Abstract: A developer for developing latent electrostatic images for use in the rear side exposure system, composed of an electroconductive magnetic carrier which is composed of electroconductive magnetic carrier particles, each electroconductive magnetic carrier particle including a magnetic base particle and an electroconductive layer formed on the surface of the magnetic base particle, a magnetic high-resistivity magnetic carrier, and an electrically insulating toner; and an image formation method of forming toner images on a photoconductor by using this developer in accordance with the rear side exposure system are disclosed.

Abstract: A robot device for a piled-package type double twister, capable of detecting the condition of a pilot lamp for indicating yarn breakage, provided in a double-twisting unit which unwinds yarns from two feed packages placed one over the other, twist the yarns, winds the twisted yarn, of starting a feed package changing operation when the take-up package has a predetermined size, of continuing the feed package changing operation if a sensor for detecting the exhaustion of the feed packages detects yarn at least on one of the two feed packages, and of returning the feed packages to their positions and terminating the feed package changing operation if both the feed packages have yarns.

Abstract: A method of enhancing the strength and of reducing strength variations of multi-layer wood, plywood or similar by measuring the density of the veneer sheets used in the production and by grading the veneer sheets accordingly. The density of the veneer sheets is measured in a manner known per se by using a high-frequency electromagnetic resonator (2). To build up layers of multi-layer wood, plywood or similar (12), veneer sheets confirmed to have a higher density are graded as surface sheets (13) and/or local density variations of central sheets (14) are reduced by mixing veneer sheets with various densities.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a stencil mask in provided, in which precise patterning and a sufficient thickness of the absorber film are ensured, and manufacturing steps are simplified. Temporary holes 1h are formed on the substrate 1 based on the precise mask pattern of the intermediate film 2. The absorber film 3 is formed on the intermediate film 2, while an extra portion of the absorber film is deposited and stored in the temporary holes 1h. The absorber film 3 is made sufficiently thick while maintaining the precise patterning of the intermediate film 2. A window 6 is formed from the rear surface of the substrate penetrating through the substrate, through which beams pass. The temporary holes 1h and the extra portion of the absorber film are naturally removed during the forming of the window 6.

Abstract: A low concentration solar array for spacecraft and other uses which has a series of solar panels which can be deployed from a folded stowed configuration to a planar configuration. When the solar panels are stowed, the padding of reflector panels cushions and protects the solar panels from the stresses and vibrations of launch and space flight. Once the solar panels are extended into a deployed planar configuration, the reflector panels are raised to concentrate sunlight upon the solar panels. These reflector panels are constructed from rigid honeycomb substrates and therefore are the active structural members of the solar array, providing the structural rigidity for the solar array.

Abstract: A release mechanism for attaching and releasing appendages from a main body such that shock and frictional effects are minimized. The release mechanism comprises a housing, a main cylindrical body, a collet, a toroidal spring and actuators, where the main cylindrical body includes radial projections. A wrap spring couples the collet and the toroidal spring.

Abstract: There is disclosed a semiconductor memory device which can decrease precharge current and stably read out data, e.g., EEPROM, etc., having column line potential setting transistors connected between precharging transistors and their corresponding column lines. The column line potential setting transistor maintains precharging potential of the column line to a low value for suppressing instantaneous current by precharging to a low value and in a read cycle after precharge it further lowers the gate potential applied to the gate of the column line potential setting transistors to a value lower than a potential of the gate for the precharge period thereby prevent an erroneous operation by the capacitive coupling between column lines.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory device including dynamic memory cells for which refresh operation is required, wherein one fundamental cycle consists of a normal operation for carrying out writing or reading into or from the memory cells and a refresh operation. This semiconductor memory device comprising: a refresh signal generating circuit supplied with a clock signal to generate a refresh signal indicating start of refresh; a count signal generating circuit supplied with the clock signal to generate a count signal required for selection of a memory cell to be refreshed, a refresh counter circuit supplied with the refresh signal and the count signal to select a word line and a bit line to which a memory cell to be refreshed is connected; and a precharge circuit supplied with the refresh signal to carry out precharge of the bit line for refresh.

Abstract: A pulse detection and conditioning circuit senses and conditions commutation pulses produced by a DC permanent magnet motor to determine motor position. The pulses are sensed using a resistor coupled in series with the motor, so that motor current and the included pulses are continuously sensed, even during motor braking. The serially coupled resistor also provides for sensing and conditioning of pulses of both polarities produced by bi-directional operation of the motor. The pulse detecting and conditioning is performed by circuitry which performs amplitude qualification as well as frequency filtering to effectively detect valid commutation pulses to the exclusion of noise and other unwanted signals. Capacitors coupled to the motor and internal capacitors provide the frequency filtering, while the amplitude qualification is provided by a balanced differential gain stage coupled through an adjustable differential gain stage with adjustable gain to a unity gain comparator.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device forms a resist pattern for a gate electrode or the like on a semiconductor device in such a manner that only a fine resist pattern is formed on a resist member by an electron beam lithography and other resist patterns are formed on the same resist member by an optical lithography.

