Abstract: An image forming method includes: charging a surface of an electrostatic latent image holder with a charging roller; exposing the charged surface so as to form an electrostatic latent image; and developing the formed electrostatic latent image with toner. The toner contains at least a toner base particle and an external additive minute particle. The external additive minute particle contains a silica-polymer composite minute particle. A silicon atom abundance ratio obtained from abundances of a carbon atom, an oxygen atom and a silicon atom present on an outermost surface and within 3 nm from the outermost surface in a depth direction of the silica-polymer composite minute particle are measured with an x-ray photoelectron spectrometer satisfies at least the following condition A. 15.0 atm %?silicon atom abundance ratio ({Si/(C+O+Si)}×100)?30.

Abstract: Provided is a two-component developer for developing an electrostatic latent image capable of stably printing a high-quality image. Disclosed is a two-component developer for developing an electrostatic latent image which contains toner particles and carrier particles having a core particle surface coated with a coating resin, in which a volume average particle size of the toner particles, an average magnetization of the core particle per one particle in an applied magnetic field of 1 kilooersted, a volume average particle size of the carrier particles, a volume resistivity, and an area ratio of the core particles exposed on the carrier particle surface are in a specific range.

Abstract: A two-component developer of the present invention contains toner particles and carrier particles. The number-average particle diameter of the toner particles ranges from 3.5 to 5.0 ?m. The volume-average particle diameter of the carrier particles MDc is within a specific range in accordance with the percentage of relatively large toner particles having relatively low circularity.

Abstract: A two-component developer for electrostatic latent image development includes: toner particles obtained in such a manner that an external additive is attached to a surface of toner base particles containing at least a binder resin; and carrier particles obtained in such a manner that a surface of core particles is coated with a resin for coating, wherein the toner particles have a volume-average particle size of 3 ?m or more and 5 ?m or less, the core particles have porosity of 8% or less, and the carrier particles have a volume-average particle size of 15 ?m or more and 30 ?m or less, volume resistivity of 1×108 ?·cm or more and 1×1010 ?·cm or less, a true specific gravity of 4.25 g/cm3 or more and 5 g/cm3 or less, and a shape factor SF-1 of 105 or more and 125 or less.

Abstract: A structure for securing a transmission stator shaft is provided in which a stator shaft flange that is integral with a stator shaft supported on an outer periphery of an input shaft via a bearing is fitted into a recess portion formed in a side face of a casing and positioned in a radial direction, and is positioned in an axial direction by a lid member that is secured to the side face by a bolt. Thus, even if the meshing reaction force in the radial direction received by a gear supported on the input shaft is transmitted to the stator shaft flange via the bearing and the stator shaft, the load is supported by the recess portion of the casing so as not to be transmitted to the bolt, thereby preventing loose of the bolt and suppressing rattling of the stator shaft flange.

Abstract: Disclosed is a two-component developer containing toner particles and carrier particles. The number-average particle diameter of the toner particles MDt ranges from 3.5 to 5.0 ?m. The MDt of the toner particles and the volume-average particle diameter of the carrier particles MDc are at a specific ratio, and spherical fine toner particles in the toner particles and fine carrier particles in the carrier particles exist at specific percentages.

Abstract: Provided are a power transmission switching mechanism allowing reduction in size and weight in a simple configuration with a minimized piece-part count, and a transmission provided therewith. The power transmission switching mechanism includes a sleeve that moves in an axial direction of a rotation shaft, a hub section provided integrally with a gear for holding a sleeve axially slidably and unrotatably, and a dog spline installed to a pulley piston fixed to the rotation shaft for meshing the sleeve. In a state in which the sleeve is held to the hub section, the rotation shaft is disengaged with the gear and a relative rotation thereof is allowed. Meanwhile, when the sleeve axially moves from the hub section, the rotation shaft engages with the gear and both thereof rotate integrally.

