Abstract: A document feeding apparatus in which the vibration of a document by the shock when the trailing edge of the document has passed an ante-reading roller is prevented to thereby prevent the misregister or distortion of a read image.

Abstract: A sheet containing apparatus including: a sheet stacking portion which is provided in an apparatus main body and on which sheets are stacked; and a regulating member provided on the sheet stacking portion so as to be movable according to the size of the sheets stacked on the sheet stacking portion and adapted to abut against edges of the stacked sheets to regulate the position of the sheets, in which there is provided a positioning member for effecting positioning on the regulating member on upper and lower sides with respect to the apparatus main body.

Abstract: A solid-state image sensor having high condensability is provided. This solid-state image sensor comprises a plurality of photodetection parts formed on a substrate and a plurality of lenses consisting of an inorganic insulator for condensing light on the photodetection parts, while each adjacent pair of lenses are so connected with each other as to include no substantially flat region on the boundary therebetween and the boundary between each adjacent pair of lenses has a prescribed thickness.

Abstract: A sheet containing device including a device frame, a sheet stacking portion that is provided in the device frame and supports sheets, an end regulating portion that abuts against an end of sheets stacked on the sheet stacking portion to perform positional regulation of the sheets, a hitting member that is arranged between the device frame and the end regulating member and moves in accordance with the movement of the end regulating member, and an abutting member for abutting the hitting member in a position to which the hitting member moves, in which deflection of the end regulating member is restricted by the device frame through the hitting member and the abutting member.

Abstract: A solid state image device capable of improving charge transfer efficiency by reducing the interval between adjacent gate electrodes and reducing power consumption by reducing parasitic capacitances while obtaining a signal having small noise is provided. This solid state image device comprises a first gate electrode, formed on a gate insulator film, having a substantially flat upper surface and a second gate electrode formed on the gate insulator film through an insulator film having a thickness smaller than the minimum limit dimension of lithography to be adjacent to the first gate electrode without overlapping the first gate electrode.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus main body for containing sheets in the inside thereof includes: a first cover and a second cover which are openable and closable; and a detecting sensor for detecting an opening and closing of the first cover. The detecting sensor does not detect closing of the first cover when the first cover is closed in a state in which the second cover is opened and detects closing of the first cover when the first cover is closed in a state in which the second cover is closed.

Abstract: A solid state image device capable of attaining high condensability also when integrating an optical lens and a solid state image sensor with each other is provided. This solid state image device comprises an optical lens, a solid state image sensor including a microlens, and a resin layer formed between the optical lens and the microlens of the solid state image sensor. Thus, the solid state image device can refract light incident upon the microlens from the resin layer also when the resin layer is formed between the solid state image sensor and the optical lens.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device capable of improving reliability of a gate insulator film is obtained. This method of fabricating a semiconductor device comprises a step of forming a gate insulator film on the main surface of a semiconductor layer by heat treatment, and the step of forming the gate insulator film includes a step of performing the heat treatment in an atmosphere containing oxidizing gas at a temperature exceeding the temperature causing viscous flow of the gate insulator film thereby forming the gate insulator film on the main surface of the semiconductor layer.

Abstract: A main body of an image forming apparatus has an image forming section to which a sheet is fed from an optional sheet deck when it is coupled to the main body. The sheet fed from the sheet feeding device is received and then forwarded to the image forming section by a sheet conveyor unit which is demountably provided in the main body of the image forming apparatus and is formed of a frame, a pair of conveying rollers within the frame, and a guide.

Abstract: A charge-coupled device capable of attaining excellent performance with a single-layer gate electrode structure is obtained. This charge-coupled device, having a single-layer gate electrode structure, comprises a gate insulator film formed on a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of partitions, consisting of an insulator, formed on the gate insulator film, and concave gate electrodes, arranged between adjacent ones of the partitions, having side surfaces formed along side portions of the partitions. Thus, when the partitions are formed with a width of not more than the minimum critical dimension of lithography, the interval between the adjacent gate electrodes is not more than the minimum critical dimension of lithography.

