Abstract: A toner supply device for supplying toner to a developing device includes: a first toner supply portion for supplying toner to a developing hopper; a second toner supply portion for supplying the stored toner to the first toner supply portion; a first toner supply driver for driving the first toner supply portion; a first residual toner quantity detector for detecting the residual toner quantity in the first toner supply portion; a second toner supply driver for driving the second toner supply portion; a second residual toner quantity detector for detecting the residual toner quantity in the second toner supply portion; and a controller for controlling the drives of the first and second toner supply drivers by switching on and off the drives of the first and second toner supply drivers in accordance with the residual toner quantities detected by the first and second residual toner quantity detectors.

Abstract: A toner supply device for supplying toner to a developing device includes: a first toner supply portion for supplying toner to a developing hopper; a second toner supply portion for supplying the stored toner to the first toner supply portion; a first toner supply driver for driving the first toner supply portion; a first residual toner quantity detector for detecting the residual toner quantity in the first toner supply portion; a second toner supply driver for driving the second toner supply portion; a second residual toner quantity detector for detecting the residual toner quantity in the second toner supply portion; and a controller for controlling the drives of the first and second toner supply drivers by switching on and off the drives of the first and second toner supply drivers in accordance with the residual toner quantities detected by the first and second residual toner quantity detectors.

Abstract: A depression is formed on the surface of a lower magnetic pole layer in a thin film magnetic head. A lower auxiliary magnetic pole is defined in the lower magnetic pole layer between the depression and a medium-opposed surface of a head slider. The depression is filled up with a non-magnetic material. When the thin film magnetic head is to be formed, no magnetic layer is formed on the lower magnetic pole layer for forming the lower auxiliary magnetic pole. A dry process such as sputtering and vapor-deposition can be employed to form the lower magnetic pole layer, so that a wider choice can be provided for the material of the lower magnetic pole layer and the lower auxiliary magnetic pole.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developing unit, which is detachably installed in the image forming apparatus, and a setting storage section, which stores firmware. The developing unit includes an IC tag for storing an update program for updating the firmware of the image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus includes a detection section for detecting that the developing unit is installed in the image forming apparatus, a program acquisition section for acquiring the update program from the IC tag, and an update program execution section for executing the update program so as to perform a writing function of updating the firmware. This makes it possible to provide an image forming apparatus, which does not receive data from outside via a communication device, but which allows automatic version upgrading of the firmware serving as software for operating the image forming apparatus.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium has a recording layer (42) formed over the substrate. The recording layer is structured by a nonmagnetic base, and a plurality of magnetic dots formed in the nonmagnetic base. The magnetic dots are aligned in a prescribed direction in each track or each group of adjacent tracks of the magnetic recording medium. In a preferred example, the magnetic dots align in a direction tilting at a prescribed angle with respect to the width of the track.

Abstract: A depression is formed on the surface of a lower magnetic pole layer in a thin film magnetic head. A lower auxiliary magnetic pole is defined in the lower magnetic pole layer between the depression and a medium-opposed surface of a head slider. The depression is filled up with a non-magnetic material. When the thin film magnetic head is to be formed, no magnetic layer is formed on the lower magnetic pole layer for forming the lower auxiliary magnetic pole. A dry process such as sputtering and vapor-deposition can be employed to form the lower magnetic pole layer, so that a wider choice can be provided for the material of the lower magnetic pole layer and the lower auxiliary magnetic pole.

Abstract: A soft magnetic film comprising Fe, Co, a metallic element (M), and oxygen (O) is provided. The soft magnetic film is represented by a composition formula of (Fe1-aCoa)xMyOz. The metallic element (M) is one selected from a group consisting of Al, B, Ga, Si, Ge, Y, Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, W, Rh, Ru, Ni, Pd and Pt, or is an alloy composed of at least two selected from this group. The composition formula fulfills the following conditions: a=0.05-0.65; y=0.2-9 at %, z=1-12 at %, and y+z=<15 at %; and x=(100−y−z) at %. A crystal structure is formed by having a bcc phase as a principal phase. The bcc phase has a crystal grain not exceeding 50 nm in diameter. The bcc phase includes a solid solution of the metallic element (M) and the oxygen (O).

