Abstract: An OHC engine includes a valve operation system housed in a valve operation chamber formed between a cylinder head and a head cover joined to the cylinder head. The valve operation system includes a valve-operating cam and is cooperatively connected to an intake valve and an exhaust valve. The OHC engine also includes timing transmitting device disposed between the valve operation system and a crankshaft, the timing transmitting means including a driven wheel that rotates together with the valve-operating cam and a transmission belt that is wrapped around the driven wheel so that oil within a crankcase can accompany the transmission belt and be supplied to the valve operation chamber. The head cover is provided with an arc-form curved cover part for covering the upper part of the driven wheel.

Abstract: A method of forming a mask pattern includes a step of laminating a first resist layer on a base layer, a step of exposing the first resist layer using a first pattern with a pattern of at least one via hole, a step of developing the first resist layer exposed to remove a part of the first resist layer, the part corresponding to an area of the at least one via hole, a step of laminating a second resist layer on the first resist layer and on the base layer in the area of the at least one via hole, a step of exposing the second resist layer using a second pattern, and a step of developing the second resist layer exposed and the first resist layer to remove a part of the second resist layer and all of the first resist layer so as to form the mask pattern made of the second resist layer.

Abstract: A thin-film magnetic head comprises first and second magnetic layers; a gap layer provided between the first and second magnetic layers; a coupling portion for magnetically coupling the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer to each other at a distance from the medium facing surface ABS; and a thin-film coil at least part of which is disposed between the first and second magnetic layers. The second magnetic layer has a pole portion layer and a yoke portion layer. The pole portion layer has a saturated magnetic flux density equal to or greater than that of the yoke portion layer. The yoke portion layer magnetically connects the upper end of the coupling portion and the rear end surface of the pole portion layer to each other.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a communication protocol converter system, which can handle a plurality of communication protocols. Communication protocol set information for an electronic control device 101 set by a personal computer 106 is sent to a variable protocol converter means 108a in an interface device 107. The variable protocol converter means 108a changes a communication protocol control program based on the communication protocol set information.

Abstract: Provided is a thin film magnetic head capable of ensuring the strength of a perpendicular magnetic field and improving recording performance. A bottom pole portion layer and a top pole portion layer constituting a part of a main magnetic pole are formed so that a cross sectional area of a complex including front end portions of the bottom pole portion layer and the top pole portion layer is smaller than a cross sectional area of a complex including rear end portions thereof, and a width of a top edge in an exposed surface is larger than a width of a bottom edge, and is equal to or larger than a width of the exposed surface in a middle position between the top edge and the bottom edge. In recording, magnetic fluxes flowing in a main magnetic pole are focused toward an air bearing surface, and are concentrated on the front end portion of the top pole portion layer which is a main emitting portion of the magnetic fluxes, so sufficient magnetic fluxes can be supplied to the air bearing surface.

Abstract: A vehicle navigation apparatus that does not output an inappropriate or irrelevant guidance picture display or spoken guidance even when the vehicle enters an area off the roads (e.g. a parking lot, campus, factory, or facility grounds, or park) stored in the apparatus' road map data base, and which provides a correct guidance picture display and a correct spoken guidance for navigation to a destination. When the apparatus detects entry of the vehicle into such an area off the roads stored in the map data base, a guidance picture is changed to a map picture, and the apparatus stops correcting the vehicle position by map matching. When the apparatus detects an exit of the vehicle from such an area, the apparatus restarts correcting the vehicle position by map matching and a map picture is changed to a guidance picture.

Abstract: A thin-film magnetic head comprises first and second magnetic layers, a gap layer provided between the first and second magnetic layers, and a thin-film coil at least a part of which is disposed between the first and second magnetic layers. The second magnetic layer has a pole portion layer, a yoke portion layer, and a coupling portion. The yoke portion layer is magnetically connected to the rear end surface of the pole portion layer and both side surfaces of the pole portion layer in the width direction. The rear end surface of the pole portion layer and the side surfaces of the pole portion layer in the width direction are each inclined relative to the direction perpendicular to the surface of the pole portion layer that faces the gap layer.

