Abstract: At a predetermined position during the lateral movement of a carriage 10, a gap switching mechanism 30 for switching a gap between a recording head 15 and a recording medium is provided. The recording head 15 is mounted facing downward on the carriage 10. A part close to one side on a lower end of the carriage is slidably and pivotably supported by a guide shaft 11 of a round shaft shape. A switching block member 13 provided with several abutment portions 52 and 53 with different heights, which are positioned so as to be opposed to a slide portion 12a at an upper end of a frame 12 extending in a vertical direction along a back of the carriage. The A switching block member 13 is pivotably supported by the carriage. A first pushing portion 56 is located at a left end of the frame so as to abut against the switching block member 13.

Abstract: A boundary layer energizer (20) for energizing a boundary layer flow (33) over a surface (22), the boundary layer energizer (20) comprising one or more passages (24) terminating in one or more respective holes (26) provided on the surface (22), wherein the one or more passages (24) comprises at least one fin (25) configured so as to generate a vortex flow in the one or more passages (24) such that, when in use, a fluid emanating from the one or more passages (24) flows in a vortex.

Abstract: A near-field light generator includes: a waveguide; a clad layer having a penetrating opening and disposed on the waveguide; a plasmon generator accommodated in the opening; and a dielectric film interposed between the plasmon generator and each of the waveguide and the clad layer. In a method of manufacturing the near-field light generator, an initial clad layer is initially formed on the waveguide, and then the initial clad layer is taper-etched by RIE to form a recess that does not reach the top surface of the waveguide. Subsequently, the recess is etched by wet etching until the top surface of the waveguide is exposed in part. Next, the dielectric film is formed in the opening, and the plasmon generator is formed on the dielectric film.

Abstract: A method for detecting a diameter of a single crystal at the time of pulling the single crystal from a silicon melt contained in a crucible according to the Czochralski method, the method including at least: using two cameras placed equidistant from each other as a target diameter upon forming a straight-body portion of the single crystal and face both ends of the diameter of the single crystal in a growth point of the single crystal respectively, to separately capture both of the ends of the growth point of the single crystal from an outside of a furnace, the growth point being a contact point between the single crystal and a melt surface; and detecting the diameter of the single crystal on the basis of the captured images. As a result, diameter detection precision is improved.

Abstract: A microreactor device comprises: a microchannel that sends one or more fluids; and a section that isolates vibrations to a first portion of the microchannel.

Abstract: In a delay circuit for inputting square waves, fluctuations in the amount of delay brought about by noise pulses present in input signals are reduced. A switch (SW3) is controlled by an output signal (Vdo) from a Schmitt comparator, and selects either an electric current source for supplying a charging current to a capacitor (Cst) or an electric current source for supplying a discharging current. A current supply from the selected electric current source is turned on/off by controlling switches (SW1, SW2) using an input signal (Vdi). The Schmitt comparator switches the level of Vdo in accordance with a voltage of Cst. The charging current is supplied to Cst when Vdi is H level at rising edge of Vdi, and the discharging current is supplied to Cst when Vdi is L level at trailing edge of Vdi.

Abstract: When the steered wheels are driven, there is a problem of the torque steering that the steering is disturbed by the difference in the driving forces between a pair of left and right steered wheels. Before such a problem, there is a problem that, since the vehicle is apt to run straight ahead more strongly as the driving force increases even when a uniform driving torque is given to a pair of steered wheels, a larger force is required to steer the vehicle leftward or rightward by overcoming such a tendency of running straight ahead. In view of the above, the steering assist force is increased according to an increase of the driving torque of the steered wheels in a manner of harmonizing the steering assist force to the magnitude of the steering resistance due to the driving torque of the steered wheels, so as to improve the steering feeling.

Abstract: An apparatus and method maintain immersion fluid in the gap adjacent to the projection lens during the exchange of a work piece in a lithography machine. The apparatus and method include an optical assembly that projects an image onto a work piece and a stage assembly including a work piece table that supports the work piece adjacent to the optical assembly. An environmental system is provided to supply and remove an immersion fluid from the gap between the optical assembly and the work piece on the stage assembly. After exposure of the work piece is complete, an exchange system removes the work piece and replaces it with a second work piece. An immersion fluid containment system maintains the immersion liquid in the gap during removal of the first work piece and replacement with the second work piece.

Abstract: Black particles include a black pigment; and a cyan pigment, wherein when the reflectance to light of wavelength of 420 nm and the reflectance to light of wavelength of 770 nm of plural samples are measured, the standard deviations (1?) of the measured values are about 1 or less with respect to both wavelengths.

Abstract: A transmittance sensor that detects the optical transmittance of biofuel is provided on a fuel tank that stores biofuel to be supplied to an internal combustion engine. An ECU periodically acquires the optical transmittance detected by the transmittance sensor, and calculates the amount of change from the previous value. In addition, the ECU calculates a degradation index value indicating the degree of degradation of the biofuel by accumulating the amount of change.

