Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a mounting portion to which a plurality of kinds of cartridge having different configurations; a fan device for cooling the cartridges mounted to the mounting portion with air flow provided thereby; a changing device for changing a state of the air flow in accordance with the configuration of the cartridge mounted to the mounting portion.

Abstract: A solar battery module and manufacturing method for a solar battery module having improved output are provided. The solar battery module 1 is a transparent substrate 10, transparent resin layer 13b, solar battery cell 12, colored resin layer 13a and back sheet 11 laminated in this order. The light-receiving surface 12a of the solar battery cell 12 faces the transparent resin layer 13b side. The backside 12b of the solar battery cell faces the colored resin layer 13a. The MFR [melt flow rate] of the transparent resin layer 13b is lower than the MFR of the colored resin layer 13a.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus capable of easily performing jammed sheet recovery in a sheet feeding portion is provided. Upper guide grooves 36b, 37b which guide attachment and detachment of a conveyance guide member 32 and lower guide grooves 36a, 37a which guide attachment and detachment of a sheet feeding cassette 31 are formed in supporting plates 36, 37 which are provided in attachment and detachment directions in an apparatus body to face each other. When jamming occurs, a space near the sheet feeding portion is secured by extracting the conveyance guide member 32 from the apparatus body.

Abstract: A therapeutic-substance carrying/administering appliance includes a cylindrical outer sheath; a slide member installed in the cylindrical outer sheath to be slidable therein; and a sheet supporting member, connected to a distal end of the slide member and made of a resilient material, for supporting a sheet-shaped therapeutic substance. The sheet supporting member is held in a flat unrolled shape in a free state in which the sheet supporting member projects outwardly from a distal end of the cylindrical outer sheath. When the sheet supporting member is in the free state, sliding the slide member in a retracting direction causes the sheet supporting member to contact the distal end of the cylindrical outer sheath, and subsequently further moving the slide member in the retracting direction causes the sheet supporting member to be retracted into the cylindrical outer sheath while being deformed into a tubular shape.

Abstract: Provided is an organic EL elements in which an anode, a hole injection layer, a hole transport layer, an emissive layer, an electron transport layer, a cathode are stacked up on a substrate. An electron transporting material which is not a metal complex and which has a work function at HOMO level exceeding 5.7 eV is used as a host material of the emissive layer. Accordingly, the energy-barrier difference between the hole transport layer and the emissive layer, or that between the hole injection layer and the emissive layer can be made greater than that in a conventional organic EL element. This enhances the hole-blocking performance for the organic EL element of the present invention, so that the carrier balance between the electrons and the holes in the emissive layer can be improved.

Abstract: A slide member advancing/retracting mechanism includes an outer sheath; a slide member installed in the outer sheath to be slidable in an axial direction without rotating relative to the outer sheath; and an operating portion which can be freely rotated relative to, and about a common axis of, the outer sheath and the slide member. The operating portion can be operated so as to linearly advance/retract the slide member within the outer sheath.

Abstract: A therapeutic-substance carrying/administering appliance includes a cylindrical outer sheath; a slide member installed in the cylindrical outer sheath to be slidable therein; and a sheet supporting member, connected to a distal end of the slide member and made of a resilient material, for supporting a sheet-shaped therapeutic substance. The sheet supporting member is held in a flat unrolled shape in a free state in which the sheet supporting member projects outwardly from a distal end of the cylindrical outer sheath. When the sheet supporting member is in the free state, sliding the slide member in a retracting direction causes the sheet supporting member to contact the distal end of the cylindrical outer sheath, and subsequently further moving the slide member in the retracting direction causes the sheet supporting member to be retracted into the cylindrical outer sheath while being deformed into a tubular shape.

Abstract: Provided is an organic EL element in which an anode, a hole injection layer, a hole transport layer, an emissive layer, an electron transport layer, an electron injection layer, and a cathode are stacked up on top of a substrate. Into at least one of the organic layer—the hole injection layer and the hole transport layer, an organic material different from the organic material constituting the corresponding one of the organic layers is doped. The doped organic material contributes to the formation of an impurity level to trap the holes. Consequently, the mobility of the holes can be lowered.

Abstract: A driving mechanism configured to turn a plate member with respect to a frame member around a predetermined turning axis includes a pair of supporting members supporting the plate member, a pair of actuators provided on both sides with respect to the turning axis and on the same surface side of the plate member. Each of the actuators includes a fixed electrode unit fixed to the frame member and a movable electrode unit fixed to the plate member. The fixed electrode unit includes a substrate, a pair of fixed comb electrodes provided on both surface sides of the substrate. The movable electrode unit includes a pair of movable comb electrodes, each of which engages with the corresponding fixed comb electrode with a gap therebetween. Both pairs of the fixed comb electrode and the corresponding movable comb electrode are configured such that a voltage can be applied therebetween independently.

Abstract: A scanning mirror unit for scanning a beam comprises: at least one cantilever which is formed by bonding an elastic material and a piezoelectric material together and supported by a base at its one end; and a movable mirror which is supported at least by a free end of the cantilever at its peripheral part. When voltage is applied to the piezoelectric material, the free end of the cantilever moves in a prescribed direction to press and move the peripheral part of the movable mirror while leaving a central part of the movable mirror at substantially the same position to cause a tilt to the movable mirror. With such composition of the scanning mirror unit, a reflecting member having a sufficient thickness (e.g. some hundreds of microns) can be employed for the movable mirror, by which a high power laser beam effective for treatment of affected parts, etc. can be reflected finely and durably.

