Abstract: To provide a superheated steam treatment apparatus capable of efficiently treating an object by superheated steam containing a high concentration of hydroxyl radicals. The superheated steam treatment apparatus includes an induction heating unit 4 configured to generate superheated steam by induction heating saturated stream, a treatment chamber 5 configured to allow the superheated steam generated by the induction heating unit 4 to be introduced thereinto, and a discharge treatment unit 6 located in the treatment chamber 5 and configured to treat the introduced superheated steam by discharge.

Abstract: To provide a superheated steam treatment apparatus capable of efficiently treating an object by superheated steam containing a high concentration of hydroxyl radicals. The superheated steam treatment apparatus includes an induction heating unit 4 configured to generate superheated steam by induction heating saturated stream, a treatment chamber 5 configured to allow the superheated steam generated by the induction heating unit 4 to be introduced thereinto, and a discharge treatment unit 6 located in the treatment chamber 5 and configured to treat the introduced superheated steam by discharge.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising (a) a steam-induction-heating apparatus, which comprises a first container having an inlet and an outlet, a high-frequency induction coil wound around said first container, and a member or members placed in said first container with steam permitted to pass therethrough for being induction-heated by said high-frequency induction coil; and (b) an electric discharge treatment apparatus located downstream of said induction-heating apparatus, which comprises a second container having an inlet and an outlet, and at least a pair of electrodes disposed in said second container for subjecting induction-heated steam to an electric discharge treatment; superheated steam exiting from the outlet of said induction-heating apparatus being converted to the activated steam by an electric discharge treatment in said electric discharge treatment apparatus.

Abstract: An air fuel ratio controller for an internal combustion engine includes an exhaust gas sensor, an identifier and a control unit. The exhaust gas sensor detects oxygen concentration of exhaust gas. The identifier calculates model parameters for a model of a controlled object based on the output of the exhaust gas sensor. The controlled object includes an exhaust system of the engine. The control unit is configured to use the model parameters to control the air-fuel ratio so that the output of the exhaust gas sensor converges to a desired value, and to stop the identifier from calculating the model parameters during and immediately after the engine operation with a lean air-fuel ratio. The calculation of the model parameters may be also stopped during and immediately after fuel-cut operation that stops fuel supply to the engine.

Abstract: An air fuel ratio controller for an internal combustion engine comprises an exhaust gas sensor, an identifier and a control unit. The exhaust gas sensor detects oxygen concentration of exhaust gas. The identifier calculates model parameters for a model of a controlled object based on the output of the exhaust gas sensor. The controlled object includes an exhaust system of the engine. The control unit is configured to use the model parameters to control the air-fuel ratio so that the output of the exhaust gas sensor converges to a desired value, and to stop the identifier from calculating the model parameters during and immediately after the engine operation with a lean air-fuel ratio. The calculation of the model parameters may be also stopped during and immediately after fuel-cut operation that stops fuel supply to the engine.

Abstract: A control system for an internal combustion engine having an exhaust system provided with a catalyst is provided. The control system comprises a catalyst temperature rise accelerating control in which the intake air amount is increased and the ignition timing is retarded according to the engine rotational speed. A transient control from the catalyst temperature rise accelerating control to the normal control, is started when the speed of a vehicle driven by the engine reaches a predetermined vehicle speed or higher during the catalyst temperature rise accelerating control. During the transient control, the intake air amount is gradually reduced and the ignition timing is set according to the vehicle speed.

Abstract: A control system for an internal combustion engine having an exhaust system provided with a catalyst is provided. The control system comprises a catalyst temperature rise accelerating control in which the intake air amount is increased and the ignition timing is retarded according to the engine rotational speed. A transient control from the catalyst temperature rise accelerating control to the normal control, is started when the speed of a vehicle driven by the engine reaches a predetermined vehicle speed or higher during the catalyst temperature rise accelerating control. During the transient control, the intake air amount is gradually reduced and the ignition timing is set according to the vehicle speed.

Abstract: There is provided an air-fuel ratio control system for an internal combustion. An air-fuel ratio sensor arranged in the exhaust system detects an air-fuel ratio of exhaust gases emitted from the engine. An amount of fuel to be supplied to the engine is controlled in response to the output from the air-fuel ratio sensor by using a controller of a recurrence formula type, such that an air-fuel ratio of a mixture supplied to the engine is converged to a desired air-fuel ratio, to thereby effect feedback control of the air-fuel ratio of the mixture. The desired air-fuel ratio is determined based on operating conditions of the engine. The desired air-fuel ratio is smoothed when the engine is in a predetermined operating condition. The feedback control of the air-fuel ratio is carried out by the use of the smoothed desired air-fuel ratio.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a recording medium comprising a base material and an ink-receiving layer provided on the base material, wherein the ink-receiving layer comprises a high-water-absorptive material obtained by grafting, on a water-absorptive polymer, an inorganic oxide formed from an inorganic alkoxide represented by the formula(R.sub.2).sub.n --M--(OR.sub.1).sub.m-nwherein M denotes an element selected from the group consisting of Si, Al, Ti, Zr, Ca, Fe, V, Sn, Be, B and P, m is a valence of M, n is an integer of 1 or 2, R.sub.1 denotes an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms which may have a substituent group, and R.sub.2 denotes an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms or a phenyl group, each of which may have a substituent group.

Abstract: There is provided a transfer material carrying member and an image forming apparatus using it. The transfer material carrying member comprises a metal oxide and a polycarbonate resin having a repeating unit represented by the following formula: ##STR1## The transfer medium carrying member of the present invention has superior surface electrical characteristics, mechanical strength and transparency. The image forming apparatus making use of the transfer medium carrying member enables consistently good transfer even when copies are repeatedly taken and makes it possible to obtain consistently stable, good images.