Abstract: A vehicle navigation apparatus that does not output an inappropriate or irrelevant guidance picture display or spoken guidance even when the vehicle enters an area off the roads (e.g. a parking lot, campus, factory, or facility grounds, or park) stored in the apparatus' road map data base, and which provides a correct guidance picture display and a correct spoken guidance for navigation to a destination. When the apparatus detects entry of the vehicle into such an area off the roads stored in the map data base, a guidance picture is changed to a map picture, and the apparatus stops correcting the vehicle position by map matching. When the apparatus detects an exit of the vehicle from such an area, the apparatus restarts correcting the vehicle position by map matching and a map picture is changed to a guidance picture.

Abstract: An OHC engine includes a valve operation system housed in a valve operation chamber formed between a cylinder head and a head cover joined to the cylinder head. The valve operation system includes a valve-operating cam and is cooperatively connected to an intake valve and an exhaust valve. The OHC engine also includes timing transmitting device disposed between the valve operation system and a crankshaft, the timing transmitting means including a driven wheel that rotates together with the valve-operating cam and a transmission belt that is wrapped around the driven wheel so that oil within a crankcase can accompany the transmission belt and be supplied to the valve operation chamber. The head cover is provided with an arc-form curved cover part for covering the upper part of the driven wheel.

Abstract: In order to prevent lubricating oil from entering an intake system when an engine body is tilted downward while avoiding any increase in the engine dimensions, the engine body has first and second breather chambers, first and second through passages for providing communication between a crank chamber and the first and second breather chambers, respectively, and a communicating passage for providing communication between the first and second breather chambers. The second breather chamber is connected to the intake system via a guide pipe, an end of the second through passage that opens inside the crank chamber is positioned above the oil surface inside the crank chamber when the engine is tilted downward, and the route from the first through passage to the communicating passage via the first breather chamber is shaped so as to prevent the lubricating oil inside the crank chamber from entering the communicating passage.

Abstract: A thin-film magnetic head comprises first and second magnetic layers, a gap layer provided between the first and second magnetic layers, a coupling portion for magnetically coupling the first and second magnetic layers to each other at a distance from a medium facing surface ABS, and a thin-film coil, part of which is disposed between the first and second magnetic layers. The second magnetic layer has a pole portion layer and a yoke portion layer. The thin-film magnetic head further comprises a non-magnetic layer that is in contact with the surface of the pole portion layer farther from the gap layer. The non-magnetic layer prevents the surface of the pole portion layer farther from the gap layer from being damaged during the manufacturing process of the head, and thereby maintains the flatness of the surface.

Abstract: A thin-film magnetic head comprises first and second magnetic layers, a gap layer provided between the first and second magnetic layers, and a thin-film coil at least a part of which is disposed between the first and second magnetic layers. The second magnetic layer has a pole portion layer, a yoke portion layer, and a coupling portion. The head further comprises a non-magnetic layer provided on a surface of the pole portion layer farther from the gap layer. The yoke portion layer interfaces with the rear end surface of the pole portion layer, and is greater than the pole portion layer in thickness in a cross section containing the interface.

Abstract: A plurality of private address spaces where private addresses may possibly overlap are connected with a global address space. Respective private address spaces possess VLAN-IDs as identification information for VLANs. When connecting the respective private address spaces with the Internet, a duplicate network address translating device performs, with VLAN-ID and the private address of the respective private address spaces in pairs, mutual translation between the private address and global address of the Internet. According to another aspect of the invention, a duplicate addresses-handling server is provided with a routing table which shows the relationship between virtual interfaces corresponding to VLAN-IDs and addresses of the respective private address spaces.

Abstract: The step of forming a second magnetic layer of a thin-film magnetic head includes the steps of: forming a pole portion layer; forming a protective layer so as to cover a part of the pole portion layer located near the medium facing surface ABS; forming an electrode layer to be used as an electrode when forming a yoke portion layer by electroplating; forming the yoke portion layer by electroplating on the electrode layer using the electrode layer as an electrode; and removing an unnecessary portion of the electrode layer.

