Abstract: A charging roll includes a shaft body, an elastic body layer formed on an outer circumferential surface of the shaft body, and a surface layer formed on an outer circumferential surface of the elastic body layer. The elastic body layer includes silicone rubber. A plurality of large protruding parts having a width of 13-48 ?m and a height of 5-13 ?m are provided on the outer circumferential surface of the elastic body layer, and a plurality of small protruding parts forming unevenness having a ten-point average roughness Rz of 1.0-6.0 ?m are provided on the surface of the large protruding parts. The surface layer contains a urethane polymer, and the elongation at breakage of the surface layer is 285-525%.

Abstract: A fixation device may include: an annular belt, and includes an elastic layer with a thickness of more than 300 ?m; and a counter member opposed to the outer peripheral surface of the annular belt to form a nip region with the annular belt. A difference between a local maximum and a local minimum in a film thickness profile of the annular belt along a circumferential direction of the outer peripheral surface at a first location in a width direction of the annular belt is less than 101 ?m.

Abstract: A belt includes a resin and an aggregate in which plural fibrous carbons are entangled with each other, in which a maximum diameter of the aggregate is 50% or less of a belt film thickness.

Abstract: A heat generating member includes a plurality of heat generating portions configured to generate heat and including a first heat generating portion having a meandering shape, and a plurality of second heat generating portions between two of which the first heat generating portion is disposed.

Abstract: A fixing belt includes, in the following order: a base material layer containing a resin; an elastic layer containing an elastic material; and a release layer, in which each of the base material layer and the elastic layer further contains an aggregate in which plural fibrous carbons are entangled with each other, a maximum diameter of the aggregate in the base material layer is 50% or less of a film thickness of the base material layer, and a maximum diameter of the aggregate in the elastic layer is 15% or less of a film thickness of the elastic layer.

Abstract: A fixing belt includes, in the following order: a resin base material layer; an elastic layer; and a release layer, in which the elastic layer contains an elastic material and an aggregate in which plural fibrous carbons are entangled with each other, and a maximum diameter of the aggregate is 15% or less of a film thickness of the elastic layer.

Abstract: A joined body of a resin body containing a fluorine-based resin and a rubber body containing a vulcanized silicone rubber. It is preferable that the vulcanized silicone rubber contains a dimethylsiloxane unit. It is found that, by performing predetermined plasma treatment on the surface of a rubber body containing a vulcanized silicone rubber, the rubber body adheres to a resin body containing a fluorine-based resin.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotator, a pressure rotator, a belt holder, a pressure gear, a thermal equalizer, a nip formation pad, and a support. The thermal equalizer includes a first face facing a fixing nip between the fixing rotator and the pressure rotator, and second and third faces bending and extending from upstream end and downstream end, respectively, of the first face in a direction of rotation of the fixing rotator. An upstream boundary portion between the first face and the second face and a downstream boundary portion between the first face and the third face each include, at least in a longitudinal end portion of the thermal equalizer proximate to the pressure gear, an inclined portion inclined to narrow the first face toward a longitudinal end of the thermal equalizer and having an angle of inclination not greater than 3°.

Abstract: A tubular fuser device rotates and is in contact with a sheet on which a positively charged toner image is formed to fix the toner image to the sheet. The fuser device includes a tubular substrate made of a metal, a rubber layer covering the outer periphery of the substrate, an adhesion layer covering the outer periphery of the rubber layer, and a surface layer made of a resin covering the outer periphery of the adhesion layer. In the fuser device, a charge decay ?V at a moment 120 seconds after end of charging a surface of the surface layer to ?1 kV is zero, and an electrostatic capacity per unit area C in a thickness direction of the fuser device is equal to or less than 3.30 pF/cm2.

Abstract: An apparatus includes an image forming portion 10 for forming an image on a sheet; a first rotatable member 100; a second rotatable member 101 cooperative with the first rotatable member to form a nip for fixing the image formed by the image forming portion, on the sheet; a pressing mechanism 112, 113 for pressing the first rotatable member toward the second rotatable member; a moving mechanism 120 for moving the pressing mechanism between a first position in which the nip is formed by the first rotatable member and the second rotatable member, and a second position in which the first rotatable member and the second rotatable member are spaced from each other; and a controller 800 for controlling an operation of the moving mechanism, wherein the image forming apparatus is capable of executing an operation in a control mode in which a pressure releasing operation is executed such that the pressing mechanism is shifted from the first position to the second position after elapse of a predetermined time after com

Abstract: There is provided a guide incorporated in a fixing device including a belt configured to circularly move in a moving direction. The guide includes: a guide portion elongated in a longitudinal direction orthogonal to the moving direction; a first gate mark; and a second gate mark arranged spaced apart from the first gate mark in the longitudinal direction. The guide portion includes a resin and a plurality of elongated-shaped fillers dispersed in the resin. The guide portion has a guide surface configured to guide movement of the belt in the moving direction, a peripheral surface of the belt being configured to contact the guide surface.

