Abstract: Provided is a microelectrode having a layered structure, including a layer containing a polymer compound having an aromatic ring (polymer compound layer) and a layer containing a conductive material (conductive layer), wherein a thickness of the polymer compound layer is 10 to 900 nm, a thickness of the conductive layer is 0.3 to 10 nm, and the microelectrode has a three-dimensional curved shape.

Abstract: To design a novel tip end shape that performs most of the drilling process so as to prevent chips from entering the gap between the hollow drill bit and the small-diameter drill bit fitted into the hollow portion of the hollow drill bit as well as to provide a structure of the outer periphery so as to allow chips to be discharged toward the outer periphery and prevent them from entering the gap portion. A hollow drill bit for medical use of the present invention is characterized in comprising a hollow portion that penetrates the axial center in the axial direction from the tip end to the distal end; and four cutting edges at the tip end section, wherein arc-shaped outer peripheral grooves are helically formed in the cylinder-shaped outer peripheral portion.

Abstract: The drill of the invention has: two cutting edges, each having a main cutting edge and a thinned cutting edge, wherein two relief surfaces formed symmetrically around rotation axis, first and second margin portions are formed, the first margin portions have a forward-end small-diameter portion with diameter smaller than the drill diameter, that is formed from the side of the drill forward-end toward the drill rearward-end, the second margin portions have a second forward-end small-diameter portion with diameter smaller than the first forward-end small-diameter portion, that is formed from the side of the drill forward-end toward the side of the drill rearward-end, the first forward-end small-diameter portion and the second forward-end small-diameter portion have inclination portions, the diameters of which gradually increase from the side of the drill forward-end toward the side of the drill rearward-end, and the inclination portions of the first forward-end small-diameter portion have relief surfaces.

Abstract: Provided herein is a drill having less possibility of cracks in an inner periphery of a drilled workpiece and deformation of a workpiece upon penetrating with a drill, as well as delamination. A drill according to the present invention comprises two cutting blades which are formed symmetrical about an axis of rotation, wherein each of the cutting blades has a main cutting blade formed from a drill tip toward a peripheral side of the drill to become a shape with curves, a thinning cutting blade in a shape with curves formed in closer to the drill tip than the main cutting blade, and an U-shaped cutting blade in a shape with curves formed in closer to the periphery of the drill than the thinning cutting blade.

Abstract: Provided herein is a drill having less possibility of cracks in an inner periphery of a drilled workpiece and deformation of a workpiece upon penetrating with a drill, as well as delamination. A drill according to the present invention comprises two cutting blades which are formed symmetrical about an axis of rotation, wherein each of the cutting blades has a main cutting blade formed from a drill tip toward a peripheral side of the drill to become a shape with curves, a thinning cutting blade in a shape with curves formed in closer to the drill tip than the main cutting blade, and an U-shaped cutting blade in a shape with curves formed in closer to the periphery of the drill than the thinning cutting blade.

Abstract: A sheet feeder picking up and transporting sheets includes a transport unit transporting sheets along a sheet transport path one by one, a gap occurrence detection unit detecting, within a predetermined section of the sheet transport path, occurrence of a gap between sheets, and a controller controlling a timing of the transport of sheets according to a result of the detection. The gap occurrence detection unit includes a first detection unit and a second detection unit. The first detection unit is configured to detect light that is emitted toward the predetermined section, reaches a converging surface thereof across the predetermined section, and converged on a receiving element thereof. The second detection unit is configured to detect light reflected by a sheet passing through the predetermined section. The occurrence of the gap is detected based on outputs from the first detection unit and the second detection unit.

Abstract: A charge control device uses external electricity to charge a plurality of battery devices. A constant current source uses the external electricity to generate and adjust an output current amount to a constant target value. A selector selects one battery device from the plurality of battery devices and supplies output current from the constant current source to the one battery device. A measurer measures an amount of actual current flowing from the constant current source to the one battery device. An instructor monitors a measured value provided by the measurer and instructs the selector, when the measured value meets a condition for a reduction of charging current amount to be regarded as having occurred, to change a destination to which the output current of the constant current source is supplied from the one battery device to a different battery device.

