Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a rotatable image bearing member, a developing member, a transfer member, and a brush contacting a surface of the image bearing member in a contact portion downstream of a transfer portion and upstream of a developing portion with respect to a rotational direction of the image bearing member. The toner which is not transferred onto a toner image receiving member is collected by the developing member. In a charging series, the toner is positioned on the same side as a normal charge polarity of the toner relative to the brush. In the contact portion, a maximum value of a contact pressure of 0.7 gf/mm2 or more and 3.5 gf/mm2 or less, a maximum contact area ratio is 18% or more and 74% or less, and a Clark-Evans index of the brush is 1 or more.

Abstract: A vehicle assembly line has a first line for a first mobile conveyor and a second line for a second mobile conveyor and the first line is connected to the second line with two hanger conveyor lines. Two working robots are disposed to the first mobile conveyor, one being positioned within a cabin of an upper body section and the other being positioned in front of the upper body section. The second mobile conveyor has a mechanism for altering a posture of the upper body section and a height position thereof. To the upper body section are mounted various small parts such as grommets with the first working robot during the course of running the first mobile conveyor in the first line. The second line has plural stations for mounting larger parts such as bumpers to the upper body section which is loaded on the second mobile conveyor and whose posture and position are aligned with the working robots disposed in the plural stations before entering the stations.

Abstract: A vehicle assembling method includes the steps of assembling a lower body shell a including underbody portion having a front floor and front body portion, assembling an upper body shell, including a roof member and right and left body side panels, and assembling the upper body shell and the lower body shell, moving rearward the lower body shell relative to the upper body shell, and engaging transverse opposite side ends of the lower body shell with lower end portions of the upper body shell to join the lower body shell with the upper body shell. The under body portion can be readily joined with the upper body shell, improving the workability of the joining operation. The structure of joint portion thereof can be simplified with a desirable sealing.

Abstract: The method involved in the present invention is directed to the coating step where an assembled unit of the upper vehicle body and the under vehicle body is coated and the upper vehicle body section is separated from the under vehicle body after coating. In the vehicle body assembly step, the vehicle body is loaded on a jig unit disposed so as to be movable through stations located along the vehicle body assembly line. Upon loading the upper vehicle body on the jig unit, the vehicle body is aligned with the jig unit on the basis of an inner member of a member for structuring the vehicle body with the aid of an aligning unit mounted to the jig unit. After coating the assembled vehicle body unit, the unit is divided into the upper vehicle body and the under vehicle body, which are then processed in separate mounting steps. After mounting various parts to each of the upper vehicle body and the under vehicle body in their own mounting lines, the upper vehicle body is combined with the under vehicle body.