Abstract: A clamp 1 for a disk rotation driving device 3 has a centering hole 18 and a contact portion 17. The centering hole 18 is fitted to an outer circumference of a centering projection 19 of a hub 7 of the disk rotation driving device 3. A clamping screw 21 is screwed into an axial center of the hub 7 so that a fastening head 23 of the clamping screw 21 fastens the clamp 1 to the hub 7 and so that the contact portion 17 of the clamp 1 comes in contact with an information recordable magnetic disk 5 attached to the hub 7 and applies pressing load onto the disk 5 in a rotation axis direction. The clamp 1 includes a centering cylinder 13 bent in an axial direction. The centering cylinder 13 has a circumferential inner surface. The inner surface defines the centering hole 18. The rounded section 29 is provided along an edge of the centering hole 18 and has a radius smaller than the thickness of the centering cylinder 13. The fastening surface 25 is continuous to the rounded section 29.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes a mounting part configured to allow plural types of cartridges having different initial capacities of developing agent to be detachably mountable therein; a light emitting device configured to emit light into the cartridge mounted in the mounting part; a light receiving device configured to receive light emitted from the light emitting device and passed through an inside of the cartridge; a determining unit configured to determine that a replacement time of the cartridge has been reached when a ratio of time, during which an output value of the light receiving device exceeds a light reception reference value, exceeds a determination threshold value. The image forming apparatus or the cartridges are configured such that the determination of the replacement time changes according to the initial capacity of the cartridge.

Abstract: The present invention provides a polarizing film having a high dichroic ratio. The polarizing film of the present invention contains an azo compound represented by the following general formula (1). In the general formula (1), the OH group is attached to the naphthalene ring at an ortho position relative to the azo group attached to the ring, R1 represents a hydrogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted acetyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted benzoyl group, or a substituted or unsubstituted phenyl group, M represents a counterion, m represents an integer of 0 to 2, n represents an integer of 0 to 6, at least one of m and n is not 0, and Q represents an anthraquinone ring having an OH group.

Abstract: A driving force transmission device is for a four-wheel-drive vehicle based on the two-wheel drive of rear wheels or front wheels. In the case of the two-wheel drive of rear wheels, a multi-disc clutch mechanism controls the driving force distribution to a front wheel output shaft, and a disconnection/connection mechanism selectively disconnects and connects a front wheel differential and a left front wheel drive shaft. In the two-wheel drive of the rear wheels, the dragging torque of the multi-disc clutch mechanism is made smaller than the friction torque of a front wheel driving force transmission section, and the front wheel differential and the left front wheel drive shaft are disconnected by the disconnection/connection mechanism, thereby stopping the rotation of the front wheel driving force transmission section.

Abstract: An image forming device includes a replaceable cartridge, a light-emitting element, a light-receiving element, and a determining unit. The replaceable cartridge accommodates developer therein and includes an agitator and a developing roller rotatable together with the agitator. The light-emitting element is configured to emit a light toward the replaceable cartridge. The light-receiving element is configured to receive the light emitted by the light-emitting element through the replaceable cartridge to output a signal. The determination value is produced based on the signal. The determining unit is configured to determine whether or not the determination value is greater than a predetermined determination threshold upon the agitator having rotated continuously more than a first prescribed number of times. The determining unit determines that the replaceable cartridge should be replaced with a new one when the determination value is greater than the predetermined determination threshold.

Abstract: An apparatus of the invention comprises an operation inputting element for designating one of a plurality of functions; a function executing element for executing the function designated by the operating inputting element; a measuring element for measuring the time during which each of the functions has been executed by the function executing element; and a chargeable amount computing element for computing a chargeable amount based on the execution time measured by the measuring element regarding each of the functions.

Abstract: A clamp for a disk rotation driving device has a centering hole which is fitted to an outer circumference of a centering projection of a hub of the disk rotation driving device. A clamping screw is screwed into an axial center of the hub whereby a fastening head of the clamping screw fastens the clamp to the hub and a contact portion of the clamp comes in contact with an information recordable magnetic disk attached to the hub and presses onto the disk in a rotation axis direction. The clamp includes a centering cylinder bent in an axial direction. The centering cylinder has a circumferential inner surface which defines the centering hole. The rounded section is provided along an edge of the centering hole and has a radius smaller than the thickness of the centering cylinder. The fastening surface is continuous to the rounded section.

