Abstract: To release a medium securely from a fixed roll without damaging the medium. A releasing roller is disposed between a roll and a transport roller for nipping a medium and transporting the medium to a printing position. The releasing roller is rotated by a releasing motor so as to release the medium from the roll in a tangential direction of the roll. In addition, a sag part obtained by sagging the medium is formed between the releasing roller and the transport roller. A tension roller is placed on the sag part so that a constant tension is exerted on the released medium. A sag amount of the sag part is detected by monitoring a lower end part of the sag part with a sensor utilizing infrared rays. A printing apparatus releases the medium by the releasing roller to supply the medium so that the sag amount is within a predetermined range. The medium on which the constant tension is exerted is delivered by the transport roller onto a platen and is printed by a head.

Abstract: A bearing unit has four rolling bearings adjacently disposed in an axial direction, each rolling bearing including an inner race, and outer race, and rolling elements interposed between the inner and outer races. A shaft is fitted to the inner races, and a sleeve has a fitting hole into which is fitted the outer races. The inner races or the outer races are brought into contract with each other in the axial direction to preload the rolling bearings. The inner races or the outer races of the rolling bearings at both axial ends, which are brought into contact with the inner races or the outer races of adjacent rolling bearings, are fixed to the sleeve, and the outer races of the central two rolling bearings form a radial gap between confronting surfaces of the sleeve and the outer races or between confronting surfaces of the shaft and the inner surfaces.

Abstract: When it is judged that a chronograph second counter and a chronograph minute counter have measured a maximum measurement time, a maximum measurement control unit controls a drive pulse generation circuit so as to drive and stop a motor such that chronograph hand stops at predetermined positions. When, in this state, a restarting operation is performed on a start/stop button, a normal chronograph measurement operation is restarted. At this time, a mechanical structure has been restored to a reset state, so that even at the time of restarting after the measurement of the maximum measurement time, the load at the starting operation is the same as that of the normal operation, thus generating no sense of incongruity.

Abstract: A quartz crystal unit has a quartz crystal resonator, a case for housing the quartz crystal resonator, and a lid for covering an open end of the case. The quartz crystal resonator comprises a quartz crystal tuning fork resonator capable of vibrating in a flexural mode of an inverse phase and having at least one groove, and an electrode is disposed on at least one of opposite side surfaces of each of the first and second quartz crystal tuning fork tines. The quartz crystal tuning fork resonator has a capacitance ratio r2 of a second overtone mode of vibration greater than 1500. The lid is connected to the case through a connecting member to cover the open end of the case.

Abstract: To print an excellent image formed without distortion or image failure by mitigating irregularities, inclination, or the like of an installation floor surface. In an ink jet recording apparatus including an ink jet recording apparatus main body and a leg portion, a deformation absorbing member is interposed in a joint portion between the ink jet recording apparatus main body and the leg portion. Therefore, even if there are the irregularities, the inclination, or the like on a floor surface to which the ink jet recording apparatus is installed, it is possible to ensure leveling of a print surface in the ink jet recording apparatus main body, thereby being capable of obtaining the excellent image without the distortion or the image failure.

Abstract: Provided is a cantilever that is capable of bending and deforming in an active manner by itself. The cantilever includes: a lever portion having a proximal end that is supported by a main body part; and a resistor member that is formed in the cantilever and generates heat when a voltage is applied, to thereby deform the lever portion by thermal expansion due to the heat.

Abstract: An electrostatic vibrator has a vibrating plate including beam-shaped vibrating parts each fixed at opposite ends thereof and configured for electrostatic actuation to perform flexural vibration, and temperature compensation parts connected to the vibrating parts. A silicon oxide film covers each of the vibrating parts but not the temperature compensation parts. A substrate is mounted in parallel relation to the vibrating plate. An oxide layer is disposed between the substrate to the vibrating plate. Electrodes are formed on the substrate and arranged on opposite sides of each of the vibrating parts.

