Abstract: To provide an aqueous ink composition which, without impairing ejection stability, is excellent in light-fastness and water-fastness, does not cause cohesion differential, gloss differential, bronzing phenomenon, color-bleeding, and the like, and has improved fixing ability and coloring property. An aqueous ink composition comprising at least water, a pigment dispersed by polymer, a sulfonyl group-containing (co)polymer, and an ultra-penetrating agent.

Abstract: An ultrasonic sensor for detecting a position and/or a shape of an object located around an automotive vehicle is mounted on a structure of the vehicle such as a bumper. The ultrasonic sensor includes a receiving member for receiving ultrasonic waves reflected on the object to be detected and receiving element having plural vibrating portions. The receiving member is sectioned by intercepting slits into plural receiving regions each corresponding to each vibrating portion. The intercepting slit eliminates or suppresses crosstalk between neighboring receiving regions, and thereby reducing detection noises due to the crosstalk and improving detection sensitivity of the ultrasonic sensor. The shape of the intercepting slit is made to satisfy the formula: 0.35?L/T?0.60, where L is a depth of the slit and T is a thickness of the receiving member. In this manner, the crosstalk resulting in detection noises is sufficiently suppressed.

Abstract: An ultrasonic sensor includes a resin substrate and an ultrasonic oscillator. The ultrasonic oscillator is provided approximately at the center of a component side of the resin substrate and generates and detects an ultrasonic wave. The resin substrate is made of, for example, a polycarbonate resin, i.e., the same material as a car bumper, and is shaped into a flat plate. The component side of the resin substrate is provided with a pad 11 adjacent to the ultrasonic oscillator. The pad is used for metal wiring based on wire bonding. The pad is made of a hard metal material excellent in conductivity and heat resistance such as stainless steel, and Al or Al alloy, for example. The resin substrate is formed as a single piece through insert molding by pouring a melted resin. Through this process, the pad is provided for the component side of the resin substrate.

Abstract: An ultrasonic sensor for detecting an ultrasonic wave, which is output from an ultrasonic generator and reflected by an object to be detected, the ultrasonic sensor includes: an acoustic matching layer having a first surface and a second surface, the first surface which receives the ultrasonic wave, and the second surface which is opposite to the first surface; and an ultrasonic detection element including a vibration member. The vibration member is coupled with the second surface of the acoustic matching layer. The acoustic matching layer is repeatedly deformable in accordance with a standing wave, which is generated in the acoustic matching layer by the received ultrasonic wave. The vibration member resonates with the repeat deformation of the acoustic matching layer.

Abstract: An ultrasonic sensor includes an ultrasonic detecting element, an acoustic matching member, and an oscillation damping member. The ultrasonic detecting element detects an ultrasonic wave. The acoustic matching member has a receiving surface that is adapted on a side of the certain object to be exposed to a space, in which the detected body exists. The receiving surface receives the ultrasonic wave reflected by the detected body. The acoustic matching member is made of a material having an acoustic impedance larger than that of air and smaller than that of the ultrasonic detecting element. The oscillation damping member is disposed between an attachment portion and the acoustic matching member. The attachment portion is adapted for attaching the ultrasonic sensor to the certain object. The oscillation damping member damps transmission of oscillation from the certain object to the acoustic matching member.

Abstract: Designing of a magnetic circuit without constraints of a shape of a diaphragm offers an enhancement in the degree of design freedom of a speaker. A diaphragm has a dome and an edge formed integrally with the dome. A coupling supporter is fixed to a boundary portion between the dome and the edge of the diaphragm and extends either inward or outward from the boundary portion in a radial direction of the diaphragm. A voice coil is fixed to a peripheral side of the coupling supporter. A magnetic circuit has a magnetic gap housing the voice coil.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an ink compositions which, when used with an ink jet recording apparatus, can realize excellent ink ejection stability while maintaining safety and satisfactory penetration of ink. The ink composition according to the present invention comprises at least a colorant, a humectant, a glycol monoether as a penetrating agent, a 1,2-alkanediol, and water, the weight ratio of the glycol monoether to the 1,2-alkanediol being in the range of 1:5 to 5:1. According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an ink composition comprising at least a pigment, a dispersant for dispersing the pigment, a 1,2-alkanediol, and water as a main solvent, the content of the 1,2-alkanediol being 0.5 to 10% by weight based on the total amount of the ink composition.

