Abstract: A drive controller of a lens apparatus including a first lens unit movable to perform manual focus and a second lens unit disposed closer to an image than the first lens unit. The drive controller includes a detection device detecting a focal state of the lens apparatus, a storage device storing the detected focal state, and a control device controlling focus by driving the second lens unit to a focal position based on the detected focal state. The control device performs a compensation operation on the manual focus with the focus control after completion of the manual focus. The drive controller eliminates a clutch mechanism for selecting drive systems for the manual focus and focus adjustment and performs a focus adjustment (a compensation operation) after completion of the manual focus while minimizing a space needed for a rear focus unit to move.

Abstract: An image capture apparatus includes an image capture unit, an image processing unit, a memory, and a network interface unit. The image capture unit captures an image. The image processing unit generates an image file including the captured image and additional information and stores the image file in a storage medium. The memory stores the image file read from the storage medium. The network interface unit transmits the image file stored in the memory to an external apparatus via a network. Furthermore, the network interface unit deletes predetermined additional information from the image file before transmitting the image file to the external apparatus, the predetermined additional information including information relating to a user of the image capture apparatus.

Abstract: An ink jet head includes a substrate having a flow path construction member constructing a plurality of discharge ports for discharging ink and a plurality of ink flow paths corresponding thereto, and a plurality of energy generating elements corresponding to the plurality of discharge ports. The substrate has an ink supply port for supplying ink to the ink flow paths. The ink supply port includes a first liquid chamber disposed on a plane on which the energy generating elements are formed, and having a grooves with island-shaped columns left, and a second liquid chamber disposed on the opposed plane, and having a plurality of through holes partitioned at positions corresponding to the island-shaped columns. In the ink jet head, the island-shaped columns and a partition wall for the through holes are left as a beam construction section, thereby improving a mechanical strength of a semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: A stage apparatus includes a base, a stage movable on the base in first and second directions, a first member movable relative to the base in the first direction, and a second member movable relative to the base in the second direction. The first member is placed on the second member. With this arrangement, drive reaction-forces generated due to movement of the stage can be canceled by moving the first and second members, resulting in a smaller space needed for accommodating a canceling mechanism.

Abstract: In a recording apparatus in which ink is supplied to a head from a main tank via a sub-tank, when ink is supplied to the sub tank from the main tank, the ink is first supplied to a flow path connected to the sub-tank, and then ink is supplied into an ink absorber accommodated within the sub-tank via a filter being in contact with the absorber. The flow path is located between the ink absorber and the head. The ink is supplied into the sub-tank from the main tank in the reverse direction of the flow path for supplying ink to the recording head from the absorber during ink ejection. As a result, after ink is supplied to the sub-tank from the main tank, ink portions contained in the ink absorber and the filter are united into one continuous portion, so that a recording apparatus preventing the failure of ink supply due to ink discontinuity can be provided.

Abstract: An ink supplying system for supplying ink to a recording head of a recording apparatus. The ink supplying system includes an ink tank for containing the ink and an ink supplying unit, connected to the ink tank via communication paths, for supplying the ink from the ink tank to the recording head. The ink in the ink tank is introduced into the ink supplying unit through at least one of the communication paths, and gas in the ink supplying unit is transported into the ink tank through at least a different one of the communication paths. At least one of the ink tank and the ink supplying unit has storage means for storing information regarding the amount of ink in the ink supplying system.

Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus in which displacements of dots are reduced. In the inkjet recording apparatus, recording data is read out from a recording buffer at a period corresponding to a second resolution. The apparatus determines whether or not to delay the timing at which the readout is performed by an interval corresponding to one-half of the period corresponding to a first resolution. The apparatus also selects whether to drive an inkjet head in a front half or a last half of the period corresponding to the first resolution.

Abstract: At least one exemplary embodiment is directed to a method for manufacturing a three-dimensional photonic crystal including a plurality of stacked layers having periodic structures where the thickness of the periodic structures in a layer are adjusted such that the layer satisfies the following equation: neff1×H1×M=neff×H wherein H1 represents the actual thickness of the layer, neff1 represents the actual refractive index of the periodic refractive index structure, H represents the design thickness of the layer, neff represents the design effective refractive index of the periodic refractive index structure, and M represents a coefficient inclusive and between 0.5 and 2.0.

Abstract: A liquid-discharge recording head includes large nozzles for discharging large liquid drops and medium and small nozzles for discharging medium and small liquid drops that are smaller than the large liquid drops. The large nozzles are arranged on one side of an ink-supply opening and the medium and small nozzles are arranged on the other side of the ink-supply opening. The number of large nozzles is greater than the number of medium and small nozzles, and the liquid-discharge recording head performs high-speed printing using the large nozzles, high-speed photo printing using the medium and small nozzles, and high-quality photo printing using the small nozzles.

Abstract: A diffractive optical element includes a plurality of diffraction gratings. A diffraction grating within the plurality of diffraction gratings includes a plurality of grating parts having a curved grating surface and grating tips which connect to define a curved envelope face. The grating surface has a radius of curvature larger than a radius of curvature of the envelope face. In addition, two diffraction gratings within the plurality of diffraction gratings are composed of different materials having different dispersions. Therefore, even when the radius of curvature of the envelope face is small, the degradation of the diffraction efficiency is suppressed.

