Abstract: A developing device includes a developer supporting member for supplying developer to an image supporting member; a developer supplying member for supplying developer to the developer supporting member; and a stirring member disposed to be freely rotatable. The stirring member includes a free end portion arranged to contact with the developer supplying member and a stirring section for stirring developer when the stirring member rotates.

Abstract: A developer container includes a developer containing member that contains developer; an opening part through which the developer is externally supplied, and a pressure absorbing mechanism that is provided on an external portion of the developer containing member. The pressure absorbing mechanism is configured to deform in an inward direction toward the developer container when an external force is applied to the developer container.

Abstract: A molten salt composition is disclosed containing two or more types of molten salt MTFSI whose anion is an imide anion TFSI and whose cation is an alkali metal M exhibits a lower electrolyte melting point and a wider operating temperature range than a simple salt does. This brings about various advantages such as a wider range of materials that are chosen for use in batteries and the like.

Abstract: The present invention provides an insulated ultrafine powder containing electrically conductive ultrafine particles coated with an insulation coating, characterized in that the electrically conductive ultrafine particles are formed of a carbon material which is in the form of spherical particles having a diameter of 1 nm or more and 500 nm or less, fibers having a cross-sectional diameter of 1 nm or more and 500 nm or less, or plate-like particles having a thickness of 1 nm or more and 500 nm or less; the insulation coating is formed of an insulating metal oxide or a hydrate thereof; and the thickness of the insulation coating is 0.

Abstract: An image forming unit and an image forming apparatus comprising the image forming unit are supplied capable of preventing toner in bottom part of toner accommodating room from accumulating so as to obtain toner image with good quality. In the image forming unit, a developer accommodating section that accommodates developer; a developing member that supplies developer to an electrostatic latent image on an image carrying body; a supplying member that faces to the developing member and supplies developer to the developing member; and a conveying mechanism that conveys developer in bottom part of the developer accommodating section to the upper part of the developer accommodating section.

Abstract: A image forming unit includes an image forming unit including an image bearing body that bears a latent image, a developer bearing body that develops the latent image, a developer supplying portion that supplies the developer to the developer bearing body, an agitating portion provided in the vicinity of the developer supplying portion and including a plate member for agitating the developer in the vicinity of the developer supplying portion and a rotation shaft that holds the plate member, and a driving mechanism that causes the plate member of the agitating portion to reciprocatingly swing about the rotation shaft.

Abstract: A development device includes: a developer carrier that is positioned to oppose an electrostatic latent image carrier and that supplies a developer to the electrostatic latent image carrier; a developer supply member that is positioned to oppose the developer carrier and that supplies the developer to the developer carrier; a developer charging member that is positioned to oppose the developer supply member and that charges the developer.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developer bearing body provided so as to face a latent image bearing body. The developer bearing body rotates to supply a developer to the latent image bearing body. A developer supplying member is provided so as to contact the developer bearing body. The developer supplying member rotates to supply a developer to the developer bearing body. A developer recovery member is provided so as to contact a surface of the developer bearing body that moves from a position facing the latent image bearing body to a position in contact with the developer supplying member by a rotation of the developer bearing body. The developer recovery member rotates to recover the developer from the developer bearing body. The developer recovery member is constituted by a brush roller.

Abstract: A developing device includes: a developer carrier configured to form a developer image on an image carrier by developing an electrostatic latent image on the image carrier; a developer supplier being in contact with the developer carrier and configured to supply a developer to an outer circumferential surface of the developer carrier; and an agitating member configured to agitate the developer around the developer carrier or the developer supplier, wherein a tip of the agitating member, upon a rotation of the agitating member, moves in a noncircular path.

Abstract: A locking claw on an outer face of a container portion made of resin is engaged with a locking hole in an outer periphery of a case made of sheet metal, the container portion being covered by the case, a locking claw on an outer face of a cover is engaged with a locking hole in an outer periphery of a lid body, the cover being covered by the lid body, they are assembled so that a part of an opening edge of an opening portion of the case is covered by an opening edge of an opening portion of the cover, the container portion and the case as well as the cover and the lid body are fixed to form an electric equipment box and a flame spread inhibiting path is formed between the lid body and the case.

Abstract: The present invention provides an insulated ultrafine powder containing electrically conductive ultrafine particles coated with an insulation coating, characterized in that the electrically conductive ultrafine particles are formed of a carbon material which is in the form of spherical particles having a diameter of 1 nm or more and 500 nm or less, fibers having a cross-sectional diameter of 1 nm or more and 500 nm or less, or plate-like particles having a thickness of 1 nm or more and 500 nm or less; the insulation coating is formed of an insulating metal oxide or a hydrate thereof; and the thickness of the insulation coating is 0.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developer supporting member for supplying developer to an image supporting member; a developer supplying member for supplying developer to the developer supporting member; and a stirring member disposed to be freely rotatable. The stirring member includes a free end portion arranged to contact with the developer supplying member and a stirring section for stirring developer when the stirring member rotates.

