Abstract: A remote control is equipped with a pushbutton unit including a plurality of transverse linking sections linking pushbuttons in a transverse direction and a bridge section connecting the transverse linking sections at one side. This pushbutton unit is provided by integrally forming a first button group and a second button group respectively including a plurality of pushbuttons in a specified arrangement as a unit on a sheet-form elastic member in such a manner that pushbuttons of one button group are located between pushbuttons of the other button group and by cutting, along a specified cut line, this unit into two pushbutton units including transverse linking sections with pushbuttons linked in the transverse direction and a bridge section that connects the transverse linking sections at one side.

Abstract: A mobile cleaner includes: a running unit for automatically moving along a floor face; a cleaning unit for cleaning the floor face; an image taking unit for taking an image of a surrounding; and a switching unit for switching to a state of exposing an opening portion of the image taking unit to be able to take the image of the surrounding and a state of concealing the opening portion of the image taking unit to be unable to take the image of the surrounding.

Abstract: The invention provides a remote monitoring system which has a simplified configuration and is capable of remotely monitoring the current state of a person needing care and detecting an abnormality in the person's behavior and then addressing the abnormality, and further provides a method using the remote monitoring system.

Abstract: A television tuner that receives a television signal using a smart antenna includes a rescan unit that executes rescan; that is: that when an instruction that instructs direct selection of a reception channel on which a television signal is currently received is issued during reception of a television broadcast service, causes an antenna control section to vary or control the receiving direction of the smart antenna and causes a signal state detector section to detect the states of signals sampled in all receiving directions; and that if the state of a signal detected by the signal state detector section agrees with a predetermined signal state, preserves the receiving direction of the smart antenna in which the signal is sampled. Consequently, rescan can be executed for all the receiving directions of the smart antenna by performing a simple manipulation.

Abstract: An image projector includes a lamp box containing a lamp, a case for forming a housing for the projector and having an opening for inserting the lamp box into the housing, a lamp housing provided inside the case and used for fixing the lamp box, and a lamp door removably attached to the case and used for opening and closing the opening. The lamp door has a screw-turning component capable of engaging with a groove on the head of the fixing screw when removed from the case, and threadable tightening/loosening can be performed by rotating the lamp door with the screw-turning component engaged with the groove in the fixing screw. This allows the lamp box to be replaced without the need for a screw-turning tool.

Abstract: When an optical disc is set to the motor, the slice level is set to a slice level Sk as a reference slice level and a measured jitter value A (S0, S1) is produced. The slice level is incremented in steps of a fixed quantity Si (S2). Then, a measured jitter value B obtained at the incremented slice level is compared with the previous measured jitter value A (S3, S4). This sequence of process is repeated, and when the measured jitter value A is smaller than the counter value, it is judged that the jitter changes its quantity varying direction to a decreasing direction. Then, the incrementing operation of the slice level is immediately stopped, and the slice level is decremented in steps of another fixed quantity Sd (<Si). The previous measured jitter value C is compared with a measured jitter value D after the slice level is decremented (S5 to S8). When the measured jitter value C is smaller than the counter jitter value, it is judged that the slice level detected at that time is an optimum slice level.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes a chassis, a paper guide, a paper feed roller, and a paper supply portion from which the paper feed roller is configured to supply paper. The paper guide is supported within the chassis and has a base portion and a first separation portion that projects from the base portion. The paper feed roller is rotatably supported by the chassis. The paper supply portion has a guide projection on its first lateral side portion. The widthwise center of the paper feed roller is offset toward the first lateral side relative to the widthwise center of the first separation portion. With the image forming apparatus, variance in the paper feed position during the paper feed operation can be reduced without having to increasing the number of parts.

Abstract: A scanner equipped printer includes the scanner's main body and the printer's main body. The scanner's main body has an upper portion provided with a cover having a side attached to a sheet feed tray and thus serving as an axis of pivotation to be capable of being opened and closed as desired to press downwards an original placed on the scanner. The cover is a flexible member formed for example of polypropylene. Furthermore the scanner's main body has an upper portion provided with a tray accommodating a sheet to be fed to the printer's main body. The cover and a guard member are integrally formed to prevent an object placed on the cover from falling toward the tray when the cover is opened. Thus the original can be prevented from displacing from a prescribed position when the cover is closed.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes a chassis having first and second side surfaces of the chassis; an ink sheet cartridge detachably disposed between the first and second side surfaces of the chassis; a take-up reel engaging the take-up bobbin; and a feed reel engaging the feed bobbin. The ink sheet cartridge includes a casing, a take-up bobbin and a feed bobbin disposed within the casing, first and second compression coil springs respectively coupled to circumferences of portions of the take-up bobbin and the feed bobbin so as to bias the take-up bobbin and the feed bobbin in the longitudinal direction. At least one of the take-up reel and the feed reel engages the corresponding one of the take-up bobbin and the feed bobbin without a biasing member being disposed between the first surface of the chassis and the corresponding one of the take-up bobbin and the feed bobbin.

Abstract: A rotary magnetic head device includes a stationary drum; a rotary drum having a rotary magnetic head; a rotor of a motor fixed to the rotary drum; a support shaft for pivotally supporting the rotary drum, the support shaft having a receiving face; a radial bearing for receiving a radial load, interposed between the rotary drum and the support shaft; a thrust bearing for receiving a thrust load, being slidably put on the receiving face; an urging member for urging the thrust bearing against the receiving face by pushing the rotary drum downward; and a reverse L-shaped support fixed to the stationary drum. The urging member is supported by the reverse L-shaped support and arranged on the rotary drum.

