Abstract: An exposure apparatus performs an exposure of a substrate by filling at least a portion of the space between a projection optical system and the substrate with a liquid and projecting an image of a pattern onto the substrate via the projection optical system and the liquid. The apparatus includes a bubble detector that detects air bubble or bubbles in the liquid between the projection optical system and the substrate. Consequently, the exposure apparatus is capable of suppressing deterioration of a pattern image caused by bubbles in the liquid when an exposure is carried out while filling the space between the projection optical system and the substrate with the liquid.

Abstract: A tape printing apparatus that can be set smoothly into a tape printing apparatus charger from a free angle by gripping the top face section and the bottom face section of the tape printing apparatus such that the front side face section faces downward and the right side face section faces the forward direction, the lower edge on the right side face section of the tape printing apparatus is placed on the forward section of the fitting section from an angle obliquely upward of the tape printing apparatus charger. With the front side face section of the tape printing apparatus kept in contact with the top edge on the front side wall section of the fitting section of the tape printing apparatus charger, the tape printing apparatus is inserted into the tape printing apparatus charger in the forward direction for recharging.

Abstract: An image processing method, apparatus, and program as well as a printer, a print instructing terminal, and an image processing system, capable of reducing or preventing deterioration of the image quality and achieving binarization at high speeds is provided. An image processing method, by which a multi-grayscale image is divided into two regions. These regions are synthesized after error diffusion processing is applied to each region. Before the original image is divided into two regions, errors of respective pixels on a dividing line are diffused to these two regions. It is thus possible to obtain substantially the same processing result as in a case where the error diffusion processing is applied continuously across the entire original image. Hence, it is thus possible to reduce or eliminate stripes or the like in the joined portion that deteriorate the image quality when the divided regions are synthesized after the error diffusion processing, which enables a high-quality image to be obtained.

Abstract: A metal paste, in which a filler mainly composed of metal is mixed with good dispersibility, is manufactured with good productivity at a low cost without generating a foil of the metal. A paste-like material (referred to as a paste material hereafter) containing a metal filler is fed into a gap between a pair of rotating whetstones 11 and 12 which are relatively rotated while facing with each other having a specified gap therebetween, to pass and discharge therein. The paste material is thus kneaded and dispersed. In addition, the paste material is kneaded and dispersed by suppressing the generation of a metal foil, adjusting the gap to a specified interval dg and feeding the paste material into the interval while applying thereon a predetermined positive pressure and/or negative pressure.

Abstract: A piezoelectric device includes: a piezoelectric element; a piezoelectric element package containing the piezoelectric element; a connecting terminal disposed on the bottom of the piezoelectric element package; a circuit element connected to the bottom of the piezoelectric element package; a insulating resin portion covering the circuit element; and an external electrode formed on the surface of the resin portion, wherein: in a plan view seen from the direction, along which the external electrode is formed, an inclined portion is provided in a part of an area of the resin portion, in which the external electrode is to be formed, the inclined portion extending from the bottom surface of the piezoelectric element package towards the surface of the resin portion; and the connecting terminal on the bottom of the piezoelectric element package and the external electrode of the resin portion are electrically connected to each other by means of a connecting electrode formed on the inclined portion.

Abstract: An ink cartridge has a first partitioning wall 5 and a third partitioning wall 7 for dividing the inside of a case 2 into a first ink chamber 9 and a second ink chamber 10, and a second partitioning wall 6 for demarcating an atmosphere connection chamber 11. In an upper case cover 3 are formed an ink filling hole 13 communicating with the second ink chamber 10 and a pressure reduction hole 14 communicating with the atmosphere connection chamber 11. Therefore, when ink filling is being done, the filling apparatus and the pressure reduction apparatus need only be brought to bear from one side of the upper case cover, resulting in improved work efficiency. Ink filling can be performed efficiently because the ink successively passes to the second ink chamber 10 and the first ink chamber 9. After ink filling, the ink filling hole 13 and the pressure reduction hole 14 can easily be sealed off with sealing material. An ink cartridge is thus provided that can be easily assembled at low cost.

