Abstract: A reinforcing sleeve for collectively reinforcing spliced portions of a plurality of optical fiber core wires disposed side by side includes a heat-shrinkable tube, a heat-meltable member, a tension member, and so on. The tension member and the heat-meltable member are inserted into the heat-shrinkable member. A thick portion is provided at a substantially center portion of a width direction of the heat-meltable member. Thus, on a cross section perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the heat-meltable member, an amount of the heat-meltable member at proximity of the center portion of the width direction of the heat-meltable member is greater than an amount of the heat-meltable member at proximity of the end portions of the width direction of the heat-meltable member. This forms a flow of the heat-meltable member from the center portion toward the end portions in the width direction at the time of melting the heat-meltable member.

Abstract: An automatic plug removing apparatus has a conveying section and a plug removing section and, while a plurality of containers having test samples therein and sealed with plugs are being conveyed on a batch basis, the plugs are automatically removed from the containers. The plug removing section includes a member for holding a plurality of containers in an immovable state, a member for grasping the plugs provided to the containers and then removing the plugs from the containers, the grasping member being rockable and vertically movable by driving members, and partition plates insertable into gaps between the containers to provide isolated spaces for respective containers and prevent contamination between samples. A suction block may be added to suck the air in the vicinity of upper openings of the containers to eliminate a mist of samples floating thereabout.

Abstract: A dispensing apparatus includes a tube-feeding portion which holds and feeds a tube made of an elastic material, a tube nozzle portion which supports an end portion of the tube and guides the tube to a liquid container by moving the tube up and down and from side to side, a tube-pressing and conveying portion provided between the above tube-feeding portion and the tube nozzle portion which draws out the tube from the tube-feeding portion, presses the tube and conveys the tube to the tube nozzle portion and a tube end-discarding portion, wherein the tube-pressing and conveying portion includes tube-pressing rollers which press the tube and set a length of a tube-pressing portion.

Abstract: Folding binoculars in which left and right eyepiece frames, each carrying an eyepiece, are swingably supported in such a manner as to be able to open and close with respect to each other, and objective frames, each carrying an objective, are mounted on the eyepiece frames in such a manner as to be able to project from and retract into the eyepiece frames. When the eyepiece frames are swung open, the objective frames are projected to and fixed at the front portions of the eyepiece frames, thereby bringing the optical axis of the objectives into alignment with those of the eyepieces, and thereby rendering the binoculars usable. When the binoculars are not in use, they can be folded to form a compact structure by moving the eyepiece frames toward each other to close.

Abstract: Folding binoculars having a pair of eyepiece frames and a pair of objective frames which are swingably supported by the rear and front edges of a pair consisting of left and right cover frames that can open and close with respect to each other. The binoculars become usable when the cover frames are swung open, thereby allowing the eyepiece and objective frames to be raised and set up by virtue of the resilience of set-up springs, and thereby aligning the optical axes of eyepieces and objectives. When the cover frames are swung to close and, accordingly, when the eyepiece or objective frames are moved toward each other to contact each other, the lens frames become guided by folding guide portions formed on the inner edges of the lens frames by virtue of contact between these guide portions, whereby the eyepiece and object frames are swung against the resilience of the springs, and they become folded and received within the frame covers.