Abstract: In a method of aligning a sheet on a tray, the sheet on the tray is transferred toward a stopper member in one direction by a transfer device. Then, the sheet is moved in a sheet width direction perpendicular to the one direction to align the sheet in the sheet width direction by an aligning device. Further, force is provided to the sheet on the tray to move the sheet in the one direction by the transfer device while the aligning device regulates the sheet in the sheet width direction.

Abstract: A sheet aligning apparatus includes a tray device for piling and storing sheets from a sheet outlet, a sheet discharging and delivering device arranged above the tray device, and a shift device for moving the sheet discharging and delivering device between an operating position of pressing the uppermost sheet with predetermined pressing force and a non-operating position of lightening or releasing pressing force. The apparatus also includes a regulating stopper member for colliding the sheets sent by the sheet discharging and delivering device at the sheet front or back ends for regulating sheet position, an aligning device for regulating the sheets on the tray in a direction crossing the sheet discharging direction, and a control device for controlling the sheet discharging and delivering device, the shift device and the aligning device.

Abstract: In a method of aligning a sheet on a tray, the sheet on the tray is transferred toward a stopper member in one direction by a transfer device. Then, the sheet is moved in a sheet width direction perpendicular to the one direction to align the sheet in the sheet width direction by an aligning device. Further, force is provided to the sheet on the tray to move the sheet in the one direction by the transfer device while the aligning device regulates the sheet in the sheet width direction.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided with a processing tray 42 to mount sheets ejected from an image formation section, aligning means (aligning plates 61, etc.) for aligning end portions of a sheet ejected on the processing tray 42, a post-processing apparatus 43 that performs binding processing on the sheets aligned by the aligning means, and moving means (unit moving motor 60, etc.) for moving the post-processing apparatus 43 to a plurality of post-processing positions set to perform the binding processing at different binding processing target position on the sheets, and moves the sheets to a post-processing undergoing position corresponding to the post-processing position substantially in parallel with a travel direction of the post-processing apparatus 43. It is thereby possible to perform the binding processing on the ejected sheets appropriately while implementing the apparatus compact in size.

Abstract: A sheet discharging device has a conveying weight for pressing a conveyed sheet to a caterpillar belt. The pressing force of the weight is increased both when the sheet is discharged from the caterpillar belt to a placement tray, and when the sheet is switched back and conveyed to the bottom of the caterpillar belt. The pressing force of the weight is increased concurrently with the driving of a paddle provided at an outlet of the placement tray. The pressing force is increased by a rubber piece provided on a paddle driving shaft that rotates out of phase with the paddle, so as to engage and press the conveying weight at a predetermined time. The device is capable of reliably conveying a wide variety of sheets onto a tray and transferring the conveyed sheets to a predetermined tray position.

Abstract: A sheet aligning apparatus includes a tray device for piling and storing sheets from a sheet outlet, a sheet discharging and delivering device arranged above the tray device, and a shift device for moving the sheet discharging and delivering device between an operating position of pressing the uppermost sheet with predetermined pressing force and a non-operating position of lightening or releasing pressing force. The apparatus also includes a regulating stopper member for colliding the sheets sent by the sheet discharging and delivering device at the sheet front or back ends for regulating sheet position, an aligning device for regulating the sheets on the tray in a direction crossing the sheet discharging direction, and a control device for controlling the sheet discharging and delivering device, the shift device and the aligning device.

Abstract: A sheet discharging device has a conveying weight for pressing a conveyed sheet to a caterpillar belt. The pressing force of the weight is increased both when the sheet is discharged from the caterpillar belt to a placement tray, and when the sheet is switched back and conveyed to the bottom of the caterpillar belt. The pressing force of the weight is increased concurrently with the driving of a paddle provided at an outlet of the placement tray. The pressing force is increased by a rubber piece provided on a paddle driving shaft that rotates out of phase with the paddle, so as to engage and press the conveying weight at a predetermined time. The device is capable of reliably conveying a wide variety of sheets onto a tray and transferring the conveyed sheets to a predetermined tray position.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided with a processing tray 42 to mount sheets ejected from an image formation section, aligning means (aligning plates 61, etc.) for aligning end portions of a sheet ejected on the processing tray 42, a post-processing apparatus 43 that performs binding processing on the sheets aligned by the aligning means, and moving means (unit moving motor 60, etc.) for moving the post-processing apparatus 43 to a plurality of post-processing positions set to perform the binding processing at different binding processing target position on the sheets, and moves the sheets to a post-processing undergoing position corresponding to the post-processing position substantially in parallel with a travel direction of the post-processing apparatus 43. It is thereby possible to perform the binding processing on the ejected sheets appropriately while implementing the apparatus compact in size.