Abstract: A document feeding apparatus in which the vibration of a document by the shock when the trailing edge of the document has passed an ante-reading roller is prevented to thereby prevent the misregister or distortion of a read image.

Abstract: A sheet containing apparatus including: a sheet stacking portion which is provided in an apparatus main body and on which sheets are stacked; and a regulating member provided on the sheet stacking portion so as to be movable according to the size of the sheets stacked on the sheet stacking portion and adapted to abut against edges of the stacked sheets to regulate the position of the sheets, in which there is provided a positioning member for effecting positioning on the regulating member on upper and lower sides with respect to the apparatus main body.

Abstract: A sheet containing device including a device frame, a sheet stacking portion that is provided in the device frame and supports sheets, an end regulating portion that abuts against an end of sheets stacked on the sheet stacking portion to perform positional regulation of the sheets, a hitting member that is arranged between the device frame and the end regulating member and moves in accordance with the movement of the end regulating member, and an abutting member for abutting the hitting member in a position to which the hitting member moves, in which deflection of the end regulating member is restricted by the device frame through the hitting member and the abutting member.

Abstract: The present invention related to a sheet conveying apparatus comprising a first unit, a second unit and a guide member. The first unit includes a first sheet conveyance route, a second sheet conveyance route, a first delivery opening for delivering, from the first unit, a sheet or sheets from the first sheet conveyance route, and a second delivery opening for delivering, from the second unit, a sheet or sheets from the second sheet conveyance route. The second unit is positioned with a space to the first unit, the second unit having a third sheet conveyance route, and a single introduction opening for introducing, to the third sheet conveyance route, a sheet or sheets delivered from the first delivery opening and the second delivery opening.

Abstract: A main body of an image forming apparatus has an image forming section to which a sheet is fed from an optional sheet deck when it is coupled to the main body. The sheet fed from the sheet feeding device is received and then forwarded to the image forming section by a sheet conveyor unit which is demountably provided in the main body of the image forming apparatus and is formed of a frame, a pair of conveying rollers within the frame, and a guide.

Abstract: A magneto-resistance effect element includes an oxide substrate having on its surface steps of atomic layer level and on the substrate an epitaxially grown ferromagnetic oxide thin film, the thin film formed on the atomic layer level steps having an antiphased domain boundary.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus capable of preventing the return of a power supply switch from being forgotten and eliminating the troubles due to the forgetting of this return and having a sheet processing device attached to the main body thereof. The sheet processing device includes a driving source for actuating the sheet processing device, a power supply for supplying the power to the driving source and a switch for the switching of the power supply to ON/OFF, wherein the switch becomes switchable to ON condition on detaching the outer cover of the sheet processing device and is switched to OFF condition on attaching the outer cover.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sheet supplying apparatus removably connected to an under side of an image forming apparatus to supply a sheet to the image forming apparatus. The apparatus has a main body connected to the under side of the image forming apparatus, a sheet supporting plate provided within the main body of sheet supplying apparatus to support a sheet, sheet supply rotary member for feeding out the sheet from the sheet supporting plate, a convey unit rotatably supported within the main body of sheet supplying apparatus to supply the sheet fed out by the sheet supply rotary member to a sheet receiving opening provided at a side surface of the image forming apparatus, and a positioning unit for positioning the convey unit in the vicinity of the sheet receiving opening.

Abstract: This invention relates to a sheet feeding apparatus having sheet carrying device unit for carrying sheets suspended by suspending unit, which is taken up by winding unit and thereby moves the sheet carrying device up and down to render the sheets fed from the topmost side of the sheets. Connection positions between the suspending unit and the sheet carrying device are located, in a direction perpendicular to a feeding direction of the sheets, at positions on a side of the sheet reference which is one end in the direction perpendicular to the feeding direction of the sheets, closer to the center of the sheets with respect to a position of a suspending original point of the suspending unit located over the sheet carrying device.