Abstract: The invention is directed to a method and apparatus for detecting a lane on a road, the latter of which includes an edge sensor (ED) for detecting edges indicative of boundaries of opposite sides of each lane, an edge memory (EM) for storing the edges to form a couple of continuous lines of edge groups indicative of the opposite boundaries of the lane, and an image processor (DP) for defining the opposite boundaries of the lane on a plane in a three-dimensional geometry. A center of curvature defining device (RC) defines a center of curvature to the opposite boundaries of the lane. An edge line extracting device (ES) divides the edge groups stored in the edge memory into a plurality of continuous regions each having a predetermined length along a concentric circle arc having the same center as the center of curvature, and extracts a pair of edge lines from each region.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a charging device applies a voltage to charge an image bearing member. The charging device is provided with a charging means to which a voltage is applicable to charge said image bearing member, said charging means being provided with a magnetic particle carrying member for carrying and conveying a magnetic particle layer contacting with said image bearing member during the charging operation; a container contains magnetic particles therein; and a replacing device replaces the magnetic particles carried on the magnetic particle carrying member with the magnetic particles contained in the container. A developer develops a latent image produced on the image bearing member by the charging device using a toner to produce a toner image.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes image bearing member for bearing a toner image; charging member contactable to the image bearing member to electrically charge the image bearing member; wherein .delta.V=.vertline.Vdc-Vs.vertline. is different between a first area of the image bearing member which is going to be image area and second area of the image bearing member which is going to be non-image area, where Vdc is a DC component of a voltage applied to the charging member, and Vs is is a potential of the image bearing member charged by the charging member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an electrostatic image bearing member for bearing an electrostatic image; a developer carrying member for carrying developer containing toner; a voltage source for applying to said developer carrying member, an oscillating voltage of a predetermined frequency: a toner image forming device for forming a toner image on said electrostatic image bearing member using said voltage source; a transferring device for transferring the toner image onto transfer material; and a removing device for removing, using said voltage source, the toner remaining on said electrostatic image bearing member after the use of said transferring device: the voltage satisfies: ##EQU1## V.sub.pp ?V!: peak-to-peak voltage of oscillating voltage V.sub.f ?Hz!: frequency of oscillating voltageV.sub.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes at least a first image-forming unit provided with a first latent image-holding member, a first latent image-forming device, a first developing device for developing a first latent image with a first toner to form a first toner image, and a first image-transfer device for transferring the first toner image to an image-receiving member, and a second image-forming unit provided with a second latent image-holding member, a second latent image-forming device, a second developing device for developing a second latent image with a second toner to form a second toner image, and a second image-transfer device for transferring the second toner image to the image-receiving member holding the first toner image. The second developing device also serves as a cleaning device for recovering the toner remaining on the second latent image-holding member after the transfer to perform cleaning.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has an image bearing member, charging means for uniformly charging the image bearing member, electrostatic image forming means for forming an electrostatic image on the image bearing member charged by the charging means, developing means for developing the electrostatic image on the image bearing member with a toner and also recovering any residual toner on the image bearing member, and transferring means for transferring the toner image to a transfer member conveyed. Upon re-operation after jam, at least one full rotation of the image bearing member effects the recovery of the toner on the image bearing member by the developing means with the charging by the charging means being rendered OFF.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a plurality of image forming units for forming, on an image receiving member such as a transfer sheet, toner images of a plurality of different colors such as magenta, cyan, yellow and black. Each of the image forming units includes a photosensitive drum serving as an image carrier, a developing device for developing an electrostatic latent image carried by the image carrier to form a color toner image, and a transfer device for transferring the toner image to the image receiving member. The developing device in the image forming unit for forming on the image receiving member the toner image of an (i+1)-th color is of the type capable of simultaneously performing both development and removal of residual toner. The transfer currents T.sub.i and T.sub.i+1 employed by the transfer units which perform transfer of the toner images of an i-th color and the (i+1)-th color satisfy the following condition (1).

Abstract: A solder precipitating composition comprises a powder of a metal having the highest ionization level among metals constituting a solder alloy to be prepared, and a salt between a carboxylic acid and a remaining metal of the solder alloy. The composition is applied to a surface on which the solder is to be precipitated, and the solder is precipitated, thereby performing soldering.

Abstract: A conductive high molecular composition which comprises a non-conductive polymer component incorporated with a metal salt, characterized in that the metal salt is a salt of a metal with an acid substance selected from an organic carboxylic acid, rosin and a rosin derivative. This composition has an insulating property in normal state but functions as an electroconductive material only in the event it is interposed between slightly spaced metals and heated. Thus, the composition can be used not only as an insulating binder but also for imparting conductivity only in the desired spots of electronic parts, keeping the other areas of the parts electrically insulated. The composition thus possessing a specific dual function is particularly useful in the field of electronic industry.

Abstract: A conductive high molecular composition which comprises a non-conductive polymer component incorporated with a metal salt, characterized in that the melt salt is a salt of a metal with an acid substance selected from an organic carboxylic acid, rosin and a rosin derivative. This composition has an insulating property in the normal state but functions as an electroconductive material only in the event it is interposed between slightly spaced metals and heated. Thus, the composition can be used not only as an insulating binder but also for imparting conductivity only in the desired spots of electronic parts, keeping the other areas of the parts electrically insulated. The composition thus possessing a specific dual function is particularly useful in the electronic industry field.