Abstract: Memory states of a multi-bit memory cell are demarcated by generating read reference signals having levels that constitute boundaries of the memory states. The read reference signals are dependent upon the levels of programming reference signals used for controlling the programming of the memory cell. The memory cell can thus be programmed without reading out its memory state during the programming process, with programming margins being assured by the dependence of the read reference signals on the programming reference signals. Both sets of reference signals may be generated by reference cells which track variations in the operating characteristics of the memory cell with changes in conditions, such as temperature and system voltages, to enhance the reliability of memory programming and readout.

Abstract: There are provided a coating composition, for use on a plastic lens with a refractive index exceeding 1.60, for avoiding interference fringes and unevenness in the reflected color, and a lens coated with such coating composition. The coating composition contains an organic silicon compound represented by R.sup.1.sub.a R.sup.2.sub.b Si(OR.sup.3).sub.4-(a+b) and modified sol of a double structure in which nuclei composed of tin oxide colloid particles are surrounded by tin oxide-tungsten oxide complex colloid particles, and the plastic lens is coated with such coating composition.

Abstract: A driving device for an ultrasonic wave motor, comprises: a stator member having an electrostrictive member and a resilient member, and adapted to generate travelling vibration wave in the resilient member by excitation with the electrostrictive member; a moving member maintained in pressure contact with the stator member and driven by the travelling vibration wave; a reference pulse oscillator circuit for generating reference pulses of a frequency determined corresponding to a required moving speed of the member; an encoder for generating pulses relating to the amount of movement of the moving member; a phase difference signal generating circuit for generating a phase difference signal corresponding to the phase difference between the reference pulses from the reference pulse oscillator circuit and the output pulses of the encoder; and an AC voltage forming circuit for forming AC voltage signals to be supplied to the electrostrictive member, based on the phase difference signal.

Abstract: A curable coating composition for preparing an anti-static coating contains at least one addition polymerizable ethylenically unsaturated monomer, a perfluoro ionic surfactant, and a polyethoxy or fluorinated polyethoxy auxiliary compound. The perfluoro ionic surfactant and the polyethoxy or fluorinated polyethoxy auxiliary compound are present in the composition in amounts effective to impart static-dissipative properties to polymerized coatings prepared therefrom.

Abstract: A modified acrylic copolymer obtained by modifying an epoxy groups-containing copolymer by a carboxyl group-containing polycycloaliphatic substance having at least two cycles and a refractive index at 20.degree. C. of at least 1.460 as well as the use for lacquers with higher gloss.

Abstract: Memory states of a multi-bit memory cell are demarcated by generating read reference signals having levels that constitute boundaries of the memory states. The read reference signals are dependent upon the levels of programming reference signals used for controlling the programming of the memory cell. The memory cell can thus be programmed without reading out its memory state during the programming process, with programming margins being assured by the dependence of the read reference signals on the programming reference signals. Both sets of reference signals may be generated by reference cells which track variations in the operating characteristics of the memory cell with changes in conditions, such as temperature and system voltages, to enhance the reliability of memory programming and readout.

Abstract: A variable focal length optical system is constituted by, in succession from an object side, a first lens unit G1 having a negative refractive power, a second lens unit G2 having a positive refractive power, a third lens unit G3 having a negative refractive power, and a fourth lens unit G4 having a positive refractive power. When the focal length of the entire lens system is changed while maintaining a constant image plane position, the second lens unit G2 moves in the optical axis direction, the third lens unit G3 moves in the optical axis direction to compensate for variations in image plane position upon movement of the second lens unit G2, and the first lens unit G1 and the fourth lens unit G4 are fixed in position in the optical axis direction. An aperture stop is disposed at a position on the object side of a position closest to the image side of the third lens unit G3, or each of the first to fourth lens units G1 to G4 is constituted by two or less lens elements.

Abstract: Method comprises a process for obtaining a photoelectric signal with a waveform having a pair of extremal values at respective positions corresponding to a pair of edge portions of an alignment mark by photoelectrically detecting the reflected light from the alignment mark on a substrate; a first determination process for determining the position of the alignment mark on the basis of a pair of slope portions existing inside the pair of extremal values of the photoelectric signal waveform; a second determination process for determining the position of the alignment mark on the basis of a pair of slope portions existing outside the pair of extremal values of the photoelectric signal waveform; a third determination process for determining the position of the alignment mark on the basis of both a pair of slope portions existing inside said pair of extremal values of the photoelectric signal waveform and a pair of slope portions existing outside; and a process for selecting any one of the first determination proce

Abstract: A rolling bearing comprises an outer race member, an inner race member concentrically arranged therewith, rolling elements disposed therebetween, and a shield plate attached to a side end of an inner periphery of the outer race member by being caulked or latched. The shield plate is provided with a curled portion which curls outwardly in the axial direction at a stepped portion of a groove formed at a side end of the outer race member, and the shield plate is formed with slits extended toward an outer periphery of the shield plate from portions which are not located at and over the bottom of the curled portion, the number of the slits being more than (nZ.+-.X) inclusive of (nZ.+-.X), where n is a positive integer, Z is the number of balls and X is an integer more than 1.

Abstract: A scan type projection exposure apparatus which includes an illumination optical system for forming a slit-shaped illumination area on a pattern on a mask by using illuminating light, and a projection optical system for forming an image of a portion of the pattern in the illumination area on a substrate, includes: a mask stage which moves at least in one direction while holding the mask; a substrate stage which moves two-dimensionally while holding the substrate; a control system for synchronously scanning the mask stage and the substrate stage; and an image forming performance adjusting system for adjusting image forming performance of the projection optical system and having a component placed in an area through which the illuminating light incident from the illumination area on the mask to the projection optical system does not pass.