Abstract: A two-component developing agent for developing an electrostatic latent image includes toner particles composed of toner base particles and an exterior additive attached on the toner base particles, and carrier particles composed of carrier core particles and a coating resin provided on the carrier core particles. The coating resin includes a sulfur atom and a resin obtained by polymerizing an isobutyl methacrylate monomer, and the toner base particles include a sulfur atom.

Abstract: In a continuously variable transmission, driving force from a drive source is transmitted via the path: first input switching mechanism?first input path?first countershaft?first pulley?endless belt?second pulley?second countershaft?first output path?second input shaft?first output switching mechanism?output shaft to thus establish a LOW mode. A large torque that is transmitted in the LOW mode passes through the first output switching mechanism, but since the second input shaft is relatively rotatably disposed on the outer periphery of the first input shaft and the first output switching mechanism is disposed on the second input shaft, it is possible to enhance the rigidity of the input shaft due to the double tube structure formed from the first input shaft and the second input shaft and to support the first output switching mechanism with high rigidity without carrying out special reinforcement.

Abstract: In a continuously variable transmission, driving force from a drive source is transmitted via a path to establish a LOW mode. A large torque that is transmitted in the LOW mode passes through a first output switching mechanism. Since a countershaft is relatively rotatably disposed on an outer periphery of an input shaft, and the first output switching mechanism is disposed on the countershaft, the countershaft which transmits a large torque is disposed on an outer peripheral side of a double tube and supported directly by a transmission case, and the input shaft which transmits a relatively small torque is supported via the countershaft, thereby making it possible to support the first output switching mechanism with high rigidity without carrying out special reinforcement.

Abstract: Provided is a control device for a hybrid vehicle, which makes it possible to manually select a degree of acceleration in tune with user's preferences and user's intended running quality. Provided is a control device for a hybrid vehicle 1 including an engine and a motor for assisting the engine with power, in which an ECU 20 is provided with a first changing unit, which prepares to increase the assist amount of the motor 12 in response to a user depressing a Plus Sport mode switch 30, and subsequently increases the assist amount of the motor 12 in response to the user pressing an accelerator pedal to cause a variation ?AP in an accelerator position to be at least a predetermined value.

Abstract: A process of forming an image includes the steps of: developing an electrostatic latent image with a toner, the latent image being formed through charge of the surface of an electrostatic latent image carrier and exposure of the surface to light; and applying a lubricant onto the surface of the electrostatic latent image carrier. The toner includes a toner matrix particle and an external additive nanoparticle. The external additive nanoparticle comprises a silica-polymer composite nanoparticle. A percentage of atomic silicon present on the surface of the silica-polymer composite nanoparticle satisfies Condition A expressed by Expression: 15.0 atm %?percentage of atomic silicon ({Si/(C+O+Si)}×100)?30.0 atm %. The percentage of atomic silicon is determined from total amounts of atomic carbon, oxygen, and silicon present on the topmost surface of the silica-polymer composite nanoparticle and within 3 nm inwards from the topmost surface.

Abstract: An electrostatic charge image developing toner includes: toner matrix particles containing a binder resin; and an external additive added to the toner matrix particles, wherein the external additive includes joined particles each including a secondary particle including a plurality of spherical primary particles joined together, the joined particles include at least particles with a secondary particle size d2 in the range of 70 nm to 400 nm, and particles with a ratio d2/d1 in the range of 1.6 to 4.2 make up at least 50% by number of the particles with a secondary particle size d2 in the range of 70 nm to 400 nm, wherein d1 is the diameter of primary particles in the joined particle, and d2 is the secondary particle size.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a process chamber, a substrate holder arranged in the process chamber, a first shield provided on the peripheral portion of the substrate holder, and a second shield provided inside the process chamber. The internal space of the process chamber is partitioned into an outer space and a process space to process the substrate, by at least the first shield, the second shield, and the substrate holder. The substrate holder can be driven along a driving direction perpendicular to a substrate holding surface. The length, in a direction parallel to the driving direction, of a minimum gap portion having a minimum size in a direction perpendicular to the driving direction between the first and second shields does not change even if the substrate holder is driven in the driving direction.

