Abstract: This invention relates to resins and photoresist compositions that comprise such resins. This invention includes new resins that comprise photoacid-labile deblocking groups, wherein the acid-labile moiety is substituted with one or more electron-withdrawing groups. Polymers of the invention are particularly useful as a resin binder component of chemically-amplified positive-acting resists that can be effectively imaged at short wavelengths such as sub-300 nm and sub-200 nm and preferably about 157 nm. In such short-wavelength imaging applications resins of the invention exhibit decreased absorbance of short wavelength exposure radiation, such as sub-170 nm radiation e.g. 157 nm.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprising: an image forming section and a residual toner amount detection unit. The image forming section includes a photosensitive member, a charging unit, an exposure unit, a developing unit, and a toner storage unit. The residual toner amount detection unit detects an amount of toner remaining in the developing unit. The residual toner amount detection unit includes a light-emitting element and a light-receiving element. After the toner is deposited on the photosensitive member to form a toner image until electric charge is given onto a photosensitive layer of the photosensitive member by the charging unit again, the light-emitting element removes electric charge remaining on the photosensitive layer.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes detect means for detecting a toner image formed on an image carrier, and transport means for transporting a sheet. The detect means is disposed in correspondence with a position which is on an inner side of a width of the image carrier, and on an outer side of a contact region with the transport means and the sheet in a direction perpendicular to a transporting direction of carrying the sheet.

Abstract: Provided is a small-sized electrophotographic apparatus having a double face printing function, which can print at a high speed even during double face printing.

Abstract: A photo conductor and exposure integrally-formed type apparatus is of a drum type, and is rotated at a fixed speed in a clockwise direction. A residual toner attached to a surface of the photo conductor is removed by a cleaner, and a charging device applies a charge load uniformly to a surface of the photo conductor layer so as to charge the photo conductor layer. A light emitting layer exposes the photo conductor layer in a luminous area from an inner side, and forms a latent image on the photo conductor layer. The latent image formed on the photo conductor layer is developed by toner by a developing device, and forms an apparent image by the toner attached to the latent image. Further, the toner image appearing on the photo conductor layer is transferred on a recording medium by a transfer device. Accordingly, since no movement exists between an exposure point and an image forming point in the luminous area, an image deterioration caused by the movement is not generated.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is able to form steady test-pattern toner images for calibration of reflection density detection characteristics with ample toner. The operation consists of forming a test-pattern toner image for calibration of the reflection density detection characteristics, which is formed of a plurality of toner images of different colors aside from a reference test-pattern toner image for controlling image forming conditions, detecting the detection characteristics of a reflection density sensor from the result of detection of the quantity of toner attached to the test-pattern toner image for calibration of the reflection density detection characteristics, and calibrating the output characteristics of the reflection density sensor.

Abstract: Provided is a small-sized electrophotographic apparatus having a double face printing function, which can print at a high speed even during double face printing.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier having a photosensitive material on a surface thereof, a light scanning apparatus for irradiating scanning light on the image carrier in accordance with image information and a scanning light reflecting mirror for changing a traveling direction of the scanning light. The scanning light reflecting mirror and the image carrier are mounted on a common supporting member to constitute a first unit, and the light scanning apparatus is built into a second unit separate from the first unit.

Abstract: An electrophotographic cluster printing system for performing printing by using a plurality of electrophotographic recording apparatuses such as printers, facsimile machines or copying machines each capable of manifesting an image by using colored particles such as toner. The electrophotographic cluster printing system includes a plurality of electrophotograhic recording apparatuses each including a photoconductor, a charger, an exposure device, a developing device, and an image quality controller for detecting a factor concerning image quality and controlling image quality of an output image on the basis of information of the detected factor. In the system, at least two of the electrophotograhic recording apparatuses is used for printing one job and image quality of any one of the electrophotograhic recording apparatuses is controlled on the basis of detected information of the other electrophotograhic recording apparatuses.

