Abstract: The object of the invention is to provide a storage device represented by a removable hard disk from which a cartridge having a storage medium is removable, to which cartridges having different specification sizes of the outer shapes can be applied. A cartridge of this invention is detachably loaded in a holder portion for a storage device outside a computer or a storage device incorporated in a computer, and has a storage medium. The cartridge includes a groove which engages with a locking portion provided to the holder portion to releasably lock the cartridge. The groove is formed at a predetermined distance in an inserting/removing direction from an end of the cartridge. This distance is set common for another cartridge which is detachably loaded in the holder portion and has a length different from that of the cartridge in the inserting/removing direction.

Abstract: An actuator element has a plate member, a piezoelectric/electrostrictive body disposed in facing relation to the plate member, and a beam disposed between the plate member and the piezoelectric/electrostrictive body and fixing the piezoelectric/electrostrictive body to the plate member. The piezoelectric/electrostrictive body has a piezoelectric/electrostrictive layer, an upper electrode formed on a surface of the piezoelectric/electrostrictive layer which faces the plate member, and a lower electrode formed on a surface of the piezoelectric/electrostrictive layer which is opposite to the surface thereof facing the plate member. When an electric field is applied to the upper electrode and the lower electrode, a portion of the piezoelectric/electrostrictive body is displaced toward or away from the plate member.

Abstract: An actuator device has a drive section including a plurality of actuators arranged in a plane on a substrate, and a single first plate member to which drive forces from the actuators of the drive section are transmitted. A plurality of spacers are disposed between the first plate member and the substrate, forming m cells. Each of the actuators has a cavity, a vibrating section and a fixed section formed on the substrate. The rigidity of the first plate member is greater than the rigidity of the vibrating section of the actuator.

Abstract: A mass sensor in which a connection plate and a diaphragm are joined together at their respective sides; a sensing plate is joined to the connection plate at their respective sides in the direction perpendicular to the direction where the diaphragm is joined to the connection plate; a piezoelectric element consisting of a piezoelectric film and an electrode is installed on at least either one of plate surfaces of the sensing plate; and a resonating portion consisting of the diaphragm, the sensing plate, the connection plate, and the piezoelectric element is joined to a sensor substrate. Change in the mass of the diaphragm is measured by measuring change in the resonant frequency of the resonating portion accompanying the change in the mass of the diaphragm.

Abstract: The invention provides innerwear with a structure in which the body fabric and the hem are joined together without sewing and which has outstanding effects in discrimination as products and in showing individuality for users. The innerwear includes a body fabric 2 made of a cylindrical double material with a body size and a hem 3 disposed at the end of the body fabric 2 and having apparently different texture therefrom, the body fabric 2 and the hem 3 being joined to each other without sewing. The body fabric 2 partly has a heterogeneously knitted part 5 with different functions, appearance, and texture therefrom by differentiating the way of knitting in the consecutive knitting process.

Abstract: A storage medium can be mounted at and dismounted from an information processing apparatus without having to dismount a storage medium adapter from the information processing apparatus, and one of the storage medium and the storage medium adapter can be selectively ejected, while providing an improvement of operating performance and the like. When the storage medium is ejected from the storage medium adapter, a first conveying roller rotates 90° counterclockwise by the forward rotation of a driving motor, and due to an arc portion contacting the storage medium, the storage medium is ejected by the first conveying roller and a first driven roller. When the storage medium adapter is ejected from a socket, a second conveying roller rotates 180° counterclockwise by the backward rotation of the driving motor, and due to an arc portion contacting the storage medium, the storage medium adapter is ejected by the second conveying roller and a second driven roller.

Abstract: There is disclosed a piezoelectric/electrostrictive device made of piezoelectric/electrostrictive film which includes: a substrate section; and an operation section disposed on the substrate section and constituted of a piezoelectric/electrostrictive film and an electrode film and which operates by displacement of the operation section. The operation section comprises the piezoelectric/electrostrictive films and electrode films alternately laminated so that uppermost and lowermost layers form the electrode films, the operation and substrate sections are integrally fired, and the substrate section is constituted of a ceramic which contains a titanium element. For the piezoelectric/electrostrictive device made of piezoelectric/electrostrictive film, a residual stress after firing hardly exists, therefore larger displacement is obtained with the same driving voltage, response speed is higher, and generation force is larger.

