Abstract: A coated film with no observable streak is formed. The landing positions of a first discharge liquid discharged through a first printing head and the landing positions of a second discharge liquid discharged through a second printing head are disposed in a mixed manner in an area on a substrate where the first printing head and the second printing head overlap. Which discharge liquids are to be landed is determined according to random numbers. Since a coated film which is formed with the first and second discharge liquids in a mixed manner is disposed between a coated film formed with the first discharge liquids and a coated film formed with the second discharge liquids, a boundary is obscured and no streak appears.

Abstract: A stage apparatus enables easy position alignment at a real installation site. Mounts 25 having sub base plates 21 arranged thereon are provided on carriages 25 and thereby constitute sub mounting tables 20a to 20d; and the mounts 25 are fixed to a main mounting table 10 having a main base plate 11. The positions of main base plate 11 and sub base plates 21 are aligned with each other by adjustment mechanisms 30 provided on the sub mounting tables 20a to 20d. As main positioning members 16 and sub positioning members 241, 242 are arranged on the main mounting table 10 and sub mounting tables 20a to 20d, separation can be performed so that a state of position alignment is restorable. Accordingly, position alignment is easy when assembling after transportation.

Abstract: A method is provided which manufactures a vane used for an oil-sealed rotary vacuum pump and having at least a part formed of a resin material, the method including: an oil impregnating process of immersing the vane into oil used for the oil-sealed rotary vacuum pump under a depressurized condition, the oil impregnating process being carried out before a finishing process of finishing the vane into a final shape.

Abstract: There is provided a small-sized and inexpensive rotational adjustment apparatus for a linearly moveable inkjet coating head 6 without providing a rotary mechanism which is separate from and independent of a linear movement mechanism. The apparatus is capable of performing a rotational adjustment, about a rotary axis in a Z-axis direction, of the inkjet coating head in which the Z-axis direction is orthogonal to an X-axis direction which is a direction of movement of the coating head. The apparatus has: first and second moveable bodies, two in total, which are linearly moved by separate driving sources in the X-axis direction; and a converting mechanism which converts the inkjet coating head into a linear movement in the X-axis direction when the first and second moveable bodies synchronously move in the X-axis direction, and into a rotary movement, about the rotary axis of the inkjet coating head, when both the first and the second moveable bodies make a relative movement in the X-axis direction.

Abstract: An assembling method that is high in assembly accuracy and easily performed at the actual installation site is provided. In this method, the sub base plates on the sub mounting tables are aligned with respect to a main base plate on a main mounting table at a temporary installation site, and the state thereof is maintained. Then, the main mounting table and the sub mounting tables are separated from each other to be transferred to the actual installation site, and the positioning state is restored at the actual installation site. Since a positional alignment can be performed at the temporary installation site, the work required at the actual installation site can be reduced. Furthermore, since a fine adjustment can be performed at the actual installation site, the accuracy in the positional alignment can be improved.

Abstract: The backing pressure of an ink tank is controlled. The ink tank is connected to a pressure control apparatus. The pressure control apparatus has first and second check valves. When the internal pressure of the ink tank becomes smaller than that of outside atmosphere by a first predetermined pressure or more, the first check valve is switched into an open state to connect the outside atmosphere and the ink tank. To the contrary, when the internal pressure of the ink tank becomes larger than that of outside atmosphere by a second predetermined pressure or more, the second check valve is switched to an open state to connect the ink tank with the outside atmosphere. Therefore, the internal pressure of the ink tank is controlled precisely enough to stabilize the meniscus.

Abstract: The back pressure of an ink tank is controlled. A porous body is arranged inside the ink tank, the lower end of the porous body contacts an ink, and the ink ascends inside the porous body due to a capillary force. The upper end of the porous body is not immersed in the ink, and a maximum ascending force acts upon the ink stored in the ink tank. Therefore, the ink does not leak from a discharge head located lower than the ink tank. Further, because the ink is accumulated under the porous body and the amount of the ink contacting the porous body is small, components of the ink are less susceptible to deterioration.

