Abstract: In an ink-jet printer of the type wherein a current is passed through a conductive ink contained between a pair of electrodes to cause the ink to become vaporized and cause trapped gasses or bubbles to expand suddenly, exerting a sufficient pressure upon the ink to force droplets of ink from a nozzle, a current value flowing between the electrodes is detected to determine the amount of wear of the electrodes, and when the detected current value is lower than a predetermined value, an alarm indicative of the replacement of the currently used ink-jet head is given and, at the same time, ejection of the ink from the nozzle is stopped. Thus, printing operation is always achieved with stable ejection of ink, guaranteeing high printing qualities.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes a plurality of light receiving elements, transfer gates for controlling reading-out of signal charges generated by the light receiving elements, a charge coupled device for transferring the signal charges from the light receiving elements through the transfer gates, a charge input electrode, and first and second electrodes for controlling the quantity of charges input from the charge input source. The first electrode contacts the charge input source. The second electrode contacts the first electrode and is connected to a light receiving element via a transfer gate or another charge coupled device. In this structure, the second electrode controls the quantity of input charges in response to a dc voltage in a charge input mode for testing the images and serves as a first stage transfer electrode in response to a clock pulse in a imaging mode for forming an image. Thus, the pitch of the light receiving elements is constant even at the charge input electrode.

Abstract: A dot matrix printer of a dispersion printing type in which a printing noise is suppressed and dots arranged in longitudinal rows are driven while shifting the timing for every print wire dot. The present dot matrix printer is characterized by a construction in which respective print wires are driven at different timings within one pitch, and a space around a print head is surrounded by a housing and a platen, and a sound generated in the space is transmitted outside through walls. Further, the present dot matrix printer is characterized in that there is provided a memory storing printing intervals among the whole dots and print head conduction time, and the print head is driven in accordance with information read out of said memory in order to correct deviation of dot rows arranged in a longitudinal direction of the print head from perpendicularity.

Abstract: A plasma generating device includes a central conductor, a peripheral cylindrical conductor surrounding the central conductor, an insulating cylinder interposed between the central conductor and the peripheral conductor in order to prevent direct arc discharge from occurring between the central conductor and the peripheral conductor. The central and peripheral conductors and the insulating cylinder are coaxially arranged in order to define a cylindrical discharging space therein. By applying a high frequency energy to the central conductor, glow discharge is caused between the central and peripheral conductors. A reactive gas is introduced from one end of the discharging space, excited by the glow discharge and goes out from the other end as an excited plasma to a working place where a work piece is processed by the plasma.

Abstract: A device for adjusting the position of a sensor corresponding to a predetermined reference track position of a read/write head with respect to a track on a magnetic disk, comprises a chassis, a carriage movably mounted on the chassis and supporting the read/write head, the carriage including a portion to be detected, an adjustment plate supporting a sensor for detecting the portion and having a pivot adjacent to the sensor and by which the adjustment plate is pivotally supported on the carriage, the adjustment plate having an actuating portion in one end thereof remote from the pivot, and a screw adjustably threaded through the adjustment plate into the chassis at a position between the actuating portion and the pivot.