Abstract: An ink jet recording sheet having a high water resistance and capable of recording thereon clear ink images includes a substrate polymeric film or sheet; an undercoat layer formed on the substrate and including a polymeric binder having a glass transition temperature of 50° C. or less and optionally pigment particles having an oil absorption of 250 ml/100 g or less and/or an aspect ratio of 2.0 to 100.0; and an ink receiving layer including a pigment and a polymeric binder.

Abstract: Transistors are supplied with either a first power supply voltage or a second power supply voltage lower than the first power supply voltage. During an operation period of the transistors, substrate voltages of the transistors are set at a value between the first power supply voltage and the second power supply voltage. The substrate voltages are changed to lower threshold voltages of the transistors so that the transistors improve in drivability and operating speed. Therefore, neither a booster for generating higher voltages nor a pumping circuit for generating negative voltages is particularly required. This allows a reduction in layout size. Besides, in accordance with the operating state of the semiconductor integrated circuit, the transistor characteristics can be easily changed by changing the threshold voltages of the transistors.

Abstract: A method of forming a thin polycrystalline silicon film and a thin film forming apparatus allowing inexpensive formation of a thin polycrystalline silicon film at a relatively low temperature with high productivity. More specifically, a method of forming a thin polycrystalline silicon film and a thin film forming apparatus in which a state of plasma is controlled to achieve an emission intensity ratio of hydrogen atom radicals (H&bgr;) of one or more to the emission intensity of SiH* radicals in the plasma.

Abstract: A redundancy memory circuit stores a defect address indicating a defective memory cell row. A redundancy control circuit disables the defective memory cell row corresponding to the defect address stored in the redundancy memory circuit and enables a redundancy memory cell row in the memory block containing the defective memory cell row. Moreover, in the other memory blocks, the redundancy control circuit disables memory cell rows corresponding to the defective memory cell row and enables redundancy memory cell rows instead of these memory cell rows. Consequently, not only the memory block having the defective memory cell row but one of the memory cell rows in the other memory blocks is always also relieved. Thus, the redundancy memory circuit can be shared among all the memory blocks with a reduction in the number of redundancy memory circuits. As a result, the semiconductor memory can be reduced in chip size.

Abstract: A semiconductor device mounted on a board or the like and having a test circuit, having the function of carrying out a contact test at a low cost on the terminals of the semiconductor, is disclosed. The semiconductor device comprises a terminal test circuit for testing a state of a contact of an external terminal and a test mode control circuit unit. The test mode control circuit unit outputs a signal indicating a first operation mode upon application of a power supply voltage thereto, outputs a test mode signal to the terminal test circuit in response to a control signal input to a specific terminal such as a chip select terminal, and outputs a signal indicating a second operation mode in response to the number of times in which the level of the control signal input to the specific terminal changes. Preferably, the first operation mode is a terminal test mode, and the second operation mode is a normal operation mode.

Abstract: There is provided a rolling element spacer used in a rolling guide device having an endless circulation passage of balls, arranged alternately with many balls in the endless circulation passage, and circulating together with the balls in the endless circulation passage. It has a pair of ball holding seats each of which is formed in a concave spherical face form nearly approximating a spherical face of the ball and sliding-contacts with the ball and, around each ball holding seat, there is formed an annular dropout prevention portion protruding in a ball arranging direction than an edge portion of the ball holding seat and kept in non-contact with respect to the ball seated on the ball holding seat.