Abstract: A photovoltaic cell manufacturing method includes: forming a photoelectric converter including a plurality of compartment elements, the compartment elements adjacent to each other being electrically connected; determining the compartment element having a structural defect in the photoelectric converter; narrowing down a region in which the structural defect exists in the compartment element based on a resistance distribution which is obtained by measuring resistances of a plurality of portions between the compartment elements adjacent to each other, image-capturing the inside of the narrowed region in which the structural defect exists by use of an image capturing section, accurately determining a position of the structural defect from the obtained image so that a portion in which the structural defect exists in the compartment element is restricted; and removing the structural defect by irradiating the portion in which the structural defect exists with a laser beam.

Abstract: A stage apparatus that achieves a high accuracy in assembling and enables easy work at a real installation site. In a stage apparatus of the present invention, sub rails are arranged on respective sub base plates, which are connected respectively with the first and second main rails on a main base plate to extend the first and second main rails. Accordingly, when the sub base plates are fixed to the main base plate 11 with positional alignment performed therebetween, the accuracy in positional alignment of the sub base plates which has already been fixed to the main base plate is not affected.

Abstract: Vibration is prevented from being transmitted via a common ink chamber or a fixed substrate. A porous member is disposed between the common ink chamber and a pressure generation chamber so that a discharge liquid passes through the interior of the porous member to move from the common ink chamber to the pressure generation chamber. Vibration generated in one pressure generation chamber is attenuated through the porous member when the vibration is transmitted to another pressure generation chamber via the common ink chamber; and thus, no cross-talk is generated. Furthermore, when piezoelectric vibrators having different lengths are mounted on the same fixed substrate and have the resonance frequencies different from each other, vibration is not transmitted to another pressure generation chamber via the fixed substrate and the piezoelectric vibrator; and therefore, the cross-talk is much less likely to be generated.

Abstract: Vibration is prevented from being transmitted via a fixed substrate. In order to set the resonance frequencies of the vibration of piezoelectric vibrators to be different from each other, the piezoelectric vibrators having different lengths are attached to the same fixed substrate. Even if residual vibration of a pressure generation chamber, which is expanded/contracted by a piezoelectric vibrator to which a voltage is applied, is transmitted to the fixed substrate; and even if the vibration is transmitted to another piezoelectric vibrator via the fixed substrate; another piezoelectric vibrator does not vibrate because the resonance frequencies between the piezoelectric vibrators are different from each other. Consequently, the pressure generation chamber in contact with the piezoelectric vibrator is not expanded or contracted by the vibration.

Abstract: The backing pressure of an ink tank is controlled. The ink tank is connected to a pressure control apparatus. The pressure control apparatus has first and second check valves. When the internal pressure of the ink tank becomes smaller than that of outside atmosphere by a first predetermined pressure or more, the first check valve is switched into an open state to connect the outside atmosphere and the ink tank. To the contrary, when the internal pressure of the ink tank becomes larger than that of outside atmosphere by a second predetermined pressure or more, the second check valve is switched to an open state to connect the ink tank with the outside atmosphere. Therefore, the internal pressure of the ink tank is controlled precisely enough to stabilize the meniscus.

Abstract: The back pressure of an ink tank is controlled. A porous body is arranged inside the ink tank, the lower end of the porous body contacts an ink, and the ink ascends inside the porous body due to a capillary force. The upper end of the porous body is not immersed in the ink, and a maximum ascending force acts upon the ink stored in the ink tank. Therefore, the ink does not leak from a discharge head located lower than the ink tank. Further, because the ink is accumulated under the porous body and the amount of the ink contacting the porous body is small, components of the ink are less susceptible to deterioration.

