Abstract: A cylindrical drum, which comprises a sheet of maraging steel with welded opposite ends, is severed into a plurality of rings of predetermined width, and the rings are rolled to a predetermined length, after which circumferential lengths of the rings are corrected. The rings are aged by placing the rings into an aging chamber, heating the aging chamber to a predetermined aging temperature, and keeping the rings at the predetermined aging temperature for a predetermined period of time. Thereafter, the rings are nitrided by transferring the rings from the aging chamber into a nitriding chamber which is disposed independently of the aging chamber and has been heated to a predetermined nitriding temperature, while maintaining the rings at the aging temperature, keeping the rings at the nitriding temperature in an atmosphere containing at least an ammonia gas for a predetermined period of time, and cooling the rings.

Abstract: The medical apparatus of this invention includes a therapeutic section at least having a blade for treating a living tissue thermally, a heat insulating part for insulating heat conduction from the blade to the main body of the medical apparatus. The therapeutic section and the heat insulating part are preferably provided on a grasping section (for example, a pair of jaws) for grasping the living tissue. It is preferable that the therapeutic section has a shape such that the living tissue and the side surface of the therapeutic section do not contact with each other. It is also preferable that the heat insulating portion has a shape such that the living tissue and the heat insulating portion do not contact with each other.

Abstract: Disclosed is a novel electric joining method and apparatus that can overcome the defects associated with the prior art while taking advantage of the technology for the pulse excited sintering process such as spark plasma sintering process or the hot-press joining process.

Abstract: An endoscope includes an image pickup unit 30 having a solid-state image pickup device 32 such as a CCD on a tip end side of an elongate insertion section. This image pickup unit 30 constitutes a tip end side unit 36U and a rear end side unit 43U by conducting a surface treatment (metallization) to nonmetal members such as a tip end cover glass 31 and a rear end cover glass 35, and by airtight coupling surface-treated portions of the nonmetal members to metal members such as a tip end cover glass frame 36 and a rear end cover glass frame 43 by brazing using soldering, and constitutes an optical system unit 60 by airtight coupling the metal members to metal members of an insulating unit 38U formed by airtight coupling a pipe member 41 and a ring member 42 to an insulating frame 38 by welding.

Abstract: A cylindrical drum is prepared by welding opposite ends of a thin sheet of maraging steel. A first solution treatment is effected on the cylindrical drum, and then the cylindrical drum is severed into a plurality of rings each having a predetermined width. After the rings are rolled, a second solution treatment is effected on the rings which have been rolled, and then the circumferential length of each of the rings is corrected. The rings are aged and nitrided, and then stacked into a laminated ring. The first solution treatment and the second solution treatment are effected using the same heating furnace in the same atmosphere in the same temperature range.

Abstract: Disclosed is a novel electric joining method and apparatus that can overcome the defects associated with the prior art while taking advantage of the technology for the pulse excited sintering process such as spark plasma sintering process or the hot-press joining process.

Abstract: A connector for medical instruments has an elongated plate-like electrode provided in a socket connected to a plug of the medical instrument and extending in a moving operation direction in which the socket is connected to the medical instrument and an elongated plate-like electrode provided in the plug and extending in a moving operation direction in which the socket is connected. The connector further has an annular wall provided in the plug to surround the electrode of the plug.

Abstract: To provide a ball for a ball-point pen and to provide a ball-point pen with the use of it which are superior in abrasion resistance and lubricating ability and can be manufactured easily. A ball 2 for a ball-point pen is made of a material of stainless steel whose surface is formed with a nitrosulphurized layer, or a ball 2 for a ball-point pen is made of a material of aluminum chrome molybdenum steel whose surface is formed with a nitrosulphurized layer. A ball-point pen utilizing such a ball has superior writing qualities.

Abstract: An ultrasonic operation system comprises: a transmission cable that is connected detachably, through a connector, to a connector receptacle in a main apparatus unit; plural types of transducers provided with a connector receptacle each capable of detachably connecting the connector of the transmission cable, an identification element for outputting its own identification signal, and a ultrasonic vibrator, correspondingly; and a main apparatus unit for receiving the identification signals in an identification circuit, automatically controlling drive signals that a control circuit causes a drive signal generator unit to generate, and automatically displaying the identified instrument on a control-display unit.

Abstract: A surgical microscope apparatus incorporating a frame portion placed on a floor, a microscope body for stereoscopically observing a portion to be operated, an arm portion supported by the frame portion and arranged to suspend the microscope body, and an endoscope for observing a blind spot for a stereoscopic observation field of view. The frame portion has a light source unit for generating light for illuminating a portion observed with the endoscope and a camera control unit for processing an observed image of an observed portion obtained by the endoscope. A light guide fiber extending from the light source unit to the microscope body and capable of supplying light to the endoscope, and a camera cable for transmitting the image observed with the endoscope to the camera control unit extend in the arm portion. The microscope body is provided with an end of the light guide fiber for connecting the endoscope and a camera head connected to the camera cable.

Abstract: Disclosed is a novel electric joining method and apparatus that can overcome the defects associated with the prior art while taking advantage of the technology for the pulse excited sintering process such as spark plasma sintering process or the hot-press joining process.