Abstract: A communication device for handling a channel access procedure, comprises a storage device and a processing circuit coupled to the storage device. The storage device stores, and the processing circuit is configured to execute instructions of: receiving a system information (SI) broadcasted by a first cell of a first BS, wherein the SI configures a first energy detection threshold; and performing a first channel access procedure on a first unlicensed carrier according to the first energy detection threshold.

Abstract: An electrophotographic fixing member having an elastic layer that is high in thermal conductivity in the thickness direction, resists causing fracture or plastic deformation even by repeated compression in a high temperature state, and is low in hardness. The electrophotographic fixing member has a substrate, and an elastic layer provided on the substrate, wherein the elastic layer contains a filler containing an inorganic oxide and is provided on an outer circumference of the substrate, wherein (1) in a binarized image on a first cross-section in a thickness-circumferential direction of the elastic layer and a binarized image on a second cross-section in a thickness-axial direction of the elastic layer, 1.0?(A/B)?2.0 and 0.40?(A+B)?0.50 are satisfied; and (2) 50°??Ave?90° is satisfied.

Abstract: An electrophotographic member including: a base member; an elastic layer having a thickness of from 100 ?m to 500 ?m, and containing a cured product of an addition-curable silicone rubber composition; and a cured product layer arranged between the base member and the elastic layer, the cured product layer containing a cured product of a composition containing an organopolysiloxane having a Si—H group and a silane coupling agent having an alkenyl group. A peel adhesive strength between the elastic layer and the base member is a specific range. The elastic layer undergoes a cohesive failure in a peel test from the base member. The ratio (HU2/HU1) of a universal hardness HU2 on the inner surface of the elastic layer to a universal hardness HU1 at a position reached by cutting the elastic layer from its outer surface in its depth direction by 10 ?m is a specific range.

Abstract: The invention provides a composition capable of providing a molded article that has excellent heat resistance and a small weight change against oxygen plasma exposure and fluorine plasma exposure during a semiconductor manufacturing step. The composition contains a fluorine-containing polymer and a hyperbranched polymer of a cage silsesquioxane with a specific structure.

Abstract: A pressure roller, and the pressure roller to be used in a fixing apparatus of in an image forming apparatus, the fixing apparatus configured to heat a toner image formed on a recording material and fix the toner image on the recording material, the pressure roller including a first elastic layer, and a second elastic layer provided on an outside of the first elastic layer, wherein a thermal conductivity of the first elastic layer is higher than a thermal conductivity of the second elastic layer, and wherein the first elastic layer contains a plurality of void portions, hole pathway portions joining the plurality of void portions to each other, and a needle-shaped high thermal conductive filler.

Abstract: A fixing member includes: a substrate layer including a resin; a first metal layer that is provided on an outer peripheral surface of the substrate layer and includes Cu; a second metal layer that is provided on an outer peripheral surface of the first metal layer so as to be in contact with the first metal layer, includes Ni, and has an average crystal grain size of 0.15 ?m to 0.19 ?m; and an elastic layer that is provided on an outer peripheral surface of the second metal layer.

Abstract: A fixing device including a rotatable tubular film, a heater including a substrate and a heat generating resistor, the heater including a first surface in contact with an inner surface of the film and a second surface opposite to the first surface, the heater extending in a longitudinal direction of the substrate, and a heat conducting member extending in the longitudinal direction and including a heater contact portion in contact with the second surface. The heat conducting member includes a film contact portion at a position adjacent to the first surface, the film contact portion being in contact with the inner circumferential surface, and on one side in the longitudinal direction, the heat generating resistor extends outside of a longitudinal end portion of the film contact portion, and the heater contact portion extends outside of the film contact portion.

Abstract: A transfer member for transfer-type image formation according to the present invention includes, in this order, a heat insulating layer, a heat storage layer and a top layer having an image formation surface, and satisfies Expressions 1 to 6: Expression 1: 0.5?t1?1.5 (t1 represents the thickness [mm] of the heat insulating layer), Expression 2: 0.05?t2?0.50 (t2 represents the thickness [mm] of the heat storage layer), Expression 3: t3?0.020 (t3 represents the thickness [mm] of the top layer), Expression 4: ?1?0.20 (?1 represents the thermal conductivity [W/(m·K)] of the heat insulating layer), Expression 5: ?2?0.23 (?2 represents the thermal conductivity [W/(m·K)] of the heat storage layer), and Expression 6: C2?1.52 (C2 represents the volume specific heat [MJ/(m3·K)] of the heat storage layer).

