Abstract: A microphone system, includes: a housing, adapted to be placed in a reference position relative to a sound source; a first microphone, configured to receive sound from the sound source at a first position within the housing; a second microphone, configured to receive sound from the sound source at a second position within the housing; and a differential signal generator, wherein: the first and second positions are arranged on a first line; and the first line perpendicularly intersects a second line that is extended from the sound source at a third position which is not between the first and second positions, and obliquely intersects a third line that is extended from the sound source at a fourth position which is between the first and second positions, when the housing is placed at the reference position.

Abstract: A manufacturing method for variable shape mirrors suitable for mass production includes steps: for overlaying a pair of jigs having protruding bar portions like comb teeth on a support substrate so that the protruding bar portions are orthogonal to each other, and inserting support pillars and piezoelectric elements into through hole portions that are formed by gaps between the protruding bar portions, and placing a mirror substrate on the support pillars and the piezoelectric elements; for bonding at least the support substrate and the support pillars, the support substrate and the piezoelectric elements, and the mirror substrate and the support pillars to each other, respectively; for drawing out the jig in the direction opposite to a protruding direction of the protruding bar portion; and for forming a reflection film on an outer surface of the mirror substrate.

Abstract: Manufacturing method for variable shape mirrors suitable for mass production includes steps: for forming first grooves and second grooves along boundaries between areas to be variable shape mirrors on a surface of first wafer to be support substrate and a surface of second wafer to be mirror substrate; for arranging first and second wafer so that support pillars and piezoelectric elements are sandwiched between first and second wafer at areas with surface on which second grooves are formed facing inward for bonding; for dividing second wafer into mirror substrates by flattening process of outer surface of second wafer until at least reaching second groove; for dividing first wafer into the support substrates by breaking first wafer along first grooves; and for forming reflection film on outer surface of each of mirror substrates obtained by the dividing step.

Abstract: In a variable shape mirror including a base substrate; a mirror with a mirror surface; a fixed part, arranged on the base substrate, for fixing the mirror and the base substrate; and an actuator using a piezoelectric ceramics arranged between the base substrate and the mirror; an initial voltage of the actuator is a negative voltage. The initial voltage differs for each actuator; and is larger than or equal to a voltage at which a displacement of the actuator becomes minimum and smaller than zero voltage. The negative initial voltage is a bias voltage, and a voltage stroke is performed while applying the bias voltage.

Abstract: In a piezoelectric element having a substrate, a lower electrode layered on the substrate, a piezoelectric body made of ceramic layered on top of the lower electrode and an upper electrode layered on the piezoelectric body, wherein a first metal layer is provided between the substrate and the lower electrode, a second metal layer is provided between the lower electrode and the piezoelectric body, and the first metal layer and the second metal layer are made of a metal selected from among metals of which the ionization tendency is not less than that of Cu, oxides of metals of which the ionization tendency is not less than that of Cu, and alloys of metals of which the ionization tendency is not less than that of Cu.

Abstract: A deformable mirror includes a mirror substrate having a mirror surface, a supporting member that support the mirror substrate and has a through hole extending in the direction substantially perpendicular to the mirror substrate, an electrode portion that is disposed on the underside of the supporting member opposite to the surface for supporting the mirror substrate so as to cover at least a part of the through hole, and an actuator that is inserted in the through hole and is bonded and fixed to the electrode portion, the actuator being expanded and contracted so as to deform the mirror surface as well as the mirror substrate when electric power is supplied via the electrode portion.

Abstract: A variable shape mirror is composed of a substrate, a lower electrode film which is disposed on the substrate, a piezoelectric film which is disposed on the lower electrode film, an upper electrode film which is disposed on the piezoelectric film, an insulating film which is disposed on the upper electrode film, and a mirror film which is disposed on the insulating film. The lower electrode film, the piezoelectric film, and the upper electrode film function as a driving portion to deform the mirror film. The upper electrode film is divided into a plurality of divided electrodes and the driving portion includes a part which performs main deformation of the mirror film and a part which performs fine adjustment of deformation of the mirror film.

Abstract: A manufacturing method for variable shape mirrors, which is suitable for mass production, includes a bonding step for sandwiching support pillars and piezoelectric elements between a support substrate and a mirror substrate, and bonding at least the support substrate and the support pillar to each other, the support substrate and the piezoelectric element to each other, and the mirror substrate and the support pillars to each other, respectively, and an elastic film forming step for forming a flat elastic film on the outer surface of the mirror substrate, and a reflection film forming step for forming a reflection film on the elastic film.

Abstract: A variable-shape mirror has a substrate, a lower electrode film formed on the substrate, a piezoelectric film formed on the lower electrode film, an upper electrode film formed on the piezoelectric film, and a mirror film formed directly on the substrate and arranged to be surrounded by a driver portion constituted by the lower electrode film, the piezoelectric film, and the upper electrode film. The mirror film is arranged on a movable portion provided in the substrate, and at least part of the driver portion is arranged on the movable portion.

