Abstract: An ink jet printer is provided with an ink jet head. The ink jet head includes an ink passage body and an actuator. The ink passage body includes a nozzle, an ink chamber communicating with the nozzle, and a pressure chamber located between the nozzle and the ink chamber. The actuator includes a piezoelectric element facing the pressure chamber. The piezoelectric element includes a piezoelectric layer, a first electrode connected with a front face of the piezoelectric layer, a second electrode connected with a back face of the piezoelectric layer, and a first insulator located between the second electrode and the ink passage body. The ink jet printer further includes a device for maintaining the electric potentials of the ink passage body and the second electrode such that the electric potential of the ink passage body is equal to or below the electric potential of the second electrode.

Abstract: A linear solenoid valve includes a solenoid having a coil wound around a coil bobbin, a fixed core, and a movable core for being attracted to the fixed core when the coil is energized, and a valve mechanism having a valve element for selectively bringing an inlet port and an outlet port into and out of fluid communication with each other responsive to a displacement of the movable core. The movable core has a nonmagnetic layer formed on an outer surface thereof and having a predetermined thickness.

Abstract: A method for driving an active matrix liquid crystal display (AMLCD) to perform partial display area displaying on a portion of a display area thereof is disclosed. The method includes: using a common electrode voltage for line alternate-driving in a first write period of a partial display area, and for frame alternate-driving in at least a portion of a second write period outside of the partial display area; and in a frame alternate-driving period of the second write period outside of the partial display area, controlling the common electrode voltage to adjust one of two voltage durations of the common electrode voltage which are respectively before and after the first write period of the partial display area and in which the common electrode voltage are of the same polarity, to make the two voltage durations have equal lengths.

Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator includes a piezoelectric vibrating plate including piezoelectric ceramics, an internal electrode formed on a first surface of the piezoelectric vibrating plate, a piezoelectric layer formed on the internal electrode, and a plurality of surface electrodes that are provided on a surface of the piezoelectric layer. When the internal electrode is grounded and a predetermined voltage is applied to a liquid contacting with a second surface of the piezoelectric vibrating plate, a value of a current flowing between the liquid and the internal electrode is not more than 0.01 ?A.

Abstract: A method for driving an active matrix liquid crystal display device of the invention is provided to drive a common voltage applied on a common electrode facing a pixel electrode by inversion for displaying a part of the display area, wherein the common voltage is controlled by synchronizing the polarity inversion timing of the common electrode with the scan timing of the pixel electrode in an initial position of the displayed area.

Abstract: A bottom of a housing has a protruding support extending a predetermined distance toward a movable core, and the movable core has an annular boss extending a predetermined distance toward the housing. The annular boss is disposed in an annular space defined between the bottom of the housing and the protruding support of the housing.

Abstract: A droplet ejection head according to the present invention includes a layered body made up of a plurality of metal plates, and an ejection face. The plurality of metal plates in the layered body include n metal plates whose lengthwise directions form the same angle with a rolling direction thereof. The n metal plates include a first stress plate and a second stress plate. The first stress plate has internal stress which forces the metal plate to bend along its lengthwise direction so as to make it protrude toward a ejecting direction. The second stress plate has internal stress which forces the metal plate to bend along its lengthwise direction so as to make it protrude toward a direction opposite to the ejecting direction.

Abstract: A piezoelectric sheet of an ink-jet head includes dummy individual electrodes in addition to individual electrodes which corresponds to respective nozzles. The dummy individual electrodes are in an outer periphery of the individual electrodes. FPC board applies drive voltage to the individual electrodes in a drive area, and deforms the area in the piezoelectric sheet in the direction of an ink pressure chamber, while the drive voltage is not applied to the individual electrodes of the non-drive area. When the dummy individual electrodes are formed in the non-drive area, a boundary area of the drive area and the non-drive area is uniformly fired when the piezoelectric sheet is manufactured. In the drive area, since surrounding structures of the respective individual electrodes become equal to one another, ink discharge characteristic is substantially uniform in the boundary area of the drive area and the non-drive area.

Abstract: A method of measuring an enzymatic activity, includes measuring the quantity of a substrate metabolite produced upon metabolism of a substrate by an enzyme, through detecting a radiant wave generated from a multiple photon excitation process of the substrate or the substrate metabolite.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide electrostatic discharge damage protection during manufacturing and to suppress power consumption as low as possible during ordinary use of the electronic device having been manufactured, with avoidance of the problem of electric corrosion. An electronic device 10 comprising an array of pixels 12 wherein row and column address lines 18, 20 for addressing each pixel 12 are arranged. Each address line is connected to a discharge line 30, 32 through a discharge 38. The circuit allows the passage of charge between the address line and the first discharge line 30 when the address line is at a potential below that of the first discharge line, and allows the passage of charge between the address line and the second discharge line 32 when the address line is at a potential above that of the second discharge line.

Abstract: An ink-jet recording apparatus includes an ink-jet head having an ink ejection surface which has a plurality of ink ejection ports formed therethough, and a cap including a base, and an annular protrusion which extends from the base in a protruding direction. The annular protrusion has a recess formed therein, and when the annular protrusion contacts the ink ejection surface, an enclosed space is defined therebetween. The apparatus also includes a first movement mechanism configured to move the cap relative to the ink-jet head in a first plane which is parallel to the ink ejection surface to selectively position the annular protrusion in a first position in which the annular protrusion opposes the ink ejection surface, and a second position in which the annular protrusion is offset from the ink ejection surface in the protruding direction. Moreover, the apparatus includes a brush comprising a plurality of flexible needle members.

