Abstract: A thermal printer includes a thermal printhead, a transfer assembly, and a controller. The thermal printhead has an array of heating regions arranged in a primary scanning direction, and a driver for selectively heating the heating regions. The transfer assembly feeds a recording paper in facing relationship to the array of heating regions in a secondary scanning direction perpendicular to the primary scanning direction. The controller is combined with the driver for causing each of the heating regions to selectively form, on the recording paper, differently sized print dots which include an off-dot, a maximum-size dot, and at least one intermediate-size dot.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate (1) and a second substrate (2) disposed in parallel to each other, a liquid crystal layer (3) disposed between the two substrates (1, 2) and filled with liquid crystal, and an ink retaining layer (7) disposed on a surface (1b) of the first substrate (1) facing the second substrate (2). A surface of the ink retaining layer (7) is provided with plural filter strips (7R, 7G, 7B) each retaining a respective color ink, and each of the filter strips (7R, 7G, 7B) includes plural columns and plural rows of generally circular dots (24) arranged in a strip or rectangle, each of them being provided by a color ink droplet.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus is provided which includes a cold-cathode tube for irradiating a linearly extending image reading section, and a plurality of light receiving elements for receiving light reflected at the image reading section. The cold-cathode tube is provided with a first end portion, a second end portion, and an intermediate portion arranged between the first end portion and the second end portion. At least one of the first and the second end portions extends in a direction differing from another direction in which the intermediate portion extends. The image reading apparatus is also provided with a suitable number of shield members for preventing relatively weak image signals supplied by the light reading elements from being adversely influenced by electrical noises.

Abstract: An image sensor module includes a lens member, a resin frame that holds the lens member, a diaphragm formed on the lens member, an image sensor chip that receives light converged by the lens member, and a supporting board upon which the image sensor chip is mounted. The board is fixed to the bottom side of the resin frame. The diaphragm includes an opening for allowing the passage of light, and a light-shielding portion which is entirely held in contact with the lens member. The lens member is glued to the frame so that any additional fixing element such as a lens cap is unnecessary.

Abstract: To provide a liquid crystal display wherein means for connecting to transparent electrodes can be prevented from standing out unseemly when the liquid crystal display is turned on without increasing a death area in the periphery of a liquid crystal screen, plural wiring formed on a first transparent substrate are electrically connected to extended parts of transparent electrodes formed on a second transparent substrate via a connection and a part of each wiring passes between the connection and a liquid crystal inclusion body.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus is provided for reading out images printed on a document. The apparatus includes a casing elongated in the primary scanning direction and a transparent cover supported by the casing. In image-reading operation, the cover is held in sliding contact with a document at an image reading line. The apparatus further includes an insulating substrate attached to the casing, light sources for illuminating the image reading line, light sensors for receiving reflected light coming from the image reading line and a luminosity adjuster supported by the casing for equalizing luminosity along the image reading line.

Abstract: An image read/write head (A) includes: a substrate (4) having a first widthwise side portion (4c), a second widthwise side portion (4d), and an upper surface carrying a row of light-receiving elements (2) longitudinally of the substrate; an elongate case (1) mounted to the upper surface of the substrate (4) to enclose the light-receiving elements (2); a transparent cover (19) mounted to an upper surface of the case (1) for contact with a document to be fed; a light source (3) disposed in the case for illuminating the document; a lens (5) disposed in the case for causing an image of the document (D) illuminated by the light source (3) to be formed on the light-receiving elements (2); and a row of printing elements (8) carried by the an upper surface of the substrate at an excess portion which is provided by extending the first side portion (4c) beyond a lower edge of the case (1) by a predetermined amount.

Abstract: A filling squeegee and a scraping squeegee are provided in a printing apparatus. The filling squeegee is moved without contacting a surface of a mask in order to fill a solder paste into openings of the mask. Unnecessary solder paste on the surface of the mask is scraped by the scraping squeegee. The solder paste is prevented from being improperly filled in or scraped from the openings even if a speed of the squeegee is increased, so that the solder paste can be printed stably on circuit board.

Abstract: A thermal printer includes a thermal printhead, a transfer assembly, and a controller. The thermal printhead has an array of heating regions arranged in a primary scanning direction, and a driver for selectively heating the heating regions. The transfer assembly feeds a recording paper in facing relationship to the array of heating regions in a secondary scanning direction perpendicular to the primary scanning direction. The controller is combined with the driver for causing each of the heating regions to selectively form, on the recording paper, differently sized print dots which include an off-dot, a maximum-size dot, and at least one intermediate-size dot.

Abstract: A filling squeegee and a scraping squeegee are provided in a printing apparatus. The filling squeegee is moved without contacting a surface of a mask in order to fill a solder paste into openings of the mask. Unnecessary solder paste on the surface of the mask is scraped by the scraping squeegee. The solder paste is prevented from being improperly filled in or scraped from the openings even if a speed of the squeegee is increased, so that the solder paste can be printed stably on circuit board.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus is provided which includes a cold-cathode tube as a light source for illuminating a document sheet, an inverter for providing the light source with driving power. A connection cable is used for electrically connecting the light source to the inverter. The image reading apparatus also includes three kinds of rows of light receiving elements arranged in the primary scanning direction for detecting the light reflected on the document sheet. A lens array is provided for focusing the reflected light at the respective rows of light receiving elements. The light receiving elements are mounted on a printed circuit board. The light source, the inverter, the lens array and the printed circuit board are supported by a single case of the image reading apparatus.

