Abstract: In an A/D converter, a first analog signal which is input to an input terminal in a state in which the input terminal and a reference voltage line are connected via a first capacitor is converted into digital data when a reference signal is supplied to the reference signal line in a state in which the reference signal line and a first input terminal of a comparator are connected via the first capacitor. A second analog signal which is input to the input terminal in a state in which the input terminal and the reference voltage line are connected via a second capacitor is converted into digital data when the reference signal is supplied to the reference signal line in a state in which the reference signal line and the first input terminal of the comparator are connected via the second capacitor.

Abstract: Provided is an A/D converter including an input terminal, a reference signal line for supplying a reference signal which changes temporally, a comparator, a correction capacitor connected to an inverting input terminal of the comparator; and an output circuit which outputs digital data corresponding to an analog signal input to the input terminal. In a first state in which a total voltage of a first analog signal and an offset voltage of the comparator is held in the correction capacitor, a second analog signal input to the input terminal is supplied to a non-inverting input terminal of the comparator, and the second analog signal or the total voltage is changed using the reference signal, thereby outputting, from the output circuit, digital data.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging apparatus includes: a ramp signal generator for generating first and second time-changing ramp signals during first and second analog-to-digital conversion periods, respectively; comparators for comparing a reset signal of a pixel with the first ramp signal during the first analog-to-digital conversion period, and comparing a pixel signal with the second ramp signal during the second analog-to-digital conversion period; and memories for storing, as first and second digital data, count values of counting from a start of changing the first and second ramp signals until an inversion of outputs of the comparators, during the first and second analog-to-digital conversion periods, wherein the ramp signal generator supplies a current from a current generator to a first capacitor element by a sampling and holding operation of a switch, and generates the first and second ramp signals based on the same bias voltage held by the first capacitor element.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a steam device includes a high-temperature member and a low-temperature member. One surface of the high-temperature member is exposed to high-temperature steam, and the other surface is cooled by cooling steam having a temperature lower than the high-temperature steam. The low-temperature member is disposed to face the high-temperature member with a passage for the cooling steam therebetween and is formed of a material having a heat resistance lower than that of the high-temperature member.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging apparatus includes a plurality of pixels arranged two-dimensionally in a matrix, a reference signal generating circuit adapted to generate a ramp signal, a counter circuit adapted to perform a counting operation according to output of the ramp signal, comparators arranged on a column by column basis and adapted to compare signals read out of the pixels with the ramp signal, and memories arranged on a column by column basis and adapted to store digital data, wherein if output of the comparator is not changed during an AD conversion period, digital data of a predetermined value is stored in the memory. The solid-state imaging apparatus implements overflow handling using a simplified circuit configuration.

Abstract: Methods and systems for measuring variations in head-disk clearance in a hard disk drive. User generated data is randomly selected at a controller of the hard disk drive wherein the user generated data is stored on a disk associated with the hard disk drive. A reference point associated with the user generated data is stored on a storage medium associated with the hard disk drive. The user generated data is read at the controller. The user generated data is analyzed with the reference point using more than two frequencies, at the controller, to obtain a variation in measurement of the head-disk clearance.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging apparatus comprises a plurality of matrix pixels, a reference signal generator for generating a ramp signal, a counter for performing counting according to the ramp signal output, and an AD converter, arranged for each pixel column, for performing AD conversion by comparing a pixel signal from the pixel with the ramp signal. Further, the AD converter includes a comparator to which the pixel signal and the reference signal are input, a storage for storing the AD conversion result, and an slope converter, between the output terminal of the reference signal generator and the input terminal of the comparator, for changing a gradient of the ramp signal, so that the noise overlaid on the ramp signal changes depending on the gradient of the ramp signal. Thus, it is possible to prevent generation of a horizontal-line noise in the ramp signal.

Abstract: A development device having: a main unit having formed therein a first space and a second space extending in a first direction perpendicular to a vertical direction, a first communicating portion and a second communicating portion that allow the first space and the second space to communicate with each other at both ends in the first direction; a first stirring member that extends in the first direction within the first space; a second stirring member that is positioned within the first space between the first stirring member and the second space and extends in the first direction; a conveyance member that extends in the first direction within the second space; and a developer support member that extends in the first direction within the second space.

Abstract: A method for removing a crack in an electromechanical rotor, including: forming a plurality of slots on a periphery of a core portion of an electromechanical rotor along an axial direction thereof; inserting coils into the slots, respectively; forming a plurality of wedges for maintaining the coils in the slots, respectively; and forming a cut hole at at least a part of the core portion from an outer surface of the core portion toward the side of a center axis thereof so as to contain a crack along a circumferential direction thereof.

Abstract: A developer storing vessel includes a supplied developer storing portion including: a first supply storing portion which is stored a developer to be supplied to a developer unit; a second supply storing portion which is provided under the first supply storing portion and formed with a horizontal width narrower than that of the first supply storing portion; and a supply outlet from which the developer stored in the second supply storing portion flows out; and a recovered developer storing portion including: a recovery inlet which is disposed above the supply outlet in a direction of gravity, in a position displaced therefrom horizontally and within the horizontal width of the first supply storing portion, and from which recovered developer flows in, and a recovery storing portion which is provided under the recovery inlet and in which the developer flowing from the recovery inlet is stored.

