Abstract: A ball screw having a groove-shaped ball return passage has improved durability, ball circulation performance, and working performance. The ball screw is provided with: a threaded shaft having a spiral groove at its outer circumferential surface; a nut having a spiral groove which faces the spiral groove at its inner circumferential surface; a plurality of balls rotatably loaded in a spiral raceway constituted by the two spiral grooves; and a ball circulation groove which returns and circulates the balls from an end point to a start point of the raceway. Further, the edge portions constituted by the two side surfaces of the ball circulation groove and the surfaces which continue from the side surfaces and extend in the axial direction are formed to be rounded.

Abstract: Seal surfaces in three directions of a base and a cover are mutually fitted as a first seal part in combination of concave threads and convex threads, and sandwich three sides of a circuit board between an innermost peripheral part convex thread at the base side and an innermost peripheral part concave thread at the cover side. A connector member having a second seal part is fixed to one side of the circuit board, a concavo-convex seal surface between the base and the connector member is located on a low step surface, and the concave and convex threads on the seal surface of the connector member provided on the base pass the concave and convex threads of the seal surface in the three directions each other to be continuous.

Abstract: A manufacturing method includes forming a stacked film including first/second/third layers on a substrate, forming a first resist pattern on the stacked film, forming a first film pattern by etching the first layer through the first resist pattern, removing the first resist pattern, partially covering the first film pattern with a second resist pattern, slimming the first film pattern exposed from the second resist pattern, forming a second film pattern by etching the second layer exposed from the first layer through the first film pattern, partially covering the second film pattern with a third resist pattern, removing the first film pattern exposed from the third resist pattern, forming sidewall spacers to the second film pattern and remained second layer, removing the remained second layer portion, followed by etching the third layer through the second film pattern and sidewall spacers to form a third film pattern.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate comprising units for carrying out steps for processing the substrate; ON/OFF switching devices, corresponding to the respective units, switching between an ON state in which electric power is supplied to a corresponding unit and an OFF state in which supply of electric power for the unit is halted; and a control device for acquiring a production information including processing details and an end time limit for a substrate to be introduced into the substrate processing apparatus, preparing a time chart representing an operation scheme for the units based on the production information in a manner such that all of the steps carried out according to the processing details by the units are to be completed by the end time limit, and making the units operate according to the time chart while controlling the ON/OFF switching device according to the time chart.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a manufacturing method includes performing lithography processes for manufacturing a semiconductor device that includes a three-dimensional stacked device. The stacked device includes layers stacked above a substrate. Each of the layers includes a device circuit. The lithography processes include a lithography process for forming a lower layer of the layers by using a first original plate that has quality not less than a certain level. The first original plate is selected from original plates. Each of the original plates includes a pattern corresponding to the device circuit. The original plates are ranked according to quality based on defect. The lithography processes further include a lithography process for forming a higher layer of the layers by using a second original plate that has quality lower than the certain level. The second original plate is selected from the original plates.

Abstract: A process cartridge is detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The cartridge includes a photosensitive drum, and a developing roller for developing a latent image. A development coupling portion is provided that includes a driven portion. The development coupling portion also includes an intermediary portion configured and positioned to engage with the driven portion, and to be movable relative to the driven portion while maintaining engagement with the driven portion. The development coupling portion still further includes a driving portion configured and positioned to engage with the intermediary portion, and to be movable relative to the intermediary portion in a direction crossing the axis of the developing roller while maintaining engagement with the intermediary portion.

Abstract: A method forms ball recirculation and rolling grooves at an inner circumferential surface of a nut for ball screw use in a state free of deviation in axial, circumferential, and radial nut directions. A flange end face is formed with a concave part, then an inner circumferential surface of a blank and an end face and outer circumferential surface of the flange are continuously ground. Due to this, the coaxiality of the blank inner circumferential surface and the flange outer circumferential surface, and the perpendicularity of the flange end face to the blank inner circumferential surface, are made smaller. The blank is plastically worked to form the ball recirculation groove and is cut to form the ball rolling groove while using the concave part as a phase reference, the end face as an axial direction reference, and the outer circumferential surface as a radial direction reference.