Abstract: An alloyed hot-dip galvanized steel sheet is obtained by forming a hot-dip galvanized layer on the surface of the steel sheet and then alloying the steel sheet. The steel sheet exhibits a potential of −850 mV or less when it is immersed in a zinc sulfate-sodium chloride electrolyte. Alternatively, when it is electrolyzed according to constant potential electrolysis process in a zinc sulfate-sodium chloride electrolyte at a potential in a range from −940 mV to −920 mV, the quantity of electricity consumed is less than or equal to 0.5 C/cm2. The steel sheet exhibits excellent processability and particularly excellent sliding property.

Abstract: A method for determining a quantity of each of alloy phases in the plating layer includes subjecting each alloy phase in the plating layer to constant potential electrolysis in each of a plurality of ranges of potentials obtained on the basis of the immersion potential of each alloy phase and the immersion potential of a basis metal, by using a plated metal material having different kinds of alloy phases in the plating layer as the anode, to determine the quantity of each alloy phase in the plating layer on the basis of the quantity of electricity consumed in each range of the potentials during the electrolysis.

Abstract: A method for determining a quantity of each of alloy phases in the plating layer includes subjecting each alloy phase in the plating layer to constant potential electrolysis in each of a plurality of ranges of potentials obtained on the basis of the immersion potential of each alloy phase and the immersion potential of a basis metal, by using a plated metal material having different kinds of alloy phases in the plating layer as the anode, to determine the quantity of each alloy phase in the plating layer on the basis of the quantity of electricity consumed in each range of the potentials during the electrolysis.

Abstract: The present invention provides a pre-treatment apparatus for an analytical metal sample, the apparatus including (1) a treatment chamber having a sample charging port which can be opened and closed and provided at the top of the chamber, a sample discharging port which can be opened and closed and provided at the bottom of the chamber, and a gas inlet and gas outlet, (2) a sample carrying bar joined to a sample holder also used as a sputtering electrode, and provided to pass through at least one side wall of the treatment chamber so as to be substantially horizontally movable and axially rotatable, and (3) a sputtering counter electrode at least having portions arranged opposite to each other in a region not inhibiting the charge and discharge of an analytical metal sample so that the sample holder can be arranged in the counter electrode.

Abstract: An alloyed hot-dip galvanized steel sheet is obtained by forming a hot-dip galvanized layer on the surface of the steel sheet and then alloying the steel sheet. The steel sheet exhibits a potential of −850 mV or less when it is immersed in a zinc sulfate-sodium chloride electrolyte. Alternatively, when it is electrolyzed according to constant potential electrolysis process in a zinc sulfate-sodium chloride electrolyte at a potential in a range from −940 mV to −920 mV, the quantity of electricity consumed is less than or equal to 0.5 C/cm2. The steel sheet exhibits excellent processability and particularly excellent sliding property.

Abstract: Free fluorine is measured in a hydrofluoric acid-containing solution with a coexistent metallic ion based on a total fluorine concentration, a total acid concentration, a metallic ion concentration, the equilibrium constant of hydrofluoric acid, and equilibrium constants of metal fluoride complexes. It is possible to accurately analyze free fluorine in a hydrofluoric acid-containing solution without being affected by a coexistent metal and by the passage of time. This technique may be used to accurately control the concentration of free fluorine in a hydrofluoric acid-containing mixed acid pickling solution at the production site of a stainless steel so that improvement in descaling capability as well as reduction in the amount of chemical materials can be achieved.

