Abstract: According to an exemplary embodiment, a method for manufacturing a tubular body is provided. The method includes maintaining at about 15° C. or lower a heat-curable solution containing a polyimide precursor solution in which a conductive agent having an acidic group is dispersed; coating the heat-curable solution maintained at about 15° C. or lower on a core body to form a coating film of the heat-curable solution, and curing the coating film by heating to obtain a tubular body.

Abstract: A cylindrical core for manufacturing an endless belt-shaped body includes a cylindrical portion that includes a cylinder whose cylindrical shape is not maintainable without support when an outer surface thereof is orthogonal to the direction of gravitational force; and flange portions that are detachably mounted on both axial ends of the cylindrical portion, wherein the cylindrical core is used in a method for manufacturing an endless belt-shaped body, the method including applying a coating film forming resin solution onto an outer surface or an inner surface of the cylindrical portion in a state in which the flange portions are mounted on the cylindrical portion; drying a solvent of the coating film forming resin solution; and solidifying the coating film forming resin by heating in a state in which the flange portions are removed, to form the endless belt-shaped body.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a tubular body, includes: attaching a first member to an outer or inner peripheral surface of one end in an axial direction of a cylindrical core, along a circumferential direction of the peripheral surface thereof; applying a first resin solution on the peripheral surface, to cover it and the peripheral surface of one end of the first member closer to the center of the core, and to form a coating (first coat film); attaching a second member to the peripheral surface of the end of the first coat film on the side where the first member has been attached; applying a second resin solution on the peripheral surface of the first coat film, to cover it and the peripheral surface of the end of the second member closer to the center, and to form a coating (second coat film); peeling off the first and second members.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an endless belt includes coating a solution containing a polyimide precursor and conductive particles on the circumferential surface of a core to form a first coating film, drying the first coating film so that the residual amount of a solvent of the first coating film falls within a range of from about 10% to about 20% in respective portions, coating a solution containing a polyimide precursor and conductive particles on the dried first coating film to form a second coating film, drying the second coating film, heating the first dried coating film and the dried second coating film so that the polyimide precursors are imidized, and removing the first coating film and the second coating film heated in the heating of the first coating film and second coating film from a core.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a thermosetting solution includes a process for preparing a solution having a conductive material having an acid group dispersed in the solution, preparing a polyimide precursor solution, and mixing the solution having the conductive material dispersed therein and the polyimide precursor solution, and stirring the mixed solution using a stirring tank in which a stirring blade is disposed and the minimum gap between the inner surface of the stirring tank and the stirring blade is from about 1 mm to about 15 mm.

Abstract: A tubular member manufacturing method includes coating the surface of a rotating core body with a resin solution to form a coating film thereon while rotating the core body with the axis direction set to be horizontal, drying the coating film by blowing air to the core body with a saturated air volume with which a drying rate of the coating film is saturated, and stripping the dried coating film from the core body.

Abstract: A method of producing an endless band-shaped body includes: forming a coating film by applying film-forming resin solution to an outer circumferential surface of a cylindrical core body that is being rotated around an axis of the cylindrical core body by a rotation device in a state where the axis of the cylindrical core body is horizontally directed, the cylindrical core body undergoing deformation into an oval cylindrical shape due to its own weight when left unsupported with the axis of the cylindrical core body directed horizontally; and drying the coating film formed on the outer circumferential surface of the rotating cylindrical core body. The rotation device includes plural rolls each disposed at a position that would touch an axial end region of the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical core body in an undeformed state, and the cylindrical core body being supported by the first and second rolls.

Abstract: According to an exemplary embodiment, a method for manufacturing a tubular body is provided. The method includes maintaining at about 15° C. or lower a heat-curable solution containing a polyimide precursor solution in which a conductive agent having an acidic group is dispersed; coating the heat-curable solution maintained at about 15° C. or lower on a core body to form a coating film of the heat-curable solution, and curing the coating film by heating to obtain a tubular body.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an endless belt member is provided, the method including: applying a film forming resin solution onto a surface of a cylindrical core body; drying the film forming resin solution applied on the core body while rotating the core body around an axial direction of the core body; providing a shielding member to one end side of the core body in the axial direction, the shielding member shielding a wind fed from the one end side; and manufacturing an endless belt member on which the film forming resin is solidified, by putting the core body to which the shielding member is provided into a heating furnace equipped with a blowing part that blows a hot air from the one end side, and heating the core body.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a tubular body, includes: attaching a first member to an outer or inner peripheral surface of one end in an axial direction of a cylindrical core, along a circumferential direction of the peripheral surface thereof; applying a first resin solution on the peripheral surface, to cover it and the peripheral surface of one end of the first member closer to the center of the core, and to form a coating (first coat film); attaching a second member to the peripheral surface of the end of the first coat film on the side where the first member has been attached; applying a second resin solution on the peripheral surface of the first coat film, to cover it and the peripheral surface of the end of the second member closer to the center, and to form a coating (second coat film); peeling off the first and second members.

