Abstract: An operation pedal system that is installed in a straddle-type vehicle includes an operation pedal having an arm portion and a pedal portion, and a tread surface forming member that is attached to the pedal portion to form a first tread surface above the pedal portion that receives a stepping force when a stepping operation is performed on the operation pedal. In the operation pedal system, the tread surface forming member is separate from the operation pedal, and the tread surface forming member has a body portion having a tread surface forming surface forming the first tread surface on an upper surface, and an attachment mechanism provided on the body portion for detachably attaching the tread surface forming member to the pedal portion.

Abstract: A polymer (P) to generate an acid by light exposure and to change in solubility in a developer with an action of the acid, the polymer containing: a repeating unit represented by the following formula (A-1); a repeating unit represented by any one or more selected from the following formulae (B-1), (B-2), (B-3), and (B-4) to generate an acid by light exposure; and a repeating unit represented by the following formula (a-1) or (a-2) other than the repeating unit represented by the formula (A-1). This provides a polymer to be contained in a resist composition that is excellent in etching resistance and that makes it possible to form a pattern with high sensitivity, high resolution, high contrast, and small LWR and CDU when using, in particular, an electron beam or an extreme ultraviolet ray (EUV) having a wavelength of 13.5 nm; a resist composition containing the polymer; and a patterning process using the resist composition.

Abstract: A catalytic converter includes a catalyst carrier, a metal shell covering the outer periphery of the catalyst carrier, and a holding and sealing material disposed between the catalyst carrier and the metal shell.The holding and sealing material is a beltlike holding and sealing material having a width equal to or smaller than one-half the length of the catalyst carrier. The holding and sealing material is wound around the outer periphery of the catalyst carrier by one turn or more. By using the holding and sealing material, the catalytic converter can be produced inexpensively and easily.

Abstract: A holding and sealing material for disposal between a catalyst carrier and a metal shell covering the outer face of the catalyst carrier. The holding and sealing material includes an inorganic fiber mat subjected to needle punching producing needled holes having a density of 50-3,000 per 100 cm2 thereof and an organic filler included inside of the needled holes of the inorganic fiber mat. The holding and sealing mat material generates a surface pressure of 5-500 kPa when heated to 300-1,000° C. under the filling bulk density of 0.15-0.45 g/cm3. The holding and sealing mat material includes an organic component which is over 0 and not more than 2 weight % after being heated to 300-1,000° C.

Abstract: A holding and sealing material for a catalytic converter for disposition between a cylindrical catalyst carrier and a metal shell covering the outer periphery of the catalyst carrier. The holding and sealing material includes a fiber aggregate mainly formed of alumina-silica based ceramic fibers having a mullite crystal content of 10 wt % or less, and the fiber aggregate is subjected to a needle punch treatment. Owing to the improved holding and sealing material, a catalytic converter having excellent durability and assemblage and having extremely low pollution characteristics is provided.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus containing an image holding member, a contact-type charger for charging a surface of the image holding member, an exposure unit for forming an electrostatic latent image by exposing the charged surface of the image holding member, a developing unit for developing the electrostatic latent image with a spherical toner to obtain a toner image, and a transfer member for electrostatically transferring the toner image from the surface of the image holding member onto a transfer material. A number of toner particles remaining on the surface of the image holding member before passing through an abutting portion between the image holding member and the contact-type charger is in a range of 100 to 400 per unit area (mm2).

Abstract: An image forming apparatus containing an image holding member, a contact-type charger for charging a surface of the image holding member, an exposure unit for forming an electrostatic latent image by exposing the charged surface of the image holding member, a developing unit for developing the electrostatic latent image with a spherical toner to obtain a toner image, and a transfer member for electrostatically transferring the toner image from the surface of the image holding member onto a transfer material. A number of toner particles remaining on the surface of the image holding member before passing through an abutting portion between the image holding member and the contact-type charger is in a range of 100 to 400 per unit area (mm2).

Abstract: A holding and sealing material (1) for a catalytic converter is disposed between a cylindrical catalyst carrier (3) and a metal shell (2) covering the outer periphery of the catalyst carrier (3). The holding and sealing material (1) comprises a fiber aggregate mainly comprised of alumina-silica based ceramic fibers having a mullite crystal content of 10 wt % or less, and the fiber aggregate is subjected to a needle punch treatment. Owing to the improved holding and sealing material, a catalytic converter having excellent durability and assemblage and having extremely low pollution characteristics is provided.

Abstract: A catalytic converter (1) includes a catalyst carrier (2), a metal shell (3) covering the outer periphery of the catalyst carrier, and a holding and sealing material (4) disposed between the catalyst carrier and the metal shell. The holding and sealing material is a beltlike holding and sealing material having a width (W1) equal to or smaller than one-half the length (L1) of the catalyst carrier. The holding and sealing material is wound around the outer periphery (2a) of the catalyst carrier (2) by one turn or more. By using the holding and sealing material, the catalytic converter can be produced inexpensively and easily.

Abstract: In an air conditioning unit for an automotive vehicle, which is housed in a space defined by a vehicle panel 7 separating an engine room and a vehicle compartment from each other, an Instrument panel 5 arranged in the vehicle compartment, and a floor panel 6 arranged on a floor of the vehicle compartment, bracket portions 20 for supporting an audio unit 40 are integrally formed with a rear portion of a unit casing 10 in a front-rear direction of the vehicle, the unit casing 10 being located in a central portion of the vehicle in a left-right direction thereof. The bracket portions 20 have upper end fixing plates 31 thereof fixed to the Instrument panel 5 and lower end fixing plates 33 thereof fixed to the floor panel 6, by bolts or pins. Further, casing fixing plates 36 are fixed to a bracket 51 of a steering member 50 by bolts.

