Abstract: In a state deciding apparatus, an information acquiring unit acquires pieces of information of different types related to a state of an image forming apparatus. An index value calculating unit calculates an index value based on the pieces of information acquired. A state change deciding unit decides a change in a subsequent state of the image forming apparatus, based on a temporal change in the index value calculated.

Abstract: A center beam which is formed out of a thin film constituted to be combined with a light reflection film provided on one surface of the center beam, which has both ends fixed and which is deformed by an electronic force; a substrate electrode which is opposed to the center beam through a gap formed on the other surface of the center beam; an opposed surface which is a surface of the substrate electrode opposed to the center beam modulating the incident light on the light reflection film, the opposed surface restricting deformation of the center beam due to application of a driving voltage to the substrate electrode by abutting on the center beam; and a substrate which has the substrate electrode having the opposed surface, formed in a concave section, and which holds a to-be-held section of the center beam, are provided.

Abstract: An electrostatic ink-jet head includes an oscillation plate which defines a bottom of a pressurizing chamber. An electrode substrate is bonded to the oscillation plate and includes a recessed portion that defines an internal space between the oscillation plate and the electrode substrate. A curved electrode is arranged on the recessed portion so as to face the oscillation plate via the internal space. When a driving voltage is applied to the electrode, the electrode actuates the oscillation plate via an electrostatic force, so as to pressurize ink in the pressurizing chamber, thereby ejecting an ink drop onto the recording paper.

Abstract: An electrostatic type inkjet head can be manufactured by a semiconductor manufacturing process without causing a problem inherent to a semiconductor manufacturing process. The inkjet head is produced by bonding a first body member and a second body member to each other. A plurality of vibration plates are formed on the first body member. A plurality of individual electrodes are formed on the second body member. Spacer portions are provided to at least one of the first body member and the second body member so that the first body member and the second body member are bonded to each other with the spacer portions therebetween. The spacer portions define a space providing a gap between each of the vibration plates and a respective one of the individual electrodes. Vent passages connecting each of the spaces to atmosphere are formed by the spacer portions so as to release gasses generated in the space during a manufacturing process.

Abstract: An electrostatic inkjet head has an accurately controlled, uniform gap between a diaphragm and an electrode. The gap between the electrode and the diaphragm is defined by a depth of a depression formed in the diaphragm substrate or the electrode substrate. The depression is formed by removing an oxidation layer which is formed by selectively oxidizing a portion of the diaphragm substrate or the electrode substrate. The depth of the depression is determined by a thickness of a portion of the oxidation layer, which portion extends from a surface of the diaphragm substrate or the electrode surface. Since the thickness of the oxidation layer is accurately controlled, the depth of the depression is also accurately controlled. Accordingly, a dimension of the gap between the diaphragm and the electrode is extremely accurate.

Abstract: A link-member swinging apparatus for reciprocatively swinging a link member while keeping a fulcrum portion of the link member at substantially a predetermined location, including an actuator which is operatively connected to an input portion of the link member, the input portion of the link member being distant from the fulcrum portion thereof in a lengthwise direction of the link member, and a supporting device which elastically supports the fulcrum portion of the link member, while permitting the fulcrum portion to be elastically moved from a reference position thereof in a direction intersecting the lengthwise direction of the link member.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method of operating an active matrix liquid crystal display device having a liquid crystal layer between a pair of substrates and at least one active device to each of picture element electrodes on at least one of the substrates, so that a driving signal applied to a picture element electrode during one frame cycle is always on a side of a voltage having an identical polarity, which is substantially free from scattering in the display, can be operated at a low driving voltage and obtain high contrast.

Abstract: A deposited multi-layer device of an electronic element and a plastic substrate on which an inorganic substance thin film layer is simultaneously formed on both surfaces of the substrate wherein each of the electronic element, plastic substrate and inorganic thin film have internal and thermal stress not equal to zero. The device is free from peeling, deformation or curl of the substrate and degradation due to impurities such as acid, alkali and water.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for transmitting code data of a multi-color subject copy from a transmitter to a receiver in a manner that minimizes the volume of code data. The form of the data is determined by the capabilities of the receiver. The original images consist of at least two colors in addition to the background color of the copy sheet. A transmitter scans each line of the copy sheet to develop scan signals corresponding to the original images. The scan signals are used to prepare sets of run length code data and color discrimination code data indicative of the colors which appear in each line of the subject copy sheet. The transmitter transmits color discrimination code data and the corresponding set of run length code data to a receiver adapted to reproduce the transmitted data. The method of combining the scan signals to create the transmitted image signals and color discrimination code produce a condensed data strength.

Abstract: An active matrix board comprising: an electrically insulating transparent substrate; a pixel electrode disposed in two dimensions on the substrate for each pixel; a scanning electrode arranged in common to the pixel electrodes disposed along a predetermined direction; and a switching element disposed between each of the pixel electrodes and the scanning electrode. The switching element is constituted from a thin film two-terminal element which is composed of a first conductor, a second conductor, and a hard carbon film. The hard carbon film is disposed between the first and second conductors. The element has a standard deviation of current distribution in a surface of the substrate when applied with a predetermined voltage which deviation is less than 35% of the current average.

