Abstract: A flow of liquid containing floating fine particles is formed in a flow path, thereby causing successive movement of the particles. A light beam having intensity distribution from a laser is focused on the liquid flow, whereby the particle is optically trapped at the irradiating position, thus being stopped against the liquid flow or being slowed by a braking force. This phenomenon is utilized in controlling the spacing of the particles in the flow or in separating the particles.

Abstract: On a slab-like board formed of a transparent material is closely attached a wedge-shaped transparent cover member provided with a recess in a central inner portion, thereby to form a clearance. The height of the clearance between the recess and the board is configured to decrease continuously or in steps. When an immunological active substance such as a monoclonal antibody is caused to sensitize carrier particles F, and a reagent having the carrier particles F dispersed into a liquid medium mainly composed of the water is mixed with a specimen, the reaction will occur in which the flocculate is formed from plural carrier particles. When this reaction liquid is poured into the clearance through the opening, the reaction liquid penetrates in the direction having a narrower vertical spacing due to surface tension. A single carrier particle unflocculated can move deep within the recess because it is small in diameter, but the flocculate G is trapped on its way and can not move because of its size.

Abstract: An apparatus is so constructed as to measure a specific substance in a test specimen by the degree of the aggregation of carrier particles in a reaction solution in which the test specimen is mixed with the carrier particles which carry a substance specifically binding to the specific substance. The apparatus includes a substrate having comb-shaped electrodes mounting the reaction solution and amplifier and alternating oscillator for displaying a variable voltage to the comb-shaped electrodes. The test specimen measuring apparatus having the structure accelerates the aggregation of the reaction solution by applying an alternating voltate to the comb-shaped electrodes in a state that the reaction solution is being mounted on the substrate, and detects the spatial spectrum of the comb-shaped electrodes on which the reaction solution is mounted, thus performing the qualitative or quantitative detection of the presence of the substance in the test specimen.

Abstract: An injection port for injecting a sample, an accumulation portion for accumulating the injected sample having a reagent carrier enclosed, a flow passage portion, having a light receiving element at a measuring position located halfway thereof, for passing a reaction fluid having reacted with the reagent in the accumulation portion therethrough, a micro-pump having a feed action of the sample fluid within the flow passage portion and which is a heat generating element provided near a nozzle downstream of the measuring position of the flow passage portion are formed integrally and intensively as a cartridge by a producing method including a semiconductor fabrication process.

Abstract: An image fixing apparatus includes a heater; a film movable in contact with the heater at one side thereof and in contact with a recording material at the other side thereof, wherein a visualized image on the recording material is heated and fixed by heat from the heater through the film; the heater including a heat generating layer extending in a direction crossing a movement direction of the film, for producing the heat by the application of a voltage between its longitudinal opposite ends; an electric path branched out of an image fixing part of the heat generating layer; and a selector for selecting the electric path in accordance with a size of the recording material.

Abstract: A developing apparatus for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on a movable image bearing member includes a rotatable developer carrying member for carrying a developer into a developing zone where an image bearing member and the developer carrying member are faced and where the electrostatic latent image on the image bearing member is developed, a magnet stationarily disposed in the developer carrying member, wherein the magnet forms in the developing zone such a magnetic field that a peak position of a magnetic flux density of the magnetic field in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the developer carrying member is in the developing zone, and wherein a magnetic confining force in the perpendicular direction in the developing zone is so distributed that it is stronger downstream of a position where the image bearing member and the developer carrying member are closest with respect to a movement direction of the image bearing member than at the closest position.

Abstract: Electrophotographic copying apparatus of this invention includes an electrophotographic photosensitive member, elements for forming an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive member, and for liquid developing the latent image, and elements for removing an excess liquid developer after the development and for applying thereafter substantially uniformly an electric field on the surface of the photosensitive member with the aid, for example, of a corona discharger or an electrode. The developed image is then transferred onto a transfer material and the photosensitive member is cleaned after the transfer, wherein each of these last two functions may be accomplished by conventional elements.