Abstract: The present invention provides an optical inspection method capable of detecting a finer defect in the surface of a substrate, including the steps of: irradiating a surface of a sample which is rotating and continuously moving in one direction with illumination light which is incident in a direction obliquely to the sample surface; detecting an image of light formed by a forward scattering light around an optical axis of regular-reflection light while excluding the regular-reflection light from the sample surface irradiated with the illumination light; condensing and detecting lateral scattering light which scatters laterally from the sample surface with respect to an incidence direction of the illumination light; and processing a signal obtained by detecting the image of light formed by the forward scattering light and a signal obtained by condensing and detecting the lateral scattering light to extract a defect including a scratch defect.

Abstract: The invention provides an optical surface defect inspection apparatus and an optical surface defect inspection method that reduces an influence from a dead zone of a sensor array and that reduces the influence from reduction of a detected light amount in a case of extending over light receiving elements, thereby enabling a defect inspection with high sensitivity. According to the invention, a subject is irradiated with an inspection light, an image is formed on the sensor array including the light receiving elements separated by the dead zone insensitive to light scattered by a surface of the subject and arranged in a plurality of lines, outputs from two adjacent light receiving elements are added, and a defect on the surface of the subject is inspected for based on the result of the addition.

Abstract: The present invention provides an optical inspection method capable of detecting a finer defect in the surface of a substrate, including the steps of: irradiating a surface of a sample which is rotating and continuously moving in one direction with illumination light which is incident in a direction obliquely to the sample surface; detecting an image of light formed by a forward scattering light around an optical axis of regular-reflection light while excluding the regular-reflection light from the sample surface irradiated with the illumination light; condensing and detecting lateral scattering light which scatters laterally from the sample surface with respect to an incidence direction of the illumination light; and processing a signal obtained by detecting the image of light formed by the forward scattering light and a signal obtained by condensing and detecting the lateral scattering light to extract a defect including a scratch defect.

Abstract: An energy usage display unit for displaying energy usage of gas used for a water heater, water used for the water heater or electricity used in housing where the water heater is set. The energy usage display unit includes a clock section; a counting section for counting usage of gas, water or electricity; a memory section for storing a count value of usage counted by the counting section retroactive to past by a predetermined number with a predetermined time unit; a counting control section for writing the count value of usage at predetermined time; a display control section for reading one or both of the count value and a stored value in the memory section to prepare display data of usage; and a display section for displaying usage based on the display data prepared by the display control section.

Abstract: A radio communication system of a water heater comprising a slave set which remotely operates a water heater main body by radio communication, and a master set which continuously communicates with the water heater main body by wired communication and which intermittently communicates with the slave set by radio communication to relay communication between the water heater main body and the slave set, wherein after the slave set instructs to change a hot water supply temperature of the water heater main body to a requested temperature by the salve set, the requested temperature previously instructed by the slave set is maintained as the hot water supply temperature displayed on the display section of the slave set for a particular time until the hot water supply temperature of the water heater main body reaches the temperature requested by the slave set.

Abstract: The present invention provides a disk surface defect inspection method including: irradiating a laser beam from an oblique direction onto a disk surface being rotated; detecting intensities of a first light that is scattered with low-angle and a second light that is scattered with high-angle from minute concave and convex defects; determining that a defect is the minute convex defect if a ratio of the intensity of the first light to the intensity of the second light is constant; and determining that a defect is the minute concave defect if the ratio of the intensity of the first light to the intensity of the second light is changed.

Abstract: A relay apparatus for relaying communication between a water heater main body and a radio remote control unit, comprising: a switch section for setting an address of the radio remote control unit; a control section for establishing communication with the water heater main body and commanding and controlling to read out maintenance information stored in the water heater main body assuming that input information at the switch section is a request from the radio remote control unit having an address which was set by operation of the switch section; and a display section for displaying the maintenance information received from the water heater main body.

Abstract: To provide an ultrasound breast diagnostic system suitable for screening of breast cancer and minimizing the burden on the doctor examining the captured image. An ultrasound breast diagnostic system comprises an ultrasound breast imaging apparatus having a water bath into which left and right breasts can be dipped downward and an ultrasound probe so disposed on the bottom of the water bath to mechanically scan and adapted to three-dimensionally image the whole region of the breasts by transmission/reception an ultrasound wave, a breast voxel data creating device for creating voxel data on the entire breasts from image data acquired by the apparatus and a display device used for interpretation of images for displaying an image for image examination from the voxel data on the breasts created by the device which sequentially displays tomograms of cross-sections at bilaterally symmetrical positions of the breasts.

Abstract: To provide an ultrasound breast diagnostic system suitable for screening of breast cancer and minimizing the burden on the doctor examining the captured image. An ultrasound breast diagnostic system comprises an ultrasound breast imaging apparatus having a water bath into which left and right breasts can be dipped downward and an ultrasound probe so disposed on the bottom of the water bath to mechanically scan and adapted to three-dimensionally image the whole region of the breasts by transmission/reception of ultrasound wave, a breast voxel data creating device for creating voxel data on the entire breasts from image data acquired by the apparatus, and a display device used for interpretation of images for displaying an image for examination from the past voxel data and present voxel data on the breasts of the same subject created by the device.

Abstract: It is an object of the invention to provide a radio remote controller system that, when power saving for a radio remote controller is realized by intermittently setting a data receivable period in the radio remote controller, can easily and flexibly change a length of a period for making it impossible to receive the radio data and reduce power consumption of the radio remote controller. A master set connected to a water heater main body by wire transmits monitor data G(G1, G2, G3) indicating an operation state of the water heater main body, which include transmission time information indicating the next time (t14 at G1, and t17 at G2) of transmission of the monitor data G, to a slave set serving as a radio remote controller.

