Abstract: An endless belt includes: a resin; and electrically conductive particles, wherein an integrated discharge amount is 350 ?C or less. The integrated discharge amount is determined by disposing an electrode at a position spaced 60 ?m apart from the outer circumferential surface of the belt, applying a voltage to the electrode, and measuring the amount of discharge for a period of 1 second after the voltage reaches 1300 V.

Abstract: Apparatus, systems and methods that use alpha-ionizers to discharge electrostatic charge accumulated on the working surfaces of imprint lithography templates and/or substrates.

Abstract: There is described a transfer member or blanket for use in aqueous ink jet printer. The transfer member includes a surface layer having a surface roughness (Ra) of from about 50 nm to about 5 microns. The surface layer has a surface energy between 8 mN/m2 and 30 mN/m2. The surface layer includes an elastomeric matrix having a plurality texture particles dispersed therein. The weight percent of the texture particles in the surface layer is from about 0.2 weight percent to about 20 weight percent.

Abstract: A toner for electrostatic charge image development has toner mother particles including a release agent, a colorant, and a binder resin including a crystalline resin, and an external additive to the toner mother particles including at least metatitanic acid and at least one selected from the group consisting of silicon oxide and fluoropolymer particles, and the addition weight ratio of the metatitanic acid to the at least one selected from the group consisting of silicon oxide and fluoropolymer particles is from 1:0.08 to 1:8.30 is provided.

Abstract: Flexible members for use in imaging devices contain a non-ionic surfactant and a fluorinated surfactant.

Abstract: A plurality of image parts, each having a different gloss level, are formed on the same recording material by electrophotographic technology. The plurality of gloss levels are visually recognized due to the plurality of image parts. The image forming method includes: developing electrostatic latent images on respective image carriers using a high softening point clear toner and a low softening point clear toner, to form a toner image by the high softening point clear toner and a toner image by the low softening point clear toner; transferring the toner images onto a recording material; and heat-fixing the toner image for low gloss and the toner image for high gloss transferred and formed onto the recording material, wherein a softening point Tm(a) of the high softening point clear toner and a softening point Tm(b) of the low softening point clear toner satisfy Tm(a)?Tm(b)>6° C.

Abstract: The present invention provides a composite color image forming method. The method includes electrically charging a latent image-holding member; exposing the charged latent image-holding member to light to form an electrostatic latent image; developing the electrostatic latent image with a two-component developer containing toner particles of one color and a carrier to form a toner image on the latent image-holding member; primarily transferring the toner image from the latent image-holding member to an intermediate transfer member; repeating the electrically charging, the exposing, the developing, and the primarily transferring, while the toner particles are replaced with toner particles of different color, to form a composite color image on the intermediate transfer member; and secondarily transferring the composite color image from the intermediate transfer member to a recording medium.

Abstract: A curable sublimation marking material including at least one curable component and at least one sublimation colorant. Also disclosed is a transfer printing method including applying a curable sublimation marking material in a desired pattern onto a transfer substrate to form an image on the transfer substrate at a first temperature which is below the sublimation temperature of the sublimation colorant; wherein the curable sublimation marking material comprises at least one curable component and at least one sublimation colorant; curing the image on the transfer substrate; and optionally, bringing the transfer substrate into contact with a final image-receiving substrate, optionally applying pressure, and heating to a second temperature which is sufficient to cause the sublimation colorant to sublime and form a permanent image on the final image-receiving substrate.

Abstract: The present invention is an electroconductive endless belt used in an image forming apparatus in which a decrease with use in the gloss value caused by frictions and the like with papers and cleaning blade is suppressed. In the electroconductive endless belt, the base resin of the electroconductive endless belt comprises a polyalkylene terephthalate resin in combination with a naphthalene ring-containing thermoplastic resin and/or a naphthalene ring-containing thermoplastic elastomer having a melting point higher than that of the polyalkylene terephthalate resin, and the mass ratio of the polyalkylene terephthalate resin to the naphthalene ring-containing thermoplastic resin and/or the naphthalene ring-containing thermoplastic elastomer in the base resin is in the range of 90/10 to 50/50.

Abstract: Flexible members for use in imaging devices which may include a non-ionic surfactant; a fluorinated surfactant; or both.

Abstract: A toner, including: a binder resin; and a colorant, wherein the binder resin contains: a crystalline polyester resin (A); a non-crystalline resin (B); and a composite resin (C), where the composite resin (C) contains a condensation polymerization resin unit and an addition polymerization resin unit, wherein the toner contains chloroform insoluble matter in an amount of 1% by mass to 30% by mass, wherein the toner has a molecular weight distribution having a main peak in a range of 1,000 to 10,000 and a half width of 15,000 or less, where the molecular weight distribution is obtained through gel permeation chromatography (GPC) of tetrahydrofuran soluble matter of the toner, and wherein the toner has an endothermic peak in a range of 90° C. to 130° C. in measurement through differential scanning calorimetry (DSC).

