Abstract: The use of pulverized coal as the fuel to be injected into metallurgical or combustion furnace becomes possible enabled by improving the transportability thereof. Further, a pulverized coal is provided, which is inhibiting from bridging or channeling in a hopper, or piping choking. A water-soluble inorganic salt having a polar group is made to adhere to pulverized coal which is prepared from raw coal having an average HGI of 30 or above and which is in a dry state at the injection port of a metallurgical or combustion furnace, The inorganic salt is selected from among BaCl.sub.2, CaCl.sub.2, Ca(NO.sub.2).sub.2, Ca(NO.sub.3).sub.2, Ca(ClO).sub.2, K.sub.2 CO.sub.3, KCl, MgCl.sub.2, MgSO.sub.4, NH.sub.4 BF.sub.4, NH.sub.4 Cl, (NH.sub.4).sub.2 SO.sub.4, Na.sub.2 CO.sub.3, NaCl, NaClO.sub.3, NaNO.sub.2, NaNO.sub.3, NaOH, Na.sub.2 S.sub.2 O.sub.3, Na.sub.2 S.sub.2 O.sub.5, HNO.sub.3, H.sub.2 SO.sub.4, H.sub.2 CO.sub.3, and HCl.

Abstract: The present invention has a resist processing apparatus for supplying a processing solution onto an object to be processed to perform a resist process, including a processing solution supply nozzle for supplying the processing solution onto the object to be processed, a processing solution feeding arrangement for feeding the processing solution to the processing solution supply nozzle, a processing solution flow path arranged to extend between the processing solution feeding arrangement and the processing solution supply nozzle, and a processing solution deaeration mechanism arranged at an intermediate portion of the processing solution flow path to deaerate the processing solution.

Abstract: In a scroll type fluid machine comprising a compressor housing, a front end plate (4) fixed within the compressor housing, a fixed scroll member, and a movable scroll member (14), an Oldham ring (26) is placed between the front end plate and the movable scroll member to prevent self-rotation of the movable scroll member. The Oldham ring comprises a plurality of keys (26a, 26b). The front end plate and the movable scroll member have housing keyways (4a) and scroll keyways (15a), respectively, formed therein, for receiving the keys. A pair of semi-circular members (40a) are assembled to form a ring member on at least one of the front end plate and the movable scroll member and receives a thrust load acting on the movable scroll member. The semi-circular member has ends bent to form bent sections (40b). The bent sections are inserted into the housing keyway or the scroll keyway. The key is within the housing keyway or the scroll keyway when the bent section is within the keyway to receive sliding of the key.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a device for supplying a liquid to a plurality of apparatuses which apply the liquid to substrates to process the substrates. The device comprises a tank containing the liquid, a supply passage for supplying the liquid from the tank to the apparatuses, branch passages connected to the supply passage, for supplying the liquid to liquid-applying members provided in the apparatuses, and valves provided on the branch passages, respectively. The valves are controlled each other, for opening and closing the branch passages such that the liquid-applying member of one apparatus applies the liquid to a substrate while the liquid-applying member of any other apparatus remains to apply the liquid to a substrate.

Abstract: A power supply system 10 with a stack of fuel cells 20 and a storage battery 30 includes a remaining charge monitor 42 for measuring the remaining charge of the storage battery 30. At the time of starting the power supply system 10, the remaining charge monitor 42 detects the remaining charge of the storage battery 30. The power supply system 10 estimates output electric current of the fuel cells 20 based on the observed remaining charge of the storage battery 30 and an amount of electric power required for auxiliary machinery 34, and supplies required amounts of gases to the fuel cells 20 based on the estimated output electric current.

Abstract: In a fuel-cells system 10 including a stack of fuel cells 20 and a storage battery 30, the remaining charge of the storage battery 30 is measured by a remaining charge monitor 46. In case that the observed remaining charge of the storage battery 30 is less than a predetermined reference value, a control unit 50 outputs a driving signal to an inverter 80, in order to restrict the consumption of electric power by a motor 32. When it is determined that the output state of the storage battery 30 is in the discharging state, based on the output electric current of the storage battery 30 measured by a current sensor 90, the control unit 50 further limits the electric power consumed by the motor 32. These processes are repeatedly carried out to charge the storage battery 30 and recover the remaining charge of the storage battery 30 to a sufficient level.