Abstract: There is provided a polarizing film with a high dichroic ratio obtained by causing lithium ions and cesium ions to coexist at a specific ratio in a coating fluid containing a lyotropic liquid crystalline dye having an acidic group. It is presumed that the reason why the dichroic ratio becomes higher is that lyotropic liquid crystalline dyes become easier to be uniformly oriented as a result of an appropriate extension of intermolecular distance among the lyotropic liquid crystalline dyes by coupling lithium ions having a small radius and cesium ions having a large radius to an acidic group of each of the lyotropic liquid crystalline dyes in the coating fluid.

Abstract: An apparatus for calculating a residual capacity of a secondary battery is provided. The apparatus calculates the residual capacity of energy in the secondary battery which is charged/discharged. The apparatus includes an arithmetic unit which estimates and calculates a first residual capacity based on a charge/discharge voltage corresponding to a residual capacity of the secondary battery, calculates a second residual capacity based on an integrated value of a charge/discharge current of the secondary battery, weights the charge/discharge voltage of the secondary battery with the first residual capacity or the second residual capacity according to the voltage changing rate, and combines the results of the weighting to obtain the residual capacity of the secondary battery.

Abstract: There is provided an aluminum alloy casting consisting essentially of 7.0 to 11.5 mass % of Si, 0.9 to 4.0 mass % of Mg, 0.1 to 0.65 mass % of Fe, 0.1 to 0.8 mass % of Mn and the balance being Al and unavoidable impurities, or consisting essentially of 7.0 to 11.5 mass % of Si, 0.9 to 4.0 mass % of Mg, 0.1 to 0.65 mass % of Fe, 0.1 to 0.8 mass % of Mn, 0.3 to 1.0 mass % of Cu and the balance being Al and unavoidable impurities, and containing eutectic Si grains having an aspect ratio of 2.0 or smaller and an average grain size of 1.0 micrometer or smaller. There is also provided an automotive part formed with the aluminum alloy casting and a production method of the aluminum alloy casting.

Abstract: A driving force distribution device includes a sub transmission, a friction clutch, a rotary drive member fixed to an output shaft of an actuator, a friction clutch driving cam to change a pressing force of the friction clutch, a shift cam to shift the sub transmission by converting rotary motion of the actuator into linear motion, and a ratchet lever provided so that a shaft line thereof in a normal direction with respect to the outer surface of the rotary drive member is a rotation center. The ratchet lever is disengaged from the shift cam and is rotated when the rotary drive member is rotationally driven to one side from a predetermined position starting at control origin of the shift cam, and the ratchet lever is rotated in conjunction with the shift cam when the rotary drive member is rotationally driven in a direction opposite to the one side.

Abstract: A developing device includes a casing having an opening extending in a first direction, a developing roller, a thickness-regulation member, an engagement portion and a sealing member. The thickness-regulation member includes a thin-plate member and a regulating portion. The thin-plate member is fixed to the casing and has a lateral end extending in a second direction. The regulating portion is fixed on the thin-plate member and has an end face extending in a direction. The engagement portion is fixed on the thin-plate member and positioned closer to the lateral end than the end face to the lateral end to provide a groove between the engagement portion and the end face. The sealing member is fitted in the groove and has a length in the first direction longer than a length of the groove prior to assembly of the sealing member into the groove.

Abstract: A socket for an electrical part to prevent a bad electrical connection with a circuit by preventing a deformation of a tip of a contact pin. The contact pin of the present invention comprises one terminal contacts to a terminal of the electrical part and the other terminal contacts to the circuit. When a tip of the other terminal is pressed to a substrate under a state that first and second holes of first and second holding plates are shifted each other, an upper terminal of the held portion of the other terminal contacts to a lower surface of the second holding plate, and makes the second holding plate to separate from the first holding plate against a spring force of a urging member. At this time, the portion projecting from the lower surface of the first holding plate toward the substrate moves into the first hole.

