Abstract: Three retardation compensators are provided for compensating the retardation of liquid crystal devices for red, green and blue light, respectively. Each of the retardation compensators is composed of plural high and low refractive index thin film layers alternately layered on a substrate. Because of the difference in the wavelength dependences of the liquid crystal device and the retardation compensator, the retardation R2 of the retardation compensator becomes much larger than the retardation R1 of the liquid crystal device in short wavelength region of the visible band. In order to match the retardation, the thickness of the retardation compensator for blue light is smaller than those for red and green light.

Abstract: Image data supplied to an image forming apparatus are converted into image data linearly correlated with the image density, and the image ratio is calculated by dividing the number of pixels in which the toner is deposited during image formation based on the thus-converted image, with a value obtained by multiplying the total pixel number corresponding to the size of the print medium with the number of gradation levels per pixel. Then the toner amount consumed in the image formation based on the entered image data is determined by multiplying the image ratio, the size of the print medium to be used and the toner amount consumed per unit area in a solid image formation.

Abstract: A transparent base plate supports a first compensating layer, which is adapted to compensate for a phase difference due to liquid crystal molecules having undergone normal orientation in a liquid crystal layer of a TN liquid crystal display device, and second compensating layers, which are adapted to compensate for the phase difference due to the liquid crystal molecules having undergone hybrid orientation in the liquid crystal layer. Each of the second compensating layers is constituted of one of oblique incidence vacuum deposited films, which are formed on opposite surfaces of the base plate with oblique incidence vacuum evaporation of an inorganic material. An azimuthal angle and/or a polar angle of a direction of vacuum evaporation with respect to a plane of vacuum evaporation is set to be different between the second compensating layers.

Abstract: A theft prevention apparatus of a personal watercraft equipped with a main switch for opening/closing a main power-supply circuit including a starting circuit of an engine is provided. The apparatus inhibits the engine from starting when it detects the main switch being in an ON-state, no existence of a connection between an operating device of the main switch and the main switch, and a stopping of the engine. The apparatus prevents the engine from starting by inhibiting at least one of the starting circuits of the engine, an ignition circuit of the engine, and a fuel injection circuit of the engine from closing the circuit(s).

Abstract: Red incident light is reflected on a mirror (19) and linearly polarized by a polarizer (26R). Linearly polarized incident light enters a transmissive liquid crystal device (11R), in which oblique incident light is changed into elliptically polarized light. A retardation compensator (27R) between the liquid crystal device (11R) and an analyzer (28R) has an inorganic form birefringence layer. The retardation compensator (27R) yields birefringence effect to change elliptical polarized light into linearly polarized light. Linearly polarized light from the retardation compensator (27R) can pass the analyzer (28R) without decreasing intensity, and enters a color recombining prism (24). The liquid crystal device (11R) may have the inorganic form birefringence layer. Retardation in green and blue light is also compensated in the same manner. Red, green and blue image light, mixed in the color recombining prism (24), is projected onto a screen 3 by a projection lens system (25).

Abstract: A process of producing an optical diffusion film which comprises at least a transparent base layer on a transparent substrate, a layer of transparent microspheres over the transparent base layer and a light absorbing layer over said transparent base layer comprises the steps of: distributing transparent microspheres in a layer over the transparent base layer so that each the transparent microsphere is partly embedded in the transparent base layer; and by coating a solution layer of coloring material that is convertible into fine metal particles and treating the solution layer of coloring material under specified conditions so as thereby to convert the solution layer of coloring material into a layer of fine metal particles that are light absorbable.

Abstract: A theft prevention apparatus of a personal watercraft equipped with a main switch for opening/closing a main power-supply circuit including a starting circuit of an engine is provided. The apparatus inhibits the engine from starting when it detects the main switch being in an ON-state, no existence of a connection between an operating device of the main switch and the main switch, and a stopping of the engine. The apparatus prevents the engine from starting by inhibiting at least one of the starting circuits of the engine, an ignition circuit of the engine, and a fuel injection circuit of the engine from closing the circuit(s).

Abstract: In order to feed molten metal to a casting mold with precision while preventing introduction of metal oxide into a cylinder casing, an entire valve box 19 is disposed below a liquid level of the molten metal C inside a molten metal furnace D. A discharge duct 23 is upwardly open at a lower end of a valve-element moving space 24. An inlet duct 22 is open to the valve-element moving space 24 at a position higher than the discharge duct 23. Around an opening of the discharge duct 23 to the valve-element moving space 24, there is formed a lower receiving seat 29 in the form of a ring. A valve element 21 includes a lower contact portion 31 which comes into annular contact with the lower receiving seat 29 in association with a lowering movement of the valve element 21.

Abstract: A personal watercraft in which a battery is easily placed and charging and maintenance of the battery are easily performed, comprising: a body constituted by a deck and a hull; an engine room formed inside the body, for containing an engine; and a battery-accommodating portion for containing the battery for the engine, wherein the battery-accommodating portion is provided in the deck outside the engine room.

Abstract: The light diffusing plate includes an unrecognizable structure having an optical refractive power, passing areas through which a collimated light incident from a side of the unrecognizable structure passes and a non-passing area other than the passing areas, which has relatively low light transmissivity compared with the passing areas, wherein both materials of the passing areas and non-passing area are applied simultaneously. The display apparatus includes this light diffusing plate, a liquid crystal display panel and a backlight unit. The image display apparatus includes an image display device having a matrix structure and a light diffusing plate including an unrecognizable structure which has an optical refractive power and is provided on a viewing side of a display screen of the image display device. The light diffusing plate has an excellent light diffusing efficiency, and can preferably reduce a contrast drop to be caused by a surface reflection.

