Abstract: A terminal box of an output part of a solar cell module, including a case and an outer lid that are molded with a thermoplastic resin and an removal cable cover that is of a knockout type and is arranged in the case includes an inner lid that covers to close an electric circuit that is housed in the case.

Abstract: A photoreceptor is provided having an electroconductive substrate and a photosensitive layer located overlying the electroconductive substrate, wherein an outermost layer of the photoreceptor contains a binder resin, wherein the binder resin solution satisfies the following relationship 2>(T0-T400)/C wherein T0 represents a initial transmittance (%) at 400 nm of the binder resin solution; T400 represents a transmittance (%) at 400 nm of the binder resin solution which has been allowed to settle for 400 hours under conditions of 23° C. and 40% RH; and C represents the concentration of the binder resin solution; and an image forming method, an image forming apparatus and a process cartridge including the photoreceptor.

Abstract: A toner including a thermoplastic resin; a colorant; a wax; and a crystalline polymer, wherein a DSC endothermic peak temperature of the wax or the crystalline polymer determined by subjecting the toner to a differential scanning calorimetric analysis is lower by not less than 2° C. than a DSC endothermic peak temperature thereof determined when only the wax or the crystalline polymer is subjected to the differential calorimetric analysis.

Abstract: A processed article is provided with a plurality of IDs having the same information for machine reading but difference to be confirmed visually. The information such as the production lot number which is read from the plurality of IDs by the reading device is the same, but these plurality of IDs are different in external appearance, for example in size or color. By corresponding such difference of the plurality of IDs in the external appearance to the positional information in the processing apparatus for the article, new information can be added to the ID without introducing a new ID printer or a reading device. A prompt measure to a trouble in production is made possible based on the information such as the position of the article. Also the defective processed article can be easily selected, thereby improving the production yield and achieving a cost reduction.

Abstract: A processed article is provided with a plurality of IDs having the same information for machine reading but difference to be confirmed visually. The information such as the production lot number which is read from the plurality of IDs by the reading device is the same, but these plurality of IDs are different in external appearance, for example in size or color. By corresponding such difference of the plurality of IDs in the external appearance to the positional information in the processing apparatus for the article, new information can be added to the ID without introducing a new ID printer or a reading device. A prompt measure to a trouble in production is made possible based on the information such as the position of the article. Also the defective processed article can be easily selected, thereby improving the production yield and achieving a cost reduction.

Abstract: A color toner which gives a suitable image gloss and has an excellent color reproducibility, which has sufficient anti-offset properties even when a release oil is not coated on a fixing roller or is coated in only a small amount, and which has excellent transfer properties, durability, and charge stability relative to humidity is disclosed. Also, an image-forming apparatus using the color toner and a toner container filled with the color toner are disclosed. The color toner comprises a continuous phase of a resin containing a urea-modified polyester resin; and a modified resin dispersed in the continuous phase, wherein the modified resin contains a release polymer portion containing a release polymer; and a modified portion containing a plurality of vinyl monomer units, the modified portion having an average ester group concentration of 8% by weight to 30% by weight.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus containing an image bearing member to bear a latent electrostatic image, a charging device to irradiate the image bearing member with light, a developing device to develop the latent electrostatic image on the image bearing member with a toner, a cleaning device having a cleaning blade to remove toner particles remaining on the image bearing member, and a transfer device to transfer the toner image formed on the image bearing member to a recording material. The image forming apparatus satisfies the following relationships (1) and (2): (1) 0.10< or =Dm3/V< or =3.41, wherein Dm represents a weight average particle diameter of the toner and V represents a circumference velocity of the image bearing member; and (2) Tave< or =1.40 kgf·cm, wherein Tave represents the average of a torque T of the image bearing member when the torque is measured for 15 seconds while the cleaning blade is in contact with the image bearing member.

Abstract: A semiconductor device which is capable of suppressing short-circuit currents caused to flow through defective areas in a first semiconductor layer can be manufactured at high yield, by utilizing a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device including the steps of forming a first semiconductor layer on a substrate, forming a first transparent electroconductive layer on the first semiconductor layer, and forming a second semiconductor layer on the first transparent electroconductive layer, the method further including executing passivation treatment on defects in the first semiconductor layer before the formation of the second semiconductor layer.

Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming apparatus for lowering friction coefficient and lowering surface energy of photoconductor surface in particular, which comprises an electrophotographic photoconductor, charging unit, light exposure unit, developing unit, transferring unit, and fixing unit, the electrophotographic photoconductor comprises a photosensitive layer on a conductive support and fluoropolymer fine particles at the outermost layer, a part of the fluoropolymer fine particles are exposed above the surface of the outermost layer in configurations of primary particles and secondary particles formed by flocculation of plural primary particles, and sum of area ratios of particles in the configurations of the primary particles and the secondary particles, each particles having an average diameter D of 0.15 ?m?D?3.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electrophotographic photoconductor comprising a photoconductive layer, a protective layer, and a conductive support, wherein the protective layer is disposed as the outermost layer of the photoconductive layer, and 20% by volume to 60% by volume of fine particles of fluorine-contained resin and at least one compound selected from amine aromatic compounds and hydroxy aromatic compounds are incorporated into the protective layer. According to the present invention, high durability may be achieved, image degradation such as lags may be controlled from the increase of residual potential and decrease of charging, and high quality images may be formed stably even after the prolonged and repeated usage. The present invention also relates to an electrophotographic process, an electrophotographic apparatus and a process cartridge for the electrophotographic apparatus which utilize the electrophotographic photoconductor respectively.