Abstract: A balancer is fixedly attached to a rotary input shaft of a crank mechanism that converts rotary drive of a needle bar drive source to up-and-down motion of a needle bar. The balancer is caused to rotate at substantially an opposite phase with respect to up-and-down motion of the needle bar with the rotary drive of the needle bar drive source. When the balancer is driven at substantially the opposite phase with respect to the up-and-down motion of the needle bar, inertia force in an up-and-down direction of the needle bar, generated due to the up-and-down motion of the needle bar is negated, whereby it is possible to reduce vibration generated in the up-and-down direction. Sewing heads paired with each other by being arbitrarily combined are controlled so as to be rotationally driven to cause rotational directions of the needle bar drive sources to become opposite directions to each other.

Abstract: A socket for an electric component provided with a plurality of contact pins in a socket body. The contact pin each have a lower contact part that is electrically conductive with a contact point on a substrate, an upper contact part that contacts the terminal of the electric component when pressure is applied, and an upper spring part that is located between the lower contact part and the upper contact part, that is elastically deformed when pressure is applied, and that, by its elasticity, presses the upper contact part against the terminal. The contact pins are each formed in such a shape that the location of the contact point with respect to the terminal does not change when pressure is applied and the upper contact part is rotated about the contact point (contact projection) of the upper contact part and the terminal.

Abstract: There is provided, a process for producing a water-proof polarizing film having a high dichroic ratio free from cracks by contacting a polarizing film including a mixture of an organic dye and polyvinyl alcohol-based polymers with a water-proof treatment liquid containing the following to perform water-proof treatment: (1) at least one of organic amine cations and multivalent metal cations; and (2) tetrahydroxy borate anions.

Abstract: The occurrence of a resin seal failure is suppressed. A molding step is carried out using a lead frame in which there are formed multiple air vent portions for discharging gas in each cavity formed in the upper die of a molding die to outside the cavity. The air vent portions are formed at positions overlapping with the other corner portions, arranged inside a gate portion of the cavity. Each of the air vent portions is led out from the other corner portions of the cavity to outside a clamp area and is extended along sides of the cavity, respectively, in the clamp area.

Abstract: An image forming device includes a light-receiving element that receives a light having passed through a cartridge. An image forming unit has a first mode for forming images while rotating an agitator at a first speed and a second mode for forming images while rotating the agitator at a second speed that is lower than the first speed. If a value regarding image forming amount counted while the image forming unit is in the second mode is determined to be greater than a predetermined value, the image forming unit changes a rotation speed of the agitator from the second speed to the first speed, and it is determined whether the cartridge should be replaced based on a time ratio, which is a ratio of time duration, in which the light-receiving element receives the detection light within a predetermined duration, to the predetermined time duration.

Abstract: A four-wheel-drive-vehicle driving force distribution apparatus has an auxiliary transmission mechanism for switching motive power transmitted to an input shaft at least between two levels, a high speed and a low speed, and transmitting the motive power to a main output shaft; a friction clutch for selectively transmitting the motive power of the main output shaft to an auxiliary output shaft; a ball cam mechanism for changing the pressing force of the friction clutch in a non-step manner; and a shift mechanism for shifting the auxiliary transmission mechanism. A clutch control mechanism is provided between a drive member fixed to an output shaft of a motor and a pinion gear and changes the clutch pressing force caused by the ball cam mechanism corresponding to clockwise rotation of the drive member performed by a motor starting from a control starting point.

Abstract: A socket for an electric component that prevents wiping when a contact piece provided in an upper end of a contact pin is pressed against a terminal of the electric component, and that prevents solder from adhering to the contact point, by a simple configuration, is provided. This electric component socket is provided with a plurality of contact pins (20) in the socket body. The contact pins (20) each have a lower contact part (20b) that is electrically conductive with a contact point on a substrate, an upper contact part (20c) that contacts the terminal of the electric component when pressure is applied, and an upper spring part (20d) that is located between the lower contact part (20b) and the upper contact part (20c), that is elastically deformed when pressure is applied, and that, by its elasticity, presses the upper contact part (20c) against the terminal.