Abstract: A power conversion device includes: a dead time application unit which applies a dead time to only one of a pair of pulse signals; a current polarity detection unit which detects a polarity of an output current; and a gate signal selection unit which, if the polarity of the output current is positive, selects the one pulse signal, to which the dead time has been applied, as a gate signal for a positive arm and selects the other pulse signal as a gate signal for a negative arm, and, if the polarity of the output current is negative, selects the one pulse signal, to which the dead time has been applied, as the gate signal for the negative arm and selects the other pulse signal as the gate signal for the positive arm.

Abstract: A conduit switching device includes a body, an endoscope connection port, a fluid supply port, a fluid suction port, a first conduit in the body and the fluid supply port, a second conduit in the body and the fluid suction port, a common conduit in the body and the endoscope connection port, and a switching mechanism configured to be switched between a first state and a second state. In the first state, the first conduit communicates with the common conduit, and the second conduit does not communicate with the common conduit. In the second state, the first conduit does not communicate with the common conduit, and the second conduit communicates with the common conduit.

Abstract: An insertion device comprising an insertion portion configured to be inserted into a subject and having a longitudinal axis in a state of forming a straight line. A bending portion is provided at a distal end side of the insertion portion. A bending tube is provided in the bending portion. A traction member is disposed in the bending portion. The bending tube includes a first joint ring and a second joint ring. The first joint ring is joined to the second joint ring in an adjacent manner. The first joint ring has a first contact portion where the traction member contacts an outer peripheral portion of the first joint ring. The second joint ring has a second contact portion where the traction member contacts an inner peripheral portion of the second joint ring. Application of tension on the traction member bends the bending portion.

Abstract: A blood-vessel optical device is provided with: a sheath provided with a lumen penetrating therethrough, and a dovetail groove disposed so as to be parallel to the lumen; and an optical member accommodated in the lumen and including at least one of an illuminating portion guiding illumination light to an imaging subject and a light detecting portion guiding return light from the imaging subject, wherein the groove has a cross-sectional shape configured to accommodate an elongated member so as to be movable, and has an opening that has a width smaller than a diameter of the elongated member and from which a portion of the accommodated elongated member protrudes to the outside, and wherein the sheath is configured such that an external dimension in a direction orthogonal to an arrangement direction in which the lumen and the groove are arranged is smaller than an external dimension in the arrangement direction.

Abstract: In one aspect, a communication device that sends mail including a destination address entry field, a subject entry field, and a message body entry field includes a controller that moves a character group entered in the destination address entry field or a character group entered in the subject entry field to the message body entry field if the character group satisfies a predetermined condition. If the predetermined condition is satisfied, the communication device determines that the character group presumed to be the message body of the mail has been entered in the entry field for the destination address or the subject of the mail, and moves the entered character group to the message body entry field.

Abstract: An optical fiber scanner of the present invention includes: an optical fiber; a vibration device that vibrates the optical fiber; and a fixturethat fixes the optical fiber. The vibration device includes: a piezoelectric element; and an elastic member thattransmits the vibration of the piezoelectric element to the optical fiber. The piezoelectric element includes: first and second piezoelectrically active region; and a piezoelectrically inactive region arranged so as to fill a space between the adjacent end surfaces of these active regions. The second moments of area of a transverse shape formed of the piezoelectric element, the optical fiber, and the elastic member in two axial directions that are orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the optical fiber and that are orthogonal to each other are same at the position of the vibration device.

Abstract: A scanning-type device includes: an optical fiber; a vibration unit vibrating a distal end of the optical fiber in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the optical fiber; an outer tube accommodating the optical fiber and the vibration unit; and a support member supporting the vibration unit in the outer tube, the vibration unit having: a piezoelectric element expanding and contracting in the longitudinal-axis direction of the optical fiber; and a cylindrical vibration transmitting member disposed between the piezoelectric element and the optical fiber and transmitting expansion and contraction vibrations of the piezoelectric element to the optical fiber; the support member has a V-groove extending along a longitudinal axis of the outer tube to support the vibration transmitting member; and an outer surface of a section of the vibration transmitting member supported by the V-groove is a cylindrical surface extending along the longitudinal axis of the optical fiber.

