Abstract: A crystal vibration element that includes a crystal piece that has a prescribed crystal orientation, and a first direction and a second direction in a plan view thereof; and excitation electrodes that are respectively provided on front and rear surfaces of the crystal piece in order to excite a thickness shear vibration in the crystal piece upon application of an alternating electric field. A vibration distribution of the crystal piece has a vibration region that extends in a band-like shape in the second direction of the crystal piece and non-vibration regions that are adjacent to opposed sides of the vibration region in the first direction of the crystal piece.

Abstract: A crystal vibration element that includes a crystal piece that has a prescribed crystal orientation, and a first direction and a second direction in a plan view thereof; and excitation electrodes that are respectively provided on front and rear surfaces of the crystal piece in order to excite a thickness shear vibration in the crystal piece upon application of an alternating electric field. A vibration distribution of the crystal piece has a vibration region that extends in a band-like shape in the second direction of the crystal piece and non-vibration regions that are adjacent to opposed sides of the vibration region in the first direction of the crystal piece.

Abstract: The objective is to provide a technique that facilitates deciding on the lighting conditions of a lighting device illuminating an exhibit. A lighting device (A-1) illuminates a mannequin exhibited in a show window. A portable communication terminal (20A) captures an image of the mannequin and displays the captured image (28) of the mannequin. The portable communication terminal (20A) receives designation of a desired position on the mannequin in the displayed captured image (28) and acquires a color codeword that identifies the color in the captured image (28) for the designated desired position. A server (40) refers to a lighting condition database (61) storing a plurality of lighting conditions associated with a plurality of colors to determine the lighting condition associated with the color codeword acquired by the portable communication terminal (20A).

Abstract: A crystal vibration element that includes a crystal piece that has a prescribed crystal orientation, and a first direction and a second direction in a plan view thereof; and excitation electrodes that are respectively provided on front and rear surfaces of the crystal piece in order to excite a thickness shear vibration in the crystal piece upon application of an alternating electric field. A vibration distribution of the crystal piece has a vibration region that extends in a band-like shape in the second direction of the crystal piece and non-vibration regions that are adjacent to opposed sides of the vibration region in the first direction of the crystal piece.

Abstract: A crystal vibration element that includes a crystal piece that has a prescribed crystal orientation, and a first direction and a second direction in a plan view thereof; and excitation electrodes that are respectively provided on front and rear surfaces of the crystal piece in order to excite a thickness shear vibration in the crystal piece upon application of an alternating electric field. A vibration distribution of the crystal piece has a vibration region that extends in a band-like shape in the second direction of the crystal piece and non-vibration regions that are adjacent to opposed sides of the vibration region in the first direction of the crystal piece.

Abstract: A crystal vibration element that includes a crystal piece that has a prescribed crystal orientation, and a first direction and a second direction in a plan view thereof; and excitation electrodes that are respectively provided on front and rear surfaces of the crystal piece in order to excite a thickness shear vibration in the crystal piece upon application of an alternating electric field. A vibration distribution of the crystal piece has a vibration region that extends in a band-like shape in the second direction of the crystal piece and non-vibration regions that are adjacent to opposed sides of the vibration region in the first direction of the crystal piece.

Abstract: A crystal vibration element that includes a crystal piece that has a prescribed crystal orientation, and a first direction and a second direction in a plan view thereof; and excitation electrodes that are respectively provided on front and rear surfaces of the crystal piece in order to excite a thickness shear vibration in the crystal piece upon application of an alternating electric field. A vibration distribution of the crystal piece has a vibration region that extends in a band-like shape in the second direction of the crystal piece and non-vibration regions that are adjacent to opposed sides of the vibration region in the first direction of the crystal piece.

