Abstract: A CPP magnetoresistive effect element includes a free magnetization layer, a fixed magnetization layer, and a plurality of conductive non-magnetic intermediate layers formed between the free magnetization layer and the fixed magnetization layer. An insulating layer and a magnetic layer including magnetic atoms are provided between any two of the non-magnetic intermediate layers.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive film extends along a datum plane intersecting with a medium-opposed surface. A non-magnetic body extends along the datum plane at a location adjacent the magneto resistive film. A so-called magnetic domain controlling films are omitted. The inventors have found that a sufficient magnetization can be established in a predetermined direction along the medium-opposed surface in the CPP structure magnetoresistive element based on the current magnetic field. As long as the quantity of the heat generated, namely of the electric power is maintained constant, the magnetic field of a sufficient intensity can be established in the free magnetic layer. The direction of the magnetization can easily be controlled in a facilitated manner.

Abstract: A bar coating apparatus includes a rotatable bar, a supporting block adapted for supporting the bar and formed with a slit through which the coating solution is fed at an upstream portion of the bar and a pair of side plates disposed on the opposite sides of the supporting block with respect to a widthwise direction of a flexible support to be coated with a coating solution, the bar, the supporting block and the pair of side plates being disposed so as to form a liquid pool of the coating solution fed through the slit formed in the supporting block in a space defined by the bar, the supporting block and the pair of side plates. According to the thus constituted bar coating apparatus, it is possible to transfer a desired amount of the coating solution onto the surface of the flexible support without forming the slit with high accuracy.

Abstract: A bar coating method includes the steps of feeding a coating solution to a space defined by a rotatable bar, a supporting block adapted for supporting the bar, formed with a slit through which the coating solution is fed at an upstream portion of the bar and detachably mounted on a base plate vertically movable and held at a coating position thereof, and a pair of side plates disposed on the opposite sides of the supporting block with respect to a widthwise direction of a flexible support to be coated with a coating solution through the slit, thereby forming a liquid pool, transferring the coating solution forming the liquid pool onto a surface of the flexible support while guiding the flexible support by an upstream guide roller disposed upstream of the bar and a downstream guide roller disposed downstream of the bar, metering an amount of the coating solution transferred onto the flexible support, and forming a coating layer on the flexible support, and the bar coating method further includes the steps of g

Abstract: A bar coating method includes the steps of feeding a coating solution to a space defined by a rotatable bar, a support block adapted for supporting the bar and formed with a slit through which the coating solution is fed at an upstream portion of the bar and a pair of side plates disposed on the opposite sides of the support block with respect to a widthwise direction of a flexible support to be coated with a coating solution through the slit, thereby forming a liquid pool, transferring the coating solution forming the liquid pool onto the flexible support while guiding the flexible support by an upstream guide roller vertically movable and disposed at a coating position thereof upstream of the bar and a downstream guide roller vertically movable and disposed at a coating position thereof downstream of the bar, metering an amount of the coating solution transferred onto the flexible support, and forming a coating layer on the flexible support, and the bar coating method further includes the steps of lowering

Abstract: A plurality of vessel receptacles and load cells are mounted along the outer periphery of a revolving body at an equal circumferential spacing. A filling device is disposed above each of the vessel receptacles. In a first operational mode for filling the receptacles, the tare of each vessel which is supplied onto one of the vessel receptacles is measured and such data is fed to a controller which determines and stores a mean value of measured tares. Subsequently, the operation is switched to a second operational mode for a filling operation. In the second operational mode, no measurement of the tare is made, and the mean value is regarded as representing the tare of supplied vessels for purposes of a filling operation. After a given time interval or after a given number of vessels have been filled, the operation is again switched to the first operational mode where the mean value is again measured. If the new mean value is different from the previous mean value, the stored mean value is rewritten.

