Abstract: According to the present invention there is provided a space coordinates detecting device wherein a detecting section for detecting light emitted from a light source is provided, thereby permitting detection of a relative angle between a light emitting sections and the detecting section and hence permitting application of the detecting device to an input apparatus. The detecting section is provided with a light sensing element 23 having quartered light sensing portions. In the light emitting section, distinguishable lights are emitted from two light sources. The lights thus emitted are throttled through apertures and applied as separate square light spots S16 and S17 to the light-sensitive surface of the light sensing element 23. By calculating a difference in the detected output among the quartered light sensing portions, it is possible to determine the center I1 of the square light spot S16 and the center I2 of the square light spot S17.

Abstract: A communication system for e.g. an automobile including a system control unit for activating a selected audio/video device (such as an AM/FM tuner or a navigation system) in response to a request signal transmitted on a bus from a command input terminal. The system control unit generates command signals necessary to activate the selected audio/video device in response to the request signal, including command signals to de-activate any currently-operating devices. Conversely, adjustment commands (such as volume change or channel change commands) are transmitted directly (that is, unchanged by the system control unit) from the command input terminal to the selected audio/video device on the first bus line. In addition, the audio/video devices transmit reset signals whenever power is shut-off and then restored. Each reset signal includes a transmission source address corresponding to the audio/video device which transmitted the signal.

Abstract: An extruding apparatus for intermittently supplying a predetermined quantity of highly viscoelastic fluid material, e.g. food material. The apparatus has a supply pump, one end of which is connected to a hopper containing the food material and the other end connected to an extrusion valve covered with a housing via a supply pipe and a pressure sensing means mounted in the housing or in the supply pipe, thereby always sensing the pressure of the food material in the valve to keep the pressure to a predetermined value by operating or stopping the supply pump.

Abstract: A switch for preventing unintentional actuation of, for example, a door lock in an automobile. The switch includes a slider and a control lever pivotally mounted on the slider. When the slider is in a neutral position, a guide member located in a housing of the switch abuts a protrusion of the control lever such that pivoting of the control lever is prevented, thereby preventing unintentional actuation of the door lock. To actuate the switch, the slider is moved to a second position wherein the protrusion of the control lever is not blocked by the guide member, and subsequent pivoting of the control member causes the protrusion to push a movable contact into a fixed contact of the switch. A ball is biased into a groove formed in the slider to provide a click sensation when the slider is moved from the neutral position to the second position.

Abstract: A disk drive particularly, a disk drive into which a disk cartridge containing a magnetic disk as an information recording medium is loaded when used. A flexible printed circuit board mounting circuit parts for a spindle motor thereon is used as board and fixed to a back yoke, thereby constituting the spindle motor. A lower cover is provided with an opening, the flexible printed circuit board is interposed between a chassis and the lower cover, and the back yoke is assembled by being inserted into the opening of the lower cover. When the disk cartridge is inserted, it is obliquely inserted so that the disk cartridge will not strike against any magnetic heads.

Abstract: A computer including a body case housing a display, an outer member formed of an impact-resistant material integrally formed on the outside surface of the body case, and an outwardly-projecting cushioning portion formed at each corner of the outside member. Each of the cushioning portions has a first protective portion extending outwardly from the body case, and a second protective portion projecting curvilinearly with respect to the first protective portion and extending onto a surface or a back side of the body case. The cushioning portions are formed of an elastic material. Further, vent holes are formed in the body case which are sealed with a porous film which is permeable to gas but not permeable to water. The vent holes provide an escape path for gas produced by a battery, such as a nickel-hydrogen battery, in the event that the battery explodes within the body case.

Abstract: An electronic element having a sufficient dielectric strength remarkably superior to any of the conventional ones. In this element, a conductive wire pattern is formed on the surface of a substrate which is insulative at least in its surface, and an insulating layer is so formed as to cover the substrate and the wire pattern either partially or entirely. The insulating layer is composed of a silicon nitride film where the oxygen content is less than 10 atomic percent at least in the vicinity of a step portion of the wire pattern. There is also provided a method of producing such electronic element, wherein the insulating layer is formed by plasma enhanced CVD under the conditions that the following relationship among a film forming temperature T (.degree. C.), an ion flux I (A) and a film forming speed v (nm/min): T.gtoreq.-651 (I/v)+390, 150.ltoreq.T.ltoreq.350 (where the ion flux denotes the current (A) per 60.times.60 cm.sup.2).

Abstract: A multidirection input apparatus including a housing, a driving member movably positioned within the housing, and an operation member fixedly attached to the driving member and extending from the housing for manual manipulation. The driving body is supported by an elastic member over an input switch. The elastic member includes six protrusions (two rotation protrusions and four tilt protrusions), each protrusion having a movable contact formed on a lower surface of the elastic member, and each movable contact is positioned over an associated fixed contact located on a lower substrate of the housing. Manual rotation of the operation member causes rotation of the driving member which, in turn, presses against one of the two rotation protrusions, thereby causing the movable contact associated with the rotation protrusion to contact its associated fixed contact on the lower substrate.