Abstract: A lens array includes a plurality of lenses, a holder portion for fixing the lenses, and an acrylic transparent layer for covering the lens surfaces of the respective lenses. The holder portion and the lenses are made of the same transparent resin to be formed as a one-piece element. The lens array also includes a dark-colored light shielding layer for preventing the unwanted passage of light. The transparent layer is formed on the light shielding layer for preventing the latter from peeling off.

Abstract: By using an application unit having: a storage chamber for a viscous material; a discharge hole, for the viscous material, provided so as to communicate with the storage chamber, where a viscous-material feeding device for feeding the viscous material to the storage chamber is coupled to the application unit; and a discharge-pressure adjusting device for imparting a discharge pressure to the viscous material stored in the storage chamber, a screen mask having openings corresponding to the application object or the application object itself and the discharge hole of the application unit are brought into contact with each other, either the application unit and the screen mask or the application unit and the application object are moved relative to each other while the discharge pressure is imparted to the viscous material in the storage chamber, and the viscous material is applied onto the application object while the storage chamber is replenished at all times with the viscous material by the viscous-material

Abstract: An image reading apparatus is provided which includes a cold-cathode tube as a light source for illuminating a document sheet, an inverter for providing the light source with driving power. A connection cable is used for electrically connecting the light source to the inverter. The image reading apparatus also includes three kinds of rows of light receiving elements arranged in the primary scanning direction for detecting the light reflected on the document sheet. A lens array is provided for focusing the reflected light at the respective rows of light receiving elements. The light receiving elements are mounted on a printed circuit board. The light source, the inverter, the lens array and the printed circuit board are supported by a single case of the image reading apparatus.

Abstract: A filling squeegee and a scraping squeegee are provided. The filling squeegee is moved in a state without contact with a surface of a mask thereby to fill a solder paste in openings of the mask, then the unnecessary solder paste on the surface of the mask is scraped by the scraping squeegee. The solder paste is prevented from being filled in the openings improperly or scraped improperly even if a speed of the squeegee is increased, so that the solder paste is printed stably on circuit boards.

Abstract: To provide a liquid crystal display wherein means for connecting to transparent electrodes can be prevented from standing out unseemly when the liquid crystal display is turned on without increasing a death area in the periphery of a liquid crystal screen, plural wiring formed on a first transparent substrate are electrically connected to extended parts of transparent electrodes formed on a second transparent substrate via a connection and a part of each wiring passes between the connection and a liquid crystal inclusion body.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an image read/write head providing an image read line and including an image sensor for reading a document at the image read line, the image read/write head further including a substrate carrying a row of heating elements, a document transfer mechanism for transferring the document across the image read line, a recording paper transfer mechanism for transferring a recording paper across the row of heating elements, and an ink ribbon transfer mechanism for transferring an ink ribbon from a first winding core to a second winding core across the row of heating elements. The ink ribbon is sandwiched between the heating elements and the recording paper in passing across the row of heating elements. The first winding core is arranged on one side of the image read/write head thicknesswise of the substrate, the second winding core being arranged on an opposite side of the image read/write head thicknesswise of the substrate.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus is provided which includes light source for irradiating a document sheet with light, an elongated light-leading member through which light emitted from the light source propagates. The light-leading member is provided with a head surface, a bottom surface, a first side surface and a second side surface. The image reading apparatus further includes a row of image sensor chips for detecting light reflected on the document sheet, and an insulating circuit board for carrying the image sensor chips. The light source is also mounted on the circuit board. The cross section of the light-leading member is pentagonal, parabolic, or elliptic.

Abstract: An image reading/writing head (1) includes an integrated circuit for reading (10) provided with a plurality of light receiving elements for reading an image on a document (D) by receiving, via optical lenses (12), light reflected by the document placed on an image reading surface provided in a surface of a casing (2); a plurality of heating elements (9) disposed in a surface different from the reading surface in the casing (2) for forming an image on recording paper by heat; and an integrated circuit for writing (11) for controlling these heating elements (9). The integrated circuit for reading (10), the heating elements (9) and the integrated circuit for writing (11) are provided in a main surface of a substrate (7) held by the casing (2), and light reflecting member (13) is provided for making the light after passing the optical lenses (12) enter the light receiving elements.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a light source for irradiating a document sheet with light, a row of red light receiving elements arranged in a primary scanning direction for detecting a red component of the light reflected on the document sheet, a row of green light receiving elements arranged in the primary scanning direction for detecting a green component of the reflected light, and a row of blue light receiving elements arranged in the primary scanning direction for detecting a blue component of the reflected light. The row of red light receiving elements, the row of green light receiving elements and the row of blue light receiving elements are displaced from each other in a secondary scanning direction which is perpendicular to the primary scanning direction.