Abstract: When a semiconductor device having an element isolation structure is formed, first, a trench is formed in a wafer from a principal surface of the wafer, and the trench is filled with an insulating film. Then, the back surface of the wafer is polished so that the insulating film is exposed on the back surface. Accordingly, the insulating film penetrates the wafer from the principal surface to the back surface, thereby performing element isolation of the wafer. It is not necessary to use a bonding wafer. Thus, the method for manufacturing the semiconductor device is simplified.

Abstract: In a semiconductor device, a p-type base region is provided in an n−-type substrate to extend from a principal surface of the substrate in a perpendicular direction to the principal surface. An n+-type source region extends in the p-type base region from the principal surface in the perpendicular direction, and an n+-type drain region extends in the substrate separately from the p-type base region with a drift region interposed therebetween. A trench is formed to penetrate the p-type base region from the n+-type source region in a direction parallel to the principal surface. A gate electrode is formed in the trench through a gate insulating film. Accordingly, a channel region can be formed with a channel width in a depth direction of the trench when a voltage is applied to the gate electrode.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a composite apparatus in which a meter for a vehicle and an obstacle alarm device for a vehicle share a constituting means common to the meter and the obstacle alarm device. The meter and the obstacle alarm device share a buzzer-driving circuit (40) of and a buzzer (50).

Abstract: In a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, first, a trench is formed on a semiconductor substrate by anisotropic etching, and a reaction product is produced and deposited on the inner wall of the trench during the anisotropic etching. Then, isotropic etching is performed to round a corner of a bottom portion of the trench without removing the reaction product. The isotropic etching can round the corner of the trench without etching the side wall of the trench that is covered by the reaction product.

Abstract: A semiconductor strain sensor in which a sensor element for detecting a strain signal is mounted in a resin package member, which can restrain a creep stress of the package member from affecting to the sensor element. A semiconductor strain sensor is provided with a lead frame integrally molded with a resin package member, and a sensor chip made of silicon. The sensor chip is mounted on one surface of an element mounting portion of the lead frame, and is capable of externally outputting electric signal via a wire in accordance with strain when pressure is applied. An opening portion is provided in the package member, so that the entire area of another surface of the lead frame, where positions beneath the sensor chip, is non-contacted with the package member.

Abstract: A weather strip for sealing an opening portion around an opening in a vehicle body against a periphery of a closing member for closing the opening in the vehicle body. The weather strip includes a base portion and a tubular seal portion which projects outwardly from an outer surface of the base portion. The tubular seal portion includes a pair of leg portions which project outwardly from the base portion, extending portions which extend from ends of the leg portions in opposite directions along the outer side wall to have an L-shaped cross-section with the leg portion, and a seal wall for connecting ends of the extending parts into an arc-shaped cross-section. The base portion and the leg portions are composed of a solid material while the seal wall is composed of a sponge material. A boundary between the solid material and sponge material is located in each of the extending portions of the tubular seal portion.

Abstract: An intake duct for introducing outside air into an air cleaner of an internal combustion engine is provided which includes a hollow duct body with an opening, and a piece of non-woven fabric, formed in a flat shape, is joined to the duct body to close the opening. The duct body includes a circumferential wall formed of a resin, and the opening is formed along a plane extending through a portion of the circumferential wall. The piece of non-woven fabric is fixed to the duct body so that some of the resin of the duct body penetrates into the non-woven fabric.

Abstract: A physical-quantity detection sensor includes a sensor portion (10) for generating and outputting a voltage depending on a physical quantity. A signal processing circuit (4) operates for processing the voltage outputted from the sensor portion (10) to generate and output a voltage depending on the voltage outputted from the sensor portion (10) during a physical-quantity sensing mode of operation. A reference voltage is inputted into the signal processing circuit (4) during a checking mode of operation which differs from the physical-quantity sensing mode of operation. The reference voltage is different from the voltage outputted from the sensor portion (10). During the checking mode of operation, a malfunction of the signal processing circuit (4) is detected on the basis of an output signal from the signal processing circuit (4) which responds to the reference voltage inputted thereinto.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a sheet material applicator comprising a cylindrical body rotatable within a housing, the housing forming a handle for the applicator, and means at one end of the cylindrical body for mounting a roll of the sheet material particularly a bandage applicator.

Abstract: An abnormality detection circuit for detecting abnormality of a CPU includes a command value check circuit for checking whether a current command value calculated by the CPU is normal or abnormal with respect to a torque signal, and a drive signal check circuit for checking whether a motor drive signal outputted based on the current command value is normal or abnormal. When the command value abnormality of the CPU is detected by the abnormality detection circuit, a counter circuit is started to count a time of an abnormality state of the CPU. If the counted time reaches a predetermined time, a control stop command is outputted from a system stop circuit to the CPU, thereby stopping the system control of the CPU.

