Abstract: A shock absorbing mechanism for the hard disk is provided. The mechanism comprises a hard disk frame including, at either side, two first holes, two second holes, and two first apertures; two side brackets each including, at an outer side, two slots and two second apertures; two pairs of barbell shaped pads, each pad including two end enlargements and an intermediate neck disposed in the slot; two elongate, inner positioning members each including two end stop members for fastening the inner enlargements, and two third apertures; and two elongate, outer positioning member each including two end positioning members for fastening the outer enlargements in the second hole, and two fourth apertures. The outer positioning members, the frame, the brackets, the inner positioning members, and the hard disk are threadedly secured together.

Abstract: A new apparatus for reading keyboard-commands of a portable computer comprises a shift register, a keyboard-matrix circuit, a filter, a buffer, an address generator, a mapping device, a comparator, and an output device. The shift register is for outputting a plurality of scan-input signals and a reference signal. The keyboard-matrix circuit is for outputting a scan-output signal according to the scan-input signals. The keyboard-matrix circuit includes a plurality of nodes corresponded to the keyboard buttons, respectively. The filter is for filtering the noise of the scan-output signal. The buffer is for further stabilizing the filter signal. The address generator is for reading the location of the node corresponding to the button being pressed. The mapping device is for outputting a mapping signal corresponding to the button being pressed. The comparator is for outputting a comparing signal, which represents the command corresponded to the pressed button.

Abstract: A hinge assembly for pivotably connecting the display portion and the body portion of the portable computer comprises a first fastening portion for attaching to the display portion, a second fastening portion for attaching to the body portion, and a pivot portion for pivotably connecting the first fastening portion with the second fastening portion. The second fastening portion also has a first support arm for horizontally inserting into the insertion hole. The cables, for transmitting signals and power extending from the display portion, are electrically connected through connectors to the cable connection region. The cable connect region is formed on the rear wall or bottom wall of the body portion. The hinge assembly of the invention greatly reduces the extraordinary sound resulting from the rotation of the display portion. Also, some covering components can be eliminated to make the assembly much easier.

Abstract: A self-alignment torque correcting apparatus for a vehicle that compensates for a surplus and a shortage of self-alignment torque of the vehicle. The apparatus includes a driving source that confers a driving force to a steering mechanism of the vehicle; a steering angle detecting portion that detects a steering angle of an operating member; a vehicle speed detecting portion that detects a speed of the vehicle; and a self-alignment torque compensating portion that compensates for a surplus and a shortage of self-alignment torque of the vehicle by controlling the driving source based on the steering angle detected by the steering angle detecting portion and the vehicle speed detected by the vehicle speed detecting portion.

Abstract: A color image recording apparatus includes a mechanism that switches a plurality of image forming sections between image forming positions where the photoconductive drums are in contact with a transport belt and non-image forming positions where the photoconductive drums are not in contact with the transport belt. A pair of slide links extend and are slidable in a direction in which the image forming sections are aligned. Each of the slide links has first guide surfaces and second guide surfaces. When the image forming sections are at the image forming positions, supporting shafts of corresponding one of image forming sections rest on the first guide surfaces. When the image forming sections at the non-image forming positions, the supporting shafts of corresponding one of image forming sections rest on the second guide surfaces.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a WDM unit consists of attaching a first and a second GRIN lenses to opposite faces of a WDM filter. A dual fiber pigtail and a single fiber pigtail are mounted in corresponding glass tubes. The glass tube with the dual fiber pigtail and the glass tube with the single fiber pigtail are mounted on the second GRIN lens and the first GRIN lens respectively. The position of the dual fiber pigtail and the single fiber pigtail are adjusted with respect to the second GRIN lens and the first GRIN lens respectively to obtain the best optical property. The invention prevents the WDM filter from tilting during temperature variation by sandwiching the WDM filter in between the two GRIN lenses, and further prevents the WDM unit from increasing the reflection loss and insertion loss.

Abstract: The diaphragm valve uses a metal dish-type diaphragm set to control the inflow and outflow of fluid. The metal dish-type diaphragm set is above an air flow channel to control the stem above the metal dish-type diaphragm set, and the air will be blocked by pressing the metal dish-type diaphragm to make it fit the metal valve base in the air flow channel; this non-metal valve base is fixed in the air flow channel by a fixed shrunk ring with a taper cross section, and the in-between metal diaphragm in the metal dish-type diaphragm set is annular in the center to reduce the metallic friction between metal diaphragms, to increase application times and to lower the leakage rate of the diaphragm valve.

Abstract: An electric power steering apparatus for performing steering assist. The apparatus is provided with an operation amount sensor for sensing an operation amount of an operation member for steering a motor vehicle; a reference assist characteristics setting section for setting reference assist characteristics; and a motor driving target value setting section for setting a motor driving target value in accordance with a corrected assist characteristics obtained by shifting the reference assist characteristics along the axis of coordinates of the operation amount. The apparatus is further provided with a shifting amount setting section for setting, when forward stroke steering is done, the shifting amount to zero, while setting, when return stroke steering is done, the shifting amount to a value at which corrected assist characteristics is obtained in which the absolute value of the motor driving target value corresponding to the operation amount is increased.

Abstract: A tilt steering apparatus comprises a lock lever rotatable around the axis of a supporting shaft. When a lock lever is rotated around the axis of the supporting shaft, a cam surface is rotated relative to a cam follower. As a result, the cam surface presses the cam follower against side plates of a fixed bracket, thereby achieving tilt locking. The cam surface has a plurality of slopes corresponding to a rotation stroke position of the lock lever. The operating torque of the lock lever at the time of a locking operation is reduced without increasing the range of the operating angle of the lock lever.