Abstract: A noise filter includes an annular magnetic core made of a soft magnetic alloy ribbon mainly made of Fe and containing B and at least one element selected from a group consisting of Ti, Zr, Hf, Nb, Ta, Mo and W, at least 50% of the soft magnetic alloy structure being composed of body-centered cubic structured fine grains having an average grain size of 30 nm or below, a casing for accommodating the magnetic core and having an insulating plate, a pair of coils separated from each other by the insulating plate, and an electronic circuit for connecting a core element made up of the magnetic core, the casing and the coils.

Abstract: A torque sensor is provided which does not easily generate hysteresis in an output curve from a sensing device thereof and in which abnormality in detecting the rotational torque can therefore be prevented. An input shaft and an output shaft are connected to each other through a torsion bar. An actuator portion, having a semicircular cross sectional shape, and a stopper are, such that a predetermined interval is maintained, provided for a first mounting frame integrally formed with the input shaft. A sensing device comprising of a slide-operation-type variable resistor is secured to a second mounting frame integrally formed with the output shaft. A lever provided for the sensing device and having a circular cross sectional shape is caused to project between the actuator portion and the stopper.

Abstract: An optical reading apparatus including an LED array for projecting light onto bar codes formed on a paper surface, a line sensor for receiving reflected light from the bar codes, a bar code reading unit for processing bar code reading signals obtained by the line sensor and for obtaining decoded signals of the bar codes, and a drive control unit for driving the LED array and the line sensor, wherein the LED array is divided into a plurality of sets, and a paper detecting unit detects whether a paper surface is present or not based on a bar code reading signal and supplies a paper surface detection signal to a drive control unit when the paper surface is detected, and the drive control unit drives the plurality of LED sets to emit light in sequence when a paper surface is not detected, and to emit light simultaneously when a paper surface detection signal is generated by the paper detecting unit.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting and controlling the rotational position of a motor without using a high-priced component and without requiring special software processing. The apparatus includes a motor rotation control section for selectively connecting a power source to the motor to rotate the motor into a predetermined position, a potentiometer mechanically linked to a shaft of the motor to read the absolute rotational position of the motor, an astable multivibrator for generating output pulses having a duty ratio corresponding to the position read by the potentiometer, and a control signal generation section for supplying a control signal corresponding to the duty ratio of the output pulses to the motor rotation control section to control the rotational position of the motor.

Abstract: A thin tape printing apparatus is provided which requires less operation space when a tape cassette is loaded and unloaded and is suitable for integration into a variety of apparatuses. The tape printing apparatus includes a cassette insertion slot provided on the front side of a main unit, a cassette loading section which is connected to the cassette insertion slot so that a tape cassette having at least a platen roller and a platen drive gear for rotating the platen roller can be loaded and unloaded from the side of the main unit, a print head for performing printing on a tape-shaped recording medium, and a drive motor for driving the platen roller via the platen drive gear.

Abstract: A disk apparatus wherein a cleaning member and a shutter for cleaning and covering an optical head are actuated by the motor used to drive a head positioning member (such as a screw shaft). During a reading operation, a screw shaft is rotated by a motor in a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction, and a carriage meshed with the screw shaft is driven to move an optical head over a disk. When the reading operation is stopped, the optical head is moved by the screw shaft to a retracted position. After the optical head is fully retracted, the screw shaft is further rotated by the motor and the screw shaft is then moved along its axis relative to the optical head. As the screw shaft moves, it pushes against a drive member, which in turn causes a support member to rotate so that the optical head is cleaned by a cleaning member provided on the support member, and is covered by a shutter, which is also formed on the support member.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing thin films in which a first film is formed on a substrate using chemical-vapor deposition (CVD), and a second film is formed on the substrate using sputtering, wherein the processes are sequentially performed in the same deposition chamber without exposing the substrate to an oxidative atmosphere. The deposition chamber includes a first electrode, and a second electrode located under the first electrode. During the CVD process, a dummy target is mounted on the first electrode and the substrate is mounted on the second electrode, a reactive gas is introduced into the chamber, and high frequency electrical power is applied to both the first and second electrodes, thereby causing the constituents of the reactive gas to deposit on the substrate to form the first film. Subsequently, any remaining reactive gas is removed from the chamber and an automated mechanism removes the dummy target from the first electrode and stores the dummy target in a storage chamber.

Abstract: In a detachable electronic device with a device body which can be detached from a stationary portion and a control unit which can be detached from the device body, the device body is prevented from being released from the stationary portion when the control unit is detached from the device body.

Abstract: A thermal printer capable of performing multiple printing on a plurality of superposed recording paper sheets adapted for multiple printing. The thermal printer has a first printing mode for printing on heat-sensitive paper, a second printing mode for printing on plain paper by melting and transferring ink of an ink ribbon, and a third mode for multiple printing on multiple-printing sheets. Each of these printing modes is selected by a printing mode select switch. A control unit is provided which controls the traveling speed of a carriage and a unit time period for energizing a thermal head based on the selected printing mode.