Abstract: The present invention provides a pre-treatment apparatus for an analytical metal sample, the apparatus including (1) a treatment chamber having a sample charging port which can be opened and closed and provided at the top of the chamber, a sample discharging port which can be opened and closed and provided at the bottom of the chamber, and a gas inlet and gas outlet, (2) a sample carrying bar joined to a sample holder also used as a sputtering electrode, and provided to pass through at least one side wall of the treatment chamber so as to be substantially horizontally movable and axially rotatable, and (3) a sputtering counter electrode at least having portions arranged opposite to each other in a region not inhibiting the charge and discharge of an analytical metal sample so that the sample holder can be arranged in the counter electrode.

Abstract: A sheet alignment device is provided with a movable aligning member and a variable push member, movable to push one or more sheets fed onto a tray toward a sheet aligning reference surface defined on the tray, thus to align the sheets. The sheets of large size are pushed at the point close to the center of gravity of the sheets toward the aligning reference surface mainly by the variable push member, and the sheets of small size are pushed at the point close to the center of gravity of the sheets toward the aligning reference surface mainly by the movable aligning member. The sheets of any size can be properly pushed stably without experiencing an undesirable rotational moment, thus to be exactly aligned.

Abstract: A pretreatment method for element analysis of metal samples removes contaminants on the surface of the metal sample by sputtering while at least one electrode for sputtering is cooled. A pretreatment apparatus for element analysis of metal samples for performing the method includes a cathode for holding the metal sample, anodes arranged to counter the cathode for sputtering, and a pretreatment chamber to store the cathode, anodes and metal sample under an inert gas atmosphere. The apparatus includes a cooling device for cooling at least one of the electrodes. The cathode and the anodes may be interchanged in the apparatus.

Abstract: In a sheet storage apparatus having a plurality of bin trays for stacking sheets fed sequentially from an image forming device into sheaves of sheets, sheet accommodating spaces formed on the respective bin trays for receiving the sheets fed from the image forming device are made wide at a sheet intake position so as to successfully introduce the sheets thereinto and narrow at the positions above and below the sheet intake position so as to effectively store the sheets. When the sheets introduced into the sheet accommodating space at the sheet intake position comes to a prescribed number or height, the bin trays are moved upward or downward to narrow the sheet accommodating spaces, thus to compress a bulky stack of sheets. When taking out the finished sheaves of sheets from the apparatus, the sheet accommodating spaces formed between the bin trays are made relatively wide.

Abstract: A coating solution for forming an insulating film used in production of semiconductor devices includes siloxanes represented by a general formula:[SiR.sub.3 O.sub.1/2 ].sub.k [SiR.sub.2 O.sub.2/2 ].sub.l [SiRO.sub.3/2 ].sub.m [SiO.sub.4/2 ].sub.nwhere each of k, l, m and n is an integer, R may be the same or different and represents at least one organic group, and a ratio of (3k+21+m) to (k+l+m+n) is between about 0.8 and about 1.3. The present invention further relates to a method for preparing the coating solution, and a method for forming the insulating film using the coating solution, including the steps of coating the coating solution on a surface of a substrate of the semiconductor device to form a coated film, fluidizing the coated film at a temperature between about 150.degree. C. to about 300.degree. C. to planarize the surface of the substrate, and curing the fluidized coated film to form the insulating film.

Abstract: A coating solution for forming an insulating film used in production of semiconductor devices includes siloxanes represented by a general formula:?SiR.sub.3 O.sub.1/2 !.sub.k ?SiR.sub.2 O.sub.2/2 !.sub.l ?SiRO.sub.3/2 !.sub.m ?SiO.sub.4/2 !.sub.nwhere each of k, l, m and n is an integer, R may be the same or different and represents at least one organic group, and a ratio of (3k+2l+m) to (k+l+m+n) is between about 0.8 and about 1.3. The present invention further relates to a method for preparing the coating solution, and a method for forming the insulating film using the coating solution, including the steps of coating the coating solution on a surface of a substrate of the semiconductor device to form a coated film, fluidizing the coated film at a temperature between about 150.degree. C. to about 300.degree. C. to planarize the surface of the substrate, and curing the fluidized coated film to form the insulating film.