Abstract: The invention provides a thermoplastic elastomer nonwoven fabric roll that exhibits minimal longitudinal wrinkles and minimal delayed restoration when unrolled, and a method and apparatus for producing the same. Thermoplastic elastomer filaments that have been melt-spun are piled on a belt conveyor thereby forming a sheet of nonwoven fabric, that is guided to a rotating roller disposed above the transportation zone of the belt conveyor and peeled off therefrom. Since minimal tension is applied to the nonwoven fabric during processing, the nonwoven fabric can be unrolled with little stretching by applying relatively little tension to the nonwoven fabric. By the method of this invention, a nonwoven fabric roll with unrolling tension of 0.25 g/cm/basis-weight or less can be formed.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus includes a gap measuring device for measuring a gap between a mask, having a mask membrane, and a substrate, a gap adjuster for adjusting the gap between the mask and the substrate and a driver for relatively moving the mask and the substrate relative to each other. The gap adjusting device adjusts the gap when the mask and the substrate are placed at a position at which they are opposed to each other in an area smaller than a predetermined area.

Abstract: A capacitor comprising a capacitor element, a case for housing the capacitor element, and a fixing section having projections for attaching the case to electrical equipment. In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the case and the fixing section are unitarily molded. The fixing section and the capacitor case are formed of flame-resistant thermoplastic resins as required. This structure eliminates the need of components and tools for fixing the capacitor. Thus, the structure can improve workability, and reduce man-hours and manufacturing cost.

Abstract: A method for braking force distribution control for a vehicle with a direct four wheel drive mode, which does not become an obstacle to an effective braking force and disconcert the driver's feeling. This method relates to a braking force distribution control for a vehicle during direct four wheel drive mode and under the condition that the anti-skid control is inhibited, which does not operate pressure reduction control or the amount of pressure reduction.

Abstract: The document feeder apparatus is equipped with a sheet supply unit including a sheet supply member for supplying an original to a reading position; a transport unit including a transport member for receiving the original from the sheet supply member and transporting the original to the reading position; a discharge unit including a discharge member for discharging the original read at the reading position; and a flat plate shape support frame for supporting the respective units. The sheet supply unit and discharge unit are mounted on one of front and rear sides of the support frame, and the transport unit is mounted on the other of the front and rear sides of the support frame, so that each unit is unitized. Further, a sheet supply opening for guiding the original from the sheet supply unit to the transport unit is established on one side of the support frame, and an opening for guiding the original from the transport unit to the discharge unit is established on the other side of the support frame.

Abstract: A sheet transfer apparatus for an image reading apparatus includes a sheet supply tray for storing a sheet; a sheet supply device for drawing out the sheet on the sheet supply tray; a transfer device for receiving the sheet from the sheet supply means and placing the sheet at a predetermined position on a platen of an image reading apparatus for reading the image thereon; a discharge device for discharging the sheet on the platen after reading the image thereon; and a discharge tray for receiving the sheet discharged by the discharge device. A switchback device is disposed above the platen for reversing the sheet when necessary, and includes a switchback path for receiving the sheet to reverse the same. The switchback path includes a first opening portion for opening a first area near an inlet side, and a second opening portion for opening a second area away from the inlet side of the switchback path. The switchback path is easily accessible when the sheet is jammed.

Abstract: In a method for setting appropriate initial-failure screening conditions when mass-producing semiconductor devices of multiple types, devices of each type being manufactured in a small number, the step of subjecting products of every type to an acceleration test is excluded, and instead, the failure ratio on the market of semiconductor devices of each type is estimated using a testing semiconductor device. Specifically, {circle around (1)} first, all types of semiconductor devices to be developed and mass-produced are classified into several groups. {circle around (2)} A test semiconductor device is developed which has the same number of elements, the same gate area, the same multi-layer wiring length and the same number of contact holes as the average number of elements, the average gate area, the average wiring length and the average number of contact holes of the semiconductor devices included in one of the type groups, respectively.

Abstract: A cooling system that is capable of cooling a working vehicle, such as a wheeled loader, at a good efficiency and at a reduced level of noise. Plural radiators are arranged in a V-shaped form within a plane behind an engine mounted in the rear of the engine compartment of the vehicle. The radiators are spread a part rearwardly to form a space between them. A cooling fan is mounted in this space. The side surfaces of the radiators are provided with intake ports that are covered by openable side covers. The top of each intake ports is covered by a hood whose top surface can be tilted rearwardly and downwardly.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a stretchable adhesive nonwoven prepared by laminating continuous filaments made of a thermoplastic polyurethane resin, which comprises an aliphatic diisocyanate and/or an aromatic diisocyanate, a polymeric diol and a chain-extending agent and has a hardness (JIS-A hardness) of 65 to 98 degree and a flow initiating temperature within a range from 80 to 150° C., into a sheet, and fusion-bonding the filaments themselves with their own heat at the contact point of the laminated filaments thereby to form fibers, and a laminate containing the same. The adhesive nonwoven fabric of the present invention is rich in flexibility and is excellent in adhesion and air permeability.

