Abstract: Electrophotographic photoreceptor including a conductive substrate, an organic photosensitive layer on an outer peripheral surface of the conductive substrate, and an inorganic protective layer on an outer peripheral surface of the organic photosensitive layer, the inorganic protective layer containing gallium and oxygen. A volume resistivity of an inner region of the inorganic protective layer, the inner region extending 0.2 ?m or about 0.2 ?m from an inner peripheral surface of the inorganic protective layer in a thickness direction, and a volume resistivity of an outer region of the inorganic protective layer, the outer region extending 0.2 ?m or about 0.2 ?m from an outer peripheral surface of the inorganic protective layer in the thickness direction, are both 6.0×107 ?·cm or more and 4.0×108 ?·cm or less or about 6.0×107 ?·cm or more and about 4.0×108 ?·cm or less.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a conductive base; an organic photosensitive layer disposed on the conductive base, the organic photosensitive layer including a layer that constitutes a surface and contains a charge transport material, a binder resin having a viscosity-average molecular weight less than about 50,000, and silica particles in an amount of about 40% by weight or more; and an inorganic protective layer disposed on the organic photosensitive layer.

Abstract: Electrophotographic photoreceptor including a conductive substrate, an organic photosensitive layer on an outer peripheral surface of the conductive substrate, and an inorganic protective layer on an outer peripheral surface of the organic photosensitive layer, the inorganic protective layer containing gallium and oxygen. A volume resistivity of an inner region of the inorganic protective layer, the inner region extending 0.2 ?m or about 0.2 ?m from an inner peripheral surface of the inorganic protective layer in a thickness direction, and a volume resistivity of an outer region of the inorganic protective layer, the outer region extending 0.2 ?m or about 0.2 ?m from an outer peripheral surface of the inorganic protective layer in the thickness direction, are both 6.0×107 ?·cm or more and 4.0×108 ?·cm or less or about 6.0×107 ?·cm or more and about 4.0×108 ?·cm or less.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an electrophotographic photoreceptor, a charging device, an electrostatic latent image forming device, a developing device, a transfer device, and a cleaning device, and further includes an intercepting device that includes an intercepting member separated from the electrophotographic photoreceptor by a gap so that a distance from the surface of the electrophotographic photoreceptor to the intercepting member is about 0.3 to 0.9 (inclusive) times a volume-average particle size of toner particles. The intercepting member is used to intercept residual toner particles at a position downstream of the transfer device and upstream of the cleaning device in a rotation direction of the electrophotographic photoreceptor, the residual toner particles remaining on the surface of the electrophotographic photoreceptor.

Abstract: A unit for an image forming apparatus includes an electrophotographic photoreceptor that includes a conductive substrate, a photosensitive layer provided on the conductive substrate, and a surface layer provided so as to contact with an outermost surface of the photosensitive layer, and an exposure section that exposes the electrophotographic photoreceptor with a light having a wavelength (?) (nm) so as to form an electrostatic latent image on a charged surface of the electrophotographic photoreceptor, wherein a surface roughness (Rz1) (nm) of the outermost surface of the photosensitive layer satisfies an expression of [(Rz1)?(?)/(4×(n2))] where a refractive index of the surface layer is set as (n2), and an outermost surface of the surface layer has a surface shape different from the outermost surface of the photosensitive layer.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor includes an electroconductive substrate, an organic photosensitive layer on the electroconductive substrate and an inorganic protective layer on the organic photosensitive layer, wherein a layer that forms a surface of the organic photosensitive layer contains a charge transporting material, a binder resin, and a silica particle; the inorganic protective layer contains a group 13 element, an oxygen atom, and a hydrogen atom; a sum of element constitution ratios of the group 13 element, the oxygen atom, and the hydrogen atom to all elements constituting the inorganic protective layer is equal to or more than 90 atomic %; and an element composition ratio (oxygen atom/group 13 element) of the oxygen atom and the group 13 element is 1.0 or more and less than 1.5.

Abstract: A three-phase inverter system, in one configuration, includes an inverter main circuit and a control circuit. The inverter system includes current sensors which detect output currents in, for example, U- and W-phases, respectively, the inverter main circuit includes a semiconductor switching device with a current sense which is provided in, for example, the V-phase. The control circuit is configured to detect current values from the current sensors inputted thereto and produce driving signals, which drive the upper-arm and lower-arm semiconductor switching devices of the inverter main circuit, based on the detected current values, estimate, based on a detected signal from the semiconductor switching device with the current sense, an output current value in the one of the three series circuits, and detect failure in at least one of the current sensors based on the detected current values from the two current sensors and the estimated output current value.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor includes an electroconductive substrate, an organic photosensitive layer on the electroconductive substrate and an inorganic protective layer on the organic photosensitive layer, wherein a layer that forms a surface of the organic photosensitive layer contains a charge transporting material, a binder resin, and a silica particle; the inorganic protective layer contains a group 13 element, an oxygen atom, and a hydrogen atom; a sum of element constitution ratios of the group 13 element, the oxygen atom, and the hydrogen atom to all elements constituting the inorganic protective layer is equal to or more than 90 atomic %; and an element composition ratio (oxygen atom/group 13 element) of the oxygen atom and the group 13 element is 1.0 or more and less than 1.5.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor includes a conductive substrate, an organic photosensitive layer on the conductive substrate, and an inorganic protective layer on the organic photosensitive layer. A layer that constitutes a surface of the organic photosensitive layer contains a charge transport material, a binder resin, silica particles, and a silicone compound.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor includes a conductive substrate, an organic photosensitive layer on the conductive substrate, and an inorganic protective layer on the organic photosensitive layer. A layer that constitutes a surface of the organic photosensitive layer contains a charge transport material, a binder resin, silica particles, and a silicone compound.