Abstract: In the present invention, a waste solution and a exhaust gas are guided together from a drain cup DC into a storing means through common discharge means. Naturally, the gas-liquid separation is performed within the storing means in place of performing the gas-liquid separation within the drain cup DC. Therefore, the waste solution is not solidified within the drain cup so as to plug the common discharge means. Also, a predetermined waste solution is kept stored in the storing means included in the coating apparatus of the present invention, making it possible to permit the surface of the stored waste solution to absorb the mist, and the waste solution is prevented from being solidified within the storing means. Further, since a minimum amount of the exhaust gas is kept discharged even during non-operation of the coating apparatus by using an exhaust gas damper whose degree of opening can be controlled, the waste solution stored in the storing means is prevented from being solidified.

Abstract: A hair holding device comprises an upper holding body (1) having an upper holding portion (1a) and an upper grip portion (1b) which are connected to form a single body, and a lower holding body (2) having a lower holding portion (2a) and a lower grip portion (2b) which are connected to form a single body, wherein either one of the upper and lower grip portions (1b) and (2b) is provided with a protrudent spring (4) which comes into contact with the other one. The upper and lower holding portion (1a) and (2a) are forced to move toward each other by a simple structure of the device, whereby the assembly takes a short time and the manufacturing cost is low.

Abstract: This invention provides a substrate processing system including a cassette station on which at least one cassette containing a plurality of objects is placed, a process station including a plurality of process chambers for performing processing for the objects, and an object conveying unit for loading the objects into the process chambers and unloading the objects from the process chambers, a first object transfer unit for transferring the objects between the cassette station and the process station, and an interface section including an object waiting region where the objects wait, and a second object transfer unit for transferring the objects to the process station, wherein the process chambers in the process station are arranged around the object conveying unit, and the object conveying unit has a rotating shaft almost parallel to the vertical direction and can move up and down in the vertical direction along the rotating shaft and rotate about the rotating shaft.

Abstract: An apparatus for supplying a treating material to a treating device has a tank containing a liquid treating material and a heat exchanger formed by a spiral pipe and provided in the tank. A nitrogen gas (N.sub.2 gas) is introduced into the tank and evaporates the liquid treating material. Water is supplied from a fluid inlet pipe connected to the lower portion of the exchanger to a fluid outlet pipe connected to the upper portion of the exchanger through the spiral pipe of the exchanger. In the heat exchange, heat exchange between the water and the liquid treating material is performed very efficiently. No use of electric power provides high safety. The temperature of the liquid treating material which is changed into a gas state by a bubbling process is controlled efficiently and the density of the vaporized treating material in the tank is made stable.

Abstract: In the present invention, a waste solution and a exhaust gas are guided together from a drain cup DC into a storing means through common discharge means. Naturally, the gas-liquid separation is performed within the storing means in place of performing the gas-liquid separation within the drain cup DC. Therefore, the waste solution is not solidified within the drain cup so as to plug the common discharge means. Also, a predetermined waste solution is kept stored in the storing means included in the coating apparatus of the present invention, making it possible to permit the surface of the stored waste solution to absorb the mist, and the waste solution is prevented from being solidified within the storing means. Further, since a minimum amount of the exhaust gas is kept discharged even during non-operation of the coating apparatus by using an exhaust gas damper whose degree of opening can be controlled, the waste solution stored in the storing means is prevented from being solidified.

Abstract: A system for coating a photoresist on a semiconductor wafer includes a loading/unloading unit and a process unit. A convey path is arranged in the process unit, and an adhesion process section, a pre-bake section, a cooling section, a resist coating section, and a cover film coating section are arranged along the convey path. The adhesion process section, the pre-bake section, and the cover film coating section are arranged in individual process chambers, while the cooling section and the resist coating section are arranged in a common main process chamber. A convey robot is disposed to be movable along the convey path, and a substrate is conveyed among the process chambers by the convey robot. A convey member is arranged in and dedicated to the main process chamber, and the substrate is conveyed from the cooling section to the-resist coating section by the convey member.

Abstract: The present invention facilitates visually checking whether or not either end of a cover has been fixedly embedded, by insert molding, properly in a pair of clasps of a setting frame. In a hair curler of the present invention, the outer edge at either end of the cover is fixedly embedded in the pair of clasps, exposed out of the outer side surface of the pair of clasps. According to the method of manufacturing the hair curler of the present invention, the projecting portion with the outer edge side of the cover embedded, in the insert molding of the setting frame, is integrally formed on the outside surface of the pair of clasps, and then is cut off from the pair of clasps together with the outer edge side of the cover embedded in the projecting portion.

