Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor includes a conductive substrate, and at least a photosensitive layer on the conductive substrate, a layer located at a surface of the photosensitive layer side of the electrophotographic photoreceptor contains fluorine containing resin particles and a fluoro graft polymer having a fluoroalkyl group having 1 to 7 carbon atoms, and an area for a polystyrene equivalent molecular weight of 700,000 or more is from about 5% to about 20% of the total area in a gel permeation chromatography (GPC) chart for the fluoro graft polymer.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor comprising at least a photosensitive layer on an electroconductive substrate, a surface layer of the electrophotographic photoreceptor including a fluorinated alkyl group-containing copolymer having repeating units represented by the following formulae A and B, and fluorine-based resin particles: wherein in Formulae A and B, l, m and n each independently represent a integer number of 1 or more; p, q, r and s each independently represent 0 or an integer of 1 or more; t represents an integer of from 1 to 7; R1, R2, R3, and R4 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group; X represents an alkylene chain, a halogen-substituted alkylene chain, —S—, —O—, —NH— or a single bond; Y represents an alkylene chain, a halogen-substituted alkylene chain, —(CzH2z-1(OH))— or a single bond; and z represents an integer of 1 or more.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor includes a conductive substrate, and at least a photosensitive layer on the conductive substrate, a layer located at a surface of the photosensitive layer side of the electrophotographic photoreceptor contains fluorine containing resin particles and a fluoro graft polymer having a fluoroalkyl group having 1 to 7 carbon atoms, and an area for a polystyrene equivalent molecular weight of 700,000 or more is from about 5% to about 20% of the total area in a gel permeation chromatography (GPC) chart for the fluoro graft polymer.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor comprising at least a photosensitive layer on an electroconductive substrate, a surface layer of the electrophotographic photoreceptor including a fluorinated alkyl group-containing copolymer having repeating units represented by the following formulae A and B, and fluorine-based resin particles: wherein in Formulae A and B, l, m and n each independently represent a integer number of 1 or more; p, q, r and s each independently represent 0 or an integer of 1 or more; t represents an integer of from 1 to 7; R1, R2, R3, and R4 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group; X represents an alkylene chain, a halogen-substituted alkylene chain, —S—, —O—, —NH— or a single bond; Y represents an alkylene chain, a halogen-substituted alkylene chain, —(CzH2z-1(OH))— or a single bond; and z represents an integer of 1 or more.

Abstract: A vulcanizing mold for pneumatic tires includes upper and lower base plates, upper and lower sidewall mold members attached to the upper and lower base plates, respectively; and upper and lower tread mold members attached to the upper and lower base plates, respectively. The upper and lower tread mold members are constituted of upper segments and lower segments, respectively. The upper and lower segments can be radially expanded and contracted relative to the upper and lower sidewall mold members, respectively. In operation, the upper and lower sidewall mold members are displaced toward each other so that the upper and lower segments are brought into abutment with each other. Then, a single cam ring is operated to cause all of the segments to be simultaneously displaced radially inwards and relative to the upper and lower sidewall mold members, with the upper segments in abutment with the lower segments.

Abstract: A vulcanizing mold for a pneumatic tire wherein the tread portion includes a center region and outer regions on both sides thereof. The mold includes a pair of side mold members movable toward each other defining part of a mold cavity for vulcanizing a green tire, and away from each other allowing setting of the green tire into the mold cavity and remove of a vulcanized tire out of the mold cavity. Each side mold member has inner peripheral surface with ridges for forming grooves in the outer region of the tread portion. The ridges of the side mold members extend in parallel with each other, as seen in a developed view of the inner peripheral surface of the side mold member, and terminate at positions corresponding to a tread end of the tire so that the grooves formed by these ridges are opened in the tread end.

Abstract: A vulcanizing mold for a pneumatic tire wherein the tread portion includes a center region and outer regions on both sides thereof. The mold includes a pair of side mold members movable toward each other defining part of a mold cavity for vulcanizing a green tire, and away from each other allowing setting of the green tire into the mold cavity and remove of a vulcanized tire out of the mold cavity. Each side mold member has inner peripheral surface with ridges for forming grooves in the outer region of the tread portion. The ridges of the side mold members extend in parallel with each other, as seen in a developed view of the inner peripheral surface of the side mold member, and terminate at positions corresponding to a tread end of the tire so that the grooves formed by these ridges are opened in the tread end.

Abstract: A sound deadening member for electrophotographic photoreceptor composed of a molded thermoplastic resin composition obtained by compounding at least 10 parts by weight of a copolymer (A) having a glass transition point of at least 40° C. and being made of from 10 to 90% by weight (meth)acrylic acid ester monomer(s) and not more than 90 parts by weight of a styrene-base resin (B) such that the sum total becomes 100 parts by weight and an electrophotographic photoreceptor having the sound deadening member for electrophotographic photoreceptor in the inside of the conductive substrate.