Abstract: There is provided a small-sized and inexpensive rotational adjustment apparatus for a linearly moveable inkjet coating head 6 without providing a rotary mechanism which is separate from and independent of a linear movement mechanism. The apparatus is capable of performing a rotational adjustment, about a rotary axis in a Z-axis direction, of the inkjet coating head in which the Z-axis direction is orthogonal to an X-axis direction which is a direction of movement of the coating head. The apparatus has: first and second moveable bodies, two in total, which are linearly moved by separate driving sources in the X-axis direction; and a converting mechanism which converts the inkjet coating head into a linear movement in the X-axis direction when the first and second moveable bodies synchronously move in the X-axis direction, and into a rotary movement, about the rotary axis of the inkjet coating head, when both the first and the second moveable bodies make a relative movement in the X-axis direction.

Abstract: There is provided an inexpensive stage which is equipped with an alignment function and is capable of easily performing high-accuracy alignment especially in a ? direction even in case an object to be processed is large in weight. The stage equipped with an alignment function has a stage main body for holding a substrate while leaving a processing surface thereof open to access. The stage is provided with: a suction means capable of sucking that surface of the substrate which lies opposite to the processing surface; a gas supply means for supplying a gas to such a region of the substrate as is other than a portion sucked by the suction means; and a drive means to give a rotating force to the suction means so that the substrate can be rotated on the same plane by causing the suction means to serve as the center of rotation.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a solar cell, includes: forming a photoelectric converter which includes a plurality of compartment elements, and in which the compartment elements adjacent to each other are electrically connected; specifying a compartment element having a structural defect in the photoelectric converter; restricting a portion in which the structural defect exists in the compartment element by specifying a defect portion based on a resistance distribution that is obtained by measuring resistances of portions between the compartment elements adjacent to each other; and removing the structural defect by supplying a bias voltage to the portion in which the structural defect exists.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a solar cell, includes: forming a photoelectric converter which includes a plurality of compartment elements, and in which the compartment elements adjacent to each other are electrically connected; specifying a first compartment element having a structural defect in the photoelectric converter; restricting a portion in which the structural defect exists in the first compartment element by specifying a defect portion based on a resistance distribution that is obtained by measuring resistances of portions between the compartment elements adjacent to each other; and removing or separating off the structural defect by irradiating the first compartment element and a second compartment element with a laser beam so as to intersect a boundary section between the first compartment element including the portion in which the structural defect exists and the second compartment element adjacent to the first compartment element.

Abstract: A stage apparatus that achieves a high accuracy in assembling and enables easy work at a real installation site. In a stage apparatus of the present invention, sub rails are arranged on respective sub base plates, which are connected respectively with the first and second main rails on a main base plate to extend the first and second main rails. Accordingly, when the sub base plates are fixed to the main base plate 11 with positional alignment performed therebetween, the accuracy in positional alignment of the sub base plates which has already been fixed to the main base plate is not affected.

Abstract: A stage apparatus enables easy position alignment at a real installation site. Mounts 25 having sub base plates 21 arranged thereon are provided on carriages 25 and thereby constitute sub mounting tables 20a to 20d; and the mounts 25 are fixed to a main mounting table 10 having a main base plate 11. The positions of main base plate 11 and sub base plates 21 are aligned with each other by adjustment mechanisms 30 provided on the sub mounting tables 20a to 20d. As main positioning members 16 and sub positioning members 241, 242 are arranged on the main mounting table 10 and sub mounting tables 20a to 20d, separation can be performed so that a state of position alignment is restorable. Accordingly, position alignment is easy when assembling after transportation.

Abstract: An assembling method that is high in assembly accuracy and easily performed at the actual installation site is provided. In this method, the sub base plates on the sub mounting tables are aligned with respect to a main base plate on a main mounting table at a temporary installation site, and the state thereof is maintained. Then, the main mounting table and the sub mounting tables are separated from each other to be transferred to the actual installation site, and the positioning state is restored at the actual installation site. Since a positional alignment can be performed at the temporary installation site, the work required at the actual installation site can be reduced. Furthermore, since a fine adjustment can be performed at the actual installation site, the accuracy in the positional alignment can be improved.