Abstract: A state detection mechanism includes a movable member, a spring member, a fringesection, and a stopper member. The spring member displaces the movable member arranged at the first predetermined position to a second predetermined position by applying restoration force in a D direction to the movable member. The fringe section restricts the displacement by abutting to a protrusion member formed on the movable member arranged at the first predetermined position. The stopper member restricts rotation of the movable member, which rotates around an axis that extends in a D direction, by abutting to the protrusion member formed on the movable member arranged at the first predetermined position. When torque is transmitted to the movable member from a shaft, the movable member rotates wound an axis that extends in the D direction, and the protrusion member and the stopper member abut to each other.

Abstract: An energy usage display unit for displaying energy usage of gas used for a water heater, water used for the water heater or electricity used in housing where the water heater is set, comprising: a clock section for having a clock and calendar function; a counting section for counting usage of gas, water or electricity; a memory section for storing a count value of usage counted by the counting section retroactive to past by a predetermined number with a predetermined time unit; a counting control section for writing the count value of usage from the counting section to the memory section at predetermined time; a display control section for reading one or both of the count value of the counting section and a stored value in the memory section to prepare display data of usage, in accordance with a period unit required by a user; and a display section for displaying usage based on the display data prepared by the display control section.

Abstract: A radio communication system of a water heater comprising a slave set which remotely operates a water heater main body by radio communication, and a master set which continuously communicates with the water heater main body by wired communication and which intermittently communicates with the slave set by radio communication to relay communication between the water heater main body and the slave set, wherein after the slave set instructs to change a hot water supply temperature of the water heater main body to a requested temperature by the salve set, the requested temperature previously instructed by the slave set is maintained as the hot water supply temperature displayed on the display section of the slave set for a particular time until the hot water supply temperature of the water heater main body reaches the temperature requested by the slave set.

Abstract: A relay apparatus for relaying communication between a water heater main body and a radio remote control unit, comprising: a switch section for setting an address of the radio remote control unit; a control section for establishing communication with the water heater main body and commanding and controlling to read out maintenance information stored in the water heater main body assuming that input information at the switch section is a request from the radio remote control unit having an address which was set by operation of the switch section; and a display section for displaying the maintenance information received from the water heater main body.

Abstract: A state detection mechanism includes a movable member, a spring member, a fringe section, and a stopper member. The spring member displaces the movable member arranged at the first predetermined position to a second predetermined position by applying restoration force in a D direction to the movable member. The fringe section restricts the displacement by abutting to a protrusion member formed on the movable member arranged at the first predetermined position. The stopper member restricts rotation of the movable member, which rotates around an axis that extends in a D direction, by abutting to the protrusion member formed on the movable member arranged at the first predetermined position. When torque is transmitted to the movable member from a shaft, the movable member rotates around an axis that extends in the D direction, and the protrusion member and the stopper member abut to each other. Load caused by the torque is applied to a section of this abutment and destroys the protrusion member.

Abstract: The process frame body has the guide portion, and the development device has the to-be-guided shaft. When the process frame body is unattached to the apparatus main body, the guide portion of the development device is absent, thus preventing proper attachment and positioning of the development device. The convex engagement portion is formed integrally with the development device so as to jut into the attachment path for the process frame body. This prevents attachment of the process frame body when the development device is attached first. If users try to attach the process frame body after attachment of the development device, the convex engagement portion interferes with the process frame body, thus preventing attachment of the process frame body.

Abstract: It is an object of the invention to provide a radio remote controller system that, when power saving for a radio remote controller is realized by intermittently setting a data receivable period in the radio remote controller, can easily and flexibly change a length of a period for making it impossible to receive the radio data and reduce power consumption of the radio remote controller. A master set connected to a water heater main body by wire transmits monitor data G(G1, G2, G3) indicating an operation state of the water heater main body, which include transmission time information indicating the next time (t14 at G1, and t17 at G2) of transmission of the monitor data G, to a slave set serving as a radio remote controller.

Abstract: A radio communication system for registering an ID code of a communication partner in a transceiver easily and surely. In a first step, a slave set transmits “pairing application data” including a slave set ID to a master set. In a second step, the master set transmits “pairing reception data” including a master set ID and the slave set ID to the slave set. In a third step, the slave set transmits “first pairing selection data” including the slave set ID and the master set ID to the master set. In a fourth step, the master set transmits “second pairing selection data” including the master set ID and the slave set ID to the slave set. After the master set and the slave set recognize that processing for selecting communication partners is performed between the master set and the slave set according to the first to the fourth steps, in a fifth step, the slave set registers the master set ID of the master set and transmits “pairing completion data” to the master set.

Abstract: A toner cartridge stored in a developer casing includes a biasing force generating device, an actuating rod that switches the biasing device between an active state and a non-active state by one movement of a release member. A developer casing swings by the movement of the actuating rod and presses a developing roller with appropriate pressure to a photosensitive drum. There is a lock member that is restrained from moving by the movement of the actuating rod. The structure recited is capable of inserting and fixing the developer casing to an image forming device. Also, by one restore movement of the release member, the photosensitive drum and the developing roller are separated and the lock is released, thereby enabling removal/exchange of the developer casing.

Abstract: The process frame body has the guide portion, and the development device has the to-be-guided shaft. When the process frame body is unattached to the apparatus main body, the guide portion of the development device is absent, thus preventing proper attachment and positioning of the development device. The convex engagement portion is formed integrally with the development device so as to jut into the attachment path for the process frame body. This prevents attachment of the process frame body when the development device is attached first. If users try to attach the process frame body after attachment of the development device, the convex engagement portion interferes with the process frame body, thus preventing attachment of the process frame body.