Abstract: A lapping machine for lapping a row bar includes a lap plate for providing a lapping surface, a row tool having a plurality of bend cells formed by defining a plurality of slits, a pressure mechanism for pressing the row tool toward the lapping surface of the lap plate, and a bend mechanism for bending the bend cells of the row tool toward the lapping surface of the lap plate. The bend mechanism includes an air cylinder unit having a plurality of double-acting air cylinders, a plurality of racks operatively connected to the double-acting air cylinders, respectively, a plurality of drive pinions arranged coaxially and meshing with the racks, respectively, each drive pinion having a lever for driving the corresponding bend cell, a plurality of support pinions arranged coaxially and meshing with the racks, respectively, and a guide mechanism for guiding each rack, the respective drive pinion, and the respective support pinion in substantially the same plane.

Abstract: A lapping machine comprises a lapping surface plate (1) rotated by a rotating mechanism, a lapping jig (28) having a plurality of projections to bottom surfaces of which a work (30) to be lapped by a lapping surface on the lapping surface plate (1) is fitted, amount-of-projection adjusting elements (29) for adjusting the variation of the plurality of projections (28c) to the lapping surface plate (1) individually, and a control circuit (36) for outputting variation-of-projection control signals to the variation-of-projection adjusting elements (29).

Abstract: A lapping machine for lapping a row bar includes a lap plate for providing a lapping surface, a row tool having a plurality of bend cells formed by defining a plurality of slits, a pressure mechanism for pressing the row tool toward the lapping surface of the lap plate, and a bend mechanism for bending the bend cells of the row tool toward the lapping surface of the lap plate. The bend mechanism includes an air cylinder unit having a plurality of double-acting air cylinders, a plurality of racks operatively connected to the double-acting air cylinders, respectively, a plurality of drive pinions arranged coaxially and meshing with the racks, respectively, each drive pinion having a lever for driving the corresponding bend cell, a plurality of support pinions arranged coaxially and meshing with the racks, respectively, and a guide mechanism for guiding each rack, the respective drive pinion, and the respective support pinion in substantially the same plane.

Abstract: Disclosed is a magnetic head manufacturing method for accurately measuring resistance value whereby magnetic heads are processed while measuring the resistance values of process monitoring element. After forming on a wafer magnetic head elements and monitoring element, in which resistance values change in analog fashion in line with processing, these elements are cut from the wafer. Next, the magnetic heads are processed to a prescribed height while measuring the resistance values of the monitoring element. In the forming process, the difference &Dgr;I between the positions of the magnetic head elements and monitoring element is measured in advance, and this difference &Dgr;I is used to convert the resistance values of the monitoring element to the height of the magnetic head elements. This makes it possible to correct errors in masks. Furthermore, patterns can be formed accurately by setting the position of the monitoring element to the same position as the magnetoresistive film of the magnetic heads.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method including the steps of cutting a wafer to prepare a row block having a plurality of head elements arranged in a matrix, bonding a plate member to one side surface of the row block, bonding a row tool to another side surface of the row block bonded to the plate member opposite to the one side surface, and cutting the row block to prepare a row bar bonded to the row tool and having a row of the head elements. A bonding apparatus for realizing the above bonding steps is also disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed are a lapping apparatus and a lapping method for compensating for warp in a work to be lapped, wherein the warp of the work is compensated for during the lapping process. A warp quantity of the work is detected during the lapping process and compensation is made. Hence, even warp caused during the lapping process can be compensated. It is also feasible to save the task of measuring the warp quantity of the work before lapping. An air pressure mechanism for applying pressure to the work in accordance with an air supply pressure is used as a warp straightening mechanism, whereby a minute warp quantity can be compensated for and controlled to zero. With the air pressure mechanism being adopted, it is possible to prevent excessive pressure from being applied to a lap jig.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a lapping machine for lapping a row bar having a plurality of head sliders. The lapping machine includes a lap plate for providing a lapping surface, a row tool having a work surface for pressing the row bar against the lapping surface, and a mechanism for operating the row tool so that a given pressure distribution is produced between the row bar and the lapping surface. The row tool has a plurality of holes arranged along the work surface. The mechanism includes a plurality of pivoted links each having a load point where a force having a direction perpendicular to the work surface is applied to the row tool in each of the holes. Each of the pivoted links further has a support point as the fulcrum and an effort point where a force having a direction substantially parallel to the work surface is received. The ratio of a distance between the load point and the support point to a distance between the effort point and the support point is substantially constant.