Abstract: A liquid coating system according to the present invention comprises, a liquid supply source, a nozzle having an inlet communicating with the liquid supply source and a substantially linear liquid discharge portion, a pressure feed unit for feeding the liquid under pressure from the liquid supply source to the nozzle by means of compressed gas, a spin chuck for fixedly supporting a semiconductor wafer, an up-and-down cylinder for causing the liquid discharge portion of the nozzle to closely face the wafer on the spin chuck, and a rotating mechanism for rotating the spin chuck. The nozzle includes a liquid reservoir, in which the liquid supplied from the liquid supply source is collected, and a large number of small passages communicating with the liquid reservoir.

Abstract: An acoustic data output device comprises an addressable memory for storing acoustic data. A plurality of clock signals are coupled to count separate address counters of a number corresponding to the number of clock signals. A signal selector is responsive to the clock signals for providing an address counter selection signal, whereby at any given time the selection signal corresponds to a separate one of the address counters. An addressing device is responsive to the address counter selection signal for selectively addressing the addressable memory with the count of the corresponding address counter. A separate data latch corresponds to each address counter and the data latches are coupled to receive the output of said addressable memory. The outputs of the data latches are synchronized with the clock signal corresponding thereto.

Abstract: A developer-supply apparatus has a developer-liquid supply nozzle, a spin chuck for supporting a wafer, and a holder for allowing the supply nozzle to wait there. The supply nozzle is transferred between a position above the chuck and a waiting position on the holder. The supply nozzle has a nozzle tip with a plurality of through holes communicating with a space containing a developer liquid. A U-shaped conduit extending along the line of the through holes is provided in the holder, for removing drops of the developer liquid hanging from the nozzle tip. The conduit has a bottom provided with a plurality of through holes for exhausting the developer liquid.

Abstract: A scroll type fluid displacement apparatus, in particular, a compressor unit is disclosed. The apparatus includes a pair of scroll members interfitting at an angular and radial offset for forming fluid pockets, each scroll member including an end plate and a spiral element. A seal plate is provided on the surface of the end plate of at least one scroll member and is movable between the surface of the end plate of the scroll member and the axial end surface of the spiral element of the other scroll member. A fluid introducing mechanism is provided on the central portion of the spiral elements for introducing a high-pressure fluid between the seal plate and the end plate to move the seal plate in the axial direction for sealing the fluid pockets more completely.

Abstract: Disclosed is a coating apparatus for applying a resist or developing solution to a semiconductor wafer. This coating apparatus comprises a plurality of nozzles supplied with various resist from a resist source and each adapted to drip the different solution onto the wafer, a vessel in which the nozzles is kept on stand-by, while maintaining the liquids in a predetermined state in the vicinity of discharge port portions of the nozzles, when the nozzles need not be operated, and a nozzle operating mechanism for selecting one of the nozzles kept on stand-by in the vessel, and transporting the selected nozzle to the location of the wafer, whereby the resist is applied to the wafer by means of only the nozzle transported by the nozzle operating mechanism.

Abstract: A resist process apparatus of the invention serves to load/unload a semiconductor wafer in/from the respective process mechanisms. The apparatus includes a wafer holding member for holding a semiconductor wafer, and X, Y, Z and .theta. driving mechanisms for conveying the wafer holding member to a resist coating mechanism and the like. The wafer holding member includes a support frame which is larger than diameter of a semiconductor wafer, and a plurality of support members, arranged on the support frame, for supporting the semiconductor wafer in partial contact with the peripheral portion of the semiconductor wafer. Since the contact area between the support members and a semiconductor wafer is small, changes in temperature of the semiconductor, when it is held, are small.

Abstract: A pin for use in a chuck for clamping a discoid portion of a workpiece, the chuck including a base, at least to fixed clamps secured on a front end surface of the base, a movable clamp adjacent to the front end surface of the base and the pin secured to the front end surface of the base. The pin is adapted to fit in a hole formed in a discoid when the discoid is mounted on the chuck wherein the hole has a larger diameter than the pin. The pin has generally rhombic transversed section with a long diagonal and a short diagonal. The pin is truncated by a predetermined amount at each end along the long diagonal to allow the workpiece to move a limited distance relative to the pin along a line formed by the short diagonal. The limited distance may be a function of an initial clearance between the discoid portion and the chuck or a function or a variation between the diameter of the discoid portion and its design diameter, or a function of both.