Abstract: Electronic components with which a monitoring unit is provided are an infrared CCD sensor and an output connector only, so that the monitoring unit is simple in construction. That is, the monitoring unit is designed such that it is not provided with a substrate or electronic component having complex wirings and contacts, whenever possible. Therefore, even if excessive force is applied to the monitoring unit upon mounting of the monitoring unit, it is possible to prevent producing of disorders of the monitoring unit. Furthermore, even if dirt or dust enters the recessed portion B1, possibilities that the dirt or dust will produce electrical short and disorders of the monitoring unit will occur can be reduced. An infrared CCD sensor is not provided at a body BD unless the user attach the monitoring unit to the body BD, so that the cost of the body BD itself can be decreased.

Abstract: A combined printing apparatus includes a housing, an electric circuit substrate formed to extend from a top edge of a card insertion slot, a connector placed at a downside surface of the electric circuit substrate for connecting a memory card to an electric circuit, and a shielding plate formed under the connector. The connector is formed to extend in a direction approximately orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the electric circuit substrate. The shielding plate includes a cut and bent up portion formed in a region opposite to the connector in the direction of extension of the connector. The cut and bent up portion is formed to prevent the memory card from being inserted between the shielding plate and the connector.

Abstract: In a video signal setting device, first, a setting screen displaying section in a system controller displays a setting screen on a TV receiver by an interlace video signal. After that, a progressive outputting section outputs a progressive signal to the TV receiver for a predetermined time with progressive setting. Next, an interlace output returning section returns a present output setting to an output setting to output the interlace video signal. Then a user sets a progressive output setting when a condition of screen by the progressive signal is normal and the user sets an interlace output setting in the case of not being normal.

Abstract: When a user commands recording onto a DVD, a microprocessor of a DVD recorder acquires, from a DV camera, time code in photographed data recorded on a DV tape corresponding to a photographing end position in the DV tape, and stores the acquired time code in a memory, and thereafter sends a command for the DV camera to rewind the DV tape. When the microprocessor receives, from the DV camera, a response indicating completion of the rewinding, the microprocessor sends a command for the DV camera to reproduce the DV tape, and starts recording photographed data from the DV camera onto the DVD. When the time code received from the DV camera matches the time code stored in the memory, the microprocessor stops the recording onto the DVD. This DVD recorder enables recording on the DVD in one operation, improving handleability in recording from the DV tape to the DVD.

Abstract: The title of a program with a recording duration longest among all recording durations is recorded as the program title of a relevant program file. Thereby, even when a user has performed an operation to record a program on a hard disk recorder by a method other than a timer recording, the program title of a program that is most likely to be a program a user really desires to record can be recorded as the program title of a program file created by the recording. Accordingly, a DTV or a STB can display on its display appropriate program titles in a program file list at the time of playback of a previously recorded program.

Abstract: A printer equipped with a copy function is capable of carrying out a two-set double-sided printing, using a series of printing papers, each of which has a printed content on one side and a blank page on the other side. With the aid of a built-in processing unit, such a series of the printing papers are regarded as serial pairs of two adjacent printing papers, and an image on one side of each printing paper is read by an image sensor, and then copied on the other side of the printing paper adjacent thereto. When the number of all the printing papers is odd, an image read on one side from the last printing paper is copied on one side of a supplementary paper sheet. When the total number n of the printing papers initially read out is even, printing paper are sequentially fed to said image printer, and printing papers, each of which is placed on a paper feed tray for printing in such a manner that its blank page on the other side is printable, are received in the order of reading by the image printer.

Abstract: An image displaying projector is provided comprising a lamp for emitting the light for image projection, a light tunnel for receiving the light from the lamp at one end opening of a tubular portion thereof which has two openings provided at both ends, guiding the light as it reflects on an inner side of the tubular portion, and releasing the light from the other end opening of the tubular portion, and an imaging device for producing an optical image by means of the light released from the light tunnel. The light tunnel is made of a thin metal sheet folded to shape the tubular portion which has two openings provided at both ends. The image displaying projector can easily be manufactured fewer of components and steps. The thin metal sheet prevents the light tunnel from being heated up and fractured by the heat lamp.

Abstract: It is aimed to provide a small and lightweight digital still camera capable of reducing the possibility of moving the digital still camera while an image is taken due to an operation for pressing a shutter switch by a user. Thus, a single-stage switch which is turned on when the user presses up to a predetermined stroke with his/her finger and is turned off when the user takes his/her finger off is used as the shutter switch. In the normal imaging mode, in a state where the shutter switch is turned on by the user, an image for monitoring is taken at a predetermined interval and the image is displayed on the display device as an electronic view finder using image data output from the imaging device. When the shutter switch is turned off, an image for recording is taken, the obtained image data is recorded in the memory card and the taken image is displayed on the display device using the image data.

Abstract: A photo-direct printer connected to a digital still camera and comprising a display unit for displaying print layout information created on the basis of multiple divided images sent from the digital still camera. When a user inputs a command to change the print layout information for divided printing, the photo-direct printer changes the print layout information according to content of the command, and performs the divided printing on the basis of the changed print layout information. Since the photo-direct printer has the display unit, it enables the user to identify, at the time of divided printing, a print layout on the printer side. Further, since it is possible to readily change the print layout information, it is possible to readily obtain a result of printing according to the intention of the user.

Abstract: A self-propelling cleaner 1 performs dust removal processing in which a comb is brought close to a rotary brush with prescribed timing and dust is removed from the rotary brush. In the dust removal processing, the comb is slid in such a direction as to come closer to the brush, even dust that is stuck to the base portions of bristles of the rotary brush can be removed. A self-propelling cleaner is provided that is free of an event that it performs cleaning in a state that a large amount of dust is stuck to the rotary brush.