Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a second deep layer between a first deep layer and first current distribution layer and a base region in an active region and in a part of an inactive region adjacent to the active region. The second deep layer has a second stripe portion including lines connecting to the base region and the first deep layer. The semiconductor device further includes a second current distribution layer between the first current distribution layer and the base region and arranged between the lines of the second stripe portion. The first deep layer has a first stripe portion including a plurality of lines, and each line has an end portion connecting to a frame-shaped portion and an inner portion on an inner side of the end portion. The width of the end portion is equal to or greater than the inner portion.

Abstract: A resin composition is provided. The resin composition comprises an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene resin, a polystyrene resin, a polycarbonate resin, and a phosphorus compound. The amount of the polystyrene resin is equal to or greater than the amount of the acrylonitrile butadiene styrene resin. The amount of the polycarbonate resin is from 70 to 90 parts by mass with respect to 100 parts by mass of all the resins. The phosphorus compound contains a phosphazene compound, and the amount of the phosphazene compound is from 0.1 to 4.0 parts by mass with respect to 100 parts by mass of all the resins.

Abstract: A resin composition is provided. The resin composition comprises an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene resin, a polystyrene resin, a polycarbonate resin, and a phosphorus compound. The amount of the polystyrene resin is equal to or greater than the amount of the acrylonitrile butadiene styrene resin. The amount of the polycarbonate resin is from 70 to 90 parts by mass with respect to 100 parts by mass of all the resins. The phosphorus compound contains a phosphazene compound, and the amount of the phosphazene compound is from 0.1 to 4.0 parts by mass with respect to 100 parts by mass of all the resins.

Abstract: Provided is a resin composition including a polycarbonate and a phosphorus-containing compound, wherein a content rate of the phosphorus-containing compound in the resin composition is less than 14 percent by mass, wherein the phosphorus-containing compound includes a phosphazene derivative represented by general formula (1) below and a phosphoric acid ester, wherein a content rate of the phosphazene derivative in the resin composition is 0.1 percent by mass or greater but less than 3.0 percent by mass, and wherein a resin specific gravity (D0) of the resin composition before burned in a UL94V test and a resin specific gravity (D1) of the resin composition after burned in the UL94V test satisfy a relationship of D1/D0>0.85, where in general formula (1), R1 and R2 each independently represent an aromatic ring-containing group free of a halogen atom, and m represents any of from 3 through 8.

Abstract: A recycled resin composition includes polystyrene collected from wasted home electric appliances in an amount of from 51 to 84% by weight, unused polystyrene in an amount of from 11 to 39% by weight, an impact modifier in an amount of from 2 to 4% by weight, and a phosphorous flame retardant in an amount of from 6 to 19% by weight.

Abstract: Provided is a reclaimed resin composition, including recovered acrylonitrile butadiene styrene copolymer resin, additional acrylonitrile butadiene styrene copolymer resin, and a phosphorus-based flame retardant. The amount of butadiene relative to the total mass of the reclaimed resin composition is from 10% by mass to 18% by mass.

Abstract: A cleaning unit, which can be incorporated in a process cartridge removably installable in an image forming apparatus, includes a lubricant applicator to apply lubricant to an image carrier, a first blade disposed upstream from the lubricant applicator in a direction of rotation of the image carrier with its distal end held in contact with the image carrier to remove residual toner remaining on the image carrier, a second blade disposed downstream from the lubricant applicator in the direction of rotation of the image carrier with its distal end held in contact with the image carrier to regulate the amount of lubricant applied to the image carrier, a temperature measuring member to measure a temperature of or near the second blade, a heater, and a temperature controller to control the heater to heat the second blade so that the measured temperature falls within a given set temperature range.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus including a plurality of image forming devices, a first image forming device in which a leveling blade that functions as a lubricant leveling blade is easily worn away over time uses an obtuse-angle blade as a first leveling blade, and a second image forming device being other image forming device among the plurality of image forming devices uses a right-angle blade as a second leveling blade.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of process cartridges provided for black and for another color. The process cartridges each including a set of a latent image carrier, a charging unit that charges a surface of the latent image carrier, and a lubricant applying unit that applies lubricant to the surface of the latent image carrier. The process cartridges for black and for the another color each has a cartridge frame with which the process cartridge is attachable to and removable from an apparatus body. The cartridge frames of the process cartridges for black and for the another color being of the same type. The process cartridge for black differs from the process cartridge for the another color in the configuration of the charging unit. The amounts of lubricant applied by the lubricant applying units to the respective latent image carriers differ with respect to the configuration of the charging unit.

Abstract: Described embodiments include apparatuses and processes for cleaning a surface of a rotatable image carrier including a cleaning unit configured to prevent material from accumulating on a cleaning blade.

Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus containing: an image-bearing member; a toner removal unit configured to remove a toner remained on the image-bearing member; a coating unit configured to coat a surface of the image-bearing member with a lubricity imparting agent; a unit configured to change a coated state of the lubricity imparting agent which has been applied to the image-bearing member by the coating unit; and a controlling unit configured to control the coating unit so as to operate a coating mode for at least the period when the image-bearing member is rotated once or more in the course of image formation, wherein the coating mode is a mode in which an amount of the lubricity imparting agent applied onto the image-bearing member is increased compared to an applied amount of the lubricity imparting agent during an ordinal operation for image formation.

