Abstract: A multi-layered optical disc having its recording unit comprised of plural information recording layers, in which two or more information recording layers are layered on a substrate 0.3 to 1.2 mm in thickness, with the interposition of a transparent layer, to from a recording unit, a light transmitting protective layer is formed on the recording unit to a thickness of 10 to 177 &mgr;m, and in which the light is illuminated from the side of the light transmitting protective layer to effect recording and/or reproduction of information signals. At least one of the information recording layers except the information recording layer formed at a remotest position from the light transmitting protective layer has a phase change material as a recording material.

Abstract: There is provided a semiconductor integrated circuit device wherein functional circuit groups are arranged on a chip in a direction spreads, which aims to enhance layout efficiency and to prevent deterioration of element characteristics. A unit wiring region IL1P is constituted outside of a power voltage wiring VCC, a part of a second region BIP and a unit wiring region IL1N is constituted outside of a reference voltage wiring VSS, a part of a second region BIN. Within the second wiring regions BIP and BIN, connection wirings 11, 12A, 13, 14 are wired. These connection wirings connect between units within the logic circuits CIA11, CIR12 or between the logic circuits CIR11, CIR12. There is only arranged an input/output wiring region IOL1 on a first region A1 located between the power voltage wiring VCC1 and the reference voltage wiring VSS1. Since no unit wiring region exists in the first region A1, width of the first region A1 can be laid-out short.

Abstract: An optical disc on or from which information signals are recorded/reproduced by irradiation of a laser light beam is disclosed. The optical disc has a plurality of top surfaces, a plurality of bottom surfaces, and a plurality of portions formed on a major surface of a disc substrate of the optical disc. The portions separate the top and bottom surfaces from each other. A recording track is constituted by each top surface and each bottom surface. Each bottom surface and each top surface have a first width, while each portion has a second width. The recording track has a track pitch P defined by the sum of the first width and said second pitch. The pitch is related with the second width and the spot diameter of the playback light &phgr; by a formula and P<&phgr;/2 and 0.1 &mgr;m<second width ≦&phgr;/2.5.

Abstract: Initialization nonuniformity due to interference of light which occurs during an initialization process is reduced without causing degradation in the characteristic of signals recorded/reproduced on/from respective recording layers. A multilayer optical disk comprising at least a first information recording layer and a second information recording layer formed, on a substrate, into a multilayer structure with an intermediate layer disposed therebetween is illuminated with initializing light from the side of the first information recording layer to initialize the first information recording layer formed of a phase-change material serving as a recording material.

Abstract: An optical recording medium is provided which achieves a higher recording capacity. This optical recording medium includes a base formed of thermoplastic resin which has a thickness ranging from between approximately 0.3 to 1.2 mm, a guide groove formed on the base, an information recording layer formed at least of a reflective film and an organic dye recording layer provided on the guide groove, and a light transmissive layer having a thickness ranging from between approximately 3 to 177 &mgr;m. In this optical recording medium, the unevenness &Dgr;t of the thickness of the light transmissive layer is set within the range of: &Dgr;t≦±5.26(&lgr;/N.A.4)(&mgr;m) wherein N.A. represents a numerical aperture of an optical head device of the optical disk recording and/or reproducing apparatus and &lgr; represents the wavelength of laser light utilized by the optical disk recording and/or reproducing apparatus.

Abstract: A multi-layered optical disc having superior recording/reproducing characteristics, in which the recording density in three-dimensional direction can be increased to increase the recording capacity, and its manufacturing method. A multi-layered optical disc 1 has a light reflecting layer 3, a second information recording layer 4, a transparent layer 5, a first information recording layer 6 and a light-transmitting layer 7 sequentially formed on a major surface 2a of its substrate 2. The laser light is illuminated from the light-transmitting layer 7 of the multi-layered optical disc 1 to record and/or reproduce information signals.

Abstract: The image-forming machine has an electrostatic latent image-bearing member on which an electrostatic latent image will be formed and an exchangeable developing unit. The developing unit includes a developing housing, a developing agent contained in the developing unit and a developing agent applicator for applying the developing agent onto the surface of the electrostatic latent image-bearing member. A counter is provided that counts the number of times the developing unit has been used and that can be reset. In the developing unit is disposed a developing agent depletion detector that detects the depletion of the developing agent. The developing unit further has a reset that resets the counter when the use of the developing unit is started. When the developing agent depletion detector has detected the depletion of the developing agent, a developing unit exchange signal is formed to indicate that the developing unit be renewed.