Abstract: An imaging system that uses multiple processors to process a series of print jobs to display a series of page images can include an input device that inputs an object, a controller that controls the multiple processors to process the image based on the inputted object to create the print job and an interface device that produces a plurality of worker threads that correspond to the print job. Moreover, the system can include a memory for storing the print job and an output device that displays the image. The controller controls the multiple processors and the interface device to allow the plurality of worker threads to simultaneously process independent portions of the print job even when regions associated with the image overlap.

Abstract: An electronic camera of the present invention has an image pickup part, an ambient light colorimetric part, an operation member, a colorimetric calculation part, and a white balance adjustment part. The image pickup part captures an optical image through a photo-taking lens to generate color image data. The ambient light colorimetric part measures color of ambient light without passing through the photo-taking lens. The operation member receives an instruction for the colorimetric timing of ambient light from a user. The colorimetric calculation part obtains the colorimetric result from the ambient light colorimetric part in synchronization with the colorimetric timing, and calculates and stores color gain bringing the colorimetric result near to achromatic color. The white balance adjustment part performs white balance adjustment of image data in accordance with the stored color gain. The structure of the electric camera like this allows preset white balance to be executed in freer timing.

Abstract: To provide an apparatus for evaluating the deterioration condition of a catalyst of an internal combustion engine that can improve the accuracy of an evaluation of the deterioration condition of a catalyst and can suppress a worsening of emissions. The apparatus forcedly sets the air/fuel ratio upstream of a catalyst provided in an exhaust system of an internal combustion engine at a rich condition or a lean condition on the basis of a detected value of a sub O2 sensor downstream of the catalyst in the internal combustion engine and evaluates the deterioration condition of the catalyst.

Abstract: A toner for developing an electrostatic latent image includes a binder resin, a colorant and a releasing agent. The releasing agent contains a hydrocarbon component including a linear hydrocarbon component, and the liner hydrocarbon component has a carbon number distribution and an average carbon number N. An amount of a component having a carbon number of from N?4 to N+4 in the releasing agent is 80% by mass or more based on the total mass of the hydrocarbon component of the releasing agent. An amount of a component having a carbon number of N?10 or less in the releasing agent is 0.05% by mass or less based on the total mass of the hydrocarbon component of the releasing agent, and an amount of a component having a carbon number of N+10 or more in the releasing agent is 0.05% by mass or less based on the total mass of the hydrocarbon component of the releasing agent.

Abstract: A high frequency filter incorporates first to third resonators provided inside a layered substrate. The first and third resonators are adjacent to each other and inductively coupled to each other. The second and third resonators are also adjacent to each other and inductively coupled to each other. The first and second resonators are not adjacent to each other but are capacitively coupled to each other through a conductor layer for capacitive coupling. The conductor layer for capacitive coupling incorporates: a first portion for forming a first capacitor between itself and the first resonator; a second portion for forming a second capacitor between itself and the second resonator; and a third portion having an end connected to the first portion and the other end connected to the second portion, the ends being opposed to each other in the longitudinal direction. The width of at least part of the third portion is smaller than the width of each of the first portion and the second portion.

Abstract: A thread tension mechanism and a sewing machine includes a thread tension dial, a pair of thread tension discs and a dial shaft secured unrotatably to an element constituting a body of the thread tension mechanism and rotatably supporting the thread tension dial; and first and second coil springs mounted in intimate contact with an outer periphery of the dial shaft. The second coil spring is spaced from the first coil spring and wound in a same direction as the first coil spring; and a pair of non-confronting outer end portions positioned at both ends of the first coil spring and the second coil spring or a pair of inner end portions positioned at confronting ends of the first coil spring and the second coil spring are engaged with the thread tension dial so as to be unrotatable relative to the thread tension dial.

