Abstract: An ink cartridge of the present invention has a storage element, in which plural pieces of specific information relating to an ink cartridge are stored at specific addresses that respectively occupy minimum bits required for storage. Namely the storage capacities required for storing the respective pieces of specific information are different from one another. For example, a piece of information on the year of manufacture is registered in a data length of 7 bits, a piece of information on the month of manufacture is registered in a data length of 4 bits, and a piece of information on the date of manufacture is registered in a data length of 5 bits. A piece of information on the time (hour) of manufacture is registered in a data length of 5 bits, and a piece of information on the time (minute) of manufacture is registered in a data length of 6 bits.

Abstract: An ink cartridge may have an ink accommodating portion shaped to contain ink, an k supply hole disposed at a bottom of the ink accommodating portion, and a valve unit including a movable valve portion and a fixed valve portion, the movable valve portion being oriented such that a flow of ink is regulated by a horizontal motion of the movable valve portion The valve unit may further include a main portion and an auxiliary portion, the movable valve portion being disposed on the main portion and the fixed valve portion being disposed on the auxiliary portion, wherein the auxiliary portion is selectively detachable from the main portion. The ink cartridge may further comprise a supply hole attachment located at the bottom of the ink accommodating portion, the supply hole being defined in a selectively detachable supply hole attachment.

Abstract: An ink cartridge for an ink jet printer is provided with a container having at least a first wall. An ink supply port is formed through the first wall for supplying ink to the exterior of the container. An ink chamber and an ink supply chamber are formed by a membrane valve seat made of an elastic thin membrane and formed with a through hole therethrough. A valve body is positioned opposing the through hole formed in the membrane valve seat, the valve body and membrane valve seat adjacent said through hole formed therein being maintained selectively in contact by a pressure difference between said ink chamber and said ink supply chamber.

Abstract: Disclosed is a brachytherapy seed deployment system for use in any of a variety of medical procedures such as radiation treatment of the prostate gland. The system includes at least two seeds secured together by a filament, which may be rigid or flexible. Also provided are methods of assembling the seeds and filaments, and methods of treating cancerous tissue using the seeds and filaments.

Abstract: In an ink cartridge (1), an opening of an ink flow groove 35 and an opening of an atmosphere communication recess 36 are formed in the front surface of a container main body (2), and sealed by a film (57), thereby constituting flow paths.

Abstract: A passive integrated transponder (PIT) tag comprising an integrated circuit and a unitary core is described. The unitary core comprises a coil-forming portion proximate one end thereof and an integrated circuit support portion proximate an opposite end thereof. The integrated circuit support portion extends beneath and supports the integrated circuit.

Abstract: A fluid delivery system for delivering a fluid from a fluid bag to an animal caging system for housing an animal may comprise a fluid delivery valve assembly, wherein the fluid delivery valve assembly is adapted to be coupled to the fluid bag to facilitate the providing of the fluid to the caging system. The fluid delivery valve assembly may further comprise an upper member having a piercing member and a connecting member, the upper member having a fluid channel defined therethrough, a base having a flange member and a base fluid channel defined therethrough, wherein the base is designed to be matingly coupled to the upper member. The fluid delivery valve assembly may further comprise a spring element disposed within the base fluid channel and a stem member disposed in part within the base fluid channel, wherein a portion of the spring element abuts the stem member to apply a biasing force.

Abstract: The present invention is a container for holding printing fluid material. The container includes a detector, a memory unit, a communication module, a first electric power generator, and a second electric power generator. The communication module is configured to transmit at least one of a result of the detection and the information regarding the container to the printing device. The first electric power generator is configured to generate a first electric power by utilizing the radio wave received from the printing device. The second electric power generator is configured to generate a second electric power from the first electric power. The second electric power is supplied to both the detector and the memory unit.

Abstract: An ink cartridge includes: an ink accommodating portion for holding ink; an air passage for making the ink accommodating portion communicate with the atmosphere; and a valve mechanism, provided in the air passage, including an air-releasing valve member for sealing a communication hole provided in a partition wall for separating an ink-accommodating-portion side that is a side close to the ink accommodating portion from an atmosphere side that is a side close to the atmosphere, in a direction from the ink-accommodating-portion side to the atmosphere side, wherein the air-releasing valve member has a contact portion for opening the air passage by receiving an external force from the atmosphere side to the ink-accommodating-portion side.

Abstract: An ink tank cartridge for use in an ink jet recorder has a container having exterior walls, a porous member is stored in the container, an ink supply port that extends through one of the exterior walls of the body to supply ink to the exterior of the cartridge, and a packing member, disposed within the ink supply port and having an opening therethrough and a rib formed on a upper surface. A pressing member may be provided to bias the packing member against an inner surface of the ink supply port. The ink tank cartridge can be assembled to limit the occurrence of air bubbles in the ink.

