Abstract: An exhaust system is provided for exhausting an exhaust gas used for sterilizing an item to be sterilized by using a high concentration NO2 gas, including an ozone generator, a gas treatment means for adsorbing ozone generated by the ozone generator and NO2 in the exhaust gas and accelerating generation of dinitrogen pentoxide or nitric acid by a reaction of the ozone and NO2 to retain the resultant, and an exhaust apparatus for exhausting the exhaust gas. The exhaust system can effectively and ably purify a high concentration NO2 exhaust gas having a concentration beyond the normal level.

Abstract: A sterilizer includes: a supply source for a sterilizing agent; a first sterilization chamber and a second sterilization chamber each adapted to be filled with the sterilizing agent while placing an object therein so as to subject the object to a sterilization treatment; a first pipe line connecting the supply source and each of the first sterilization chamber and the second sterilization chamber; a second pipe line connecting the first sterilization chamber and the second sterilization chamber; and a supply mechanism adapted to allow a residual part of the sterilizing agent used for the sterilization treatment in the first sterilization chamber to be introduced into the second sterilization chamber via the second pipe line.

Abstract: A power MOSFET includes an n-type drift layer and a p-type base layer formed in a layered manner on the n-type drift layer. Trench gates are formed to penetrate the p-type base layer to reach the n-type drift layer. On the p-type base layer, n+-type source regions and p+-type regions are formed. These n+-type source regions and p+-type regions are arranged alternately along a longitudinal direction of the trench gates. The n+-type source regions and the p+-type regions are arranged with a slant with respect to the longitudinal direction of the trench gates.

Abstract: Disclosed is a plasma generation apparatus, which comprises a microwave generation section adapted to generate a microwave, a gas supply section adapted to supply a gas to be plasmatized, a plasma generation nozzle which is provided with an inner electrode adapted to receive the microwave and an outer electrode concentrically disposed outside the inner electrode, and adapted to plasmatize the gas supplied from the gas supply section thereinto, based on energy of the microwave, and emit the plasmatized gas from a distal end thereof; and an adapter attached to the distal end of the plasma generation nozzle.

Abstract: A power MOSFET includes an n-type drift layer and a p-type base layer formed in a layered manner on the n-type drift layer. Trench gates are formed to penetrate the p-type base layer to reach the n-type drift layer. On the p-type base layer, n+-type source regions and p+-type regions are formed. These n+-type source regions and p+-type regions are arranged alternately along a longitudinal direction of the trench gates. The n+-type source regions and the p+-type regions are arranged with a slant with respect to the longitudinal direction of the trench gates.

Abstract: A semiconductor device comprises a semiconductor substrate; a semiconductor layer provided on the surface of the semiconductor substrate; a base layer provided on the surface of the semiconductor layer; a source layer provided on the surface of the base layer; a trench formed to pass through the source layer, the base layer, and the semiconductor layer from the surface of the source layer, and reaching the semiconductor substrate; a gate electrode provided from the source layer to at least the semiconductor layer within the trench; and an insulator provided between the gate electrode and the base layer so as to fill in the inside of the trench below the gate electrode, the insulator insulating the gate electrode from the base layer, and generating a potential distribution from the gate electrode toward the semiconductor substrate when a voltage is applied to the gate electrode.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a printing unit having a print head for applying ink to a surface layer of a recording medium transported thereto; a loop-forming unit capable of temporarily storing the recording medium discharged from the printing unit; and a heating unit for heating the recording medium fed from the loop-forming unit for fixing the ink applied to the surface layer onto its fixing layer. The heating unit includes a preliminary heating subunit for heating the recording medium from a normal temperature level to a ink fixing temperature level, a main heating unit for heating the recording medium at the ink fixing temperature level and a slow cooling subunit for slowly cooling the recording medium to the normal temperature level.

Abstract: A red light emitting afterglow photoluminescence phosphor is a rare earth oxysulfide phosphor activated by Europium, which chemical formula is as follows: Ln2O2S:Eux,My 0.00001≦x≦0.5 0.00001≦y≦0.3 wherein Ln is at least one selected from the group consisting of Y, La, Gd and Lu; M is a coactivator which is at least one selected from the group consisting of Mg, Ti, Nb, Ta and Ga in the chemical formula.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a printing unit having a print head for applying ink to a surface layer of a recording medium transported thereto; a loop-forming unit capable of temporarily storing the recording medium discharged from the printing unit; and a heating unit for heating the recording medium fed from the loop-forming unit for fixing the ink applied to the surface layer onto its fixing layer. The heating unit includes a preliminary heating subunit for heating the recording medium from a normal temperature level to a ink fixing temperature level, a main heating unit for heating the recording medium at the ink fixing temperature level and a slow cooling subunit for slowly cooling the recording medium to the normal temperature level.

Abstract: A red light emitting afterglow photoluminescence phosphor is a rare earth oxysulfide phosphor activated by Europium, which chemical formula is follows:

Abstract: In a sheet conveying unit, two conveying sections turn linked and spaced apart such that sheet jams arising in the course of conveyance through the conveying sections can be easily cleared single-handedly. Wherein the sheet-conveying unit functions to turn over, convey and store sheets in a dual-sided copying section inside a copying machine main body (1), it may include a main frame (30) that is withdrawable frontward from the copying machine main body (1); an intermediate tray (31) storing the reversed sheets; a lower conveyor (32); an upper conveyor (33); and a linkage (34). The upper and lower conveyors (33, 32) have upper and lower conveying guides (50, 45) and upper and lower conveying rollers (51, 46), respectively, and both conveyors are open/closable on the main frame (30) disposed above the intermediate tray (31).

