Abstract: A microchip is disclosed. One embodiment of the microchip has a flow pass for containing a reaction. A detection target region wherein light from the reaction is to be generated is located within at least a portion of the flow pass. The microchip has an optical path for detecting the light from the reaction. A length of the optical path is greater than a depth of the flow pass.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a microchip provided with a specimen flow pass, a reagent flow pass, a confluence flow pass all of which are fine flow passes. The specimen flow pass allows specimen to flow toward one end thereof. The reagent flow pass is connected to that end of the specimen flow pass and allows at least one reagent to flow for reaction with the specimen. The confluence flow pass extends from that end of the specimen flow pass and allows the confluent specimen and reagent to flow. A sensing portion is assigned near or at the confluence flow pass, and the reaction of the specimen and the reagent is capable of being detected or observed there. Further to this, the microchip comprises a force applying means for reciprocally moving the specimen and the reagent at the sensing portion.

Abstract: An electrostatic inkjet head has first and second electrodes. The first electrode is supported on a substrate and the second electrode is on a diaphragm so that a gap is formed between the first and second electrodes. A drive circuit is connected to the first and second electrodes to apply a voltage or pulse between the electrodes. When a voltage is applied between the electrodes, an electrostatic attraction force is generated between the electrodes. The attraction force displaces the diaphragm toward the substrate. This displacement of the diaphragm is used for the ejection of ink. Also, when the voltage is turned off, opposing central portions of the first and second electrodes define a gap that is greater than that defined by opposing end portions of the first and second electrodes.

Abstract: An ink jet head for a printer wherein an ink drop is ejected from a nozzle to fly and land on the recording paper to form an image. The ink jet head includes the nozzle for ejecting ink, an ink channel that communicates with the nozzle, a pair of oscillating plates that are opposing to each other on walls of the ink channel, a pair of electrodes disposed in contact with the oscillating plates, an ink chamber for holding the ink, and an inlet for supplying the ink from the ink chamber to the ink channel. A gap between the electrodes is filled with the ink having a relative dielectric constant higher than air. A voltage is applied between the electrodes.

Abstract: An ink-jet recording device (1) comprises a first wall member or partition (24a) adjacent to an ink material (38a) and a second wall member or partition (24b) adjacent to an ink material (38b). An elasticity of the first wall member (24a) is different from that of the second wall member (24b). Arranged adjacent to the first and second wall members (24a, 24b) are first and second piezoelectric members (34), respectively. Once the piezoelectric members (34) are biased, they deform to force the adjacent ink materials through the wall members (24a,24b), ejecting ink droplets of different sizes. This ensures the ink-jet recording head to print a halftone image with a high gradation.