Abstract: It is possible to surely commit a revision made on a software component in a software component database and a software product group and to create a new software product from the same database. Provided is a software configuration management system which includes a software component database and a software product management unit and accepts data transmission/reception from a software component database management client and a software product operation client. The software configuration management system further includes: a component-product correspondence table, component-file correspondence information, a synchronization unit for mutually committing a modification of the software component database and a modification of a software product; update information; and a correspondence table update unit.

Abstract: A process cartridge comprises a photosensitive drum and a developing roller. A coupling member is provided adjacent to one axial end of the developing roller. The coupling member includes a driven portion, and an intermediary portion configured and positioned to engage with the driven portion. The intermediary portion is also configured to be movable relative to the driven portion in a direction crossing the axis of the developing roller while maintaining engagement with the driven portion. The coupling member further includes a driving portion configured and positioned to receive a driving force for rotating the developing roller. The driving portion is also configured to engage with the intermediary portion, and to be movable relative to the intermediary portion in a direction crossing the axis of the developing roller while maintaining engagement with the intermediary portion.

Abstract: A process cartridge comprises a photosensitive drum and a developing roller. A coupling member is provided adjacent to one axial end of the developing roller. The coupling member includes a driven portion, and an intermediary portion configured and positioned to engage with the driven portion. The intermediary portion is also configured to be movable relative to the driven portion in a direction crossing the axis of the developing roller while maintaining engagement with the driven portion. The coupling member further includes a driving portion configured and positioned to receive a driving force for rotating the developing roller. The driving portion is also configured to engage with the intermediary portion, and to be movable relative to the intermediary portion in a direction crossing the axis of the developing roller while maintaining engagement with the intermediary portion.

Abstract: In a low-pressure EGR system, a mechanical stopper limits a rotation range of a low-pressure EGR regulating valve at a limit opening degree of the low-pressure EGR regulating valve on its fully-open side and outside an EGR amount adjustment opening degree range of the low-pressure EGR regulating valve. After an engine is stopped, a failure detection unit rotates the low-pressure EGR regulating valve to its fully-open position to such an extent that rotation of a linking device is prevented by the mechanical stopper, and is configured to determine that a failure has occurred when an opening degree of the low-pressure EGR regulating valve detected by a low-pressure EGR opening sensor is different from the limit opening degree of the low-pressure EGR regulating valve.

Abstract: A computer determines whether destination information is included in permission target information. The destination information indicates a destination to which a file stored in a storage device is transferred. The permission target information includes information indicating a target permitted to access the file. The computer prompts before the file is transferred, upon determining that the destination information is not included in the permission target information, a user to input whether to permit the transfer. The computer adds the destination information to the permission target information upon receiving, via an input device, a permission input for permitting the transfer. The computer transfers the file upon receiving the permission input.

Abstract: A vehicle mounted engine control apparatus serves to prevent air fuel ratio control from becoming an excessively fuel rich state by sequentially actuating heaters for early activation of a pair of exhaust gas sensors arranged in an upstream and a downstream position of a catalyzer. Electric power is first supplied to a heater for an upstream exhaust gas sensor, and the supply of electric power to a heater for a downstream exhaust gas sensor is started without waiting for activation of the upstream exhaust gas sensor, if a heater current declines to a predetermined value or less. When the upstream exhaust gas sensor is inactive, an output signal of an upstream air fuel ratio control unit inputted to a fuel injection control unit is restricted to a predetermined fuel rich command, and when the downstream exhaust gas sensor is inactive, an output signal of an downstream air fuel ratio control unit inputted to the upstream air fuel ratio control unit is restricted to a predetermined fuel rich command.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus comprising a substrate holding rotating mechanism, a process liquid supply mechanism having a nozzle for dispensing a process liquid toward a principal face of the substrate, a processing liquid reservoir for holding sufficient process liquid to form a liquid film covering the whole principal face of the substrate, a liquid film forming unit for forming the liquid film by supplying the process liquid onto the principal face of the substrate in a single burst, and a control unit for controlling the liquid film forming unit and the process liquid supply mechanism such that the process liquid is dispensed from the process liquid nozzle toward the principal face of the substrate after formation of the liquid film covering the whole area of the principal face of the substrate by the liquid film forming unit.