Abstract: An image forming method includes: charging a surface of an electrostatic latent image holder with a charging roller; exposing the charged surface so as to form an electrostatic latent image; and developing the formed electrostatic latent image with toner. The toner contains at least a toner base particle and an external additive minute particle. The external additive minute particle contains a silica-polymer composite minute particle. A silicon atom abundance ratio obtained from abundances of a carbon atom, an oxygen atom and a silicon atom present on an outermost surface and within 3 nm from the outermost surface in a depth direction of the silica-polymer composite minute particle are measured with an x-ray photoelectron spectrometer satisfies at least the following condition A. 15.0 atm %?silicon atom abundance ratio ({Si/(C+O+Si)}×100)?30.

Abstract: To provide a toner for electrostatic charge image development, a two-component developer, and a method for forming an image in which a high quality image can be stably obtained by suppression of a decrease in image density as caused by excessive electrification in a low temperature and low humidity environment, prevention of fogging as caused by lowered electrification property in a high temperature and high humidity environment, and suppression of a difference in image density. A toner for electrostatic charge image development which contains toner particles containing at least a binder resin and external additives containing metal salts of fatty acid, in which a ratio of the metal salts of fatty acid that are liberated by a centrifugal treatment in an aqueous dispersion is 30 to 80% and the number average particle diameter of the particles that are present in a supernatant after the centrifugal treatment is 0.7 ?m to 3.

Abstract: A reactive sputtering apparatus includes a chamber, a substrate holder provided in the chamber, a target holder which is provided in the chamber and configured to hold a target, a deposition shield plate which is provided in the chamber so as to form a sputtering space between the target holder and the substrate holder, and prevents a sputter particle from adhering to an inner wall of the chamber, a reactive gas introduction pipe configured to introduce a reactive gas into the sputtering space, an inert gas introduction port which introduces an inert gas into a space that falls outside the sputtering space and within the chamber, and a shielding member which prevents a sputter particle from the target mounted on the target holder from adhering to an introduction port of the reactive gas introduction pipe upon sputtering.

Abstract: Provided is an electrostatic charge image developing carrier and a two-component developer capable of stably obtaining a high-definition image by preventing fogging and toner scattering associated with a change in the electrostatic property of a toner associated with a change in temperature and humidity of the environment, particularly, a decrease in electrification quantity in a high-temperature high-humidity environment. An electrostatic charge image developing carrier includes a carrier particle formed by coating a surface of a core material particle with a coating material including a resin, the resin is obtained by polymerizing a monomer including at least an alicyclic methacrylic acid ester compound, the coating material contains a sulfur element, and a ratio (S/C) of a sulfur element content (S) to a carbon element content (C) in the coating material is 0.003 to 0.008.

Abstract: Provided is a control device for a hybrid vehicle, which makes it possible to manually select a degree of acceleration in tune with user's preferences and user's intended running quality. Provided is a control device for a hybrid vehicle 1 including an engine and a motor for assisting the engine with power, in which an ECU 20 is provided with a first changing unit, which prepares to increase the assist amount of the motor 12 in response to a user depressing a Plus Sport mode switch 30, and subsequently increases the assist amount of the motor 12 in response to the user pressing an accelerator pedal to cause a variation ?AP in an accelerator position to be at least a predetermined value.

Abstract: A reactive sputtering apparatus includes a chamber, a substrate holder provided in the chamber, a target holder which is provided in the chamber and configured to hold a target, a deposition shield plate which is provided in the chamber so as to form a sputtering space between the target holder and the substrate holder, and prevents a sputter particle from adhering to an inner wall of the chamber, a reactive gas introduction pipe configured to introduce a reactive gas into the sputtering space, an inert gas introduction port which introduces an inert gas into a space that falls outside the sputtering space and within the chamber, and a shielding member which prevents a sputter particle from the target mounted on the target holder from adhering to an introduction port of the reactive gas introduction pipe upon sputtering.