Abstract: A multi-phase clock generation circuit includes a clock generation circuit, first frequency divider circuit, first clock selection circuit, second to nth frequency divider circuits, second to nth clock selection circuits, and clock selection control section. The clock generation circuit generates 2n (n is a positive integer) reference clock signals having the same frequency and different phases. The frequency divider circuit frequency-divides one of the reference clock signals by 2 to generate clock signals 180° out of phase with each other. The first clock selection circuit selects one of each of the clock signals and a corresponding reference clock signal and outputs the selected signals as clock pulses. Each of the second to nth frequency divider circuits frequency-divides a clock pulse to generate clock signals 180° out of phase with each other.

Abstract: The apparatus has an evaluated value calculating means 102 for calculating the complexity of the object shape and the complexity of the modeling structure of the object CAD data input by the CAD data inputting means 101; a searching means 104 for searching the reference CAD data in the reference CAD data base 103 in accordance with the condition of said complexity; an evaluated value calculating means 106 for calculating the complexity of the object shape and the complexity of the modeling structure based on the searched reference CAD data; and a displaying means 105 for evaluated values obtained by the means 102 and the means 106 on the graphic representation defining its horizontal axis for the complexity of the object shape and its vertical axis for the complexity of the modeling structure. It will be appreciated that the man-hour for evaluating large amount of various models can be reduced by means of not using a CAD system.

Abstract: A light emitting device includes an optical fiber plug formed with a through-hole into which a bundle of optical fibers is inserted and a light-emitting device holder formed with a through-hole in which a condenser lens and a light emitting device are accommodated, and the optical fiber plug is assembled with the light-emitting device holder so that the light emitting device is optically coupled to the optical fiber through the condenser lens; a positioning device, a hyperboloid lens surface or a reflecting surface is formed in the optical fiber plug/light emitting device holder, condenser lens or the inner surface of the light-emitting device holder so that the light incident on the light input end is increased by virtue of the exact positioning between the optical fiber and optical axis, reduction of aberration or increase of light directed to the condenser lens.

Abstract: An optical sensor system includes a light emitting unit, a light detecting unit, light radiating optical sensor heads connected through optical fibers to the light emitting unit and light receiving optical sensor heads connected through optical fibers to the light detecting unit, and light is selectively distributed to the light radiating optical sensor heads for radiating light beams from both side surfaces of each sensor head to the adjacent light receiving optical sensor heads for converting the incident light to photo-current; each light radiating optical sensor head has prisms for splitting the light into two beams; however, the stray light is produced at the edge between the reflection surfaces; the stray light is reduced or predictably controlled by forming textured pattern on the side surfaces, a photo-shield member or notches; otherwise, the edge is sharpened by separately forming the prisms.

Abstract: An excess toner removal area is made broader over the whole area with respect to a developer applied area that is broader than an image effective area. Thereby a liquid developer, that tends to spread slightly broader than the applied area after being applied to a photoreceptor drum, is removed by a sweep roller that can sweep excess toner present in an area broader than the original applied area and an excess toner remaining area is then prevented from being formed on the photoreceptor drum. Accordingly, the excess toner on the latent image carrier is removed as much as possible, and a transfer medium and peripheral members are prevented from being soiled due to residual excess toner.

Abstract: A liquid developer which includes an insulating liquid, and toner fine particles containing a coloring agent and a toner resin. In the liquid developer, its electric capacitance does not significantly vary in an electric circuit where an electrical double-layer capacitor and an electronic resistance corresponding to a velocity of an electron exchange during an electrode reaction are connected in parallel, and a resistance corresponding to an electric conductivity of the insulating liquid is connected in series. The coloring agent has a coating layer so as to maintain distances between the toner fine particles. The insulating liquid has a viscosity of 0.5 mPa.s to 1000 mPa.s, a specific resistance of 1×1012 &OHgr;cm or more, and a surface tension of 30 dyn/cm or less, and may be a nonvolatile liquid having a boiling point of 100° C. or higher.

