Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a rotatable cylindrical component to be cleaned, and a bar brush having a base substrate and bristles. The base substrate of the bar brush is located at a fixed position relative to the component to be cleaned. The bristles extend from the base substrate to contact the component to be cleaned. The bristles have free ends that form a tip end surface of the bar brush. The tip end surface has a curved shape that conforms with a surface of the component, when the bristles are not in contact with the surface to be cleaned.

Abstract: A water-absorbent resin composition is provided which shows only small reduction in liquid permeability and limited coloring over time or in relation to another factor. The water-absorbent resin composition (particulate absorbent agent) of the present invention contains: a polycarboxylate-based water-absorbent resin as a primary component, the resin having a crosslinked structure formed by polymerization of an acid group-containing unsaturated monomer; and multivalent metal cations (preferably, on surfaces of particles (i.e., the water-absorbent resin composition)) wherein: the multivalent metal cations other than Fe cations account for 0.001 to 1 mass % of the water-absorbent resin; and the ratio of the Fe cations to the multivalent metal cations other than the Fe cations is less than or equal to 5.00 mass %.

Abstract: The hollow fiber membrane module contains a hollow fiber membrane bundle having bundled hollow fiber membranes, a housing with an internal space formed in which the hollow fiber membrane bundle is housed and a gas supply portion which disperses cleaning gas for the hollow fiber membrane in the internal space. The internal space has an upper space in which an upper-side part of the hollow fiber membrane is positioned and a lower space in which a lower-side part of the hollow fiber membrane is positioned. The gas supply portion is provided with pipe vent holes which disperse gas in the housing at a position in the upper space and diffusing vent holes which disperse gas in the housing at a position below the lower space.

Abstract: Provided are a piston ring which, even when a sleeve constituted of an aluminum alloy is used, can sufficiently show the required low frictional properties, wear resistance, and low counterpart-material attacking properties, and a process for producing the piston ring. The piston ring has a rigid carbon film formed as the outermost layer thereof and serving as a sliding surface with a sleeve constituted of an aluminum alloy, wherein the rigid carbon film gives an X-ray diffraction pattern that has peaks assigned to graphite crystals. The rigid carbon film of the piston ring is formed using a chemical vapor deposition method. The rigid carbon film of the piston ring has a hydrogen content which is at least 20 atm % but lower than 30 atm %, and gives a Raman spectrum in which the ratio of the area (ID) of D-band peaks to the area (IG) of G-band peaks, ID/IG, is 0.5-2.0.

Abstract: Provided is a piston ring having excellent low-friction properties and abrasion resistance manufactured without the need for precision control using an ordinary film formation device that does not have a special function.

Abstract: A piston ring in which carbon films with film qualities optimized to be adapted to required performance are formed on an outer circumferential sliding surface and top and bottom surfaces thereof with good productivity is provided, and a high-performance engine which employs the piston ring is also provided. In the piston ring, a carbon film is formed on an outer circumferential sliding surface and top and bottom surfaces. The carbon film contains a stacking of at least two types of carbon film layers with different film qualities, and a thickness ratio of the two types of carbon film layers is different between the outer circumferential sliding surface and the top and bottom surfaces.

Abstract: A water-absorbent resin composition is provided which shows only small reduction in liquid permeability and limited coloring over time or in relation to another factor. The water-absorbent resin composition (particulate absorbent agent) of the present invention contains: a polycarboxylate-based water-absorbent resin as a primary component, the resin having a crosslinked structure formed by polymerization of an acid group-containing unsaturated monomer; and multivalent metal cations (preferably, on surfaces of particles (i.e., the water-absorbent resin composition)) wherein: the multivalent metal cations other than Fe cations account for 0.001 to 1 mass % of the water-absorbent resin; and the ratio of the Fe cations to the multivalent metal cations other than the Fe cations is less than or equal to 5.00 mass %.

Abstract: A treatment instrument for an endoscope is equipped with a sheath; and a balloon which is provided at the sheath, the balloon being configured to be expandable to an unfolded inflated shape from a folded initial shape by supplying a fluid, the balloon having a first region and a second region provided at both end portions in a longitudinal direction, and an intermediate section provided between the first region and the second region. In the initial shape of the balloon, an amount of residual strain of the intermediate section is larger than the amount of residual strain of the first region and the amount of residual strain of the second region. When an internal pressure of the balloon has a first internal pressure value, the first region and the second region are unfolded to be faster than the intermediate section, thereby having a greater diameter than the intermediate section.

