Abstract: A portable information terminal includes a body casing which incorporates a function unit for transmitting and receiving information and has a groove portion with a plane bottom, and a card casing which is reversibly and slidably attached in the plane-bottom groove portion of the body casing and has an operation unit. The plane-bottom groove portion of the body casing has a rectangular shape with side surfaces opposed to each other and a pair of guide grooves are formed on the opposed surfaces thereof. The card casing has a rectangular shape substantially similar to that of the plane-bottom groove portion and has a pair of pins near the end portions of the opposed side surfaces. The card casing is attached to the body casing by inserting the pair of pins into the pair of guide grooves.

Abstract: A hybrid fuel cell system including a fuel cell for generating electric power by reacting fuel gas and oxidant gas, current restricting structure for restricting an output current of the fuel cell, a storage cell connected parallel to a series circuit comprising the fuel cell and the current restricting structure for helping the fuel cell to supply electric power to an external load, external load fluctuation detecting structure for detecting a fluctuation in the current demanded by the external load and current limitation adjusting structure for following the fluctuation in the current demanded by the external load by changing the restriction of the output current of the fuel cell which is made by the current restricting structure, with the passage of time.

Abstract: In a photomagnetic eraser, information recorded on a magnetic-layer of a photomagnetic recording medium is erased or initialized by applying light over the photomagnetic recording medium from a light source in a reflector with heating and also by supplying a magnetic field to the photomagnetic recording medium along its axis of easy magnetization. In one form, a plurality of light sources may be disposed in the concave surface of a single reflector. Alternatively, the photomagnetic recording medium may be double-faced, and the light source and reflector may be disposed on each side of the double-face recording medium.

Abstract: In a magneto-optical eraser, information recorded on a magnetic layer of a magneto-optical recording medium is erased or initialized by applying light over the magneto-optical recording medium from a light source (13,43) in a reflector to heat the magneto-optical recording medium and also by supplying a magnetic field to the magneto-optical recording medium along its axis of easy magnetization. In one form, a plurality of light sources (13) may be disposed in the surface of a single reflector (12). Alternatively, the magneto-optical recording medium may be double-faced, and a light source and reflector may be disposed on each side of the double-face recording medium. A pre-heater (52) may increase the temperature within a glass housing (50,51) to a temperature less than the softening point of the medium substrate.

Abstract: An apparatus which inspects disc-shaped information recording media, such as optical disks and magnetic disks, in a single reproduction. The apparatus detects the type of defect and classifies the defects into defect clusters by the defect position in the radial and circumferential directions. Type of defect or defect cluster, position and size are memorized.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a master disk used as a matrix for manufacturing a stamper by transferring, which is used for reproducing an optical disk, the master disk according to the present invention is provided with an appointed number of calibration tracks formed at an appointed pitch symmetrically relative to the center of guide tracks in the area including a position corresponding to an edge portion of a center hole of the stamper, whereby the center hole of the stamper can be easily formed concentrically with the guide tracks of the master disk and the tolerance of diameter of the center hole or the eccentricity between the center of the center hole and the center of the guide track can be easily measured.

Abstract: The apparatus inspects defects on tracks of an object to be inspected such as an optical disc or stamper. The apparatus has a defect detector, a controller for controlling the movement of the object, and a microscope for observing the tracks of the object. Position information on defects is obtained by the detector and, according to this position information, the object is moved so that the defects can be in the visual field of the microscope.