Abstract: A lens barrel, that can be made thinner, has a lens holding frame that holds a lens; a driving part that is held by the lens holding frame; aperture blades including a first engaging part and a second engaging part; a first member that engages with the first engaging part and can be rotated around an optical axis by the driving part; and a second member that engages with the second engaging part and is provided with the aperture blade arranged between the second member and the first member.

Abstract: A magnetic film plating apparatus employs a dip method that allows relatively good escape of bubbles and does not require a wide footprint and, even when a ferromagnetic material is used for an anode, can form a magnetic film on a substrate surface while minimizing the influence of the anode on the uniformity of magnetic anisotropy in the magnetic film. The magnetic film plating apparatus includes a plating tank for holding a plating solution, an anode vertically disposed in the plating tank at a position to be immersed in the plating solution, a substrate holder for holding a substrate W and positioning the substrate W opposite the anode, and a magnetic field generator, disposed outside the plating tank, for generating a magnetic field around the substrate W held by the substrate holder and positioned opposite the anode.

Abstract: Disclosed is a chromium-free rust-inhibitive surface treatment agent to form a siliceous film that rarely cracks or peels off and yields an excellent rust-inhibitive performance on zinc surfaces of a metal part. The chromium-free rust-inhibitive surface treatment agent is an alcoholic solution of alkoxysilane oligomer having weight-averaged molecular weight of 1,000 to 10,000, and 2.5 to 15% of silicon in molecules of the alkoxysilane oligomer has been replaced with titanium. To prepare partly titanium-replaced alkoxysilane oligomer, titanium compound, in which about a half of alkoxy groups in titanium tetraalkoxide has been chelated, is reacted with tetraalkoxysilane monomer or alkoxysilane oligomer in the alcoholic solution.

Abstract: Disclosed is a chromium-free rust-inhibitive surface treatment agent to form a siliceous film that rarely cracks or peels off and yields an excellent rust-inhibitive performance on zinc surfaces of a metal part. The chromium-free rust-inhibitive surface treatment agent is an alcoholic solution of alkoxysilane oligomer having weight-averaged molecular weight of 1,000 to 10,000, and 2.5 to 15% of silicon in molecules of the alkoxysilane oligomer has been replaced with titanium. To prepare partly titanium-replaced alkoxysilane oligomer, titanium compound, in which about a half of alkoxy groups in titanium tetraalkoxide has been chelated, is reacted with tetraalkoxysilane monomer or alkoxysilane oligomer in the alcoholic solution.

Abstract: Disclosed is a chromium-free rust-inhibitive surface treatment agent to form a siliceous film that rarely cracks or peels off and yields an excellent rust-inhibitive performance on zinc surfaces of a metal part. The chromium-free rust-inhibitive surface treatment agent is an alcoholic solution of alkoxysilane oligomer having weight-averaged molecular weight of 1,000 to 10,000, and 2.5 to 15% of silicon in molecules of the alkoxysilane oligomer has been replaced with titanium. To prepare partly titanium-replaced alkoxysilane oligomer, titanium compound, in which about a half of alkoxy groups in titanium tetraalkoxide has been chelated, is reacted with tetraalkoxysilane monomer or alkoxysilane oligomer in the alcoholic solution.

Abstract: A plating apparatus has an ashing unit (300) configured to perform an ashing process on a resist (502) applied on a surface of a seed layer (500) formed on a substrate (W), and a pre-wetting section (26) configured to provide hydrophilicity to a surface of the substrate after the ashing process. The plating apparatus includes a pre-soaking section (28) configured to bring the surface of the substrate into contact with a treatment solution to clean or activate a surface of the seed layer formed on the substrate. The plating apparatus also includes a plating unit (34) configured to bring the surface of the substrate into a plating solution in a plating tank while the resist is used as a mask so as to form a plated film (504) on the surface of the seed layer formed on the substrate.

Abstract: A plating method and a plating apparatus, which has a plurality of plating units, for plating a substrate. Each of the plating units includes a plating tank for containing a plating solution therein, a water cleaning tank, disposed adjacent to said plating tank for cleaning the substrate with water, a substrate holder for holding the substrate in a vertical orientation, a vertical displacing mechanism for vertically dipping the substrate holder and a substrate held thereby in the plating solution in the plating tank, and a lateral displacing mechanism or a back-and-forth displacing mechanism for moving the substrate holder while holding the substrate in a vertical orientation between the plating tank and the water cleaning tank. The plating unit also includes a loading/unloading station for loading and unloading the substrate, and a transfer device for transferring the substrate between the plating unit and the loading/unloading station.