Abstract: The invention provides a charging device used in an image forming apparatus such as a copier, a fax machine, a printer or the like, the charging device including: a gold-plated discharge wire for charging an image carrier such as a photoconductive member or the like; and a cleaning member, having an abrasive, for cleaning the discharge wire, with the gold plating being maintained over time satisfactorily, and provides a process cartridge having this charging device. The cleaning member has an abrasive containing alumina and/or silicon, the grain size of which ranges from #6000 to #8000. The discharge wire is a tungsten wire on which a plating film is formed by gold plating, such that the thickness of the plating film is not smaller than 1.5 ?m, and the diameter of the tungsten wire is not smaller than 30 ?m.

Abstract: A lubricating device operable to lubricate a moving imaging surface subsequent to removal of residual toner by a cleaning device includes a lubricant applicator, a metering blade, and a priming agent. The lubricant applicator is located downstream of the cleaning device in a direction of movement of the imaging surface, and applies lubricant to the imaging surface. The metering blade is located downstream of the lubricant applicator in the direction of movement of the imaging surface, and spreads the applied lubricant into a thin layer by directly contacting the imaging surface. The priming agent is prepared by mixing a lubricant and a powder, and provided, prior to initial operation, on the lubricant applicator for application to the imaging surface upon startup.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus including a plurality of image forming devices, a first image forming device in which a leveling blade that functions as a lubricant leveling blade is easily worn away over time uses an obtuse-angle blade as a first leveling blade, and a second image forming device being other image forming device among the plurality of image forming devices uses a right-angle blade as a second leveling blade.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a charging device to apply a charging bias, a developing device to develop a latent electrostatic image with toner, a transfer device to transfer the toner image to a recording medium, a fixing device to fix the toner image on the recording medium, an image formation speed switching device to switch from one image formation speed to another speed, a storage device to store a charging current target of the charging bias for each image formation speed, an electric current detection device to detect electric current flown through the charging device, and an AC voltage adjustment device to adjust AC voltage of the charging bias applied to the charging device. The charging current target is set for each of at least two image formation speeds such that each AC voltage adjusted by the AC voltage adjustment device is substantially the same.

Abstract: A cleaning unit includes a cleaning member, an ejection member, a delivering member, and a flicker. The cleaning member contacts an object to be cleaned moving in a given direction, and removes waste material from the object to be cleaned. The ejection member, disposed in an area distanced from the object to be cleaned, transports the waste material removed from the object to be cleaned to outside of the cleaning unit. The delivering member delivers the waste material to a transport-effective area of the ejection member. The delivering member includes a vane rotating device including a rotation axis and a vane attached on the rotation axis. The vane rotating device rotates to deliver the waste material to the ejection member. The flicker contacts a free end of the vane to cause a flicker movement to the vane at a position over the transport-effective area of the ejection member.

Abstract: A cleaning unit, which can be incorporated in a process cartridge removably installable in an image forming apparatus, includes a lubricant applicator to apply lubricant to an image carrier, a first blade disposed upstream from the lubricant applicator in a direction of rotation of the image carrier with its distal end held in contact with the image carrier to remove residual toner remaining on the image carrier, a second blade disposed downstream from the lubricant applicator in the direction of rotation of the image carrier with its distal end held in contact with the image carrier to regulate the amount of lubricant applied to the image carrier, a temperature measuring member to measure a temperature of or near the second blade, a heater, and a temperature controller to control the heater to heat the second blade so that the measured temperature falls within a given set temperature range.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes multiple imaging units and a controller. The multiple imaging units each include a photoconductor, a charging device, a developing device, a retractable cleaner, and a cleaner retraction mechanism. The charging device charges the photoconductor for forming an electrostatic latent image thereon. The developing device develops the electrostatic latent image. The retractable cleaner cleans the charging device when in contact with the charging device. The cleaner retraction mechanism is configured to bring the retractable cleaner into contact with the charging device. The charging device and the photoconductor are installed and replaced in conjunction with each other. The controller calculates a photoconductor usage of each of the multiple imaging units, and individually controls the cleaner retraction mechanism in each of the multiple imaging units according to the calculated photoconductor usage.

Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus containing: an image-bearing member; a toner removal unit configured to remove a toner remained on the image-bearing member; a coating unit configured to coat a surface of the image-bearing member with a lubricity imparting agent; a unit configured to change a coated state of the lubricity imparting agent which has been applied to the image-bearing member by the coating unit; and a controlling unit configured to control the coating unit so as to operate a coating mode for at least the period when the image-bearing member is rotated once or more in the course of image formation, wherein the coating mode is a mode in which an amount of the lubricity imparting agent applied onto the image-bearing member is increased compared to an applied amount of the lubricity imparting agent during an ordinal operation for image formation.

Abstract: A cleaning device for cleaning a surface of a rotatable image carrier includes a cleaning blade disposed to contact the image carrier and configured to remove toner on the surface of the image carrier, a lubricant applicator unit disposed above the cleaning blade, downstream from the cleaning blade in a surface rotation direction of the image carrier and configured to apply lubricant onto the surface of the image carrier, and an accumulation preventer configured to prevent the toner and excessive lubricant from the lubricant applicator unit from accumulating on the cleaning blade.