Abstract: A treatment tool for an endoscope of the present invention includes a sheath, a balloon provided at the sheath and configured to be expandable to an inflated state from a reduced diameter state by injecting a fluid, a shaft member inserted through an inside of the balloon and configured to extend along a longitudinal axis of the sheath from a distal end of the balloon to a proximal end thereof, and an adhering portion provided on a side of an inner surface of a central portion of the balloon in a direction of the longitudinal axis, formed of an adhering material applied or adhered to the shaft member and configured to hold the central portion in a state in which the central portion is reduced in diameter.

Abstract: A water-absorbent resin composition is provided which shows only small reduction in liquid permeability and limited coloring over time or in relation to another factor. The water-absorbent resin composition (particulate absorbent agent) of the present invention contains: a polycarboxylate-based water-absorbent resin as a primary component, the resin having a crosslinked structure formed by polymerization of an acid group-containing unsaturated monomer; and multivalent metal cations (preferably, on surfaces of particles (i.e., the water-absorbent resin composition)) wherein: the multivalent metal cations other than Fe cations account for 0.001 to 1 mass % of the water-absorbent resin; and the ratio (in terms of percentage) of the Fe cations to the multivalent metal cations other than the Fe cations is less than or equal to 5.00 mass %.

Abstract: Disclosed is a lubricating oil composition for low-friction sliding materials, which is used in a sliding mechanism where a DLC film containing hydrogen in an amount of from 5 atom % to 50 atom % is formed on at least one sliding surface. The lubricating oil composition contains, in the lubricant base oil therein and based on the total amount of the composition, (A) an organic zinc dithiophosphate in an amount of from 0.005% by mass to 0.12% by mass in terms of the phosphorus concentration therein, (B) an amine-based friction-reducing agent in an amount of from 0.05% by mass to 5.0% by mass, and (C) an alkaline earth metal salicylate-based detergent and/or an alkaline earth metal sulfonate-based detergent in an amount of from 0.05% by mass to 0.5% by mass in terms of the alkaline earth metal concentration therein, wherein the component (A) contains, based on the total amount of the composition, a zinc primary dialkyldithiophosphate in an amount of from 0.005% by mass to 0.

Abstract: Provided is a technique whereby a DLC film having a desired surface roughness and a desired film hardness can be easily formed within a short period of time while preventing cost increase so that a large quantity of boll joints, which are less expensive and yet have stable sliding characteristics, can be supplied. A method for manufacturing a ball joint provided with a ball stud that has a spherical surface section and a holder section that pivotally holds the spherical surface section, said method comprising: an intermediate underlayer-forming step for forming an intermediate underlayer, that has a fine irregular surface structure, on the surface of the spherical surface section using a sputtering method; and an amorphous hard carbon film-forming step for forming an amorphous hard carbon film, that has a root mean square roughness on the surface of 6.5-35 nm, on the intermediate underlayer using a PIG plasma film formation method.

Abstract: Provided are a piston ring which, even when a sleeve constituted of an aluminum alloy is used, can sufficiently show the required low frictional properties, wear resistance, and low counterpart-material attacking properties, and a process for producing the piston ring. The piston ring has a rigid carbon film formed as the outermost layer thereof and serving as a sliding surface with a sleeve constituted of an aluminum alloy, wherein the rigid carbon film gives an X-ray diffraction pattern that has peaks assigned to graphite crystals. The rigid carbon film of the piston ring is formed using a chemical vapor deposition method. The rigid carbon film of the piston ring has a hydrogen content which is at least 20 atm % but lower than 30 atm %, and gives a Raman spectrum in which the ratio of the area (ID) of D-band peaks to the area (IG) of G-band peaks, ID/IG, is 0.5-2.0.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an optical element, the method including: heating an optical element material by suspending it in a gas; supplying the heated optical element material from a direction which intersects a central axis interconnecting centers of a first mold and a second mold to a space between molds in a non-contact state, the space between molds being a space between the first mold and the second mold; pressurizing the optical element material supplied to the space between molds by the first mold and the second mold; and cooling the pressurized optical element material.

