Abstract: A robot of the invention can be moved by a carrying apparatus, and in which a period between a settling start time and a settling end time of the robot overlaps with at least a part of a period between a settling start time and a settling end time of the carrying apparatus. Further, the settling start time of one having a shorter settling time of the robot and the carrying apparatus is later than the settling start time of the other having a longer settling time of the robot and the carrying apparatus or the same as the settling start time of the other having the longer settling time.

Abstract: A multilayer ceramic capacitor includes an element body which is constituted by dielectric layers stacked alternately with internal electrode layers having different polarities and whose shape is roughly a rectangular solid having a pair of principle faces, a pair of end faces, and a pair of side faces, wherein the multilayer ceramic capacitor is such that the pair of side faces of the element body has a pair of side margins whose thickness is 30 ?m or less, and external electrodes are formed on the pair of end faces, and at least one of the pair of principle faces, of the element body. Despite the multilayer ceramic capacitor whose side margins are as thin as 30 ?m or less, leak current can be suppressed.

Abstract: A multilayer ceramic capacitor includes an element body of roughly rectangular solid shape which is constituted by dielectric layers alternately stacked with internal electrode layers having different polarities, with a pair of cover layers formed on it to cover the top and bottom faces in the direction of lamination of the foregoing, and which has a pair of principal faces, a pair of end faces, and a pair of side faces, wherein external electrodes are formed on the pair of end faces and at least one of the pair of principal faces of the element body, and Tt representing the thickness of the external electrode and Tc representing the thickness of the cover layer satisfy the relationship of Tt?Tc. The multilayer ceramic capacitor has large capacitance and also exhibits excellent thermal shock resistance while sufficiently suppressing generation of cracks.

Abstract: A multilayer ceramic capacitor includes an element body of roughly rectangular solid shape which is constituted by dielectric layers alternately stacked with internal electrode layers having different polarities and which has a pair of principle faces, a pair of end faces, and a pair of side faces, wherein the multilayer ceramic capacitor is such that: external electrodes are formed on the pair of end faces and one principle face of the element body; and on a cross section taken in parallel with one end face of the multilayer ceramic capacitor near the end face, the ratio of area A constituted by the internal electrode layers connected to the external electrode on this end face side and the dielectric layers present between the internal electrode layers, and area B covering the part of the section excluding the external electrodes, A/B, is 0.75 or more.

Abstract: An image forming method including: inputting a pulse width modulated signal into a laser beam output section and thereby outputting a laser beam, wherein a pulse width of the pulse width modulated signal is changed based on image data containing density information; scanning the laser beam onto a surface of a photoreceptor through an optical scanning apparatus and thereby outputting an image; detecting a diameter of the laser beam in a sub-scanning direction formed on the surface of the photoreceptor, the diameter of the laser beam inherent to each optical scanning apparatus and changing along an image height in a main scanning direction; and correcting the pulse width in response to the diameter in the sub-scanning direction so that the image output density is uniform with respect to one and the same input density in the image data.

Abstract: In a music information database, music information where music pieces and impression words representing impressions of the music pieces and usable as search words when any of the music pieces is to be searched for is registered for a plurality of music pieces. Information collection section collects, from among various information being provided by information source sites, information usable as music-piece-related search words. Registration section registers the words usable as music-piece-related search words, collected by the information collection section, into the database in association with particular music pieces. In this way, it is possible to construct a music information database which permits a music information search therethrough using impression words representing impressions of a music piece, at low cost without taking much time and labor.

Abstract: An image forming method including: inputting a pulse width modulated signal into a laser beam output section and thereby outputting a laser beam, wherein a pulse width of the pulse width modulated signal is changed based on image data containing density information; scanning the laser beam onto a surface of a photoreceptor through an optical scanning apparatus and thereby outputting an image; detecting a diameter of the laser beam in a sub-scanning direction formed on the surface of the photoreceptor, the diameter of the laser beam inherent to each optical scanning apparatus and changing along an image height in a main scanning direction; and correcting the pulse width in response to the diameter in the sub-scanning direction so that the image output density is uniform with respect to one and the same input density in the image data.

Abstract: A flame-retardant synthetic resin composition characterized by comprising 1-40 parts by weight of at least one type of organic phosphorus compound represented by the following general formula (1): (wherein R1 represents alkyl, aralkyl, etc.) with respect to 100 parts by weight of a synthetic resin.

Abstract: In a music information database, music information where music pieces and impression words representing impressions of the music pieces and usable as search words when any of the music pieces is to be searched for is registered for a plurality of music pieces. Information collection section collects, from among various information being provided by information source sites, information usable as music-piece-related search words. Registration section registers the words usable as music-piece-related search words, collected by the information collection section, into the database in association with particular music pieces. In this way, it is possible to construct a music information database which permits a music information search therethrough using impression words representing impressions of a music piece, at low cost without taking much time and labor.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus having: a plurality of image bearing bodies on each of which a toner image is formed; a plurality of drive sections for rotating the plurality of image bearing bodies; a carrying section for carrying a transfer medium; and a transfer section for superposing each of the toner images formed on each of the image bearing bodies onto the transfer medium to transfer, wherein each of the drive sections is coupled with each of the image bearing bodies by a coupling comprising a drive section side coupling portion and an image bearing body side coupling portion which are formed to be engagable with each other, and at least one of the drive section side coupling portion and the image bearing side coupling portion is freely engaged with a rotary shaft for transmitting a torque from each of the drive sections to each of the image bearing bodies.