Abstract: A liquid resist is introduced between adjacent conductive lines of a coil pattern girdling around a magnetic core piece. When the liquid resist is cured, an insulating resin filler can be fixed between the adjacent conductive lines of the coil pattern. An insulating metallic layer is formed to extend over the insulting resin filler and the conductive lines of the coil pattern. Thereafter, the insulating metallic layer is subjected to a flattening grinding treatment until at least a part of the conductive line is exposed at a flattened surface. Of the resist, of a higher fluidity, penetrates in every hole and corner between the adjacent conductive lines, the gap defined between the adjacent conductive lines is fully filled with the insulating material. No voids remain in the gap. The conductive line of the coil can be reliably prevented from corrosion or oxidation. Moreover, a relatively brittle of fragile insulating resin filler is reliably prevented from being subjected to the flattening.

Abstract: A thin film magnetic head includes an upper and a lower magnetic pole layer extending forward from a central magnetic core within a thin film coil. A narrow upper and lower front magnetic pole piece are connected to the front ends of the upper and lower magnetic pole layer, respectively. The upper front magnetic pole piece extends rearward from its front end exposed at a medium-opposed surface. The lower front magnetic pole piece extends in a lateral direction along the medium-opposed surface by a lateral width larger than that of the upper front magnetic pole piece. The lower front magnetic pole piece extends rearward from the medium-opposed surface by a longitudinal length smaller than that of the upper front magnetic pole piece. The lower front magnetic pole piece serves to concentrate the magnetic flux at the front ends of the upper and lower front magnetic pole pieces.

Abstract: A method is provided for manufacturing a magnetic head for recording information on a magnetic recording medium in the form of a direction of magnetization, which enables manufacture of a magnetic head with gaps between turns of a conductive material constituting a coil being filled with an insulating material without any void and heat generation in the coil being suppressed. A photoresist with a higher flowability than an insulating material containing a metal element is applied to the coil. A part of the photoresist applied to the coil which covers the conductive material constituting the coil is removed by exposure and development, and on the conductive material, an insulating metal compound layer made of an insulating material containing a metal element and having a higher thermal conductivity than the photoresist is formed and polished for flattening.

Abstract: A thin film magnetic head includes an upper magnetic pole maintaining a constant thickness in a range determined by the so-called gap depth. A thinner film portion is defined in the upper magnetic pole in a range rearward of the range determined by the gap depth. The thinner film portion has a reduced thickness smaller than the constant thickness. The upper magnetic pole starts to enlarge the core width in the lateral direction at the rear end of the region determined by the so-called neck height. The neck height smaller than the gap depth serves to establish a reduction in the thickness of the upper magnetic pole after the upper magnetic pole gets larger in the lateral direction. A magnetic saturation can reliably be prevented at the thinner film portion in the upper magnetic pole. The front end of the upper magnetic pole is allowed to receive a larger quantity of a magnetic flux. It is possible to reliably enhance a magnetic field for recordation in the thin film magnetic head.

Abstract: A method is provided for manufacturing a magnetic head for recording information on a magnetic recording medium in the form of a direction of magnetization, which enables manufacture of a magnetic head with gaps between turns of a conductive material constituting a coil being filled with an insulating material without any void and heat generation in the coil being suppressed. A photoresist with a higher flowability than an insulating material containing a metal element is applied to the coil. A part of the photoresist applied to the coil which covers the conductive material constituting the coil is removed by exposure and development, and on the conductive material, an insulating metal compound layer made of an insulating material containing a metal element and having a higher thermal conductivity than the photoresist is formed and polished for flattening.

Abstract: A liquid resist is introduced between adjacent conductive lines of a coil pattern girdling around a magnetic core piece. When the liquid resist is cured, an insulating resin filler can be fixed between the adjacent conductive lines of the coil pattern. An insulating metallic layer is formed to extend over the insulting resin filler and the conductive lines of the coil pattern. Thereafter, the insulating metallic layer is subjected to a flattening grinding treatment until at least a part of the conductive line is exposed at a flattened surface. Since the liquid of the resist, of a higher fluidity, penetrates in every hole and corner between the adjacent conductive lines, the gap defined between the adjacent conductive lines is fully filled with the insulating material. No voids remain in the gap. The conductive line of the coil can be reliably prevented from corrosion or oxidation.

