Abstract: An optical path switching method includes converging and irradiating, on a light absorption layer film provided in a thermal lens forming element including at least the film, each of a control light having a wavelength selected from a wavelength band which is absorbed by the film and a signal light having a wavelength selected from a wavelength band which is not absorbed by the film. A thermal lens is reversibly formed according to a distribution of refraction index created by a temperature increase generated in and around an area of the film in which the control light is absorbed according to whether or not the control light is irradiated. The converged signal light is output either in its converged form or after its spread angle is changed. A includes a hole and reflector where the signal light output is either passed through the hole or reflected by reflector.

Abstract: An organic electroluminescent element, which has a positive electrode 2 and a glass substrate 1 sequentially laminated on one side of a light-emitting layer 4 and a negative electrode 5 formed on the other side of the light-emitting layer 4, has a functional layer which is formed by causing gas molecules of at least one type of compound selected from the group consisting of dyes and charge transport materials to contact and penetrate a ƒÎ conjugated organic polymer compound.

Abstract: A measuring apparatus including a fixed stator, a rotor to rotate in the state of being disposed outside the center of rotation of the stator, a retaining mechanism for retaining a thin board on the rotor, and a measuring section to measure physical properties of the thin board. This construction makes it possible to avoid wind generated by rotation of the rotor in the vicinity of the thin board, and to suppress vibration of the thin board. Further, since a portion exposed to the thin board can be minimized, safe measurement can be implemented.

Abstract: A measuring probe for obtaining positional information on a measuring target face has: a movable member having a contact portion which is formed in its top and comes into contact with the measuring target face and a reflecting plane formed on its base end for reflecting a measuring light beam; a magnetic substance mounted on the movable member; a fixed member disposed in a fixed state; a bearing provided on the fixed member for supporting the movable member movably in axis line direction; and a magnetic force generating portion provided on the fixed member for generating force acting upon the magnetic substance to move the movable member in the axis line direction. The movable member is formed from a nonmagnetic material, and the bearing and the fixed member are formed from a magnetic material.

Abstract: An optical path switching method according to the present invention comprises converging and irradiating, on a light absorption layer film provided in a thermal lens forming element (1, 2, 3) including at least the light absorption layer film, each of a control light (121, 122, 123) having a wavelength selected from a wavelength band which is absorbed by the light absorption layer film and a signal light (110, 111, 112) having a wavelength selected from a wavelength band which is not absorbed by the light absorption layer film. Arrangement of the light absorption layer film is adjusted such that at least the control light focuses within the light absorption layer film.

Abstract: In the present invention, there are provided a fixed stator, a rotor to rotate in the state of being disposed outside the center of rotation of the stator, a retaining mechanism for retaining the thin board on the rotor, and a measuring section to measure physical properties of the thin board, which makes it possible to avoid wind generated by rotation of the rotor in the vicinity of the thin board, and to suppress vibration of the thin board. Further, since a portion exposed to the thin board can be minimized, safe measurement can be implemented.

Abstract: A measuring probe for obtaining positional information on a measuring target face has: a movable member having a contact portion which is formed in its top and comes into contact with the measuring target face and a reflecting plane formed on its base end for reflecting a measuring light beam; a magnetic substance mounted on the movable member; a fixed member disposed in a fixed state; a bearing provided on the fixed member for supporting the movable member movably in axis line direction; and a magnetic force generating portion provided on the fixed member for generating force acting upon the magnetic substance to move the movable member in the axis line direction. The movable member is formed from a nonmagnetic material, and the bearing and the fixed member are formed from a magnetic material.

Abstract: An apparatus for mounting includes a first buffer fixing piece for arranging a first buffer unit to a first hard disk drive (HDD), a holding frame for holding the first HDD that is integrated with the first buffer fixing piece, and for fixing a control board, a second buffer fixing piece for arranging a second buffer unit to a second HDD, and for arranging the second HDD away from a palm rest, and a holding case that holds the second HDD, and is connected to the holding frame.

Abstract: Disclosed is an optical recording medium, comprising a polymer alloy forming a phase-separated domain structure of a coating object, and a volatile substance interacting with the polymer alloy. The volatile substance in a vapor state is deposited on the surface of specific phase-separated domain, and dispersedly infiltrated into the phase-separated domain. The phase-separated domain and the volatile substance chemically interact with each other. The optical recording medium is operable to perform optical recording by utilizing change in the transmittance, reflectance, refractive index or surface potential thereof in response to irradiation of ultraviolet light, visible light, or infrared light from outside. The present invention can provide an optical recording medium suitable for high-density recording in a wide wavelength range.

Abstract: Components (62-65) are consecutively taken out from a plurality of component feeders (52) which supply a multiplicity of components to a component feeding position (52a) in succession, transferred to a prescribed assembling position (54a, 154a, 157a), and assembled into a product (61), which is then transferred to and held in each of a multiplicity of holding recesses provided in a product storing means (53, 153). This method allows the components to be assembled into a product by a component assembling apparatus of compact and simple construction, as well as permits the assembled product to be held and carried in the holding recesses of the product storing means to the next step of the process.

Abstract: An image recording method for forming an image on a recording material includes the steps of (a) applying to a recording material a colorless or light colored image recording acceleration liquid containing a compound which is capable of making insoluble a coloring agent contained in a recording liquid which comprises the coloring agent and a solvent for dispersing or dissolving the coloring agent, and (b) depositing the recording liquid imagewise on the recording material by ejecting the recording liquid in the form of droplets onto the recording material, the image recording acceleration liquid further containing at least one of surfactants represented by any of formulae (1) to (5) as specified in the specification, and an image formation apparatus for carrying out the above image formation method is provided.