Abstract: Disclosed is a lubricating oil composition for low-friction sliding materials, which is used in a sliding mechanism where a DLC film containing hydrogen in an amount of from 5 atom % to 50 atom % is formed on at least one sliding surface. The lubricating oil composition contains, in the lubricant base oil therein and based on the total amount of the composition, (A) an organic zinc dithiophosphate in an amount of from 0.005% by mass to 0.12% by mass in terms of the phosphorus concentration therein, (B) an amide-based friction-reducing agent in an amount of from 0.05% by mass to 5.0% by mass, and (C) an alkaline earth metal salicylate-based detergent and/or an alkaline earth metal sulfonate-based detergent in an amount of from 0.05% by mass to 0.5% by mass in terms of the alkaline earth metal concentration therein.

Abstract: Provided is a technique whereby a DLC film having a desired surface roughness and a desired film hardness can be easily formed within a short period of time while preventing cost increase so that a large quantity of boll joints, which are less expensive and yet have stable sliding characteristics, can be supplied. A method for manufacturing a ball joint provided with a ball stud that has a spherical surface section and a holder section that pivotally holds the spherical surface section, said method comprising: an intermediate underlayer-forming step for forming an intermediate underlayer, that has a fine irregular surface structure, on the surface of the spherical surface section using a sputtering method; and an amorphous hard carbon film-forming step for forming an amorphous hard carbon film, that has a root mean square roughness on the surface of 6.5-35 nm, on the intermediate underlayer using a PIG plasma film formation method.

Abstract: Disclosed is a lubricating oil composition for low-friction sliding materials, which is used in a sliding mechanism where a DLC film containing hydrogen in an amount of from 5 atom % to 50 atom % is formed on at least one sliding surface. The lubricating oil composition contains, in the lubricant base oil therein and based on the total amount of the composition, (A) an organic zinc dithiophosphate in an amount of from 0.005% by mass to 0.12% by mass in terms of the phosphorus concentration therein, (B) an amine-based friction-reducing agent in an amount of from 0.05% by mass to 5.0% by mass, and (C) an alkaline earth metal salicylate-based detergent and/or an alkaline earth metal sulfonate-based detergent in an amount of from 0.05% by mass to 0.5% by mass in terms of the alkaline earth metal concentration therein, wherein the component (A) contains, based on the total amount of the composition, a zinc primary dialkyldithiophosphate in an amount of from 0.005% by mass to 0.

Abstract: Disclosed is a lubricating oil composition for low-friction sliding materials, which is used in a sliding mechanism where a DLC film containing hydrogen in an amount of from 5 atom % to 50 atom % is formed on at least one sliding surface. The lubricating oil composition contains, in the lubricant base oil therein and based on the total amount of the composition, (A) an organic zinc dithiophosphate in an amount of from 0.005% by mass to 0.12% by mass in terms of the phosphorus concentration therein, (B) an amide-based friction-reducing agent in an amount of from 0.05% by mass to 5.0% by mass, and (C) an alkaline earth metal salicylate-based detergent and/or an alkaline earth metal sulfonate-based detergent in an amount of from 0.05% by mass to 0.5% by mass in terms of the alkaline earth metal concentration therein.

Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes a photoreceptor forming an electrostatic latent image on a surface thereof, a charging roller being in contact with the photoreceptor to uniformly charge the surface thereof, a developing device forming a toner image on the photoreceptor, and a cleaning device cleaning contaminants on a surface of the charging roller, in which the charging roller has a conductive elastic layer formed around an axis and a direction of polishing marks on the surface of the charging roller is in a circumferential direction.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a disk device includes a disk recording medium, a drive motor configured to support and rotate a recording medium, a suspension assembly which supports a head, a housing containing the recording medium, the drive motor and the suspension assembly, a filter in the housing, opposite to part of an outer peripheral edge of the recording medium, and through which an airflow generated by rotation of the recording medium flows, an exhaust hole formed at the housing and located opposite to an upstream side of the filter with respect to the airflow, and an air-intake formed at the housing and located opposite to a region of the housing, whose pressure is lower than the pressure of the upstream side of the filter.