Abstract: A stainless steel separator, which is good of corrosion-resistance and low of contact-resistance, is proposed for a fuel cell. Its surface faced to a fuel electrode is pickled, which the other surface faced to an oxidizing electrode is roughened by electrolytic etching or the like. The roughening treatment may be performed before or after pickling and passivation. The roughened surface of the stainless steel separator without pickling or passivation may be faced to the oxidizing electrode.

Abstract: An ink jet printer includes ink jet heads for recording an image on a recording medium, an ink bottle for holding ink, an ink supply path connecting the ink bottle to each ink jet head, and an electromagnetic valve provided on the path. In the printer, the bottle, the valve and the heads are arranged downward in this order in the vertical direction, the path constantly exists upwards in the vertical direction in such a manner that air entered into the path moves up above the valve due to a difference in the specific gravity between the air and the ink, the path is provided with a branching portion provided between the valve and the heads, and a sub ink tank is provided at an end of the branching portion so as to be positioned lower than the heads in the vertical direction.

Abstract: An Al-coated steel sheet is improved in anti-scratching property during press-working and corrosion-resistance to a stored fuel by direct formation of an alkali-soluble resin film on an Al-coated steel sheet. An alkali-soluble resin, which can be dissolved in an alkali liquid of pH 9.0 or higher, is preferably urethane or acrylic resin with an acid value of 40-90 having a carboxyl group in its molecule. Alkali metal may be substituted for 1-50% hydrogen atom of the carboxyl group. A powdery synthetic resin at a ratio of 1-25 mass % and/or powdery silica at a ratio of 1-30 mass % may be dispersed in the resin film. The resin film is preferably of 0.2-5.0 ?m in thickness. After the Al-coated steel sheet is painted with the resin, it is shaped to upper and lower halves of a fuel tank and washed with an alkali to dissolve off the resin film. The upper and lower halves are welded together and coated with a paint at their external surfaces to fabricate a fuel tank.

Abstract: An ink jet printer includes ink jet heads for recording an image on a recording medium, an ink bottle for holding ink, an ink supply path connecting the ink bottle to each ink jet head, and an electromagnetic valve provided on the path. In the printer, the bottle, the valve and the heads are arranged downward in this order in the vertical direction, the path constantly exists upwards in the vertical direction in such a manner that air entered into the path moves up above the valve due to a difference in the specific gravity between the air and the ink, the path is provided with a branching portion provided between the valve and the heads, and a sub ink tank is provided at an end of the branching portion so as to be positioned lower than the heads in the vertical direction.

Abstract: A stainless steel separator, which is good of corrosion-resistance and low of contact-resistance, is proposed for a fuel cell. Its surface faced to a fuel electrode is pickled, which the other surface faced to an oxidizing electrode is roughened by electrolytic etching or the like. The roughening treatment may be performed before or after pickling and passivation. The roughened surface of the stainless steel separator without pickling or passivation may be faced to the oxidizing electrode.

Abstract: A stainless steel sheet useful as a separator for a low-temperature fuel cell has the surface state that a lot of fine projections (p) stand close together around many fine pits (d) formed over a whole surface. The surface state is realized by alternating electrolytic etching in a ferric chloride solution. When the stainless steel separator is built in a fuel cell, contact resistance between the separator and a graphite electrode is kept at a lower level even in a corrosive atmosphere. Consequently, the fuel cell can be driven with high power-generating efficiency over a long term even under severely corrosive conditions without generation of massive Joule heat.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus of the present invention comprises a conveying roller which conveys a print medium, a print head which conveys each of a plurality of sub-regions that are obtained by dividing the region of the print medium and records a test pattern each time the print medium is conveyed by the conveying roller in the region of the print medium corresponding to the convey amount of one rotation of the conveying roller, a CCD which reads a plurarity of the test patterns, and a control unit which calculates an interval between the previously recorded test pattern and the test pattern recorded after the print medium is conveyed, calculates the amount of deviation between the calculated interval and a predetermined interval as to all the test patterns recorded on the print medium, and calculates the average value of the amounts of deviation.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus carries out image formation by main scanning and sub-scanning a plurality of print heads relatively with respect to a printing medium. The plurality of print heads form a plurality of test pattern images on the printing medium by one main scanning by a main scanning mechanism. A scanner reads the plurality of test pattern images by sub-scanning by the sub-scanning mechanism, without moving in the main scanning direction. On the basis of results of detection from the scanner, a control section calculates an amount of positional offset, in a sub-scanning direction, of two print heads which form the test pattern images.

