Abstract: An applicator has a tubular body containing a liquid to be dispensed. A non-return device is movably disposed in the tubular body rearwardly of and in contact with the liquid for preventing backflow of the liquid. A manually-displaceable piston member is displaceable in the tubular body in a forward direction for pressurizing air admitted into a chamber located in front of the piston member, and a normally closed valve communicates with the chamber and is openable by the force of the pressurized air to apply the pressurized air to the non-return device to urge the non-return device forwardly to thereby pressurize the liquid. A resilient member normally urges the piston member rearwardly to a rear stop position. An air passage communicates the chamber with the exterior of the applicator when the piston member is in the rear stop position, and the air passage is blocked by the piston member during displacement of the piston member in the forward direction.

Abstract: A mechanical pencil has a tubular member having a front end and a rear end. A slide member is disposed at the front end of the tubular member for axial sliding movement therein. The slide member has a lead passageway for receiving a pencil lead. A lead advancement mechanism undergoes axial movement within the tubular member and has a chuck body for undergoing advancing movement to advance the pencil lead through the lead passageway of the slide member and toward the front end of the tubular member and for undergoing retracting movement toward the rear end of the tubular member. The slide member is disposed in frictional engagement with the chuck body for retracting movement therewith.

Abstract: A hair dyeing tool including a fluid storage chamber defined within a container body and adapted to store a coating liquid therein and a coating member having a comb member disposed forwardly of the container body. The container body serves directly as the fluid storage chamber. A valve mechanism is disposed between the fluid storage chamber and the comb member, and a rear knock member is disposed backwardly of the container body so that it is actuated by the valve mechanism to eject the hair dye liquid forwardly.

Abstract: There are provided an apparatus for detecting an approaching conductor and an approach point or position of a conductor, in which a signal processing is simply performed and an improvement in the noise resistance is performed without the influence of a floating capacity. The apparatus has a voltage-oscillating system for equivalently receiving electric oscillation (AC signal) from a detected conductor so that the received electric oscillation is processed as a signal to ground and the processed signal is send to a non-oscillating system through an isolator, the system including a sensor panel or a sensor conductive array, a shield plate, a signal processing circuit, a ground, and power source. In addition, in order to clearly and securably identify a cause of the false earth effect of a detected conductor such as a human body, over 200 kHz oscillation frequency is provided.

Abstract: A retractable-type writing instrument has a tubular body having a longitudinal axis, a front end, a rear end, and a tip disposed at the front end. A writing medium is disposed in the tubular body for undergoing movement in an axial direction along the longitudinal axis. A clip has a first end portion is connected to the tubular body and a second end portion. An engagement member has a first surface connected to the second end portion of the clip, a second surface confronting the tubular body, and a pair of third surfaces extending from opposite sides of the second surface toward the first surface. Each of the third surfaces is inclined at a given angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the tubular body.

Abstract: A touch panel apparatus has a sensor panel using a tin oxide resistive film that avoids the palm effect and has an improved noise margin and S/N ratio. A finger or conductor is brought into direct contact with the touch panel and injected with an AC signal of 200 kHz or more, a signal current is detected, and the current is converted into a voltage by a transistor connected to an LC resonance circuit. The touch panel is contained in a voltage-floating system insulated from a non-floating system through a capacitor of 5000 pF or less and has an A/D converter in which a step-shaped triangular wave is superimposed on a measured voltage so that output at each step of an analog/digital converter is added.