Abstract: A toner is prepared by dissolving and/or dispersing a modified polyester resin in an organic solvent to yield a solution or dispersion, the modified polyester resin being reactive with a compound having an active hydrogen group, mixing the solution or dispersion with an aqueous medium containing resin particles, and subjecting the modified polyester resin to crosslinking and/or elongation in the aqueous medium. The binder resin further includes a crystalline polyester resin in addition to the modified polyester resin.

Abstract: A toner including toner particles comprising a binder resin; and at least two kinds of particulate resins which are located on at least a surface of the toner particles, wherein the toner satisfies at least one of the following relationships (TgA?TgB)?20° C., wherein TgA and TgB represent glass transition temperatures (Tg) of a particulate resin (A) having a highest Tg and a particulate resin (B) having a lowest Tg among the at least two kinds of particulate resins, respectively; and 100,000?Mwc?6,000,000 and 8,000?Mwd?800,000, wherein Mwc and Mwd represent weight average molecular weights (Mw) of a particulate resin (C) having a highest Mw and a particulate resin (D) having a lowest Mw among the at least two kinds of particulate resins, respectively, wherein Mwc>Mwd.

Abstract: A toner for image formation is provided, which is produced by dispersing in an aqueous solvent a toner composition which includes a composition thermally soluble in an organic solvent and a coloring agent, thereby forming toner particles, wherein the thermally soluble composition includes (a) a polyester having an acid value and (b) a metal alcolate and/a metal chelate compound. The toner is capable of attaining image fixing at a sufficiently low image fixing temperature and a sufficiently broad image fixing temperature range for use in practice. Furthermore, toner containers such as a toner cartridge and a process cartridge are provided, which are loaded with the toner. Such toner containers can be detachably mounted on an image forming apparatus.

Abstract: A toner prepared by a method of dissolving or dispersing toner constituents comprising a modified resin capable of reacting with an active hydrogen and a colorant which is a black metallic material to prepare a solution or a dispersion; and reacting the solution or dispersion with at least one of a crosslinking agent and an elongation agent in an aqueous medium including a resin particulate material.

Abstract: A toner for developing an electrostatic image having a good combination of hot offset resistance and low temperature fixability. The toner includes (1) a resin having at least one group that can react with a compound having an active hydrogen in an amount of 2 pieces per molecule of the resin, and a colorant. The toner satisfies the following relationship: 3?G=R?Rideal?20, where G represents a ratio of a weight of components other than the colorant and the resin that are insoluble in the organic solvent to total weight of the toner, R represents a weight ratio of components included in the toner that are insoluble in the organic solvent to the total weight of the toner, and Rideal represents an ideal weight ratio of the colorant and the resin, which is calculated from a formula of the toner.

Abstract: A toner including a binder; a colorant; and a wax, wherein the binder includes a polyester resin; and a reaction product of a polymer having a group capable of reacting with an active hydrogen with a compound having an active hydrogen, wherein the polyester resin includes tetrahydrofuran(THF)-soluble resin components in an amount of from 50 to 85% by weight; and chloroform-insoluble components in an amount of from 0 to 30% by weight, and wherein the toner satisfies the following relationship (1):

Abstract: A solar battery module can be constituted without connecting a plurality of bypass diodes, increasing the volume of potting, or reducing the area of a solar battery cell, so that the problems such as an increase in size of a terminal box, an increase in fabrication cost or a drop in mass productivity are overcome. A terminal box constituting an output section of a solar battery module, includes: a box body housing a circuit constituting section constituted by terminal boards, a bypass diode, and the like; and a box cover having a double structure of an inner cover made of a metal material and an outer cover made of a weather-resistant resin. The box body has an open side opposite to its attachment face, and includes a portion housing a charging section of the circuit constituting section apart from an outer wall structure of the box body. The box body is formed to have a box structure made of a weather-resistant resin. The open side of the box structure is covered with the box cover.

Abstract: A semiconductor device which is capable of suppressing short-circuit currents caused to flow through defective areas in a first semiconductor layer can be manufactured at high yield, by utilizing a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device including the steps of forming a first semiconductor layer on a substrate, forming a first transparent electroconductive layer on the first semiconductor layer, and forming a second semiconductor layer on the first transparent electroconductive layer, the method further including executing passivation treatment on defects in the first semiconductor layer before the formation of the second semiconductor layer.

Abstract: A toner including a thermoplastic resin; a colorant; a wax; and a crystalline polymer, wherein a DSC endothermic peak temperature of the wax or the crystalline polymer determined by subjecting the toner to a differential scanning calorimetric analysis is lower by not less than 2° C. than a DSC endothermic peak temperature thereof determined when only the wax or the crystalline polymer is subjected to the differential calorimetric analysis.

Abstract: A color toner which gives a suitable image gloss and has an excellent color reproducibility, which has sufficient anti-offset properties even when a release oil is not coated on a fixing roller or is coated in only a small amount, and which has excellent transfer properties, durability, and charge stability relative to humidity is disclosed. Also, an image-forming apparatus using the color toner and a toner container filled with the color toner are disclosed. The color toner comprises a continuous phase of a resin containing a urea-modified polyester resin; and a modified resin dispersed in the continuous phase, wherein the modified resin contains a release polymer portion containing a release polymer; and a modified portion containing a plurality of vinyl monomer units, the modified portion having an average ester group concentration of 8% by weight to 30% by weight.