Abstract: An ink-jet recording apparatus capable of high-quality recording without smudging recording media and the interior of the recording apparatus even when a frameless recording operation using reactive ink that coheres with each other when mixed together is performed. The ink-jet recording apparatus includes a recording head having a first nozzle array and a second nozzle array, and an ink absorbent facing the nozzle arrays. The first nozzle array discharges a first ink, and the second nozzle array discharges a second ink. The first and second ink is a reactive ink that coheres with each other when mixed together. During the frameless recording operation on a front edge of the recording medium, some of the first and second ink discharged from the respective nozzle arrays of the recording head adheres to the front edge, and some of the ink adheres to separate positions on the ink absorbent.

Abstract: A display optical system and an image projector incorporating the same. The display optical system includes a light source operable to emit light; a plurality of reflective light-modulating devices; a plurality of optical elements; a projection optical system including at least one refractive lens; and an optical curved-surface having a finite radius of curvature and interposed between the projection optical system and at least one of the plurality of reflective light-modulating devices, wherein the optical elements are arranged to guide light from the light source to the reflective light-modulating devices and to guide outgoing light from the reflective light-modulating devices to the projection optical system, and wherein the at least one refractive lens of the projection optical system projects incoming light to a predetermined plane.

Abstract: A liquid discharge head substrate has improved protection performance of protective films for protecting heaters while effective bubble-forming regions are being secured. The protective films for protecting a plurality of heating elements provided on a substrate are formed using a platinum group element and are separately provided for the respective heating elements.

Abstract: A color image-forming apparatus including two drums, two scanners for forming latent images on the two drums, four developing devices for developing the latent images on the drums into toner images with four colors, an intermediate transfer belt successively passing the drums so that the toner images are successively transferred onto the belt, a transfer unit for transferring the toner image on the belt onto a recording medium, and a control unit controlling the two scanners to form patterns of first, second, third, and fourth colors and controlling timing at which the two scanners write on the drums such that the patterns approach one another.

Abstract: A folded back portion flattening device includes a gripper and a presser. The gripper grips a sheet bundle formed into a booklet with the folded back portion protruding from the gripper. The presser presses the folded back portion of the sheet bundle gripped by the gripper, and includes pressing rollers which have pressing rotational surfaces and which are disposed along the folded back portion. The pressing rotational surfaces press the folded back portion. The pressing rollers are disposed so that the rotational pressing surface of a second pressing roller, which presses the folded back portion after the rotational pressing surface of a first pressing roller has pressed the folded back portion, presses deeper into an edge of the sheet bundle than the rotational pressing surface of the first pressing roller. At least one of the gripper and presser is movable in a direction parallel to the folded back portion.

Abstract: When a plurality of sub-processors are daisy chained in a loop, for example, to a main processor by a one-way bus, a command packet from the main processor addressed to itself is transmitted to the one-way bus which form a return path back to the main processor so as to easily specify a fault portion. If the command packet is returned to the main processor within a predetermined time, it is determined that no fault exists within the electronic device. When a fault exists, a test signal is transmitted to sub-processors via a dedicated signal line, separate from the one-way bus, to trigger a test packet that will be routed through the one way bus. The faulty portion in the electronic device is specified based on whether the test packet transmitted via the one-way bus in accordance with the test packet from each sub-processor is received within a predetermined time.

Abstract: An in-finder display device includes an optical member having prisms and disposed about a position where an objective unit forms an image; an image-inverting unit receiving light from the optical member; an eyepiece unit for guiding the light from the image-inverting unit to an observer; a light source; and an illuminating unit for guiding light from the light source to the prisms. Each of the prisms in the optical member has two prism facets forming a ridgeline nonparallel to a plane orthogonal to an optical axis of the objective unit. Light from the light source is reflected off the prisms, passes through the image-inverting unit, and is guided by the eyepiece unit to the observer.

Abstract: An image formation device changes the rotational rate of a polygon motor, i.e. the main-scanning rate, and selects one of pulse width conversion tables when an image formation is performed multiple times on a single sheet of transfer paper. The changing of the main-scanning rate is for preventing inconsistent sizes between a first recorded image and a second recorded image caused by shrinkage of transfer paper. The pulse width conversion tables allow the pulse widths to be modulated.

Abstract: A chucking mechanism which reliably attaches and detaches a disc with high precision. The chucking mechanism includes a shaft for supporting the disc and having a tapered recess, a tapered cone adapted to fit in the tapered recess, and a piston for moving a rod, attached to the tapered cone, through a hole formed in the shaft. The mechanism also includes an O-ring having a variable diameter and being disposed between the tapered cone and the tapered recess. As the piston moves the tapered cone in a first direction, the tapered cone gradually expands the diameter of the O-ring to press and fix the disc. As the piston moves the tapered cone in a second direction, the diameter of the O-ring gradually contracts to move out of contact with the disc so as to release the disc.

Abstract: A three-dimensional photonic crystal of the present invention has a complete photonic band gap in a wide wavelength region and that can be easily produced. A three-dimensional photonic crystal in which a plurality of layers including a periodic-refractive-index structure are periodically stacked includes, a first layer having holes provided at lattice points of a first rectangular lattice and a second rectangular lattice, a second layer having columnar structures at lattice points of a face-centered rectangular lattice, a third layer having a periodic structure the same as that of the first layer and disposed at a shifted position, and a fourth layer having a periodic structure the same as that of the second layer.