Abstract: There is provided a micromirror device, which is provided with a mirror layer including a mirror surface which is supported to be rotatable around a first axis passing through a center of the mirror surface, and an upper substrate having transparency including a first upper electrode part and a second upper electrode part arranged on its surface facing the mirror layer to face each other via a first upper boundary passing through a center of the surface and parallel to the first axis, and a lower substrate including a first lower electrode part and a second lower electrode part arranged on its surface facing the mirror layer to face each other via a first lower boundary passing through a center of the surface and parallel to the first axis.

Abstract: There is provided a micromirror device, which is provided with a mirror layer including a mirror surface which is supported to be rotatable around a first axis passing through a center of the mirror surface, and an upper substrate having transparency including a first upper electrode part and a second upper electrode part arranged on its surface facing the mirror layer to face each other via a first upper boundary passing through a center of the surface and parallel to the first axis, and a lower substrate including a first lower electrode part and a second lower electrode part arranged on its surface facing the mirror layer to face each other via a first lower boundary passing through a center of the surface and parallel to the first axis.

Abstract: There is provided a micromirror device, which is provided with a mirror layer including a mirror surface which is supported to be rotatable around a first axis passing through a center of the mirror surface, and an upper substrate having transparency including a first upper electrode part and a second upper electrode part arranged on its surface facing the mirror layer to face each other via a first upper boundary passing through a center of the surface and parallel to the first axis, and a lower substrate including a first lower electrode part and a second lower electrode part arranged on its surface facing the mirror layer to face each other via a first lower boundary passing through a center of the surface and parallel to the first axis.

Abstract: A driving mechanism configured to turn a plate member with respect to a frame member around a predetermined turning axis includes a pair of supporting members supporting the plate member, a pair of actuators provided on both sides with respect to the turning axis and on the same surface side of the plate member. Each of the actuators includes a fixed electrode unit fixed to the frame member and a movable electrode unit fixed to the plate member. The fixed electrode unit includes a substrate, a pair of fixed comb electrodes provided on both surface sides of the substrate. The movable electrode unit includes a pair of movable comb electrodes, each of which engages with the corresponding fixed comb electrode with a gap therebetween. Both pairs of the fixed comb electrode and the corresponding movable comb electrode are configured such that a voltage can be applied therebetween independently.

Abstract: There is provided a micromirror device, which is provided with a mirror layer including a mirror surface which is supported to be rotatable around a first axis passing through a center of the mirror surface, and an upper substrate having transparency including a first upper electrode part and a second upper electrode part arranged on its surface facing the mirror layer to face each other via a first upper boundary passing through a center of the surface and parallel to the first axis, and a lower substrate including a first lower electrode part and a second lower electrode part arranged on its surface facing the mirror layer to face each other via a first lower boundary passing through a center of the surface and parallel to the first axis.

Abstract: A scanning mirror unit for scanning a beam comprises: at least one cantilever which is formed by bonding an elastic material and a piezoelectric material together and supported by a base at its one end; and a movable mirror which is supported at least by a free end of the cantilever at its peripheral part. When voltage is applied to the piezoelectric material, the free end of the cantilever moves in a prescribed direction to press and move the peripheral part of the movable mirror while leaving a central part of the movable mirror at substantially the same position to cause a tilt to the movable mirror. With such composition of the scanning mirror unit, a reflecting member having a sufficient thickness (e.g. some hundreds of microns) can be employed for the movable mirror, by which a high power laser beam effective for treatment of affected parts, etc. can be reflected finely and durably.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for demounting a metal plate spot welded to a metal member. In accordance with the method, a hollow electrode rod is placed in opposition to the periphery of a spot weld between the metal plate and the metal member, an electric arc is formed between the electrode rod and the metal plate, the periphery of the spot weld is melted with arc heat, and the resultant molten metal is drawn up through the hollow portion of the electrode rod. The method may be performed with an apparatus having a hollow internal rod which includes an electrode rod retaining portion at a forward tip end thereof. A rod retaining mechanism retains the internal rod for free longitudinal movement in opposite forward and rearward directions, elastically urged in the forward direction. A sliding block is movable in the forward and rearward directions, urged forward by an elastic member. Structure is provided to prevent movement of the sliding block forward of a predetermined forward position.

Abstract: A gouging wire electrode comprising a metal shell, and a powdery or particulate filler section packed into the metal shell, the composition of the filler section comprising 80-95% by weight of carbon and 5-20% by weight of thermosetting resin binder, the bulk density of the filler section being 1.2-1.7 g/cm.sup.3 and the cross-sectional area of the filler section being 60-90% of the total cross-sectional area. It produces stabilized arcs during electric discharge and is consumed slowly and can replace the conventional carbon electrode.

Abstract: A successively joinable carbon electrode for use in gouging or blasting metallic articles comprises a copper coated electrode body having one end formed into a coaxial connecting projection and the other end formed with a coaxial tapered socket for receiving the connecting projection of another carbon electrode of identical construction. The connecting projection consists of a tapered stem portion adjacent the electrode body and a cylindrical portion on one side of the stem portion opposite to the electrode body such that the projection of one carbon electrode can tightly be fitted into the socket of another carbon electrode with the copper layer on such one carbon electrode electrically connected to the copper layer on such another carbon electrode.