Abstract: A flame-retardant synthetic resin composition characterized by comprising 1-40 parts by weight of at least one type of organic phosphorus compound represented by the following general formula (1): (wherein R1 represents alkyl, aralkyl, etc.) with respect to 100 parts by weight of a synthetic resin.

Abstract: The flame retardant treating agent of the invention comprises a phosphorus-based compound represented by the following formula (4), for example. According to the invention, a polyester fiber woven fabric is immersed in a treatment solution containing the flame retardant treating agent and is heat treated at a prescribed temperature in order to fix the flame retardant treating agent to the polyester fiber woven fabric to obtain flame retardant treated fiber. As a result, it is possible to maintain adequate fiber cleaning durability and achieve a sufficient flame retardant property even by post-treatment, without using halogen-based compounds.

Abstract: Flame retardant treating agents according to the invention comprise a phosphorus-based compound represented by the following formula (4): Flame retardant treated fibers can be obtained by immersion of polyester fiber woven fabrics and the like in a treatment solution containing the flame retardant treating agents and accomplishing heat treatment at a prescribed temperature. It is thereby possible to impart adequate flame retardance to polymer materials such as fibers and thermoplastic polymers even when used in small amounts, and provide flame retardant treating agents that contain no halogen compounds.

Abstract: A steering wheel for an automobile is provided. The steering wheel comprises: two surface elements, each formed by stacking a decorative layer and a reinforce layer, joined together at seams; a core material layer disposed to the inside of the surface elements; a metal core disposed to the inside of the core material layer, the surface elements, the core material layer, and the metal core being integrated to form the steering wheel; and fiber reinforcing layers which are provided between the reinforce layer and the core material layer, and which bridge one surface element and the other surface element across the seams of the surface elements. The fiber reinforcing layers are made of material selected from glass fibers, carbon fibers, aramide fibers, and metal fibers. Fibers having lengths of at least 25 mm are scattered in the core material layer.

Abstract: A gear assembly comprises at least two gears, each of which is formed by injection molding and has a plurality of ribs on their bases. The two gears have a gear ratio of 1:N and a ratio of the number of ribs is 1:M (N and M are integers). Alternatively, the two gears are supported in positions where one of ribs on one gear and one of ribs on the other gear lie on the same line at a predetermined number of times while one of gears rotates once. The two gears can also be supported in positions where the ribs on the two gears have predetermined positional relationships so that the two gears rotate at a constant angular speed.

Abstract: A steering has a surface material made of a ligneous material and an improved moisture resistance. The steering has a core and a surface material covering the core, and the core and the surface material are formed integrally. The surface material comprises a surface decorative material, a plurality of ligneous thin plates and adhesive sheets in which an adhesive resin having a moisture resistance is permeated in a base material, and the adhesive sheet is between the surface decorative material and the ligneous thin plate and is between the ligneous thin plates.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus having: a plurality of image bearing bodies on each of which a toner image is formed; a plurality of drive sections for rotating the plurality of image bearing bodies; a carrying section for carrying a transfer medium; and a transfer section for superposing each of the toner images formed on each of the image bearing bodies onto the transfer medium to transfer, wherein each of the drive sections is coupled with each of the image bearing bodies by a coupling comprising a drive section side coupling portion and an image bearing body side coupling portion which are formed to be engagable with each other, and at least one of the drive section side coupling portion and the image bearing side coupling portion is freely engaged with a rotary shaft for transmitting a torque from each of the drive sections to each of the image bearing bodies.

Abstract: One object of the present invention is to provide a production method of a steering wheel in which divided bodies are securely integrated into a single unit without using adhesive. In order to achieve the object, the present invention provides a production method of a steering wheel comprising the steps of: a) providing a plurality of divided bodies 6, each of which comprises a surface material 3 and a plastic layer 4 provided on the inside of said surface material 3; b) forming an outer shell 2 by integrally welding said plastic layers 4 of said divided bodies 6; c) providing a core metal 1 to be arranged in said outer shell 2; and d) filling plastic between said outer shell 2 and said core metal 1.

Abstract: One object of the present invention is to provide a production method of a steering wheel in which divided bodies are securely integrated into a single unit without using adhesive. In order to achieve the object, the present invention provides a production method of a steering wheel comprising the steps of: a) providing a plurality of divided bodies 6, each of which comprises a surface material 3 and a plastic layer 4 provided on the inside of said surface material 3; b) forming an outer shell 2 by integrally welding said plastic layers 4 of said divided bodies 6; c) providing a core metal 1 to be arranged in said outer shell 2; and d) filling plastic between said outer shell 2 and said core metal 1.

Abstract: A cleaning device for cleaning a toner from a surface of a cylindrical latent image carrier having; a cleaning blade mechanism which includes a cleaning blade arranged so that a tip edge portion on a first surface of the cleaning blade contacts with the surface of the cylindrical latent image carrier, and a supporting member positioned on a second surface at a base end portion of the cleaning blade to urge the cleaning blade to contact with the surface of the cylindrical latent image carrier; and a laminar vibration-damping member whose base end portion is held by the supporting member on the second surface of the cleaning blade, wherein, on a tip end portion of the vibration-damping member, a plurality of slits are formed so that a plurality of tab portions are formed to be arranged in the axial direction of the cylindrical latent image carrier.