Abstract: A conductive endless belt is composed of elastomer polyester with a crystalline melting point at 210° C. or more, or mainly composed of the elastomer polyester, and a thermoplastic polyester-based resin at 49 wt % or less, added a polymer ion conductive agent and a carbon black. The conductive endless belt. satisfies elastic modulus, creep resistance, bending durability, etc. and has decreased volume resistance variation and environment dependency while having superior durability, glossiness and setting performance that satisfying desired performance, without causing problems such as offset image.

Abstract: The invention provides an intermediate transfer member which is excellent in transferability and adhesion property and exhibits superior durability (releasability, resistance to lack of line images and cracking resistance) even after being used or aged under a severe environment over a long period of time and an image forming apparatus provided therewith. The intermediate transfer member comprises a substrate having thereon from the substrate side a first inorganic compound layer and a second inorganic compound layer, wherein a layer thickness ratio of the second inorganic compound layer to the first inorganic compound layer is not less than 1.0 and not more than 5.0, a carbon content of the first inorganic compound layer is not less than 0.5% by number of atoms and not more than 10% by number of atoms, and a carbon content of the second inorganic compound layer is less than 0.1% by number of atoms.

Abstract: A curable sublimation marking material including at least one curable component and at least one sublimation colorant. Also disclosed is a transfer printing method including applying a curable sublimation marking material in a desired pattern onto a transfer substrate to form an image on the transfer substrate at a first temperature which is below the sublimation temperature of the sublimation colorant; wherein the curable sublimation marking material comprises at least one curable component and at least one sublimation colorant; curing the image on the transfer substrate; and optionally, bringing the transfer substrate into contact with a final image-receiving substrate, optionally applying pressure, and heating to a second temperature which is sufficient to cause the sublimation colorant to sublime and form a permanent image on the final image-receiving substrate.

Abstract: An intermediate transfer member for use in an image forming apparatus in which a toner image is formed on a photoreceptor, firstly transferred from the photoreceptor to the intermediate transfer member, and further secondly transferred from the intermediate transfer member to a recording medium, the intermediate transfer member, includes an intermediate transfer belt containing a volatile substance in a range of from 10 to 10,000 ppm as an average concentration of an entire intermediate transfer belt thereof.

Abstract: A technology capable of suppressing the generation of transfer scattering of a toner image on an intermediate transfer body and contributing to an improvement in image quality in an image forming apparatus employing an intermediate transfer system is provided. An image forming apparatus is configured to include an intermediate transfer body to which a toner imager is transferred from an image carrier, the intermediate transfer body having an elastic surface layer having a center point average roughness of 0.1 times or more of a volume average particle size of a used toner and a ten-point average roughness of not more than the volume average particle size of the used toner; and a development section which develops an electrostatic latent image on the image carrier by using a toner having a shape factor SF-1 in the range of from 100 to 130 and a shape factor SF-2 in the range of from 100 to 140.

Abstract: Provided is an intermediate transfer member, a method of producing the same, and an image forming method and an image forming apparatus thereof having excellent effects such that neither crack nor rupture is generated upon repetitive use, no transferring ratio drops during secondary transfer, and neither white patch of an text image nor white patch of a solid image is generated. Also disclosed is an intermediate transfer member used for an image forming apparatus, wherein a surface of the intermediate transfer member has a hardness of 1.5-3.0 GPa, measured by a nano indentation method, and a hardness of 0.15-0.45 GPa, specified by a universal hardness method.

Abstract: An intermediate transfer material, for use in an image forming apparatus in which a toner image on an electrostatic latent image carrier is transferred onto the intermediate transfer material and the toner image on the intermediate transfer material is further transferred onto a final transfer material, wherein the intermediate transfer material comprises a substrate layer having thereon a surface layer, and the surface layer comprising a cured (meth)acrylic resin. There are also disclosed an image forming method by use of the intermediate transfer material and an image forming apparatus by use of the image forming method.

Abstract: It is an object to provide an intermediate transfer member that maintains a good second transferability and a good cleaning property even when print is repeatedly carried out and continuously obtains a high quality tonner image without the occurrence of a non-printing portion of a character image, and an image forming method and a image forming device that use the intermediate transfer member. The intermediate transfer member is used for an image forming device provided with a means which, after the tonner image carried on a surface of a photosensitive member is first transferred to the intermediate transfer member, the tonner image is second transferred to a transfer member. The intermediate transfer member is characterized in that including an inorganic layer on the most outer surface, wherein the inorganic layer defines a contact angle of 30°-60° with respect to methylene iodide and the hardness of the inorganic layer measured by a nanoindentation method is in the range of 3 GPa-10 GPa.

