Abstract: There is provided a mounting mechanism for a liquid container capable of suppressing a damage of a mouthpiece and enabling efficient stirring, and there is provided an ink stirring method for an ink cartridge using the mechanism. The mounting mechanism for a liquid container includes: a holder portion that fixes a mouthpiece serving as an outlet of a liquid of a liquid container in which the liquid is contained and that holds the liquid container; a set portion that has a fitting part fitted to the mouthpiece and causing the liquid to flow out of the mouthpiece; a tube that communicates with the fitting part; and a main body that is connected to the set portion by using the tube, in which the set portion is movable with respect to the main body.

Abstract: A method for producing a magnetic powder comprised chiefly of Fe16N2 comprising providing a starting powder comprising an oxy-hydroxide or oxide of iron and an amount of noble metal. The starting powder is reduced into an iron powder by a dry method using a hydrogen gas; and the iron powder is nitrided into a magnetic powder comprised chiefly of Fe16N2 particles using a nitrogen-containing gas at a temperature not higher than 200° C. The amount of noble metal is such that an amount that the atomic percent ratio of the noble metal content to Fe in the magnetic powder is 0.01-10.

Abstract: An iron system magnetic powder, and particularly an iron system magnetic powder comprised chiefly of Fe16N2, is provided that has an atomic ratio of total noble metal content to Fe of 0.01-10%. The magnetic powder can be produced by subjecting iron oxy-hydroxide or iron oxide having an atomic ratio of total noble metal content to Fe of 0.01-10% to reduction treatment. The average particle volume of the magnetic powder is preferably 4,000 nm3 or less. The magnetic powder is suitable for fabricating high recording density media of low noise, high output and high C/N ratio that are suitable for use with a GMR head or the like.

Abstract: Provided is an iron nitride-based magnetic powder that comprises magnetic particles having a mean particle size of at most 20 nm. The magnetic particle has a core of a main phase of Fe16N2 and has, on the outer side of the core, an oxide phase derived from a metal Fe phase formed by reduction of iron nitride. In relation to the weatherability index ??s and the saturation magnetization as thereof, the magnetic powder satisfies ??s?0.8×?s?30. In this, ??s=(?s??s1)/?s×100. ?s1 means the saturation magnetization of the magnetic powder kept in an atmosphere of 60° C. and 90% RH for 1 week. The powder can be obtained by exposing powder particles having a main phase of Fe16N2 to a reducing gas to partly reduce the region of the surface of the particles into a metal Fe phase (gradual reduction) followed by exposing them to an oxidizing gas to oxidize a part of the surface of the metal Fe phase into an oxide phase (gradual oxidation).

Abstract: A magnetic powder is provided composed of particles that, even when the particle size is refined, exhibits excellent magnetic properties, in particular, a high coercive force, for use in a high-density recording medium. The invention also provides a magnetic recording medium using the powder. The powder is an iron system magnetic powder containing, as an atomic ratio of Fe, a total of 0.01 to 10 at. % of one or more selected from W and Mo, particularly a magnetic powder comprised mainly of Fe16N2. The magnetic powder is able to exhibit a high coercive force of 238 kA/m (3000 Oe) or more. In addition to the W and Mo, the magnetic powder may contain, as an atomic ratio of Fe, a total of up to 25 at. % of one or more selected from Al and a rare earth element (defined as including Y).

Abstract: An iron system magnetic powder, and particularly an iron system magnetic powder comprised chiefly of Fe16N2, is provided that has an atomic ratio of total noble metal content to Fe of 0.01-10%. The magnetic powder can be produced by subjecting iron oxy-hydroxide or iron oxide having an atomic ratio of total noble metal content to Fe of 0.01-10% to reduction treatment. The average particle volume of the magnetic powder is preferably 4,000 nm3 or less. The magnetic powder is suitable for fabricating high recording density media of low noise, high output and high C/N ratio that are suitable for use with a GMR head or the like.

Abstract: An information reading method includes the steps of irradiating a phosphor activated by neodymium and ytterbium ions with exciting light of a wavelength between 500 nm and 780 nm that can excite the neodymium ions, and reading the information by receiving the light emitted from the phosphor with a photodetector designed to detect light with wavelengths between 840 m and 1100 nm. Consequently, the information recorded using the phosphor activated by neodymium and ytterbium ions can be read with a high performance without using a filter for cutting the exciting light.

Abstract: A colony counting apparatus includes a reading unit with a visual sensor incorporated therein. The presence of a colony is detected at the end of that colony by moving the reading unit along lines selected at an appropriate pitch and by reading data on the individual points set along each line as logical high or low signals. The values obtained in the above-described counting operation are added and stored in an addition/storage device in a CPU, and the results of addition which are stored in the addition/storage device are output to a suitable display by an outputting device when the counting operation is completed.

Abstract: Elements which exhibit good thermal conductivity are disposed in contact with permanent magnets of an electric motor. These elements absorb heat from the magnets and reduce the rate at which the temperature of the magnets increases. The elements can be provided with fins and the like to increase the rate at which heat is released from the elements.