Abstract: An ink jet head, having a long life, capable of discharging ink with a strong force and at a high speed is provided at a small size. A container comprises a casing and a nozzle plate covering the upper surface of the casing and an ink discharge opening. A buckling structure is fixed at its longitudinal ends to the bottom surface of the container via an installing member, and its center portion can be deformed upward by buckling. A diaphragm is positioned above the buckling structure with a space therebetween and placed on an inner wall of the casing with its periphery fixed thereto so as to liquid-tightly partition the inside of the container into a space and an ink chamber. A connection member connects the diaphragm and the buckling structure at their center. Electrodes are provided at both ends of the buckling structure to generate thermal stress therein by supplying electric current for buckling and consequently to apply pressure to ink in the ink chamber for discharging.

Abstract: Method of forming a complex, minute three-dimensional structure, known as micromachining, which includes forming a plurality of thin films at least one of which is provided as a temporary layer composed of a lower layer made of an organic material and an upper layer made of an amphoteric metal material which is formed on the lower layer; and selectively removing the temporary layer to provide a three-dimensional structure. The temporary layer may comprise a composite sacrificial layer of photoresist and aluminum.

Abstract: An ink jet printer performs a control of a supply of electric power for each heating element based on a temperature dependency of a resistance value by monitoring its resistance value while ink is being discharged. Accordingly, the ink jet printer permits a damage of the heating element and a discharge inferior caused by a difference in characteristics in heating elements, ambient temperature, etc., to be suppressed. Additionally, as the temperature of the heating element is not detected directly, the ink jet printer permits high speed control of the electric value, thereby permitting high speed printing.

Abstract: A casing is attached to a nozzle plate so that a hollow cavity is formed between the nozzle plate having a nozzle orifice and the casing. Three buckling structure bodies are arranged in the hollow cavity. Each of the buckling structure bodies has both ends fixedly attached to the casing via an attach member so that the center portion can be displaced. A power source is provided which applies a compressive stress to the interior of the buckling structure bodies to buckle the buckling structure bodies by the compressive stress and to displace the center portion. As a result, the ink jet head is capable of implementing a large discharge force while maintaining a compact size.

Abstract: A pressure generating member applies a pressure to an ink, the member having a symmetric configuration and including a buckling body. The buckling body may include a radially extending ribbed portion on its upper surface and no buckling layer beneath it. A heater layer is interposed between insulating layers for heating the buckling body, the buckling body having its peripheral edge portion fixed on a substrate. A center portion of the buckling body is buckled by being heated. An orifice plate is arranged so as to cover the pressure generating member with interposition of a gap defining a cavity for the ink. The orifice plate is provided with a nozzle serving as an ink discharge outlet located in a portion of the orifice plate opposite to the pressure generating member.

Abstract: A deformable mirror for reflecting a light beam incident thereon of the present invention includes: a flexible member which has a reflective surface and is flexibly deformable; a substrate having a reference surface which faces the flexible member; and a driving section for making the flexible member adhere to the reference surface of the substrate, thereby deforming the reflective surface of the flexible member to correspond to the reference surface. The shape of the reference surface is designed in such a manner that the light beam is provided with a spherical aberration when the reflective surface adheres to the reference surface.

Abstract: An ink jet of the present invention includes a nozzle plate having a nozzle orifice, a substrate having an opening communicating with the nozzle orifice, an ink discharge plate having a center portion positioned in the nozzle orifice of the nozzle plate and the opening, and both ends supported by being sandwiched between the nozzle plate and the substrate, the center portion being closer to the nozzle plate than the both ends, and a compressive member for applying a compressive force in the axis direction of the ink jet plate so that the center portion of the ink discharge plate is deformed towards the nozzle orifice by buckling. Because of this structure, the ink discharge plate is always buckled towards the nozzle orifice, and forms an ink droplet without erroneous operation.

Abstract: A casing and a nozzle plate form a hollow cavity in which ink liquid can be filled. A buckling structure body is disposed within this hollow cavity. A nozzle orifice is provided in a nozzle plate at a position corresponding to the buckling structure body. The buckling structure body has a portion extending in a longitudinal direction. Both ends of the buckling structure body in the longitudinal direction are fixedly attached to the casing via an insulative member. The buckling structure body is formed of a material that is displaced at least in the longitudinal direction by conduction of current from a power source. Thus, an ink jet head of a long lifetime is provided that can provide a great discharge force while maintaining its small dimension.

Abstract: A probe is displaced relative to a recording medium according to a drive voltage. A chip is provided at an end of the probe. The chip serves to form pits and projections on a surface of the recording medium according to a recording voltage (Vp2) and serves to output a current signal responsive to the pits and projections with a reproducing voltage (Vp1) applied. A voltage generator generates the recording voltage and the reproducing voltage based on address and data signals. A sample-hold unit samples at a specified frequency a current signal obtained from a no-recording area of the recording medium by the chip and produces an output voltage signal. A reproducing unit demodulates and reproduces increment and decrement of the current signal obtained from a recording area of the recording medium by the chip. A control unit controls recording and reproduction.

Abstract: In an optical recording medium driving apparatus, only a frequency component corresponding to pits of an ID portion is detected from a total signal representing a total amount of reflected light from an optical disc by a high pass filter. With this frequency component clamped so that a potential at a maximum point becomes a definite potential, a changed amount of light of the total signal corresponding to pits is detected and a phase pit signal is generated. In response to this phase pit signal, a signal component corresponding to pits is removed from the total signal, thereby generating a pit removal signal.

