Abstract: A new intermediate transfer member which has a durable coating layer which easily conforms to the elastic deformation of the rubber layer, exhibits good wear resistance, permits easy resistance control, and fulfills such requirements as protection of the photosensitive body from staining, prevention of toner sticking, and decrease in the coefficient of friction. It is characterized in that the coating layer is composed mainly of a urethane resin which is formed from a polyol compound and a polyisocyanate compound in an excess amount in terms of NCO/OH molar ratio and which contains a solvent-insoluble fraction no less than 70%.

Abstract: Disclosed is an intermediate transfer member disposed between an image forming body and a recording medium, for transferring and holding a toner image formed on a surface of the image forming body onto a surface of the intermediate transfer member once and then transferring the toner image onto the recording medium, the intermediate transfer member including: a rubber composition, wherein the state of occurrence of cracks in the rubber composition after the rubber composition imparted with 20% of elongation has been exposed for 120 hours to an environment with an ozone concentration of 10 ppm and with a temperature of 40.degree. C. is specified such that no crack is seen, or the number of cracks and the depth of cracks satisfy a specific evaluation standard.

Abstract: An electroconductive elastic member including an electroconductive material prepared from a polyurethane foam or polyurethane elastomer using a polyester polyol and a quaternary ammonium salt to impart electroconductivity. The polyurethane foam or polyurethane elastomer can be produced using, as a polyisocyanate component, a hydrogenated product from diphenyl-methane diisocyanate, hexamethylene diisocyanate, or any of various modified diphenylmethane/hexamethylene diisocyanate The elastic member may be used in an electrophotographic apparatus. Thus the member is well suited for producing an elastic roller with intermediate electric resistance in an electrophotographic process.

Abstract: There are disclosed an electroconductive member comprising a high-molecular material, e.g. polyurethane as a matrix and a quaternary ammonium salt of an organic acid, e.g. bis-or-mono(quaternary ammonium) oxalate; and an electrophotographic apparatus which makes use of the electroconductive member, especially in the form of an electroconductive roller as a developing member, image transfer member, etc. The electroconductive member, when used in electrophotographic mechanism, minimizes an increase in electric resistance at the time of normal continuous passage of an electric current and also variation range in the electric resistance between the circumstances of low temperature/humidity and those of high temperature/humidity.

Abstract: A developing roller is adapted to carry a developer on its surface and come in contact with or close to a photoconductor drum having an electrostatic latent image borne on its surface whereby the developer is supplied to the drum to visualize the latent image. The developing roller includes a highly conductive shaft and an elastic layer with conductivity formed around the shaft. The elastic layer is surface treated so as to have a resin component which contains a urea resin and/or melamine resin. The roller satisfies log(R.sub.2 /R.sub.1).ltoreq.4.5 wherein the untreated roller has a resistance R.sub.1 and the roller with the resin component has a resistance R.sub.2. The developing roller does not contaminate the photoconductor drum and ensures that images of quality are reproduced without a density variation and background fog over a long time.

Abstract: The invention provides a charging member for electrically charging an object by placing the member in contact with the object and applying voltage between them. The member includes a shaft and an elastic layer and a conductive layer successively formed around the shaft, and has a capacitance of up to 1.times.10.sup.-9 F. and preferably a surface roughness of up to 20 .mu.m on JIS ten point mean roughness scale. The charging member is effective for suppressing charging noise.

Abstract: A developing roller (1) having a highly conductive shaft (2), an elastic layer (3) having conductivity around the shaft, and a conductive layer (4) on the elastic layer containing carbon black having an oil absorption of 30-80 ml/100 g and a specific surface area of 30-150 m.sup.2 /g. The developing roller carries a developer on its surface and comes in contact with or close to a photoconductor drum having an electrostatic latent image borne on its surface whereby the developer is supplied to the photoconductor drum to visualize the latent image. The developing roller has a low hardness, ensures intimate contact with the photoconductor drum, and is improved in electric conduction stability and anti-staining so that acceptable images can be consistently produced over a long term.

Abstract: A developing roller (1) having a thin layer of a developer (4) carried thereon and a drum (3) bearing an electrostatic latent image on its surface are rotated in close relationship, thereby feeding the developer (4) to the surface of the drum (3) for visualizing the electrostatic latent image thereon. The ionization potential of the developing roller (1) surface is adjusted to be below the ionization potential of the developer (4) surface when the developer is charged negative and above the ionization potential of the developer (4) surface when the developer is charged positive. The developer has an ionization potential of 4.5-5.5 eV. When using negatively charged developer, the development roller should preferably contain a lubricant or non-ionic surfactant and should preferably be made of a polyurethane containing a polyisocyanate so as to obtain the desired ionization potential.

