Abstract: To a laser medium comprising vapor of metal atoms A is added vapor of metal atoms B such that the difference .DELTA.E(B) between the energy value E.sub.1 (B) at the upper laser level and the energy value at the lower laser level E.sub.2 (B) as the metastable state after laser transition or fluorescent transition is substantially equal to the energy level E.sub.2 (A) of the metal atoms A at the lower laser level. Secondary collision of the metal atoms A in the E.sub.2 (A) state and the metal atoms B in the E.sub.2 (B) state with one another causes energy transition, whereby the metal atoms A do a work of exciting the metal atoms B to a resonant excitation level to lose its own energy and undergo transition to a ground level E.sub.0 (A). Consequently, the excitation lifetime at the lower laser level in the laser transition is reduced to extend the inverse population time and also the laser output pulse width so as to increase the laser conversion efficiency.

Abstract: There is provided an aluminum alloy sheet material having high strength as well as excellent formability, which consists essentially, by weight percent, of 4.5 to 6% Mg, 0.0005 to 1% rare earth elements, 0.001 to 0.15% Ti, 0.0001 to 0.004% B, 0.05 to 0.2% Fe, 0.05 to 0.1% Si, 0.0001 to 0.03% Be, and the balance of Al and inevitable impurities. The aluminum alloy sheet material may further contain at least one element selected from the group consisting of 0.05 to 0.3% Cu, 0.1 to 1% Zn and 0.05 to 0.2% Mn, if required.

Abstract: A combined cleaner and toner magazine (CTM) applicable to an image forming apparatus and implemented as a single unit made up of a device for supplying a toner to a developing unit and a cleaning device for removing and storing part of the toner which remains on a photoconductive element after image transfer. The CTM has an electromagnetic shutter or a permanent magnet for preventing the toner left on the photoconductive element without being collected by the cleaning device from being scattered around in the apparatus. When a toner reservoir included in the toner supply device is emptied and, at the same time, a waste toner tank in the cleaning device is filled up, a supplementary toner is filled in the toner reservoir via a predetermined opening and the waste toner is discharged from the waste toner tank via another predetermined opening.

Abstract: In order that liquid swept up by blades is introduced positively into a baseplate section to elevate a recovery percentage of liquid, the baseplate section is adapted to include an open section positioned on the upper end portion of the blades along them and which is opened forwardly in the operating direction of the squeegee, and a trough-like section for introducing liquid having a profile which is defined in such that its axial direction extends along the upper end portion of the blades and its wall surface protrudes backwardly in the operating direction, whereby liquid swept up by these blades is transferred from the lower end portion of the blades to the upper end portion thereof to be introduced into the section for introducing liquid.

Abstract: An electrophotographic apparatus capable of forming a high quality image by a contact type developing system using a photoconductive belt and a developing roller. The belt has a tubular configuration. A single friction roller is made of rubber and received in the tubular belt to drive it in a rotary motion. The friction roller has an outside diameter smaller than the inside diameter of the belt to provide the belt with a slack. The developing roller contacts the slack of the belt and, therefore, contacts the belt over a sufficient nip width.

Abstract: A cleaning unit provided in a xerographic image forming apparatus removes residual toner from a photosensitive belt after a transfer process for transferring a developed image from the photosensitive belt to a recording sheet. The cleaning unit includes a cleaning blade for scraping the residual toner from the photosensitive belt, and a housing for storing the residual toner scraped by the cleaning blade. The cleaning blade has a slanting surface formed between a top surface of the cleaning blade and an end of the cleaning blade, the slanting blade slanting from the top surface toward the end of the cleaning blade so as to be inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the top surface. The developer scraped by the cleaning blade is entered in the housing via the slanting surface and the top surface of the cleaning blade.

Abstract: A recording apparatus which includes a photosensitive member and an image forming unit for forming a latent image on the photosensitive member. A developing unit develops this latent image by supplying toner to the photosensitive member so that a visible image corresponding to the latent image is formed on the photosensitive member. A transfer unit transfers the visible image from the photosensitive member to a recording sheet. A magazine unit having a first chamber for storing toner and a second chamber for storing scrap toner obtained by scraping residual toner from the photosensitive member is also provided. The magazine unit is detachably mounted to a housing of the recording apparatus. A supply mechanism supplies toner from the first chamber of the magazine unit to the developing unit.

Abstract: A plasma gas is injected from a vortex flow forming hole defined to an insulator in a tangential direction with respect to the circumference of the arc column of a torch to enable the axis of the arc column to be aligned with the axial of the torch and a vortex annular gas sheath is coaxially formed to thereby narrow down a plasma flame. Further, the torch comprises the above insulator and a casing which are connected in series each other.

Abstract: A xerographic image recording apparatus includes a photosensitive body moved along a circuitous path, an electric discharging unit for eliminating electric charges from the photosensitive body, a precharging unit for charging the photosensitive body electrically, an image writing unit for writing an image on the photosensitive body, an image developing unit for coating the photosensitive body by the toner to form a toner image on the photosensitive body, a recording sheet feeding unit for feeding a recording sheet along a sheet path, an image transfer unit for transferring the toner image onto a recording sheet, a cleaning unit for removing the toner remaining on the photosensitive body after the transfer of image on the recording sheet is completed, a toner supply tank for supplying the toner to the image developing unit, and a toner recovery tank for collecting the toner removed by the cleaning unit from the photosensitive body, wherein the toner supply tank and the toner recovery tank are assembled into a

Abstract: An arc is formed between a pair of discharge electrodes, a plasma gas separated from a raw material gas flowing substantially in parallel to the arc to form a plasma flame, the raw material gas flowing to the upstream within the plasma flame, and a diamond being deposited on the substrate downstream within the flame.

