Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an electrophotographic photoreceptor, a charging unit; an electrostatic latent image forming unit, a developing unit that stores a developer containing a toner, a transfer unit, a cleaning unit and a fixation unit, wherein the toner has a sea and island structure of a sea portion containing the binder resin and an island portion containing the release agent, a maximum frequent value of the eccentricity B of the island portion containing the release agent is in a range of from 0.75 to 0.95, and a skewness of the eccentricity B is in a range of from ?1.10 to ?0.50.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate generally to electrodes for electrochemical cells, the electrodes including an electrode material disposed on a current collector. In some embodiments, an electrode includes an edge protection barrier member on a perimeter of a surface of the current collector. The barrier member forms a wall along the main edge(s) of the current collector, defining an inner region bounded by the barrier member and the top surface of the current collector, and the electrode material occupies the inner region.

Abstract: A semi-solid electrode includes a first porous substrate and a second porous substrate stacked together to form a current collector, and a semi-solid electrode material embedded in the current collector. The semi-solid electrode material includes a suspension of an active material and a conductive material disposed in a non-aqueous liquid electrolyte. The porous substrates are at least partially disposed within the suspension such that the suspension substantially encapsulates the porous substrates. Each porous substrate in the current collector defines a pitch, and the two pitches of the two porous substrates in the current collector can be shifted with respect to each other by 30% to 70% of the pitch so as to reduce polarization effect.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate generally to devices, systems and methods of producing high energy density batteries having a semi-solid cathode that is thicker than the anode. An electrochemical cell can include a positive electrode current collector, a negative electrode current collector and an ion-permeable membrane disposed between the positive electrode current collector and the negative electrode current collector. The ion-permeable membrane is spaced a first distance from the positive electrode current collector and at least partially defines a positive electroactive zone. The ion-permeable membrane is spaced a second distance from the negative electrode current collector and at least partially defines a negative electroactive zone. The second distance is less than the first distance.

Abstract: An infrared ray detecting element includes: a substrate having a cavity; an infrared ray detecting portion including, sequentially stacked, a lower electrode layer, a detection layer, and an upper electrode layer; first and second support portions which support the infrared ray detecting portion above the cavity; and first and second external lead portions for leading electrical signals outputted from the infrared ray detecting portion, to the outside. The first support portion includes, sequentially stacked, a first upper wiring pattern, a first insulating layer, and a first lower wiring pattern. The upper electrode layer is connected to the first external lead portion via the first upper wiring pattern. The second support portion includes, sequentially stacked, a second upper wiring pattern, a second insulating layer, and a second lower wiring pattern. The lower electrode layer is connected to the second external lead portion via the second lower wiring pattern.

Abstract: An infrared ray detecting element includes: a substrate having a cavity; an infrared ray detecting portion including, sequentially stacked, a lower electrode layer, a detection layer, and an upper electrode layer; first and second support portions which support the infrared ray detecting portion above the cavity; and first and second external lead portions for leading electrical signals outputted from the infrared ray detecting portion, to the outside. The first support portion includes, sequentially stacked, a first upper wiring pattern, a first insulating layer, and a first lower wiring pattern. The upper electrode layer is connected to the first external lead portion via the first upper wiring pattern. The second support portion includes, sequentially stacked, a second upper wiring pattern, a second insulating layer, and a second lower wiring pattern. The lower electrode layer is connected to the second external lead portion via the second lower wiring pattern.

Abstract: A task of the invention is to provide an art that inhibits the hemorrhagic activity exhibited by sulfated glycosaminoglycans, as well as a material, a medical material, and a drug that use a sulfated glycosaminoglycan while being free of the hemorrhaging problems caused by sulfated glycosaminoglycans and that can exhibit an excellent therapeutic effect on biological tissues. The present invention relates to an inhibitor of the hemorrhagic activity originating from sulfated glycosaminoglycans, the inhibitor having a cationized chitosan as an active ingredient.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing unit that fixes a toner image on a surface of a recording medium while transporting the recording medium with a contact portion of a first member and a second member, and a moving unit that moves at least one of the first member and the second member toward a direction intersecting with a transport direction of the recording medium, wherein a toner has a sea and island structure of a sea portion containing a binder resin and an island portion containing a release agent, a maximum frequent value in distribution of the eccentricity B of the island portion containing the release agent is in a range of from 0.75 to 0.95, a skewness in the distribution of the eccentricity B is from ?1.10 to ?0.50, and the eccentricity B is defined in the specification.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developing unit that develops an electrostatic charge image formed on an image holding member with a developer containing a toner, an intermediate transfer member, and a guide unit that guides at least one of the image holding member and the intermediate transfer member to a primary transfer position to cause a portion of the surface of the image holding member and a portion of the surface of the intermediate transfer member to follow each other, wherein the toner has a sea and island structure of a sea portion containing a binder resin and an island portion containing a release agent, and has a maximum frequent value in distribution of eccentricity B of the island portion containing the release agent and a skewness in the distribution of eccentricity B each falling within the specific ranges as described in the specification.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate generally to electrochemical cells having pre-lithiated semi-solid electrodes, and particularly to semi-solid electrodes that are pre-lithiated during the mixing of the semi-solid electrode slurry such that a solid-electrolyte interface (SEI) layer is formed in the semi-solid electrode before the electrochemical cell formation. In some embodiments, a semi-solid electrode includes about 20% to about 90% by volume of an active material, about 0% to about 25% by volume of a conductive material, about 10% to about 70% by volume of a liquid electrolyte, and lithium (as lithium metal, a lithium-containing material, and/or a lithium metal equivalent) in an amount sufficient to substantially pre-lithiate the active material. The lithium metal is configured to form a solid-electrolyte interface (SEI) layer on a surface of the active material before an initial charging cycle of an electrochemical cell that includes the semi-solid electrode.

