Abstract: A sputtering apparatus for forming a sputtered film on a substrate held on a substrate holder in a vacuum chamber includes a target, a deposition preventing plate provided between the target and the substrate holder, a substrate holder carrying mechanism, and a moving mechanism for moving the substrate holder carrying mechanism to change a distance between the substrate and the deposition preventing plate.

Abstract: Featured is a sheet feed unit including a first transport path in which is transported a first sheet, a second transport path and a protrusion. A second sheet is transported in the second transport path and guided at a prescribed angle relative to the first transport path. The protrusion is located or fixed at a confluence of the first transport path and the second transport path. The protrusion also has a guide surface that is placed to allow the second sheet to be guided along the first transport path.

Abstract: A polarized-light converting elemental device which can produce an accurately unidirectionally and circularly polarized light with a minimized loss of light and a projection-type display device using said unidirectionally-polarized-light converting elemental device are provided. A polarized-light converting elemental device comprises a mirror glass portion consisting of an array of mirror glass blocks each having a first reflecting optical element and a second reflecting optical element and a cholesteric-liquid-crystal glass portion including a cholesteric liquid crystal layer for reflecting either clockwise circularly polarized component or anticlockwise circularly polarized component and transmitting the other.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for preparing a useful medicinal intermediate represented by the following formula (1): in which, R1, A and n are defined as described in the specification, or its stereoisomer, characterized in that a compound represented by the following formula (2): in which, R, R1, A and n are defined as described in the specification, is reacted with a cyanide in the presence of a nickel catalyst.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a microgranule prepared by using an alkali compound as a stabilizer for a 5-pyrrolyl-2-pyridylmethylsulfinylbenzimidazole derivative having the following formula (1), which is a very effective antiulcerative but highly unstable under acidic conditions, and by using a water-soluble polymer as a binding agent. in which X, R1, R2, R3, R4 and R5 are defined as described in the specification.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image processing device capable of performing high-resolution conversion, enlargement processing, etc. which, even with images including both text images and photographic images, satisfies both sharpness of text areas and smoothness of photograph areas. The image processing device according to the present invention performs frequency conversion, using a frequency conversion device, of partial images which are the objects of processing, resulting in a matrix of frequency-converted coefficients; divides into a plurality of domains, using a plurality of patterns, the matrix of frequency-converted coefficients; and quantifies each such domain by finding a mean value of the coefficients of that domain as a feature quantity for that domain.

Abstract: A power supply device for providing uninterrupted power for a period of time is disclosed. The power supply device has a controller and a flywheel device. The flywheel device has a housing that contains a flywheel rotor and a motor/generator rotor. The flywheel rotor and the motor/generator rotor are mounted on a common shaft. An active axial magnetic bearing is located to support the shaft for frictionless rotation. The bearing provides support for the shaft, the flywheel rotor and motor/generator rotor. The axial magnetic bearing is attached to the housing and provides, in combination with the motor/generator rotor, a flux path and magnetic field to exert a magnetic force to lift the motor/generator rotor and the shaft on which it is mounted.

Abstract: The invention has been accomplished in order to provide a method of manufacturing a columnar material of metal having an excellent dimensional accuracy without the need of much work time and cost, said method comprising equally forming a multiplicity of longitudinal grooves on an outer periphery of a column-shaped raw material of metal, and then uniformly squeezing tip ends of portions between the respective longitudinal grooves to make the same flat to obtain a target outside dimension.

Abstract: A method for producing a liquid crystal display panel of the present invention includes the steps of: forming a plurality of injection seals on at least one of a pair of substrates, the injection seals defining a liquid crystal injection area; forming a dummy seal of dispersed sealant particles outside the liquid crystal injection area; attaching the substrates to each other thereby sandwiching the injection seal and the dummy seal therebetween; and injecting a liquid crystal material into the liquid crystal injection area formed between the pair of substrates.