Abstract: An endoscope includes an image pickup unit 30 having a solid-state image pickup device 32 such as a CCD on a tip end side of an elongate insertion section. This image pickup unit 30 constitutes a tip end side unit 36U and a rear end side unit 43U by conducting a surface treatment (metallization) to nonmetal members such as a tip end cover glass 31 and a rear end cover glass 35, and by airtight coupling surface-treated portions of the nonmetal members to metal members such as a tip end cover glass frame 36 and a rear end cover glass frame 43 by brazing using soldering, and constitutes an optical system unit 60 by airtight coupling the metal members to metal members of an insulating unit 38U formed by airtight coupling a pipe member 41 and a ring member 42 to an insulating frame 38 by welding.

Abstract: An ultrasonic treatment apparatus comprises at least one hand piece, a plurality of probes, and an ultrasonic drive device. The hand piece has an ultrasonic oscillation device for generating ultrasonic vibration. Each probe is adapted to be attached to the hand piece and designed to transmit the ultrasonic vibration generated by the hand piece. The ultrasonic drive device is connected to the hand piece, for driving the ultrasonic oscillation device.

Abstract: A stereoscopic endoscope including an objective lens system for forming an image of an object which objective lens system is arranged at the front end of an inserting section and has a single optical axis; an image transmission device coaxially arranged with the objective lens system and adapted to transmit the image formed by the objective lens system; a pupil dividing device for dividing the image transmitted through the objective lens system and the image transmission device so as to obtain left and right images of the object; an image sensing device for picking up the left and right images obtained by the pupil dividing device; a first support structure containing at least the objective lens system; and a second support structure containing at least the pupil dividing device and the image sensing device, wherein the first and second support structures are rotatable relative to each other around an axis extending along the longitudinal dimension of the endoscope.

Abstract: An apparatus for holding a medical instrument, such as an endoscope, in place without exerting an undue force on an insertion hole in an abdominal cavity of a subject even when the arm of a scope-holding section is unlocked, includes a four-link parallelogram mechanism. The four-link parallelogram mechanism includes a support arm for supporting a treating tool, an arm section parallel to the support arm and upper and lower arm sections connected to the upper and lower end sides of the support arm and arm section in a parallel relation. A support mechanism supports the arm sections of the four-link parallelogram mechanism to allow the arm sections to be moved in left/right and up/down directions, while being rotated, so that a straight line connecting an intersecting point P of a center line of the treating instrument inserted into an insertion hole in an abdominal wall of a subject and the center of the insertion hole to spherical bearings of the arm is set parallel to the upper and lower arm sections.

Abstract: An ultrasonic treatment apparatus comprises at least one hand piece, a plurality of probes, and an ultrasonic drive device. The hand piece has an ultrasonic oscillation device for generating ultrasonic vibration. Each probe is adapted to be attached to the hand piece and designed to transmit the ultrasonic vibration generated by the hand piece. The ultrasonic drive device is connected to the hand piece, for driving the ultrasonic oscillation device.

Abstract: A composite plating apparatus is disclosed in which an insertion electrode is loosely inserted into a hollow cylinder having a space, air bubbles are mixed into a composite plating solution fed from a liquid feeding pipe toward the space in the cylinder, and the hollow cylinder is connected to a base electrode so as to perform a composite plating on the inner surface of the hollow cylinder. An air bubble dispersing member having at least one passage hole with a diameter the same as or larger than a length of a gap defined between the insertion electrode and the inner surface of the cylinder is arranged upstream of a plating solution inlet portion of the hollow cylinder as an apparatus for dispersing air bubbles within the composite plating solution. The air bubble dispersing member can also be used as an electrode engaging member for engaging a tip end portion of the electrode inserted into the hollow cylinder.

Abstract: A stereoscopic endoscope including an objective lens system for forming an image of an object which objective lens system is arranged at the front end of an inserting section and has a single optical axis; an image transmission device coaxially arranged with the objective lens system and adapted to transmit the image formed by the objective lens system; a pupil dividing device for dividing the image transmitted through the objective lens system and the image transmission device so as to obtain left and right images of the object; an image sensing device for picking up the left and right images obtained by the pupil dividing device; a first support structure containing-at least the objective lens system; and a second support structure containing at least the pupil dividing device and the image sensing device, wherein the first and second support structures are rotatable relative to each other around an axis extending along the longitudinal dimension of the endoscope.

Abstract: A three-dimensional vision endoscopic apparatus according to the present invention comprises a pair of optical systems for transmitting an image of a subject as two subject images having a parallax between them, a pair of imaging devices for picking up subject images transmitted by the optical systems, at least one visual field mask, a display unit for displaying the two subject images alternately or concurrently, an adjusting mechanism for adjusting the position of one or both of the imaging devices so that the display images will become consistent on the screen of the display unit, and an adjusting mechanism for adjusting the relative position of the visual field mask.

Abstract: An endoscope apparatus includes: an endoscope having an insertion section; and a sheath attached thereto so as to cover at least the insertion section of the endoscope, wherein the endoscope apparatus is equipped with: a forward end gap portion formed between the inner surface of an edge portion formed in the forward end portion of the sheath and the outer surface of the forward end portion of the insertion section of the endoscope; and a fluid passage which communicates with the forward end gap portion and which is formed between the inner surface of the sheath and the outer surface of the insertion section of the endoscope, and wherein a liquid feeding passage or a suction passage for passing a cleaning fluid or a sucked object is provided in the fluid passage, and a nozzle section for spraying the cleaning fluid onto an observation window portion in the forward end portion of the insertion section of the endoscope is provided in the forward end gap portion.