Abstract: A database creation unit (154) accumulates, in a driving condition database (160), driving condition data wherein feature amounts representing features of driving operation, travelling environment information including travelling spots and road shapes, driver information including attributes of drivers and vehicle type information of vehicles, and whether the drivers have driving experiences of the vehicles are associated with driver identifiers. A driving characteristic estimation unit (155) estimates a driving characteristic of a driver presently driving a vehicle based on the driving condition database (160).

Abstract: There is provided a sample holder capable of reducing positional deviation of a cartridge in the heightwise direction of a sample. The sample holder includes the cartridge and a holder base having a mounting portion for the cartridge. The mounting portion includes a placement surface, a first tilted surface, and a rotary drive mechanism for imparting a rotary force to the cartridge. The cartridge includes an opposing first tilted surface opposite to the first tilted surface of the mounting portion. As the rotary drive mechanism imparts the rotary force to the cartridge, the first tilted surface of the cartridge is pressed against the first tilted surface of the mounting portion, whereby the cartridge is pressed against the placement surface.

Abstract: A sample attachment device includes a mount, a mounted depression, and a pressure release depression. Liquid and air bubbles can pass the pressure release depression. The mounted depression is on the mount. A cartridge is mounted on the mounted depression. The pressure release depression is in the mounted depression. The pressure release depression is vertically under the cartridge when the cartridge is mounted on the mounted depression.

Abstract: There is provided a sample holder capable of reducing positional deviation of a cartridge in the heightwise direction of a sample. The sample holder includes the cartridge and a holder base having a mounting portion for the cartridge. The mounting portion includes a placement surface, a first tilted surface, and a rotary drive mechanism for imparting a rotary force to the cartridge. The cartridge includes an opposing first tilted surface opposite to the first tilted surface of the mounting portion. As the rotary drive mechanism imparts the rotary force to the cartridge, the first tilted surface of the cartridge is pressed against the first tilted surface of the mounting portion, whereby the cartridge is pressed against the placement surface.

Abstract: A sample attachment device includes a mount, a mounted depression, and a pressure release depression. Liquid and air bubbles can pass the pressure release depression. The mounted depression is on the mount. A cartridge is mounted on the mounted depression. The pressure release depression is in the mounted depression. The pressure release depression is vertically under the cartridge when the cartridge is mounted on the mounted depression.

Abstract: An adhesive sheet-type sealing member is suitably used for protecting ink-ejecting nozzles or a communication hole of an ink-jet recording head during transportation or storage. The sealing member exhibits a yield point at a load of not more than 1 kgf/cm for a specimen of 10 mm wide at a stress rate of 200 mm/min .+-.10% according to JIS-K-7113 and/or exhibits a folding load of not more than 0.10 g/cm for a specimen of 10 mm wide with a free length of 10 mm from the end of a specimen holder measured on the center of an electronic balance placed at a position 5 mm apart from the end of the specimen holder.

Abstract: An ink-jet recording head has ejection outlets formed by treating a face of a plate for the ejection outlets with a water-repellent and irradiating the plate with a laser beam from the backside of the plate. The head is provided with a sealing member for sealing the ejection outlets. The water-repellent has a hardness of higher than the pencil hardness 6B at room temperature. A decomposition product layer is formed on the layer of the water repellent at peripheral portions of the ejection outlets.

Abstract: An ink jet cartridge includes a ceiling plate having an ink receiving port and a plurality of grooves as an ink passage, the grooves being communicated with the ink receiving port, a base plate having discharge energy generating elements for generating sufficient discharge energy to discharge ink, an ink supply member having an ink supply portion for connecting with the ink receiving port, the ink supply member for supplying ink from the ink supply portion to the ink receiving port, and a support substrate for supporting the base plate and for fixing the ink supply member. The ink supply member includes a cantilever portion having a top end, a root portion and a neck portion defined between the top end and the root portion, a width of the neck portion being gradually spread toward the root portion, the ink supply portion of the ink supply member being arranged at the top end of the cantilever portion.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing a substrate having a surface with a plurality of spherical dimples suitable for light receiving members including: a cylindrical rotating vessel having an external wall face and an inner wall face surrounded by housing, a rotating vessel containing a plurality of freely movable rigid spheres therein to surface treat the substrate, the cylindrical rotating vessel having a plurality of perforations through which the smooth passage of a surface coating liquid is effected; a substrate support means placed within the cylindrical rotating vessel so as to be rotatable coaxially therewith; a spouting device for spouting the surface coating liquid through the plurality of perforations into the cylindrical rotating vessel, the spouting device is placed crosswise in the circular space circumscribed by the inner wall of the housing and the external wall face of the cylindrical rotating vessel in a horizontal plane to the central axis of the cylindrical rotating vessel; a storing tank for the su

Abstract: An ink recorder includes an ink recording section of which ink passage has a small cross-sectional area. For this reason, the ink passage has an opening portion at a bent part thereof which serves as a venting hole for allowing air to be vented from a molding die to the outside therethrough during a molding operation. To prevent ink from leaking from the ink passage, a spherical sealing member is fitted into the opening portion. Since the opening portion is molded of a deformable material, a spherical sealing member made of a metallic material while having a diameter slightly larger than an inner diameter of the opening portion can be fitted into the opening portion.

Abstract: An ink tank having an ink storing portion encases an ink-absorbent member for holding ink. The ink-absorbent member comprises a porous material having therein compressed open cells. The compression ratio r.sub.1 of an apparent volume V.sub.1 before compression to an apparent volume V.sub.2 after compression (r.sub.1 =V.sub.1 /V.sub.2) and the cell number p represented by number of cells per inch in the state of V.sub.1 satisfy the relation (I) below, and p being not more than 60.100 [inch.sup.-1 ].ltoreq.r.sub.1 .multidot.p.ltoreq.200 [inch.sup.