Abstract: An image forming device which is capable of preventing generation of toner filming and obtaining a stable image quality without defects over a long period and which is environmentally friendly. The image forming device, for forming an image with a spherical toner, includes image holding members, contact type charging member, exposing member, developing member, and transfer member. A toner shape change ratio (Tt) of deformed toner particles passed between the contacting portions of the image holding members and the charging member is in a range of 50 to 100 percent.

Abstract: An image forming device which is capable of preventing generation of toner filming and obtaining a stable image quality without defects over a long period and which is environmentally friendly. The image forming device, for forming an image with a spherical toner, comprises image holding members, contact type charging means, exposing means, developing means and transfer means. A toner shape change ratio (Tt) of deformed toner particles passed between the contacting portions of the image holding members and the charging means is in a range of 50 to 100 percent.

Abstract: The present invention intends to provide a catalytic converter containing a holding and sealing mat material which facilitates work for mounting a catalyst carrier into a metallic shell and has an excellent cushioning performance and further, a diesel particulate filter system containing a holding and sealing mat material which facilitates work for mounting a diesel particulate filter into the metallic shell and has an excellent cushioning performance.

Abstract: The invention is to provide a toner, a toner cartridge and a developing device using the same in that an excellent image without a defect on the image is obtained in a long period of time, and stable agitation and transportation can be conducted. In a toner cartridge containing a toner containing at least a binder resin, a colorant and wax, inside the toner cartridge, and a toner agitating and transporting member for supplying the toner under agitation and transportation, the toner contains the wax in an amount of from 3 to 10% by weight and has a mean particle diameter of from 3 to 10 &mgr;m, and the toner agitating and transporting member is arranged as rotatably inside the toner cartridge to form a distance of from 0.5 to 3.0 mm between the member and an inner wall of a main body of the toner cartridge.

Abstract: A soundproof heat shield member for an exhaust manifold comprises a metal substrate of a given three-dimensional shape, a nonwoven fabric disposed on a surface of the metal substrate facing an exhaust manifold, and a woven wire cloth of metal wires disposed on a surface of the nonwoven fabric and fixed to the metal substrate, and is excellent in the sound absorbing property, heat shielding property and durability.

Abstract: The invention provides a muffler for an internal combustion engine having excellent durability (resistance to scattering) even when being exposed to a high-temperature exhaust gas and capable of maintaining a high sound absorption coefficient over a long period. Such a muffler comprises a metal tube provided with a plurality of small holes, an inorganic fiber sound-absorbing material arranged on the outer periphery thereof and a metal shell covering the outside of the sound-absorbing material, in which a scattering prevention member is disposed between the metal tube and the sound-absorbing material. The sound-absorbing material is a laminated structure of crystalline alumna fiber mat and glass fiber mat. As the scattering prevention member, there is used a stainless woven wire cloth, a woven fabric made from inorganic fiber and a metal roll.

Abstract: A toner for electrostatic-image development which comprises toner particles comprising a colorant and a binder resin, the toner particles having a volume-average particle diameter of from 3 to 9 .mu.m and a particle size distribution satisfying the following expressions (1) and (2):D16(v)/D50(v).ltoreq.1.475-0.036.times.D50(v) (1)D50(p)/D84(p).ltoreq.1.45 (2)wherein D16(v) and D50(v) represent, in terms of absolute value, a cumulative 16% diameter (.mu.m) and a cumulative 50% diameter (.mu.m), respectively, of a cumulative volume particle diameter distribution of the toner particles depicted from the larger diameter side, and D50(p) and D84(p) represent, in terms of absolute value, a cumulative 50% diameter (.mu.m) and a cumulative 84% diameter (.mu.m), respectively, of a cumulative population particle diameter distribution of the toner particles depicted from the larger diameter side.

Abstract: The toner for full-color image formation of the invention comprises a binder resin and a colorant, wherein the toner has a volume-average particle diameter of from 3.0 to 9.0 .mu.m and satisfies relationship (1) between the volume-average particle diameter and a colorant content thereof:11.0/R.ltoreq.C.ltoreq.21.5/R (1)wherein R is 1/2 of the volume-average particle diameter of the toner (.mu.m) and C is the colorant content of the toner (wt %).This toner for full-color image formation is used to conduct development in such a manner that the toner amount transferred to the receiving paper satisfies relationship (2):0.116R.ltoreq.TMA.ltoreq..ltoreq.0.0223R (2)wherein R is 1/2 of the volume-average particle diameter of the toner (.mu.m) and TMA is the weight of the toner (mg/cm.sup.2) transferred to the receiving paper in a monochromatic solid part thereof.

Abstract: A surface-treated inorganic fine particle includes an inorganic fine particle, a hydrophobizing agent deposited on the surface of the inorganic fine particle and an amino group-containing coupling agent deposited on the surface of the inorganic fine particle, wherein the hydrophobizing agent and the amino group-containing coupling agent in a ratio of 1/(0.01 to 0.1) by weight are deposited on the surface of the inorganic fine particle by treating the surface of the inorganic fine particle with the hydrophobizing agent and the amino group-containing coupling agent. An electrophotographic developer contains toner particles and the surface-treated inorganic fine particles.

Abstract: A color toner providing a toner image excellent in brightness, clearness and graininess and a process for producing the same are disclosed, wherein a proportion of dispersed pigment particles having a circle-equivalent diameter of 0.3 .mu.m or greater does not exceed 0.1% of the total number of said dispersed pigment particles. The process comprises kneading a water-containing pigment paste and a binder resin at a temperature of 100.degree. C. or higher under pressure in a heat and pressure kneader to remove a water content to obtain a pigment dispersion, melt-kneading the resulting pigment dispersion together with a binder resin, and grinding the mixture.