Abstract: The invention concerns a self-levelling concrete and a method for making a structural part from said concrete. The concrete which comprises aggregate and solid particles with size grading not more than 12 mm, comprises a superplasticizer which is a compound containing a least an amino-(dialkylene phosphonic) group and at least a polyalkylated chain, or one of its salts. The method is implemented by advantageously pumping the concrete using one or several immersion tubes with their injecting end at a lower level than the framework.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory device is provided with a clock generation circuit that generates a first clock that has the same frequency and phase as an external clock, and a second clock that has the same frequency as the external clock but a phase a quarter phase shifted, and the first clock and the second clock are supplied to the two DDR-DRAMs as clocks so that the two DDR-DRAMs can operate in a state of being a quarter phase shifted from each other. A data output section outputs data respectively for time periods corresponding to a quarter phase from points a fixed phase behind the leading edge and the trailing edge of the first or the second clock and brings a data output circuit into a high impedance state for other time periods.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory device has 2n word lines, a plurality of bit lines, a plurality of nonvolatile memory cells disposed at each intersection of the word lines and the bit lines, a write circuit for writing data to a memory cell located at an intersection of selected ones of the word lines and the bit lines, and a sense amplifier for reading data out of the memory cells. Further, the semiconductor memory device comprises a first unit for simultaneously selecting a block of 2m (n>m) word lines among the 2n word lines, and a second unit for not selecting a block of 2k (m>k) word lines among the 2m word lines. The second unit does not select the block of 2k word lines, and selects a block of 2k word lines prepared outside the 2n word lines when any one of the 2k word lines among the 2m word lines is defective. Consequently, redundant word lines are effectively employed, write and verify operations are stable, and thereby the yield and performance of the semiconductor memory device are improved.

Abstract: In a fuel evaporator provided with an evaporation chamber 11 that produces raw fuel gas FG by vaporizing raw fuel liquid by heat received from a plurality of heat medium tubes 12 through which a high temperature heat medium passes, a raw fuel injection portion that injects raw fuel liquid onto the heat medium tubes 12 is situated in the evaporation chamber 11. The heat medium tubes 12 are arranged sparsely near the raw fuel injection portion and densely away from it. A catalytic combustor 20 is provided adjacent to the bottom surface 11b of the evaporation chamber 11 to form the high temperature heat medium. Such a fuel evaporator efficiently vaporizes raw fuel liquid and can be suitably applied in a fuel cell system for a fuel cell-powered automobile.

Abstract: A spool valve includes a groove defined in the spool and a notch. A line A is drawn to extend through a communication zone a provided upon communication of the notch which is disposed at a distal end of the line A and defined in a step of a spool with an input port to form a 69° angle with respect to an L-axis. Fluid flowing into the groove through the communication zone a upon communication of the notch with the input port, does not collide with other portions of the spool before colliding with a bottom of the groove. Therefore, the flow of the fluid along the L-axis causes a flow force applied to the spool to be suppressed resulting in a decreased load on an actuator. The notch makes it is possible to ensure the stable operation of a spool valve, while preventing the self-induced vibration of the spool.

Abstract: A thermoplastic elastomer composition of a structure of a thermoplastic resin (A) in which a rubber composition (B) is dispersed, where the stress at the time of 2.5% elongation of the stress-strain curve of the thermoplastic elastomer composition is 0.1 to 50 MPa and the ratio of the stress (M200) at −20° C. and 200% elongation and the stress (M100) at −20° C. and 100% elongation is 1.0<M200/M100<2.0, particularly a thermoplastic elastomer composition structured with the polyamide resin of the thermoplastic resin (A) in which the rubber composition (B) is dispersed, includes a polyamide plasticizer (C1) and/or a thermoplastic elastomer (C2), the ratio of composition being (A) 15 to 59% by weight, (B) 40 to 70% by weight (C1+C2), and 1 to 30% by weight and a tire using the same.

Abstract: When a user enters a language to be used via a port terminal, a system controller transfers information as to the language to be used to a navigation unit via an antenna and a communication unit which are mounted on a selected electric vehicle, and the navigation system displays information in the language to be used.