Abstract: Systems and methods for charging and discharging a plurality of batteries are described herein. In some embodiments, a system includes a battery module, an energy storage system electrically coupled to the battery module, a power source, and a controller. The energy storage system is operable in a first operating state in which energy is transferred from the energy storage system to the battery module to charge the battery module, and a second operating state in which energy is transferred from the battery module to the energy storage system to discharge the battery module. The power source electrically coupled to the energy storage system and is configured to transfer energy from the power source to the energy storage system based on an amount of stored energy in the energy storage system. The controller is operably coupled to the battery module and is configured to monitor and control a charging state of the battery module.

Abstract: A charge remaining in an electrostatic coater when power supply to the electrostatic coater is stopped is neutralized at an early stage. A rotary atomizing head 102 receives a high voltage of negative polarity from a cascade 104. An electrostatic coater 100 further includes a second high-voltage generator 110 that generates a high voltage of positive polarity. The second high-voltage generator 110 is composed of a Cockcroft-Walton circuit. The Cockcroft-Walton circuit is composed of diodes and capacitors. A high voltage of the electrostatic coater 100 is controlled by a controller 10. Immediately after running of the electrostatic coater 100 is stopped by stopping power supply to the cascade 104, power is supplied to the second high-voltage generator 110. The high voltage of positive polarity generated by the second high-voltage generator 110 is supplied to the rotary atomizing head 102 for a predetermined time period.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate generally to electrochemical cells having porous semi-solid electrodes and in particular, semi-solid electrodes that include electrolyte filled meso-pores such that the semi-solid electrodes have higher electronic conductivity. In some embodiments, a method of preparing a porous semi-solid electrode includes combining an active material with an electrolyte to form an intermediate material, the electrolyte including a liquid component and a pore former. A conductive material is combined with the intermediate material to form a semi-solid electrode material. The pore former is then caused to liquefy to form a porous semi-solid electrode. In some embodiments, the pore former is maintained at a temperature below a dissolution temperature and/or a melting temperature of the pore former prior to causing the pore former to liquefy. In some embodiments, the pore former can be ethylene carbonate (“EC”).

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image holding member, a charging unit, an electrostatic charge image forming unit, a developing unit that accommodates an electrostatic charge image developer containing flake shape toner particles, a transfer unit, an arranging unit that causes transfer residual toner to rise from the surface of the image holding member, a cleaning unit, and a fixing unit.

Abstract: A developing device includes: a transport/supply member disposed in a transport/supply path, formed along a developing roller, to supply a developer to the developing roller while transporting the developer from one end side toward the other end side; a transport/agitation member disposed in a transport/agitation path, inclined with respect to the transport/supply path, to agitate the developer while transporting the developer from the other end side toward the one end side; a first transport member disposed in a first transport path, connecting between the transport/supply path and the transport/agitation path on the other end side, to transport the developer from the transport/supply path to the transport/agitation path; and a second transport member disposed in a second transport path, connecting between the transport/agitation path and the transport/supply path on the one end side, to transport the developer from the transport/agitation path to the transport/supply path.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image holding member, a charging unit, an electrostatic charge image forming unit, a developing unit that accommodates an electrostatic charge image developer containing flake shape toner particles, a transfer unit, an arranging unit that causes transfer residual toner to rise from the surface of the image holding member, a cleaning unit, and a fixing unit.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate generally to electrochemical cells having semi-solid electrodes that include a gel polymer additive such that the electrodes demonstrate longer cycle life while significantly retaining the electronic performance of the electrodes and the electrochemical cells formed therefrom. In some embodiments, a semi-solid electrode can include about 20% to about 75% by volume of an active material, about 0.5% to about 25% by volume of a conductive material, and about 20% to about 70% by volume of an electrolyte. The electrolyte further includes about 0.01% to about 1.5% by weight of a polymer additive. In some embodiments, the electrolyte can include about 0.1% to about 0.7% of the polymer additive.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate generally to devices, systems and methods of producing high energy density batteries having a semi-solid cathode that is thicker than the anode. An electrochemical cell can include a positive electrode current collector, a negative electrode current collector and an ion-permeable membrane disposed between the positive electrode current collector and the negative electrode current collector. The ion-permeable membrane is spaced a first distance from the positive electrode current collector and at least partially defines a positive electroactive zone. The ion-permeable membrane is spaced a second distance from the negative electrode current collector and at least partially defines a negative electroactive zone. The second distance is less than the first distance.

Abstract: A method is provided for modifying a surface of a first, relatively difficult-to-weld metal substrate in preparation for a subsequent joining method by applying a thin layer of a second, relatively easy-to-weld metal to the surface of the first metal substrate.

Abstract: A developing device includes: a transport/supply member disposed in a transport/supply path, formed along a developing roller, to supply a developer to the developing roller while transporting the developer from one end side toward the other end side; a transport/agitation member disposed in a transport/agitation path, inclined with respect to the transport/supply path, to agitate the developer while transporting the developer from the other end side toward the one end side; a first transport member disposed in a first transport path, connecting between the transport/supply path and the transport/agitation path on the other end side, to transport the developer from the transport/supply path to the transport/agitation path; and a second transport member disposed in a second transport path, connecting between the transport/agitation path and the transport/supply path on the one end side, to transport the developer from the transport/agitation path to the transport/supply path.