Abstract: An electrically controlled birefringence liquid crystal display device performs a normally black display. The display device includes a liquid crystal display panel including a liquid crystal layer and a reflective portion to reflect light that is incident through a display surface of the liquid crystal display panel and that passes through the liquid crystal layer, a first polarizing plate on the display surface, and a half-wavelength plate between the liquid crystal display panel and the first polarizing plate. A phase difference ?nd?1 of the liquid crystal layer is less than a half of a phase difference ?nd?2 of the half-wavelength plate. The phase difference ?nd?2 of the half-wavelength plate indicates a positively dispersive wavelength, and a low axis of the half-wavelength plate intersects with an orientation axis of liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer under no electric field being applied.

Abstract: Provided is a method of manufacturing a spring for inspecting the stress distribution of the spring under load. The method for manufacturing a spring (1) includes the steps of applying a load to the spring (1), measuring the stress of the spring (1) under the load, and releasing the load applied to the spring (1), the measuring the stress of the spring (1) being made by measuring the stress on the surface of the active part of the spring (1) using X-ray diffraction with the cos ? method, and the method further including the step of determining whether the magnitude of the stress of the spring (1) meets a criterion.

Abstract: An electrically controlled birefringence liquid crystal display device performs a normally black display. The display device includes a liquid crystal display panel including a liquid crystal layer and a reflective portion to reflect light that is incident through a display surface of the liquid crystal display panel and that passes through the liquid crystal layer, a first polarizing plate on the display surface, and a half-wavelength plate between the liquid crystal display panel and the first polarizing plate. A phase difference ?nd?1 of the liquid crystal layer is less than a half of a phase difference ?nd?2 of the half-wavelength plate. The phase difference ?nd?2 of the half-wavelength plate indicates a positively dispersive wavelength, and a low axis of the half-wavelength plate intersects with an orientation axis of liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer under no electric field being applied.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal display panel including a light reflective portion, a first polarizing plate located on a display surface-facing side, a half-wavelength plate and a first quarter-wavelength plate disposed between the liquid crystal display panel and the first polarizing plate. A liquid crystal layer corresponding to the light reflective portion exhibits a retardation which is less than one-half of a retardation of the half-wavelength plate. The first quarter-wavelength plate has a slow axis which intersects a liquid-crystal molecular orientation axis at a time of no electric field application. The expression nx1>nz1>ny1 is satisfied, where nx1, ny1 and nz1 are the refractive indices at each orientation of the half-wavelength plate, and the expression nx2>nz2=ny2 is satisfied, where nx2, ny2 and nz2 are the refractive indices at each orientation of the first quarter-wavelength plate.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal display panel including a light reflective portion, a first polarizing plate located on a display surface-facing side, a half-wavelength plate and a first quarter-wavelength plate disposed between the liquid crystal display panel and the first polarizing plate. A liquid crystal layer corresponding to the light reflective portion exhibits a retardation which is less than one-half of a retardation of the half-wavelength plate. The first quarter-wavelength plate has a slow axis which intersects a liquid-crystal molecular orientation axis at a time of no electric field application. The expression nx1>nz1>ny1 is satisfied, where nx1, ny1 and nz1 are the refractive indices at each orientation of the half-wavelength plate, and the expression nx2>nz2=ny2 is satisfied, where nx2, ny2 and nz2 are the refractive indices at each orientation of the first quarter-wavelength plate.