Abstract: A fixing device includes: a belt; a heating element that heats the belt; and a pressure member that faces the belt and forms a nip portion between the pressure member and the belt. A dielectric relaxation rate of the belt 10 seconds after applying a corona discharge at 7000V to the belt is greater than or equal to 9.5% and less than or equal to 28.9%.

Abstract: A roller for use with an image fixing device for fixing an image on a recording material includes a core metal, and an elastic layer provided around the core metal. In the elastic layer, a filler bundle including a plurality of fiber-like fillers is dispersed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image holding member, a charging unit that charges the surface of the image holding member, an electrostatic latent image forming unit that forms an electrostatic latent image on the charged surface of the image holding member, a developing unit that includes a developer containing toner particles containing a release agent having a melting temperature ranging from 60° C. to 100° C.

Abstract: Provided is an electrophotographic rotatable pressing member having further durability. The electrophotographic rotatable pressing member includes: a substrate; and an elastic layer formed on the substrate, the elastic layer containing a silicone rubber and a needle-shaped filler dispersed in the silicone rubber and having hollow parts, wherein, when cutting the elastic layer along a cross section including a center axis of the substrate in a longitudinal direction of the electrophotographic rotatable pressing member, and a total of each sectional area of the hollow parts in a unit area A2 of a cross-sectional surface is defined as A1, a standard deviation of an area ratio A1/A2 is 0.08 or less.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a rotatable fixing belt; a contact portion that comes into contact with an inner peripheral surface of the fixing belt in a width direction; a holding portion disposed opposite the inner peripheral surface of the fixing belt to guide and hold the fixing belt; a pressing unit that presses the fixing belt against the contact portion; a first protrusion and a second protrusion respectively disposed at portions of the holding portion upstream and downstream of the contact portion in a rotation direction of the fixing belt to come into contact with the inner peripheral surface of the fixing belt in the width direction; and a lubricant applied to the inner peripheral surface of the fixing belt. At least one of the first protrusion and the second protrusion has a recess at at least a center portion of the protrusion in a longitudinal direction of the protrusion.

Abstract: A fixing device for an envelope includes an endless belt, a driving rotatable member, and a pad that includes a base portion, a first projecting portion projecting from the base portion toward the driving rotatable member at an upstream end in a feeding direction of the envelope, a second projecting portion projecting from the base portion toward the driving rotatable member at a downstream end in the feeding direction of the envelope, and a recess portion, provided between the first projecting portion and the second projecting portion in the feeding direction of the envelope. When a fixing process is performed on the envelope, an inner surface of the endless belt is in contact with both of the first projecting portion and the second projecting portion, and is spaced from the recess portion.

Abstract: A fixing belt having high separability is provided. The fixing belt includes a base layer made of a heat-resistant resin, an intermediate layer made of a heat-resistant elastic material disposed on the base layer, and a surface layer made of a fluororesin disposed on the intermediate layer. The surface layer contains 5 to 15 mass % of carbon black having a primary average particle diameter of 10 to 50 ?m.

Abstract: Provided is an electrophotographic rotatable pressing member having further durability. The electrophotographic rotatable pressing member includes: a substrate; and an elastic layer formed on the substrate, the elastic layer containing a silicone rubber and a needle-shaped filler dispersed in the silicone rubber and having hollow parts, wherein, when cutting the elastic layer along a cross section including a center axis of the substrate in a longitudinal direction of the electrophotographic rotatable pressing member, and a total of each sectional area of the hollow parts in a unit area A2 of a cross-sectional surface is defined as A1, a standard deviation of an area ratio A1/A2 is 0.08 or less.

Abstract: A fixing belt contains a base layer made of a heat-resistant resin, an elastic layer made of an elastic material, and a release layer, laminated in this order. The elastic layer has a linear thermal expansion coefficient of ?4.0×10?4 (1/K) or more and 1.0×10?4 (1/K) or less.

Abstract: An electrophotographic component includes a substrate and an optional cushioning layer disposed on the substrate. The optional cushioning layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of silicones, fluorosilicones and fluoroelastomers. An optional release layer is disposed on the substrate and if present, on the optional cushioning layer. The optional release layer comprises a fluoropolymer. The substrate, the optional cushioning layer, the optional release layer, or any combination thereof, comprise a plurality of fluorinated boron nitride nanosheets. The electrophotographic component comprises at least one layer selected from the optional cushioning layer and the optional release layer.

