by a developing device with a development bias applied, through conveying a two-component developer layer containing toner particles having a volume-average particle diameter of 3 to 5 &mgr;m by a developer carrying member rotatably provided, a developed toner image is transferred onto a recording medium or an intermediate transfer body, and untransferred toner particles remaining on an image forming body having passed a transfer region are removed by a cleaning member provided in pressure contact with the surface of the image forming body. The length in an axis direction of the image forming body of an useless toner image formed on the image forming body at the starting time and the ending time of an image formation sequence denoted by L, the total charge quantity of the toner particles making up the useless toner image is 0.04L &mgr;C or less.

Abstract: A development apparatus has: a housing in which a developer supplying/collecting unit and a developer stirring unit are arranged with a circular passage for carrying developer; a developer carrying member placed at a front side of the developer supplying/collecting unit; a developer supplying/collecting section for carrying the developer; and two developer stirring sections arranged in the front-and-rear direction so as to face, wherein, a toner supplying opening is formed above a position where the two developer stirring sections face and at an upstream side in a developer carrying direction, the two developer stirring sections are rotated at the facing position to move peripheries in a forward direction, the developer carrying direction by the two developer stirring sections is substantially opposite to one by the developer supplying/collecting section, and developer carrying capability of the two developer stirring sections is set to be made equal to that of the developer supplying/collecting section.

Abstract: This invention relates to an image forming apparatus which forms an image on a transfer medium using a two-component developing agent by electrophotography. An image forming apparatus according to this invention includes a potential sensor which measures the charging potential on an image forming body and a patch density sensor which detects the toner attraction amount of a patch image. In the image forming apparatus, a toner charge amount Qt (&mgr;C/g) is calculated from the potential of a patch image before and after development detected by the potential sensor and the image density of a developed patch image detected by the patch density sensor, and image formation is performed by setting image formation conditions based on the calculated toner charge amount Qt. To set the image formation conditions, a table which stores in advance an image formation condition corresponding to the toner charge amount Qt is used.

Abstract: A proton conducting polymer obtained by blending an organic phosphoric acid compound solution with a meta type polyaniline solution; a solid polymer electrolyte for a fuel cell comprising the proton conducting polymer, which is excellent in proton conductivity, methanol barrier property and dopant stability in an aqueous solution of methanol; and an electrode comprising the proton conducting and fine catalyst particles carried on porous particles.

Abstract: A carbon material which is an isotropic bulk material in which a rigid aromatic polymer or a reinforcing polymer is dispersed in the matrix polymer finely, homogeneously and sufficiently, and which is excellent in physical characteristics, particularly in conductivity, by mixing a matrix polymer with an aromatic heterocyclic copolymer precursor containing functional groups having heterocycle forming ability in which at least one of said functional groups is substituted by another functional group, in an organic solvent to form a mixed solution, removing the solvent therefrom to form a coagulum, thereby preparing a three-dimensional mesh type molecular composite material, and then burning the resulting composite material.

Abstract: A proton conducting polymer obtained by blending an organic phosphoric acid compound solution with a meta type polyaniline solution; a solid polymer electrolyte for a fuel cell comprising the proton conducting polymer, which is excellent in proton conductivity, methanol barrier property and dopant stability in an aqueous solution of methanol; and an electrode comprising the proton conducting and fine catalyst particles carried on porous particles.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided for obtaining excellent developing properties using toner with small particle diameters and for forming high-quality visual images. In a developing device of an image forming apparatus, a two-component developer is used which satisfies conditions that volume mean particle diameter dt of a toner is 3˜5 &mgr;m (Condition 1), volume mean particle diameter dc of a carrier is 5 dt˜10 dt (Condition 2), and a weight ratio Rw of the toner and the carrier is 1.6 (dt/dc) ×(&rgr;t/&rgr;c)˜2.4 (dt/dc)×(&rgr;t/&rgr;c) (Condition 3, where &rgr;t and &rgr;c are density of the toner and the carrier, respectively). A main magnetic pole M of a rotary sleeve is arranged in the vicinity of the closest position of the rotary sleeve and an image forming body, and the closest distance D between the rotary sleeve and the image forming body satisfies a condition that D is 0.5 H˜0.8 H for the free tip height H of a magnetic brush B of the main magnetic pole M.