Abstract: A variable-shape mirror has a driver portion, which includes a piezoelectric film and first and second electrode films that sandwich it therebetween, and a substrate arranged on the first electrode film to support the driver portion. As the driver portion is driven, the shape of a mirror film is varied. The substrate is formed of at least one material selected from the group of Si, SiO2, and MgO. The piezoelectric film is formed of PZT or of a perovskite oxide that contains Nb and that is the same kind as PZT. The first electrode film is formed of a plurality of layers of different compositions, and, of those layers, the one formed on the substrate is a metal layer of a composition containing at least one element selected from the group of Ti, Cr, and W and the one formed on the piezoelectric film is a metal layer of a composition containing at least one element selected from the group of Pt, Ir, and Ru.

Abstract: A first electrode is partially contacted with a domain to be polarization-inverted 2 on one plate face of a nonlinear optical crystal substrate 1, a second electrode is contacted with the other plate face of the substrate, and a polarization inversion voltage is applied between the both electrodes. At this time, the electrode is so formed that the contact area of the first electrode 3 with the plate face satisfies particular conditions, and the domain to be polarization-inverted is entirely or partially polarization-inverted by the application of a polarization inversion voltage. The aforementioned particular conditions are that each contact area 3 is dot-like so that plural contact areas 3 can be present independently within individual domains to be polarization-inverted 2, and individual dot-like contact areas have an area of 0.00785 ?m 2-7850 ?m2 and a shape included in a circle having a diameter of 100 ?m. As a result, a polarization inverted crystal having high quality can be obtained more easily.

Abstract: An electronic shopping system for selling vehicle devices stores, in a database, installation kit information indicating an installation kit required to install a vehicle device, for each combination of the vehicle device and a vehicle type and also stores information about installation dealers which are to install sold vehicle devices. On the basis of the location of a consumer input via a consumer terminal device, possible installation dates/times given by the consumer, and the dealer information stored in the database, a web server determines the installation dealer and the installation date/time and sends information about the determined installation dealer and installation date/time to the consumer terminal device.

Abstract: A flexible tube having a construction in which a coil of metal is coated with a film of resin. The flexible tube is manufactured by that resin is vapor-deposited on a peripheral face of a thermocontraction tube. a metal wire is wound on the tube as to be coiled, resin is vapor-deposited on the coil, and the thermocontraction tube is contracted by heating and drawn out.

Abstract: An electronic shopping system for selling vehicle devices stores, in a database, installation kit information indicating an installation kit required to install a vehicle device, for each combination of the vehicle device and a vehicle type and also stores information about installation dealers which are to install sold vehicle devices. On the basis of the location of a consumer input via a consumer terminal device, possible installation dates/times given by the consumer, and the dealer information stored in the database, a web server determines the installation dealer and the installation date/time and sends information about the determined installation dealer and installation date/time to the consumer terminal device.

Abstract: A bending mechanism for use with a stereoscope, comprises a tubular body or linear body having a bending part, a movable part which can move in the lengthwise direction of the tubular body or linear body, two actuators formed to act in opposition to each other via the movable part, and a pull wire which extends in the lengthwise direction along the bending part. One end of the wire is fixed to one end side of the bending part and the other end of the wire is fixed to the movable part set at the other end side of the bending part. At least one of the two actuators is a shape memory element. The bending mechanism of the present invention is free from displacement of the movable part when bending action is not needed, since the two actuators are used which act in opposition to each other via the movable part, and thus, buckling of the bending part can be prevented. The simple structure of the activator unit of the present invention facilitates a reduction of the size of the structure.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an engaging element for a one way clutch requires no special control with respect to such factors as squareness between a cam face and side surfaces, possible flaws, and cut size, and enables production of the engaging element for a one way clutch at low cost. The method includes shearing a material by a press to prepare a sheared member of a predetermined size, and a forging process. The forgoing process includes a first step of striking one sheared surface of the sheared member, a second step of inverting the sheared member and striking the other sheared surface of the sheared member, a third step of inverting the sheared member and striking the one sheared surface of the sheared member, and a fourth step of inverting the sheared member and striking the other sheared surface of the sheared member.

Abstract: A neutralizer for use in an image forming apparatus for eliminating an electric charge from a non-image area in a surface of an image carrying member has an array of light emitting elements, a shift register and a driving device. The light emitting elements, driven by the driving device, eliminate the electric charge from a selective portion along a line across the width of the image carrying member by selectively emitting a light beam from each light emitting element. The shift register shifts-in a binary data during a registering time period, and holds the binary data during a holding time period. The driving device drives each light emitting element based on a binary data being in the register both during the registering time period and the holding time period.

Abstract: A charge eliminating device for use with a photoreceptor drum. The device eliminates a charge on a required portion of the surface of a photoreceptor drum so that an electrostatic latent image is eliminated on the required portion. The device includes a circuit board for holding an electrical circuit on its surface, the circuit board having a line-shaped edge disposed to face the surface of the photoreceptor drum. A plurality of light emitting elements are disposed on the circuit board to emit light in parallel to the surface of the circuit board in the direction of the line-shaped edge of the circuit board. The device further includes a housing having a plurality of compartments each of which encloses one of the plurality of light emitting elements on the circuit board and has an opening at the line-shaped edge for passing the emitted light in parallel to the surface of the circuit board to the surface of the photoreceptor.

Abstract: There are disclosed azo compounds represented by the formula: ##STR1## wherein X is hydrogen or halogen. The azo compounds are useful as precursors of disperse dyes and basic dyes and are effective for therapeutic treatment.

Abstract: A heat transfer printing is carried out by quaternizing an indolenine methine compound with acidic groups of an acidic modified synthetic fiber.