Abstract: A heat fixing roll for a copying machine includes an insulating layer formed on the surface of a hollow tube, a heating resistor layer formed on the surface of the insulating layer by uniformly thermal spray coating a resistor material, a screw-like heating resistor formed by forming a helical groove having a depth reaching the surface of the insulating layer by using a laser irradiation head connected to an electric resistance compensator, and an antisticking layer formed on the surface of the resistor and the groove by coating. The present invention also provides a method of producing the heat fixing roll and an electronic copying machine provided with the roll.

Abstract: A microphone apparatus for a video camera having a zoom lens, comprising: a superdirectional microphone fro generating a superdirectional microphone signal D; a stereo microphone for generating stereo microphone signals L and R; a zoom position sensor for generating a zoom position signal; first and second signal means for generating control signals Vc1 and Vc2 which can be changed according to the zoom position signal; a first amplifier for generating a first amplified signal K1.multidot.D (K1 is a value corresponding to Vc1); a second amplifier for generating a second amplified signal K2.multidot.L (K2 is a value corresponding to Vc2); a third amplifier for generating a third amplified signal K2.multidot.R; a first adder for generating a first sum signal (k1.multidot.D+K2.multidot.L); and a second adding means for generating a second sum signal (k1.multidot.D+K2.multidot.R). The directivity can be varied in accordance with the control of the zoom lens to suitably match images and sounds.

Abstract: A system for calculating a movement direction and position of a movable object such as an unmanned vehicle running within a factory and a method therefor are disclosed in which an image pick up camera such as a video camera photographs a background of the movable object to generate a background two-dimensional image. Positions of vanishing point and side ends of a passage on which the movable object is to move are derived from the background photographed two-dimensional image. The movement direction of the movable object is derived from the detected vanishing point. Distances of the movable object from both sides ends of the passage are derived on the basis of the detected vanishing point and positions of side ends of the passage. the movement direction and position of the movable object thus detected are used to control movement of the movable object. The vanishing point is detected on the basis of edge directions at all points constituting and edge on the background two-dimensional image.

Abstract: A powder charging apparatus, in which a plasma electrode pair is disposed within an insulative tubular passage for transporting powder as carried by gas, a device for intermittently applying a D.C. voltage between that pair of plasma electrode is provided to form a space where mainly desired polarity ions drawn from the plasma electrode pair exist and another space where mainly opposite polarity ions exist, well dispersed powder is fed to the former space where mainly the desired polarity ions exist, and thereby stable and strong charging performances can be assured for a long term without adhesion and accumulation of the powder to and on either one of the pair of plasma electrodes; and an electrostatic powder painting apparatus containing this powder charging apparatus therein and having excellent penetrating performance and painting efficiency.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical reader for scanning a surface to be scanned by using information beam ray such as laser beam ray and optically reading a recorded information such as bar code recorded in the surface to be scanned. The optical reader is constituted such that optical beam emitted from a light source is reflected on a first rotary multiface mirror to scan on a surface to be scanned, and information beam reflected on the surface to be scanned is reflected on a second rotary multiface mirror to guide to an opto-electric transforming means. A scanning optical path for permitting the optical beam from the light source to pass therealong is formed independently from a reflecting optical path for permitting the information beam from the surface to be scanned to pass therealong.

Abstract: A thermal fixing roller for use in a copying machine and a method for manufacturing the thermal fixing roller are disclosed. An insulator layer is formed on an outer surface of a cylindrical metallic pipe, a masking wire material is wound in a spiral manner on the surface of the insulator layer and a heat-generating resistor is formed by spray coating heat-generating resistor material on the insulator and wire surfaces. Thereafter the wire material is removed to leave a groove at its trace, and thereby the above-mentioned heat-generating resistor can be formed in a spiral shape. By choosing pitches at the opposite end portions of this spiral resistor smaller than that at the central portion thereof, uniform temperature is maintained over the entire length of the thermal fixing roller. Also by forming a cross-section configuration of the masking wire material in a rectangular shape, it is allowed to reduce the width of the above-mentioned groove to minimum.

Abstract: A single torch-type plasma spray coating method wherein a gas flow in a nozzle of a plasma torch is made to be a laminer flow, thereby the plasma flame jetted from the end of the plasma torch is modified to be a laminer flow flame, the plasma is separated from the plasma flame which contains liquid droplets of molten spray coating material and runs toward an object to be worked by means for separating plasma arranged immediately before said object to be worked, and remaining droplets of molten spray coating material impinges on said object to form a coating film thereon, and an apparatus therefor.

Abstract: A multiple torch type plasma spray coating method and a multiple torch type plasma spray coating apparatus in which a main torch and an auxiliary torch are disposed so that their center axes may intersect each other, is improved in that laminar flow plasma is generated by the main torch, spray coating material is charged into the plasma flame in the proximity of the outlet of the main plasma torch, the plasma flame is blown onto an object to be treated, plasma is separated from the plasma flame just in front of the object to be treated, and the then left spray coating material is made to deposit onto the object to be treated.

Abstract: Combination use of citric or/and lactic acid with table salt in one solution is extremely effective to enhance the preservability of boiled noodle products to be commercially distributed at an ordinary temperature. Boiled noodles are subject to immersion treatment with the aqueous solution containing said combination and then, without rinsing, packaged and heat sterilized for commercial distribution. Additional use of sodium glutamate is proposed for improving palatability if desired.

Abstract: Combination use of citric and/or lactic acid with table salt in one solution is extremely effective to enhance the preservability of boiled noodle products to be commercially distributed at an ambient temperature. Boiled noodles are subjected to immersion treatment with the aqueous solution containing said combination and then, without rinsing, packaged and heat sterilized for commercial distribution. Additional use of sodium glutamate is proposed for improving palatability if desired.