Abstract: A vane pump that includes a first communication passage that extends along an outer periphery of the cam ring and that guides a fluid that has not flowed into the first suction port from the first inflow passage to the second suction port; a second communication passage that extends along the outer periphery of the cam ring on an opposite side of the first communication passage with respect to the rotor and that guides a fluid that has not flowed into the second suction port from the second inflow passage to the first suction port; and a rectifying portion that guides the fluid from the second inflow passage so that the fluid flows into the second suction port along the outer periphery of the cam ring.

Abstract: A vane pump that includes a first communication passage that extends along an outer periphery of the cam ring and that guides a fluid that has not flowed into the first suction port from the first inflow passage to the second suction port; a second communication passage that extends along the outer periphery of the cam ring on an opposite side of the first communication passage with respect to the rotor and that guides a fluid that has not flowed into the second suction port from the second inflow passage to the first suction port; and a rectifying portion that guides the fluid from the second inflow passage so that the fluid flows into the second suction port along the outer periphery of the cam ring.

Abstract: A sliding member has a sliding surface sliding under a wet condition in which a lubricant oil exists. The sliding surface is coated with a laminate film comprising an upper layer and a lower layer. The lower layer comprises hydrogen-free amorphous carbon (hydrogen-free DLC) and carbon particles dispersed on or in the hydrogen-free DLC. The hydrogen-free DLC has a hydrogen content of 5 atom % or less when the lower layer as a whole is 100 atom %. The upper layer comprises boron-containing amorphous carbon (B-DLC) and has protrusions on a surface side of the upper layer along the carbon particles of the lower layer. The B-DLC has a boron content of 1-40 atom % when the upper layer as a whole is 100 atom %. The protrusions have a particle diameter of 0.5-5 ?m and exist with a density of 20 protrusions/100 ?m2 or more.

Abstract: A sliding member has a sliding surface sliding under a wet condition in which a lubricant oil exists. The sliding surface is coated with a laminate film comprising an upper layer and a lower layer. The lower layer comprises hydrogen-free amorphous carbon (hydrogen-free DLC) and carbon particles dispersed on or in the hydrogen-free DLC. The hydrogen-free DLC has a hydrogen content of 5 atom % or less when the lower layer as a whole is 100 atom %. The upper layer comprises boron-containing amorphous carbon (B-DLC) and has protrusions on a surface side of the upper layer along the carbon particles of the lower layer. The B-DLC has a boron content of 1-40 atom % when the upper layer as a whole is 100 atom %. The protrusions have a particle diameter of 0.5-5 ?m and exist with a density of 20 protrusions/100 ?m2 or more.

Abstract: A vane pump sucks the hydraulic fluid from a first inlet port and discharges it into a first outlet port and, at the same time, sucks the hydraulic fluid from a second inlet port and discharges it into a second outlet port, as a rotor having a plurality of slits housing vanes and extending in a radial manner rotates. The vane pump has a first back-pressure groove that is communicated with some of the slits to supply a back pressure from the first outlet port to the corresponding vanes and a second back-pressure groove that is communicated with other of the slits to supply a back pressure from the second outlet port to the corresponding vanes. The vanes to which the back pressure is supplied from the first back-pressure groove include the vanes in pump chambers into which the hydraulic fluid is sucked from the second inlet port.

Abstract: In a gear pump, a gear chamber is defined in a housing hole of a housing. A pair of gears is housed in the gear chamber. The gears are rotatably supported at support holes of a pair of side plates via support shafts. As viewed in an axial direction of the support shafts during rotation of the gears, addendum circles of the gears displaced under a differential pressure between a low-pressure chamber and a high-pressure chamber form first contact points with respect to an inner peripheral surface that defines a housing hole. As viewed in the axial direction of the support shafts during rotation of the gears, the first contact points are covered with the side plates displaced under the differential pressure.

Abstract: A vane pump sucks the hydraulic fluid from a first inlet port and discharges it into a first outlet port and, at the same time, sucks the hydraulic fluid from a second inlet port and discharges it into a second outlet port, as a rotor having a plurality of slits housing vanes and extending in a radial manner rotates. The vane pump has a first back-pressure groove that is communicated with some of the slits to supply a back pressure from the first outlet port to the corresponding vanes and a second back-pressure groove that is communicated with other of the slits to supply a back pressure from the second outlet port to the corresponding vanes. The vanes to which the back pressure is supplied from the first back-pressure groove include the vanes in pump chambers into which the hydraulic fluid is sucked from the second inlet port.

Abstract: An oil pump includes a rotor, an outer peripheral member accommodating the rotor, a first plate, and a second plate. A discharge passage through which hydraulic fluid is discharged is connected to a discharge port of the first plate. A first pressure gradually-changing groove and a second pressure gradually-changing groove are formed such that a second flow passage area is larger than a first flow passage area, the first flow passage area being a flow passage area of the first pressure gradually-changing groove of the first plate, at a position at which the first pressure gradually-changing groove communicates with a transfer chamber passing through a sealed region, and the second flow passage area being a flow passage area of the second pressure gradually-changing groove of the second plate, at a position at which the second pressure gradually-changing groove communicates with the transfer chamber passing through the sealed region.

Abstract: An electric pump unit for a transmission, which supplies a hydraulic pressure to the transmission, includes: a pump which takes in and discharges oil; and a pump driving electric motor including a motor shaft connected to the pump, a motor rotor fixedly provided on the motor shaft, and a motor stator disposed around a circumference of the motor rotor. The pump and the electric motor are integrated with a lid that tightly closes an opening in a recess portion which is formed on a transmission housing of the transmission and into which the oil is introduced, and are accommodated within the recess portion.