Abstract: Disclosed is a chronograph timepiece in which it is possible to prevent a non-rotation state at the time of first driving when chronograph measuring operation is reset during motor drive and restarting is effected. When a resetting operation is performed on a reset button during the driving of a motor and a rotation detection circuit detects non-rotation, a drive control unit controls a drive pulse generation circuit such that the control is completed without reversing the polarity of a motor drive pulse output from the drive pulse generation circuit, and that the motor is driven by a drive pulse of the same polarity as that at the time of the previous resetting in response to a starting operation performed on a start/stop button, driving the motor by the drive pulse of the same polarity at the time of restarting after the resetting.

Abstract: Provided is a semiconductor device in which the first trench isolation regions is placed between a substrate potential-fixing P-type diffusion region of an ESD protection NMOS transistor and source and drain regions of the ESD protection NMOS transistor, and has a depth greater than a depth of the second trench isolation region that is placed between a substrate potential-fixing P-type diffusion region of an NMOS transistor for internal circuit and source and drain regions of the NMOS transistor for internal circuit.

Abstract: A portable device, such as a wristwatch, has a push-button that includes an engaging portion, and the push-button is mounted on a watch sheath. A stopper is arranged on the watch sheath. The stopper is movable between a locked position in which the push-button is held at a predetermined position by engagement with the engaging portion and an unlocked position in which the operation of the push-button is allowed. A circular operating ring surrounds an hour plate mounted on the watch sheath and is rotatably mounted on the watch sheath from the front side thereof. The movement of the stopper between the locked position and the unlocked position is interlocked with the rotating operation of the operating ring.

Abstract: A liquid jet recording apparatus adjusts the pressure of liquid jetted from a jetting portion toward a recording medium. The liquid jet recording apparatus has a pressure sensor provided in a tube between a liquid storing portion and a roller tube pump. The pressure of the liquid which flows through the tube is measured, and a pressure value is sent to a control portion. The pressure value is compared with lower limit values and upper limit values stored in a definition file stored in the control portion, and a corresponding drive signal is sent to a drive portion to drive the roller tube pump in a forward or a reverse direction to adjust the pressure of the liquid in the jetting portion.

Abstract: A cutting apparatus cuts a lateral wall of a manhole to form a hole on the lateral wall of the manhole. A circular pipe is harmonized with a main pipe and fixedly disposed therein. A rotary ring configured so as to be able to rotate along the periphery of an opening in the manhole about the axial center of the main pipe is mounted on the circular pipe. A pressurized fluid material or pressurized granular material is sprayed from a nozzle held in the rotary ring. The rotary ring is rotated and the lateral wall of the manhole is cut through along the periphery of the opening in the manhole by the fluid material or granular material sprayed from the nozzle. Since the cut portion is shaped as a circle symmetrical about the axial center of the main pipe, it is possible to form a circularly shaped cut-through part centered along the periphery of the opening in the manhole without accidentally breaking or damaging the lateral wall thereof.

Abstract: A liquid jet recording apparatus includes a liquid container that contains liquid, a jetting portion disposed at a lower level than the surface of the liquid contained in the liquid container for jetting the liquid, and a conduit for communicating the jetting portion with the liquid container. An on-off valve opens or closes the conduit to permit or block the flow of the liquid in the conduit. A liquid storing portion damps pressure fluctuations of the liquid which flows in the conduit and is disposed in the conduit between the on-off valve and the jetting portion. A pressure sensor measures the pressure of the liquid in the conduit, and a control portion controls the on-off valve to be opened or closed based on a pressure value measured by the pressure sensor.

Abstract: Provided is a blank structure for a ring member of a bearing in which a cut target surface after stainless steel is forged has uniform surface characteristics, and highly accurate cutting processing is enabled. A blank (10), which is processed to an outer race (2) and an inner race (3) of a bearing, includes: a cylindrical portion (11, 12) formed by forging a stainless-steel material, and having an inner circumferential surface (11a, 12a) and an outer circumferential surface (11b, 12b) entirely being surface eutectic carbides fragmented beds; and a clamp portion (13) provided to one end portion side of the cylindrical portion (11, 12).