Abstract: A new processed steel sheet comprising of a steel base coated with a Zn or its alloy plating layer and a converted layer, which contains both of at least an insoluble or scarcely-soluble metal compound and at least a soluble metal compound. The insoluble or scarcely-soluble compound may be one or more of valve metal oxides or hydroxides, and the soluble compound may be one or more of valve metal fluorides. The converted layer may be also composed of one or more of complex compounds of Mn and Ti. The insoluble or scarcely-soluble compound acts as a barrier for insulation of a steel base from an atmosphere, while the soluble compound exhibits a self-repairing faculty to repair defective parts of the converted layer. Due to the converted layer, the processed steel sheet is remarkably improved in corrosion resistance, without the presence of chromium compounds which would put harmful influences on the environment.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus of the present invention comprises a conveying roller which conveys a print medium, a print head which conveys each of a plurality of sub-regions that are obtained by dividing the region of the print medium and records a test pattern each time the print medium is conveyed by the conveying roller in the region of the print medium corresponding to the convey amount of one rotation of the conveying roller, a CCD which reads a plurarity of the test patterns, and a control unit which calculates an interval between the previously recorded test pattern and the test pattern recorded after the print medium is conveyed, calculates the amount of deviation between the calculated interval and a predetermined interval as to all the test patterns recorded on the print medium, and calculates the average value of the amounts of deviation.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus carries out image formation by main scanning and sub-scanning a plurality of print heads relatively with respect to a printing medium. The plurality of print heads form a plurality of test pattern images on the printing medium by one main scanning by a main scanning mechanism. A scanner reads the plurality of test pattern images by sub-scanning by the sub-scanning mechanism, without moving in the main scanning direction. On the basis of results of detection from the scanner, a control section calculates an amount of positional offset, in a sub-scanning direction, of two print heads which form the test pattern images.

Abstract: A new processed steel sheet comprises a steel base coated with a Zn or its alloy plating layer and a converted layer, which contains both of at least an insoluble or scarcely-soluble metal compound and at least a soluble metal compound. The insoluble or scarcely-soluble compound may be one ore more of valve metal oxides or hydroxides, and the soluble compound may be one or more of valve metal fluorides. The converted layer may be also composed of one ore more of complex compounds of Mn and Ti. The insoluble or scarcely-soluble compound acts as a barrier for insulation of a steel base from an atmosphere, while the soluble compound exhibits a self-repairing faculty to repair defective parts of the converted layer. Due to the converted layer, the processed steel sheet is remarkably improved in corrosion resistance, without presence of chromium compounds which would put harmful influences on the environment.

Abstract: An auto focus apparatus for a camera comprising a group of lenses which include a focus lens and a zoom lens. The auto focus apparatus also comprises a focus detector, a motor and a controller. The focus detector detects whether the camera is in focus or not. The motor drives the focus lens and zoom lens. The controller controls the motor for driving the zoom lens and the focus lens. When the focus detector does not detect a focused image through the focus lens, the zoom lens is then driven to focus the camera. A method of auto focusing comprises the step of driving a focus lens so as to obtain a focusing point. The method of auto focusing also comprises the steps of detecting whether the camera is in focus or not, and driving the zoom lens when a focusing point is not achieved by the focus lens.