Abstract: An outboard motor auxiliary fuel tank/fuel pump assembly includes an auxiliary fuel tank disposed in an engine compartment and a fuel pump joined to one side of the auxiliary fuel tank for supplying fuel stored within the auxiliary fuel tank to fuel injection valves of an engine. A float of a float valve provided within the auxiliary fuel tank is supported in the auxiliary fuel tank via a pivot shaft that is parallel to a tilt shaft of an outboard motor. First and second mounting bosses on which the fuel pump can be mounted are formed on the right side face and the front end face of the auxiliary fuel tank.

Abstract: A thickness-measuring device comprising (i) an X-ray tube unit including an X-ray tube, (ii) an X-ray detector unit including an X-ray detector having a sensor, and (iii) a means for driving the X-ray tube unit and the X-ray detector unit back and forth, in synchronism with each other, widthwise of an object whose thickness is measured and which runs through a pathline between the X-ray tube unit and the X-ray detector unit. A mask is set above the sensor of the X-ray detector to cover it partly; accordingly, the light-receiving area of the light receiver of the X-ray detector is smaller than the whole area of the sensor. Thus, the measuring area per unit time is reduced effectively.

Abstract: In a synchronous semiconductor memory device which provides the refresh cycle optimum for charge retention characteristics without being influenced by production variations, and without requiring much test time to measure characteristics before adjustment of the refresh time, and enables reduction of current consumption in a refresh operation, an output signal from an active pointer circuit which is a phase comparison signal from a DLL circuit is output as a digital signal, and the digital signal is converted by a D/A converter circuit to an analog signal for determining the current value of a constant current circuit, and then, in a measured cycle modification circuit constituting the constant current circuit, the current value responsive to the voltage value of this analog signal is set as the driving current of an oscillation circuit which is a refresh cycle measurement circuit so as to control a driving capability, thereby an oscillation signal for self-refreshing is output.

Abstract: A fuel injection valve includes a valve seat member having a valve bore, and an injector plate coupled to an outer end face of the valve seat member. A fuel diffusion chamber is defined between the valve seat member and the injector plate. The injector plate is provided with a plurality of fuel injection bores which are parted on a plane including an axis of the valve bore into primary and secondary groups for injecting fuel toward primary and secondary intake ports. When a direction of arrangement of the primary and secondary intake ports is represented by X, and a direction perpendicular to the direction of arrangement is represented by Y, the fuel injection bores of the primary and secondary groups are formed so that they are inclined to a side opposite from the axis of the valve bore only in a direction X toward a downstream side.

Abstract: A semiconductor device has a first semiconductor chip and a second semiconductor chip superposed on and bonded to the surface of the first semiconductor chip. In the region on the first semiconductor chip where the second semiconductor chip is bonded thereto, connection pads are arranged in positions that fit a plurality of predetermined types of semiconductor chips. On the second semiconductor chip, connection pads are arranged in positions that fit the connection pads arranged on the first semiconductor chip.

Abstract: There is provided a starter system for an internal combustion engine, which is capable of preventing wear of a brush of an electric motor ascribable to the combined use of the electric motor with a hydraulic actuator and the resulting increase in the rotational resistance due to friction of the brush, as well as capable of using one of the hydraulic actuator and the electric motor without difficulty even when the other is disabled. The hydraulic motor is driven by hydraulic pressure. A rotational shaft of the hydraulic motor is driven for rotation by the hydraulic motor. A rotational shaft of an electric motor extends in parallel with the rotational shaft of the hydraulic motor, and is driven for rotation by the electric motor. A ring gear rotates in unison with the crankshaft. A pinion gear is brought into meshing engagement with the ring gear, for starting the engine. An output shaft is connected to the pinion gear.

Abstract: An outboard motor is provided which includes, in an engine compartment defined by an engine hood, an engine, an intake manifold including a plurality of intake branch pipes connected to a plurality of intake ports of the engine, and a throttle body connected to an intake inlet of the intake manifold. A negative pressure detection hole that opens within the intake manifold, is provided in the outer wall of the intake manifold, and a negative intake pressure sensor that is fixed to the outer wall is positioned in the negative pressure detection hole.