Abstract: A method for producing a hot-rolled steel sheet which enables predicting a temperature history of unevenness of the end face of a coil includes: measuring a surface temperature of hot-rolled strip-shaped steel; calculating a temperature history in a natural cooling state after coiling, assuming that the strip-shaped steel has been coiled without unevenness on an end face, based on the surface temperature measured in the measurement step; actually coiling the strip-shaped steel after the measurement step; scanning with a displacement meter, an end face of a coil formed in the coiling step, and deriving a size of the unevenness of the end face over a radius of the coil; and predicting a temperature history of the unevenness in a natural cooling state using: the temperature history calculated in the first calculation step; and the size of the unevenness derived in the derivation step.

Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to allow a clean airflow around a substrate to reliably move downward of the substrate in an examination device in which clean air is supplied to an inspection chamber. This examination device is provided with a rectifying plate (see FIG. 4A) which covers a part of the upper surface of a stage for mounting a substrate, and is disposed between a gas supply unit and the stage to block an airflow toward the substrate.

Abstract: A steering column is supported on a rear support portion provided on a steering hanger and on a front support portion provided on a steering pivot connected to the steering hanger, and a steering shaft provided at its rear end with a steering wheel is rotatably supported by the steering column. Opposite ends of a connection member are pivotally supported at a dashboard lower member and the steering pivot by pins. If the dashboard lower member is retreated by a frontal collision of a vehicle, the steering pivot and the front support portion are raised upward by a load transmitted through the connection member, and the upper end of the steering column is turned in a rearward and downward direction about the rear support portion. With this arrangement, it is possible to prevent the steering wheel from being turned in an upward and forward direction, and an air bag can reliably be operated to protect the vehicle driver during the collision.

Abstract: A light beam scanning system comprises a stack of a wave guide layer and an adjacent layer normally exhibiting a refractive index smaller than that of the wave guide layer, the wave guide layer and/or the adjacent layer being made of a material whose refractive index changes by the application of energy. Many energy application devices are positioned at the wave guide layer and/or the adjacent layer along an optical path of wave guided inside of the wave guide layer. Dielectric gratings are positioned on the adjacent layer so as to correspond to sections where energy is applied. A drive circuit is provided for sequentially and selectively energizing the energy application devices, and changing the refractive index of the wave guide layer and/or the adjacent layer so that the guided wave is radiated out of the stack by interaction with the dielectric gratings at the sections where energy is applied.

Abstract: An optical shutter array comprising a transparent substrate of a material exhibiting an electrooptic effect having parallel channels and electrodes of a conductive resin composition disposed in the channels can be driven with a lower voltage while minimizing cross-talk. Contact pads on the channel electrodes facilitate wire bonding to the electrodes, and a transparent dielectric film covering the substrate surface prevents damage to the electrodes by air discharge and provides abrasion resistance. The use of an anisotropic conductive connector and a flexible printed wiring connector ensures simple positive wire connection.

Abstract: A light beam scanning system comprises a wave guide formed of a material allowing propagation of surface acoustic waves therethrough, and a means for generating the surface acoustic waves in the wave guide so that they advance along an optical path of light incident upon the wave guide, and a drive circuit for periodically applying a pulsewise voltage to the surface acoustic wave generating means. The wave guided inside of the wave guide is emitted out of the wave guide at the section where the surface acoustic waves are present by a coupling action of a grating generated by the surface acoustic waves with the guided wave.

Abstract: An electrophotographic light-sensitive material is described, comprising an electrically conductive support, an amorphous silicon photoconductive layer on the support, and a layer of amorphous material containing at least carbon and halogen atoms is provided on the photoconductive layer. This material is free from a serious reduction in resolving power as is encountered in conventional electrophotographic light-sensitive materials when they are exposed to corona discharge, particularly negative corona discharge under high temperature/humidity conditions.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photosensitive material comprising a conductive support having thereon, in succession, a photoconductive layer composed of an amorphous material containing silicon atom and a barrier layer mainly composed of carbon and silicon, nitrogen and silicon, or oxygen and silicon, and further on the barrier layer a surface improvement layer having a composition of carbon and silicon of from 0.70/1 to 0.95/1 by atomic ratio in carbon/carbon+silicon, and the composition ratio being larger than that of the barrier layer.

Abstract: In a process for producing vacuum deposition films which comprises providing a vacuum deposition film composed of an alloy or an intermetallic compound of two or more components having different vapor pressures at a specified temperature on a base, the improvement which comprises charging the component having the lower vapor pressure at said temperature to an evaporation source in a vacuum evaporation chamber in such an amount that the evaporation amount thereof per unit time does not substantially vary, and carrying out vacuum evaporation while continuously feeding a component having a higher vapor pressure at said temperature into said evaporation source in an amount corresponding to the evaporation amount thereof per unit time.

Abstract: A composition for a recording material comprising a bismuth-sulfur series material or a bismuth-germanium-sulfur series material.