Abstract: A sensor device has a semiconductor sensor chip mounted on a resin package with which insert pins are insert-molded. The sensor chip and the pins are electrically connected to each other by bonding wires. An electrically insulating protective member covers the chip, the pins, and the wires. The protective member has a saturated swelling coefficient of approximately 7 wt % at most when the protective member is immersed into gasoline having a temperature of 20° C. Accordingly, bubbles are prevented from being produced in the protective member.

Abstract: An error such as disconnection or short on the current path from said dc power supply to a switching element via the dc motor is detected by judging whether variation in a voltage at a junction point between the dc motor and the switching element tracks variation in the pulse width modulation signal for the switching element. If this is false for a predetermined interval, this apparatus judges there is the error. The error is judged by variation in a voltage at a junction point between the dc motor and the switching element tracks variation in the pulse width modulation signal, so that though the dc motor is driven by a fan for cooling the engine of a motor vehicle because of wind due to traveling of a motor vehicle, the error can be judged accurately.

Abstract: In a compressor connected to a discharge pipe for transferring discharged refrigerant to outside, an oil separator has a near column shaped separation chamber which is formed in a housing and whose one end is opened to a surface of the housing, and a separator pipe having a large diameter portion and a small diameter portion both of which are inserted into the separation chamber. The large diameter portion is press fitted to an inner wall of the separation chamber in a vicinity of the opening end thereof so as to form cylindrical space between the small diameter portion and the inner wall of the separation chamber. Further, the discharged pipe is fluid-tightly connected and directly fixed to the housing at the opening end of the separation chamber.

Abstract: A segment-type electroluminescent display panel is driven by a driving circuit that supplies a constant current to each luminescent segment. The display panel includes plural luminescent segments each having a luminescent area different from one another. The plural segments are grouped into several groups, so that each group includes the segments having the same or similar luminescent area. The amount of current to be supplied to each segment is determined group by group so that a substantially same current density is supplied to all the segments. Since the plural segments are grouped according to their size, the driving circuit is simplified while attaining an equal luminance among all the luminescent segments. Alternatively, an equal amount of current is supplied to all the variously sized segments, and a resistor is connected in parallel to each segment to equalize the current density supplied to each segment thereby to achieve an equal luminance among all the segments.

Abstract: In a vehicular navigation system which provides a recommended travel route, a control unit checks for the number of each road branching from an entering road of the travel route at an intersection when the entering road has a plurality of traffic lanes. If an exiting road of the travel route from the intersection has a largest number of traffic lanes among the branching roads, no intersection guidance is provided. If the exiting road has a smaller number of traffic lanes, an intersection guidance is provided. This intersection guidance may include guidance of turn direction and guidance of traffic lane to be taken.

Abstract: An analog input signal is inputted into a pulse delay circuit including a series combination of delay units. The analog input signal controls signal delay times provided by the respective delay units. A pulse signal is inputted into the pulse delay circuit. The pulse signal is transmitted in the pulse delay circuit while being sequentially delayed by the delay units. Detection is made as to a number of ones among the delay units through which the pulse signal has passed during a setting time from a moment at which the pulse signal is inputted into the pulse delay circuit. Information representative of a level of the analog input signal is generated in response to the detected number.

Abstract: A self-applicator for bandages includes a tubular body with two widened areas. One widened area has a greater length than the other widened area. At the one widened area, two internal and opposite semi-bushings are dovetailed to form a handle. At the other end of the tubular body, internal ribs provided in an axial direction are coupled to end ribs of a tubular part over which a bandage is wound. The bandage tension is adjusted at any time by pressing a finger over the other widened area of the tubular body.

Abstract: In a window washer nozzle of a window washer apparatus, washer liquid in a vertical liquid pipe is introduced into a horizontal liquid pipe through a filter and sprayed out from an orifice to a windshield. The filter is integrally molded in a coupling portion of the first and the second liquid pipes. An opposed wall of the filter is opposite to an inlet of the horizontal liquid pipe with a space L through which the washer liquid flows into the horizontal liquid pipe. The space L is smaller than a bore size W of the orifice. Therefore, foreign materials in the washer liquid larger than the bore size W are blocked at the filter, thereby restricting clogging of the orifice.

Abstract: An ultrasonic motor includes a stator and a rotor. A plurality of slits are arranged at substantially equal angular intervals along an outer peripheral surface of the rotor. A photosensor is supported inside of an upper housing of the motor. The photosensor is arranged to oppose each one of the slits in a radial direction of the rotor when the slit comes in front of the photosensor during rotation of the rotor. Based on a signal outputted from the photosensor, a control device applies a high frequency alternating voltage between first and second electrode plates of the stator.

Abstract: A dynamic quantity sensor has a weigh portion that is supported by a base portion to be displaced by a dynamic quantity, a movable electrode protruding from the weigh portion, and a fixed electrode protruding from the base portion and defining a detection interval with the movable electrode. The detection interval changes in response to displacement of the weight portion for detecting the dynamic quantity. Each of the movable electrode and the fixed electrode has a tapered plane shape with a width that decreases from a root portion toward a tip portion thereof.