Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an opening-closing member, which rotates to open or close an opening, an image carrier, an exposure member, a developing member, and a grounding member. The exposure member moves in response to a movement of the opening-closing member so as to be at an opposing position, at which the exposure member opposes the image carrier, when the opening-closing member is at a closed position and at a retracted position, at which the exposure member is retracted away from the image carrier, when the opening-closing member is at an open position. The exposure member forms an electrostatic latent image on the image carrier while the exposure member is at the opposing position. The developing member develops the electrostatic latent image. The grounding member grounds the exposure member at least when the exposure member is moving from the opposing position to the retracted position.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an opening-closing member, which rotates to open or close an opening, an image carrier, an exposure member, a developing member, and a grounding member. The exposure member moves in response to a movement of the opening-closing member so as to be at an opposing position, at which the exposure member opposes the image carrier, when the opening-closing member is at a closed position and at a retracted position, at which the exposure member is retracted away from the image carrier, when the opening-closing member is at an open position. The exposure member forms an electrostatic latent image on the image carrier while the exposure member is at the opposing position. The developing member develops the electrostatic latent image. The grounding member grounds the exposure member at least when the exposure member is moving from the opposing position to the retracted position.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing noble metal fine particles, by which noble metal fine particles are obtained whose particle diameter and alloy composition are easy to control and whose crystallinity and purity are high, is provided. The method includes the steps of: (1) obtaining a molten mixture containing a noble metal chloride, by insufflating chlorine gas into a mixture of a molten salt of an alkali metal chloride and a noble metal; (2) obtaining a noble metal oxide as a precipitate by adding an alkali metal carbonate to the molten mixture under an inert gas atmosphere; (3) obtaining a mixture containing noble metal oxide fine particles, by pulverizing the noble metal oxide with at least one of an alkali metal carbonate and an alkali earth metal carbonate; and (4) obtaining noble metal fine particles by heating the mixture obtained in step (3) under an atmosphere of gas containing hydrogen, and then treating the heat-treated mixture with acid.