Abstract: An image recording apparatus including: (i) a first controlling portion configured to intermittently convey a following sheet at a second velocity together with intermittent conveyance of a preceding sheet at a first velocity higher than the second velocity; (ii) a predicting portion configured to predict one of the successive intermittent conveyances of the following sheet which is performed together with one of the successive intermittent conveyances of the preceding sheet which causes the trailing end of the preceding sheet to pass a reference position; and (iii) a second controlling portion configured to inhibit the predicted one of the successive intermittent conveyances of the following sheet, and configured to convey the following sheet at a third conveying velocity higher than the second conveying velocity, from a point of time at which the trailing end of the preceding sheet passes the reference position, such that conveyance of the following sheet at the third conveying velocity is stopped without a

Abstract: A method and a system for stabilizing the sight line of a chip component being carried on two discs, for stabilizing delivery of the chip component between the two discs, and improving and stabilizing the inspection accuracy in the visual check of the chip component. This is achieved by employing a mechanism for carrying the chip component while supporting it on the horizontal plane of the first rotary disc and then carrying the chip component while suction-holding it on the vertical plane of the second rotary disc. When the chip component is carried on the first rotary disc, the upper surface and one side face of the chip component are imaged by first and second cameras. When the chip component is carried on the second rotary disc, the lower surface and the other side face of the chip component are imaged by third and fourth cameras.

Abstract: A method and a system for stabilizing the sight line of a chip component being carried on two discs, for stabilizing delivery of the chip component between the two discs, and improving and stabilizing the inspection accuracy in the visual check of the chip component. This is achieved by employing a mechanism for carrying the chip component while supporting it on the horizontal plane of the first rotary disc and then carrying the chip component while suction-holding it on the vertical plane of the second rotary disc. When the chip component is carried on the first rotary disc, the upper surface and one side face of the chip component are imaged by first and second cameras. When the chip component is carried on the second rotary disc, the lower surface and the other side face of the chip component are imaged by third and fourth cameras.

Abstract: An ink-jet recording apparatus, including: a recording head including ink chambers each provided for each of inks of mutually different colors and nozzles each communicating with either of the ink chambers, the recording head performing recording by ejecting, from each of the nozzles, a corresponding one of the inks which corresponds to said each of the nozzles; an ink suction device including a cap arranged to fluid-tightly cover a nozzle surface of the recording head in which the nozzles are formed, the ink suction device sucking the inks from the nozzles utilizing the cap; and a control device for controlling the ink-jet recording apparatus, the control device including an initial-cleaning-operation executing portion which executes, upon initial working of the apparatus, an initial cleaning operation including: controlling the ink suction device to execute an initial ink sucking action wherein the inks are sucked from the nozzles; and controlling the recording head to execute (a) an all-nozzle-ink-ejecting

Abstract: In an ultrasonic mounting apparatus, a pressing shaft coupled with a voice coil motor to apply a load on a part to be mounted is placed independently from components including a bonding tool, ultrasonic horn, transducer, and horn support member. The components can move coaxially with the pressing shaft which is an application axis of a driving force. Abutting position of the bonding tool and pressing shaft is brought into coincidence with a node of a standing wave generated in the bonding tool.

Abstract: A mounting apparatus applies ultrasonic vibration exactly to a junction between a SMD and a SMD receiving device and maintains the junction at the suitable temperature, in simple construction in ultrasonic bonding of the SMD and the SMD receiving device held by holding unit. This includes SMD holding unit, SMD receiving device holding unit, moving unit moving at least one of the SMD holding unit and SMD receiving device holding units to contact each other, vibration generating unit applying ultrasonic vibration to the a contact portion between the SMD and the SMD receiving device, pressing unit applying an bias force between the SMD and SMD receiving device, heating unit arranged movably so as to surround in a noncontact manner a portion of the SMD holding unit near the SMD and heating the SMD holding unit, and interlocking unit interlocking the heating unit with the SMD holding unit.