Abstract: A push mower having a height adjustment lever, which can be manipulated easily, is provided. The provided push mower includes: a main body configured to move along a ground; a blade attached to the main body; a height adjustment lever attached to the main body; and a height adjustment mechanism configured to change a height of the blade from the ground based on a position of the height adjustment lever. The height adjustment lever includes: a pillar protruding from the main body; a grip fixed to the pillar; and a lock member attached to the grip and configured to move with respect to the grip between a lock position and an unlock position. A movement of the height adjustment lever is inhibited when the lock member is at the lock position, and the movement of the height adjustment lever is allowed when the lock member is at the unlock position.

Abstract: With a rack-and-pinion mechanism, an impact force is absorbed and reduction in assembling performance is suppressed. An annular fitting groove (51) that extends in the circumferential direction of a rack guide (41) is formed in an outer peripheral face (41a) of the rack guide (41), and an O-ring (52) is fitted in the fitting groove (51) in a state in which the axial movement of the O-ring (52) is restricted. A communication groove (61) that provides communication between an internal space (55), defined by the fitting groove (51) and the O-ring (52), and the outside of the rack guide (41) is formed in the rack guide (41).

Abstract: A rotary transformer includes a primary core having a primary coil wound thereon, and a secondary core having a secondary coil wound thereon, the cores being mounted for relative rotation about an axis of rotation. The transformer is characterized in that one of the cores includes a plurality of core segments arranged in spaced-apart relation relative to one another in a substantially circular array about the axis, and the other core has a substantially annular configuration. In a particular embodiment, the primary core is fixed and hence remains static during operation, and includes a plurality of spaced apart core segments arranged in a circular array around the axis.

Abstract: A degree of dispersion of a reducing agent added to an exhaust gas flowing into an exhaust gas purification apparatus is controlled. Before addition fuel is added, a valve opening Vd of a flow area changing valve is changed to generate pulsation of the exhaust gas, so that addition valve vicinity exhaust gas pressure Pg varies periodically. Addition timing TMad is controlled to synchronize with extremum arrival timing TMe. High or low dispersion type addition control adds fuel at timing (CP) when the addition valve vicinity exhaust gas pressure Pg becomes a maximum value Pgmax, at timing (TP) when at a minimum value Pgmin, or at both timings (CP, TP).

Abstract: A control apparatus includes a differential speed acquisition unit that acquires a differential speed representing a difference in speed between an input side drivingly connected to the input member of the fluid coupling and an output side drivingly connected to the transmission; a state determination unit that determines a shift speed in the transmission and an operating state of the direct connection clutch based on an accelerator opening and a vehicle speed of a vehicle; and a direct connection control unit that engages, if the differential speed is equal to or less than a predetermined engagement permitting threshold value when the state determination unit determines an upshift of the shift speed and a transition from a disengaged state to an engaged state of the direct connection clutch in a condition in which the accelerator opening is decreasing, the direct connection clutch regardless of an upshift operation of the shift speed.

Abstract: A vehicle control device for controlling a vehicle drive apparatus, the vehicle control device configured with a release control mechanism that provides feedback controlling supplied oil pressure to a release side element, and an engagement control mechanism that increases supplied oil pressure to an engagement side element as an engagement element on a side to be engaged in a state that the differential rotation speed is substantially constant. The control device is further configured with a phase determining mechanism that determines if the torque phase has started when a condition that a phenomenon accompanying a change of the differential rotation speed due to increase of the supplied oil pressure to the engagement side element is detected is met.

Abstract: A light source device includes: a light source; a driving signal generating unit that supplies a driving signal to the light source; a light amount measuring unit that measures the amount of light of the light source; and a light amount correcting unit that calculates as a light amount error a difference between a target light amount corresponding to a gray-scale value indicated by gray-scale data input from the outside and the amount of light measured by the light amount measuring unit, corrects a differential efficiency by an integrated value of a product of the light amount error and the gray-scale value, corrects a threshold value of the driving signal, and outputs to the driving signal generating unit a command signal for generating a driving signal having a differential efficiency and a threshold value after the correction.

Abstract: There is provided a lighting apparatus that is capable of accurately measuring the temperature of an optical member that transmits therethrough light emitted from a light source without blocking the optical path of the light.

Abstract: An image-processing device includes: an integration unit that, if connection information has been assigned to predetermined corresponding end points of both a first image component and a second image component from among image components, integrates the adjacent image components; a calculation unit that calculates the sum of values, the values being assigned corresponding to the connection information assigned to each end point of the image components in an integrated image component that is composed of a plural image components integrated by the integration unit; and a tabular region extraction unit that, if the value calculated by the calculation unit is equal to or greater than a threshold value corresponding to the number of image components included in the integrated image component, extracts a region of the integrated image component as a tabular region.

Abstract: A waterproof cable guide device for a railway vehicle comprises an elastic member having a plurality of through-holes penetrating in a forward and backward direction and screw insertion holes penetrating in the forward and backward direction, the plurality of electric cables being inserted into the plurality of holes, respectively, the elastic member being divided in positions of the through-holes or having slits extending from an outer peripheral surface of the elastic member to the through-holes, respectively; a press casing surrounding a front surface and an outer peripheral surface of the elastic member so as not to cover the through-holes and provided with screw insertion holes communicating with the screw insertion holes of the elastic member; and screws inserted into the screw insertion holes, in a direction from forward, and tightened with respect to the cable guide; the screws being inserted into the screw insertion holes in the direction from forward and tightened with respect to the cable guide in