Abstract: In a printer of the present invention, an EEPROM that carries out sequential access and has a small storage capacity is applied for storage elements mounted on both black and color ink cartridges. Data relating to each ink cartridge, for example, data on remaining quantities of respective inks in the ink cartridge, are stored as 8-bit data in the storage element of the ink cartridge. A print controller incorporated in the printer has an EEPROM, in which the data relating to the ink cartridges are stored as 32-bit data. In the case of no replacement of the ink cartridge, the 32-bit data are used for the subsequent processing. In the case of replacement of one ink cartridge with another, on the other hand, the 8-bit data are used for the subsequent processing.

Abstract: A lens is provided comprising a substrate, a first dielectric layer comprising a first dielectric material uniformly covering an outer surface of said substrate, a second dielectric layer comprising a second dielectric material uniformly covering said first metal layer, a metal layer comprising a metal material gradiently covering only a portion of said second dielectric layer and a third dielectric layer formed of a third dielectric material gradiently covering said metal layer.

Abstract: An ink cartridge for an ink jet printer is provided with a container having at least a first wall. An ink supply port is formed through the first wall for supplying ink to the exterior of the container. An ink chamber and an ink supply chamber are formed by a membrane valve seat made of an elastic thin membrane and formed with a through hole therethrough. A valve body is positioned opposing the through hole formed in the membrane valve seat, the valve body and membrane valve seat adjacent said through hole formed therein being maintained selectively in contact by a pressure difference between said ink chamber and said ink supply chamber.

Abstract: A differential pressure sensor based on pressure induced micro-flow that includes two connecting hoses that are considered when the pressure sensor is calibrated. The inventive differential pressure sensor includes a flexible hose as part of the device itself, and is calibrated with the flexible hose in place (consequently, a usable hose length needs to be specified beforehand). Calibration constants for the air flow channel are determined and stored in non-volatile memory, and used to provide accurate pressure measurements. Thus, impedance in the air flow path introduced by the flexible hose is considered when the pressure sensor is calibrated. That insures that any measurement of air flow is not adversely effected by the introduction of an impedance in the air flow path previously not considered by the sensor. The present invention thus provides a self-contained differential pressure sensing device suitable for detecting changes in pressure for applications where a small amount of leakage is acceptable.

Abstract: A cleaning medium for a magnetic recording apparatus is disclosed, comprising a nonmagnetic support having provided thereon a lower coating layer mainly containing a nonmagnetic inorganic powder and a binder, and a cleaning layer containing at least a ferromagnetic inorganic powder and a binder provided on the lower coating layer, wherein the thickness of the cleaning layer is from 0.05 to 1.0 ?m, the thickness of the lower coating layer is from 0.2 to 5.0 ?m, the thickness of the support is from 2.0 to 10 ?m, and the thickness in total of the cleaning medium (cleaning tape) is from 4.0 to 15 ?m.

Abstract: An automatic cage lock for securing various cages in a ventilated cage and rack system. The automatic cage lock facilitates the securing of a cage within the cage and rack system when a user slides the cage into the cage and rack system until the cage fully passes the locking finger component of the automatic cage lock. The cage may be easily unlocked by applying a small amount of pressure to the locking finger while simultaneously grasping the cage for removal. A color-coded indicator block may be disposed on the end of the lock assembly; the indicator block may be hidden by an indicator shield when the cage is securely docked in the rack. Conversely, the indicator block may be visually exposed when a cage is present in the rack but not fully docked within the rack. The indicator block provides a clear indication to a user as to the docking status of the cage.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a catalyst having activity under the irradiation of a visible light, the catalyst being an oxide semiconductor such as an anatase type titanium dioxide, having stable oxygen defects. A method for producing a catalyst having activity under the irradiation of a visible light which comprises treating an oxide semiconductor with hydrogen plasma or with a plasma of a rare gas element, comprising performing the treatment in a state substantially free from the intrusion of air into the treatment system is also provided. An article comprising a base material having the catalyst above provided on the surface thereof and a method for decomposing a substance, comprising bringing an object to be decomposed into contact with the catalyst above under the irradiation of a light containing at least a visible radiation are disclosed.

Abstract: An ink cartridge for an ink jet printing apparatus having a printhead which ejects ink droplets onto a recording medium and an ink supply needle introducing ink to the printhead, the ink cartridge having a substantially rectangular housing containing ink therein, the housing having a first outer wall and a second outer wall which is substantially perpendicular to the first outer wall; an ink supply port formed in the first wall for directing ink in the housing to the printhead; a valve mechanism arranged in the ink supply port including a valve seat allowing the ink supply needle to pass therethrough; a valve body movable along the axis of the ink supply port; and an elastic member biasing the valve body against the valve seat, and a memory device for storing information relating to ink mounted on the second wall of the housing and substantially in parallel therewith, the memory device being formed in the vicinity of the ink supply port, which wall directing in parallel with a direction along which the ink su

Abstract: A lens is provided comprising a substrate, a first metal layer comprising a first metal material uniformly covering an outer surface of said substrate, a first dielectric layer comprising a first dielectric material uniformly covering said first metal layer, a second metal layer comprising a second metal material gradiently covering only a portion of said first dielectric layer and a second dielectric layer formed of a second dielectric material gradiently covering said second metal layer.