Abstract: A substrate holder for holding a substrate, such as a wafer, is disclosed. The substrate holder includes a seal ring which can be brought into contact with a peripheral portion of the substrate, a support ring supporting the seal ring, and a fixing ring pressing the seal ring against the support ring. The fixing ring includes an annular portion having an inner circumferential surface and an outer circumferential surface, each of which is constituted by a tapered surface. The fixing ring further includes a seal-ring pressing portion connected to the annular portion, and a regulation ring projecting radially inwardly from the seal-ring pressing portion. The regulation ring has an inside diameter which is smaller than an inside diameter of the seal ring.

Abstract: Since a shape of a stator 44 is made mirror symmetric with respect to a rotor 45 as a 4-pole/6-slot type, rotational deflection of the rotor 45 can be suppressed. As the minimum number of poles and the minimum number of slots, which can suppress the rotational deflection of the rotor 45, a frequency of magnetic noises approaches a frequency of mechanical noises. Thus, it is possible to integrate the whole noises generated by the DR-side wiper motor 21 into a low frequency range thereof, and to make the acoustic sensitivity (dB) of a vehicle interior smaller. Since the stator 44 is fixed inside a housing 40 and mounting legs fixed to a vehicle body fixed portion are provided in the housing 40, the stator 40, which is a source of the magnetic noises, can be fixed to a vehicle via only the housing 40. Therefore, a brushless wiper motor with quietness improved further can be designed.

Abstract: There is disclosed a plating apparatus which can dispose an anode, a substrate and a regulation plate parallel to each other in such a manner that the center of the anode, the center of the substrate and the center of an opening of the regulation plate are aligned in a straight line. A frame of the plating apparatus includes: a support for supporting upper portions of an anode holder, a substrate holder and the regulation plate; a box structure secured to the support; an upper positioning structure for fixing a relative position between the support and the upper portions of the anode holder, the substrate holder and the regulation plate; and a lower positioning structure for fixing a relative position between the box structure and lower portions of the anode holder, the substrate holder and the regulation plate.

Abstract: The swing member (63) to be subjected to swinging drive is integrally provided to the output shaft (56) outside the speed reducer case (52), the speed reducer case (52) is provided with a pair of swing regulating portions (61, 62) which prevents the swing member (63) from being moved beyond the wiping-allowable limit angle (b°) by contacting the swing member (63). As a result, the swing member (63) and the swing regulating portions (61, 62) can collectively form the regulating member (60). As a result, essential components (such as fixing plate) can be omitted from the conventional wiper apparatus. Therefore, the wiper apparatus can be improved in assembly workability, size and weight by reducing the number of components thereof, and provided with a regulating member (60) which prevents the wiper member being moved beyond the wiping-allowable limit angle (b°).

Abstract: In a brush holder accommodating part 26d of a gear housing 26, paired flat surface parts 26c and paired curved parts 26b are alternately disposed so as to be formed into an elliptical shape, one of the paired flat surface parts is formed with first heat sinks 26i, and two brushes 20 and 20 mounted on a brush holder unit 19 accommodated in the brush holder accommodating part 26d are disposed near the first heat sinks 26i.

Abstract: Since a shape of a stator 44 is made mirror symmetric with respect to a rotor 45 as a 4-pole/6-slot type, rotational deflection of the rotor 45 can be suppressed. As the minimum number of poles and the minimum number of slots, which can suppress the rotational deflection of the rotor 45, a frequency of magnetic noises approaches a frequency of mechanical noises. Thus, it is possible to integrate the whole noises generated by the DR-side wiper motor 21 into a low frequency range thereof, and to make the acoustic sensitivity (dB) of a vehicle interior smaller. Since the stator 44 is fixed inside a housing 40 and mounting legs fixed to a vehicle body fixed portion are provided in the housing 40, the stator 40, which is a source of the magnetic noises, can be fixed to a vehicle via only the housing 40. Therefore, a brushless wiper motor with quietness improved further can be designed.

Abstract: A wiper device is provided. An operating range of each of two sets of wiper arm units can be properly restricted. A first wiper arm unit is prevented from colliding with a first front pillar or a dash panel when a first output shaft of a first speed reduction mechanism has rotated beyond a first control angle, and a second wiper arm unit is prevented from colliding with a second front pillar or the dash panel when a second output shaft of a second speed reduction mechanism has rotated beyond a second control angle.

