Abstract: A steering intermediate shaft has an inner shaft member and an outer tube member so engaged with each other as to be capable of transmitting rotation and to be slidable in an axial direction. The outer tube member includes slits so formed at one end as to extend in the axial direction. An annular fastening member is provided at a portion of the outer tube member formed with the slits to exert a fastening action inwards in a radial direction. The fastening member includes a disengagement preventing member for preventing the outer tube member from disengaging from the inner shaft member against an axial force within a predetermined value by engaging with the inner shaft member.

Abstract: An illuminating apparatus which comprises a light source, an optical system for condensing light emitted from the light source and illuminating an object with the condensed light, and an optical member which absorbs light having a wavelength from 260 to 340 nm among the light emitted from the light source, wherein the optical member is made of glass or crystalline material to which metal is doped.

Abstract: A zoom lens, especially, suitable for a stepped-zoom zoom lens system, which includes a zoom lens and a zoom lens barrel. The zoom lens barrel houses a zoom lens possessing a plurality of movable lens groups. The lens barrel includes a guide assembly to guide the movable lens groups along an optical axis to prescribed positional states. The zoom lens system is such that the total zoom lens length is not excessively long even during short-distance focusing. Also, during short-distance focusing, the lens barrel is configured such that the most imagewise negative lens group moves objectwise in the extreme wide-angle positional state and imagewise in the extreme telephoto positional state. Also, when the zoom lens is in the extreme telephoto positional state, short-distance focusing is accomplished by causing one or more of the multiple groups of the zoom lens to move imagewise. The zoom lenses of the zoom lens system preferably satisfy at least one of a number of design conditions.

Abstract: An exposure amount control device for controlling an integrated exposure amount of pulsed light to a photosensitive substrate within a predetermined range in which a pattern of a mask is successively exposed on the substrate by synchronously scanning the mask forming the pattern to be exposed and the photosensitive substrate relatively with respect to a predetermined illumination area illuminated with pulsed light from a pulsed light source, satisfies the following relationship:.DELTA.D.sub.12 .gtoreq.D/(2N.sub.min)wherein luminous intensity distribution of the predetermined illumination area in a scan direction is shaped to be a trapezoid, .DELTA.D.sub.12 is an average value of half of the widths of the slope portions on the lateral sides of the trapezoid-shaped luminous intensity distribution in the scan direction, D is the width, at half peak value points, of the luminous intensity distribution on the predetermined illumination area of the substrate in the scan direction and N.sub.

Abstract: An electrically alterable, non-volatile memory cell has more than two memory states that can be programmed selectively. Programming of the cell is conducted by applying a plurality of programming signals having different characteristics to the cell. The programming signals include at least a first programming signal which programs the cell by a first increment and a subsequent programming signal which programs the cell by a second increment smaller than the first increment. As the cell is being programmed to a selected state, its programming status is verified independently of reference values bounding the memory states. For this purpose, a signal indicative of the programming status (e.g., the cell's bit line signal) is compared with a reference signal corresponding to the selected state but having a value different from the reference value or values bounding the selected state. The programming operation can thus be controlled without actually reading the memory state of the cell.

Abstract: A projection exposure apparatus including an irradiation optical system including a light source and irradiating a mask with irradiation light beams, a projection optical system for projecting an image of a pattern of the mask on a substrate, a plurality of first fly-eye type optical integrators each having an emission side focal plane disposed on a Fourier transformed surface with respect to the pattern of the mask in the irradiation optical system or on a plane adjacent to the same and having a center located at a plurality of positions which are eccentric from the optical axis of the irradiation optical system, a plurality of second fly-eye type optical integrators each having an emission side focal plane disposed on a Fourier transformed plane with respect to the incidental end of each of a plurality of the first fly-eye type optical integrators or on a plane adjacent to the same and being disposed to correspond to a plurality of the first fly-eye type optical integrators, and a light divider for dividing

Abstract: To provide a zoom lens having wide field angle coverage, a zooming ratio of 3.5.times. or greater, and a large aperture such that F-number is on the order of F 2.

Abstract: A curable coating composition for preparing an anti-static coating contains from about 50% by weight to about 90% by weight of a dispersion of colloidal silica and a curable methylsilsesquioxane in a lower (C.sub.1 -C.sub.5) alkanol, and from about 10% by weight to about 50% by weight of an aminofunctional silane component.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus for transferring a pattern formed on a mask to a photosensitive substrate is provided with an illumination optical system for illuminating a local area on the mask with a light beam, a projection optical system for projecting the pattern of the mask to the photosensitive substrate and a relative scanning device for relatively scanning the mask and the photosensitive substrate in a perpendicular direction to the optical axis of the projection optical system so as to transfer the pattern of the mask to the photosensitive substrate.

Abstract: A oneway clutch comprises an inner member, an outer race member, torque transmitting members each provided between the inner member and the outer race member to be displaced between a torque transmitting position and a non torque transmitting position, biasing members each for biasing a corresponding torque transmitting member to the torque transmitting position until a predetermined torque is applied thereto, and a retainer for retaining the torque transmitting members and the biasing members. The retainer comprises a first annular side member, a second annular side member, and pole portions for connecting the first annular side member and the second annular side member in the axial direction, the pole portions, together with the first and second annular side members, defining the apertures for mounting the block bearings. Predetermined pole portions of the retainer are provided with at least two radially protruding portions for supporting the biasing members.

