Abstract: A buckle that is compact in a longitudinal direction and uses an unlatching force that may be effectively applied to a latch member when releasing a tongue from a buckle. The buckle is configured so that as an operation button is manipulated in the unlatching direction from a state in which a tongue and a latching portion of a latch member are latched, the slider moves so that the inclined face of a pressed portion of the slider comes in contact with the inclined face of a pressing portion of an ejector and presses the ejector. Then, the ejector is spaced from the tongue and the biasing force of an ejector spring is effectively applied to the latch member via the ejector and the slider in the unlatching direction. An unlatching force is thereby applied to the latch member so that the latch member pivots in the unlatching direction, causing release of the tongue.

Abstract: A shock-proof device disposed in a buckle includes at least a latch member for engaging a tongue so as to latch the tongue; a release button for releasing the tongue from the latch member; and an inertia lever with a rotation shaft rotatably arranged for preventing the release button from moving at least in a release direction of the release button by abutting against the release button. The shock-proof device further includes torque-difference generating mechanism for generating a torque difference between a first torque and a second torque. The first torque is applied to the inertia lever when the inertial force is applied to the release button and the inertia lever in the release direction of the release button. The second torque is applied to the inertia lever when the inertial force is applied to the release button and the inertia lever in the non-release direction of the release button.

Abstract: An exposure device, where circulating systems and for controlling a temperature varied by the driving of a linear motor are connected to a reticle stage and wafer stage, a controller sets the temperature of refrigerant circulating through the circulating system by driving heater, circulating system is connected to a projection optical system and a controller sets the temperature of refrigerant circulating through a circulating system by driving heater by a feedforward control to control the temperature of the refrigerant circulating through the circulating system.

Abstract: A buckle that is compact in a longitudinal direction and uses an unlatching force that may be effectively applied to a latch member when releasing a tongue from a buckle. The buckle is configured so that as an operation button is manipulated in the unlatching direction from a state in which a tongue and a latching portion of a latch member are latched, the slider moves so that the inclined face of a pressed portion of the slider comes in contact with the inclined face of a pressing portion of an ejector and presses the ejector. Then, the ejector is spaced from the tongue and the biasing force of an ejector spring is effectively applied to the latch member via the ejector and the slider in the unlatching direction. An unlatching force is thereby applied to the latch member so that the latch member pivots in the unlatching direction, causing release of the tongue.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus is provided for performing exposure processes with high accuracy by accurately performing pressure control inside a chamber having a plurality of air-conditioning chambers. The inside of the main chamber which accommodates the exposure apparatus is divided into a plurality of air-conditioning chambers, and a pressure detection device which detects the pressure is provided with each of the plurality of air-conditioning chambers. Also, among the plurality of the air-conditioning chambers, the pressure inside a main column which accommodates an exposure stage on which a wafer in mounted and subjected to an exposure process, is set to be higher than the pressure of the other air-conditioning chambers based on detection results obtained from the pressure detection devices.

Abstract: An exposure device, where circulating systems and for controlling a temperature varied by the driving of a linear motor are connected to a reticle stage and wafer stage, a controller sets the temperature of refrigerant circulating through the circulating system by driving heater, circulating system is connected to a projection optical system and a controller sets the temperature of refrigerant circulating through a circulating system by driving heater by a feedforward control to control the temperature of the refrigerant circulating through the circulating system.

Abstract: The present invention provides an exposure method and exposure apparatus that enable the effects on an apparatus main body of heat generated by a control system to be suppressed when an error occurs in an air-conditioning system or temperature control system. In the exposure apparatus of the present invention, if an error occurs in an air-conditioning system (50) that air-conditions an interior of a chamber (11 to 16) in which an exposure body section (STP) is housed or occurs in a temperature control system (52) that controls a temperature of the exposure body section (STP), a power supply of a control system (53 to 56) that controls the exposure body section (STP) is shut down.

Abstract: A shock-proof device disposed in a buckle includes at least a latch member for engaging a tongue so as to latch the tongue; a release button for releasing the tongue from the latch member; and an inertia lever with a rotation shaft rotatably arranged for preventing the release button from moving at least in a release direction of the release button by abutting against the release button. The shock-proof device further includes torque-difference generating mechanism for generating a torque difference between a first torque and a second torque. The first torque is applied to the inertia lever when the inertial force is applied to the release button and the inertia lever in the release direction of the release button. The second torque is applied to the inertia lever when the inertial force is applied to the release button and the inertia lever in the non-release direction of the release button.