Abstract: Provided is a cleaning blade including: an elastic member; and a supporting member supporting the elastic member. The elastic member includes a free end portion, and the free end portion has an edge and a first surface and a second surface that form the edge. At least one of the first surface and the second surface has a hardened surface. The following expression (1): 0.1?DHs?0.4 and the following expression (2): DHs<DHm are satisfied, where DHs (mN/?m2) represents a dynamic hardness of the hardened surface, and DHm (mN/?m2) represents a maximum value of the dynamic hardness obtained in a positional range in which a distance L from the edge on a straight line that bisects an angle of the edge in a cross-section of the elastic member orthogonal to a longitudinal direction thereof satisfies 0 ?m<L?100 ?m.

Abstract: In a brush holder accommodating part 26d of a gear housing 26, paired flat surface parts 26c and paired curved parts 26b are alternately disposed so as to be formed into an elliptical shape, one of the paired flat surface parts is formed with first heat sinks 26i, and two brushes 20 and 20 mounted on a brush holder unit 19 accommodated in the brush holder accommodating part 26d are disposed near the first heat sinks 26i.

Abstract: There is disclosed an improved leak checking method which can accurately test a sealing performance of a substrate holder more than conventional leak check techniques. The leak checking method includes: holding a substrate with a substrate holder, the substrate holder including a first holding member and a second holding member, the second holding member having an opening through which a surface of the substrate is exposed; pressing a sealing projection of the second holding member against the surface of the substrate when holding the substrate with the substrate holder; covering the surface of the substrate, exposed through the opening, and the sealing projection with a sealing cap; forming a hermetic space between the sealing cap and the substrate holder; introducing a pressurized gas into the hermetic space; and detecting a decrease in pressure of the pressurized gas in the hermetic space.

Abstract: Since a shape of a stator 44 is made mirror symmetric with respect to a rotor 45 as a 4-pole/6-slot type, rotational deflection of the rotor 45 can be suppressed. As the minimum number of poles and the minimum number of slots, which can suppress the rotational deflection of the rotor 45, a frequency of magnetic noises approaches a frequency of mechanical noises. Thus, it is possible to integrate the whole noises generated by the DR-side wiper motor 21 into a low frequency range thereof, and to make the acoustic sensitivity (dB) of a vehicle interior smaller. Since the stator 44 is fixed inside a housing 40 and mounting legs fixed to a vehicle body fixed portion are provided in the housing 40, the stator 40, which is a source of the magnetic noises, can be fixed to a vehicle via only the housing 40. Therefore, a brushless wiper motor with quietness improved further can be designed.

Abstract: A brushless motor comprises: a stator 21 having armature coils 21a, 21b, and 21c; a rotor 22 which is rotated by a revolving magnetic field; and a switching element 30a, wherein the brushless motor has a rotation number control unit 33 which switches between low-speed and high-speed mode, wherein in the low-speed mode, the rotation number control unit 33 supplies current to the armature coils 21a, 21b, and 21c at predetermined energization timing and controls a duty ratio to control the rotation number of the rotor 22, and in the high-speed mode, the rotation number control unit 33 supplies current to the armature coils 21a, 21b, and 21c at energization timing advanced from the energization timing for the low-speed mode, thereby performing field weakening control of weakening the revolving magnetic field from that of the low-speed mode to control the rotation number of the rotor 22.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a wiper apparatus reduced in the number of parts. A wiper apparatus 40A has: a drive mechanism 13 for driving a wiper 12 for wiping a front windshield of a vehicle; a gear case 17 in which the drive mechanism 13 is housed, and which is fixed to a vehicle body, wherein the wiper apparatus 40A has: a fixing part 35 provided in the gear case 17 and fixed to the vehicle body; and a fixing part 36 provided in the gear case 17 and fixed to the vehicle body at a position different from a fixed position of the fixing part 35 in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle body.

Abstract: A substrate plating apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a substrate holder; a plating bath configured to plate a surface of the substrate in a plating solution; a cleaning bath configured to clean the substrate holder and the substrate with a cleaning liquid; an inner shell disposed in the cleaning bath and configured to house the substrate holder holding the substrate therein; and a cleaning liquid supply conduit configured to supply a cleaning liquid into the inner shell to clean the substrate, together with the substrate holder, with the cleaning liquid. The inner shell has an inner surface having an uneven configuration that follows an uneven exterior configuration of the substrate holder holding the substrate.