Abstract: A form birefringence to compensate the phase retardation caused by a liquid crystal device has a retardation compensation film that is composed of alternately deposited high and low refractive index layers. The retardation compensation film is provided in at least one of the incident side and the emanation side of the liquid crystal device. The birefringence value &Dgr;n and the total thickness d of the retardation compensation film are adjusted such that the retardation of the retardation compensation film agrees with the retardation of the liquid crystal device at least at one wavelength in the visible band.

Abstract: Disclosed is a stand-up type personal watercraft capable of easily discharging water in an engine room of a body that is limited in space even when the watercraft is beached. The stand-up type personal watercraft comprises a bulkhead 12 that defines an engine room 10 in the body 2 surrounded by a hull 3 and a deck 4; a water intake 16 formed in the hull 3, through which water is sucked by a water jet pump; a penetrating hole 26 formed in a lower portion of the bulk head 12; a fitting member 27 mounted to the penetrating hole 26, a plug 28 removably attached to the fitting member 27; a hollow drain plug 24 provided at the periphery of the water intake 16, for mounting the grate plate 19; and a hose 29 connecting the fitting member 27 to the drain plug 24.

Abstract: Three retardation compensators are provided for compensating the retardation of liquid crystal devices for red, green and blue light, respectively. Each of the retardation compensators is composed of plural high and low refractive index thin film layers alternately layered on a substrate. Because of the difference in the wavelength dependences of the liquid crystal device and the retardation compensator, the retardation R2 of the retardation compensator becomes much larger than the retardation R1 of the liquid crystal device in short wavelength region of the visible band. In order to match the retardation, the thickness of the retardation compensator for blue light is smaller than those for red and green light.

Abstract: According to the present invention, there is disclosed a gas introduction system for temperature adjustment comprising passing a gas whose temperature is managed for the temperature adjustment of an object to be processed between a mounting surface of a mounting base for holding the object to be processed under vacuum and a back surface of the object to be processed through a gas supply line, controlling a flow rate adjustment valve by control means based on a measured pressure of the gas supply line measured by a manometer, and adjusting a gas flow rate to the gas supply line so as to obtain a set pressure, so that the gas pressure can be set to a predetermined value in a short time, and the system is miniaturized with little waste of the gas.

Abstract: A flat plate collimator and backlight system capable of improving the display characteristics of liquid crystal display devices are obtained. In order to achieve this end, a collimator is provided which comprises a cholesteric liquid crystal layer exhibiting a selective-reflection wavelength band with respect to perpendicularly-incident light in the wavelength range &lgr;1 to &lgr;2 (&lgr;1<&lgr;2), and which satisfies the relation &lgr;0<&lgr;1 with respect to the maximum-emission wavelength &lgr;0 in the emission spectrum of the light source with which the collimator is used in combination, and a backlight system employing this collimator and light source is provided.

Abstract: The light diffusing plate includes an unrecognizable structure having an optical refractive power, passing areas through which a collimated light incident from a side of the unrecognizable structure passes and a non-passing area other than the passing areas, which has relatively low light transmissivity compared with the passing areas, wherein both materials of the passing areas and non-passing area are applied simultaneously. The display apparatus includes this light diffusing plate, a liquid crystal display panel and a backlight unit. The image display apparatus includes an image display device having a matrix structure and a light diffusing plate including an unrecognizable structure which has an optical refractive power and is provided on a viewing side of a display screen of the image display device. The light diffusing plate has an excellent light diffusing efficiency, and can preferably reduce a contrast drop to be caused by a surface reflection.

Abstract: Disclosed is a stand-up type personal watercraft capable of easily discharging water in an engine room of a body that is limited in space even when the watercraft is beached. The stand-up type personal watercraft comprises a bulkhead 12 that defines an engine room 10 in the body 2 surrounded by a hull 3 and a deck 4; a water intake 16 formed in the hull 3, through which water is sucked by a water jet pump; a penetrating hole 26 formed in a lower portion of the bulk bead 12; a fitting member 27 mounted to the penetrating hole 26, a plug 28 removably attached to the fitting member 27; a hollow drain plug 24 provided at the periphery of the water intake 16, for mounting the grate plate 19; and a hose 29 connecting the fitting member 27 to the drain plug 24.

Abstract: A personal watercraft in which a battery is easily placed and charging and maintenance of the battery are easily performed, comprising: a body constituted by a deck and a hull; an engine room formed inside the body, for containing an engine; and a battery-accommodating portion for containing the battery for the engine, wherein the battery-accommodating portion is provided in the deck outside the engine room.

Abstract: The present invention provides a lightweight and simply-configured watercraft of a jet-propulsive type that can maintain steering capability in a way adapted to forward movement and rearward movement of the watercraft even when throttle-close operation is performed and the amount of water ejected from a water jet pump is thereby reduced. During forward movement, when the throttle-close operation and steering operation of a steering handle are detected and an engine speed is between an idling speed and a predetermined engine speed, the engine speed is temporarily increased. During rearward movement, when the engine speed is the idling speed, the engine speed is temporarily increased in the same way. The engine speed is increased by changing a fuel injection timing of a fuel injection system, a fuel injection amount, and/or an ignition timing of an ignition system of the engine.

Abstract: According to the present invention, there is disclosed a gas introduction system for temperature adjustment comprising passing a gas whose temperature is managed for the temperature adjustment of an object to be processed between a mounting surface of a mounting base for holding the object to be processed under vacuum and a back surface of the object to be processed through a gas supply line, controlling a flow rate adjustment valve by control means based on a measured pressure of the gas supply line measured by a manometer, and adjusting a gas flow rate to the gas supply line so as to obtain a set pressure, so that the gas pressure can be set to a predetermined value in a short time, and the system is miniaturized with little waste of the gas.