Abstract: A thin-film magnetic head comprises: a first magnetic layer and a second magnetic layer each of which includes a magnetic pole portion, the first and second magnetic layers being magnetically coupled to each other at a distance from the medium facing surface ABS; a gap layer provided between the first and second magnetic layers; and a thin-film coil at least a part of which is disposed between the first and second magnetic layers. The second magnetic layer has a pole portion layer and a yoke portion layer. The pole portion layer has a saturated magnetic flux density equal to or greater than that of the yoke portion layer. The yoke portion layer includes: a first layer and a second layer, of which the first layer is in contact with the first magnetic layer and a surface of the pole portion layer that is closer to the gap layer; and the second layer is in contact with the first layer, the rear end surface of the pole portion layer and both side surfaces of the pole portion layer in the width direction.

Abstract: A vehicle navigation apparatus that does not output an inappropriate or irrelevant guidance picture display or spoken guidance even when the vehicle enters an area off the roads (e.g. a parking lot, campus, factory, or facility grounds, or park) stored in the apparatus' road map data base, and which provides a correct guidance picture display and a correct spoken guidance for navigation to a destination. When the apparatus detects entry of the vehicle into such an area off the roads stored in the map data base, a guidance picture is changed to a map picture, and the apparatus stops correcting the vehicle position by map matching. When the apparatus detects an exit of the vehicle from such an area, the apparatus restarts correcting the vehicle position by map matching and a map picture is changed to a guidance picture.

Abstract: In order to prevent lubricating oil from entering an intake system when an engine body is tilted downward while avoiding any increase in the engine dimensions, the engine body has first and second breather chambers, first and second through passages for providing communication between a crank chamber and the first and second breather chambers, respectively, and a communicating passage for providing communication between the first and second breather chambers. The second breather chamber is connected to the intake system via a guide pipe, an end of the second through passage that opens inside the crank chamber is positioned above the oil surface inside the crank chamber when the engine is tilted downward, and the route from the first through passage to the communicating passage via the first breather chamber is shaped so as to prevent the lubricating oil inside the crank chamber from entering the communicating passage.

Abstract: A successive approximation A/D converter which converts an analog signal to a digital signal by carrying out successive A/D conversions of the analog signal. It carries out, for a least significant bit of the digital signal, A/D conversion of the analog signal using a reference voltage corresponding to a previous digital signal obtained as a result of a previous A/D conversion, increments a current digital signal, which is obtained as a result of the latest A/D conversion, when the least significant bit of the current digital signal is “1”, and decrements the current digital signal when the least significant bit is “0”. This makes it possible to solve a problem of a conventional successive approximation A/D converter in that the tracking ability of the digital signal to variations of the analog signal is degraded because of the long update period involved in the increasing number of the bits of the A/D converter, if full bit conversion is carried out.

Abstract: In an engine starter comprising: a DC electric motor; an output shaft; a pinion unit; a reduction gear unit for transmitting an output of the electric motor to the pinion unit through the output shaft; a solenoid device for axially moving the pinion unit into mesh with a ring gear of the engine; a cover member for surrounding at least the pinion and the reduction gear unit, the cover member having an opening facing the electric motor; a substantially cylindrical member for surrounding the electric motor so as to serve as a yoke for the electric motor; a disk-shaped plate for covering an end of the electric motor facing away from the pinion unit; and an annular separator disposed between the reduction gear unit and the electric motor so as to separate them from each other, the disk-shaped plate is provided with at least one axial protrusions for engaging an inner surface of one end portion of the substantially cylindrical member so as to align the disk-shaped plate and the substantially cylindrical member with

Abstract: In an engine starter, to facilitate the assembling of a solenoid assembly, an annular outer peripheral wall is formed in the casing for receiving the energization solenoid assembly and to secure the solenoid assembly by crimping a free end of the annular outer peripheral wall onto an axial end of the solenoid assembly, and the energization solenoid assembly is fitted into the bore defined by the annular outer peripheral wall by engaging the outer periphery of the solenoid assembly with three fingers of an assembly tool. A plurality of crimping portions are defined by a plurality of recesses provided along the circumferential direction of the free end of the annular outer peripheral wall so that the fingers of an assembling tool when inserting the solenoid assembly are not interfered by the annular outer peripheral wall.