Abstract: There is disclosed a piezoelectric/electrostrictive device made of piezoelectric/electrostrictive film which includes: a substrate section; and an operation section disposed on the substrate section and constituted of a piezoelectric/electrostrictive film and an electrode film and which operates by displacement of the operation section. The operation section comprises the piezoelectric/electrostrictive films and electrode films alternately laminated so that uppermost and lowermost layers form the electrode films, the operation and substrate sections are integrally fired, and the substrate section is constituted of a ceramic which contains a titanium element. For the piezoelectric/electrostrictive device made of piezoelectric/electrostrictive film, a residual stress after firing hardly exists, therefore larger displacement is obtained with the same driving voltage, response speed is higher, and generation force is larger.

Abstract: A ceramic device has an actuator element which includes a shape-retaining layer, an upper electrode formed on an upper portion of the shape-retaining layer, and a lower electrode formed on a lower portion of the shape-retaining layer. A vibrating section of ceramics supports the actuator element and a fixed section of ceramics vibratingly supports the vibrating section. An electrode material of the lower electrode contacting the vibrating section contains an additive in an amount of 0.01% by weight to 20% by weight. The electrode material contains platinum as a major component, for example. The additive to the electrode material is preferably zirconium oxide, cerium oxide, or titanium oxide.

Abstract: A matrix type piezoelectric/electrostrictive (P/E) actuator includes a plurality of piezoelectric/electrostrictive elements, each including a piezoelectric/electrostrictive body and at least one pair of electrodes formed on a ceramic substrate. The matrix type P/E actuator is activated by the displacement of the piezoelectric/electrostrictive bodies. The piezoelectric/electrostrictive elements are joined to the ceramic substrate as respective unified bodies, and are two-dimensionally arranged independently from each other. The piezoelectric/electrostrictive actuator provides a greater displacement with a lower voltage, a high responsive speed, and a greater generating force, as well as enhancing the mounting ability and the integration. A method for manufacturing such a matrix type P/E actuator is also disclosed.

Abstract: A piezoelectric/electrostrictive structure includes a plurality of stacked sheet-shaped piezoelectric/electrostrictive bodies and at least one sheet of a thin film. The interfaces between the piezoelectric/electrostrictive bodies are exposed at side faces of the piezoelectric/electrostrictive structure, the side faces have notches, and at least one sheet of a thin film is placed on the notched portions of side faces. A method for manufacturing a piezoelectric/electrostrictive structure comprises stacking a plurality of ceramic green sheets made of a piezoelectric/electrostrictive material and firing the stacked ceramic green sheets to prepare fired piezoelectric/electrostrictive bodies and a step of forming at least one sheet of a thin film on side faces of the fired piezoelectric/electrostrictive bodies by a chemical vapor deposition process, the interfaces between the sheets are exposed at the side faces.

Abstract: A piezoelectric/electrostrictive device includes a pair of mutually opposing thin plate sections, a movable section, and a fixing section for supporting the thin plate sections and the movable section. Piezoelectric/electrostrictive elements are arranged on at least one thin plate section of the pair of thin plate sections. A hole is formed by both inner walls of the pair of thin plate sections, an inner wall of the movable section, and an inner wall of the fixing section. The piezoelectric/electrostrictive device further includes at least one beam section extending from the inner wall of the movable section to the inner wall of the fixing section.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for initial acquisition using an adaptive threshold includes performing a sort operation of a plurality of full-length correlator outputs and updating the adaptive threshold. Partial-length correlator outputs are generated and compared with an adaptive threshold. If a partial-length correlator output for a particular PN sequence timing is greater than or equal to the adaptive threshold, a full-length correlator output for that PN sequence timing is generated. A sort operation of a plurality of full-length correlator outputs is performed, and sort results are used to update the adaptive threshold. If a partial-length correlator output for a particular PN sequence timing is less than the adaptive threshold, a full-length correlator output for that PN sequence timing is not generated.