Abstract: An electrophotographic apparatus comprises a plurality of image forming devices overlapped one another. The image forming device comprises a developing device comprising a tip end part and a toner storage part coupled to the tip end part. A thickness of the tip end part in an overlapped direction is smaller than a thickness of the toner storage part. An exposure device is arranged in a location, in which the tip end part is small in thickness. A toner regulatory blade extends in a direction along a normal to the overlapped direction and arranged so as to come into contact with a developing roller from a direction following rotation of the developing roller.

Abstract: Provided is a small-sized electrophotographic apparatus for which maintenance such as disposal of a jam of sheets, replacement of consumables including toner, or replacement of components to be periodically replaced can be facilitated.

Abstract: An image formation apparatus for keeping secularly stable image quality for all image patterns if change in the charge amount of a developer caused by environment variation or over time or change in the photoconductor characteristic occurs in electrophotographic record apparatus. A test patch image formed on a photoconductor by a parallel electric field is detected by an image density sensor, the developing bias and the photoconductor surface potential are controlled so that the density detected by the image density sensor becomes constant, a test patch image formed on the photoconductor by a peripheral electric field is detected by the image density sensor with the control condition of the image density sensor maintained, and the light application amount in which an image area of a several-dot width adjacent a blank paper part is exposed to light is controlled so that the density detected by the image density sensor becomes constant.

Abstract: An electrophotographic cluster printing system for performing printing by using a plurality of electrophotographic recording apparatuses such as printers, facsimile machines or copying machines each capable of manifesting an image by using colored particles such as toner. The electrophotographic cluster printing system includes a plurality of electrophotograhic recording apparatuses each including a photoconductor, a charger, an exposure device, a developing device, and an image quality controller for detecting a factor concerning image quality and controlling image quality of an output image on the basis of information of the detected factor. In the system, at least two of the electrophotograhic recording apparatuses is used for printing one job and image quality of any one of the electrophotograhic recording apparatuses is controlled on the basis of detected information of the other electrophotograhic recording apparatuses.

Abstract: An image formation apparatus for keeping secularly stable image quality for all image patterns if change in the charge amount of a developer caused by environment variation or over time or change in the photoconductor characteristic occurs in electrophotographic record apparatus. A test patch image formed on a photoconductor by a parallel electric field is detected by an image density sensor, the developing bias and the photoconductor surface potential are controlled so that the density detected by the image density sensor becomes constant, a test patch image formed on the photoconductor by a peripheral electric field is detected by the image density sensor with the control condition of the image density sensor maintained, and the light application amount in which an image area of a several-dot width adjacent a blank paper part is exposed to light is controlled so that the density detected by the image density sensor becomes constant.

Abstract: Water-processable positive-tone photoresists comprising a water-soluble polymer, wherein the polymer contains a heat-labile functional group that renders the polymer insoluble in water or an aqueous base upon heat treatment, and an acid-labile functional group that restores said water or aqueous base solubility to the polymer upon irradiation in the presence of a water-processable photoacid generator, are described. Also described are the methods of making such polymers and photoresists.

Abstract: The present invention includes polymers and photoresist compositions that comprise the polymers as a resin binder component. Photoresists of the invention contain a polymer that has fluorinated phenolic units and photoacid-labile groups. Resists of the invention can be effectively imaged at short wavelengths such as sub-200 nm, particularly 157 nm.

Abstract: This invention relates to resins and photoresist compositions that comprise such resins. This invention includes new resins that comprise photoacid-labile deblocking groups, wherein the acid-labile moiety is substituted with one or more electron-withdrawing groups. Polymers of the invention are particularly useful as a resin binder component of chemically-amplified positive-acting resists that can be effectively imaged at short wavelengths such as sub-300 nm and sub-200 nm and preferably about 157 nm. In such short-wavelength imaging applications resins of the invention exhibit decreased absorbance of short wavelength exposure radiation, such as sub-170 nm radiation e.g. 157 nm.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method for incineration of chromium-content-containing sludge and an apparatus therefor, in which the sludge is incinerated into ashes containing hexad chromium, which is, then, introduced into reducing gas to reduce the hexad chromium into triad chromium and, in turn, is cooled to stabilized the triad chromium, thereby to render to make the sludge harmless for discharging to the outside.