Abstract: An optical recording medium is provided which achieves a higher recording capacity. This optical recording medium includes a base formed of thermoplastic resin which has a thickness ranging from between approximately 0.3 to 1.2 nm, a guide groove formed on the base, at least a reflective film and a phase-change recording layer successively formed on the guide groove, arid a light transmissive layer having a thickness ranging from between approximately 3 to 177 .mu.m. In this optical recording medium, the unevenness .DELTA.t of the thickness of the light transmission layer is set within the range of:.DELTA.t.ltoreq..+-.5.26(.lambda./N.A..sup.4)(.mu.m)wherein N.A. represents a numerical aperture of an optical head device of the optical disk recording and/or reproducing apparatus and .lambda. represents the wavelength of laser light utilized by the optical disk recording and/or reproducing apparatus.

Abstract: An optical recording medium having a phase-changing material layer served as a recording layer is composed to excellently repeat the rewrite of bits independently of the line speed of the writing light. The amount of the additive to be added to the phase-changing material layer is regulated in relation to the line speed for the write. The additive is added for suppressing the crystallization.

Abstract: Utilizing a low-oxygen welding flux, and a low carbon welding wire, seam welding is conducted by submerged arc welding so that the resulting weld metal has a chemical composition, in which P.sub.WM value defined as below is in a range of from 0.18 to 0.33, and a micro-structure containing acicular ferrite not less than 55% by area ratio:P.sub.WM =P.sub.cm +3.19Ti-1.020where,P.sub.cm =C+Si/30+(Mn+Cu+Cr)/20+Ni/60+Mo/15+V/10+5BFurthermore, when cracking resistance is required, submerged arc welding is conducted such that the chemical composition of the weld metal satisfies P.sub.rh value of less than 2.8, in addition to fulfilling the above conditions:P.sub.cm =C+Si/30+(Mn+Cu+Cr)/20+Ni/60+Mo/15+V/10+5B.

Abstract: A multiple-recording-layer optical recording medium has a plurality of recording layers to be initialized by exposure to light, with a transparent layer interposed between the recording layers. Light is applied simultaneously to the to the recording layers to initialize the recording layers simultaneously.

Abstract: An optical disc comprising transparent substrate, a phase-changing material layer disposed on the transparent substrate and made of a material which is phase-changeable by radiation of a light beam, a reflecting film layer disposed on the phase-changing material layer, and a cooling layer disposed between the phase-changing material layer and the reflecting layer, wherein the cooling layer has a heat conductivity ranging from 0.25 J/cmKs to 20.00 J/cmKs. The optical disc of the present invention has such a structure that a crystal phase portion of the phase-changing material layer shows a higher light absorptivity than that of the amorphous phase portion and exhibits a high carrier to noise ratio (C/N ratio) irrespective of a line speed upon rotational driving of the optical disc.

Abstract: An optical disc comprising transparent substrate, a phase-changing material layer disposed on the transparent substrate and made of a material which is phase-changeable by radiation of a light beam, a reflecting film layer disposed on the phase-changing material layer, and a cooling layer disposed between the phase-changing material layer and the reflecting layer, wherein the cooling layer has a heat conductivity ranging from 0.25 J/cmKs to 20.00 J/cmKs. The optical disc of the present invention has such a structure that a crystal phase portion of the phase-changing material layer shows a higher light absorptivity than that of the amorphous phase portion and exhibits a high carrier to noise ratio (C/N ratio) irrespective of a line speed upon rotational driving of the optical disc.

Abstract: A developing unit comprises a developer container having an agitation space for agitating developer therein and a toner hopper for feeding toner to the agitation space of the developer container. A lower wall of the toner hopper includes a toner drop port allowing toner to fall into the aforesaid agitation space. On a surface of the lower wall exposed to the agitation space, disposed is a partition wall surrounding the periphery of the toner drop port. The partition wall defines a non-agitation space. The toner is allowed to fall from the toner drop port smoothly into the agitation space through the non-agitation space which is not affected by the agitation.

Abstract: If it is desired to display the number of copies which can be outputted corresponding to the defined capacity of a developer which is determined by an image forming apparatus, a document which is thought to have a substantially average black ratio of the respective black ratios of images actually recorded by the image forming apparatus is prepared. The prepared document is set in reading means. An image of the set document is read by reading means. The black ratio of the image of the document is calculated on the basis of an output of the reading means. The number of copies which can be outputted corresponding to the defined capacity of the developer which is determined by the image forming apparatus is calculated on the basis of the calculated black ratio. The calculated number of copies which can be outputted is displayed.

Abstract: An image-forming machine equipped with a transfer device means of the type not using a transfer corona discharger is disclosed. A charge supply member is disposed opposite to an image forming member on whose surface a toner image is to be formed and at a greater distance than the thickness of a transfer material from the image forming member. In a transfer zone, the surface of the transfer material is brought into contact with the surface of the image forming member. In a charge supply zone, the transfer material is contacted with the surface of the charge supply member. In the direction of conveyance of the transfer material, the charge supply zone is positioned downstream of the transfer zone.