Abstract: A brushless motor comprises: a stator 21 having armature coils 21a, 21b, and 21c; a rotor 22 which is rotated by a revolving magnetic field; and a switching element 30a, wherein the brushless motor has a rotation number control unit 33 which switches between low-speed and high-speed mode, wherein in the low-speed mode, the rotation number control unit 33 supplies current to the armature coils 21a, 21b, and 21c at predetermined energization timing and controls a duty ratio to control the rotation number of the rotor 22, and in the high-speed mode, the rotation number control unit 33 supplies current to the armature coils 21a, 21b, and 21c at energization timing advanced from the energization timing for the low-speed mode, thereby performing field weakening control of weakening the revolving magnetic field from that of the low-speed mode to control the rotation number of the rotor 22.

Abstract: In a brushless wiper motor, first and second pressing claws (43a and 43b) are formed on an outer periphery (OP) of steel sheets (34a) forming a stator core (34), and press-fitted to an inner periphery (IP) of the motor housing unit (31) so that the stator core (34) is fixed to the motor housing unit (31), base end portions of the first and second pressing claws (43a and 43b) are respectively connected to first and second walls formed on the outer periphery (OP) of the steel sheets (34a), and tip end portions of the first and second pressing claws (43a and 43b) each serves as a free end, and are directed in a circumferential direction of the stator core (34).

Abstract: A brushless motor comprises: a stator 21 having armature coils 21a, 21b, and 21c; a rotor 22 which is rotated by a revolving magnetic field; and a switching element 30a, wherein the brushless motor has a rotation number control unit 33 which switches between low-speed and high-speed mode, wherein in the low-speed mode, the rotation number control unit 33 supplies current to the armature coils 21a, 21b, and 21c at predetermined energization timing and controls a duty ratio to control the rotation number of the rotor 22, and in the high-speed mode, the rotation number control unit 33 supplies current to the armature coils 21a, 21b, and 21c at energization timing advanced from the energization timing for the low-speed mode, thereby performing field weakening control of weakening the revolving magnetic field from that of the low-speed mode to control the rotation number of the rotor 22.

Abstract: A brushless motor comprises: a stator 21 having armature coils 21a, 21b, and 21c; a rotor 22 which is rotated by a revolving magnetic field; and a switching element 30a, wherein the brushless motor has a rotation number control unit 33 which switches between low-speed and high-speed mode, wherein in the low-speed mode, the rotation number control unit 33 supplies current to the armature coils 21a, 21b, and 21c at predetermined energization timing and controls a duty ratio to control the rotation number of the rotor 22, and in the high-speed mode, the rotation number control unit 33 supplies current to the armature coils 21a, 21b, and 21c at energization timing advanced from the energization timing for the low-speed mode, thereby performing field weakening control of weakening the revolving magnetic field from that of the low-speed mode to control the rotation number of the rotor 22.

Abstract: Provided is a cleaning blade including: an elastic member; and a supporting member supporting the elastic member. The elastic member includes a free end portion, and the free end portion has an edge and a first surface and a second surface that form the edge. At least one of the first surface and the second surface has a hardened surface. The following expression (1): 0.1?DHs?0.4 and the following expression (2): DHs<DHm are satisfied, where DHs (mN/?m2) represents a dynamic hardness of the hardened surface, and DHm (mN/?m2) represents a maximum value of the dynamic hardness obtained in a positional range in which a distance L from the edge on a straight line that bisects an angle of the edge in a cross-section of the elastic member orthogonal to a longitudinal direction thereof satisfies 0 ?m<L?100 ?m.

Abstract: A brushless motor comprises: a stator 21 having armature coils 21a, 21b, and 21c; a rotor 22 which is rotated by a revolving magnetic field; and a switching element 30a, wherein the brushless motor has a rotation number control unit 33 which switches between low-speed and high-speed mode, wherein in the low-speed mode, the rotation number control unit 33 supplies current to the armature coils 21a, 21b, and 21c at predetermined energization timing and controls a duty ratio to control the rotation number of the rotor 22, and in the high-speed mode, the rotation number control unit 33 supplies current to the armature coils 21a, 21b, and 21c at energization timing advanced from the energization timing for the low-speed mode, thereby performing field weakening control of weakening the revolving magnetic field from that of the low-speed mode to control the rotation number of the rotor 22.