Abstract: An ultrasonic motor has a stator having a piezoelectric member vibrated by a drive signal, and an elastic member for generating traveling vibration wave in a drive surface thereof upon vibration of the piezoelectric member, a rotor which is urged against the drive surface of the elastic member and is driven by the generated traveling vibration wave, a support member integrally molded on the elastic member, and a fixing member for holding the support member. In the ultrasonic motor, one end face of the support member is formed at the same level as the drive surface or the junction surface of the elastic member, an electrode of the piezoelectric member is grounded through the support member, a plurality of holes are regularly formed in the circumferential direction of the support member, or the support member is fixed to the fixing member by an adhesive, thereby improving drive efficiency.

Abstract: A diffraction grating is set between a light source and a fly-eye lens composed of a plurality of lens elements rectangular in cross section, and using the zeroth order diffraction beam and .+-.first order diffraction beams emergent from the diffraction grating, a plurality of light source images are formed along the longitudinal direction on the exit plane of each lens element in the fly-eye lens.

Abstract: A positioning staging apparatus comprises a base provided on a floor, a stage provided on the base and movable to the base, an output unit for outputting stage positioning information for moving the stage to a predetermined target position, a stage drive unit provided on the base for driving the stage and outputting the drive information, a stage control unit for controlling the stage drive unit to accelerate and decelerate the stage in accordance with the stage positioning information to stop the stage at the target position, a stage displacement detection unit for detecting the displacement of the stage driven by the stage drive unit to output the stage displacement information, and an anti-vibration unit provided between the floor and the base for applying to the base a force to suppress the vibration of the base generated by the movement of the stage. The anti-vibration unit generates the suppression force in accordance with one of the stage displacement information and the stage positioning information.

Abstract: A thin, flexible magnetic sheet material for therapeutic purposes has a spiral magnetization pattern in which areas of alternating north and south magnetic polarity are arranged in a concentric spiral pattern expanding from a center point. The sheet material may incorporate an adhesive layer for fastening to the skin of a patient.

Abstract: A universal joint comprises a pair of yokes each formed by bending a metal plate, a single piece of cross shaft for connecting the pair of yokes to each other so as to be capable of oscillating and displacing, and a bolt for fixing each of the yokes to an end portion of a shaft. The yoke includes a joint cylindrical portion provided at a proximal end portion thereof and having a discontinuous portion at one place in a circumferential direction, first and second flange portions provided in parallel to each other at a part of the joint cylindrical portion with the discontinuous portion sandwiched in therebetween, a through-hole formed in the first flange portion thereof in such a direction as to bear a torsion positional relationship with the joint cylindrical portion, a screw hole formed in a fixing portion of the second flange portion and disposed concentrically to the through-hole.

Abstract: A one-way clutch designed to achieve a reduction in the number of parts and a simplification of assembly. The one-way clutch includes a retainer having a holding hole formed in a portion interposed between an outer race and an inner race to hold a sprag biting between the outer race. The retainer is provided with an elliptical flange urged against the inner periphery of a counterbore formed in the side of the outer race. Since the retainer holds the sprag with the holding hole, the structure of the one-way clutch is simplified. When the flange is pushed into the counterbore of the outer race, the portion of the major diameter of the flange presses the inner periphery of the counterbore, whereby the retainer is made integral with the outer race.

Abstract: The amounts of displacement of trunnions installed in first and second cavities are made equal to each other irrespective of the amount of resilient deformation. Also, if the worst should happen, the stability of the running of an automobile is secured. The supply and discharge of pressure oil to first and second actuators for displacing the trunnions installed in the first and second cavities are effected by first and second control valves independent of each other. A value is included for controlling so that the difference between oil pressure fed into the first actuator and oil pressure fed into the second actuator may not become great.

Abstract: A projection exposure apparatus for positioning, for each shot provided on a wafer, a pattern formed on a mask with respect to the wafer and also for exposing the pattern on the wafer includes a wafer stage carrying the wafer and movable stepwise for each shot, a mask stage carrying the mask and movable, a stage control unit for making relative positioning between the wafer and the pattern of the mask and maintaining the relative positioning so that the stage control unit moves the mask stage to make the relative positioning before the wafer stage stops for each shot, and an exposure control unit for performing exposure while the relative positioning is maintained.

Abstract: An alignment device includes an image pickup optical system for picking up an image of a first reference mark disposed on a mask and an image of a second reference mark disposed on a photosensitive substrate through an image pickup optical system, a memory for storing information associated with the imaging characteristics of the image pickup optical system, and a correction system for correcting the positions of the first and second reference marks, detected using image information from the image pickup system, on the basis of the information associated with the imaging characteristics of the image pickup optical system.

Abstract: An exposure method comprises a first exposure step of using a first exposure apparatus having a first exposure field and projecting a pattern of a first mask onto a photosensitive substrate to effect exposures according to a first shot map where an exposure region on the photosensitive substrate is divided in units of first shot areas each corresponding to the first exposure field; and a second exposure step of using a second exposure apparatus having a second exposure field larger than the first exposure field and projecting a pattern of a second mask onto the photosensitive substrate to effect exposures according to a second shot map arranged so that a number of shots therein becomes minimum when a region including the first shot map is divided in units of second shot areas each corresponding to the second exposure field.