Abstract: In an exposure method of illuminating a pattern formed on a mask with illumination light from an illumination optical system, and projecting/exposing an image of the pattern on a photosensitive substrate through a projection optical system, the pattern includes a transmission portion having a transmittance of about 1 with respect to the illumination light and a phase shift transmission portion which provides a phase difference of about (2n+1) .pi. (n is an integer) with respect to the light transmitted through the transmission portion, and has a pattern width not more than a resolving limit of the projection optical system.

Abstract: Copper-containing surfaces, such as a copper surface for use in an electrical circuit, are protected by the provision of a bismuth coating.

Abstract: A photographing unit for a microscope has a photometric detector to measure brightness of light from a sample and includes a changing member which changes a brightness of light toward an observation system and a control unit which controls the light based on a detection output of the photometric detector. In addition, the changing member can be controlled based on the presence of an observer. A shielding member can be provided that automatically shields an optical path of the observation system. An illumination system for an index on a reticle can be provided so that the illumination of the reticle can be performed or extinguished at desired times. Additionally, the color of light with which the index is illuminated may be made distinguishable from the color of light from a sample, and the contrast of the index to the sample can be controlled.

Abstract: A cable-type tire chain for the tires of dual wheels comprises a pair of side members and a plurality of cross members extending between and connected to the side members and supporting traction elements. The tire chain includes a center member that extends circumferentially over the cross members of the installed tire chain and that draws center portions of the cross members into the space between the tires. The center member comprises a core surrounded by a helical spring. The core includes a cable wrapped helically with wire, and the inner diameter of the spring is greater than the outer diameter of the core so that the spring can move on the core.

Abstract: A cooker is shown having a housing with a burner supported within the housing and a kettle carrier pivotally attached to a top edge of the housing such that it can be pivoted from a substantially horizontal position across the top of the housing to a substantially vertical position. The kettle carrier includes a cooking kettle that is positioned over the burner when the kettle carrier is in its substantially horizontal position, and when the kettle carrier is in its substantially vertical position, the cooker kettle is positioned to empty its contents into a tub that is supported next to the housing by a detachable frame extending from the housing. Additional features of the cooker include a heat intensification chamber formed by a wall around the burner in order to redirect radiant energy from the burner back into the heat intensification chamber. A cooking oil receptacle is also detachably mounted to the housing.

Abstract: A gas diffusion electrode for a proton exchange membrane fuel cell is prepared by electrodeposition of a catalytic metal in nanocrystalline form on a substrate by contacting an electrically conductive substrate and a counterelectrode with a plating bath containing ions of a metal to be deposited on the substrate and passing a pulsed electric current between the substrate and counterelectrode having pulses that are cathodic with respect to the substrate and have a short on-time and/or a short duty cycle with a frequency from about 10 hertz to about 5000 hertz. In a preferred embodiment the electric current is a modulated reversing electric current having pulses that are cathodic with respect to the substrate and pulses that are anodic with respect to the substrate, the cathodic pulses having a short on-time and/or short duty cycle, the charge transfer ratio of the cathodic pulses to the anodic pulses being greater than one, and the frequency of the pulses ranging from about 10 hertz to about 5 kilohertz.

Abstract: A one-way clutch has an outer race and an inner race radially spaced apart from each other and concentrically disposed for rotation relative to each other, the outer race having an inner peripheral raceway surface, the inner race being disposed within the outer race and having an annular outer peripheral raceway surface, a plurality of cam type sprags disposed between the outer race and the inner race for transmitting a torque between the outer peripheral raceway surface and the inner peripheral raceway surface, an annular retainer for retaining the sprags, and a spring member for sandwiching the sprags between itself and the retainer and biasing the sprags in a meshing direction. The one-way clutch is further provided with bearings disposed in a circumferential direction among the cam type sprags and frictionally sliding on the inner peripheral surface of the outer race and the outer peripheral surface of the inner race.

Abstract: In a projection exposure apparatus and method, the intensity distribution of illumination light for detecting an imaging characteristic of a projection optical system is set substantially equal to the intensity distribution of exposure illumination light. The intensity distribution of a secondary light source in an exposure illumination optical system is changed in accordance with a pattern of a mask. Magnification and aberration of the projection optical system are adjusted in accordance with the changed intensity distribution of the secondary light source. A substrate stage is moved along an optical axis of the projection optical system to compensate movement of the image plane of the projection optical system caused by a change in the intensity distribution of the secondary light source. An exposure operation is interrupted when a light amount distribution is changed. Exposure control is also responsive to thermal accumulation in the projection optical system.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus for transferring a pattern formed on a mask to a photo-sensitive substrate is provided with an illumination optical system for illuminating a local area on the mask with a light beam, a projection optical system for projecting the pattern of the mask to the photosensitive substrate and a scanning device for scanning synchronously the mask and the photosensitive substrate, and a device for setting a width of an exposure area in a scan direction of the photosensitive substrate conjugate with an illumination area on the mask with respect to the projection optical system, to integer times as large as a distance which the photosensitive substrate moves during an interval between pulse emissions from the light source.

Abstract: In a cata-dioptric optical system having a combination of a reflection system and a refraction system for reduction-projecting an object on a first plane onto a second plane, a polarization beam splitter and a quarter wavelength plate are provided to split the incident light and the reflected light. The light beam directed to the polarization beam splitter is converted to a substantially collimated light beam by a first group of lenses. A second group of lenses are arranged between the polarization beam splitter and a concave reflection mirror to diverge the light beam. The light reflected by the concave reflection mirror is directed back to the polarization beam splitter with a substantially collimated state by the second group of lenses. The light beam from the second group of lenses transmitted through the polarization beam splitter is focused by a third group of lenses having a positive refraction power to form a reduced image.