Abstract: Provided is a method of manufacturing a spring for inspecting the stress distribution of the spring under load. The method for manufacturing a spring (1) includes the steps of applying a load to the spring (1), measuring the stress of the spring (1) under the load, and releasing the load applied to the spring (1), the measuring the stress of the spring (1) being made by measuring the stress on the surface of the active part of the spring (1) using X-ray diffraction with the cosa method, and the method further including the step of determining whether the magnitude of the stress of the spring (1) meets a criterion.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a first unit and a second unit supplied with power that can be interrupted individually, a power supply switch configured to be operated by a user, to turn off a power supply of the information processing apparatus, a controller configured to perform shutdown processing of the information processing apparatus thereby interrupting supply of power to the first unit and the second unit, upon turning off of the power supply switch, a first timer unit configured to interrupt the supply of the power to the first unit, after a lapse of a first predetermined time after turning off the power supply switch, and a second timer unit configured to interrupt the supply of power to the second unit, after a lapse of a second predetermined time after turning off the power supply switch. The second predetermined time is longer than the first predetermined time.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus which is capable of obtaining stable and satisfactory cleaning performance and fixing performance without holding, in an image forming unit which forms an image on a recording material based on a video signal, data for performing maintenance of the image forming unit. A synchronization signal output from the image forming unit and indicative of timing with which the video signal is output is detected. It is determined whether the synchronization signal is a normal synchronization signal for outputting a video signal for use in forming an image on the recording material or a pattern synchronization signal for outputting a pattern signal that is a video signal for use in performing maintenance of the image forming unit. When the synchronization signal is the normal synchronization signal, the video signal is output. When the synchronization signal is the pattern synchronization signal, the pattern signal is output.

Abstract: A technique which enables reduction of time required for continuous printing performed by an image forming apparatus in a temperature rise suppression mode. A printer prints a plurality of pages based on print data received from a host computer. A temperature sensor detects internal temperature of the printer. A control unit controls the printer such that the printing is suspended when the internal temperature has risen to a shifting temperature, and the printing is restarted when the internal temperature has fallen to a normal restart threshold value during the suspension of the printing. The control unit calculates the number of remaining pages left unprinted when the printing is suspended, and sets the normal restart threshold value according to the calculated number of the remaining pages.

Abstract: A technique which enables reduction of time required for continuous printing performed by an image forming apparatus in a temperature rise suppression mode. A printer prints a plurality of pages based on print data received from a host computer. A temperature sensor detects internal temperature of the printer. A control unit controls the printer such that the printing is suspended when the internal temperature has risen to a shifting temperature, and the printing is restarted when the internal temperature has fallen to a normal restart threshold value during the suspension of the printing. The control unit calculates the number of remaining pages left unprinted when the printing is suspended, and sets the normal restart threshold value according to the calculated number of the remaining pages.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a first unit and a second unit supplied with power that can be interrupted individually, a power supply switch configured to be operated by a user, to turn off a power supply of the information processing apparatus, a controller configured to perform shutdown processing of the information processing apparatus thereby interrupting supply of power to the first unit and the second unit, upon turning off of the power supply switch, a first timer unit configured to interrupt the supply of the power to the first unit, after a lapse of a first predetermined time after turning off the power supply switch, and a second timer unit configured to interrupt the supply of power to the second unit, after a lapse of a second predetermined time after turning off the power supply switch. The second predetermined time is longer than the first predetermined time.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus which is capable of obtaining stable and satisfactory cleaning performance and fixing performance without holding, in an image forming unit which forms an image on a recording material based on a video signal, data for performing maintenance of the image forming unit. A synchronization signal output from the image forming unit and indicative of timing with which the video signal is output is detected. It is determined whether the synchronization signal is a normal synchronization signal for outputting a video signal for use in forming an image on the recording material or a pattern synchronization signal for outputting a pattern signal that is a video signal for use in performing maintenance of the image forming unit. When the synchronization signal is the normal synchronization signal, the video signal is output. When the synchronization signal is the pattern synchronization signal, the pattern signal is output.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image processing apparatus for performing a process of transiting to a power-off state or sleep state in accordance with the connected state of an interface, a control method thereof, and a storage medium. To accomplish this, if a condition for changing the power state of this image processing apparatus is satisfied, the image processing apparatus confirms an interface which is able to communicate with an external apparatus, and determines whether the image processing apparatus can transit to the sleep state based on the confirmation result. If it is determined that the image processing apparatus transits to the sleep state, the image processing apparatus is transited to the sleep state. If it is determined that the image processing apparatus does not transit to the sleep state, the image processing apparatus is turned off.