Abstract: An ultrasonic sensor composed of a substrate and a piezoelectric vibrator mounted on the substrate is advantageously used as a sensor for detecting a distance to an object located in front of an automotive vehicle. Ultrasonic waves transmitted from the sensor are reflected by the object, and the reflected waves are received by the sensor. Based on the reflected waves, the distance from the vehicle to the object is calculated. To reduce rigidity and thereby to lower a resonant frequency of the substrate to a desirable level, grooves are formed in the substrate. A thickness of the substrate is not reduced to maintain its mechanical strength against an impact force. A resonant frequency which is desirable to realize a sufficiently high directivity and sensitivity is obtained in this manner without enlarging a size of the ultrasonic sensor.

Abstract: An infrared sensor device includes an infrared sensor element in which a membrane is formed on a surface side of a substrate by forming a concave portion on a rear face side of the substrate, and electrodes for detection are arranged on the surface side of the substrate, and an infrared ray absorbing film for absorbing the energy of an infrared ray by receiving the infrared ray is arranged at the membrane on the rear face side of said substrate. The substrate is electrically connected to a circuit substrate through a bump in a state in which the surface side of the substrate is opposed to the circuit substrate.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an ink compositions which, when used with an ink jet recording apparatus, can realize excellent ink ejection stability while maintaining safety and satisfactory penetration of ink. The ink composition according to the present invention comprises at least a colorant, a humectant, a glycol monoether as a penetrating agent, a 1,2-alkanediol, and water, the weight ratio of the glycol monoether to the 1,2-alkanediol being in the range of 1:5 to 5:1. According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an ink composition comprising at least a pigment, a dispersant for dispersing the pigment, a 1,2-alkanediol, and water as a main solvent, the content of the 1,2-alkanediol being 0.5 to 10% by weight based on the total amount of the ink composition.

Abstract: An infrared sensor includes a base plate having a membrane portion at the center thereof an a thick portion around the membrane, a thermocouple unit having a hot side contact member formed on the membrane portion and a cool side contact member formed on the thick portion, a heater formed near the thermocouple unit, a hot side thermo-sensitive resistor formed on the membrane portion and a cool side thermo-sensitive resistor formed on the thick portion. The heater, the hot side thermo-sensitive resistor and the cool side thermo-sensitive resistor are made of the same material as the hot side contact or the cool side contact. Therefore, additional manufacturing step is not necessary to form the heater and the resistors.

Abstract: An infrared sensor includes a substrate having a cavity, a membrane bridging the cavity, a thermopile-type infrared light sensing element, an infrared light absorption film located over the membrane in correspondence with positions of hot junctions of the thermopile, and an infrared light reflection coating located over the substrate to shield an area not covered by the infrared light absorption film. The coverage of the infrared light reflection coating is sufficient to shield an area not covered by the infrared light absorption film to improve the detection sensitivity of the sensor.

Abstract: An ash melting system of the present invention includes a slagging combustion furnace (10) for melting ash into molten slag; and a slag separating apparatus (50) for bringing the molten slag (121) discharged from the slagging combustion furnace into contact with slag cooling water (152) to produce water-quenched slag (122), and separating the water-quenched slag from the slag cooling water. The ash melting system further includes a gas blowing means for blowing air or inert gas (132) between a slag discharge port (14) of the slagging combustion furnace and the surface of the slag cooling water.

Abstract: An infrared sensor device includes an infrared sensor element in which a membrane is formed on a surface side of a substrate by forming a concave portion on a rear face side of the substrate, and electrodes for detection are arranged on the surface side of the substrate, and an infrared ray absorbing film for absorbing the energy of an infrared ray by receiving the infrared ray is arranged at the membrane on the rear face side of said substrate. The substrate is electrically connected to a circuit substrate through a bump in a state in which the surface side of the substrate is opposed to the circuit substrate.

