Abstract: Disclosed is a toner image forming method, comprising steps of:(1) forming a latent image on an image carrying member,(2) developing said latent image with toner particles including a resin and a colorant so as to form a toner image, said toner particles having a volume average particle size of 5 to 10 .mu.m, and containing toner particles having particle sizes of not more than 5.04 .mu.m in 5 number.multidot.% to 60 number.multidot.

Abstract: A charge coupling for an electric vehicle wherein conduction is enabled from a charger to a battery of the electric vehicle when a supply connector, connected to the charger is completely fitted to a vehicle inlet installed in the electrical vehicle, this charged coupling including a locking device for temporarily locking the supply connector to the vehicle inlet at a half fitted position, the supply connector being provided, on an end of which engages the vehicle inlet, with a protective member.

Abstract: Lock detecting terminals are disposed on one of connector housings that are engageable with each other, and a short circuit terminal is disposed on the other connector housing, the short circuit terminal serving to short-circuit the lock detecting terminals upon engagement of both housings. The lock detecting terminals are arranged so as to extend along an inner wall surface of the housing in such a manner that the distal ends thereof are not contact with the edge portion of the engagement opening of the housing. As a result of this construction, the lock detecting terminals will no longer be deformed while caught by the edge portion of the housing even when the housing is being engaged with the housing misaligned.

Abstract: A charge coupling for an electric vehicle wherein conduction is enabled from a charger to an electric vehicle battery when a supply connector to the charger is completely fitted to a vehicle inlet installed in the electric vehicle. A locking member is provided for temporarily locking the supply connector to the vehicle inlet at a half fitting position, the locking device being further provided with a spiral groove extending from the half fitting position to the complete fitting position. An engagable boss which projects from a distal end of either the vehicle inlet or supply connector is adapted to detachably engage the spiral groove and the supply connector is provided, on its outer periphery, with a handle for assisting rotation of the supply connector so that the engagable boss moves within the spiral groove from an outer end to a terminating end.

Abstract: In a connector of male and female interlocking terminals, a lever is provided on a first connector in a freely pivoting manner. Guide pins provided on a second connector are inserted to guide channels formed in the first connector. A stopper block is provided on the top wall of the first connector. A spring is connected between the back side of the lever and the back side on the top wall of the first connector. The lever is pulled by the spring against the stopper block and is held at a disengaging position in which guide grooves formed inside the lever and the guide channels are aligned to form an inlet for the guide pins. Since the lever is automatically returned to the disengaging position by the spring even if the lever is accidentally turned, it is not necessary to re-rotate the lever to the disengaging position, making connecting operation smoothly.

Abstract: A lever-operated connector includes a pair of connector housings displaced toward each other to be connected together by rotationally moving a lever form an open position to connected position, a cam follower portion provided on one connector housing, the lever rotatably mounted on the other connector housing, a lever lock portion, and a return spring. The lock portion has a retaining pawl provided on the one connector and a retained portion provided on the lever. The cam portion has a play region for allowing the lever to return a predetermined angle from the connected position toward the open position. A surface on which the retained portion is engaged with the retaining pawl is inclined in such a direction as to hamper retraction of the retaining pawl. Furthermore, the lever is automatically brought into a upstanding condition by the return spring.

Abstract: A lock connector for normally biasing a flexible lock piece in the upward direction includes a short circuit electrode disposed on the upper surface of a female connector housing. Two lock detecting electrodes are held at positions in a male connector housing by the elastic restoring action of the flexible lock piece. Thus, a restoring operation of the flexible piece and short-circuiting between the cooperating terminals can simultaneously be achieved without any deviation from the correct timing relationship established among the components.

Abstract: An electrical connector with a function of detecting interfitting engagement of connector housings includes first and second connector housings fitted one into the other into interfitting engagement, a plurality of pairs of terminals disposed in the respective connector housings and electrically connected together upon the interfitting engagement of the first and second connector housings, a short-circuiting terminal usually urged so as to make a short circuit between at least two of the terminals disposed in the second connector housing, an actuator displacing the short-circuiting terminal upon the interfitting engagement of the first and second connector housings so that the short-circuiting terminal is departed from the terminals disposed in the second connector housing, and a pair of interfitting engagement detecting terminals disposed in the first connector housing so that a short circuit is made between them by the short-circuiting terminal when it has been displaced.

Abstract: A charge coupling for an electric vehicle wherein conduction is enabled from a power source on the ground to a battery on the electric vehicle when a supply connector connected to the power source is completely fitted to a vehicle inlet installed in the electric vehicle, including means for temporarily locking said supply connector to the vehicle inlet at a half fitting position.

Abstract: A lever type connector, comprising: a pair of a first connector and a second connector to be connected with each other, in which a lever is rotatably supported by a pair of supporting shafts on the first connector; a pair of guide pins which engage each of a pair of guide grooves formed on the lever project from the second connector; and the lever is rotated to move the second connector into the first connector so as to connect the first and second connectors with each other or move the second connector away from the first connector so as to disconnect the first and second connectors from each other due to the engagement between the guide pins and the guide grooves, thereby to reduce the horizontal distance between the supporting shaft and an end of the lever, thus making the lever compact.

