Abstract: To provide a flexible polyurethane foam which is excellent in low resiliency and durability without using a plasticizer and which shows little change in hardness against a change in temperature and at the same time, has high air flow.

Abstract: A process for producing a flexible polyurethane foam excellent in mechanical strength, and exhibiting reduced shrinkage. The foam is produced using a polyol (A) containing from 40 to 100 mass % of a polyoxyalkylene polyol (A1). The polyoxyalkylene polyol (A1) is produced through an initial step of adding, to a reaction liquid containing an initiator and a double metal cyanide complex catalyst, 5 to 20 mass % of an alkylene oxide, based on the content of the initiator. After the initial step, an alkylene oxide is newly supplied to carry out polymerization. In the initial step, the temperature of the reaction system when addition of the alkylene oxide is started is from 120 to 165° C., and the maximum temperature of the reaction system after the alkylene oxide has been added in the initial step is higher by 15 to 50° C. than the temperature when addition of the alkylene oxide was started.

Abstract: A process for producing a flexible polyurethane foam by reacting and expansion-molding a reactive mixture containing: (A) a polyol component containing a polyoxyalkylene polyol (A1) and a polyol (A2) derived from a natural fat/oil; (X) an epoxidized natural fat/oil obtained by reacting an oxidizing agent with a natural fat/oil containing unsaturated bonds; (C) a catalyst; and (D) a blowing agent, wherein the polyoxyalkylene polyol (a1) has a hydroxy value from 5 to 30 mgKOH/g and is obtained by polymerizing propylene oxide (b1), by ring-opening addition polymerization, in the presence of an initiator and a double metal cyanide complex catalyst (a1) containing an organic ligand, and then, polymerizing ethylene oxide (b2), by ring-opening addition polymerization, in the presence of an alkali metal catalyst (a2).

Abstract: To provide a polymer-dispersed polyol made by using materials derived from a natural fat/oil, which has a low viscosity, without lowering the biomass degree and without impairing the performance of a flexible polyurethane foam to be obtained. Further, to provide a process for producing a flexible polyurethane foam using the polymer-dispersed polyol. A polymer-dispersed polyol, comprising polymer particles dispersed in a matrix containing a polyol (a1) derived from a natural fat/oil and an epoxidized natural fat/oil (x). And, a process for producing a flexible polyurethane foam, which comprises reacting a polyol containing the above polymer-dispersed polyol and a polyisocyanate compound in the presence of a catalyst and a blowing agent.

Abstract: A charging device includes a charging roller, a drive transmission device, and a charging roller cleaner. The charging roller opposes an image carrier driven to rotate and rotates to charge the image carrier. The charging roller cleaner contacts the charging roller to clean the charging roller. The drive transmission device transmits torque from the image carrier to the charging roller, and includes an image carrier gear and a driven gear. The image carrier gear and the driven gear form a gear train to drive the charging roller in response to rotation of the image carrier. The charging roller cleaner is disposed facing a rear surface of the charging roller to prevent displacement of the charging roller due to a force generated by a pressure angle formed between the image carrier gear and the driven gear when the charging roller rotates in response to rotation of the image carrier.

Abstract: In the image forming apparatus, a control unit, upon detecting that an amount of waste toner reaches a predetermined amount by a waste-toner-amount detecting unit, calculates an amount of used toner after detection through a pixel calculating unit and a printed-sheet calculating unit to accumulate the amount of used toner in a storing unit, and outputs a waste-toner-full warning when it is determined that an accumulated amount of used toner reaches a residual filling amount before a full state.

Abstract: A cleaning blade which is provided in a cleaning device that removes non-transferred toner remaining on an image carrier includes: a blade member in which an edge thereof is in contact with the image carrier over a longitudinal direction thereof; and a holder member that holds the blade member and has an L-shape in a cross-section that is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. The holder member includes a supporting portion that cantilevers the blade member on a surface thereof such that the edge of the blade member protrudes toward the image carrier, and a bent portion that is connected to the supporting portion to form the L-shaped cross-section and is formed to have a lateral length that is shorter at least a lateral length at one end portion in the longitudinal direction thereof than at a middle portion thereof in the longitudinal direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of image forming units that are arranged in parallel so as to be opposed to an intermediate transfer belt or a transfer carriage belt. A black image forming unit that forms a black toner image is arranged at a downstream end or upstream end in the running direction of the intermediate transfer belt or the transfer carriage belt with respect to the other image forming units. The black image forming unit is configured so that its lubricant supplying unit contains a larger amount of lubricant.

Abstract: A lubricant applying unit, included in a process cartridge provided in an image forming apparatus, includes a solid lubricant, a lubricant supporting unit to support the solid lubricant, a lubricant holder to accommodate the solid lubricant supported by the lubricant supporting unit, a pressing mechanism located between the lubricant supporting unit and the lubricant holder and designed to press the solid lubricant against a lubricant applying member, and a frictional resistance reducing member to reduce a frictional resistance produced at sliding contact portions between the lubricant supporting unit and internal surfaces of the lubricant holder.

Abstract: To provide a flexible polyurethane foam having good vibration characteristics and suitable particularly for a seat for an automobile. A flexible polyurethane foam obtained by reacting a high molecular weight polyoxyalkylene polyol or a polymer-dispersed polyol containing fine polymer particles in the high molecular weight polyoxyalkylene polyol, with a polyisocyanate compound, in the presence of a catalyst, a blowing agent and a foam stabilizer, characterized in that an amino-modified silicone (F) having a silicon atom and a nitrogen atom in its molecule is used in an amount of from 0.00001 to 1 part by mass per 100 parts by mass of all active hydrogen compounds.