Abstract: The invention is directed to an active matrix-type liquid crystal display using a horizontal MIM device as a non-linear resistance device. The layers of the metal-insulator-metal elements are formed in a horizontal direction and use a hard carbon film as the insulator layer of the horizontal MIM device. The hard carbon film comprises carbon and hydrogen and a constituent element such as a group III element, group IV element, group V element, alkali metal element, alkaline earth metal element, nitrogen atoms, oxygen atoms, chalcogen atoms or halogen atoms, and has typical specific resistivities of from 10.sup.4 to 10.sup.13 ohm.cm. The claimed devices are economical to produce and substantially free from short circuits caused by pinholes or voids in the insulator layer. In a preferred embodiment, the electrodes of the MIM device are inter-digital in shape.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an MIM device having a hard carbon film as the insulator. The hard carbon film contains at least one of the following elements: a group III element, a group IV element, a group V element, an alkali metal element, an alkaline earth metal element, nitrogen, oxygen, a chalcogen element or a halogen element.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display has a liquid crystal layer supported by a pair of substrates therebetween; a transparent common electrode formed inside at least one of the substrates; and a plurality of transparent picture element electrodes respectively formed inside the at least one of the substrates and connected to each other through at least one active device; the transparent common electrode being disposed below one of the transparent picture element electrodes through an insulator layer; and the transparent common electrode being electrically connected to the transparent picture element electrodes adjacent to the one of the transparent picture element electrodes through the at least one active device. The transparent picture element electrodes are disposed such that the transparent picture element electrodes do not overlap the transparent common electrode.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a liquid crystal display comprising liquid crystal material sandwiched between two substrates, a plurality of picture element electrodes disposed on at least one of the substrates, a lead electrode connected with the picture element electrodes by means of at least one conductor-insulator-conductor device, and a light-shielding layer disposed in a region other than the display region on at least one of the substrates, the insulator being a hard carbon film. The insulator may simultaneously serve as a light-shielding layer, wherein a hard carbon film having a thickness of 1100 to 8000 .ANG., a specific resistivity (.rho.) of 10.sup.6 to 10.sup.13 ohm cm, an optical band gap (Egopt) of 1.0 to 3.0 eV, a hydrogen amount in the film (C.sub.H) of 10 to 50 atom %, an SP.sup.3 /SP.sup.2 ratio of 2-4, a Vickers hardness of 2500 to 9500 kg.multidot.mm.sup.-2, a refractive index (n) of 1.9 to 2.4, a defect density of 10.sup.17 to 10.sup.19 cm.sup.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device that includes a pair of transparent substrates between which a liquid crystal layer is disposed. A common electrode is formed on an inside of at least one of the substrates. A plurality of pixel electrodes are formed on an inside of at least one of the substrates. At least one MIM layered structure is connected to each of the pixel electrodes. A hard carbon film constitutes an insulator layer of the MIM structure.

Abstract: An optical image reading apparatus for photoelectrically reading images formed in at least two colors on a surface of an original having a base color different from the at least two colors, including a first reading device for obtaining a first image signal for each of a multiplicity of reading spots in a predetermined area on the original. The first image signal has two different levels one of which corresponds to the base color and the other of which corresponds to the at least two colors. The apparatus further includes a second reading device for obtaining a second image signal for the each reading spot. The second image signal cooperates with the first image signal to discriminate each of the at least two colors from the other of the at least two colors. Provisions are made for determining whether the levels of the first image signals for all of the multiplicity of reading spots are equal to the above-indicated one level corresponding to the base color, or not.

Abstract: A thin film two terminal element comprises a lower metallic electrode disposed on an insulating substrate; an insulating film disposed on the insulating substrate and formed by a hard carbon film including at least one of amorphous and microcrystal properties with carbon and hydrogen atoms as a main structure forming element; and an upper metallic electrode disposed on the insulating substrate and formed by a metal having a standard free energy in the production of an oxide at a room temperature equal to or greater than that in the production of H.sub.2 O or CO.sub.2. The lower metallic electrode is disposed to partially overlap a transparent electrode and is formed by a metal having a standard electrode potential in an aqueous solution equal to or higher than that of the transparent electrode.

Abstract: A force sensing apparatus comprising:a plate-like strain producing body;a central portion disposed integrally at a center of the body and having higher rigidity than the body;a peripheral portion disposed integrally along a periphery of the body and having higher rigidity than the body; anda plurality of sensing elements formed on a surface of the body and having an electric resistance variable in accordance with a deformation thereof in order to simultaneously sense mutually orthogonal X, Y and Z axial components of an external force applied to the body via the central portion or the peripheral portion, the sensing elements being on the same plane.

Abstract: A force detecting device includes an insulative strain element, strain sensors, and leads. The insulative strain element is electrically insulative at least at its surface. The strain sensors are formed of a piezoresistive thin film and deposited as a piezoresistive thin film pattern on the surface of the insulative strain element integrally therewith. The leads are formed of a highly conductive thin film and deposited as a highly conductive thin film pattern on the surface of the insulative strain element integrally therewith.

Abstract: A force sensing apparatus comprising:a plate-like strain producing body;a central portion disposed integrally at a center of the body and having higher rigidity than the body;a peripheral portion disposed integrally along a periphery of the body and having higher rigidity than the body; anda plurality of sensing elements formed on a surface of the body and having an electric resistance variable in accordance with a deformation thereof in order to simultaneously sense mutually orthogonal X, Y and Z axial components of an external force applied to the body via the central portion or the peripheral portion, the sensing elements being on the same plane.