Abstract: An aqueous ink composition contains a colorant and a humectant, and has a surface tension &ggr; of less than 50 mN/m when measured by a maximum bubble pressure method at 25° C., with a bubble frequency &ngr; of the aqueous ink composition being set at less than 1 Hz, and a surface tension &ggr; of more than 40 mN/m when measured by the maximum bubble pressure method at 25° C., with the bubble frequency &ngr; of the aqueous ink composition being set at more than 5 Hz. In addition, an ink-jet printing method for forming ink images on an image-receiving medium has the step of ejecting the above-mentioned aqueous ink composition in the form of droplets according to the recording signals at a recording frequency of 8 kHz or more.

Abstract: A set of color ink compositions for ink-jet printing includes yellow, magenta and cyan ink composition, each of which having water, a water-soluble coloring agent, a wetting agent, a surfactant and an antiseptic and mildewproofing agent, and the yellow ink composition has the lightness index L* of 95.+-.5 and the chromaticness indices a* and b* of respectively -6.+-.5 and 23 .+-.12, the magenta ink composition has the lightness index L* of 75.+-.5 and the chromaticness indices a* and b* of respectively 55.+-.25 and -28.+-.10, and the cyan ink composition has the lightness index L* of 87.+-.5 and the chromaticness indices a* and b* of respectively -35.+-.10 and -19.+-.8.

Abstract: The root shape of a flash formed in the friction-welded joint is controlled by introducing an upset delay time interposed between termination of the friction step and commencement of the upset step and by controlling the upset displacement speed. This provides a friction-welded joint having a tensile strength and a fatigue strength which are comparable with those of TIG- or MIG- welded joints and enables aluminum alloy hollow members to be produced by friction welding instead of TIG or MIG welding. Typically, the upset delay time is 0.4 to 0.8 sec and the upset displacement speed is 5.0 to 70.0 mn/sec to form a flash having a flash root radius of 0.5 mm or more and a flash root angle of 75.degree. or less.

Abstract: An image recording method for forming an image on a recording material, using a recording liquid which contains a coloring agent and a solvent in which the coloring agent is dispersed or dissolved, includes the steps of applying to a recording material a colorless or light colored image recording acceleration liquid containing a surfactant and a viscosity-increasing compound capable of increasing the viscosity of the recording liquid, and depositing the recording liquid imagewise on the recording material by ejecting the recording liquid in the form of droplets onto the recording material, and an image recording apparatus for carrying out the above image recording method is provided.

Abstract: An aqueous ink composition contains a colorant and a humectant, and has a surface tension .gamma. of less than 50 mN/m when measured by a maximum bubble pressure method at 25.degree. C., with a bubble frequency .nu. of the aqueous ink composition being set at less than 1 Hz, and a surface tension .gamma. of more than 40 mN/m when measured by the maximum bubble pressure method at 25.degree. C., with the bubble frequency .nu. of the aqueous ink composition being set at more than 5 Hz. In addition, an ink-jet printing method for forming ink images on an image-receiving medium has the step of ejecting the above-mentioned aqueous ink composition in the form of droplets according to the recording signals at a recording frequency of 8 kHz or more.

Abstract: A recording ink composition contains a colorant which is soluble or dispersible in water and includes at least one phthalocyanine compound of formula (1) which may have a halogen atom as a substituent and at least one of phthalocyanine compounds of formulas (2) and (3); a dispersant which includes at least one polymeric compound having a hydrophilic moiety and a hydrophobic moiety, and/or at least one surfactant having an alkyl group having 5 or more carbon atoms; water; and a humectant. In addition, images with a resolution of 10 dots/mm.times.10 dots/mm or more can be recorded on an image receiving medium by ejecting the above-mentioned recording ink composition in the form of droplets by the application of thermal or mechanical energy thereto onto an image receiving medium with a Stockigt size degree of 3 seconds or more, with the recording ink composition being deposited in an amount of 20 pl/mm.sup.2 to 200 pl/mm.sup.2 on the image receiving medium.

Abstract: A recording ink composition includes a colorant comprising a pigment which is soluble or dispersible in water, and a polymeric dye having a weight average molecular weight in a range of 5,000 to 15,000, a dispersant including at least one dispersant component selected from the group consisting of at least one polymeric compound having a hydrophilic moiety and a hydrophobic moiety, and/or at least one surfactant having an alkyl group having 5 or more carbon atoms, water, and a water-soluble organic solvent, and a method of recording images on an image receiving medium is performed, using the recording ink composition.

Abstract: A parts arranger comprising a rotating disk (4) which has a plurality of part accommodating holes (6) for accommodating screws (5) arranged in a circumferential row or a plurality of concentric rows and is supported in a condition inclined at a predetermined angle .theta. relative to a horizontal plane, a circumference guide (7) which is disposed along an outer circumference of the rotating disk (4) so as to be substantially perpendicular to a surface of the rotating disk, and a stepping motor (1) which rotates the rotating disk (4) at a predetermined angle in a normal direction and then at a predetermined angle in a reverse direction.

Abstract: A component holder body is provided with a component arrangement section where an installation space for a component is defined, and holding parts for holding the component arranged in the installation space. The component arrangement section is constructed so as to be shiftable between a holding position in which the component arrangement section projects and a position projecting upward from the holding position. Meanwhile, the holding parts are designed so as to shift, in association with the shift of the component arrangement section between the holding and projecting positions, between a holding posture for holding the component and a retreat posture for opening the installation space.