Abstract: A lever-actuated connector assembly includes first and second connectors and a generally U-shaped lever rotatably mounted on the first connector. The first connector is of one piece box-like construction and has an opening defined therein. The first connector has a pair of interior side walls opposite to each other, two pins extending outwardly from the respective interior side walls, two protective rear walls extending outwardly from the respective interior side walls, and two protective exterior side walls extending from exterior edges of the respective rear walls in a direction generally perpendicular to the direction in which the rear walls extend. The second connector has a pair of side walls opposite to each other and two pins integrally formed therewith so as to protrude outwardly therefrom.

Abstract: A release agent comprising a resin containing siloxane segments is described. The resin has been modified with a silane coupling agent containing at least one free isocyanate group and contains one or more hydrolyzable silyl groups in side chains of its molecule.

Abstract: A lever type connector comprising: a pair of projections, formed on each of guide grooves of a lever, which converts the rotation of the lever in a predetermined engaging direction effected due to the engagement between a pair of guide pins of a male connector and the guide grooves into the rotation thereof in a direction opposite to the predetermined engaging direction when the guide pins are brought into contact with each of the projections when the male connector is held at a temporary engaging position thereof.

Abstract: A lever type connector which includes a set of a female connector part and a male connector part to be fitted to each other, and a lever member pivotally journalled on the female connector part. For temporarily stopping the female connector part and the male connector part in place, temporary stopper recesses of the female connector part and temporary stopper projections of the male connector part are engaged with each other. Therefore, it is not necessary to expand the lever member by depression, with guide pins of the male connector part. Thus, combining and releasing of the connector parts are simplified for quick operation.

Abstract: A heat-sensitive recording material comprises a base sheet material, a heat-sensitive recording layer provided on one side of the base sheet material and a heat-resistant layer provided on the other side of the base sheet material. The heat-resistant layer is formed of a resin which is modified with a silane coupling agent, which contains at least one free isocyanate group, and containing one or more hydrolyzable silyl groups in side chains of its molecule.

Abstract: An automatic focusing device for driving an optical system to focus on a subject. The device has a CCD to read an image of the subject, a driver for the CCD so that a first image signal is outputted from the CCD in a normal direction and a second image signal is outputted from the CCD in a reversal direction, the optical system to form the image on the CCD, and a controller to control the optical system in accordance with the first image signal and the second image signal so that the optical system forms the image on the CCD in focus.

Abstract: An image reader for panning a camera view to a movable subject. The image reader has a CCD to scan an image in a horizontal direction and a vertical direction, and the CCD outputs image signals in a normal direction and a reversal direction. The image reader also has a circuit to determine a position of the movable suject according to the image signals in the normal direction and the reversal direction, and controls the camera view according to the position of the movable subject.

Abstract: An image fixing apparatus includes a pair of rotatable members, the pair comprising a heating rotatable member and a back-up rotatable member press-contacted to the heating rotatable member, wherein the heating rotatable member is settable at a first setting temperature and a second setting temperature which is lower than the first setting temperature, when an image fixing operation is performed; a control system for controlling rotation of the pairs of rotatable members, the control system rotating the pairs of rotatable members when the setting temperature of the heating rotatable member is changed from the first setting temperature to the second setting temperature.

Abstract: There is provided a dielectric ceramic composition which is composed mainly of PbTiO.sub.3, Pb(Mg.sub.1/3 Nb.sub.2/3)O.sub.3, and Pb(Fe.sub.2/3 W.sub.1/3)O.sub.3, with 0.5 to 10 mol % of Pb atoms partly replaced by Ba atoms and/or Sr atoms as represented by the formula (I) below.(Pb.sub.1-u M.sub.u)[Ti.sub.x (Mg.sub.1/3 Nb.sub.2/3).sub.y (Fe.sub.2/3 W.sub.1/3).sub.z ]O.sub.3 (I)whereM denotes Ba and/or Sr,0.005.ltoreq.u.ltoreq.0.10,0.10.ltoreq.x.ltoreq.0.40,0.05.ltoreq.y.ltoreq.0.85,0.05.ltoreq.z.ltoreq.0.55.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a ceramic composition of high dielectric constant which comprises the major constituents of PbO, La.sub.2 O.sub.3, MO, ZrO.sub.2, and TiO.sub.2 in the ratio defined by the formula below.(1-x-y)PbO.multidot.x/2La.sub.2 O.sub.3 .multidot.yMo.multidot.(1-z)ZrO.sub.2 .multidot.zTiO.sub.2where,M represents Ba and/or Sr;0.06.ltoreq.x.ltoreq.0.300.03.ltoreq.y.ltoreq.0.480.20.ltoreq.z.ltoreq.0.50and an additive represented by PbWo.sub.4 and/or Pb(Mg.sub.1/2 W.sub.1/2)O.sub.3 in an amount of 1-40 wt % (in total) based on the above-mentioned major constituents (provided that the amount of PbWO.sub.4 is less than 15 wt % of the amount of the major constituents and the amount of Pb(Mg.sub.1/2 W.sub.1/2)O.sub.3 is less than 40 wt % of the amount of the major constituents). Less than 5 mol % of all Pb in the composition may be replaced by Ag and/or less than 6 mol % of all Pb in the composition may be replaced by Bi.