Abstract: A plating apparatus and method bubbles generated at the plating surfaces easily removed and the uniformity of the thickness of the plated film within the plated surface can be improved. The plating apparatus has a cassette table for loading a cassette in which a substrate having a plating surface is contained. An aligner for aligning the substrate, a rinser-dryer for rinsing and drying the substrate, and a plating unit for plating the substrate are also provided. The plating unit includes a plating vessel containing a plating solution, and a holder holds the substrate to immerse the substrate in the plating solution in the plating vessel. The plating surface is exposed to a nozzle which ejects the plating solution toward the plating surface.

Abstract: The present invention provides a chromium-free surface treating method capable of treating a surface of a metallic member having a surface of zinc or zinc alloy so as to provide good blackness and rust inhibitive performance, and an aqueous solution for chemical conversion coating that can be applied to the treatment method. The aqueous solution contains neither trivalent or hexavalent chromium ion, and contains 5-20 g of phosphate ions per liter, 0.1-3 g of divalent iron ions per liter, 1-10 g of divalent manganese ions per liter, and 1-3 g of nitrate ions per liter. The aqueous solution has a pH of 1-3. A black coating film of Fe3O4 is formed by immersing the metallic member in the aqueous solution, then a conversion coating film of cerium oxide is formed thereon, and then a siliceous coating film is formed thereon.

Abstract: Provided is a chromium-free metal surface treatment agent excellent in rust inhibitive performance which can be used in a surface treatment of metal products, in particular, galvanized metal products. The metal surface treatment agent consists essentially of a siliceous binder solution comprising water and/or alcohol as a solvent, and the concentration of the silica component is 8 to 25% by weight. In particular, a metal surface treatment agent containing an alcoholic solution of alkoxysilane oligomer having a weight averaged molecular weight of 1000 to 10000, which is obtained by hydrolyzed condensation polymerization of alkoxysilane, can suppress the occurrence of white rusting for a long time. It is preferred that 3 to 25 parts by weight of a dispersed nano-sized titanium dioxide powder having an average primary particle size of not more than 70 nm, per 100 parts by weight of the silica component be suspended in the siliceous binder solution.

Abstract: Provided is a chromium-free metal surface treatment agent excellent in rust inhibitive performance which can be used in a surface treatment of metal products, in particular, galvanized metal products. The metal surface treatment agent consists essentially of a siliceous binder solution comprising water and/or alcohol as a solvent, and the concentration of the silica component is 8 to 25% by weight. In particular, a metal surface treatment agent containing an alcoholic solution of alkoxysilane oligomer having a weight averaged molecular weight of 1000 to 10000, which is obtained by hydrolyzed condensation polymerization of alkoxysilane, can suppress the occurrence of white rusting for a long time. It is preferred that 3 to 25 parts by weight of a dispersed nano-sized titanium dioxide powder having an average primary particle size of not more than 70 nm, per 100 parts by weight of the silica component be suspended in the siliceous binder solution.

Abstract: A plating method and a plating apparatus, which has a plurality of plating units, for plating a substrate. Each of the plating units includes a plating tank for containing a plating solution therein, a water cleaning tank, disposed adjacent to said plating tank for cleaning the substrate with water, a substrate holder for holding the substrate in a vertical orientation, a vertical displacing mechanism for vertically dipping the substrate holder and a substrate held thereby in the plating solution in the plating tank, and a lateral displacing mechanism or a back-and-forth displacing mechanism for moving the substrate holder while holding the substrate in a vertical orientation between the plating tank and the water cleaning tank. The plating unit also includes a loading/unloading station for loading and unloading the substrate, and a transfer device for transferring the substrate between the plating unit and the loading/unloading station.

Abstract: A plating method and a plating apparatus, which has a plurality of plating units, for plating a substrate. Each of the plating units includes a plating tank for containing a plating solution therein, a water cleaning tank, disposed adjacent to said plating tank for cleaning the substrate with water, a substrate holder for holding the substrate in a vertical orientation, a vertical displacing mechanism for vertically dipping the substrate holder and a substrate held thereby in the plating solution in the plating tank, and a lateral displacing mechanism or a back-and-forth displacing mechanism for moving the substrate holder while holding the substrate in a vertical orientation between the plating tank and the water cleaning tank. The plating unit also includes a loading/unloading station for loading and unloading the substrate, and a transfer device for transferring the substrate between the plating unit and the loading/unloading station.