Abstract: A sample preparing device has a sample stage that supports a sample and undergoes rotation about a first rotation axis to bring a preselected direction of the sample piece into coincidence with an intersection line between a first plane formed by a surface of the sample piece and a second plane. A manipulator holds sample piece of the sample and undergoes rotation about a second rotation axis independently of the sample stage to rotate the sample piece to a preselected position in the state in which the preselected direction of the sample piece coincides with the intersection line. The manipulator is disposed relative to the sample stage so that an angle between the second rotation axis and the surface of the sample is in the range of 0° to 45°.

Abstract: A fuel cell has cell units and a manifold for uniformly supplying an anode fluid to each of the cell units. The manifold has a feed port through which an anode fluid is supplied, a first buffer section in fluid communication with the feed port for receiving the anode fluid and for reducing a flow rate of the anode fluid, a second buffer section in fluid communication with the first buffer section for receiving the anode fluid from the first buffer section at the reduced flow rate and for further reducing the flow rate of the anode fluid, and a block group formed of blocks spaced apart from one another to form flow channels in fluid communication with the second buffer section and through which the anode fluid at the further reduced flow rate flows. An array of fine openings is disposed in fluid communication with the cell units for receiving the anode fluid at the further reduced flow rate flowing through the flow channels so that the anode fluid is uniformly supplied to each of the cell units.

Abstract: To simplify a head-chip is provided with an actuator including grooves and a cover plate bonded onto the one surface of the actuator and including an opening portion including an ink chamber having an aperture plane being open on an upper end surface and slits extending from the ink chamber to be in communication with the grooves, and an flow path for bringing the upper end surface and one end surface extending in a thickness direction into communication with each other, the opening portion and the flow path being provided independently of each other. In the head-chip, foreign substance removal filter for removing a foreign substance is provided at a position at which the aperture plane of the ink chamber is substantially closed, and a filter for allowing passage of air bubbles, is provided at a position at which an opening of the flow path is substantially closed.

Abstract: In a method of affiliating content, a selection of at least one vendor and a unique affiliate tracking number associated with the at least one vendor are received, and a search routine associated with the at least one vendor is automatically selected. A network connection is established to a web site associated with the at least one vendor. Content from the web site of the at least one vendor is automatically retrieved using at least one keyword, the retrieved content including at least one product information that includes a unique product code associated with each product information. The unique affiliate tracking number is automatically inserted into the unique product code associated with each retrieved product information. A unique affiliated product code is generated for each retrieved product information.

Abstract: A thermal head manufacturing method comprises a concave portion forming step of forming a concave portion on one surface of a supporting substrate, a bonding step of bonding a thin plate glass to the one surface of the supporting substrate where the concave portion has been formed in a manner that hermetically seals the concave portion and forms a hollow portion, a heating step of heating the supporting substrate and the thin plate glass which have been bonded together in the bonding step to thereby soften the thin plate glass and expand gas trapped inside the hollow portion, and a heating resistor forming step of forming a heating resistor on the thin plate glass so as to be opposed to the hollow portion. During the heating step, the thin glass plate undergoes plastic deformation, due to expansion of the gas inside the hollow portion, and rises toward an opposite side from the hollow portion, and a leveling step is carried out to level the outer surface of the plastically deformed thin glass plate.

Abstract: A near-field optical head has a slider with first and second inclined surfaces that confront a magnetic recording medium during recording and reproduction of information. A recording element is formed on one of the first and second inclined surfaces and includes main and auxiliary magnetic poles stacked together with an insulation film interposed therebetween. An optical flux introducing device introduces an optical flux toward the first and second inclined surfaces of the slider, the optical flux having an optical axis inclined relative to the first and second inclined surfaces. A metal film is formed on the other of the first and second inclined surfaces of the slider for propagating the introduced optical flux along an interface between the first and second inclined surfaces to generate near-field light that is irradiated on the surface of the magnetic recording medium to effect recording and reproduction of information.