Abstract: According to a first aspect of this invention, it is assumed that the recording is carried out on the recording medium by a non-catalyst-containing recording agent and a liquid-state catalyst is coated on the recording medium at the time of erasing processing and subsequently the heating and irradiation of near infrared rays are carried out as the erasing processing. Also, according to a second aspect of this invention, it is assumed that the recording is carried out on the recording medium by a catalyst-containing recording agent and, at the erasing processing time, the heating and irradiation of the recording agent are simultaneously carried out using a thermal emission and near IR irradiation source such as a halogen lamp.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of polishing a workpiece having a plurality of resistance elements by operating a plurality of bend mechanisms to push/pull the workpiece with respect to a polishing surface. This method includes the steps of measuring a shape of the workpiece, calculating an operational amount of each bend mechanism according to the shape measured, pressing the workpiece on the polishing surface with the bend mechanisms according to the operational amount calculated, and updating the operational amount according to a working amount of the workpiece. According to this method, magnetic heads included in the workpiece can be stably polished.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an automatic lapping method for lapping a work piece and a lapping apparatus using the same. The lapping apparatus laps a work piece by moving the mounting base 103 relatively to a lapping plate 104. On a coarse processing step, the lapping plate 104 is controlled with high speed as detecting a remaining amount for lapping the work piece. Then, on a fine processing step, said lapping plate 104 is controlled with low speed by detecting that the remaining amount h for lapping said work piece has reached to a predetermined amount H0. Thereby, it becomes possible to continuously execute the coarse processing and the fine processing in one lapping apparatus.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an automatic lapping method and a lapping apparatus for lapping a work piece, which is bonded to a row bar, including a thin-film element in order to control the lapping process by accurately measuring height of the work piece. The automatic lapping apparatus may include a lapping plate for lapping a thin-film, which is bonded to a row bar, including a monitoring element having at least an analog resistance value which is analogously varied according to lapping; and a controller for converting the analog resistance value to height of said thin-film element and controlling said lapping plate to stop the lapping process when the height of the thin-film element has reached to a targeted value, wherein said controller employs a previously measured resistance value as a currently measured resistance value when the currently measured resistance value is less than the previously measured resistance value.

Abstract: A method for adhering a member and an apparatus for adhering the member to a base is useful for preventing warping of the member and non-uniformity of the strength of adhesion. After the adhesive application unit is positioned at a first position at a fixed distance from an initial application position of the base, movement of the unit is started from the first position with the moving unit while the action of discharging adhesive of the application unit is started. Next, the action of discharging adhesive of the application unit is completed at the final application position of the base and the movement is stopped at a second position at a fixed distance from the final application position of the base. This results in movement of the application unit at a constant speed from the initial application position to the final application position of the block. Therefore, non-uniformity of the adhesive layer at the initial application position and the final application position of the block can be prevented.

Abstract: According to a first aspect of this invention, it is assumed that the recording is carried out on the recording medium by a non-catalyst-containing recording agent and a liquid-state catalyst is coated on the recording medium at the time of erasing processing and subsequently the heating and irradiation of near infrared rays are carried out as the erasing processing. Also, according to a second aspect of this invention, it is assumed that the recording is carried out on the recording medium by a catalyst-containing recording agent and, at the erasing processing time, the heating and irradiation of the recording agent are simultaneously carried out using a thermal emission and near IR irradiation source such as a halogen lamp.

Abstract: A lapping apparatus for uniformly laps work pieces. The lapping apparatus includes a rotary lapping plate, a lapping base including a plurality of pads contacting the lapping plate, an adapter including first and second surfaces for supporting the mounting base contacting the lapping plate, and a supporting mechanism provided on the lapping base for supporting the second surface of the adapter by a supporting point. As the adapter supporting the work piece is supported on two points on the work piece and one supporting point of the lapping plate, the lapping surface of the work piece may follow as the lapping plate. Accordingly, it becomes possible to uniformly lap the work piece regardless of accuracy of the lapping base.

Abstract: A signal communication system includes a control portion and an operation portion. The control portion has an output data transmitter for transmitting output data to the operation portion in the form of a serial signal, and an input data receiver for receiving input data signal from the operation portion. The operation portion has an input data transmitter for transmitting the input data to the control portion in the form of a serial signal, and an output data receiver for receiving the output data from the control signal, and an operable device for executing an operation in accordance with the output data. The control portion further has an output data memory for storing output data, a timing signal generator for generating a timing signal, and a timing signal transmitter for transmitting the timing signal to the output data transmitter and the operable device.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to the provision of a sheet feeder unit mounted in a copying machine or the like having a sheet transport mechanism. The sheet feeder unit feeds sheets to the sheet transport mechanism, and the sheets fed into the sheet transport mechanism are transported by the sheet transport mechanism. Each sheet being transported by the sheet transport mechanism is detected by a pair of sensors disposed with a prescribed space provided between each other, and the sheet transporting speed is calculated from the time in which the sheet travels the distance between the two sensors. The sheet feeding condition is set on the basis of the sheet transporting speed of the sheet feeder unit so that the sheets fed from the sheet feeder unit do not overlap each other.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit constructed on a single chip. Either one of a signal inputted to a clock signal input terminal and a signal obtained by dividing the frequency of the clock signal inputted to the clock signal input terminal is selected by a selecting circuit responsive to a selection signal supplied from the exterior of the chip to be supplied to a control circuit. Consequently, the frequency dividing circuit can be bypassed in response to the selecting circuit. Accordingly, it is possible to easily provide operation at a high frequency exceeding the maximum operating frequency of component devices forming the semiconductor integrated circuit. This can be done by connecting an external circuit having the same function as that of the circuit bypassed and capable of higher-speed operation.

Abstract: Toner collecting apparatus in which a toner collecting container for collecting toner remaining on the surface of a photosensitive drum in a copying machine or a facsimile machine is provided, at the lower side thereof, with a toner receiving port, a sponge roller for rotatingly feeding collected tone disposed adjacent the toner receiving port, and an optical detector for detecting that a predetermined amount or more toner has been collected in the toner collecting container. The optical detector, is disposed on the toner collecting container. At least those portions of the toner collecting container located opposite to the optical detector are made of a light-permeable material.