Abstract: In a conductive material supply apparatus that can connect a small slider electrode and a wiring electrode on a flexure in a miniaturized magnetic head, electrically conductive material is supplied, with the aid of flow of nitrogen gas that is pressurized to a first pressure, into the interior of a nozzle assembly that defines an interior space having a nozzle orifice through which the electrically conductive material can pass. After the electrically conductive material has been supplied, the flow of the nitrogen gas is stopped, and the interior space is temporarily brought into communication with the exterior space thereby decreasing the pressure in the interior space. Thereafter, nitrogen gas maintained at a second pressure that is designed to be lower than the first pressure is supplied to the interior space, whereby the electrically conductive material is ejected to the exterior from the nozzle orifice by the effect of the second pressure.

Abstract: Provided is an apparatus for adjusting static attitude of a thin film magnetic head attached to a flexure of a head arm assembly. The apparatus has an adjusting unit for bending the flexure, a laser emitter unit for irradiating a laser beam to a bent area of the flexure a measuring unit for measuring a static attitude angle of the thin film magnetic head, and a computer system including a CPU and a memory unit in which adjustment conditions corresponding to static attitude angles of the thin film magnetic head are previously ranked and memorized. The CPU is configured to retrieve from the memory unit a particular adjustment condition corresponding to a measured angle supplied from the measuring unit and supply the retrieved adjustment condition to the adjusting unit, enabling the adjusting unit to bend the flexure based on the retrieved adjustment condition supplied from the computer system.

Abstract: The present invention provides a solder ball bonding method and a solder ball bonding apparatus, which can enhance efficiency of bonding processing and in which plural electrodes formed on objects to be bonded are bonded to each other by melting a solder ball. In the present invention, the solder balls are picked up by a pick-up nozzle having a plurality of pick-up openings corresponding to electrode areas on the objects to be bonded and the solder balls are conveyed on the electrode areas. A laser radiating unit disposed independently above the pick-up nozzle is shifted along an arrangement direction of the pick-up openings and a laser beam from the laser radiating unit is irradiated onto the solder ball through a transparent member of the pick-up nozzle and through the pick-up opening of the pick-up nozzle, thereby melting the solder ball on the electrode area.

Abstract: In an ultrasonic mounting apparatus, a pressing shaft coupled with a voice coil motor to apply a load on a part to be mounted is placed independently from components including a bonding tool, ultrasonic horn, transducer, and horn support member. The components can move coaxially with the pressing shaft which is an application axis of a driving force. Abutting position of the bonding tool and pressing shaft is brought into coincidence with a node of a standing wave generated in the bonding tool.

Abstract: An image processing device includes an image quality determining unit that determines whether data of an original image meets a particular criterion of a particular image quality category, a thumbnail list image data generating unit that generates image data of a thumbnail list, and a mark adding unit that adds particular indicator mark image data to the thumbnail list image data when it is determined that the original image data does not meet the particular criterion. The particular indicator mark image data corresponds to a particular indicator mark positioned in the thumbnail list at a position corresponding to the thumbnail of the original image. The particular indicator mark indicates a result of the determination made by the image quality determining unit. An output unit outputs the thumbnail list based on the thumbnail list image data.

Abstract: Provided is a nozzle unit for use in a bonding device in which bonding between a first member and a second member is effected by providing a bonding member that has been melted by heating at a bonding position where the first member and the second member are to be bonded to each other. The nozzle unit includes: a cylindrical nozzle assembly having an accommodating space accommodating the bonding member, and an opening which allows ejection of the bonding member accommodated in the accommodating space onto the bonding position, which has a diameter larger than the diameter of the bonding member, and which communicates with the accommodating space; and a holding/releasing member for releasably holding the bonding member within the accommodating space.

Abstract: A horn that can suppress oscillation components other than the component in the horizontal direction, a horn unit, and a bonding apparatus using same are provided. The horn has a cross-section variable section in which a cross section perpendicular to the lengthwise direction (X direction) thereof has a first region extending in the Z direction and a pair of second regions sandwiching the first region from Y direction. In the position P3 corresponding to an anti-node of a standing wave of oscillations excited in the horn, a sectional area S1 of the first region assumes a maximum and a sectional area S2 of the second region assumes a minimum. With a transition from the position P3 to the other positions corresponding to nodes, the sectional area S1 decreases and the sectional area S2 increases. As a result, oscillation components other than those in the X direction are suppressed.