Abstract: Provided is an electrophotographic member capable of reducing a rise time of a fixing apparatus and preventing occurrence of a defective image due to an electrostatic offset. The electrophotographic member has a substrate, an elastic layer, and a surface layer containing a fluororesin, in this order, the elastic layer has a communication hole of which pores are communicated with each other, and an ionic conductive agent is adhered to an inner wall of the communication hole.

Abstract: A tubular film used for a fixing apparatus includes a heat generating layer, and a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer provided respectively at one end and another end of the film in a longitudinal direction of the film so as to contact the heat generating layer. The first conductive layer and the second conductive layer both have a lower volume resistivity than that of the heat generating layer. A low-resistance layer is formed in an area of the heat generating layer between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer in the longitudinal direction so as not to contact the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer. The low-resistance layer has a lower volume resistivity than that of the heat generating layer and extends in a circumferential direction of the heat generating layer.

Abstract: An improved fuser includes a heater using a solid-state heater element with high frequency field propagation to provide an effective increase in the energy conduction through the fusing belt allowing increased throughput rates over conventional conduction systems. The system employs a solid-state heater with internal circuitry to drive a high frequency field though the fuser belt to the elastomeric top coat, which is laced with high frequency receptors. The belt is then heated directly on the surface bypassing thermal conduction interfaces and is also simultaneously heated by conduction from the waste energy of the heater element.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a cleaning unit for a transfer roller. A cleaning unit includes a brush roller, a rotatable member, a first blade and a second blade. The brush roller is electroconductive and contactable with the transfer roller while rotating to electrostatically attract the toner from the transfer roller. The rotatable member is supplied with a voltage of the regular charge polarity of the toner and is contacted with the brush roller in a contact position to electrostatically attract the toner from the brush roller. The first blade contacts the rotatable member in a cleaning portion to scrape a deposited matter from the rotatable member. The second blade is disposed downstream of the cleaning portion and upstream of the contact portion and scrape the deposited matter from the rotatable member with the rotation of the rotatable member.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a product and fabrication method for a varistor comprising a solid phase of zinc oxide particles substantially uniformly dispersed within a resin media. The varistor of the present invention is synthesized by mixing a substantially homogenous mixture of solid zinc oxide particles and a resin media, and heating the mixture under conditions to melt the resin and suspend the solid zinc oxide particles therein.

Abstract: A fixing member includes a base material, an elastic layer, and a surface layer, all of which are laminated in the order in a thickness direction, wherein the surface layer has a porous structure formed by a plurality of pores, each of which has a pore size of less than 1 ?m.

Abstract: A polyimide film includes a polyimide, a carbon black present in a quantity between about 0.5 wt % and about 5 wt %, and a fluorine-containing polymer present in a quantity between about 15 wt % and about 40 wt %. The polyimide film can be a single-layer film or a multi-layer film, and has a low dielectric constant and low gloss.

Abstract: A resistance heating element contains a heat-resistant resin and conductive stainless steel fiber coated with a film, and satisfies the following expression (1): 1?(r1/r0)?1.03, where r0 represents the initial resistance value of the resistance heating element, and r1 represents the resistance value of the resistance heating element after allowed to stand at 30° C. and a relative humidity of 80% for one week.

Abstract: A transfer device includes a power supply control unit, a direct-current (DC) power supply, an alternating-current (AC) power supply, and a transfer unit. The power supply control unit controls a first control signal for controlling a DC voltage and a second control signal for controlling an AC voltage based on a condition relating to image formation. The DC power supply outputs the DC voltage based on the first control signal. The AC power supply selectively outputs, with a particular waveform, either of the DC voltage output from the DC power supply or a superimposed voltage obtained by superimposing the AC voltage determined based on the second control signal on the DC voltage output from the DC power supply. The transfer unit transfers a developer onto a sheet using a voltage output from the AC power supply.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a fixing device includes a fixing belt, an induction current generating part and an auxiliary heat generation part. The fixing belt includes a conductive layer. The induction current generating part faces the fixing belt in a thickness direction. The induction current generating part heats the conductive layer by electromagnetic induction. The auxiliary heat generation part faces the induction current generating part through the fixing belt. The auxiliary heat generation part includes a magnetic member. The magnetic member includes a mesh part. The mesh part has a mesh shape when viewed from the thickness direction of the fixing belt.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method of making an optical assembly. An optical device is secured in a fixture, the optical device having an optical surface, wherein a silicone film is positioned with respect to the optical surface, the silicone film having a distal surface relative to the optical surface. The method includes, among other features, imprinting the distal surface of the silicone film to create a surface imprint in the distal surface of the silicone film.

