Abstract: A toner having a medium-resistance external additive, and an image forming apparatus which uses the toner. The medium-resistance external additive coating ratio of particles, of which mother particles have equivalent diameters smaller or larger than a diameter of a mother particle diameter, which is equal to the mean particle diameter of the toner, is set to be higher than a virtual reference curve in synchronous distribution of the particle diameters of synchronous medium-resistance external additive particles, relative to the diameters of mother particles. Further, the medium-resistance external additive coating ratios of particles in a range in which mother particles have diameters smaller than d1, and in a range in which mother particles have diameters larger than d2, are set to be higher than a virtual reference curve in synchronous distribution of the particle diameters of synchronous medium-resistance external additive particles relative to the diameters of mother particles.

Abstract: A toner is characterized in that an external additive coating ratio of toner particles of which mother particles have equivalent particle diameters larger than the mean particle diameter of the toner is set to be lower than a virtual reference curve in synchronous distribution of the equivalent particle diameters of synchronous external additive particles relative to the equivalent particle diameters of mother particles, wherein assuming that the external additive coating ratio of a toner particle of which a mother particle has an equivalent particle diameter equal to the mean particle diameter of the toner is a reference value, the virtual reference curve is obtained to satisfy that the external additive coating ratio is constant at the reference value. An image forming apparatus utilizing the above-described toner is also contemplated.

Abstract: A hybrid inflator having improved inflating performance of an air bag is provided. A gas generator provided in a housing 102, in which a pressurized medium is charged under a high pressure, includes a first gas generating chamber 120 and a second gas generating chamber 130. By allowing the two gas generating chambers to generate high-temperature combustion gas, respectively, the inflating speed and the like of the air bag are further improved.

Abstract: In a density control technique wherein a density of a toner image formed as a patch image is detected for performing density control based on the detected result, detection errors are decreased so as to properly set a density control factor. The density control factor is optimized based on a variation rate of the patch image densities against a varied density control factor. The detected results of the patch image densities are corrected based on information on an image carrier acquired before the formation of the patch images.

Abstract: There is provided a multistage gas generator for an air bag in which the entire size of a container is suppressed, a volume ratio of each combustion chamber can arbitrarily be adjusted. Ignition means 311 are respectively disposed in the combustion chambers 305 and 306 provided in a housing 303. At least one of the combustion chambers is provided inside an inner shell 304 disposed eccentrically with respect to the center axis of the housing 3. The respective ignition means are disposed eccentrically with respect to the center axis of the housing 3. Further, a communication hole which allows mutual communication between the combustion chambers is provided. An automatic ignition material (AIM) which is to be ignited and burnt by a transmitted heat is provided in either one of the combustion chambers. One or both of axial end surfaces of a cylindrical filter means 350 are formed as inclining end surfaces 351 which get narrower in the axial extending direction.

Abstract: A multistage gas generator for an air bag has ignition devices 51 and 61 respectively disposed in the combustion chambers 50 and 60 provided in a housing 3. A lead wire 9 for sending an ignition signal to each igniter 8 is provided with a connector 10. The connector 10 is provided with a defining element 17 for specifying unique combination of connection between the respective ignition signal-outputting unit and the respective igniters 8.

Abstract: A method of inflating an air bag which can enhance an inflation durability of an air bag is provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides a gas generator for an air bag whose reliability is improved.

Abstract: The present invention provides a gas generator which exhibits an given operation performance unfailingly.

Abstract: An antenna device having a high gain is presented. The device includes an antenna element, a variable capacitor disposed closely to the antenna element and connected to the antenna element in series or parallel to form a resonance circuit, a tuning voltage supply terminal for supplying a tuning voltage for varying a capacitance of the variable capacitor, and an signal power terminal capable of at least one of sending a signal power to the resonance circuit and receiving a signal power from the resonance circuit.

Abstract: A gas generator small in size and which can be produced easily with a simple structure is provided. The output of a gas generator is equalized so that an occupant can be safely restrained, and the combustion performance can be stably adjusted. The gas generator comprises a housing forming an outer shell container and accommodating two or more ignition units to ignite upon an impact and two or more gas generating agents which are independently ignited and burnt by the ignition units to generate a combustion gas for inflating an air bag, and a plurality of gas discharge ports which are formed in the housing, wherein the gas discharge ports are closed by sealing units for maintaining an internal pressure of the housing to the given pressure, a breaking pressure for breaking the sealing units is adjusted in multiple stages by controlling gas discharge ports and/or sealing units, and a difference of the maximum internal pressures in the housing at activation of the respective igniters is suppressed.

Abstract: A multistage type gas generator for an air bag, which has a simple structure and is easily manufactured and in which combustions of a gas generating means in a plurality of combustion chambers do not influence each other, is provided.

