Abstract: A bearing ring for a roller bearing includes: an inner layer part that is formed of tempering martensite or sorbite; and a surface layer part that surrounds the entire periphery of the inner layer part, in which Vickers hardness of a surface thereof is larger than that of the inner layer, and which is formed of tempering martensite. A raceway portion of the surface layer part a portion that is in contact with at least one end of the rolling contact surface of the roller in an axial direction, and includes a first raceway portion at which compressive residual stress of the raceway surface is relatively high.

Abstract: A raceway of a roller bearing includes a first raceway whose raceway surface is under a relatively high compressive residual stress, and a second raceway whose raceway surface is under a compressive residual stress lower than the compressive residual stress applied to the raceway surface of the first raceway. The raceway surface of the second raceway has a Vickers hardness of 700 HV or more but less than 800 HV. The raceway surface of the first raceway includes a portion that is harder than the raceway surface of the second raceway and that is to be in contact with at least one of axial ends of a rolling contact surface of a roller. A rib includes a rib surface having a Vickers hardness of 450 HV or more but less than 550 HV.

Abstract: A heat treatment apparatus that thermally treats an annular workpiece formed of a steel material by inductively heating the workpiece includes a treatment tank in which the workpiece is set and thermally treated, a holding portion that holds the workpiece at a predetermined position, an induction heating coil that surrounds the workpiece to inductively heat the workpiece, and a cooling medium that cools surfaces of the workpiece during the induction heating of the workpiece.

Abstract: The method for manufacturing a crystalline silicon substrate for a solar cell includes: forming a texture on the surface of a single-crystalline silicon substrate by bringing an alkali solution and the surface of the single-crystalline silicon substrate into contact with each other; bringing an acidic solution and the surface of the single-crystalline silicon substrate into contact with each other to perform an acid treatment thereon; and then by bringing ozone water and the surface of the single-crystalline silicon substrate into contact with each other to perform an ozone treatment thereon. One aspect of embodiment is that the acidic solution used for the acid treatment is hydrochloric acid. Another aspect of embodiment is that the ozone treatment is performed by immersing the single-crystalline silicon substrate into the ozone water bath.

Abstract: A rolling-contact shaft member, which is made of high-carbon steel and whose outer peripheral surface serves as a rolling-contact surface that rolling-contacts a mating material, includes: a carbonitrided layer having a carbon concentration of 1.1 to 1.6 wt % and a nitrogen concentration of 0.05 to 0.6 wt % in the range from the surface to the depth of 10 ?m. The rolling-contact shaft member has a Vickers hardness of 700 to 840 HV at the outer peripheral surface and has a Vickers hardness of 600 HV or less in its central portion. A maximum value of an absolute value of a gradient of a change in the Vickers hardness from the outer peripheral surface to the central portion is 100 to 340 HV/mm.

Abstract: A bearing ring formed of quenched and tempered high carbon chromium bearing steel, including an inner layer portion formed of tempered martensite or sorbite and having a Vickers hardness of more than 490 HV and 710 HV or less, and a surface layer portion formed to enclose an entire periphery of the inner layer portion, formed of tempered martensite, and having a higher hardness than the inner layer portion.

Abstract: A bearing ring formed of quenched and tempered high carbon chromium bearing steel, including an inner layer portion formed of tempered martensite or sorbite and having a Vickers hardness of more than 490 HV and 710 HV or less, and a surface layer portion formed to enclose an entire periphery of the inner layer portion, formed of tempered martensite, and having a higher hardness than the inner layer portion.

Abstract: A heat treatment apparatus that thermally treats an annular workpiece formed of a steel material by inductively heating the workpiece includes a treatment tank in which the workpiece is set and thermally treated, a holding portion that holds the workpiece at a predetermined position, an induction heating coil that surrounds the workpiece to inductively heat the workpiece, and a cooling medium that cools surfaces of the workpiece during the induction heating of the workpiece.

Abstract: A thin film photoelectric converter including a transparent conductive layer, a laser light absorption layer, a back electrode layer, a semiconductor photoelectric conversion layer and a transparent electrode layer stacked on a translucent substrate. The laser light absorption layer is parted into regions by first kind parting line grooves, and the photoelectric conversion layer is parted into regions by third kind parting line grooves penetrating the laser light absorption layer, the rear surface electrode layer and the photoelectric conversion layer. The transparent electrode layer is parted into regions by fourth kind parting line grooves penetrating the laser light absorption layer, the rear surface electrode layer, the photoelectric conversion layer and the transparent electrode layer. A receiving side transparent electrode region of one cell is electrically connected to a back electrode region of an adjacent cell through the first kind groove, the transparent conductive layer and the third kind groove.

Abstract: In the state where a handle (2) and a lid (12) are attached to a main body (11), left and right bases (22) of the handle (2) are fitted into recesses (1112, 1113) at coupling portions (111, 112). Left and right shaft supports (91) of the lid (12) are fitted into recesses (1111, 1114). Shaft portions (81) of the left and right bases (22) are fitted from above into a through hole (72) and a through hole (73), respectively, and are supported rotatably about a center axis (200) in the through holes (72, 73). Shafts (93 to 95) of the shaft supports (91, 92) are laterally fitted into through holes (71, 74, 75), respectively, and are supported rotatably about the center axis (200) in the through holes (71, 74, 75). The shaft (94) of the shaft support (92) is laterally fitted into a blind hole (82) of the right base (22).

