Abstract: There is provided a flexible manufacturing system that can reliably place a workpiece that isn't defective piece in a state where the workpiece will be machined again. After a pallet is conveyed to a standby position and before machining of the workpiece attached to the pallet is started, controllers determines whether machining of the workpiece with a corresponding machining device is possible. When it is determined that machining is possible, the controller starts machining with the machining device. When it is determined that machining is impossible, the controller make a conveyor convey the pallet from the standby position to a pallet storage room, and stores the machining status information on the conveyed pallet as the machining-waiting state.

Abstract: A metal adsorption acrylic fiber wherein the strontium adsorption rate is 85% or more when the strontium adsorption rate is measured using the following measurement method. A strontium adsorption rate measurement method (strontium 0.1 ppm measurement method) involves immersing a metal adsorption acrylic fiber into an immersion fluid, collecting the immersion fluid as a testing solution 24 hours after beginning the immersion, analyzing the quantity of strontium in the testing solution, obtaining the concentration (C1) (ppm) of strontium in the testing solution, creating a contrast solution, analyzing the quantity of strontium in the contrast solution as in the case with the testing solution, obtaining the concentration (C2) (ppm) of strontium in the contrast solution, and calculating the strontium adsorption rate of the metal adsorption acrylic fiber by using the following equation: strontium adsorption rate (%)={(C2?C1)/C2}×100.

Abstract: A distance measurement device having better measurement accuracy than conventional distance measurement devices. A stereo camera (1) has a camera stay (4) to be secured to a housing (12) of a vehicle and also has a pair of cameras (2, 3) mounted on the camera stay (4). The camera stay (4) has an installation section (4a) located between the pair of cameras (2, 3) and to be mounted on the housing of the vehicle via fixation sections (6, 7, 8). The installation section (4a) is movable in the direction of a base line interconnecting the cameras (2, 3).

Abstract: A vehicle-mounted camera (1) comprises a lower case (2) constituting a part of a case, an upper case (3) provided with lenses (3a, 3b) constituting the case integrally with the lower case (2), an imaging element (4) for converting light passing through the lenses (3a, 3b) into an electrical signal, an MID-mounting substrate (6) with the imaging element (4) mounted, substrate mounting bosses (3c, 3d) for mounting the MID-mounting substrate (6) to the upper case (3), and spacers (7a, 7b) interposed between the MID-mounting substrate (6) and the substrate mounting bosses (3c, 3d) for adjusting the clearance between the lenses (3a, 3b) and the light receiving plane of the imaging element (4), structured to fix the lower case (2) to the upper case (3) while the MID-mounting substrate (6) mounted with the imaging element (4) is being fixed to the upper case (3) by the substrate mounting bosses (3c, 3d).

Abstract: A vehicle-mounted camera (1) comprises a lower case (2) constituting a part of a case, an upper case (3) provided with lenses (3a, 3b) constituting the case integrally with the lower case (2), an imaging element (4) for converting light passing through the lenses (3a, 3b) into an electrical signal, an MID-mounting substrate (6) with the imaging element (4) mounted, substrate mounting bosses (3c, 3d) for mounting the MID-mounting substrate (6) to the upper case (3), and spacers (7a, 7b) interposed between the MID-mounting substrate (6) and the substrate mounting bosses (3c, 3d) for adjusting the clearance between the lenses (3a, 3b) and the light receiving plane of the imaging element (4), structured to fix the lower case (2) to the upper case (3) while the MID-mounting substrate (6) mounted with the imaging element (4) is being fixed to the upper case (3) by the substrate mounting bosses (3c, 3d).

Abstract: A distance measurement device having better measurement accuracy than conventional distance measurement devices. A stereo camera (1) has a camera stay (4) to be secured to a housing (12) of a vehicle and also has a pair of cameras (2, 3) mounted on the camera stay (4). The camera stay (4) has an installation section (4a) located between the pair of cameras (2, 3) and to be mounted on the housing of the vehicle via fixation sections (6, 7, 8). The installation section (4a) is movable in the direction of a base line interconnecting the cameras (2, 3).

Abstract: It has a right camera, a left camera, a camera stay which holds the right camera and the left camera at predetermined positions, and an attachment portion having openings for fixing the camera stay to a vehicle, in which the openings are positioned at a plurality of virtual lines parallel to a base line connecting the right camera and the left camera, a plurality of the openings are arranged on a virtual parallel line far from the camera stay, and one opening is arranged on a virtual parallel line closer to the camera stay than the faraway virtual parallel line. This structure provides a stereo camera which can prevent from deformation of the camera stay owing to a difference of expansion between the attachment portion and the camera stay and from deviation in the base length and the optical axis of the both cameras, with high distance-measurement accuracy even in a change of surrounding temperature.

Abstract: Disclosed is a head slider having excellent shock resistance, a head supporter, as well as a disk drive using the head slider. The head slider is characterized in a form of its opposite-to-disk surface, such that a fixed point is set at a position located outwardly of a rear end portion of the head slider and at a predetermined distance from a load application point, which load urges the slider toward a disk. When a shock force is externally applied to the head slider, the head slider is rotated about this fixed point such that at least one of pitch angle and roll angle is maintained positive. Because of this structure, a disk drive excellent in shock resistance can be provided.

Abstract: A head slider has, on its front face opposing a disk, a positive pressure generating section and a negative pressure generating recess, and a sloped face slopping toward the air outlet side. By virtue of the sloped face, the negative pressure hindering with high-speed unloading operation of the head slider can be decreased quickly. Thus, at the time of unloading, an additional load is not necessary for the suspension, and the stroke of the suspension for raising the head slider can be shortened. Therefore, a disk drive which is thinner, smaller, and capable of high recording density can be realized.