Abstract: A cylindrical core for manufacturing an endless belt-shaped body includes a cylindrical portion that includes a cylinder whose cylindrical shape is not maintainable without support when an outer surface thereof is orthogonal to the direction of gravitational force; and flange portions that are detachably mounted on both axial ends of the cylindrical portion, wherein the cylindrical core is used in a method for manufacturing an endless belt-shaped body, the method including applying a coating film forming resin solution onto an outer surface or an inner surface of the cylindrical portion in a state in which the flange portions are mounted on the cylindrical portion; drying a solvent of the coating film forming resin solution; and solidifying the coating film forming resin by heating in a state in which the flange portions are removed, to form the endless belt-shaped body.

Abstract: An image-forming apparatus including: a first image-forming unit using a color forming control toner, a first image carrier, a first toner image-forming unit, a color forming information-applying unit, and a first transfer unit; a second image-forming unit using a black coloring toner, a second image carrier, a second toner image-forming unit, and a second transfer unit; an intermediate transfer body; a third transfer unit; a fixing unit; and a color forming unit.

Abstract: A developing sleeve for electrophotography is disclosed which has a coating film comprising electroconductive and preferably lubricating particles dispersed in an acrylic resin in which the content of components having a molecular weight lower than 500 is not higher than 3% by weight. The developing sleeve is effective in preventing development ghosts while preventing toner dusting during transfer from becoming worse and has a small environmental dependence of developing properties.

Abstract: An image holding member is disclosed, which comprises a substrate having an electrically conductive surface, a charge generating layer formed on said electrically conductive substrate, and a heat softening layer formed on said charge generating layer and containing a charge transporting material, electrically conductive particles, and a heat softening resin, said electrically conductive particles existing in the inside of the heat softening layer and in the vicinity of the surface thereof. The image holding member is capable of writing with laser light having a wavelength of 780 nm and is capable of copying many copies with one image exposure. A method of producing the image-holding member, a method and an apparatus for forming an image-forming master using the image-holding member, and an image-forming method by the image-forming master using the image-holding member are also disclosed.

Abstract: A photosensitive drum unit for an electrophotographic apparatus, of the type of contacting a cleaning blade to the photosensitive drum is disclosed, in which a cleaning assistant composed of a lubricant capable of lowering the frictionally charged potential of the photosensitive drum caused by the friction of the photosensitive drum and the cleaning blade to not higher than 100 V is attached to the surface of the photosensitive drum, the cleaning blade or both.

Abstract: An image holding member is disclosed, which comprises a substrate having an electrically conductive surface, a charge generating layer formed on said electrically conductive substrate, and a heat softening layer formed on said charge generating layer and containing a charge transporting material, electrically conductive particles, and a heat softening resin, said electrically conductive particles existing in the inside of the heat softening layer and in the vicinity of the surface thereof. The image holding member is capable of writing with laser light having a wavelength of 780 nm and is capable of copying many copies with one image exposure. A method of producing the image-holding member, a method and an apparatus for forming an image-forming master using the image-holding member, and an image-forming method by the image-forming master using the image-holding member are also disclosed.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor having a high chargeability and a low dark decay is disclosed, which comprises an electrically conductive support having formed thereon a light-sensitive layer containing as a charge generating material a pigment which has been subjected to an acid washing treatment to lower the content of metal impurities below 500 ppm or less.

Abstract: An image holding member is disclosed, which comprises a substrate having an electrically conductive surface, a charge generating layer formed on said electrically conductive substrate, and a heat softening layer formed on said charge generating layer and containing a charge transporting material, electrically conductive particles, and a heat softening resin, said electrically conductive particles existing in the inside of the heat softening layer and in the vicinity of the surface thereof. The image holding member is capable of writing with laser light having a wavelength of 780 nm and is capable of copying many copies with one image exposure A method of producing the image-holding member, a method and an apparatus for forming an image-forming master using the image-holding member, and an image-forming method by the image-forming master using the image-holding member are also disclosed.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor is disclosed, comprising a substrate having thereon at least an electric charge generating layer and an electric charge transporting layer, characterized in that the electric charge generating layer is formed from a coating solution which is prepared by dispersing an electric charge generating material and an acid in a binder resin solution. Useful acids are inorganic acids, including hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, hydrobromic acid and phosphoric acid, and organic acids, including formic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, butryric acid, lactic acid, benzoic acid and sulfonic acid. This material has an increased sensitivity and thus can be effectively used in copying machines.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and a method for forming a uniform and smooth coating film on a surface of a cylindrical body, for example, for production of an electrophotographic photosensitive body. The apparatus of the present invention includes a float having a space portion formed in the inside thereof for floatation in the liquid surface of the paint. The float is specifically formed so that even in the case where the paint contains a solvent that gradually evaporates, no bubbles are generated from a lower portion of a hollow cylindrical body during the coating step, because the pressure rising inside the hollow cylindrical body is moderated by the space portion of the float.