Abstract: A processing apparatus includes a sealed vacuum chamber which contains a processing portion; a pressure controlling system which keeps the internal pressure of the sealed vacuum chamber constant at a predetermined level by exhausting the ambient gas in the sealed vacuum chamber; and an ambience gas recirculating system which recirculates the ambience gas exhausted from the sealed vacuum chamber back into the sealed vacuum chamber; wherein the ambience gas recirculated by the ambience. gas recirculating system is blown into the sealed vacuum chamber so that a gas flow is generated in a predetermined direction along the processing portion.

Abstract: A processing system is disclosed which includes first and second chambers, each for accommodating a processing apparatus therein, each chamber being able to be kept gas tight, a coupling member for coupling the processing apparatuses accommodated in the first and second chambers with each other, and an elastic gas tightness holding member for gas tightly sealing portions between the coupling member and the first and second chambers.

Abstract: A processing system is disclosed which includes first and second chambers, each for accommodating a processing apparatus therein, each chamber being able to be kept gas tight, a coupling member for coupling the processing apparatuses accommodated in the first and second chambers with each other, and an elastic gas tightness holding member for gas tightly sealing portions between the coupling member and the first and second chambers.

Abstract: A capacitor comprising a capacitor element, a case for housing the capacitor element, and a fixing section having projections for attaching the case to electrical equipment. In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the case and the fixing section are unitarily molded. The fixing section and the capacitor case are formed of flame-resistant thermoplastic resins as required. This structure eliminates the need of components and tools for fixing the capacitor. Thus, the structure can improve workability, and reduce man-hours and manufacturing cost.

Abstract: In a spark plug in which a space between a center electrode at the top end side and a terminal electrode at a rear end side which are arranged to be opposite to each other in an axial hole of an insulator, the glass seal is effected at a temperature within the range of 500 to 1000° C. and under a condition where the concentration of oxygen is 4-12 vol %.

Abstract: A transfer-target unit outputs commands for data reading and data writing. An address generator generates control signals in accordance with the commands, and outputs the number of bytes of data first transferred by read access. A command generator generates control commands in accordance with the control signals to control an SDRAM. At this time the command generator judges the number of transferred bytes to control so that the SDRAM executes instructions in order from an instruction which is the most efficient in data transfer. That is, in the case where data is read across a bank boundary, the command generator judges which is to be executed first between read processing in a bank 0 and active processing in a bank1, to control the SDRAM. A data processor mediates data transfer between the transfer-target unit and the SDRAM in accordance with the control commands.

Abstract: This invention relates to a processing apparatus for processing a sample such as a substrate. The apparatus includes a process chamber having an exposure apparatus for transferring a pattern onto a substrate as a sample in a predetermined atmosphere, a load-lock chamber connected to the process chamber, a transfer mechanism for transferring the substrate between the load-lock chamber and a coater/developer, a clean booth which covers the transfer path of the transfer mechanism, and a transfer atmosphere forming mechanism for flowing a clean gas in the clean booth.

Abstract: In a spark plug (100), the resistor composition constituting a resistor (15) contains semiconductive ceramic particles, offering a superior load life characteristic. Also, the value of (&agr;2−&agr;1)/&agr;1>=−0.30, where a value of electric resistance between a terminal (13) and a center electrode (3) is &agr;1 at 20° C. and &agr;2 at 150° C., so that deterioration of the radio frequency noise prevention performance at high temperatures can be effectively suppressed. The resistor composition contains semiconductive ceramic particles whose temperature coefficient of electric resistance shows a positive value, or a negative value of relatively small absolute value, (e.g., TiO2 particles having a rutile type crystalline structure, titanate or zirconate of alkali earth metal elements, titanium suboxide, etc.), or titanium metal.

Abstract: A spark plug assembly is produced in the following manner. Namely, an insulator having an axial through-hole with a metallic terminal fixed at an end thereof and a center electrode fixed at the other end and with packing layers of bulk powders of a conductive glass seal layer, a resistor and the like being formed in the through-hole between the metallic terminal and the center electrode. Subsequently, the spark plug assembly is heated so that the temperature of the side closer to the center electrode is higher than that of the side closer to the metallic terminal along the longitudinal axis of the insulator. Then, the packing layers of the bulk powders within the through-hole are pressed between the center electrode and the metallic terminal by applying pressure to the heated spark plug assembly so that the metallic terminal comes closer to the center electrode along the axis of the through-hole with the position of the center electrode being fixed relative to the through-hole.

Abstract: A processing system is disclosed which includes first and second chambers, each for accommodating a processing apparatus therein, each chamber being able to be kept gas tight, a coupling member for coupling the processing apparatuses accommodated in the first and second chambers with each other, and an elastic gas tightness holding member for gas tightly sealing portions between the coupling member and the first and second chambers.