Abstract: A transfer material carrying member has a copolymer and conductive particles; the copolymer has a component unit represented by the Formula (I) and a component unit represented by the Formula (II), and the component unit represented by Formula (II) is in an amount of from 0.1% by weight to 50% by weight based on the total weight of the copolymer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electrophotographic photosensitive member comprising an electroconductive support and a photosensitive layer formed thereon: the surface layer of the electrophotographic photosensitive member containing a first copolymer of a first construction unit represented by Formula (1) and a second construction unit represented by Formula (2), and a second copolymer of a third construction unit represented by Formula (3) and a fourth construction unit represented by Formula (4): ##STR1##

Abstract: An electrophotographic apapratus of the type in which a photosensitive member is charged by atmospheric discharge, is equipped with an air filter including a substrate and a catalyst layer formed on the substrate including at least three components of CuO, MnO.sub.2 and a water-soluble polymer. The catalyst layer shows a reactivity with NOx and the water-soluble polymer traps the resultant HNO.sub.3 while retaining a high ozone removing efficiency, whereby the apparatus can show excellent electrophotographic performances even after successive use while preventing deterioration due to ozone, NOx and HNO.sub.3 produced by the atmospheric discharge.

Abstract: An image-bearing member suitable for carrying an electrostatic image and/or a toner image is formed by forming a surface layer on a substrate or a photosensitive layer. The surface layer comprises a polymerized and cured product of a photoionically polymerizable compound having two or more functional groups, and shows excellent mechanical and electrical resistance as well as excellent charge-retaining characteristic. As a result, the surface layer provides an image-bearing surface suitable for electrophotography. The surface layer may be a protective layer or a photoconductive layer when it constitutes a photosensitive member.

Abstract: A photosensitive member suitable for use in an electrophotographic apparatus is constituted by an electroconductive support, and an intermediate layer and a photosensitive layer disposed in this order on the support. The intermediate layer comprises a reaction product of a polyol compound comprising at least one of a polyol compound [I] represented by Formula (1) shown below and a phosphated polyol compound with a polyisocyanate compound: ##STR1## wherein A denotes ##STR2## B denotes --R.sup.4 --O--, A and B may be connected at random or in blocks with each other, Z denotes an active hydrogen compound residue; R.sup.1 is an alkylene group having 1-9 carbon atoms; R.sup.2 is an alkylene group having 1-10 carbon atoms; R.sup.3 is an alkyl group, alkenyl group, aryl group or aralkyl group having 1-20 carbon atoms; R.sup.4 is an alkylene group having 2-10 carbon atoms; k is a number of 1-12 m is a number of 1-250; n is a number of 0-100; and p is a number of 0-5.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photosensitive member is constituted by an electroconductive support, and an intermediate layer and a photosensitive layer disposed in this order on the support. The intermediate layer comprises a reaction product of a mixture including a polyol compound [I], a polyol compound [II] having an OH equivalent different from that of the polyol compound [I] and a polyisocyanate compound. The polyol compound [I] is a polyether polyol compound having an OH equivalent of at least 500 and 2-60 OH groups per molecule; and the polyol compound [II] is a polyol compound having an OH equivalent of at most 300. The photosensitive member shows stable electrophotographic performances over wide environmental conditions from low temperature--low humidity to high temperature high humidity due to the intermediate layer.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an image bearing member having a surface layer comprising a high-melting point polyester resin, a cured resin and an antioxidant, and an apparatus which uses the same.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image-holding member which comprises an electroconductive support and a resin layer formed on the support, wherein the surface layer of the image-holding member contains a copolymer having the structure units represented by the formulas [I] and [II]: ##STR1## where A is a linear, branched or cyclic alkylidene group of 1 to 10 carbon atoms, an aryl-substituted alkylidene group, arylene-dialkylidene group, --O--, --S--, --CO--, --SO--, or --SO.sub.2 --; and R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, and R.sub.4 are respectively hydrogen, halogen, or an alkyl or alkenyl group of 1 to 4 carbons; ##STR2## where R.sub.5 is an alkylene or alkylidene group of 2 to 6 carbons; R.sub.6 and R.sub.7 are respectively an alkyl group of 1 to 3 carbons, a phenyl or substituted phenyl group; and n is an integer of from 1 to 200, and the copolymer containing the structure unit of the formula [II] in an amount of from 0.1 to 50% by weight Of the total weight of the copolymer.

Abstract: An image-bearing member suitable for carrying an electrostatic image and/or a toner image is formed by forming a surface layer on a substrate or a photosensitive layer. The surface layer comprising a high-melting point polyester resin shows a good dispersibility of the cured resin to provide a durable layer in combination with the cured resin, and also a lubricant, preferably a silicone-type one, whereby the surface layer provides an image-bearing surface suitable for electrophotography. The surface layer may be a protective layer or a photoconductive layer when it constitutes a photosensitive member.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photosensitive member comprises a drum-shaped or endless-sheet-shaped light-transmissive carrier made of a light-transmissive resin, at least one of the top and bottom surfaces of which has maximum and mean roughness both ranging from 0.3 .mu.m to 4.0 .mu.m, and a photosensitive layer is formed on one of the surfaces of the carrier. The photosensitive layer has a laminate structure composed of a charge generating layer and a charge transporting layer. A light-transmissive layer containing fine particles dispersed in a binder resin may be provided between the light-transmissive carrier and the photosensitive member. An electrophotographic apparatus incorporating this electrophotographic photosensitive member has an image exposure light source such as a laser or an LED array disposed at the side of the photosensitive member adjacent the carrier so as to apply an exposure light to the photosensitive member through the light-transmissive carrier.