Abstract: The technology is directed to an optical fiber scanner configured to be used in an observation device. The optical fiber scanner comprises an optical fiber guiding light therethrough. A vibration transmitting member is configured to transmit vibrations to the optical fiber. The vibration transmitting member includes a through hole defined therein through which the optical fiber extends. At least one piezoelectric element is disposed on an outer circumferential surface of the vibration transmitting member and vibrating a distal end portion of the optical fiber via the vibration transmitting member. A fixing member is disposed on a proximal end side of the vibration transmitting member. A tubular wire holding member includes a plurality of wires integrally attached for supplying a voltage to the piezoelectric element. The tubular wire holding member has a contact portion securing the plurality of wires to an outer peripheral surface of the piezoelectric element in contact therewith.

Abstract: Provided is an optical-fiber scanner including: an optical fiber; a body fitted on a basal-end side of the optical fiber; piezoelectric elements secured to the body and causing the optical fiber to vibrate; and a securing portion to which the body is fitted at a position that is farther on a basal-end side away from the piezoelectric elements, wherein the body has a columnar portion that is formed of an elastic material to which the piezoelectric elements are attached and that has a through-hole into which the optical fiber can be inserted, and a distal-end portion that is disposed at a distal end of the columnar portion, that supports the optical fiber in a fitted state, and that has a rotator shape in which a cross-sectional area thereof in a radial direction gradually decreases toward a distal end of the optical fiber.

Abstract: Provided is an optical fiber scanner including: an optical fiber that guides light from a side of a proximal-end portion to a side of a distal-end portion along a longitudinal axis, the optical fiber emitting the light from the distal-end portion; a piezoelectric element that is secured to an outer circumferential surface of the optical fiber, the piezoelectric element, as a result of an alternating voltage being applied thereto, generating stretching vibrations in a direction along the longitudinal axis; and a pressing portion that, of an outer surface of the piezoelectric element positioned on the radially outer side of the optical fiber, presses down, radially inward, a portion corresponding to an antinode of the stretching vibrations in a direction along the longitudinal axis of the piezoelectric element.

Abstract: An optical fiber scanner including: an optical fiber configured to emit, from a distal end thereof, illumination light guided from a light source; and at least three flat-plate-shaped piezoelectric elements that are disposed at positions spaced apart from the distal end that are closer to a proximal end of the optical fiber in the longitudinal axis direction and configured to vibrate the distal end of the optical fiber in a direction intersecting the longitudinal axis, wherein each of the piezoelectric elements has chamfered sections on both widthwise ends along at least a portion thereof in a longitudinal direction, and the piezoelectric elements adjacent in a circumferential direction are assembled into a tubular shape that surrounds the outer circumferential surface of the optical fiber in a close contact manner in a state where the chamfered sections are brought into close contact with one another.

Abstract: A scanner unit includes: a tubular elastic part provided with marks outside a prescribed bonding region set on an outer surface thereof and; and a piezoelectric element that is bonded to the bonding region. The piezoelectric element includes: a piezoelectric body having two mutually opposing electrode faces; and marks that are different from each other, respectively provided on the two electrode faces. The mark provided on one electrode face has a shape that matches the mark provided outside the bonding region when the piezoelectric body is bonded to the bonding region so that the other electrode face contacts the outer surface.

Abstract: An optical fiber scanner includes an optical fiber and a fixed member that is fixed to the outer periphery of the optical fiber. The fixed member is provided with: two vibration parts that are adjacent to the optical fiber in radial directions of the optical fiber that intersect with each other and that expand and contract in the longitudinal direction of the optical fiber; and a connector that connects the two vibration parts. The two vibration parts respectively have inner surfaces that abut against the outer periphery of the optical fiber.