Abstract: A crystal vibration element that includes a crystal piece that has a prescribed crystal orientation, and a first direction and a second direction in a plan view thereof; and excitation electrodes that are respectively provided on front and rear surfaces of the crystal piece in order to excite a thickness shear vibration in the crystal piece upon application of an alternating electric field. A vibration distribution of the crystal piece has a vibration region that extends in a band-like shape in the second direction of the crystal piece and non-vibration regions that are adjacent to opposed sides of the vibration region in the first direction of the crystal piece.

Abstract: A crystal vibration element that includes a crystal piece that has a prescribed crystal orientation, and a first direction and a second direction in a plan view thereof; and excitation electrodes that are respectively provided on front and rear surfaces of the crystal piece in order to excite a thickness shear vibration in the crystal piece upon application of an alternating electric field. A vibration distribution of the crystal piece has a vibration region that extends in a band-like shape in the second direction of the crystal piece and non-vibration regions that are adjacent to opposed sides of the vibration region in the first direction of the crystal piece.

Abstract: A light source support apparatus includes: a base member; a first support member supporting the base member rotatably about a first axis; first and second arm members connected respectively to opposite ends of the base member and extending in a direction parallel to the first axis; and a pair of second support members disposed at respective positions, which are opposite to each other, of the first and second arm members for supporting a sample light source. The pair of second support members is configured to be able to rotate the supported sample light source about a second axis orthogonal to the first axis. At least one of the first and second arm members is configured to be attachable to and detachable from the base member.

Abstract: An ink jet head unit including a head (2) in which a plurality of nozzle arrays (2a, 2b, 2c, 2d) are formed. Each of the nozzle arrays has a number of nozzle holes, and ink can be ejected from the nozzle holes. The head (2) is mounted on the head base, and flat cables (4a, 4b) are connected at one end to mounting parts (7a, 7b), which are interposed between a first pair of the nozzle arrays (2a, 2b) and a second pair of the nozzle arrays (2c, 2d). The flat cables are flexibly formed by covering transmission wires with an insulation film. The flat cables are connected to the head to transmit ink ejection signals for driving the head.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method are disclosed with which deteriorated edible oil is regenerated into fresher oil by lowering its oxidation degree. The apparatus comprises an air processor unit comprising a first air flow path configured to have an inlet and an outlet and allow air to pass between magnets positioned in close vicinity with their opposite magnetic poles facing each other, and a second air flow path connected to the outlet of the first air flow path and provided with a far-infrared ray emitter member therein; a pump for pressure feeding air to the inlet to the first flow path of the air processor unit; a length of tubing which is connected to the outlet of the second air flow path of the air processor unit, and one or more air spewing holes provided at the tip of the length of tubing. And the method of the invention comprises bringing the air from the apparatus into contact with the deteriorated oil to be treated.

Abstract: Plural nozzle arrays of which each comprises plural nozzle holes (247a) from which ink is ejected are arranged slantingly in a main scanning direction. A distance between a first arbitrary nozzle hole (247a-1) and a second nozzle hole (247a-2), in a nozzle array adjacent to the array to which this first nozzle hole (247a-1) belongs, which is adjacent to the first nozzle hole (247a-1), and a distance between the first nozzle hole (247a-1) and a third nozzle hole (247a-3), in the nozzle array to which the second nozzle hole (247a-2) belongs, which is further adjacent to the first nozzle hole (247a-1) are different from each other.

Abstract: A lead content in a piezoelectric thin film (3) of a piezoelectric element (20) is made smaller as compared to stoichiometric composition. More specifically, the piezoelectric thin film (3) is made of lead zirconate titanate expressed as Pb(1-x)(Zr(1-s)Tis)O3(0<s<1) or lead-zirconate-titanate-based oxide expressed as (Pb(1-x-y)Ay)(Zr(1-s-t)TisBt)O3(0<s<1, 0<t<1-s) where A is a substitutive metal ion in an A-site in the perovskite crystalline structure and B is a substitutive metal ion in a B-site in the perovskite crystalline structure. The value of x, which indicates a deficiency in Pb content in each composition, is more than 0 but not more than 0.15.