Abstract: A master clock input circuit with excellent amplification characteristics which generates little noise during mode switching. In a master clock input circuit, the output electric potential of an amplification gate circuit (for example, a NOR gate) is superimposed on a master clock and supplied to the input terminal of an amplification gate circuit. A transmission gate circuit and impedance control gate are provided between the output terminal and input terminal. The transmission gate circuit has low impedance and the impedance control circuit has high impedance. The transmission gate circuit opens and closes the line between the output terminal and input terminal of the amplification gate circuit. Since the impedance of the transmission gate circuit is low, generation of noise is reduced. In addition, since the impedance of the impedance control circuit is high, the amplification factor of the amplification gate circuit becomes higher.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a slant reflector with a bump structure, includes the steps of: providing a substrate; forming a layer of photosensitive material on the substrate; patterning the photosensitive material to form a plurality of trapezoidal bumps that have different bottom areas and that are joined to each other at their bottoms; and smoothing the trapezoidal bumps to form a bump structure with an inclined angle. The invention utilizes a photo-mask with a particular pattern and optical diffraction to fabricate the bump structure in a simple way.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the invention, a plurality of posts (terminals) stands on a main surface of a semiconductor substrate. A first metal electrode is formed on a side face of each post before providing a sealing layer over the main surface of the semiconductor substrate. The first metal electrode constitutes a portion of an external terminal. After providing the sealing layer, a second metal electrode is formed on each post and the associated first metal electrode. Then, an “alloy” of the first and second metal electrodes is formed by heating these electrodes. Accordingly, the external terminal can be formed on the top face and side face of each post without carrying out a step of removing the sealing layer by means of a laser.

Abstract: In an RLS antenna, the present invention allows adjusting the optimum positional relationship between the feeder section of the feeder disk and the feeder section of the antenna disk, simply, quickly and at high accuracy by a visual check, so that mass production becomes possible, and an increase in performance and a decrease in cost are implemented. When the diameter of the antenna disk is D and the wavelength of the central frequency is ?, a marker of about 0.10? or less is disposed in an area of 0.5 (D?4?)?0.5D distant from the center. A through hole with a size (opening area) through which the marker can be viewed is disposed at a position the same as the position of the marker on the feeder disk. By visually confirming that the marker is positioned at the center of the through hole, the antenna disk is positioned and secured on the feeder disk.

Abstract: A micro-controller is connected to an external circuit via an address bus and a read control signal line. The external circuit includes an enable circuit, a decoder and a register group. The enable circuit produces an enable signal from the sixteenth bit of 16-bit information on the address bus and a control signal on the read control signal line. The decoder creates an address from the ninth to fifteenth bits of the 16-bit information. When the enable signal is valid, the register group writes a signal value of the first to eighth bits of the 16-bit information into a register specified by the address. Accordingly, the micro-controller can send the read control signal, the register address and the register data to the external circuit via the address bus. It is therefore possible to write data into the external circuit without using a write control signal line.

Abstract: A semiconductor device is disclosed which includes a semiconductor chip having a plurality of electrode pads on its upper surface; terminals such as copper posts formed on the upper surface of the semiconductor chip, and electrically connected to each of the electrode pads; a resin deposited on the upper surface of the semiconductor chip, encapsulating the terminals but exposing at least some of them to a predetermined height; and electroconductor members such as solder balls connected to the terminals. There is also disclosed a method of fabricating such a semiconductor device.

Abstract: A thin film resonator having enhanced performance and a manufacturing method thereof are disclosed. The thin film resonator includes a supporting means, a first electrode, a dielectric layer and a second electrode. The supporting means has several posts and a supporting layer formed on the posts. The first electrode, the dielectric layer and the second electrode are successively formed on the supporting layer. The thin film resonator is exceptionally small and can be highly integrated, and the thickness of the dielectric layer of the resonator can be adjusted to achieve the integration of multiple bands including radio, intermediate and low frequencies. Also, the thin film resonator can minimize interference and has ideal dimensions because of its compact substrate, making the thin film resonator exceptionally small, yet comprising a three-dimensional, floating construction.

Abstract: A composite liquid crystal panel includes a plurality of liquid crystal panels and a picture display surface. It cuts the border of each liquid crystal panel to a width of only one pixel, then bonding the panels together, installing the picture display surface on the liquid crystal panel, and distributing a portion of light from the normal pixels adjoining the border to the pixels corresponding to the border to resolve the gap problem. Light distribution is accomplished by using a pair of mirrors and a pair of reflecting surfaces to reflect the light of the pixels, so that light may be reflected above the pixels on the border and generate light. Then the pixels on the border and the pixels adjoining the border are redefined to form an image dot. Finally, through redistributing the light, the seams on the border may be completely eliminated.

Abstract: A suction valve for an endoscope use includes a valve casing which is set up in the control portion of an endoscope and is connected with a suction side path having an opening as a suction inlet at the tip distal end of the insertion portion of the endoscope and is also connected with a suction source side path connected with a negative pressure generation source, and a valve member which is fitted up in the valve casing to be allowed to make a slide motion inside thereof and is constituted such that it is able to switch the state in which the suction side path is cut off from the suction source side path to the state in which the suction side path is in communication with the suction source side path or vice versa in correspondence with the position of the valve member in the valve casing, wherein a groove is formed in the outer peripheral surface of the valve member in contact with the inside of the valve casing.

Abstract: In the case where holes are defined in BPSG films, respectively, lower electrodes are formed of polysilicon inside the holes, respectively, a nitride film is formed on top of the respective lower electrodes and one of the BPSG films, and the nitride film is subjected to healing oxidation in a wet atmosphere later in order to prevent oxidation of contact plugs and the lower electrodes, nitrogen is diffused into the upper surface of the BPSG film by ion implantation or boron dose in a layer in the vicinity of the surface of the BPSG film is lowered.