Abstract: A hollow bar is provided in a bathroom and connected with a faucet 10 and a shower head 1. The hollow bar comprises a slide bar 3 for the hook 2 of the shower head or a grip bar 15 for a user. Water treating material such as a filter medium, ion exchange resin and ceramics is placed in the hollow bar and water jetted from the faucet 10 passes the water treating material in the hollow bar. The water is treated by the water treating material and the treated water is guided to and dispensed from the shower head.

Abstract: In a ceiling (12) of a room (10) of a clean room device (15), fan filter units (14) are arranged at distances, and to an open grid space where no fan filter unit (14) is provided, a breathable body (40) is provided. When clean air is sent from an over-ceiling space (16) into the room (10) by the fan filter unit (14), an air pressure in the room (10) becomes higher than that in the over-ceiling space (16), and part of the air in the room (10) flows to the over-ceiling space (16) through the breathable body (40). Consequently, it is possible to prevent an occurrence of a swirling current in an area under an open grid space in the room (10), and cleanliness in the room (10) can be raised.

Abstract: A hammer sensor includes a photo-filter plate movable together with a hammer assembly and having a base plate fixed to the hammer shank and an arc pattern formed on the base plate and different in transparency from the base plate, a photo radiating element radiating a light beam toward the arc pattern and a photo detecting element disposed on the optical path of the light beam for converting the amount of transmitted light to an electric signal, wherein the photo-filter plate converts the rotational angle of the hammer assembly to the amount of light incident on the photo detecting element, and makes the photo radiating element and the photo detecting element stationary so that a suitable photo-shield case prevents the photo elements from environmental light.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus of the present invention uses a highly viscous, dense developing liquid consisting of a carrier liquid and toner dispersed therein. A developing unit includes a developer carrier and a coating member for coating the developing liquid on the developer carrier. The developer carrier conveys the liquid to a developing zone where it faces an image carrier to thereby develop a latent image formed on the image carrier with the liquid. In the developing zone, the toner in the liquid, which faces the image of the image carrier, is caused to move toward the image by electrophoresis to thereby form a toner layer in which the toner is present in the carrier liquid and a carrier layer in which the toner is absent in the same. When the developer carrier and image carrier moved away from the developing zone part from each other, the toner is caused to move toward the image over a degree at which the developing liquid can separate at the boundary between the toner layer and the carrier layer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a wafer holder, a wafer support member, a wafer boat and a heat treatment furnace, which are capable of sufficiently suppressing slip dislocations, without lowering productivity and at low cost, in the high temperature heat treatment of silicon wafers, and said wafer holder is characterized in that: the wafer holder is composed of a wafer support plate and three or more wafer support members mounted on said wafer support plate, each of the wafer support members having a wafer support portion or more; at least one of said wafer support members is a tilting wafer support member which has a plurality of upward-convex wafer support portions on the upper surface and is tiltable with respect to said wafer support plate; and the wafer is supported by at least four wafer support portions.

Abstract: A hammer sensor includes a photo-filter plate movable together with a hammer assembly and having a base plate fixed to the hammer shank and an arc pattern formed on the base plate and different in transparency from the base plate, a photo radiating element radiating a light beam toward the arc pattern and a photo detecting element disposed on the optical path of the light beam for converting the amount of transmitted light to an electric signal, wherein the photo-filter plate converts the rotational angle of the hammer assembly to the amount of light incident on the photo detecting element, and makes the photo radiating element and the photo detecting element stationary so that a suitable photo-shield case prevents the photo elements from environmental light.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring a substance concentration in a liquid wherein a continuously variable thickness of the liquid is formed, and light is emitted such that a portion of the light passes through the formed continuously variable thickness of the liquid, an electrical signal is generated according to the portion of the light that passes through the formed continuously variable thickness of the liquid, and the substance concentration in the liquid is determined based on the generated electrical signal.