Abstract: An optical recording medium driving apparatus has the first high-pass filter for outputting a low frequency component removed signal by removing a low frequency component from a reproduction signal varying depending on a reflected light beam from the optical recording medium. The low frequency component removed signal changes due to transient response just after an access operation starts. Zero voltage is inputted to the second high-pass filter during a tracking operation while a voltage having a negative polarity which is substantially the same amplitude as the AC component of the low frequency component removed signal is inputted to the second high-pass filter. The first high-pass filter has the same time constant as the second high-pass filter. Just after the access operation starts, the negative voltage has the same transient response as the output of the first high-pass filter.

Abstract: In the optical recording element of the invention, alignments of long thin pits inclined in various directions with respect to the track direction are formed on the tracks and information is recorded therein according to the different inclines of the pits, thereby performing higher-density and larger-volume recording without reducing the spacing between each pit and the track pitch. The invention also discloses an optical data retrieval system for use with the above optical recording element, which scans the pit alignments with a laser beam spot, detects the inclines of the pits by obtaining the distribution of the intensity of reflected light which is caused by light diffraction at the pits, and plays back information in accordance with the inclines. Therefore, not only can the substantially same structure as that of a standard type optical data retrieval system be applied to the invention without making any complicated change, but also cross-talk is less likely to be produced in the read out signals.

Abstract: An optical disk according to the present invention has thereon an uninterrupted preformed groove adjoining a track. The address information of the track and sectors is prerecorded by variations in the preformed groove in a radial direction of the optical disk. An optical disk drive converts a detection signal, that is generated when the spot of a light beam crosses the track, into a binary signal in accordance with the comparison between the detection signal and two different slice levels, whereby a correct track crossing number is obtained. Another optical disk has thereon index marks that are prerecorded by partially varying the width of the preformed groove. Another optical disk drive detects the index mark on a specific track line, whereby formatting data with respect to address information is generated. The optical disks and optical disk drives are thus compatible with writing of the address information by means of soft-formatting.

Abstract: An optical disk drive which discriminates whether a light spot is incident on a groove or on an area therebetween by eliminating a pulse that appears in a binary envelope signal when the light spot passes a level section. The elimination is carried out based on an ODF section detecting signal, the ODF section detecting signal being a level section detecting signal which is produced by detecting a level section (ODF section) of the optical disk. The detection is carried out by differentiating an envelope signal, which is the envelope of an electric signal corresponding to the amount of light reflected from the optical disk. Accordingly, even if the optical disk in use has interrupted grooves, the optical head can be accurately moved to a desired track located on a land or on a groove.

Abstract: An optical disk recording and reproducing apparatus in which during coarse access, an adjustable target speed is obtained using a speed offset value stored in a speed offset memory. The speed offset value being determined between a plurality of reference velocities and a plurality of adjustable offset velocity values. The system also performs fine access within a defined distance from the optical head to the designated track upon completion of the coarse access mode. The speed offset values are continually updated by to improve the accuracy of the coarse access operation saving overall access time.

Abstract: In the optical recording element of the invention, alignments of long thin pits inclined in various directions with respect to the track direction are formed on the tracks and information is recorded therein according to the different inclines of the pits, thereby performing higher-density and larger-volume recording without reducing the spacing between each pit and the track pitch. The invention also discloses an optical data retrieval system for use with the above optical recording element, which scans the pit alignments with a laser beam spot, detects the inclines of the pits by obtaining the distribution of the intensity of reflected light which is caused by light diffraction at the pits, and plays back information in accordance with the inclines. Therefore, not only can the substantially same structure as that of a standard type optical data retrieval system be applied to the invention without making any complicated change, but also cross-talk is less likely to be produced in the read out signals.

Abstract: An apparatus for recording and reproducing information using an optical card comprising a memory region in which one pit train for supplying a track servo signal and a synchronizing signal is formed at a edge portion of the memory region. The optical card achieves increased storing capacity by including only one pit train. The recording/reproduction apparatus for the card has a first and second optical heads. The first optical head scans the pit train to obtain the track servo signal and a synchronizing signal. The second optical head is used for recording and reproducing information from the optical card.

Abstract: An optical card including an optical storage medium and a single or a plurality of members made of a magnetic material which are incorporated with the optical card is set forth. A card holder for holding the optical card consists of a table for supporting the optical card and a single member or a plurality of members made of a magnetic material for attracting the optical card. An apparatus for recording and reproducing information on and from the optical card held by the card holder includes a light-irradiating unit for emitting light beams onto the optical storage medium of the optical card and a drive unit for relatively moving the card holder and the light-irradiating unit for tracking, with which the recording, reproducing, or erasing operation can be accurately carried out.

Abstract: An optical card comprising a memory region in which one pit train for supplying a track servo signal and a synchronizing signal is formed at a edge portion of the memory region. The optical card achieves increased storing capacity by including only one pit train. A recording/reproduction apparatus for the card comprises first and second optical heads. The first optical head scans the pit train to obtain the track servo signal and a synchronizing signal. The second optical head is used for recording and reproducing information from the optical card.

Abstract: An optical card recording and reproducing device including an optical head for emitting a light beam spot to the optical card having a plurality of parallel data tracks to which data is recorded; a transfer system for transferring the optical card and/or the optical head; and a track number confirmation means for confirming the track number recorded in the address data area in the data track of the optical card. The optical card recording and reproducing device also includes a transfer stopping means for stopping the optical head when an incorrect track number is deleted. The system minimizes the relative transfer distance between the optical card and the optical head, and at the same time, the total relative transfer distance of the optical card and/or the optical head when confirming the track number more than twice. Thus, the total time required for track number confirmation can be greatly shortened.