Abstract: A current-perpendicular-to-the-plane (CPP) structure magnetoresistive element includes an electrode layer contacting a magnetoresistive film. A low resistance region is defined to extend rearward along the boundary of the magnetoresistive film from the front end exposed at the medium-opposed surface of the head slider. A high resistance region is defined to extend rearward along the boundary from the rear end of the low resistance region. The high resistance region has a resistivity higher than that of the low resistance region. The high resistance region serves to restrict the path of a sensing current nearest to the medium-opposed surface. The sensing current is allowed to concentrate at a position closest to the medium-opposed surface in the magnetoresistive film. Magnetization sufficiently rotates in the magnetoresistive film near the medium-opposed surface. The CPP structure magnetoresistive element maintains a sufficient variation in the resistance. A sufficient sensitivity can be maintained.

Abstract: A magnetic sensor having such a structure that a hard layer for controlling the magnetic domain formed of a conductive hard magnetic material, and a magnetic sensor layer, are at least partially in direct contact with each other, and current flows in the direction wherein at least a main component of current is perpendicular to the surface of the magnetic sensor layer. The current flowing in the magnetic sensor layer and the hard layer is controlled by changing the resistivity of the hard layer. The magnetic sensor is used as a magnetic read head in a magnetic recording apparatus such as magnetic disk apparatus.

Abstract: A current perpendicular-to-the-plane (CPP) structure spin valve magnetoresistive (MR) transducer includes an insulating layer. A pinned or free ferromagnetic layer serves to space or isolate the insulating layer from a non-magnetic spacer layer interposed between the pinned and free ferromagnetic layers. The sensing current is allowed to penetrate through the insulating layer. Fine pin-holes generally formed in the insulating layer are supposed to enable migration of electrons through the insulating layer. Similar to the situation in which the sensing current is allowed to flow through a reduced sectional area, a larger variation can be obtained in response to the inversion of the magnetization in the free ferromagnetic layer. The spin valve MR transducer is expected to greatly contribute to realization of a still higher recording density.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium with a high recording density has a first ferromagnetic layer, a non-magnetic layer, and a second ferromagnetic layer successively deposited as the recording layer on a non-magnetic substrate. The recording layer is heated in concentric circular shapes to divide it into regions in which the magnetic interactions between the ferromagnetic layers exhibit ferromagnetism and regions that exhibit anti-ferromagnetism. The ferromagnetic regions are used for recording tracks, and the anti-ferromagnetic regions function as guard bands. In this manner track density is increased without roughening the surface of the recording medium.

Abstract: A smaller electrode layer of an upper electrode is formed on a surface of a free magnetic layer. A domain controlling film of an insulating material is formed adjacent to the smaller electrode layer on the surface of the free magnetic layer. Magnetization of the free magnetic layer is oriented in a single direction based on magnetic exchange coupling between the domain controlling film and the free magnetic layer. An electric connection is established between the free magnetic layer and the upper electrode only through the smaller electrode layer. The path of a sensing current can be reduced in the free and a pinned magnetic layer. A higher sensitivity can thus be obtained in the CPP structure magnetoresistive element. Effective magnetic core width can also be reduced in the CPP structure magnetoresistive element.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive head including a first magnetic shield, a first electrode terminal provided on the first magnetic shield and having a first width, and a magnetoresistive film provided on the first electrode terminal and having a second width less than or equal to the first width. The magnetoresistive head further includes a second electrode terminal provided on the magnetoresistive film and having a third width less than or equal to the second width, and a second magnetic shield provided on the second electrode terminal. Preferably, the magnetoresistive head further includes a plug electrode for connecting the second electrode terminal to the second magnetic shield, and a plug side wall protective insulating film for covering a side wall of the plug electrode.

Abstract: A plurality of vessel receptacles 16 and load cells 18 are mounted along the outer periphery of a revolving body 14 at an equal circumferential spacing. Filling means 24 is disposed above each of the vessel receptacles 16. For an operation in a first operational mode, the tare of a vessel 4 which is supplied from the outside onto one of the vessel receptacle 16 is measured and such data is fed to a controller 20 which determines a mean value of measured tares and store it. Subsequently, the operation is switched to a second operational mode for purpose of a filling operation. In the second operational mode, no measurement of the tare is made, and the mean value is regarded as representing the tare of supplied vessels for purpose of a filling operation. After a given time interval or after a given number of vessels have been filled, the operation is again switched to the first operational mode where the mean value is again measured.

