Ricoh Company, Ltd.

Yumiko Yagi

Takuya Seshita

Kenji Sugiura

Takahiko Tokumasu

Daichi Yamaguchi

Katsuhiko Tani

Toyoshi Sawada

Hitoshi Iwatsuki

Hiroyuki Kishida

Shigenori Yaguchi

Toyoaki Tano

Hiroshi Tohmatsu

A carrier for developing electrostatic latent images includes a core material; and a covering layer formed of a resin comprising an electroconductive particulate material, overlying the core material, wherein the covering layer includes the electroconductive particulate material in an amount of from 58 to 73% by weight and has a resistivity of from 6.6 to 8.6 &#x3a9;cm, and wherein the carrier has a high-brightness contrast part at an areal ratio less than 1% and 40 to 90% based on total area thereof at an acceleration voltage of 0.8 KV and 2.0 KV, respectively in an FE-SEM reflection electron image of the surface thereof.

Carrier for developing electrostatic latent image, and electrostatic latent image developer

A lubricant applying unit includes a lubricant composed of metal salt of fatty acid; an applying member that applies the lubricant on a subject under lubricant application; and a spreading member that forms a thin layer of the lubricant applied on the subject. The spreading member spreads the lubricant in such a manner that a thickness of the thin layer is in a range of 8 nanometers to 12 nanometers.

Lubricant applying unit, process cartridge, image forming apparatus, and image forming method

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Shizuoka, Japan

Yumiko Yagi