Abstract: A process for producing inorganic microspheres (solid spheres or hollow spheres), which comprises pulverizing a material by wet pulverization to an average particle size of at most 5 .mu.m to obtain a slurry of a pulverized powder material, spraying the slurry to form liquid droplets, and heating the liquid droplets to fuse or sinter the powder material to obtain inorganic microspheres.

Abstract: A sheet feeding roller holding mechanism includes a sheet feeding roller which is detachably mounted on one end of a sheet feeding shaft. A body frame holds the other end of the sheet feeding shaft. The sheet feeding shaft is supported by a supporting member at the end of the shaft proximate the body frame, and a plate part is mounted to the body frame to support the supporting member. The body frame further supports a vibration preventive member. A part of the vibration preventive member abuts on a predetermined portion of the plate part, the supporting member or the sheet feeding shaft in a manner so as to prevent deformation. The vibration preventive part may include an elastic member. This roller holding mechanism may be used in an image forming apparatus.

Abstract: A sheet feeding mechanism for feeding sheets is described including an advance preventive member which is abuttable on the sheet feeding roller by a spring. The advance preventive member functions to prevent multiple feeding of sheets. The sheet feeding cassette has a first sheet advance preventive part which acts on a second sheet advance preventive part on the advance preventive member when the sheet feeding cassette is moved toward or away from the sheet feeding roller, to thereby separate the advance preventive member from the sheet feeding roller against the urging force of a spring. Specific designs of the first and second sheet advance preventive parts may be included to vibrate and rotate a roller of the advance preventive member.

Abstract: A paper cassette is provided having on its bottom surface cassette rails and contact portions. The cassette rails are located in front of the contact portions by a predetermined distance. When the paper cassette is withdrawn, the cassette rails separate away from corresponding rollers before the contact portions come in contact with corresponding stoppers, after which the paper cassette remains supported only by support rails at the contact portions.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus provided with an urging device to urge the lift shaft, the lift gear or the lift plate in a direction opposite the insertion direction of the sheet feeding cassette, so as to disengage the lift shaft from the lift shaft drive. Insertion of the sheet feeding cassette pushes the lift shaft, lift gear or lift plate against the urging device, thereby engaging the lift shaft with the lift shaft drive. Alternately, rather than employing the urging device, the sheet feeding cassette may pull the lift shaft out of engagement with the lift drive by pulling the lifted lift plate in direction opposite the insertion direction of the sheet feeding cassette.

Abstract: A paper feeding device includes a cassette-receiving section defined in a housing of an apparatus to which the paper feeding device is applied, and a cassette adapted to be detachably loaded into the cassette-receiving section. According to a first aspect, at least one of the cassette or the housing has an inclined portion for conducting the cassette to a cassette-loading opening along a table. According to a second aspect, the under surface of the cassette-receiving section is defined by a first guiding portion extending from the lower edge of the opening for loading, an inclined guiding portion extending in an upwardly inclined manner from the first guiding portion and a second guiding portion extending from the inclined guiding portion.

Abstract: A fluorescent lamp of this invention includes an ultraviolet reflecting layer of a nonemission material essentially consisting of .alpha.-alumina, and a light-emitting layer. The nonemission material is a white powder having an average grain size of 0.05 .mu.m to 2 .mu.m. The light-emitting layer is formed on the discharge generation region side of the ultraviolet reflecting layer. According to this invention, ultraviolet ray having passed through the light-emitting layer without being absorbed therein are reflected by the ultraviolet reflecting layer and are radiated onto the light-emitting layer again. For this reason, the light-emitting layer is more frequently excited with the ultraviolet rays to increase a luminous flux.

Abstract: A paper feed unit for image forming apparatuses comprising a paper feed roller assembly having a paper feed shaft rotatably supported in the body of the image forming apparatus and a paper feed section slidably mounted on the paper feed shaft for removal therefrom and fixed to the paper feed shaft for integral rotation therewith, the rotation of said paper feed section causing a roller of said paper feed roller assembly to rotationally contact the paper, thereby feeding the paper; and a paper detection switch so fixed to a given mounting portion adjacent to the paper feed section as to detect the presence of the paper to be fed by the paper feed roller assembly and mounted in such a way as to slide following a slide in the paper feed section when unfixed from the mounting portion.

Abstract: A paper feeding device includes a cassette-receiving section defined in a housing of an apparatus to which the paper feeding device is applied, and a cassette adapted to be detachably loaded into the cassette-receiving section. According to a first aspect, at least one of the cassette or the housing has an inclined portion for conducting the cassette to a cassette-loading opening along a table. According to a second aspect, the under surface of the cassette-receiving section is defined by a first guiding portion extending from the lower edge of the opening for loading, an inclined guiding portion extending in an upwardly inclined manner from the first guiding portion and a second guiding portion extending from the inclined guiding portion.