Abstract: An actuator includes a shear-type piezoelectric element of predetermined thickness and an opposed electrode formed on two electrodes in spaced relationship on a base member. The opposed electrode is displaced in accordance with the direction of polarization of the shear-type piezoelectric element upon applying a voltage between the two electrodes. The opposed electrode thus constitutes an operating section of the actuator. The actuator can be incorporated as a part of the head actuator to constitute a head-positioning mechanism capable of displacing the head by a minuscule distance independently of the operation of the head actuator.

Abstract: A purifying agent or the like which can improve purifying performance is obtained. A container (12) of a purifying agent generating apparatus (10) contains a solution (14), into which a surface-active agent has been dissolved, and ozone gas is supplied thereto. In this way, a purifying agent (34) (i.e., aggregate of ozone-containing bubbles (32), each of which includes an ozone-containing membrane, into which ozone has been dissolved, and ozone-containing gas, which is contained in the inner portion of the membrane and includes ozone) is generated. Therefore, odor which fills a sealed space can be removed and a higher purifying performance is obtained.

Abstract: An actuator having a simple configuration requiring no high dimensional accuracy, high in positioning accuracy and low in cost, and a head-positioning mechanism using the actuator are disclosed. An actuator according to a first application comprises a shear-type piezoelectric element of predetermined thickness and an opposed electrode formed on two electrodes in spaced relationship on a base member. The opposed electrode is displaced in accordance with the direction of polarization of the shear-type piezoelectric element upon applying a voltage between the two electrodes. The opposed electrode thus constitutes an operating section of the actuator. An actuator according to a second application comprises a movable member arranged on a drive member including a shear-type piezoelectric element on a base member. The drive member includes a plurality of layers of piezoelectric elements polarized in alternately opposite directions perpendicular to the thickness of the devices.

Abstract: An actuator having a simple configuration requiring no high dimensional accuracy, high in positioning accuracy and low in cost, and a head-positioning mechanism using the actuator are disclosed. An actuator according to a first application comprises a shear-type piezoelectric element of predetermined thickness and an opposed electrode formed on two electrodes in spaced relationship on a base member. The opposed electrode is displaced in accordance with the direction of polarization of the shear-type piezoelectric element upon applying a voltage between the two electrodes. The opposed electrode thus constitutes an operating section of the actuator. An actuator according to a second application comprises a movable member arranged on a drive member including a shear-type piezoelectric element on a base member. The drive member includes a plurality of layers of piezoelectric elements polarized in alternately opposite directions perpendicular to the thickness of the devices.

Abstract: A technologically advanced portable toilet has a purifying agent producing/supplying device built into a periphery of a toilet bowl. Due to an ozone producing mechanism, a tank assembly, and a bubble generating tank, which are provided by this purifying agent producing/supplying device, when an upper cover of the toilet is opened, a purifying agent that is an aggregate of ozone-containing bubbles is supplied to an inside of the toilet bowl. As a result, a superior odor-extinguishing effect can be obtained.

Abstract: A waste disposal apparatus in which a container main body includes an introduction opening at a top wall portion of the container main body and a discharge opening at a bottom wall portion of the container main body. A cylindrical body having an exit portion is disposed within the container main body and is formed of an elastic material. An exit portion opening/closing device selectively holds the exit portion between a closed state, in which an exit portion of the cylindrical body is pressed and sealed, and an opened state, in which the exit portion of the cylindrical body is opened and the waste accumulated within the cylindrical body is discharged. The exit portion opening/closing device includes exit portion protruding device which, at the time of dumping of the waste, protrudes the exit portion of the cylindrical body to below the bottom wall portion of the container main body and through the discharge opening thereof.

Abstract: The packaging case comprises, when assembled, a back part (aback hanging board), a bottom part (a bottom cover), a front part (a front cover, a front hanging board), the boards and covers being formed continuously in this order and bordered by fold lines, and a side part (a side cover, a glue margin) continuously extending from each side edge of the front cover except the neighborhood of the front hanging board and bordered by fold lines. A window is formed in the front cover, and a hook hole is respectively punched in the front and the back hanging boards to make a single matching hook hole. In one side edge of the back hanging board, a U-shaped perforated tear portion is provided for tearing off a part of the side edge glued to a corresponding glue margin.

Abstract: A recording and/or reproducing apparatus including a tape loading mechanism used for controlling the speed at which the tape is loaded from the container to the rotary head or unloaded from the rotary head into the container.

Abstract: A digital channel selection apparatus comprising a memory, a digital-to-analog converter for converting digital information read out of the memory to an analog tuning voltage, a voltage-controlled tuner which is tuned to an incoming RF carrier frequency on a selected channel in response to the analog tuning voltage, an automatic fine tuning discriminator connected to the tuner and a digital automatic fine tuning circuit responsive to the automatic fine tuning discriminator to vary the analog tuning voltage to effect an automatic fine tuning control, in which in addition to the digital automatic fine tuning control an analog automatic fine tuning control is effected to carry out reliable automatic fine tuning control. To this end, a small fraction of an analog output voltage, from the automatic fine tuning discriminator, which has a magnitude dependent upon an output intermediate carrier frequency of the tuner is superposed onto the output voltage of the digital-to-analog converter.

Abstract: The powder paint of the present invention comprises an amino polyester resin and an epoxy compound as essential components and can preferably contain other resins or other compounds, pigments, additives, etc. Said powder paint, when applied to substrate by powder coating methods, provides a tough thermosetting film by means of crosslinking of amino groups of the amino-group-containing polyester resin with epoxy groups of the epoxy compound by baking. The obtained film has excellent weather resistance, corrosion resistance, mechanical properties and chemical resistance.