Abstract: A vehicle control device has a processor configured to determine whether a first road exists where the vehicle is to exit from the traveling road, and when a first road exists, to set a lane change schedule zone based on a first connecting location, to determine whether a second road located on the same side of the traveling direction of the vehicle as the first road exists between the current location of the vehicle and the first connecting location, to change a start location of the lane change schedule zone based on a second connecting location, when a second road exists and the start location of the lane change schedule zone is at a second connecting location, or before the second connecting location, and to notify the driver of the plan to move the vehicle between lanes while the vehicle is traveling in the lane change schedule zone.

Abstract: An electrically conductive roller which may easily obtain a desired surface roughness, and which has good setting property without problems such as high cost and compression set is provided. An electrically conductive roller 10 comprises a shaft 1, an elastic layer 2 supported on the periphery of the shaft and one surface layer 3 formed on the peripheral surface of the elastic layer 2. The elastic layer 2 is composed of a urethane foam in which the degree of swelling is not more than 120% with respect to the solvent used in the formation of the surface layer 3. The urethane foam preferably contains, as a polyol component, a polyester polyol having a hydroxyl value of 200 to 400 and 3 or more functional groups.

Abstract: A developing roller which shows an excellent environmental performance and is free from occurrence of toner filming and toner leakage is provided. The developing roller 10 comprises a shaft 1, an elastic layer 2 supported on the outer periphery of the shaft 1, and a single surface layer 3 formed on the outer peripheral surface of the elastic layer 2. The elastic layer 2 comprises a polyurethane foam and the surface layer 3 comprises an aqueous polyurethane resin as a major component and further a water-dispersible silica and/or an aqueous silicone acrylic graft polymer. As the aqueous polyurethane resin, a UV curing resin may be preferably used.

Abstract: An electrically conductive roller which may easily obtain a desired surface roughness, and which has good setting property without problems such as high cost and compression set is provided. An electrically conductive roller 10 comprises a shaft 1, an elastic layer 2 supported on the periphery of the shaft and one surface layer 3 formed on the peripheral surface of the elastic layer 2. The elastic layer 2 is composed of a urethane foam in which the degree of swelling is not more than 120% with respect to the solvent used in the formation of the surface layer 3. The urethane foam preferably contains, as a polyol component, a polyester polyol having a hydroxyl value of 200 to 400 and 3 or more functional groups.

Abstract: A developing roller which shows an excellent environmental performance and is free from occurrence of toner filming and toner leakage is provided. The developing roller 10 comprises a shaft 1, an elastic layer 2 supported on the outer periphery of the shaft 1, and a single surface layer 3 formed on the outer peripheral surface of the elastic layer 2. The elastic layer 2 comprises a polyurethane foam and the surface layer 3 comprises an aqueous polyurethane resin as a major component and further a water-dispersible silica and/or an aqueous silicone acrylic graft polymer. As the aqueous polyurethane resin, a UV curing resin may be preferably used.

Abstract: A development roller is provided which can ensure a desired surface roughness and roller hardness even when an elastic layer has not sufficient solvent resistance and which can be preferably used for a long period of time without generating any peeling of a coating film during a continuous long operation. In the development roller, an underlying conductive layer having at least one sublayer and a surface resin layer are provided on the elastic layer in that order. The elastic layer is formed of a foam material having a closed cell structure, the underlying conductive layer is formed from a water-based paint containing a conductive agent, and one of the sublayers of the underlying conductive layer that is in contact with the elastic layer is at least primarily composed of a chloroprene-methacrylic acid copolymer.

Abstract: A development roller is provided which can ensure a desired surface roughness and roller hardness even when an elastic layer has not sufficient solvent resistance and which can be preferably used for a long period of time without generating any peeling of a coating film during a continuous long operation. In the development roller, an underlying conductive layer having at least one sublayer and a surface resin layer are provided on the elastic layer in that order. The elastic layer is formed of a foam material having a closed cell structure, the underlying conductive layer is formed from a water-based paint containing a conductive agent, and one of the sublayers of the underlying conductive layer that is in contact with the elastic layer is at least primarily composed of a chloroprene-methacrylic acid copolymer.

Abstract: A composition for synthetic resin magnets (such as magnet rollers for electrophotography process) which is composed of a resin binder and a magnetic powder mixed and dispersed therein. The resin compound has improved melt flow rate because the binder contains a thermoplastic and an aliphatic polyamide. Owing to its improved melt flow rate, the resin compound can be incorporated with a large amount of magnetic powder without deterioration in moldability. Thus the resulting plastic magnet has a strong magnetic force. In addition, the composition for synthetic resin magnets may be incorporated with a hindered phenol antioxidant, so that it is molded at a higher temperature (120-180° C.) than usual to achieve the same object as mentioned above.

Abstract: A composition for synthetic resin magnets (such as magnet rollers for electrophotography process) which is composed of a resin binder and a magnetic powder mixed and dispersed therein. The resin compound has improved melt flow rate because the binder contains a thermoplastic and an aliphatic polyamide. Owing to its improved melt flow rate, the resin compound can be incorporated with a large amount of magnetic powder without deterioration in moldability. Thus the resulting plastic magnet has a strong magnetic force. In addition, the composition for synthetic resin magnets may be incorporated with a hindered phenol antioxidant, so that it is molded at a higher temperature (120-180° C.) than usual to achieve the same object as mentioned above.

Abstract: A resin composition for a resin magnet includes a resin binder containing a thermoplastic resin as a main component and a polymerized fatty acid based polyamide elastomer: and a magnetic powder mixed and dispersed in said resin binder. The resin composition further contains an ultra fine powder of an inorganic filler having a particle size of 1 &mgr;m or less. A process of producing pellets of a resin composition for a resin magnet, includes the steps of: mixing pellets of a binder resin with a magnetic powder on a batch processing basis; supplying the mixture to a kneading-extruder by means of a counting feeder; and extrusion-molding the mixture, to obtain pellets of a molding material for a resin magnet, in which the magnetic powder is mixed and dispersed in the binder resin.