Abstract: A liquid-droplet ejecting apparatus including: a head configured to eject liquid onto a recording medium; a curl-amount calculating section configured to calculate a curl amount of the recording medium on the basis of a location of at least one evaluation region on the recording medium and calculated amount of the liquid and the calculated number of liquid droplets to be ejected for the at least one evaluation region; and a curl suppressing section configured to change the evaluation ejection data for the at least one evaluation region on the basis of the calculated curl amount of the recording medium so as to change the amount of the liquid and/or the number of the liquid droplets to be ejected onto at least the at least one evaluation region on the recording medium to suppress the curl of the recording medium.

Abstract: Quantizing means generates a quantized density and a quantization error component for a target pixel in a plurality of pixels. A subtracter calculates, for the target pixel, a quantization error correction component by subtracting the density of the target pixel contained in preliminary ejection data from the quantization error component output from the quantizing means. An allocator allocates the quantization error correction component calculated by the subtracter to a plurality of the pixels around the target pixel. The quantizing means outputs the quantized density and the quantization error component of the target pixel by performing an addition using the density of the target pixel contained in the image data, the density of the target pixel contained in the preliminary ejection data, and the accumulated diffused error component assigned to the target pixel by the allocator when other pixels are quantized.

Abstract: There is provided a circuit protection device with further improved possibility of protecting the circuit. In the circuit protection device (1) includes a bimetal switch (4) and a PTC component (2), the bimetal switch and the PTC device are electrically connected in parallel, and the PTC component has a resistance after activation that is equal to or less than 1.1 times as large as a specific resistance of an electric circuit to which the circuit protection device is to be incorporated, which specific resistance is calculated based on the rated voltage and the rated current of the electrical circuit from the following equation (1): Rated Voltage/Rated Current=Specific Resistance??(1).

Abstract: An image recording apparatus improves the operating efficiency while preventing trouble due to the contact of a recording medium with a discharging surface of a recording head. A distance sensor for detecting the distance of the leading edge of a sheet from a conveying surface is provided upstream from the inkjet head in the conveying direction of the sheet. A gap control unit controls a frame moving mechanism to move the inkjet head up so that a gap between the discharging surface and the conveying surface increases when the distance detected by the distance sensor is above a first distance, and the gap distance may be increased by different amounts depending on the distance detected by the distance sensor. A discharging control unit controls the inkjet head to discharge ink droplets after the gap is increased.

Abstract: There is provided a circuit protection device with even more possibility of protecting a circuit. In a circuit protection device comprising a circuit switching element which comprises a bimetal element as a circuit switching component and a movable terminal as well as a PTC element, (1) the PTC element and the movable terminal are connected electrically in parallel; (2) the circuit switching element is able to cut off current flowing through the circuit switching element by moving, through the actuation of the bimetal element at its actuating temperature (Top), the movable terminal positioned to pass current, and is able to pass current through the circuit switching element by moving, through the resetting of the bimetal element at its reset temperature (Tcl), the movable terminal positioned to pass current; (3) the actuating temperature (Top) of the bimetal element is at least 20° C.

Abstract: A holding member includes a flared tubular body and collectively holds a plurality of unused optical fibers provided with optical connectors within an optical distribution frame. The tubular body has a rectangular cross section and includes an elongated rectangular lower opening and an upper opening wider than the lower opening. A part of sidewalls of the tubular body is formed to serve as an openable cover. The cover is first opened; the optical fibers provided with the optical connectors are accommodated in the tubular body; and then the cover is closed.

Abstract: Quantizing means generates a quantized density and a quantization error component for a target pixel in a plurality of pixels. A subtracter calculates, for the target pixel, a quantization error correction component by subtracting the density of the target pixel contained in preliminary ejection data from the quantization error component output from the quantizing means. An allocator allocates the quantization error correction component calculated by the subtracter to a plurality of the pixels around the target pixel. The quantizing means outputs the quantized density and the quantization error component of the target pixel by performing an addition using the density of the target pixel contained in the image data, the density of the target pixel contained in the preliminary ejection data, and the accumulated diffused error component assigned to the target pixel by the allocator when other pixels are quantized.

Abstract: An electric device that functions either as a reverting (resettable) type element or a non-reverting (non-resettable) type element depending on the conditions. Such an element includes a polymer PTC element and a temperature fuse member connected in series thereto, the temperature fuse member placed such that it is under the thermal influence of the polymer PTC element. A melting point of a metal composing the temperature fuse member is at least 5° C. higher than a melting point of a polymer composing the polymer PTC element.

Abstract: An ink-jet recording apparatus of the present invention includes one or more ink-jet heads, a drive waveform generation circuit, a plurality of drive waveform selection circuits, and a plurality of drive signal generation circuits. The drive waveform generation circuit generates m different drive waveforms (m is equal to or greater than three). The drive waveform selection circuit selects n drive waveforms (n is smaller than m, and equal to or greater than two) from the m drive waveforms. The drive signal generation circuit selects in every predetermined recording cycle one drive waveform for one nozzle from the n drive waveforms selected by the drive waveform selection circuit, and generates a drive signal based on the drive waveform thus selected. At least one of the n drive waveforms selected by any one of the plurality of drive waveform selection circuits is the same as the drive waveform selected by another one of the drive waveform selection circuits.

Abstract: There is provided a circuit protection device that increases the possibility of enabling a circuit to be protected. The circuit protection device (1) comprises a bimetal switch (4) and a PTC element (2), which are electrically connected in parallel with each other. The PTC element has a post-operation resistance value of 1.