Abstract: An automatic frequency control (AFC) system adapted to compensate for an insufficient capture range is described herein. The AFC system may be implemented in a mobile station for use with a wireless communications system such as code division multiple access (CDMA). The AFC system determines if a transmission frequency is within a capture range. The AFC system modifies a reference frequency generated by the mobile station if the transmission frequency is not within the capture range.

Abstract: A piezoelectric/electrostrictive device is provided including a functional element. The functional element includes a base portion, a deformable portion assuming the form of a thin plate and extending from the base portion to thereby form a plane, a piezoelectric/electrostrictive element formed on the deformable portion, and a reflective portion extending from the deformable portion so as to form an active plane intersecting with the plane of the deformable portion and having a light-reflecting member disposed on the active plane. Operation of the piezoelectric/electrostrictive element causes the deformable portion to be deformed in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the deformable portion to thereby change a reflection angle of light reflected from the reflective portion.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a piezoelectric/electrostrictive device including a driving portion, a movable portion, and a fixing portion for holding the driving portion and the movable portion. The driving portion includes a pair of thin plate portions facing each other, and a film-like piezoelectric/electrostrictive element formed on at least a part of the outer surface of at least one of the thin plate portions. A ceramic green laminate including at least one ceramic green sheet constituting one of the thin plates and at least one ceramic green sheet having at least one hole formed thereon is formed. The ceramic green laminate is sintered to produce a ceramic laminate. A piezoelectric/electrostrictive element is formed by a film formation method on the outer surface of the thin plate portion of the ceramic laminate. The ceramic laminate is then cut with the piezoelectric/electrostrictive element formed thereon.

Abstract: A piezoelectric/electrostrictive device is provided, including a pair of mutually opposing thin plate sections and a fixation section for supporting the thin plate sections. A piezoelectric/electrostrictive element is arranged on each of the thin plate sections.

Abstract: A mass sensor in which a connection plate and a diaphragm are joined together at their respective sides; a sensing plate is joined to the connection plate at their respective sides in the direction perpendicular to the direction where the diaphragm is joined to the connection plate; a piezoelectric element consisting of a piezoelectric film and an electrode is installed on at least either one of plate surfaces of the sensing plate; and a resonating portion consisting of the diaphragm, the sensing plate, the connection plate, and the piezoelectric element is joined to a sensor substrate. Change in the mass of the diaphragm is measured by measuring change in the resonant frequency of the resonating portion accompanying the change in the mass of the diaphragm.

Abstract: A mass sensor in which a connection plate and a diaphragm are joined together at their respective side; a sensing plate is joined to the connection plate at their respective sides in the direction perpendicular to the direction where the diaphragm is joined to the connection plate; a piezoelectric element consisting of a piezoelectric film and an electrode is installed on at least either one of plate surfaces of the sensing plate; and a resonating portion consisting of the diaphragm, the sensing plate, the connection plate, and the piezoelectric element is joined to a sensor substrate. Change in the mass of the diaphragm is measured by measuring change in the resonant frequency of the resonating portion accompanying the change in the mass of the diaphragm.

Abstract: A matrix type piezoelectric/electrostrictive (P/E) actuator includes a plurality of piezoelectric/electrostrictive elements, each including a piezoelectric/electrostrictive body and at least one pair of electrodes formed on a ceramic substrate. The matrix type P/E actuator is activated by the displacement of the piezoelectric/electrostrictive bodies. The piezoelectric/electrostrictive elements are joined to the ceramic substrate as respective unified bodies, and are two-dimensionally arranged independently from each other. The piezoelectric/electrostrictive actuator provides a greater displacement with a lower voltage, a high responsive speed, and a greater generating force, as well as enhancing the mounting ability and the integration. A method for manufacturing such a matrix type P/E actuator is also disclosed.