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: An optically anisotropic pitch, which is suited for manufacturing particularly high compressive strength carbon fibers in a stable fashion, with satisfactory productivity and continuously, and also a method of manufacturing high compressive strength carbon fibers using the optically anisotropic pitch.The optically anisotropic pitch for manufacturing high compressive strength carbon fibers is composed of a benzene soluble component (BS) and a benzene insoluble component (BI) and has a Q value (i.e., weight-average molecular weight divided by number-average molecular weight) of 1.6 or below, a number-average molecular weight ratio of the benzene soluble component to the benzene insoluble component of 2.5 or below, an aromatic carbon fraction factor (fa) of 0.8 or below, a C/H atomic ratio of 1.85 or below and an optically anisotropic phase of 90% or more.

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.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor comprising a conductive substrate having thereon a photosensitive layer is disclosed, said photosensitive layer containing, as a binder resin, a polycarbonate resin comprising at least a repeating unit represented by formula (I): ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, and R.sub.4 each represent a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, an alkyl group having from 1 to 5 carbon atoms, a cycloalkyl group having from 5 to 7 carbon atoms or a phenyl group; and R.sub.5 and R.sub.6 are taken together to form a 5- to 8-membered carbonaceous ring substituted with at least two alkyl groups each having from 1 to 5 carbon atoms. The photoreceptor has high mechanical durability and satisfactory surface smoothness, resistance against reduction in image quality and sensitivity, and stability against environmental change and repeated use.

Abstract: An electrophotographic toner composition comprising (A) toner particles with an average particle diameter of 9 .mu.m or less comprising at least a binder resin and a colorant, and (B) an additive, wherein the additive is a fine metal oxide powder surface coated with at least one agent for imparting hydrophobic property selected from the group consisting of the following formulae (1), (2) and (3):R.sub.1 Si(X).sub.3R.sub.1 R.sub.2 Si(X).sub.2R.sub.1 R.sub.2 R.sub.3 Si(X).sub.1wherein R.sub.1 represents a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group having a molecular weight of 113 or more, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 each represents hydrogen, an alkyl group or an allyl group, and X represents chlorine, an alkoxy group or an acetoxy group. The toner composition causes no impaction to a carrier and no adhesion of the toner particles to a photoreceptor, and can form stable, sufficient images for a long time.

Abstract: A toner for developing an electrostatic charge image is disclosed, which is formed by adding and mixing an external additive with toner particles having an average particle size of not larger than 9 .mu.m and comprising at least a colorant and a binder resin, wherein the external additive is fine particles having a particle size of 20 to 80 nm. There is also disclosed a process for preparing the toner which comprises adding external additives to the toner particles and mixing them, wherein the addition and mixing of said external additive are carried out under specific conditions.

Abstract: A positively chargeable carrier for developing electrostatic charge images having good surface staining resistance and good environmental reliance of charging is disclosed, which comprises a core material having formed thereon an interlayer having a triboelectrification controlling function and having a nitrogen atom content of from 5 ppm to 75 ppm based on the weight of the core material, and a releasable coated layer formed on the interlayer. A two-component developer using the carrier is also disclosed.

Abstract: Long fiber-reinforced normally solid polyamide resin compositions and molded articles formed thereof include a polyamide base resin, between 5 to 80% by weight of reinforcing fibers having a length of at least 3 mm, and between 0.01 to 3% by weight of a processing aid. The processing aid is a lithium salt of a fatty acid or a metal salt of a fatty acid having 22 to 32 carbon atoms. The compositions are preferably in the form of a generally cylindrical pellet having a length of 3 to 50 mm such that the reinforcing fibers are substantially as long as the pellet in which they are incorporated, and are oriented parallel to one another along the longitudinal axis of the pellet.

Abstract: A carrier for magnetic brush developer comprising a core material having coated thereon a coated layer containing a graft copolymer comprising a polymer of a nitrogen-containing vinyl monomer or a phosphorus-containing vinyl monomer having a molecular weight of from 1,000 to 5,500 graft-copolymerized thereto a vinyl monomer.

Abstract: Polyacetal compositions are made by melt-blending a polyacetal base resin A, a filler material B, and a thermoplastic acrylic resin C in weight ratios which satisfy the following formulas (1) and (2):(B+C)/(A+B+C)=0.03 to 0.06 (1)C/(B+C)=0.05 to 0.95 (2).The thermoplastic acrylic resin C is most preferably selected from homopolymers of methyl methacrylate or copolymers which are mainly comprised of units derived from methyl methacrylate. The melt-blending of the polyacetal base resin A with the thermoplastic acrylic resin C is accomplished in the presence of a filler material B having a surface tension which is greater than that of the thermoplastic acrylic resin C at the melt-blending temperature. In this manner, a continuous phase of the thermoplastic acrylic resin is formed in a matrix of the polyacetal base resin such that the filler material is encapsulated in the continuous acrylic resin phase.