Abstract: An airbag gas generator has a housing having gas discharge ports, an ignition unit provided within the housing for generating a combustion product upon activation thereof, the ignition unit including an igniter having an output pressure of 700 psi or higher at 20° C. atmosphere when said igniter is burned within a hermetically closed cylinder having a volume of 10 cc, and a seal device for closing the gas discharge ports to prevent fluid communication between an inside and outside of the housing before activation of the gas generator, the seal means being ruptured by an inner pressure increased as a result of the generation of the combustion product.

Abstract: The present invention provides a gas generator in which ignition and combustion performance of a gas generating agent and operation performance are enhanced. An inner cylindrical member 4 is disposed in a cylindrical housing 3, an annular first combustion chamber 5a is provided radially in the outside of the inner cylindrical member 4, and, in the combustion chamber 5a, a ratio (D/L) of its radial average distance (D) to its axial average length (L) is adjusted to be in the range of 0.2 to 2.0. The invention provides a gas generator for an air bag capable of reducing a size of the gas generator and easily and reliably adjusting a capacity of a combustion chamber which accommodates the gas generating agent, and also provides a retainer for such a gas generator.

Abstract: In a gas generator for an air bag, there is provided a gas generator in which an operating performance is improved. A porous tube member, in which a portion crossing the ejecting direction of a flame and the like generated due to an activation of ignition means stored in an inner cylindrical member is formed as a flame-preventing annular portion having no opening, is arranged in a gas generator housing. Further, there is provided a multistage type gas generating apparatus which prevents an erroneous connection between a plurality of igniters 8 stored in a gas generator 1 and outputting portions 7 of an ignition signal outputting device 2. In the multistage type air bag apparatus, the gas generator includes a plurality of igniters 8, and a defining means 17 for specifying the unique connection between the respective ignition signal outputting means and the respective igniters 8 is provided in a connector 10 provided in a lead wire 9 for sending an ignition signal to each of the igniters 8.

Abstract: A gas generator for an air bag system has, in a housing provided with a gas discharge port, ignition means activated upon an impact, and gas generating means ignited and burnt by the ignition means and generate a combustion gas for inflating an air bag, and two combustion chambers storing the gas generating means. The combustion chambers are concentrically provided so as to be adjacent to each other in the radial direction of the housing, and a communicating hole which allows communication between the combustion chambers is provided, in the housing. The gas generator also has two igniters, two different gas generating means, a connector having a lead wire, a combustion chamber, ignition means provided in an inner cylindrical member, and an automatic ignition member, which can effectively restrain an occupant.

Abstract: A gas generator small in size and which can be produced easily with a simple structure is provided. The output of a gas generator is equalized so that an occupant can be safely restrained, and the combustion performance can be stably adjusted. The gas generator comprises a housing forming an outer shell container and accommodating two or more ignition units to ignite upon an impact and two or more gas generating agents which are independently ignited and burnt by the ignition units to generate a combustion gas for inflating an air bag, and a plurality of gas discharge ports which are formed in the housing, wherein the gas discharge ports are closed by sealing units for maintaining an internal pressure of the housing to the given pressure, a breaking pressure for breaking the sealing units is adjusted in multiple stages by controlling gas discharge ports and/or sealing units, and a difference of the maximum internal pressures in the housing at activation of the respective igniters is suppressed.

Abstract: An airbag gas generator with a simple construction, which operates to apply as small an impact as possible to the passenger during the initial stage of its operation and thereafter rapidly increase the gas pressure to reliably protect the passenger. The airbag gas generator which includes in the housing with gas discharge ports a single ignition means activated by impacts, a gas generating agent ignited and burned by the ignition means to produce a combustion gas, and a filter means to cool the combustion gas and/or arrest combustion residue. The operation performance of the gas generator is adjusted such that the tank pressure measured at 0.25×T milliseconds will be 0.25×P (kPa) or less where a desired tank maximum pressure in the tank combustion test is P (kPa) and a period of time from the start of rising of the tank pressure to the time when the maximum pressure P (kPa) is reached is T milliseconds.

Abstract: The present invention provides a gas generator for an air bag which has a simple structure and is capable of inflating an air bag at an optimal timing and at an optimal developing speed from the time when a gas generator starts actuating.

Abstract: The invention provided a gas generator for an air bag having any of the following members. A deflecting member is provided to suppress discharge of a combustion product generated by a combustion of gas generating means, and is formed as a tube portion to be capable of shielding a gas discharge port formed at least on a circumferential wall of a housing from the inside of the housing. A coolant/filter means supporting member can position a coolant/filter means, prevent a short pass of an operating gas, and functions as a buffer member between the coolant/filter and the housing, and/or prevent a heat from being transferred to a diffuser shell, and comprises an annular portion arranged to face an end surface of the housing and a wall portion contacting with an inner periphery of the coolant/filter means.