Abstract: A liquid resist is introduced between adjacent conductive lines of a coil pattern girdling around a magnetic core piece. When the liquid resist is cured, an insulating resin filler can be fixed between the adjacent conductive lines of the coil pattern. An insulating metallic layer is formed to extend over the insulting resin filler and the conductive lines of the coil pattern. Thereafter, the insulating metallic layer is subjected to a flattening grinding treatment until at least a part of the conductive line is exposed at a flattened surface. Since the liquid of the resist, of a higher fluidity, penetrates in every hole and corner between the adjacent conductive lines, the gap defined between the adjacent conductive lines is fully filled with the insulating material. No voids remain in the gap. The conductive line of the coil can be reliably prevented from corrosion or oxidation.

Abstract: A soft magnetic film comprising Fe, Co, a metallic element (M), and oxygen (O) is provided. The soft magnetic film is represented by a composition formula of (Fe1-aCoa)xMyOz. The metallic element (M) is one selected from a group consisting of Al, B, Ga, Si, Ge, Y, Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, W, Rh, Ru, Ni, Pd and Pt, or is an alloy composed of at least two selected from this group. The composition formula fulfills the following conditions: a=0.05-0.65; y=0.2-9 at %, z=1-12 at %, and y+z=<15 at %; and x=(100−y−z) at %. A crystal structure is formed by having a bcc phase as a principal phase. The bcc phase has a crystal grain not exceeding 50 nm in diameter. The bcc phase includes a solid solution of the metallic element (M) and the oxygen (O).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of fabricating a thin-film magnetic head. A magnetic block is formed on a non-magnetic layer laminated on a lower pole. At least the non-magnetic layer is etched using the magnetic block as a mask, whereby a gap layer is formed. An insulation layer is formed in a predetermined thickness on the lower pole so as to cover the gap layer and the magnetic block. The insulation layer and the magnetic block are polished using an upper surface of the insulation layer as a polishing stop surface, whereby an upper sub-pole is formed. Then, an upper pole wider than the upper sub-pole is formed on the upper sub-pole. By this, the thickness of the upper sub-pole can be accurately set. By adopting such an upper sub-pole, recording track density can be enhanced.

Abstract: A thin film magnetic head includes an upper magnetic pole maintaining a constant thickness in a range determined by the so-called gap depth. A thinner film portion is defined in the upper magnetic pole in a range rearward of the range determined by the gap depth. The thinner film portion has a reduced thickness smaller than the constant thickness. The upper magnetic pole starts to enlarge the core width in the lateral direction at the rear end of the region determined by the so-called neck height. The neck height smaller than the gap depth serves to establish a reduction in the thickness of the upper magnetic pole after the upper magnetic pole gets larger in the lateral direction. A magnetic saturation can reliably be prevented at the thinner film portion in the upper magnetic pole. The front end of the upper magnetic pole is allowed to receive a larger quantity of a magnetic flux. It is possible to reliably enhance a magnetic field for recordation in the thin film magnetic head.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium having magnetic patterns into which servo information are written and a magnetic recording layer into which data are written comprises a nonmagnetic substrate, a magnetic recording layer formed on the substrate, and a hard magnetic layer contacting the magnetic recording layer within servo signal recording regions on the substrate and constituting servo patterns of film thicknesses of which are varied in the track length direction. Thereby, more precise reading of the servo signals by the magnetic head is assured and a surface of the magnetic recording medium can be flattend.

Abstract: An acceleration sensor has a ring-shaped movable electrode connected to an anchor part via beams and a fixed electrode facing the ring-shaped movable electrode defining a specific interval, which are disposed on a substrate. The movable electrode is displaced by acceleration approximately in parallel to the substrate and contacts the fixed electrode, so that the acceleration is detected. The fixed electrode is divided into a detecting fixed electrode for contacting the movable electrode and a sensitivity controlling fixed electrode insulated from the detecting fixed electrode. Accordingly, potential differences between the movable electrode and the detecting fixed electrode and between the movable electrode and the sensitivity controlling fixed electrode are independently controlled to control sensitivity of acceleration.

Abstract: A magnetic head manufacturing method including the steps of forming a recording lower magnetic pole and a recording upper magnetic pole on a substrate and trimming, by the ion milling method, a portion of the recording upper magnetic pole and the recording lower magnetic pole under the condition that the substrate is stationary.