Abstract: A power controller includes: a measuring unit that measures outputs from plural power generating devices outputting power to a common load in parallel; an adjusting unit that controls the outputs of the plural power generating devices to adjust output voltages of the plural power generating devices to a predetermined value; and a matching control unit that calculates power-voltage characteristics of the plural power generating devices based on values measured by the measuring unit, determines a target value of output voltage to be shared by all the plural power generating devices based on the power-voltage characteristics thus calculated and corresponding to the whole parallel connection of the plural power generating devices, and allows the adjusting unit to match the predetermined value with the target value.

Abstract: A charge control device uses external electricity to charge a plurality of battery devices. A constant current source uses the external electricity to generate and adjust an output current amount to a constant target value. A selector selects one battery device from the plurality of battery devices and supplies output current from the constant current source to the one battery device. A measurer measures an amount of actual current flowing from the constant current source to the one battery device. An instructor monitors a measured value provided by the measurer and instructs the selector, when the measured value meets a condition for a reduction of charging current amount to be regarded as having occurred, to change a destination to which the output current of the constant current source is supplied from the one battery device to a different battery device.

Abstract: An Ag—Au—Pd ternary alloy bonding wire for semiconductor devices made from 4-10 mass % of gold having a purity of 99.999% or higher, 2-5 mass % of palladium having a purity of 99.99% or higher, and remaining mass % of silver (Ag) having a purity of 99.999% or higher; and this wire contains 15-70 mass ppm of oxidizing non-noble metallic elements, and is thermally annealed before being continuously drawn through dies, and is thermally tempered after being continuously drawn through the dies, and this wire is useful for ball bonding in a nitrogen atmosphere; Ag2Al and a Pd rich layer produced in the interface between the Ag—Au—Pd ternary alloy wire and an aluminum pad suppress the corrosion development between the Ag2Al intermetallic compound layer and the wire.

Abstract: A power controller includes: a measuring unit that measures outputs from plural power generating devices outputting power to a common load in parallel; an adjusting unit that controls the outputs of the plural power generating devices to adjust output voltages of the plural power generating devices to a predetermined value; and a matching control unit that calculates power-voltage characteristics of the plural power generating devices based on values measured by the measuring unit, determines a target value of output voltage to be shared by all the plural power generating devices based on the power-voltage characteristics thus calculated and corresponding to the whole parallel connection of the plural power generating devices, and allows the adjusting unit to match the predetermined value with the target value.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a conveyance roller configured to convey recording sheets; a brush motor configured to drive the conveyance roller to rotate; and a control unit configured to control a rotational speed of the brush motor, wherein while the conveyance roller conveys a recording sheet, (i) the control unit applies voltage to an outer circumferential surface of a commutator of the brush motor to drive the brush motor to rotate by a predetermined rotation amount, so as to perform a cleaning operation to remove a film deposited on the outer circumferential surface, and (ii) the control unit reduces the rotational speed of the brush motor while not performing the cleaning operation, so as to correct a conveyance distance of the recording sheet.