Abstract: An oil pump includes a rotor, an outer peripheral member accommodating the rotor, a first plate, and a second plate. A discharge passage through which hydraulic fluid is discharged is connected to a discharge port of the first plate. A first pressure gradually-changing groove and a second pressure gradually-changing groove are formed such that a second flow passage area is larger than a first flow passage area, the first flow passage area being a flow passage area of the first pressure gradually-changing groove of the first plate, at a position at which the first pressure gradually-changing groove communicates with a transfer chamber passing through a sealed region, and the second flow passage area being a flow passage area of the second pressure gradually-changing groove of the second plate, at a position at which the second pressure gradually-changing groove communicates with the transfer chamber passing through the sealed region.

Abstract: An imaging device comprising: a camera; and a control unit that encodes an image photographed by the camera to form an encoded image, wherein re-booting of the camera and the encoding by the control unit are carried out in parallel to each other.

Abstract: An electric pump unit for a transmission, which supplies a hydraulic pressure to the transmission, includes: a pump which takes in and discharges oil; and a pump driving electric motor including a motor shaft connected to the pump, a motor rotor fixedly provided on the motor shaft, and a motor stator disposed around a circumference of the motor rotor. The pump and the electric motor are integrated with a lid that tightly closes an opening in a recess portion which is formed on a transmission housing of the transmission and into which the oil is introduced, and are accommodated within the recess portion.

Abstract: An imaging device comprising: a camera; and a control unit that encodes an image photographed by the camera to form an encoded image, wherein re-booting of the camera and the encoding by the control unit are carried out in parallel to each other.

Abstract: A semiconductor device comprises a source frame having a die pad; a linear gate frame having a bonding pad; a semiconductor chip mounted on the die pad; wires which electrically connect a source terminal of the semiconductor chip to the die pad and electrically connect a gate terminal of the semiconductor chip to the bonding pad; and resin which seals the die pad, the bonding pad, the semiconductor chip, and the wires. The die pad is spaced from the bonding pad and diagonal to an extending direction of the gate frame, in the vicinity of the bonding pad.

Abstract: A method of producing a semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate and a gate embedding layer. A pair of side walls made of insulating layers having a width are formed on the inner surface of a first opening and the gate embedding layer is formed by using the pair of side walls and a first insulating layer as masks so that the embedded portion and the first extending portion are self-aligned and, consequently, the first extending portion is symmetrical with respect to the embedded portion. Accordingly, the first extending portion of the gate electrode is offset toward the drain electrode or source electrode.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a self-aligned refractory metal constituent in a recess in a semiconductor substrate and having the same plane pattern as a bottom surface of the recess. The width of the constituent is determined by the plane pattern of the recess and, accordingly, the pattern width of the constituent is easily controlled by the plane pattern of the recess.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate having an active region and first and second external regions located on opposite sides of the active region. The active region has a multi-finger pattern including gate electrodes, source electrodes, and drain electrodes. Each of the gate electrodes is interposed between one of the source electrodes and one of the drain electrodes. Mutually spaced gate pads are disposed on the first external region and each of the gate pads is connected to the gate electrodes. Mutually spaced drain pads are disposed on the second external region, and each of the drain pads is connected to the drain electrodes. Mutually spaced and grounded source pads are disposed on the first and second external regions, and each of the source pads is electrically connected to the source electrodes.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a bipolar transistor includes successively growing a collector layer, a base layer, and a crystalline mask layer on a semiconductor substrate; forming an opening in the crystalline mask layer to expose a portion of the base layer; growing an emitter layer on the crystalline mask layer and on the base layer exposed in the opening of the mask layer; forming an emitter electrode on the emitter layer; removing part of the emitter layer using the emitter electrode as a mask; removing the crystalline mask layer; forming a first resist pattern for formation of base electrodes; forming base electrodes using the first resist pattern and the emitter electrode as masks; removing the first resist pattern; forming a second resist pattern for formation of collector electrodes covering base electrodes and the emitter electrode; using the second resist pattern as a mask, removing portions of the base layer and the collector layer; and forming collector electrodes in contact with the collector layer.

Abstract: A field effect transistor includes a semi-insulating semiconductor substrate; a buffer layer disposed on the substrate and having a high resistance; a first semiconductor layer disposed on the buffer layer and having a relatively high concentration of a dopant impurity; a second semiconductor layer disposed on the first semiconductor layer and having a relatively low concentration of a dopant impurity; a third semiconductor layer disposed on the second semiconductor layer and having a relatively high concentration of a dopant impurity; a fourth semiconductor layer disposed on the third semiconductor layer; and a gate electrode, a source electrode, and a drain electrode disposed on the fourth semiconductor layer wherein the electron affinity of the second semiconductor layer is larger than that of the first and third semiconductor layers, and the difference between the electron affinities of the first and second semiconductor layers proximate their junction is larger than the difference between the electron af

Abstract: A method of producing a semiconductor device includes preparing a semiconductor ingot having a (100) surface orientation and an orientation flat in a ?011! direction; cutting the semiconductor ingot in a plane which is obtained by tilting the (100) surface by an angle .theta. about an axis of the tilting, obtained by rotating the ?011! direction by an angle .phi. with the center of the (100) surface as an axis of the rotation, thereby producing a semiconductor wafer having a surface; producing a channel region in the semiconductor wafer; producing a refractory metal gate on the surface of the semiconductor wafer; and using the refractory metal gate as a mask, implanting dopant impurity ions into the semiconductor wafer in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the semiconductor wafer, thereby producing impurity-implanted regions in the semiconductor wafer. Channeling is prevented and the short-channel effect is suppressed.