Abstract: A secondary battery comprising a power generating part and a charging part, wherein the power generating part comprises an acidic medium in which a first electrode is disposed and a basic medium in which a second electrode is disposed; the acidic medium and the basic medium are disposed adjacent to each other; at least one of the acidic medium or the basic medium includes at least one reactive substance; and the charging part comprises a reactive substance regenerating device which regenerates the reactive substance from power-generation products produced by electric power generation in the power generating part.

Abstract: There is provided a method for manufacturing a porous ceramic structure, including: firing a formed body containing ceramic particles and a combustible powder functioning as a pore former, and burning off the combustible powder to obtain the porous ceramic structure. As the combustible powder, porous resin particles having an average particle diameter of 10 to 50 ?m and a porosity of 50 to 90% are used. The method for manufacturing a porous ceramic structure can inhibit the combustible powder functioning as a pore former from being smashed upon mixing/kneading a forming raw material and suppressing an excess heat generation upon firing and can manufacture a porous ceramic structure having a stable porosity with a good yield.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a thin film transistor includes forming a gate electrode on a substrate; forming a gate insulating film on the gate electrode; forming a semiconductor layer on the gate insulating film; forming a bank including a first bank portion and a second bank portion, the first bank portion being located at substantially a central portion of the semiconductor layer, the second bank portion having a thin film portion for surrounding the semiconductor layer and a thick film portion for surrounding the thin film portion at a periphery of the semiconductor layer; arranging first functional liquid containing a conductive material in a region surrounded by the thin film portion and the first bank portion such that the first functional liquid covers the semiconductor layer; drying the first functional liquid to obtain a first conductive film; removing the thin film portion selectively after drying the first functional liquid; arranging second functional liquid including a conductive material on a reg

Abstract: The present invention relates to time-temperature integrating indicators, also known as TTI indicators, which are easily printable on substrates, such as packaging materials, and to a method for the manufacture of packaging materials comprising printed TTI indicators. The printed TTI indicator is selectively activated at the time of packaging of a perishable product or alternatively at the time of opening of the package of a perishable product.

Abstract: A toner for electrostatic charge developing prepared by a production method including aggregating one or more kind of particles in a raw material dispersion including the particles to form aggregated particles, and coalescing the aggregated particles by heating. At least one kind of the particles is resin particles including an amorphous polyester resin synthesized by copolymerizing one or more polyvalent carboxylic acids and two or more polyhydric alcohols; at least one of the polyvalent carboxylic acids is polyvalent carboxylic acid having a sulfonic acid group; two of the polyhydric alcohols are an ethylene oxide adduct of bisphenol A and a propylene oxide adduct of bisphenol A; and the following equation is satisfied: 10/90?BPA(EO)/BPA(PO)?90/10.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for controlling feeding of solid matter in a process with at least one solid matter unloading point, at least one belt conveyor and at least one solid matter feeding point, solid matter being unloaded in the unloading point from solid matter storage to a belt conveyor arranged to convey the solid matter either directly or via at least one other belt conveyor to the feeding point. In the unloading point, the unloading of the solid matter to the belt conveyor is controlled in such a way that the thickness of the material bed follows a set value determined for it; and in the feeding point, the amount of solid matter to be fed is controlled by controlling the speed of the belt conveyor.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a heat resistant resin film with a metal thin film is configured to include the steps of: biasing a conductive material to one surface of the heat resistant resin film; and applying electrolytic plating to the heat resistant resin film while using the conductive material biased to the one surface of the heat resistant resin film as an electrode, so as to form a metal thin film on the heat resistant resin film.

Abstract: A document inverting-and-transporting apparatus includes a transport path, an inversion-and-transport path, a document transporting unit, a closed portion, a document length detecting unit, a comparing unit, a controlling unit. The transport path includes a first route along which the document is transported from a feeding start position to a transport direction changing position; a joining position; and a reading position. The inversion-and-transport path includes a second route along which the document is transported from the transport direction changing position to the reading position via the joining position. The closed portion constitutes a part of the inversion-and-transport path. The comparing unit compares a detected length of the document with a predetermined length larger than a length of the closed portion. The controlling unit determines whether the document is to be transported to the inversion-and-transport path, based on a result of the comparison.