Abstract: For example, polysulfated phenylene sulfonic acid, aniline, and sodium chloride are mixed in water. During this process, the interactive absorption force between polysulfated phenylene sulfonic acid and aniline is decreased by sodium ion produced by the ionization of sodium chloride. In this state, aniline is easily polymerized to produce polyaniline, and polyaniline and polysulfated phenylene sulfonic acid are compatibilized with each other to produce a compatibilized polymer in a form of solid. The compatibilized polymer is separated from the solvent and then dissolved, then being formed to have a predetermined shape. Thus, a proton conductive solid polymer electrolyte is manufactured.

Abstract: A monomer to produce polybenzimidazole is dissolved in polyphosphoric acid. For example, polysulfated phenylene sulfonic acid (acidic group-possessing polymer) is further dissolved in this solution. In this procedure, the acidic group-possessing polymer and the monomer are adsorbed to one another in accordance with the acid-base interaction. When the monomer is polymerized, for example, by means of dehydration polymerization in this state, then polybenzimidazole is synthesized, and the polybenzimidazole and the acidic group-possessing polymer are compatibilized with each other to produce a compatibilized polymer. When the compatibilized polymer is deposited as a solid, and the solid is separated from polyphosphoric acid, then the compatibilized polymer is obtained. A proton conductive solid polymer electrolyte as a final product is manufactured by forming the compatibilized polymer to have a predetermined shape.

Abstract: This invention relates to an image forming apparatus which forms an image on a transfer medium using a two-component developing agent by electrophotography. An image forming apparatus according to this invention includes a potential sensor which measures the charging potential on an image forming body and a patch density sensor which detects the toner attraction amount of a patch image. In the image forming apparatus, a toner charge amount Qt (&mgr;C/g) is calculated from the potential of a patch image before and after development detected by the potential sensor and the image density of a developed patch image detected by the patch density sensor, and image formation is performed by setting image formation conditions based on the calculated toner charge amount Qt. To set the image formation conditions, a table which stores in advance an image formation condition corresponding to the toner charge amount Qt is used.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, an electrostatic latent image is reverse-developed by a developing device with a development bias applied, through conveying a two-component developer layer containing toner particles having a volume-average particle diameter of 3 to 5 &mgr;m by a developer carrying member rotatably provided, a developed toner image is transferred onto a recording medium or an intermediate transfer body, and untransferred toner particles remaining on an image forming body having passed a transfer region are removed by a cleaning member provided in pressure contact with the surface of the image forming body. The length in an axis direction of the image forming body of an useless toner image formed on the image forming body at the starting time and the ending time of an image formation sequence denoted by L, the total charge quantity of the toner particles making up the useless toner image is 0.04L &mgr;C or less.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes, a rotatable image carrier, a writing exposure device to write the image and form a latent image in the rotatable image carrier, a developing device to form a toner image, a registration roller to convey a transfer sheet to an image transfer area where the toner image is transferred from the image carrier onto the transfer sheet, and a fixing roller to heat and fix the toner image, wherein when the length of a transfer sheet is longer than the length of the transfer sheet path between the registration roller and the fixing roller, according to the size of the transfer sheet, the controller changes and controls the relative rotating speed of the registration roller to a rotating speed of the fixing roller, and one of a rotating speed of the rotatable image carrier and a writing speed of the image.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided for obtaining excellent developing properties using toner with small particle diameters and for forming high-quality visual images. In the developing device of the image forming apparatus, a two-component developer is used which satisfies conditions that volume mean particle diameter dt of the toner is 3˜5 &mgr;m (Condition 1), volume mean particle diameter dc of the carrier is 5dt˜10dt (Condition 2), and a weight ratio Rw of the toner and the carrier is 1.6 (dt/dc)×(&rgr;t/&rgr;c)˜2.4 (dt/dc)×(&rgr;t/&rgr;c) (Condition 3, where &rgr;t and &rgr;c are density of the toner and the carrier, respectively). A main magnetic pole of a rotary sleeve is arranged in the vicinity of the closest position of the rotary sleeve and the image forming body, and the closest distance D between the rotary sleeve and the image forming body satisfies a condition that D is 0.5 H˜0.8 H for the free tip height H of a magnetic brush of the main magnetic pole.

Abstract: Sulfonic acid group-containing polyvinyl alcohol having crosslinked structures, which is obtained by heat treating a mixed solution of polyvinyl alcohol, a sulfonating agent and a crosslinking agent, a composite polymer membrane excellent in proton conductivity and methanol barrier property, which is obtained by applying the mixed solution to a water-absorptive or hydrophilic polymer membrane, followed by sulfonation and crosslinking, and an electrode for a fuel cell excellent in catalytic activity, which comprises sulfonic acid group-containing polyvinyl alcohol having crosslinked structures and fine catalyst particles carried on porous particles.