Abstract: An attriter which applies a strong stress to a liquid developer, sufficient for generating the chemically non-equilibrium state therein, is parallel-connected with a developing unit, so that the stress is applied to a part of the liquid developer carried from a storage tank to a developing tank. However, in order to suppress crushing of the toner due to the application of excessive stress, the operation of the attriter is controlled in the following manner. That is, a charge quantity detection unit which detects the toner charge quantity of the liquid developer in the developing tank is provided, and based on the detection result thereof, the attriter is controlled.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus and a developing device that can deposit a developing liquid on a liquid carrier in a form of a thin layer, causing the thin layer to contact an image carrier of the image forming apparatus. A liquid carrier is in contact with the image carrier to carry the thin layer of the developing liquid to the image carrier. A thin layer contact member contacts the thin layer formed on the liquid carrier at a position upstream of where the liquid carrier and the image carrier contact each other in a direction in which the liquid carrier is movable, to apply a shearing force to the thin layer. Further, the thin layer contact member includes a rotary member with a movable surface that rotates, at a position where the rotary member faces the liquid carrier, in a rotating direction opposite to the rotation direction in which the liquid carrier is movable.

Abstract: A removal nip having a predetermined width is formed by a sweep roller pressurizing mechanism, which adjusts the length of a tension spring by rotating an adjustment screw, and adjusting the size of an energizing force of a sweep roller with respect to a photosensitive drum. A pressurizing mechanism similar to the sweep roller pressurizing mechanism is also provided in a developing roller, to adjust the energizing force of the developing roller, to thereby form a developing nip having a predetermined width.

Abstract: A hollow bar is provided in a bathroom and connected with a faucet 10 and a shower head 1. The hollow bar comprises a slide bar 3 for the hook 2 of the shower head or a grip bar 15 for a user. Water treating material such as a filter medium, ion exchange resin and ceramics is placed in the hollow bar and water jetted from the faucet 10 passes the water treating material in the hollow bar. The water is treated by the water treating material and the treated water is guided to and dispensed from the shower head.

Abstract: A developing device of the type using a developing liquid and applicable to an image forming apparatus includes a developing roller and a sweep roller. The developing roller is pressed against a photoconductive drum to thereby form a nip. The sweep roller is positioned downstream of the nip in the direction of rotation of the drum and pressed against the drum in such a manner as to sandwich a developed toner layer. The surface of the sweep roller moves at substantially the same speed as the surface of the drum. A bias voltage (250 V) close to the surface potential (100 V to 200 V) of the toner layer formed on the drum is applied to the sweep roller. The bias causes the sweep roller to attract stray excess toner present on the background of the drum after development, thereby preventing a toner image from being blurred.

Abstract: A disk apparatus has a rotatable actuator adapted to magnetically latch in a predetermined stop position when the disk apparatus is not operating. The actuator rotates about a rotating or swinging shaft and includes a coil arm having a latch magnet. The coil arm is adapted to pass between opposing permanent magnets when the actuator rotates about the rotating or swinging shaft. When the actuator is in the stop position, the latch magnet is outside of the area between the permanent magnets, therefore generating a repulsive force between the latch magnet and permanent magnets, inducing the actuator to magnetically latch. When the disk apparatus is operating, the latch magnet travels between the permanent magnets, resulting in opposing repulsive magnetic forces having equal magnitudes which cancel each other, maintaining the actuator's attitude without rotating it.

Abstract: An excess toner removal area is made broader over the whole area with respect to a developer applied area that is broader than an image effective area. Thereby a liquid developer, that tends to spread slightly broader than the applied area after being applied to a photoreceptor drum, is removed by a sweep roller that can sweep excess toner present in an area broader than the original applied area and an excess toner remaining area is then prevented from being formed on the photoreceptor drum. Accordingly, the excess toner on the latent image carrier is removed as much as possible, and a transfer medium and peripheral members are prevented from being soiled due to residual excess toner.