Abstract: An infrared sensor including a substrate, a membrane as a thin wall portion formed in this substrate, thermocouples in which a warm contact portion is formed on said membrane and a cold contact portion is formed outside said membrane on said substrate and an infrared ray absorbing film formed on said membrane so as to cover said warm contact portion in said thermocouples. Electromotive force of said thermocouples is changed by a temperature difference caused between said warm contact portion and said cold contact portion in said thermocouples at a receiving time of an infrared ray, and the infrared ray is detected on the basis of the changed electromotive force. A temperature sensing element using the same material as a material constituting said thermocouples and detecting temperature by utilizing the temperature depending property of electric resistance of this material is formed in said substrate.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an ink compositions which, when used with an ink jet recording apparatus, can realize excellent ink ejection stability while maintaining safety and satisfactory penetration of ink. The ink composition according to the present invention comprises at least a colorant, a humectant, a glycol monoether as a penetrating agent, a 1,2-alkanediol, and water, the weight ratio of the glycol monoether to the 1,2-alkanediol being in the range of 1:5 to 5:1. According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an ink composition comprising at least a pigment, a dispersant for dispersing the pigment, a 1,2-alkanediol, and water as a main solvent, the content of the 1,2-alkanediol being 0.5 to 10% by weight based on the total amount of the ink composition.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide an ink jet recording method and ink set with which recorded material with excellent gloss and greatly reduced gloss unevenness can be easily obtained without higher costs being entailed, the ink jet recording apparatus having to be modified or made larger, etc., and to provide an ink jet recording method with which a high-quality image can be obtained with a low gloss ratio (maximum value/minimum value) dependent on duty, as well as recorded material produced by this method. The present invention provides an ink jet recording method, in which a pigment ink composition and a clear ink composition containing a resin component are discharged to record information on a recording medium, wherein the discharge amount of the pigment ink composition and/or the discharge amount of the clear ink composition is adjusted so that the gloss will be substantially uniform over the entire recording surface of the recording medium after recording.

Abstract: The invention provides an ink set which includes: at least one dark pigment ink containing a pigment and water, wherein the pigment is one microencapsulated in a resin; and at least one light pigment ink containing a pigment, a resinous dispersant, and water, wherein the concentration of the pigment is up to ½ the pigment concentration in the dark pigment ink. The invention also provides an ink set which includes: at least one dark pigment ink containing a pigment, a resinous dispersant, and water; and at least one light pigment ink which contains a pigment, a resinous dispersant, and water, and in which the concentration of the pigment is up to ½ the pigment concentration in the dark pigment ink, wherein the resinous dispersant in the dark pigment ink has a lower acid value than the resinous dispersant in the light pigment ink.

Abstract: There is provided an ink composition which can yield records possessing excellent rubbing/abrasion resistance and scratch resistance. Specifically, records possessing, excellent rubbing/abrasion resistance and scratch resistance can be produced by using an ink composition comprising: an alkali-soluble copolymer; water; a colorant; and at least one member selected from the group consisting of wax, a viscosity modifier, and a wetting agent. The alkali-soluble copolymer is a copolymer, with an acid value of not more than 40, which is produced by polymerizing an ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid monomer and other monomer copolymerizable with the ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid monomer in the presence of an alcoholic hydroxyl-containing water-soluble polymer compound or a copolymerizable surfactant and has been adjusted to a pH value, at which the copolymer is soluble in water, by the addition of an inorganic base.

Abstract: The invention provides an ink set which includes: at least one dark pigment ink containing a pigment and water, wherein the pigment is one microencapsulated in a resin; and at least one light pigment ink containing a pigment, a resinous dispersant, and water, wherein the concentration of the pigment is up to ½ the pigment concentration in the dark pigment ink. The invention also provides an ink set which includes: at least one dark pigment ink containing a pigment, a resinous dispersant, and water; and at least one light pigment ink which contains a pigment, a resinous dispersant, and water, and in which the concentration of the pigment is up to ½ the pigment concentration in the dark pigment ink, wherein the resinous dispersant in the dark pigment ink has a lower acid value than the resinous dispersant in the light pigment ink.