Abstract: An imaging device includes a camera, light sources, an optical bandpass filter, and a conversion unit. The camera includes an image sensor including a N-band color filter (where N is a natural number greater than or equal to 3). The M types of light sources (where M is a natural number that satisfies 2?M?N) have the emission spectral characteristics of having respective peaks in mutually different wavelength ranges within a visible light range and a near-infrared range. The conversion unit generates image signals of M bands each having spectral sensitivity to the corresponding one of the mutually different wavelength ranges by performing a matrix operation on an N-band imaging signal obtained by the image sensor when an article is photographed with the camera. The light application direction and the emission intensity are individually selected for each of the light sources.

Abstract: A print inspection device includes a camera that captures a character printed on an inspection target, a shape matching processor, a deformation pattern generator, and an inspection processor. The shape matching processor checks a shape of a captured character pattern included in a captured image obtained by the camera against a shape of a preset reference character pattern while changing a deformation degree of the shape of the reference character pattern and searches for a matched character. The deformation pattern generator generates a deformed character pattern obtained by deforming the reference character pattern at the deformation degree to which the character is matched in the shape matching process. The inspection processor inspects whether a printed state of the character is satisfactory from a result of the comparison between the deformed character pattern and the captured character pattern.

Abstract: The electrophotographic toner of the present invention comprises toner particles and inorganic fine powder externally added to the toner particles. The toner particles comprise a core particle containing at least a resin, a coloring agent and wax, a first shell layer that is formed on the surface of the core particle to prevent inorganic fine powder from being buried, and a second shell layer that is formed on the surface of the first shell layer to retain inorganic fine powder. This makes it possible to inhibit inorganic fine powder that is an external additive from being buried in a toner and prevent deterioration of developing performance, reduction in transfer efficiency, blocking of a developer and toner aggregation.

Abstract: The electrophotographic toner of the present invention comprises toner particles and inorganic fine powder externally added to the toner particles. The toner particles comprise a core particle containing at least a resin, a coloring agent and wax, a first shell layer that is formed on the surface of the core particle to prevent inorganic fine powder from being buried, and a second shell layer that is formed on the surface of the first shell layer to retain inorganic fine powder. This makes it possible to inhibit inorganic fine powder that is an external additive from being buried in a toner and prevent deterioration of developing performance, reduction in transfer efficiency, blocking of a developer and toner aggregation.

Abstract: A method for forming bumps including the steps of forming bumps on a dummy wafer. The dummy wafer is diced into dummy chips and the bumps formed on the dummy chips are inspected. Thus only good bumps are transferred to a real chip on which circuit patterns are formed.

Abstract: A toner for developing statically charged images, comprising a binder resin, a colorant and a charge-controlling dye and a process for the preparation of this toner are disclosed. This toner consisting of particles composed of these components have a circularity of from 0.95 to 1.0, and the concentration of the dye on the surfaces of the toner particles is from 1.0.times.10.sup.-3 to 4.times.10.sup.-3 g/g. By dint of these characteristic features, the stability of the frictional chargeability characteristics of the toner is increased, and the contamination of a carrier, a developing device or the like with the dye can be prevented.

Abstract: Disclosed a process for the preparation of polymer particles, which comprises suspending a polymerizable monomer, a radical initiator and a hardly soluble inorganic dispersant in a dispersion medium and carrying out polymerization in this state, wherein a hardly soluble inorganic dispersant, the solubility of which is changed according to the pH value in the dispersion medium and which is precipitated at a pH value within a certain pH value region of the dispersion medium, is used as the dispersant, suspension of the polymerizable monomer in the dispersion medium is carried out in the state where the dispersant is dissolved in the dispersion medium, an acid or base is then added to adjust the pH value of the dispersion medium to a predetermined level to precipitate the dispersant, and the polymerization is initiated in the state where oil drops having a fine particulate size are formed.