Abstract: An information-recording/-reproducing device comprises a rotor assembly formed of a disc portion having information recording layer provided on the main surface and an axle portion, the disc portion being connected at the center of a surface opposite to the main surface with the rotating axle so that the rotating axis crosses at right angle with the main surface of disc portion at the center of rotation, a bearing for supporting the axle of disc portion freely rotatable, a rotating magnet fixed to a rotor yoke, a stator disposed opposing to the rotating magnet, and a motor for rotating the disc portion with the rotating axis of the axle as the center of rotation. Preferably, the disc portion with the rotating axle portion having a round column shape or a cylindrical shape, further may have a shallow hollow in the central part of the main surface which being a surface opposite to the surface having the rotating axle.

Abstract: In a head slider, when the distance between the upstream position and the downstream position in a direction parallel to the surface of the recording medium is L, and the amount of flying in a vertical direction from the recording medium at the downstream position is Xh, and the angle formed by the surface to be opposed to the recording medium of the head slider against the recording medium in stable flying of the head slider is ?p, then the relation of (L tan ?p/Xh)?((Kt/Kl)?1) is satisfied for membrane rigidities Kl and Kt. By such configuration of a head slider, when inertia force caused by external impact or the like is applied to the head slider, air layer formed between the air bearing surface of the head slider and the recording medium surface acts as an air spring while the head slider rotates in the pitch direction.

Abstract: A head actuator includes a head slider for carrying a head for recording information to or reproducing information from a recording medium; and a head supporting member for supporting the head slider. The head supporting member includes a substrate and a driving element provided on at least one surface of the substrate for generating an expanding and contracting force in a longitudinal direction in accordance with an external signal, wherein the external signal is applied to the driving element so as to expand or contract the head supporting member in the longitudinal direction and to position the head in a radial direction of the recording medium. The head supporting member includes a first area on which the head slider is provided, a second area on which the driving element is provided, and a third area for connecting the first area and the second area. The driving element has a geometrically central face.

Abstract: The head slider of the present invention is characterized in that, when an inertia force is generated, at an upstream position spaced apart by a predetermined distance in the direction of air inflow end from a position where the inertia force is applied to the head slider, and at a downstream position spaced apart by same distance in the direction of air outflow end from a position where the inertia force is applied, the membrane rigidities of air spring layer formed between the head slider and a recording medium are Kl and Kt respectively; and the distance between the upstream position and the downstream position in a direction parallel to the surface of the recording medium is L, and the amount of flying in a vertical direction from the recording medium at the downstream position is Xh, and the angle formed by the surface to be opposed to the recording medium of the head slider against the recording medium in stable flying of the head slider is &thgr;p, then the relation of

Abstract: A head slider having excellent shock resistance and a head supporter, as well as a disk drive, using the head slider. The head slider is characterized in the form of its opposite-to-disk surface having a fixed point set at a position located outwardly of the rear end portion of the slider and at a predetermined distance from a point of application of a load to urge the slider toward the disk, whereby the slider, when a shock power is externally applied to the slider, is rotated such that at least one of pitch angle and roll angle is kept positive. Owing to this structure, a disk drive excellent in shock resistance can be provided.

Abstract: To improve the positioning accuracy which has been limited so far due to a vibration mode of an actuator for positioning a head and increase the capacity of an apparatus by raising the density of tracks for recording or reproducing information.

Abstract: An information-recording/-reproducing device comprises a rotor assembly formed of a disc portion having information recording layer provided on the main surface and an axle portion, the disc portion being connected at the center of a surface opposite to the main surface with the rotating axle so that the rotating axis crosses at right angle with the main surface of disc portion at the center of rotation, a bearing for supporting the axle of disc portion freely rotatable, a rotating magnet fixed to a rotor yoke, a stator disposed opposing to the rotating magnet, and a motor for rotating the disc portion with the rotating axis of the axle as the center of rotation. Preferably, the disc portion with the rotating axle portion having a round column shape or a cylindrical shape, further may have a shallow hollow in the central part of the main surface which being a surface opposite to the surface having the rotating axle.

Abstract: A head slider having, on its front face opposing a disk, a positive pressure generating section and a negative pressure generating recess, and, in addition, a sloped face toward the air outlet side. By virtue of the sloped face, the negative pressure hindering with high-speed unloading operation of the head slider can be decreased quickly. Thus, at the time of unloading, an additional load is not required of the suspension and the stroke of the suspension for raising the head slider can be shortened. Therefore, a disk drive thinner, smaller, and capable of high recording density can be realized.

Abstract: A head actuator includes a head slider for carrying a head for recording information to or reproducing information from a recording medium; and a head supporting member for supporting the head slider. The head supporting member includes a substrate and a driving element provided on at least one surface of the substrate for generating an expanding and contracting force in a longitudinal direction in accordance with an external signal, wherein the external signal is applied to the driving element so as to expand or contract the head supporting member in the longitudinal direction and to position the head in a radial direction of the recording medium. The head supporting member includes a first area on which the head slider is provided, a second area on which the driving element is provided, and a third area for connecting the first area and the second area. The driving element has a geometrically central face.

Abstract: An information recording/reproducing apparatus removably holding a disk cartridge including a case having a head window and a recording medium stored in the case is provided.

Abstract: A recording and reproducing medium includes: at least one recording and reproducing layer; and a heating layer which receives light for writing data, converts a part of energy of the light into heat, and selectively heats a desired portion of the recording and reproducing layer, thereby changing optical characteristics of the desired portion, wherein the heating layer converts the part of energy of the light into the heat by a surface plasmon resonance phenomenon.