Ricoh Company, Ltd.

Michikazu Sakurai

Yasuo Kadomatsu

Shoji Tajima

Yoshio Miyazaki

Kimio Anze

Masatoshi Watanabe

Masayuki Ueda

Yoshio Takahashi

Hikaru Amano

Daiho Sakuragi

Manabu Ogishima

Katsuji Morita

Yohichiroh Mukunoki

Takaaki Katoh

Keiichi Kai

Hiroyuki Shiratori

Hirokatsu Hiraoka

Fuminari Yashiro

Noboru Sugawara

Tetsuya Miharada

Megumi Yamamoto

An external storage device of a component cost estimation system stores various cost information representing a component material and its cost in association with each other, and a component manufacturing step and a cost involved in the step in association with each other. An information processing apparatus specifies a material of a component to be manufactured, and a plurality of manufacturing steps. Then, the information processing apparatus retrieves a cost of the specified material, and costs corresponding to the specified manufacturing steps from the cost information, and estimates a cost of the component based on the retrieved costs. The cost of the component is computed by adding up the cost of the material and the costs involved in all the manufacturing steps.

Component cost estimation system, component cost estimation method, cost standard data providing system, cost standard data providing method, recording medium, and computer data signal

An estimation system for estimating an injection-molding related cost comprises an input unit, storage, a data processing unit, and an output unit. The storage stores a mold estimation function for each of cost items of a mold used to produce a molded product, and a mold estimation reference value table for recording mold estimation reference values in association with prescribed conditions. The data processing unit acquires a fabrication condition of the molded product through the input unit, reads the mold estimation function and one of the mold estimation reference values from the storage corresponding to the fabrication condition, and estimates a cost of the mold based on the mold estimation function and the selected mold estimation reference value. The output unit outputs a mold cost estimation result made by the data processing unit.

Injection-molding cost estimation system

A developer carrier to be formed is provided with an electrode layer which includes a plurality of electrode particles embedded in a dielectric material as electrically isolated from one another and exposed at an outer surface at least partly. In one aspect of the present invention, an underlying layer is first formed on a support and then an electrode layer is formed on the underlying layer. In forming the electrode layer, a first layer of first dielectric, adhesive layer is formed on the underlying layer and, after application of a plurality of electrode particles on the first layer, a second layer of second dielectric, adhesive layer is formed on the first layer and the electrode particles to define a to-be-formed electrode layer, whose outer surface is processed to have said electrode particles exposed at the processed outer surface thereby defining the electrode layer. In another aspect, there is provided a developer carrier having the underlying layer which includes an elastomer and a magnetic material. Also provided is a developer carrier which further includes an intermediate dielectric layer as sandwiched between the underlying and electrode layers. Various method for manufacturing such elastomer-containing developer carriers are also provided.

Developer carrier

A developer carrier to be formed is provided with an electrode layer which includes a plurality of electrode particles embedded in a dielectric material as electrically isolated from one another and exposed at an outer surface at least partly. In one aspect of the present invention, an underlying layer is first formed on a support and then an electrode layer is formed on the underlying layer. In forming the electrode layer, a first layer of first dielectric, adhesive layer is formed on the underlying layer and, after application of a plurality of electrode particles on the first layer, a second layer of second dielectric, adhesive layer is formed on the first layer and the electrode particles to define a to-be-formed electrode layer, whose outer surface is processed to have said electrode particles exposed at the processed outer surface thereby defining the electrode layer. In another aspect, there is provided a developer carrier having the underlying layer which includes an elastomer and a magnetic material. Also provided is a developer carrier which further includes an intermediate dielectric layer as sandwiched between the underlying and electrode layers. Various methods for manufacturing such elastomer-containing developer carriers are also provided.

Developer carrier and a method for manufacturing the same

An elastic developer carrier for use in a developing device for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on a photosensitive member includes an electrically conductive support, a rubber magnet layer formed on the support and magnetized in a desired pattern having alternating N and S poles, and an electrode layer formed on the rubber magnet layer having a plurality of electrode particles electrically isolated from one another and partly exposed at its outer surface. In another embodiment, an intermediate dielectric layer is provided as sandwiched between the rubber magnet and electrode layers. These developer carriers may be made much lighter in weight and used with a relatively hard photosensitive member without causing a deterioration in developing performance. Novel processes for fabricating these developer carriers are also provided.

Elastic developer carrier

Growing community of inventors

Yokohama, Japan

Michikazu Sakurai