Abstract: A liquid ejection head includes a passage member in which individual liquid passages are formed, diaphragms fixed to a plane of the passage member, piezoelectric layers formed on the diaphragms, individual electrodes formed on the respective piezoelectric layers, lands electrically connected to the respective individual electrodes. The lands have their height from a surface of the piezoelectric layers higher than that of the individual electrodes. Each of the individual liquid passages has a liquid ejection opening and a pressure chamber an interior space of which exposes on the plane. An overhang is formed on a side wall of each pressure chamber in such a manner that a length of an interior space of the pressure chamber along the plane increases at a portion more distant from the plane. At least a part of the land overlaps the overhang when seen in a direction perpendicular to the plane.

Abstract: A linear solenoid valve includes a solenoid having a coil wound around a coil bobbin, a fixed core, and a movable core for being attracted to the fixed core when the coil is energized, and a valve mechanism having a valve element for selectively bringing an inlet port and an outlet port into and out of fluid communication with each other responsive to a displacement of the movable core. The movable core has a nonmagnetic layer formed on an outer surface thereof and having a predetermined thickness.

Abstract: An inkjet head including piezoelectric sheets each of which has an individual electrode-forming region on its front surface, and inner electrodes in its inside. Individual electrodes are arranged in the individual electrode-forming region. The inner electrodes are arranged opposite to the individual electrodes. Front surface common electrodes are provided on the front surface of the piezoelectric sheet so that the front surface common electrodes are formed as land portions disposed around the individual electrode-forming region. The front surface common electrodes are formed to extend lengthwise along outer edges of the individual electrode-forming region. One end portion of front surface common electrode in the lengthwise direction is connected to a connection terminal of a board connected to a drive circuit. The other end portion of front surface common electrode is electrically connected to a corresponding inner electrode via through-hole formed below the front surface common electrode.

Abstract: A solvent-free photocurable resin composition is provided which can be applied to the surface of optical discs or the like to form a highly transparent protective film that can stably adhere to the surface and effectively protect the surface from scratches. The solvent-free photocurable resin composition contains a urethane(meth)acrylate oligomer, a trifunctional (meth)acrylic acid ester monomer, a photopolymerization initiator, and a dilution monomer. The dilution monomer contains a fluorine-based (meth)acrylic acid ester monomer having three or more fluorine atoms and a monofunctional or difunctional (meth)acrylic acid ester monomer in amounts of from 10 to 40 wt % and from 10 to 30 wt %, respectively.

Abstract: An antireflection film with a sufficient antireflection property in addition to the scratch resistance is provided. The antireflection film includes a transparent substrate; a hard coat layer; and a low refractive index layer having a refractive index lower than that of the transparent substrate in this order, and satisfies the specific equation of the reflectance or the chromaticity difference.

Abstract: A piezoelectric sheet of an ink-jet head includes dummy individual electrodes in addition to individual electrodes which corresponds to respective nozzles. The dummy individual electrodes are in an outer periphery of the individual electrodes. FPC board applies drive voltage to the individual electrodes in a drive area, and deforms the area in the piezoelectric sheet in the direction of an ink pressure chamber, while the drive voltage is not applied to the individual electrodes of the non-drive area. When the dummy individual electrodes are formed in the non-drive area, a boundary area of the drive area and the non-drive area is uniformly fired when the piezoelectric sheet is manufactured. In the drive area, since surrounding structures of the respective individual electrodes become equal to one another, ink discharge characteristic is substantially uniform in the boundary area of the drive area and the non-drive area.

Abstract: A droplet ejection head according to the present invention includes a layered body made up of a plurality of metal plates in which at least a part of a liquid passage is formed, and an ejection face in which an ejection port provided at one end of the liquid passage and ejecting an ink droplet is formed. The plurality of metal plates in the layered body include m metal plates whose lengthwise directions form the same angle with a rolling direction thereof, and n metal plates whose lengthwise directions form the same angle with the rolling direction. The angle formed between the lengthwise direction of the m metal plates and the rolling direction is different from the angle formed between the lengthwise direction of the n metal plates and the rolling direction.

Abstract: A linear solenoid valve includes a solenoid having a coil wound around a coil bobbin, a fixed core, and a movable core for being attracted to the fixed core when the coil is energized, and a valve mechanism having a valve element for selectively bringing an inlet port and an outlet port into and out of fluid communication with each other responsive to a displacement of the movable core. The movable core has a nonmagnetic layer formed on an outer surface thereof and having a predetermined thickness.

Abstract: An inkjet head is composed of a plurality of plates stacked on each other. The plurality of plates includes a cavity plate formed with a plurality of ink pressure chambers and a plurality of manifold plates for forming a manifold chamber being in fluid communication with the ink pressure chambers to distribute ink thereamong. Each manifold plate is provided with an opening formed therethrough with a portion thereof being left in the opening. When the manifold chambers are stacked on each other, the openings of the manifold plates formed as above constitute a manifold channel taking the form of a closed loop. The portions of the manifold plates left in the openings are supported by a plurality of beams formed on the manifold plates. The beams are thinner than respective manifold plates, and are arranged so as not to overlap each other when viewed in a direction the manifold plates are stacked.