Abstract: A cleaning member includes a contact portion and a supported portion. The contact portion is in contact with an image carrier provided with a protective layer containing an inorganic material on a front surface thereof. The contact portion has a hardness of rubber equal to or greater than 85 degrees. The supported portion includes the contact portion and is supported so that the contact portion is in contact with the image carrier.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor includes an electroconductive substrate, a photosensitive layer provided on the electroconductive substrate, and an inorganic surface layer provided on the photosensitive layer, wherein a layer constituting an outermost surface of the photosensitive layer contains from 30% by weight to 70% by weight of silica particles and contains a biphenyl copolymerization type polycarbonate resin including a structural unit represented by the formula (PCA) and a structural unit represented by the formula (PCB) at a copolymerization ratio (PCA:PCB (molar ratio)) of 10:90 to 50:50: wherein, RP1, RP2, RP3, and RP4 each represent a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, a cycloalkyl group having 5 to 7 carbon atoms, or an aryl group having 6 to 12 carbon atoms, and XP1 represents a phenylene group, a biphenylene group, a naphthylene group, an alkylene group, or a cycloalkylene group.

Abstract: A unit for an image forming apparatus includes an electrophotographic photoreceptor that includes a conductive substrate, a photosensitive layer provided on the conductive substrate, and a surface layer provided so as to contact with an outermost surface of the photosensitive layer, and an exposure section that exposes the electrophotographic photoreceptor with a light having a wavelength (?) (nm) so as to form an electrostatic latent image on a charged surface of the electrophotographic photoreceptor, wherein a surface roughness (Rz1) (nm) of the outermost surface of the photosensitive layer satisfies an expression of [(Rz1)?(?)/(4×(n2))] where a refractive index of the surface layer is set as (n2), and an outermost surface of the surface layer has a surface shape different from the outermost surface of the photosensitive layer.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor includes an electroconductive substrate, a photosensitive layer provided on the electroconductive substrate, and an inorganic surface layer provided on the photosensitive layer, wherein a layer constituting an outermost surface of the photosensitive layer contains from 30% by weight to 70% by weight of silica particles and contains a biphenyl copolymerization type polycarbonate resin including a structural unit represented by the formula (PCA) and a structural unit represented by the formula (PCB) at a copolymerization ratio (PCA:PCB (molar ratio)) of 10:90 to 50:50: wherein, RP1, RP2, RP3, and RP4 each represent a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, a cycloalkyl group having 5 to 7 carbon atoms, or an aryl group having 6 to 12 carbon atoms, and XP1 represents a phenylene group, a biphenylene group, a naphthylene group, an alkylene group, or a cycloalkylene group.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a conductive base; an organic photosensitive layer disposed on the conductive base, the organic photosensitive layer including a layer that constitutes a surface and contains a charge transport material, a binder resin, and silica particles in an amount of about 40% by weight or more; and an inorganic protective layer disposed on the organic photosensitive layer and having a surface roughness Ra of about 5 nm or less.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a conductive base; an organic photosensitive layer disposed on the conductive base, the organic photosensitive layer including a layer that constitutes a surface and contains a charge transport material, a binder resin having a viscosity-average molecular weight less than about 50,000, and silica particles in an amount of about 40% by weight or more; and an inorganic protective layer disposed on the organic photosensitive layer.

Abstract: A three-phase inverter system, in one configuration, includes an inverter main circuit and a control circuit. The inverter system includes current sensors which detect output currents in, for example, U- and W-phases, respectively, the inverter main circuit includes a semiconductor switching device with a current sense which is provided in, for example, the V-phase. The control circuit is configured to detect current values from the current sensors inputted thereto and produce driving signals, which drive the upper-arm and lower-arm semiconductor switching devices of the inverter main circuit, based on the detected current values, estimate, based on a detected signal from the semiconductor switching device with the current sense, an output current value in the one of the three series circuits, and detect failure in at least one of the current sensors based on the detected current values from the two current sensors and the estimated output current value.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member having an inorganic protective layer on a surface thereof, a cleaning blade having an inclined surface cut out at a corner portion on a side of the image bearing member, and a support portion that supports the cleaning blade so that the inclined surface is in contact with the image bearing member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member having an inorganic protective layer on a surface thereof, a cleaning blade having an inclined surface cut out at a corner portion on a side of the image bearing member, and a support portion that supports the cleaning blade so that the inclined surface is in contact with the image bearing member.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor includes a conductive substrate; an organic photosensitive layer that is provided on the conductive substrate; and an inorganic protective layer that is provided on the organic photosensitive layer so as to be in contact with a surface of the organic photosensitive layer, wherein the organic photosensitive layer includes at least a charge transport material and silica particles in a region on the surface side in contact with the inorganic protective layer.