Abstract: A molten salt composition is disclosed containing two or more types of molten salt MTFSI whose anion is an imide anion TFSI and whose cation is an alkali metal M exhibits a lower electrolyte melting point and a wider operating temperature range than a simple salt does. This brings about various advantages such as a wider range of materials that are chosen for use in batteries and the like.

Abstract: An image forming unit and an image forming apparatus comprising the image forming unit are supplied capable of preventing toner in bottom part of toner accommodating room from accumulating so as to obtain toner image with good quality. In the image forming unit, a developer accommodating section that accommodates developer; a developing member that supplies developer to an electrostatic latent image on an image carrying body; a supplying member that faces to the developing member and supplies developer to the developing member; and a conveying mechanism that conveys developer in bottom part of the developer accommodating section to the upper part of the developer accommodating section.

Abstract: An image forming unit includes: an image supporting member for forming a latent image on a surface thereof; a developer supporting member for supplying developer to the image supporting member to develop the latent image; and a developer layer regulating member abutting against the developer supporting member for forming a thin developer layer. The developer layer regulating member and the developer supporting member are configured to satisfy the following relationships: ?b??r?2×?b Rz?D where ?b is a dynamic friction coefficient between the developer layer regulating member and the developer; ?r is a dynamic friction coefficient between the developer supporting member and the developer; Rz is an average surface roughness of the developer supporting member; and D is a volume average particle diameter of the developer.

Abstract: A toner is used in an image-forming apparatus that incrporates a toner-collecting member. The toner-collecting member collects residual toner on a surface of an image-bearing body. The toner includes a spherical toner having at least a binder resin, and an irregularly-shaped particles mixed with the spherical toner. The irregularly shaped particle has an average diameter in the range of 1-50 ?m. The average diameter is 14 to 10% of the diameter of a spot printed by the image-forming apparatus. The irregularly shaped particle is a toner having the same color as the spherical toner. The irregularly shaped particle is a colorless toner. The irregularly shaped particle is charged opposite in polarity to the spherical toner. The irregularly has a roundness of 0.85 or less.

Abstract: A toner is used in an image-forming apparatus that incorporates a toner-collecting member. The toner-collecting member collects residual toner on a surface of an image-bearing body. The toner includes a spherical toner having at least a binder resin, and an irregularly-shaped particles mixed with the spherical toner. The irregularly shaped particle has an average diameter in the range of 1–50 ?m. The average diameter is 14 to 10% of the diameter of a spot printed by the image-forming apparatus. The irregularly shaped particle is a toner having the same color as the spherical toner. The irregularly shaped particle is a colorless toner. The irregularly shaped particle is charged opposite in polarity to the spherical toner. The irregularly has a roundness of 0.85 or less.

Abstract: A image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive body as an image bearing member having a surface layer. The surface layer includes a charge transport layer having the thickness from 10 ?m to 20 ?m. An exposing unit exposes the surface layer to the light to form latent image, and has a resolution greater than 600 dpi. A developing unit develops the latent image with toner so that a toner layer is formed on the photosensitive body. The toner layer formed on the photosensitive body includes two or three layers of toner particles. The electric charge Q (?C/g) of the toner layer per unit weight, the average thickness t (?m) of the toner layer, and the gap d (?m) between the smallest dots satisfy the following relationship: 50.4/d?|Q/t|?10.0.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developer support member for supplying developer to an image supporting member to form a static latent image; a developer supplying member for charging the developer and supplying the developer to the developer support member; and a layer controlling member abutting against the developer supply member for forming a thin layer of the developer. The layer controlling member is arranged such that the layer controlling member contacts with the developer supporting member with a contact pressure P (g/cm) according to a specific relationship relative to D and |Q|, wherein D represents a volume average particle diameter (?m) of the developer, and |Q| represents an absolute value of an average charge amount Q (?C/g) of the developer on the developer support member before the developer passes through the layer controlling member. The volume average particle diameter D is within a range of 5.2 ?m?D?9.8 ?m.

Abstract: The cleaning agent described above comprises a surfactant and an organic solvent, and the cleaning method described above is characterized by allowing the cleaning agent described above to flow on the surface of the material to be treated at a high speed to thereby clean the above surface. According to the present invention, deposits adhering firmly to a surface of a material to be treated can readily be removed without damaging the material to be treated.