Abstract: An exposure device includes an optical system member that forms an image of light from a light emitting element array having multiple light emitting elements arranged, an optical system support part that supports the optical system member, and a restraining member that restrains the optical system member to the optical system support part. The optical system support part has sliding parts, which are able to slide relative to the restraining member, formed on a light emitting element side face and an image forming side face in positions opposing the both end parts or the vicinity of both end parts in a longitudinal direction of the optical system support part, and in the both end parts or in the vicinity of the both end parts in the longitudinal direction, the restraining member is formed between the sliding parts and the optical system member, fixed to the optical system member, and slidable in the longitudinal direction relative to the optical system support part.

Abstract: An electromagnetic induction heating element includes a first heating layer 11 formed of electrocast nickel and having an endless-belt-like form; a second heating layer 12 formed of a non-magnetic material; and a coating layer 13 having a thickness of 3 ?m or less, wherein the first heating layer 11, the second heating layer 12, and the coating layer 13 are sequentially stacked.

Abstract: A member for a fuser assembly of a printer. The member may include a support body and a composite coating disposed on an outer surface of the support body. The composite coating may include a fluororesin and a nanocarbon material dispersed within the fluororesin. The nanocarbon material may be present in a higher concentration proximate the support body and a lower concentration proximate an outer surface of the composite coating. The lower concentration may be less than or equal to about 2 wt % of the nanocarbon material.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a packaging method, a packaging structure and a display device. The packaging method comprises forming a pattern of a packaging adhesive on a packaging area of a first substrate, and forming a heat dissipating structure on the packaging area of any of the first substrate and a second substrate; attaching the first substrate and the second substrate, and aligning the packaging area of the first substrate with that of the second substrate; illuminating the pattern of the packaging adhesive by a laser beam to melt and frit it, so as to form a packaging adhesive structure between the first and second substrates.

Abstract: An imaging member includes a surface layer comprising a fluorosilicone and an infrared-absorbing filler. At least 75% of the siloxane units in the fluorosilicone are fluorinated. Methods of manufacturing the imaging member and processes for variably lithographic printing using the imaging member are also disclosed.

Abstract: An elastic layer includes a needle-shaped filler and a void and has a porosity of 20 vol % or more and 60 vol % or less. The elastic layer contains a first area and a second area. The first area extends from a surface of the elastic layer opposite to a surface facing the mandrel toward the mandrel and has a thickness of 30% of the thickness of the elastic layer. The second area is a central area in a thickness direction of the elastic layer and has a thickness of 40% of the thickness of the elastic layer. The needle-shaped filler in the second area has an orientation degree of 50% or lower. The needle-shaped filler in the first area has an orientation degree higher than that of the needle-shaped filler in the second area.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a heating rotator and a pressure rotator pressed against the heating rotator to form a fixing nip therebetween, through which a recording medium bearing a toner image is conveyed. A plurality of first recesses is scattered on a circumferential face of the heating rotator. A plurality of second recesses is scattered on a circumferential face of the pressure rotator. Each of the second recesses is greater than each of the first recesses.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes: an electric energy supplying portion, an endless belt and a heater. The heater includes a substrate, electrode portions including first electrode portions and second electrode portions, a plurality of heat generating portions, and a connecting circuit. The electric energy supplying portion supplies electric energy to the first heat generating portions when a sheet having a predetermined width is heated, and supplies electric energy to the first heat generating portions and the second heat generating portions when a sheet having a width broader than the predetermined width is heated. The connecting circuit includes a single interrupting element configured to interrupt electric energy supply from the electric energy supplying portion to the heater. The interrupting element is provided so as to establish the positional relationship that the interrupting element opposes the first heat generating portions with respect to a longitudinal direction of the substrate.

Abstract: Functional amine release agents displaying improved wetting as compared to standard silicone oils comprise a polydimethylsiloxane oil and a functional amine selected from the group consisting of pendant propylamines and pendant N-(2-aminoethyl)-3-aminopropyl, in which the concentration of functional amine to polydimethylsiloxane oil is approximately less than 0.0006 meq/g and the release agents have a viscosity of 20 cSt and 10 cSt. In an in-line tandem print system, the 20 cSt release agent is used in the upstream print engine while the 10 cSt release agent is used in the downstream print engine.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing member, a pressuring member and a heater. The fixing member is configured to be rotatable. The pressuring member is configured to be rotatable and to come into pressure contact with the fixing member so as to form a fixing nip. The heater is arranged inside the fixing member. A heat resistant coating to convert light from the heater into heat is applied to an inner face of the fixing member, and the coating is formed by using an inorganic material.