Abstract: In a piezoelectric element, a cubic or tetragonal orientation control layer (15) is provided on a first electrode layer (14), and formed on the orientation control layer (15) is a piezoelectric layer (16) having a rhombohedral or tetragonal crystalline structure and made of lead zirconate titanate to which a Pb-containing complex perovskite compound expressed by the chemical formula Pb(AaBb)O3 has been added in an amount that is from 1 mol % to 50 mol %. The piezoelectric layer (16) is formed so that the crystal grains thereof become columnar grains which extend in the thickness direction of the piezoelectric layer (16) and in which the ratio of the average cross-sectional diameter to the length is from 1/50 to 1/14.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus, which performs printing by ink ejection, includes a pressure chamber in which ink liquid is filled; a nozzle hole (116) which is formed so as to communicate with the pressure chamber; a piezoelectric element (113) which is formed on the pressure chamber, and deforms the pressure chamber by mechanical expansion and contraction, whereby pressure is generated in the pressure chamber and ink is ejected from the nozzle hole (116); and a dew point control unit (123) which maintains a dew point in an atmosphere of the piezoelectric element (113) and the vicinity of the piezoelectric element at a lower value than a dew point in an environment where the ink jet recording apparatus is set. The dew point control unit (123) includes a compressor (123a), and an air drier (123b) which dries compression gas from the compressor (123a) and feeds it to the piezoelectric element.

Abstract: A piezoelectric element includes a first electrode; a piezoelectric layered film composed of a first piezoelectric film formed on the first electrode film and a second piezoelectric film that is formed on the first piezoelectric film and is controlled in crystal orientation thereof by the first piezoelectric film; and a second electrode film formed on the second piezoelectric film. Each of the first and second piezoelectric films is an aggregate of columnar grains grown unidirectionally along a thickness direction of the piezoelectric layered film. A columnar grain of the second piezoelectric film has a larger cross-sectional diameter than a columnar grain of the first piezoelectric film. A ratio l/d of the thickness l of the piezoelectric layered film to the cross-sectional diameter d of the second piezoelectric film is not less than 20 and not more than 60.

Abstract: In a piezoelectric element comprising a first electrode 2 provided on a substrate 1, a piezoelectric material 3 provided on the first electrode 2 and a second electrode 4 provided on the piezoelectric material 3, the piezoelectric material 3 is configured so as to have a perovskite type crystal structure which is represented by a formula ABO3 and in which the main component for the A site is Pb and the main components for the B site are Zr, Ti and Pb, and configured so that a ratio of Pb atoms to all atoms in the B site is more than 3% and not more than 30%. Namely, the piezoelectric material 3 is formed so as to contain Pb excessively and the excess Pb atoms are activated to be Pb4+ during formation of the piezoelectric material 3 and then introduced into the B site.

Abstract: To manufacture a compact and high-performance thin-film piezoelectric bimorph element at low cost, first and second piezoelectric thin films (2, 3) are formed by sputtering on the both surfaces of a metal thin plate (1) which are opposing relation to each other along the thickness thereof, while the respective states of polarizations of the first and second piezoelectric thin films (2, 3) are controlled. A pair of electrode films (5) are formed on the respective surfaces of the first and second piezoelectric thin films (2, 3) opposite to the metal thin plate (1).

Abstract: A piezoelectric thin film can achieve a large piezoelectric displacement. A chemical composition of the piezoelectric thin film is expressed by Pb1+a(ZrxTi1?x)O3+a(0.2?a?0.6 and 0.50?x?0.62). The crystal structure of the piezoelectric thin film is a mixture of a perovskite columnar crystal region (24) having an ionic defect in which a portion of the constitutive elements of an oxygen ion, a titanium ion, and a zirconium ion is missing and a perovskite columnar crystal region (25) of stoichiometric composition having no ionic defect. This configuration allows a residual compressive stress in the crystal to be relaxed by the perovskite columnar crystal region (24) having an ionic defect, thus achieving a large piezoelectric displacement (displacement amount).