Abstract: A mounting apparatus applies ultrasonic vibration exactly to a junction between a SMD and a SMD receiving device and maintains the junction at the suitable temperature, in simple construction in ultrasonic bonding of the SMD and the SMD receiving device held by holding unit. This includes SMD holding unit, SMD receiving device holding unit, moving unit moving at least one of the SMD holding unit and SMD receiving device holding units to contact each other, vibration generating unit applying ultrasonic vibration to the a contact portion between the SMD and the SMD receiving device, pressing unit applying an bias force between the SMD and SMD receiving device, heating unit arranged movably so as to surround in a noncontact manner a portion of the SMD holding unit near the SMD and heating the SMD holding unit, and interlocking unit interlocking the heating unit with the SMD holding unit.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a bonding method or an apparatus for projecting a conductive element from a nozzle onto an object to be bonded and electrically bonding the object to be bonded and the conductive element. The method of invention comprises the steps of: preparing the conductive element having an outer diameter with a curvature radius larger than a curvature radius of a portion of an opening of the nozzle which is in contact with the conductive element; pressurizing and attaching the conductive element to the opening of the nozzle; and supplying a compressed gas into an inner space of the nozzle and projecting the conductive element in a solid phase state onto the object to be bonded.

Abstract: An ink jet printer is provided with an ink jet head, a recovery device, a timer, and a controller. The ink jet head discharges ink. The recovery device executes a recovery action to recover an ink discharging ability of the ink jet head. The timer measures time since a last recovery action of the recovery device. The controller selects an interval based on a printing history of the ink jet printer and controls the recovery device to execute the recovery action when the time measured by the timer becomes equal to the selected interval. The recovery action is performed at an appropriate timing.

Abstract: After introducing a solder ball from a hopper into a receiving hole of a ball separator, the ball separator is slid between blocks, and the solder ball is sent out to a portion outside of the blocks. By suctioning the solder ball from within a projected region on a lower block which is situated inside of the receiving hole at a time when the solder ball is taken into the receiving hole and surrounds a rolling trajectory of the solder ball that has been taken into the receiving hole, the solder ball is forcibly introduced into the receiving hole.

Abstract: In a conductive material supply apparatus that can connect a small slider electrode and a wiring electrode on a flexure in a miniaturized magnetic head, electrically conductive material is supplied, with the aid of flow of nitrogen gas that is pressurized to a first pressure, into the interior of a nozzle assembly that defines an interior space having a nozzle orifice through which the electrically conductive material can pass. After the electrically conductive material has been supplied, the flow of the nitrogen gas is stopped, and the interior space is temporarily brought into communication with the exterior space thereby decreasing the pressure in the interior space. Thereafter, nitrogen gas maintained at a second pressure that is designed to be lower than the first pressure is supplied to the interior space, whereby the electrically conductive material is ejected to the exterior from the nozzle orifice by the effect of the second pressure.

Abstract: A solder dispenser provides a cylindrical dispensing container which has a solder inlet for introducing a solder member, and an opening portion for discharging the above-mentioned solder member to the external, and forms an internal space where the solder member can fall between the above-mentioned solder inlet and the above-mentioned opening portion, and a solder supply portion which is detachably mounted in the dispensing container and holds the solder member, wherein, in a state that a lid member is mounted in the above-mentioned dispensing container, the above-mentioned solder supply portion holds the above-mentioned solder member in the opening region of the above-mentioned solder inlet and the above-mentioned internal space becomes a closed space except the above-mentioned opening portion, and wherein, when holding of the solder member is released, the solder member falls inside a closed space to arrive at the opening portion.

Abstract: A conductive member supply apparatus including a reservoir portion containing an internal space in which the conductive members are stored and a first gas-passing aperture communicating with the internal space, an alignment portion including an alignment path in which the conductive members are arranged in a row and which communicates with the internal space, and a second gas-passing aperture communicating with the alignment path, a stopper for closing/opening the alignment path, first gas supply unit which supplies gas to the alignment path from the first gas-passing aperture and through the internal space, second gas supply unit which supplies gas to the aligning direction of the conductive members from the second gas-passing aperture, and control unit which activates the first gas supply unit to supply gas in a state where the stopper is closed, wherein a distance between the second gas-passing aperture and the stopper along a direction of the alignment is substantially within a range of from a dimension o