Abstract: A magnetic film plating apparatus employs a dip method that allows relatively good escape of bubbles and does not require a wide footprint and, even when a ferromagnetic material is used for an anode, can form a magnetic film on a substrate surface while minimizing the influence of the anode on the uniformity of magnetic anisotropy in the magnetic film. The magnetic film plating apparatus includes a plating tank for holding a plating solution; an anode vertically disposed in the plating tank at a position to be immersed in the plating solution; a substrate holder for holding a substrate W and positioning the substrate W opposite the anode; and a magnetic field generator, disposed outside the plating tank, for generating a magnetic field around the substrate W held by the substrate holder and positioned opposite the anode.

Abstract: A plating apparatus has an ashing unit (300) configured to perform an ashing process on a resist (502) applied on a surface of a seed layer (500) formed on a substrate (W), and a pre-wetting section (26) configured to provide hydrophilicity to a surface of the substrate after the ashing process. The plating apparatus includes a pre-soaking section (28) configured to bring the surface of the substrate into contact with a treatment solution to clean or activate a surface of the seed layer formed on the substrate. The plating apparatus also includes a plating unit (34) configured to bring the surface of the substrate into a plating solution in a plating tank while the resist is used as a mask so as to form a plated film (504) on the surface of the seed layer formed on the substrate.

Abstract: Provided is a chromium-free surface treatment method which imparts practical rust inhibitive performance to a metal product having a zinc surface to which it was difficult to impart rust inhibitive performance of practical level. A conversion-coated film of zinc phosphate etc. is formed on the zinc surface of the metal product as pretreatment, and the silica-based film is formed by applying a chromium-free surface treatment agent which uses alcohol or mixture of water and alcohol as a solvent to the conversion-coated film. As a result, when an aqueous surface treatment agent containing alcohol is applied, it is possible to suppress the formation of white rusting for 72 hours or longer in the salt spray test.

Abstract: Disclosed is a chromium-free rust-inhibitive surface treatment agent to form a siliceous film that rarely cracks or peels off and yields an excellent rust-inhibitive performance on zinc surfaces of a metal part. The chromium-free rust-inhibitive surface treatment agent is an alcoholic solution of alkoxysilane oligomer having weight-averaged molecular weight of 1,000 to 10,000, and 2.5 to 15% of silicon in molecules of the alkoxysilane oligomer has been replaced with titanium. To prepare partly titanium-replaced alkoxysilane oligomer, titanium compound, in which about a half of alkoxy groups in titanium tetraalkoxide has been chelated, is reacted with tetraalkoxysilane monomer or alkoxysilane oligomer in the alcoholic solution.

Abstract: A plating apparatus and method bubbles generated at the plating surfaces easily removed and the uniformity of the thickness of the plated film within the plated surface can be improved. The plating apparatus has a cassette table for loading a cassette in which a substrate having a plating surface is contained. An aligner for aligning the substrate, a rinser-dryer for rinsing and drying the substrate, and a plating unit for plating the substrate are also provided. The plating unit includes a plating vessel containing a plating solution, and a holder holds the substrate to immerse the substrate in the plating solution in the plating vessel. The plating surface is exposed to a nozzle which ejects the plating solution toward the plating surface.

Abstract: Provided is a chromium-free surface treatment method which imparts practical rust inhibitive performance to a metal product having a zinc surface to which it was difficult to impart rust inhibitive performance of practical level. A conversion-coated film of zinc phosphate etc. is formed on the zinc surface of the metal product as pretreatment, and the silica-based film is formed by applying a chromium-free surface treatment agent which uses alcohol or mixture of water and alcohol as a solvent to the conversion-coated film. As a result, when an aqueous surface treatment agent containing alcohol is applied, it is possible to suppress the formation of white rusting for 72 hours or longer in the salt spray test.

Abstract: The printer includes a CPU, a bridge image processing unit, a RAM, a ROM, a supply power control unit, a printing unit, a communication I/F, and physical layer I/Fs. When the Ethernet is connected to the communication I/F, if the DMA transfer request signal is not outputted from the DMAC for more than a specific time, the supply power control unit shifts into the sleep mode that halts the supplies of clock to the CPU, etc.; and if data is received from the host computer group, the supply power control unit releases the sleep mode. Further, in case that equipment conforming to the USB standard or the IEEE 1284 is connected to the communication I/F, if the DMA transfer request signal is not outputted from the DMAC for more than the specific time, the supply power control unit shifts into the power halt mode that halts the supply of power to the CPU, etc. Thus, the invention provides a printer capable of effectively reducing the power consumption.