Abstract: The present invention provides an exposure method and exposure apparatus that enable the effects on an apparatus main body of heat generated by a control system to be suppressed when an error occurs in an air-conditioning system or temperature control system. In the exposure apparatus of the present invention, if an error occurs in an air-conditioning system (50) that air-conditions an interior of a chamber (11 to 16) in which an exposure body section (STP) is housed or occurs in a temperature control system (52) that controls a temperature of the exposure body section (STP), a power supply of a control system (53 to 56) that controls the exposure body section (STP) is shut down.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus is provided for performing exposure processes with high accuracy by accurately performing pressure control inside a chamber having a plurality of air-conditioning chambers. The inside of the main chamber which accommodates the exposure apparatus is divided into a plurality of air-conditioning chambers, and a pressure detection device which detects the pressure is provided with each of the plurality of air-conditioning chambers. Also, among the plurality of the air-conditioning chambers, the pressure inside a main column which accommodates an exposure stage on which a wafer in mounted and subjected to an exposure process, is set to be higher than the pressure of the other air-conditioning chambers based on detection results obtained from the pressure detection devices.

Abstract: A buckle is formed of a base having two side walls, a cover for accommodating and supporting the base, and having a tongue insertion hole formed at one end side of the two side walls of the base, and guide portions provided on each of the two side walls to protrude inwardly therefrom for leading a tongue to be inserted through the tongue insertion hole. The guide portions lead a tip of the tongue smoothly without blocking even when the tongue is inserted from the tongue insertion hole at a maximum slant posture defined by the tongue insertion hole relative to the buckle. The tongue can be smoothly inserted into the buckle to improve the manipulation feeling in inserting the tongue.

Abstract: In a buckle for a seat belt, lower ends of side walls of an operational button is positioned at a level lower than lower ends of guide portions of a base, and an upper surface of a portion of a lower cover defining a tongue-insertion opening is positioned at a level higher than an upper surface of a bottom of the base. Therefore, when a tongue is engaged with the buckle, an engaging portion of the tongue touches at least one of the side walls of the operational button made of resin, and the portion of the lower cover made of resin. Thus, the tongue is prevented from touching the guide portions and the bottom of the base made of metal, thereby preventing a noise due to the metal-to-metal contact when the tongue 3 is inserted into the buckle and engaged with the buckle. Therefore, a jar on an occupant's nerve when wearing the seat belt can be avoided.

Abstract: A buckle is provided with a non-contact buckle switch improved in durability to be securely operated. The non-contact buckle switch is switched by detecting a movement of one of an ejector, latch member and lock member of the buckle. The buckle switch includes a magnet and a Hall element for generating an electromotive force by a magnetic field of the magnet. One of the magnet and the Hall element is attached to a fixed member, and the other of the magnet and the Hall element is attached to one of the ejector, latch member and lock member.

Abstract: In a latched state of a buckle in which a tongue is engaged, an inertia lever member of a movement preventing device enters into a path of a lock pin. When the buckle is pulled by a buckle pretensioner in this state, the inertia lever member moves in the longitudinal direction, and pressed portions of the inertia lever member are held by a holding portion, so that the inertia lever member does not pivot and the levers are thus held in the path of the lock pin. At the end of pretensioning, the buckle is stopped. Since the moment produced by the inertia force acting on the center of gravity of mass body of the movement preventing device is larger than the moment produced by the inertia force of an operational button, the inertia lever member does not pivot, so that the inertia lever member can be held in the path of the lock pin. In the buckle, the inertia release can be effectively prevented with a simple structure.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine having an engine camshaft driven air compressor. The air compressor supplies air under pressure through separate regulated and controlled circuits to air springs for urging the poppet valves of the engine to a closed position and engine driven accessories, such as a variable throttle mechanism and/or an air actuator for controlling for a change speed transmission.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor excellent in wear resistance and low in residual potential comprising a conductive support, and a photoconductive layer and a protective layer formed on the conductive support. The protective layer contains a finely divided metal oxide powder and a binder resin composed of a polymer containing an acrylate or a methacrylate having at least one silicon-containing functional group as a monomer component, the polymer being crosslinked with said silicon-containing functional group. Also disclosed is an image forming method using the electrophotographic photoreceptor.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor is disclosed which comprises an electrically-conductive substrate having provided thereon an undercoat layer and a photosensitive layer, wherein said undercoat layer comprises a crosslinkable matrix and an electron-transporting material.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor excellent in electric characteristics and having few defects in image quality, and an image forming method for forming an image free from defects in image quality by the contact charging system. The inventive electrophotographic photoreceptor comprising a conductive substrate having thereon an undercoat layer and a photosensitive layer, in which the undercoat layer comprises a copolymer resin having a hydrolytic silyl group. The copolymer resin having hydrolytic silyl groups is preferably an acrylic copolymer resin. Further, the undercoat layer may contain electrically conductive particles. When an image is formed using this electrophotographic photoreceptor, a method comprising contacting a charging device with a surface of the electrophoto-graphic photoreceptor and supplying charge from the outside to charge the photoreceptor can be employed.

Abstract: Dry toners for use in electrostatic latent image development comprising a colorant in a resin binder are described, wherein said resin binder comprises a polyester containing --COOH groups in which at least one of the --COOH groups is replaced with nitrogen-containing compounds such as amines, ammonium salts, betaines, pyridinium salts, and azines. These toners are superior in development of negatively charged latent images and exhibit good low temperature fixability.