Abstract: An image-forming apparatus including: an image holding member; a charging device that charges the image holding member; an electrostatic latent image-forming device that exposes a surface of the charged image holding member to light to form an electrostatic latent image; a developing device that develops the electrostatic latent image formed on the image holding member with toner into a toner image; an intermediate transfer body to which the toner image formed on the image holding member is transferred; a primary transfer device that transfers the toner image formed on the image holding member onto the intermediate transfer body; and a secondary transfer device that transfers the toner image transferred on the intermediate transfer body onto a recording medium, the intermediate transfer body including a resin layer containing polyaniline particles, and the 50 percentile particle diameter (number basis) of the toner being at least twice as large as the 50 percentile particle diameter (number basis) of the poly

Abstract: An image forming method including charging an image bearing member by applying combination of DC voltage and AC voltage with frequency of 6.5 to 8.5 cycle/mm; irradiating the image bearing member with light to form an electrostatic image; developing the electrostatic image with a developer including toner to form a toner image; transferring the toner image onto a receiving material; fixing the toner image; cleaning the image bearing member with a blade; then applying a lubricant to the image bearing member; and then spreading the lubricant with a spreading member countering the image bearing member. The toner includes toner particles granulated in an aqueous medium; and at least three kinds of external additives including a first particulate hydrophobic silica, a particulate hydrophobic titanium oxide and a second particulate hydrophobic silica respectively having BET specific surface areas of 20 to 40 m2/g, 40 to 80 m2/g, and 130 to 300 m2/g.

Abstract: The present invention is a method of forming a toner image on a receiving sheet. The method includes forming an electrostatic image on a primary image member and toning the image with a dry toner to form a toner image. The toner includes toner particles having a diameter of between 4 and 10 microns and transfer assisting particles appended to the toner particles surface. The transfer assisting particles have a diameter of between 20 and 100 nm. The toner image is transferred from the primary image member to an intermediate image member having an overcoat layer, the overcoat layer having a Young's modulus of from 250 to 500 MPa. The toner image is transferred from the intermediate image member to a receiving sheet wherein the intermediate image member drives the primary image member or the receiving sheet.

Abstract: Paper compositions are provided that include an amine group-containing cationic polymeric material and a binder material. The paper compositions are particularly useful as receiver materials for images formed by electrophotographic imaging methods utilizing liquid developers. Also described are imaging methods that utilize the paper compositions as receiver materials and methods for manufacturing the paper.

Abstract: In the intermediate transfer belt of the present invention, a toner image formed on a plurality of photoreceptors is transferred and temporarily retained. The intermediate transfer belt comprises a reinforcing layer to reinforce the intermediate transfer belt and a surface protection layer that is stacked on the reinforcing layer through a middle layer and contacts the photoreceptors. The reinforcing layer and the surface protection layer have a larger value of surface resistance than a value of volume resistance of the whole belt. This makes it possible to prevent electric charge (voltage) from flowing out to rollers and image forming units and put proper electric charge (voltage) on the intermediate transfer belt. Preferably, the values of surface resistance of the reinforcing layer and the surface protection layer are 1×1010 to 1×1014 ?/? and the value of volume resistance of the whole intermediate transfer belt is less than 1×1010 ?·cm.

Abstract: A heating unit heats an image-printed medium including a transparent recording medium and a non-transparent recording medium with an image sandwiched between the transparent recording medium and the non-transparent recording medium.

Abstract: In an image forming method having primarily transferring step for transferring to an intermediate transfer member a toner image formed on a photosensitive member, secondarily transferring step for transferring to a transfer material the toner image held on the intermediate transfer member, and, after the secondary transferring step, cleaning step for removing the toner remaining on the intermediate transfer member by bringing a cleaning means into contact with the intermediate transfer member, the cleaning means is a fur brush or a charging roller, and the intermediate transfer member has a specific maximum displacement quantity (Sb) and has a specific elastic deformation percentage (Eb) (%); a toner which forms the toner image has a specific average circularity, has a specific maximum displacement quantity (St), and has a specific elastic deformation percentage (Et) (%); and the elastic deformation percentage of the intermediate transfer member and the elastic deformation percentage of the toner satisfy the

Abstract: This invention relates to a polymer sleeve including a polymer sidewall and a ceramer outer coating and a method for producing the polymer sleeve for use with a blanket cylinder in an electrophotographic process.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an electrophotographic photoreceptor having a conductive substrate; a subbing layer disposed on the conductive substrate and a photosensitive layer disposed on the subbing layer; a charging unit for charging the surface of the photoreceptor; an exposure unit for exposing the surface of the photoreceptor to form an electrostatic latent image; a developing unit for developing the electrostatic latent image with a toner to form a toner image; and a transfer unit having an intermediate transfer. The surface of the intermediate transfer belt has a dynamic hardness of from 22×109 to 36×109 N/m2; a dynamic hardness of the surface of the photoreceptor is smaller than the dynamic hardness of the surface of the intermediate transfer belt; and the subbing layer has a thickness of 7 ?m or more.