Abstract: A switch unit includes an upper case that has an operation portion attached therein; a circuit board that has a switch attached thereto that is able to switch contact points by operation of the operation portion; and a lower case that fits into the upper case such that the lower case is surrounded by the upper case, and that accommodates the circuit board between the upper case and the lower case. A draining portion is provided at a side surface of the upper case, and the draining portion is integrally formed with a sidewall forming the side surface and protrudes downward, and has a width that gradually narrows from the top to the bottom thereof.

Abstract: A method forms a concave constituting a ball return passage directly on an inner circumferential surface of a nut blank by plastic working without damaging a die. Letter S shaped concaves are formed on an inner circumferential surface of a nut blank, by pressing by use of a die having a blank holder, a cam driver, cam sliders, and a cylindrical member. The cam driver has inclined surfaces having the same angle of inclination as the cam sliders. The cam sliders have letter S shaped convexes corresponding to the letter S shaped concaves, and are held by through holes, respectively. When the cam driver is pressed from the top thereof, the cam sliders move outwardly in the radial direction, respectively, and the letter S shaped convexes push the inner circumferential surface of the nut blank for plastic deformation.

Abstract: A process cartridge comprises a photosensitive drum and a developing roller. A coupling member is provided adjacent to one axial end of the developing roller. The coupling member includes a driven portion, and an intermediary portion configured and positioned to engage with the driven portion. The intermediary portion is also configured to be movable relative to the driven portion in a direction crossing the axis of the developing roller while maintaining engagement with the driven portion. The coupling member further includes a driving portion configured and positioned to receive a driving force for rotating the developing roller. The driving portion is also configured to engage with the intermediary portion, and to be movable relative to the intermediary portion in a direction crossing the axis of the developing roller while maintaining engagement with the intermediary portion.

Abstract: A ball screw is provided in which an outer circumferential formation is formed at a portion facing a ball circulating passage out of outer circumferential surface of a nut. The ball screw includes: a screw shaft having on its outer circumferential surface a screw groove; a nut having on its inner circumferential surface a screw groove facing the screw groove; a plurality of balls rollably loaded in a spiral ball rolling passage formed by both screw grooves; and a ball circulating passage to return the balls from a start point to an end point of the ball rolling passage for recirculation. The ball circulating passage is a concaved groove formed by concaving a groove on a part of the cylindrical inner circumferential surface of the nut by plastic working. Then, a flange is integrally provided at a portion facing the ball circulating passage and the screw groove.

Abstract: A circuit board is hermetically-sealed and housed in a steel case that is composed of a metal base and a metal cover, the cover disposed opposite to a first board surface has a tall flat portion disposed opposite to a connector housing and a short flat portion disposed opposite to a heating component, and the heat generated from the heating component is directly transferred to a heat transfer base portion of the base via a heat transfer mechanism and a heat transfer filling material. Surface finishing in which the coefficients of heat radiation are mutually 0.7 to 1.0 is applied to the surface of the heating component and the opposite inner surface of the cover, and radiation and heat transfer are efficiently performed to the short flat portion of the cover.

Abstract: An in-vehicle engine start control apparatus stops a fuel injection instruction after rotationally driving a DC electric motor preliminarily by issuing a rotational driving instruction when an automatic stop condition is satisfied, and subsequently restarts the in-vehicle engine by issuing a push control instruction to a pinion gear immediately before a circumferential speed of a ring gear decelerating by inertia is synchronized with a circumferential speed of the pinion gear rotationally driven preliminarily to rotate and by issuing the rotational driving instruction and the fuel injection instruction again because a restart request is already issued or is issued with a delay when the push driving is completed.