Abstract: A scanner includes: an optical fiber that guides light from a light source; a drive unit including at least one actuator that, when a voltage is applied thereto, displaces an exit end of the optical fiber in a direction intersecting an optical axis; a support portion that is provided on a basal end side from the drive unit and that is spaced away from the drive unit to support the optical fiber; and a correction portion that performs correction so as to bring the center of gravity of the drive unit and a combined center of gravity of the optical fiber, the drive unit, and the support portion close to each other on a cross-section of the drive unit.

Abstract: An optical fiber scanner including: an elongated optical fiber that guides light; a vibration transferring member that has a through-hole through which the optical fiber is made to pass; piezoelectric elements bonded to the outer surfaces of the vibration transferring member and that perform stretching vibrations in the longitudinal direction of the optical fiber when alternating voltages at a predetermined frequency are applied thereto, thus causing the optical fiber to generate bending vibrations in directions intersecting the longitudinal direction; and a fixing part that fixes the vibration transferring member. The vibration transferring member is provided with: holding surfaces formed of flat surfaces to which the piezoelectric elements are bonded; and contact surfaces formed of flat surfaces parallel to the holding surfaces, that are provided at least partially on the inner surfaces of the through-hole, and with which the outer surface of the optical fiber is brought into contact.

Abstract: An optical fiber scanner including: an optical fiber that guides illumination light; a piezoelectric element that is disposed at an intermediate position on the optical fiber in the long-axis direction and that displaces, due to a bending vibration, an emission end of the optical fiber in a direction intersecting the long axis; a wiring part that is electrically bonded to the piezoelectric element at a location between the piezoelectric element and the optical fiber; a tube-shaped electrically conductive frame that has an inner hole for accommodating the piezoelectric element and the optical fiber; and a holding section that fixes the frame and the piezoelectric element and that conducts electricity between the frame and the piezoelectric element.

Abstract: An optical fiber scanner is provided with an illumination optical fiber that guides light and emits the light from a distal end thereof; a plurality of piezoelectric elements that are secured on a side surface of the illumination optical fiber, that have polarizations in radial directions of the illumination optical fiber, and that vibrate the illumination optical fiber when an alternating voltage is applied in the polarization directions; and a vibration suppressing part that suppresses vibrations in the radial directions generated at a position of the illumination optical fiber away from the piezoelectric elements toward a base end.

Abstract: A key cylinder device includes a rotor case that encloses a rotor operable to rotate by a mechanical key, the rotor being inserted into the rotor case from a direction opposite to an insertion direction of the mechanical key, a holding member including a pair of leg portions held by the rotor case, and a fixing member that protrudes from the holding member. The rotor case includes a fixing member-holding structure that the fixing member is held by the leg portions of the holding member at a temporary assembly position for temporarily assembling the fixing member in a retracted state without inwardly protruding beyond an inner surface of the rotor case and at an assembly position for assembling the fixing member in a state of inwardly protruding from the inner surface of the rotor case.

Abstract: This optical fiber scanner has an elongated optical fiber, a vibration transmission member which has a column-like shape and has a penetrating hole through which the optical fiber penetrates, and a piezoelectric element provided on an outer surface of the vibration transmission member, wherein the penetrating hole is a fitted hole which is formed from a proximal end of the vibration transmission member to a middle of the vibration transmission member and the optical fiber is fitted, and the penetrating hole is an accommodation hole which is formed from the middle to a distal end of the vibration transmission member, which has a large inner diameter than an outer diameter of the optical fiber, and which accommodates a distal end portion of the optical fiber with a gap between the optical fiber and the accommodation hole.

Abstract: The force of a piezoelectric element is efficiently transferred to an optical fiber without attenuation, so that the vibration of the optical fiber becomes large. Provided is an optical fiber scanner including an optical fiber which has an elongated cylindrical shape in which illumination light emitted from a light source is guided and can emerge from a distal end thereof and whose distal end can be vibrated in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction thereof; and at least one piezoelectric element which have a plate shape polarized in a thickness direction thereof and which are separately bonded to an outer circumferential surface of the optical fiber closer to a base side than to a distal end thereof.