Abstract: A seat apparatus for a vehicle, which includes an inner slide rail, an outer slide rail including an outer upper rail and an outer lower rail, a seat cushion provided slidably in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle and configured to be flipped up to a wall portion of the vehicle compartment to be in a storage position, a hinge mechanism fixing the outer upper rail to the seat cushion, a bearing smoothly sliding the outer upper rail relative to the outer lower rail, a spring provided around a rotational shaft of the hinge mechanism for biasing the seat cushion in a direction to be flipped up, and at least one rotating member provided between the outer upper rail and the outer lower rail so as to receive a load in a lateral direction of the vehicle applied to the outer upper rail by the spring.

Abstract: In a current conducting terminal in contact with the positive electrode of a battery (A) and with the negative electrode of a battery (B) in order to conduct current between the two batteries (A), (B), a conductive polymer is placed between the positive electrode side electrode 1, which is in contact with the positive electrode of the battery (A), and the negative electrode side electrode (2), which is in contact with the negative electrode of the battery (B).

Abstract: A holding member includes a flared tubular body and collectively holds a plurality of unused optical fibers provided with optical connectors within an optical distribution frame. The tubular body has a rectangular cross section and includes an elongated rectangular lower opening and an upper opening wider than the lower opening. A part of sidewalls of the tubular body is formed to serve as an openable cover. The cover is first opened; the optical fibers provided with the optical connectors are accommodated in the tubular body; and then the cover is closed.

Abstract: A temperature detector of the present invention includes a temperature sensor, a reference signal generation circuit, a level memory which rewritably stores therein a first signal level and a second signal level, a control circuit which controls the reference signal generation circuit so as to make a level of the reference signal change from the first signal level to the second signal level, a comparator circuit which compares the level of the reference signal and a level of the output signal, and a level rewriter which rewrites at least either one of the first signal level and the second signal level. When the level of the reference signal reaches the level of the output signal, the control circuit generates a detected temperature signal, and controls the level rewriter so as to change a range where a level of the reference signal changes.

Abstract: There is provided a polymer PTC device including a polymer PTC element having a lower resistance. The production process of a PTC device which includes a PTC element (102) having a polymer PTC component (110) and metal electrodes (104) placed on both sides thereto; and a lead (106) connected electrically to at least one of the metal electrodes, is characterized in that the polymer PTC component is formed of an electrically conductive polymer composition which comprises a polymer material and conductive fillers dispersed therein, and the connection of the lead to the metal electrode is performed at a temperature which is lower than the melting point of the polymer material.

Abstract: An ink-jet image forming apparatus includes an ink-jet head having at least a first nozzle portion and a second nozzle portion, where each nozzle portion may independently perform preliminary ink ejection is provided.

Abstract: A temperature protection device is provided, which comprises with a polymeric positive temperature coefficient (PTC) device 1 having a conductive polymer 5 placed between two electrodes 6 and 7, and a metal member 2 bonded to one of the electrodes 7 of the polymeric PTC device, and which, when the ambient temperature exceeds a prescribed temperature, terminates the current-flowing state between the other electrode 6 of the polymeric PTC device 1 and the metal member 2. The conductive polymer 5 expands thermally when the ambient temperature exceeds the prescribed temperature, and a material is selected for the metal member 2 that will melt as a result of the heat generated by the conductive polymer during the thermal expansion.

Abstract: A line head inkjet printer includes an inkjet head, a controller and a storage unit. The controller generates n kinds of waveforms used to eject different amounts of ink from the nozzles (3?n (natural number)). The storage unit stores a combination of m kinds of waveforms selected from the n kinds of waveforms, for each block including at least one nozzle (2?m (natural number)?n?1). When the printer conducts gradation printing with using m kinds of waveforms selected from the n kinds of waveforms, a difference among the blocks in an amount of ejected ink per nozzle in a case of using the stored combinations of m kinds of waveforms for the respective blocks is smaller than that in a case of using one and the same combination of m kinds of waveforms for all the blocks.

Abstract: A waveform signal output circuit selectively outputs, to an ejection energy applier, either one of a first waveform signal so as to make an ink droplet ejected from a nozzle and a second waveform signal so as not to make an ink droplet ejected from the nozzle. A continuous non-ejection counter counts a continuous non-ejection number. A ejection history memory stores therein an ejection history. A non-ejection frequency detector detects a non-ejection frequency. A thickening degree determiner determines a thickening degree of ink in the nozzle. A waveform signal selector makes the waveform signal output circuit output the second waveform signal to the ejection energy applier when an ink droplet is not ejected in the current printing cycle and in addition a thickening degree is equal to or greater than a predetermined value.

Abstract: A line head inkjet printer includes an inkjet head, a storage unit, and a controller. The inkjet head includes a flow path unit and individual electrodes. The flow path unit is formed with pressure chambers communicating with nozzles. The individual electrodes correspond to the pressure chambers. The storage unit stores a table in which plural blocks, each of which includes at least one nozzle, are ranked in accordance with an amount of ejected ink per nozzle in each block. The controller generates plural kinds of waveforms, which are used to eject different amounts of ink from the nozzles. The controller selects a waveform for each block from the plurality kinds of waveforms on a basis of the table stored in the storage unit so that a difference among the blocks in the amount of ejected ink per nozzle becomes small. The controller outputs the selected waveforms to the individual electrodes.