Abstract: A developing device is provided with a developer transporting member for transporting a developer containing a toner and a carrier; a toner transporting member opposite to the developer transporting member and opposite to an electrostatic latent image carrying member; a first electric field forming device, which is composed of a power source for the developer transporting member and a power source for the toner transporting member, for shifting the toner in the developer held onto the developer transporting member to the toner transporting member; and a second electric field forming device for shifting the toner held onto the toner transporting member to an electrostatic latent image on the carrying member. Operation of the first electric field forming device is controlled based on an electric current flowing in the developer transporting member power source, which is detected by a detecting block.

Abstract: A developing device is provided with a first transporting member for transporting a developer containing a toner and a carrier; a second transporting member opposite to the first transporting member to interpose a first spatial region therebetween and opposite to an electrostatic latent image carrying member to interpose a second spatial region therebetween; a first electric field forming device, composed of first and second power sources, for shifting the toner in the developer held onto the first transporting member to the second transporting member; and a second electric field forming device, composed of the second power source, for shifting the toner held onto the second transporting member to an electrostatic latent image on the carrying member. The operation of the second electric field forming device is controlled based on electric currents flowing in the first and second power sources, which are detected by first and second detecting blocks, respectively.

Abstract: A steam turbine 10 of an embodiment has seal rings 60 between an inlet sleeve 40 for introducing steam and an inner casing 20 and an outer casing 21 into which the inlet sleeve 40 is inserted. The seal rings 60 have high-temperature side seal rings 70 which are disposed their inner circumferences contacted to the outer circumference of the inlet sleeve 40, and low-temperature side seal rings 80 which are formed to have inner and outer diameters larger than those of the high-temperature side seal rings 70 and disposed with their outer circumferences contacted to the inner casing 20 or the outer casing 21. A thermal barrier layer 90 is disposed between the inner circumferences of the high-temperature side seal rings 70 and the outer circumference of the inlet sleeve 40 and between the high-temperature side seal rings 70 and the low-temperature side seal rings 80.

Abstract: A turbine rotor blade according to the present invention includes a cover provided at the top of an effective blade portion and a blade-fitting portion provided at the bottom of the effective blade portion. A turbine wheel is provided with a turbine-wheel engagement portion to which the blade-fitting portion is fittable. The turbine rotor blade is a portion of a blade array structure formed by arranging the cover and a neighboring cover in contact with each other. The blade-fitting portion is provided with an anti-twist segment, and the turbine-wheel engagement portion is provided with an untwist restraining segment engageable to the anti-twist segment.

Abstract: A housing of a developing apparatus is provided with a conveying member in a developer supplying and recovering portion, and two agitating members rotating in the same direction respectively as viewing rotating shafts from a near side in an axial direction, in a developer agitating portion. A guide is provided in an inner bottom surface of the housing between two agitating members. A braking portion suppressing a discharge of a developer is provided in a downstream side of the developer agitating portion in a developer conveying direction of the first agitating member, and a discharge portion is provided in a downstream side of a disc of the braking portion.

Abstract: A housing of a developing apparatus is provided with a conveying member in a developer supplying and recovering portion, and two agitating members rotating in the same direction respectively as viewing rotating shafts from a near side in an axial direction, in a developer agitating portion. A guide is provided in an inner bottom surface of the housing between two agitating members. A braking portion suppressing a discharge of a developer is provided in a downstream side of the developer agitating portion in a developer conveying direction of the second agitating member, and a discharge portion is provided in a downstream side of a disc of the braking portion.

Abstract: A housing of a developing apparatus is provided with a conveying member and two agitating members. A guide is provided in an inner bottom surface of the housing between the agitating members. The guide has a mountain shape with wide foot portion in a cross sectional shape which is orthogonal to an axial direction of rotating shafts of the agitating members. The agitating members are arranged in such a manner that gaps between respective outermost portions thereof and the inner bottom surface of the housing and the guide become equal to or more than 1.5 mm and less than 3 mm. The agitating members rotate in the same direction respectively as viewing the rotating shafts from a near side in an axial direction. A discharge portion is provided on a downstream side of the developer agitating portion in a developer conveying direction of the first and second agitating members.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a developing device, a developer container and a hole connection member. The developing device is provided so as to be movable in a direction in which it comes close to and goes away from the image carrier. And, the developing device develops a latent image formed on the surface of the image carrier into a visible image. The hole connection member is supported so as to be movable relative to an inlet of the developing device in the movable direction of the developing device and connects the inlet and an outlet of the developer container.

Abstract: In a case wherein a color separation table is prepared, color separation is provided, so that the density characteristic to be output is maintained, and the total colorant amount is not beyond the limit value of the total colorant amount. Further, the optimal color separation is performed while taking into account the colorant amount, and the colorant amount of a light color is adjusted in the entire color range to control granularity and consumption of the colorant amount. A color separation method comprising: a step of calculating the total colorant amount by employing a relationship between a total colorant amount limit value and a colorant amount, that includes a colorant amount for a colorant other than the dark colorant and the light colorant; a step of calculating a density; and a step of employing the total colorant amount and the density to calculate the colorant value signals.

Abstract: Restriction information on a total colorant amount for a medium is obtained. Patches at grid points in a color space corresponding to a plurality of colorants at which the total colorant amount falls within a restriction represented by the restriction information, and a patch at a point surrounded by the patches are generated. Color values are obtained by measuring the colors of the patches printed on the medium. It is determined based on a color prediction value between the grid points whether the measured color values are appropriate, and if so, a color value at a grid point at which the total colorant amount exceeds the restriction is estimated based on the measured color values. A color separation table is created based on the measured color values and the estimated value.