Abstract: An electronic device with improved usability when activated. The electronic device is capable of operating in a plurality of power states including a first power state, and a second power state in which the electric device is less in power consumption than in the first power state. The power state after activation of the electronic device is decided, based on status of connection of an external apparatus to the electronic device. The electronic device is shifted to the decided power state after the activation of the electronic device.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus which makes it possible to save energy during the operation of a temperature rise control mode, and is capable of realizing energy saving without degrading performance by making the image forming apparatus ready for printing when returning from the temperature rise control mode. A temperature sensor detects internal temperature of the image forming apparatus. When the internal temperature of the image forming apparatus has reached a temperature at which the apparatus should shift to the temperature rise control mode during execution of printing, the printing operation is stopped. In stopping the printing operation, the image forming apparatus is shifted to an energy saving mode.

Abstract: A powder for a sintered valve sheet made of an iron-based alloy is provided, which has excellent compactibility and abrasion resistance and from which a carbide that may abrade a counterpart is not precipitated. A powder is provided, wherein a molten steel, in which carbon is controlled to be less than 0.1% by mass to avoid precipitation of a carbide, 0.5 to 8.5% by mass of Si, 10 to 25% by mass of Ni, 5 to 20% by mass of Mo, and 5 to 20% by mass of Co are contained, and a remainder includes Fe and incidental impurities, is rapidly cooled by a conventional technique such as a gas atomization method, a water atomization method, or a centrifugal force atomization method, so that a supersaturated solid solution of the alloy elements consisting mainly of austenite, which is effective in softening the powder, is formed. Since the powder has low hardness, the compactibility is excellent at the time of compression molding.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus which makes it possible to prevent interruption of printing due to shift to a temperature rise control mode and interruption of printing for execution of a cartridge replacement operation due to running-out of toner from occurring separately during execution of continuous printing. A temperature sensor detects that the internal temperature of the image forming apparatus has become equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature. The image forming apparatus also detects execution of toner cartridge replacement. When the temperature sensor detects, during execution of printing, that the internal temperature has become equal to or higher than the predetermined temperature, the image forming apparatus stops the printing being executed. Further, when execution of toner cartridge replacement is detected during suspension of the printing, the image forming apparatus resumes the printing being suspended.

Abstract: The object is to make alignment of liquid crystals more uniform by reducing alignment disorder when a voltage is applied and to improve the display quality. A liquid crystal display element comprises a first electrode (122), a second electrode (141) opposed to the first electrode, and a liquid crystal layer provided between the first electrode and the second electrode and having alignment of liquid crystal in the voltage-off state being vertical alignment, wherein either one of the first electrode and the second electrode is provided with a plurality of regularly disposed L-shaped slits, and the L-shaped slits (21) are formed so that at least within an area where the first electrode and the second electrode overlap each other, the electrode provided with the slits, is divided into a plurality of rectangular sub-pixel electrodes each having connection portions at three corners for connection to adjacent sub-pixel electrodes.

Abstract: A liquid crystal optical device comprising a pair of substrates having an electrode pair formed; a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the substrates; an alignment layer to align the liquid crystal, provided on each of the facing surfaces of the substrates; and a polymer structure provided on the alignment layer; wherein the polymer structure is formed by curing a curable compound represented by the following formula (1), and when a voltage is not applied, liquid crystal molecules in the vicinity of an interface between the liquid crystal layer and the polymer structure have at least one direction of director different from the alignment direction by the alignment layer: A1-O—R1—O—Z—O—R2—O-A2 ??Formula (1) wherein each of A1 and A2 is independently a curable functional group to be polymerized by an external energy, each of R1 and R2 is independently selected from a linear alkylene group with carbon number of 2 to 5 which may have a methyl group or an ethyl group as a branched chain, and Z is a bivalent

Abstract: A vertical alignment type liquid crystal display, having a specific resistance within a range of from 1×1010 ?cm to 2×1011 ?cm, and containing a liquid crystal layer sandwiched by a substrate having a front electrode on the surface and a substrate having a back electrode, wherein the liquid crystal layer is aligned perpendicular to the electrode surface when no voltage is applied, and upon application of a voltage by multiplex driving, the liquid crystal layer in pixels undergoes an alignment change to align parallel to the substrates. By using slits as pixel dividing structures provided on the front of the electrode, one pixel is divided into a plurality of sub-pixels, such that the directions of the alignment change upon application of a voltage are different between adjacent sub-pixels interposing the slits, and the sub-pixels are formed within a range of from 50 ?m to 100 ?m.