Abstract: A charging device for electrically charging a photoconductor drum includes a charging member adapted to be placed in contact with the drum and an element for applying voltage between the charging member and the drum. The charging member has a microhardness of 1-65 degrees at its surface in contact with the drum or at least a surface layer of the charging member in contact with the drum is formed of a polyurethane which is prepared from liquid MDI as an isocyanate component and a polyol.

Abstract: An object, typically photoconductor drum is electrically charged by placing a contact charger member in abutment with the object to be charged and applying voltage between the contact charger member and the object. Charging is effected by properly controlling the capacitance of the contact charger member, the capacitance of the object, and the applied voltage. A sufficient charged potential is achieved through the application of a relatively low voltage, while preventing ozone generation.

Abstract: A developing roller comprising a conductive layer formed around a shaft carries a non-magnetic one-component developer on its outer surface to form a thin film of the developer and contacts a photoconductor drum having an electrostatic latent image borne on its surface whereby the latent image is developed to form a toner image. In one embodiment, the surface of the conductive layer has a DIN 4776 core roughness depth Rk of 0.5-3.5 .mu.m in a circumferential direction of the roller, and the ratio of circumferential Rk to axial Rk is greater than 1.0. In another embodiment, the surface of the conductive layer is provided with microscopic ridges and recesses which are alternately disposed in a rotational direction to define wavy streaks having a longitudinal direction substantially aligned with an axial direction of the roller.

Abstract: An electric charging member and electric charging apparatus are described, including the surface of the charging member being formed of a resin layer including a nylon copolymer containing at least 15% by weight of nylon 12 or a urethane-modified acrylic resin containing 5-80% by weight of an acrylic resin component.

Abstract: A developing roller includes a metal shaft and a conductive resilient sleeve surrounding the shaft and made of a urethane elastomer containing carbon black with at least pH 5. The developing roller is mounted in an electrophotographic apparatus in combination with a latent image-bearing photoreceptor wherein development is carried out using a non-magnetic single-component toner.

Abstract: There is provided a polyaniline having a thickness of 0.3 to 5 mm which is suitable for an electronic material, particularly for an electrode material in a cell. Also provided is a cell comprising a positive electrode, a negative electrode and an electrolyte in which the polyaniline having a thickness of 0.3 to 5 mm is employed in at least one of the positive and negative electrodes, the cell having a high energy density and good cell performance stable for a long period of time.

Abstract: A nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery includes a positive electrode of vanadium pentoxide, a negative electrode of lithium-doped carbonaceous material, and an organic electrolyte liquid containing a lithium salt. The electric capacities of the positive and negative materials are selected such that the electric capacity of the carbonaceous material at a potential of 1 volt or lower vs. lithium counter electrode is 0.8 to 1.8 times the electric capacity of vanadium pentoxide at a potential of 2.5 volts or higher vs. lithium counter electrode. Graphitized mesophase microspheres resulting from carbonization of pitch is preferred carbonaceous material. The battery is improved in both charge/discharge cycle and overdischarge properties.

Abstract: A secondary battery comprising a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and an electrolyte is improved in discharge performance by forming the positive electrode from a composite electrode material including a conductive organic polymer and a dischargeable metal oxide and/or metal chalcogenide.

Abstract: A new approach for efficient current collection is provided for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary cell comprising a positive electrode having a polyaniline or conductive organic polymer as an active material, a negative electrode, a nonaqueous electrolyte, and an outer casing having these components received therein. The positive electrode is affixed to the inner surface of an outer casing segment associated with the positive electrode through a conductive adhesive layer having carbon powder dispersed in a base polymer. The cell can recover from an over-discharged state.

Abstract: A secondary cell comprising a positive electrode of an active material in the form of a lithium-containing vanadium oxide Li.sub.1+x V.sub.3 O.sub.8+y which forms a solid solution with silicon or aluminum, a negative electrode of lithium or a lithium alloy, and a nonaqueous electrolytic solution containing lithium ions, the positive electrode has an increased capacity and improved cycle performance.

Abstract: A non-aqueous liquid electrolyte cell comprising a positive electrode having an active material of conductive organic polymer, typically polyaniline on a support, a negative electrode having an active material of lithium or lithium alloy, and a non-aqueous electrolyte solution exhibits improved performance when the electrolyte solution contains an electrolyte in a non-aqueous solvent mixture of a non-cyclic carbonate and a cyclic carbonate.

Abstract: A secondary cell comprising a metal oxide positive electrode, a lithium negative electrode, and a nonaqueous electrolyte containing lithium ions exhibits a high capacity and a long cycle life when the positive electrode has a limited capacity per unit area.