Abstract: To provide a process for producing a flexible polyurethane foam having a higher biomass degree than a conventional flexible polyurethane foam and excellent in foam physical properties and its appearance. A polymer-dispersed polyol obtained by polymerizing a vinyl monomer in the presence of the following polyol (a1) derived from a natural fat/oil and/or the following polyoxyalkylene polyol (a2) is used: Polyol (a1) derived from a natural fat/oil: a polyol derived from a natural fat/oil, which is obtained by providing a natural fat/oil with hydroxy groups by chemical reaction, and which has a hydroxy value of from 20 to 250 mgKOH/g and a molecular weight distribution of at least 1.

Abstract: To produce a flexible polyurethane foam molded product having good air flow and cushioning characteristic and having cell roughening at the skin portion suppressed by using a raw material derived from a natural fat/oil. A release agent (X) containing a first polysiloxane compound (S1) having a number average molecular weight of at least 1,200 and at most 40,000, in which an organic group having an alkylene oxide chain is bonded to some of silicon atoms constituting the polysiloxane chain, is adhered to the inner surface of a mold, and in the mold, a reactive mixture (Y) containing a polyol (A) containing a polyol (A1) derived from a vegetable fat/oil, a polyisocyanate compound (B) and a silicone foam stabilizer (S) which is a second polysiloxane compound (S2) having a number average molecular weight of at least 150 and less than 1,200 is subjected to mold-foaming.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including an image former forming a toner image on an image bearer; a transferer transferring the toner image onto a recoding medium; a cleaner collecting a waste toner remaining on an image bearer after transferred; a waste toner collection container accumulating the waste toner therein; a detector detecting whether the container is properly set in the image forming apparatus; and another detector detecting that the container is nearly full of the waste toner, wherein the image forming apparatus further comprises a determiner determining a quantity of the waste toner in the container; another determiner determining whether the container is properly exchanged with a vacant container; and a limiter limiting a printable quantity after the container is detected to be nearly full of the waste toner, based on the another determiner.

Abstract: To provide a process for producing a flexible polyurethane foam, which can suitably form a flexible polyurethane foam having a good cushioning characteristic by using a raw material derived from a natural fat/oil. The process comprises a step of reacting a polyoxyalkylene polyol (A) containing the first polyoxyalkylene polyol (A1) obtained by ring-opening polymerization of an alkylene oxide (c) with an initiator (b) in the presence of a polymerization catalyst (a), with a polyisocyanate compound (B) in the presence of a catalyst (C) and a blowing agent (D).

Abstract: To provide a flexible polyurethane foam which is excellent in low resiliency and durability without using a plasticizer and which shows little change in hardness against a change in temperature and at the same time, has high air flow.

Abstract: A charging device includes a charging roller, a drive transmission device, and a charging roller cleaner. The charging roller opposes an image carrier driven to rotate and rotates to charge the image carrier. The charging roller cleaner contacts the charging roller to clean the charging roller. The drive transmission device transmits torque from the image carrier to the charging roller, and includes an image carrier gear and a driven gear. The image carrier gear and the driven gear form a gear train to drive the charging roller in response to rotation of the image carrier. The charging roller cleaner is disposed facing a rear surface of the charging roller to prevent displacement of the charging roller due to a force generated by a pressure angle formed between the image carrier gear and the driven gear when the charging roller rotates in response to rotation of the image carrier.

Abstract: A process cartridge including an image bearing member; a lubricant applicator, which includes a lubricant application member configured to apply a solid lubricant to the surface of the image bearing member; and a smoothing member configured to smooth the applied solid lubricant, and at least one of a charging device, a developing device and a cleaning device, wherein the amount of the solid lubricant present on a portion of surface of the image bearing member, which is located between the lubricant application member and the smoothing blade, is from 0.11 to 1.2 mg/m2. The smoothing member is preferably a blade having a JIS-A hardness of not less than 79°. The process cartridge is preferably assembled by a method including setting the lubricant smoothing member, the lubricant and the lubricant application member to a housing of the process cartridge; and then setting the image bearing member to the housing.

Abstract: In the image forming apparatus, a control unit, upon detecting that an amount of waste toner reaches a predetermined amount by a waste-toner-amount detecting unit, calculates an amount of used toner after detection through a pixel calculating unit and a printed-sheet calculating unit to accumulate the amount of used toner in a storing unit, and outputs a waste-toner-full warning when it is determined that an accumulated amount of used toner reaches a residual filling amount before a full state.

Abstract: A process for producing a flexible polyurethane foam, which comprises reacting a polyol mixture with a polyisocyanate compound in the presence of a urethane-forming catalyst and a blowing agent, characterized in that the polyol mixture comprises the following polyol (A) and the polyol (B), and the proportion of the polyisocyanate compound to the polyol mixture is at least 90 by isocyanate index, and the total amount of Zn and Co contained in the polyol mixture is from 0.1 to 200 ppm.

Abstract: A cleaning device, a process cartridge, and an image forming apparatus including an antifriction agent coating part and a toner removing part. The antifriction agent coating part coats a solid antifriction agent on the surface of an image support body, and is disposed in an upstream side from a cleaning blade with respect to a rotational direction of the image support body. The toner removing part removes toner particles, and is disposed in an upstream side from the antifriction agent coating part with respect to the rotational direction of the image support body and a portion of the toner removing part is positioned below a portion of the antifriction agent coating part in a vertical direction perpendicular to the ground.