Abstract: A portable information processing apparatus includes a memory, an AC/DC converter, a built-in battery, a power source detection mechanism, and a switch. The memory includes a main memory block and a sub memory block. The AC/DC converter converts an AC voltage to a DC voltage supplied to the memory. The built-in battery supplies a battery DC voltage supplied to the memory. The power source detection mechanism detects whether the apparatus operates with the converted AC to DC voltage or the battery DC voltage. The power source detection mechanism generates a detection signal when detecting the battery DC voltage. If the switch receives no detection signal from the power source detection mechanism, the switch supplies the converted AC to DC voltage and the battery DC voltage to the main and sub memory blocks. Otherwise, he switch shuts off a supply of the battery DC voltage to the sub memory block of the memory when receiving the detection signal from the power source detection mechanism.

Abstract: A hydrogen storage and release apparatus is provided with a heat exchanging portion provided with hydrogen storage alloy containers, a heat exchanger body in which the heat exchanging portion is received so that a heat gas or coolant is introduced and discharged, and a hydrogen-travelling passage connected to the containers so that hydrogen can move to the containers. The heat exchanging portion is provided so that the heat exchanging efficiency on the heat gas discharge side of the heat exchanging portion is made higher than that on the heat gas introduction side thereof.

Abstract: A current-perpendicular-to-the-plane (CPP) structure magnetoresistive element includes a spin valve film. A boundary is defined between electrically-conductive layers included in a non-magnetic intermediate layer in the spin valve film. A magnetic metallic material and an insulating material exist on the boundary. The insulating material serves to reduce the sectional area of the path for the sensing electric current. The CPP structure magnetoresistive element realizes a larger variation in the electric resistance in response to the rotation of the magnetization in the free magnetic layer. A sensing electric current of a smaller level is still employed to obtain a sufficient variation in the voltage. Accordingly, the CPP structure magnetoresistive element greatly contributes to a further improvement in the recording density and reduction in the electric consumption.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive element that detects a change of magnetoresistance by giving a sense current in the thickness direction of a magnetoresistive effect film including at least a base layer, a free layer, a non-magnetic layer, a pinned layer, a pinning layer, and a protection layer, includes a granular structure layer that includes conductive particles and an insulating matrix material in the form of a thin film containing the conductive particles in a dispersed state and having a smaller thickness than the particle diameter of the conductive particles, the granular structure layer being interposed between at least two adjacent layers among the base layer, the free layer, the non-magnetic layer, the pinned layer, the pinning layer, and the protection layer.

Abstract: A cylinder block for multi-cylinder engine includes a cooling water passage provided at a head-side portion of a cast metal inter-bore wall. The cooling water passage includes a plurality of vertically adjoining transverse water passages provided in vertical and multiple stages. A connecting wall portion of the cooling water passage includes at least one cast metal connecting wall connecting a front wall portion of the inter-bore wall to a rear half wall portion thereby separating the vertically adjoining transverse water passages from each other. The cooling water passage has its cast metal wall surface which faces a water passage spaced exposed in its entirety as a molded surface.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive device includes a laminated film, and a mechanism for applying sense current in a direction of lamination in the laminated film, wherein the laminated film includes a first ferromagnetic layer having a substantially fixed direction of magnetization, a second ferromagnetic layer having a freely variable direction of magnetization according to an external magnetic field, the second ferromagnetic layer including a non-magnetic metal layer, and two or more ferromagnetic metal layers separated from each other by the non-magnetic metal layer in the direction of lamination, and a non-magnetic intermediate layer that separates the first and second ferromagnetic layer from each other.

Abstract: A magnetic sensor having such a structure that a hard layer for controlling the magnetic domain formed of a conductive hard magnetic material, and a magnetic sensor layer, are at least partially in direct contact with each other, and current flows in the direction wherein at least a main component of current is perpendicular to the surface of the magnetic sensor layer. The current flowing in the magnetic sensor layer and the hard layer is controlled by changing the resistivity of the hard layer. The magnetic sensor is used as a magnetic read head in a magnetic recording apparatus such as magnetic disk apparatus.