Abstract: A steel material which contains 0.16 to 0.19% of carbon by mass, 0.15 to 0.35% of silicon by mass, 0.20 to 1.55% of manganese by mass, and 2.5 to 3.2% of chromium by mass, of which remaining part is formed of iron and incidental impurities, and which contains 0.01 to 0.2% of nickel by mass as an incidental impurity and higher than or equal to 0.001% and lower than 0.15% of molybdenum by mass as an incidental impurity, and which has a hardenability index of higher than or equal to 5.4 is subjected to a carbonitriding step, a process annealing step, a quenching step, a tempering step and a finishing step. Thus, there is obtained a rolling sliding member made of the steel material, and having satisfactory corrosion resistance and crack resistance and having a sufficiently long useful life even under an environment where rust is easily formed.

Abstract: In the state where a handle (2) and a lid (12) are attached to a main body (11), left and right bases (22) of the handle (2) are fitted into recesses (1112, 1113) at coupling portions (111, 112). Left and right shaft supports (91) of the lid (12) are fitted into recesses (1111, 1114). Shaft portions (81) of the left and right bases (22) are fitted from above into a through hole (72) and a through hole (73), respectively, and are supported rotatably about a center axis (200) in the through holes (72, 73). Shafts (93 to 95) of the shaft supports (91, 92) are laterally fitted into through holes (71, 74, 75), respectively, and are supported rotatably about the center axis (200) in the through holes (71, 74, 75). The shaft (94) of the shaft support (92) is laterally fitted into a blind hole (82) of the right base (22).

Abstract: A thin film photoelectric converter including a transparent conductive layer, a laser light absorption layer, a back electrode layer, a semiconductor photoelectric conversion layer and a transparent electrode layer stacked on a translucent substrate. The laser light absorption layer is parted into regions by first kind parting line grooves, and the photoelectric conversion layer is parted into regions by third kind parting line grooves penetrating the laser light absorption layer, the rear surface electrode layer and the photoelectric conversion layer. The transparent electrode layer is parted into regions by fourth kind parting line grooves penetrating the laser light absorption layer, the rear surface electrode layer, the photoelectric conversion layer and the transparent electrode layer. A receiving side transparent electrode region of one cell is electrically connected to a back electrode region of adjacent cell through the first kind groove, the transparent conductive layer and the third kind groove.

Abstract: A state detection mechanism includes a movable member, a spring member, a fringesection, and a stopper member. The spring member displaces the movable member arranged at the first predetermined position to a second predetermined position by applying restoration force in a D direction to the movable member. The fringe section restricts the displacement by abutting to a protrusion member formed on the movable member arranged at the first predetermined position. The stopper member restricts rotation of the movable member, which rotates around an axis that extends in a D direction, by abutting to the protrusion member formed on the movable member arranged at the first predetermined position. When torque is transmitted to the movable member from a shaft, the movable member rotates wound an axis that extends in the D direction, and the protrusion member and the stopper member abut to each other.

Abstract: A state detection mechanism includes a movable member, a spring member, a fringe section, and a stopper member. The spring member displaces the movable member arranged at the first predetermined position to a second predetermined position by applying restoration force in a D direction to the movable member. The fringe section restricts the displacement by abutting to a protrusion member formed on the movable member arranged at the first predetermined position. The stopper member restricts rotation of the movable member, which rotates around an axis that extends in a D direction, by abutting to the protrusion member formed on the movable member arranged at the first predetermined position. When torque is transmitted to the movable member from a shaft, the movable member rotates around an axis that extends in the D direction, and the protrusion member and the stopper member abut to each other. Load caused by the torque is applied to a section of this abutment and destroys the protrusion member.

Abstract: The process frame body has the guide portion, and the development device has the to-be-guided shaft. When the process frame body is unattached to the apparatus main body, the guide portion of the development device is absent, thus preventing proper attachment and positioning of the development device. The convex engagement portion is formed integrally with the development device so as to jut into the attachment path for the process frame body. This prevents attachment of the process frame body when the development device is attached first. If users try to attach the process frame body after attachment of the development device, the convex engagement portion interferes with the process frame body, thus preventing attachment of the process frame body.

Abstract: A detection mechanism is provided with a sealing member made of elastic material for preventing toner leakage between (a) a pierced wall surface of a toner tank through which a rotating shaft is inserted and (b) a second side plate provided on the rotating shaft. With this structure, a flat splicing surface of the sealing member is made to closely contact a second side plate that can be coated with a high lubricant member whose frictional forces is small. When a sealing force of the sealing member is strongly compressed, the sealing member prevents toner from coming into the sliding surface.

Abstract: A toner cartridge stored in a developer casing includes a biasing force generating device, an actuating rod that switches the biasing device between an active state and a non-active state by one movement of a release member. A developer casing swings by the movement of the actuating rod and presses a developing roller with appropriate pressure to a photosensitive drum. There is a lock member that is restrained from moving by the movement of the actuating rod. The structure recited is capable of inserting and fixing the developer casing to an image forming device. Also, by one restore movement of the release member, the photosensitive drum and the developing roller are separated and the lock is released, thereby enabling removal/exchange of the developer casing.

Abstract: Elastic members are fixed at one end to the housing of an image forming apparatus while their distal ends extend into the framework of the developing unit. When a toner cartridge is fitted to the framework of a developing unit, the distal ends of the elastic members abut the top surface of the toner cartridge, so that the elastic members are compressed to produce repulsive force, which in turn causes the developing unit to rotate clockwise about a support so as to bring the developer roller into pressing contact with a photoconductor.

Abstract: The process frame body has the guide portion, and the development device has the to-be-guided shaft. When the process frame body is unattached to the apparatus main body, the guide portion of the development device is absent, thus preventing proper attachment and positioning of the development device. The convex engagement portion is formed integrally with the development device so as to jut into the attachment path for the process frame body. This prevents attachment of the process frame body when the development device is attached first. If users try to attach the process frame body after attachment of the development device, the convex engagement portion interferes with the process frame body, thus preventing attachment of the process frame body.