Abstract: A sheet feeder picking up and transporting sheets includes a transport unit transporting sheets along a sheet transport path one by one, a gap occurrence detection unit detecting, within a predetermined section of the sheet transport path, occurrence of a gap between sheets, and a controller controlling a timing of the transport of sheets according to a result of the detection. The gap occurrence detection unit includes a first detection unit and a second detection unit. The first detection unit is configured to detect light that is emitted toward the predetermined section, reaches a converging surface thereof across the predetermined section, and converged on a receiving element thereof. The second detection unit is configured to detect light reflected by a sheet passing through the predetermined section. The occurrence of the gap is detected based on outputs from the first detection unit and the second detection unit.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes: a transport roller for transporting a sheet subjected to image processing; a motor that drives the transport roller to rotate; and a speed reduction unit that performs a speed reduction control on the motor to temporarily stop the sheet, the speed reduction control being performed in a manner that a stopping time and a stopping distance each satisfy a corresponding target range, wherein the speed reduction control includes: a first control that is a control of reducing a rotation speed of the motor to a reference speed through at least two operations from among a braking operation, a powering operation, and a free running operation; and a second control that is a control of, after a rotation amount of the motor from the start of the speed reduction control reaches a reference value, continuously performing the braking operation until the stop of the motor.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes: a transport roller for transporting a sheet subjected to image processing; a motor that drives the transport roller to rotate; and a speed reduction unit that performs a speed reduction control on the motor to temporarily stop the sheet, the speed reduction control being performed in a manner that a stopping time and a stopping distance each satisfy a corresponding target range, wherein the speed reduction control includes: a first control that is a control of reducing a rotation speed of the motor to a reference speed through at least two operations from among a braking operation, a powering operation, and a free running operation; and a second control that is a control of, after a rotation amount of the motor from the start of the speed reduction control reaches a reference value, continuously performing the braking operation until the stop of the motor.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a conveyance roller configured to convey recording sheets; a brush motor configured to drive the conveyance roller to rotate; and a control unit configured to control a rotational speed of the brush motor, wherein while the conveyance roller conveys a recording sheet, (i) the control unit applies voltage to an outer circumferential surface of a commutator of the brush motor to drive the brush motor to rotate by a predetermined rotation amount, so as to perform a cleaning operation to remove a film deposited on the outer circumferential surface, and (ii) the control unit reduces the rotational speed of the brush motor while not performing the cleaning operation, so as to correct a conveyance distance of the recording sheet.

Abstract: A process for producing a porous laminate having many micropores interconnected in the thickness direction, which comprises: a step in which a laminate is produced which comprises at least three layers comprising an interlayer made of a thermoplastic resin having a hard segment and a soft segment and two nonporous outer layers made of a filler-containing resin and located as outer layers respectively on both sides of the interlayer; a step in which the laminate obtained is impregnated with a supercritical or subcritical fluid and this state is relieved to vaporize the fluid and thereby make the interlayer porous; and a step in which the two nonporous outer layers located respectively on both sides are made porous by stretching.

Abstract: An Au bonding wire for semiconductor device, comprising a wire-shaped Au alloy material consisting of: 3-15 mass ppm of Be, 3-40 mass ppm of Ca, 3-20 mass ppm of La, 3-20 mass ppm of at least one functional element selected from the group of Ce, Eu, Mg, and Si, and the remainder of Au, wherein the diameter of said Au alloy bonding wire is less than 23 microns, wherein said bonding wire has improved roundness of compressed bonded ball and improved fracture stress.

Abstract: An Ag—Au—Pd ternary alloy bonding wire for semiconductor devices made from 4-10 mass % of gold having a purity of 99.999 mass % or higher, 2-5 mass % of palladium having a purity of 99.99 mass % or higher, and remaining mass % of silver (Ag) having a purity of 99.999 mass % or higher; and this wire contains 15-70 mass ppm of oxidizing non-noble metallic elements, and is thermally annealed before being continuously drawn through dies, and is thermally tempered after being continuously drawn through the dies, and this wire is useful for ball bonding in a nitrogen atmosphere; Ag2Al and a Pd rich layer produced in the interface between the Ag—Au—Pd ternary alloy wire and an aluminum pad suppress the corrosion development between the Ag2Al intermetallic compound layer and the wire.

Abstract: There is provided a gold alloy wire for a ball bonding. The gold alloy consists of 10 to 50 ppm by mass of magnesium (Mg); 5 to 20 ppm by mass of europium (Eu); 2 to 9 ppm by mass of calcium (Ca); and a remaining portion being gold (Au) having a purity of a minimum of 99.998% by mass. In the gold alloy wire for a ball bonding, an addition amount of calcium (Ca) is a maximum of half that of europium (Eu).