Abstract: A package for housing semiconductor elements including an insulating base which consists of electrical insulation material, and has a mounting portion that mounts semiconductor elements on the upper surface as well as a plurality of depressions on either of the upper surface and the lower surface thereof, a plurality of metallized wiring layers led away from the periphery of the mounting portion and extending to one end surface of the depressions, a plurality of connection pads for electrically connecting the metallized wiring layers formed on the end surface of the depressions of the insulating base and terminals which are soldered to the connection pads, wherein the terminals are accurately attached by solder to designated positions on the connection pads and securely and strongly joined to designated wire conductors of external electronic circuit boards to achieve reliable electrical connections of semiconductor integrated circuit elements housed inside the package to external electronic circuit boards.

Abstract: A camouflaged item holder for holding at least one item, such as a gun or the like, in a vehicle, such as a car or the like, includes a lid and a housing having an interior with an opening for holding at least one item. When the lid is in a closed position, the lid and housing appear like a single unit having a function other than holding an item, such that the presence of the at least one item inside the interior of the housing is camouflaged. The lid has the appearance of a portion of an electronic device and is dimensioned to cover the opening to the interior of the housing. The lid may be coupled to the housing by at least one hinge so that the lid can be opened and closed, and the housing may include at least one mounting structure that can couple the housing to the vehicle. The camouflaged gun holder may also include a lock mechanism to secure and lock the lid to the housing when the lid is in the closed position.

Abstract: Pick-and-place grasp candidates for positions at which an object can be picked and placed on a table are calculated based on the initial and goal states of the object, the surrounding environment state at the initial and goal states and the geometrical data of a robot hand. A space characterization is prepared which represents various states relating to the object around the grasp position in each of the calculated pick-and-place grasp candidates. The magnitude of the space in which the hand can be moved is estimated from the prepared space characterizations. Based on the results, position and orientation for pick-and-place grasp is selected from the pick-and-place grasp candidates. If the object cannot be moved from its initial state to its goal state through one grasp and movement action, the object is once returned onto the table and regrasped by the robot hand. Regrasp orientation of the object is selected from stable orientations which depend on the geometric data of objects to be handled.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for piecing a sliver and at least one of a leading yarn and a bobbin yarn. A nozzle member and a spindle member having a hollow spindle are provided. A relative spacing is established between the nozzle member and the spindle member. At least one of a leading yarn and a bobbin yarn is inserted into the hollow spindle of the spindle member relatively spaced from the nozzle member. The relative spacing between the spindle member and the nozzle member is decreased, so that the spindle member and the nozzle member mutually form an air chamber. A compressed air flow is directed into the air chamber. Sliver is supplied to at least one of the leading yarn and the bobbin yarn, and the sliver and at least one of the leading yarn and the bobbin yarn are pieced together.

Abstract: An automatic frequency control circuit mounted on a mobile station in mobile communication. The automatic frequency control circuit performs feedback control of an oscillation frequency of a local oscillator used in conversion of a reception frequency to an intermediate frequency signal in response to the count result of the frequency of the intermediate frequency signal. If a receiver is not in the hand-off state, counting is performed for comparatively long time; if in the hand-off state, counting is performed for comparatively short time conforming to required stabilization performance at hand off. Occurrence of variations in count values caused by fading is detected, and only the count values worthy of trust are used as a base of control. A level drop caused by fading is compensated by self-oscillation.

Abstract: A magneto-resistive head has an upper shield layer, a lower shield layer spaced a distance from the upper shield layer, a magneto-resistive layer disposed over the lower shield layer, a shunt layer disposed adjacent to the magneto-resistive layer for giving a magnetic bias field to the magneto-resistive layer, and a electrode layer in contact with the magneto-resistance device and the shunt layer for providing an electric current to both of the magneto-resistive layer and the shunt layer electric current. The magneto-resistive layer, the shunt layer and the electrode layer are disposed between the upper shield and the lower shield. The shunt layer consist of molybdenum having a grain size more than 150 angstrom. The shunt layer has low specific resistance. Therefore, the thickness of the shunt layer can be reduced. As a result, the distance between the upper and lower shield layer can be reduced. Consequently, the gap length of the magneto-resistive head is narrower than prior art magnetic heads.