Abstract: In a tripod-type constant velocity joint having an inner joint member, an outer joint member, and three roller units, the radius R1, outer width W1, and inner width W2 of the outer periphery cylindrical surface of each roller unit, and the radius R3 of the center hole of each roller unit are determined to satisfy the following two inequalities: 0.5Rtc(1/cos0.3??1)+(R1?R3)?<W1 1.5Rtc(1?cos0.3?)+(R1?R3)?<W2 where Rtc: the radius of a circle passing through the respective centers of tripod spherical surfaces of the inner joint member, ?: the maximum joint angle between the outer joint member and the inner joint member, and ?: coefficient of friction between each tripod spherical surface and the wall surface of the center hole of the corresponding roller unit.

Abstract: A steel material for a high strength constant velocity joint intermediate shaft is provided. The steal material may preferably contain C: 0.46 to 0.52%, Si: 0.6 to 0.8%, Mn: 0.7 to 0.9%, S: 0.01 to 0.05%, Mo: 0.3 to 0.5%, B: 0.0005 to 0.005%, Al: 0.002 to 0.05%, and Ti: 0.02 to 0.09%, restricting N to 0.007% or less, Cr to 0.15% or less, and P to 0.02% or less. A structural percentage of bainite+martensite may be provided which is 40% or more. The steal material may have a hardness of 250 HV to 340 HV. A high strength constant velocity joint intermediate shaft made of that steel material may be provided which has a spline-vanishing part with a surface hardness of about 610 HV to 750 HV, and a ratio t/r of an effective hardened layer depth t and radius r of 0.35 to 0.55, having a flat part with a surface hardness of about 630 HV to 770 HV and a ratio t/r of 0.55 to 1.0, and having a core hardness of about 250 HV to 340 HV.

Abstract: An electronic discussion system that reliably provides an answer to a message is provided. A message management unit accepts a message specifying at least an answerer and an answer to the message from a plurality of networked terminals. The message management unit has a message management table. The message management table is used to manage the accepted message and the answer to the message in a browsable manner. The message management unit further accepts a signal, which indicates whether the answerer has an intention to answer the answerer-specifying message, via a terminal operated by the answerer. The accepted signal is registered in the message management table.

Abstract: A drive shaft is configured from a shaft body, a shaft portion provided with extensions and boot mounting parts coaxially and integrally formed on ends thereof, and constant velocity joints attached to ends of the extensions via interior members. The outer diameter of intermediate portions of the extensions is smaller than that of the ends and the boot mounting parts. Formed on the opening-sides of the inner surfaces of the exterior members of the constant velocity joints are flanks that face outward and leave a slight clearance with the intermediate portions. Edges forming the boot mounting part sides of the intermediate portions are set to positions corresponding to outer edges of the flanks, and tapered portions connect the edges and the boot mounting parts.

Abstract: The contact angle of the ball 15 with each first guide track 21 of an inner joint member 12 is made to become smaller gradually from an opening portion side toward a bottom portion side, and the curvature radius for the first guide track 21 is made to become larger gradually from the opening portion side toward the bottom portion side. If the contact angle only were made to become smaller gradually from the opening portion side toward the bottom portion side, the contact angle would become too small thereby to cause chattering in rotation to be generated. If the curvature radius only were made to become larger gradually from the opening portion side toward the bottom portion side, a contact ellipse M2 defined by the ball 15 and the first guide track 21 would become tool small, which would cause the ball 15 to make dents on the surface of the first guide track 21.

Abstract: A shaft has a shank with a splined portion and a large diameter portion formed in an outer peripheral surface of the shank, the large diameter portion having a diameter that is larger than a diameter of an external periphery of the splined portion. A tapered portion is provided at a side surface of the large diameter portion on the splined portion side. This tapered portion stops a fitting member that is fitted onto the splined portion. In addition, a cut back portion formed at an end portion of the splined portion at the large diameter portion side and the tapered portion are interposed by and continuously connected by a first curved portion, a flat portion and a second curved portion.

Abstract: In a workflow system performing works by circulating data to a plurality of staffs via a network, a processing history of a workflow case is recorded and processing histories are collected. A processing situation in the workflow system is checked by using the processing histories collected. In case the situation check decides that a delay is present, case entry is suppressed so as to control a case amount and a work amount.

Abstract: In a workflow system performing works by circulating data to a plurality of staffs via a network, a processing history of a workflow case is recorded and processing histories are collected. A processing situation in the workflow system is checked by using he processing histories collected. In case the situation check decides that a delay is present, case entry is suppressed so as to control a case amount and a work amount.

Abstract: When a new business process definition is registered, a business process definition registering function commands a modified portion extracting and outputting function to output items to be tested. Business process definitions are stored in a business process definition storing area. The modified portion extracting and outputting function makes a comparison between an old business process definition and the new business process definition. Then, the modified portion extracting and outputting function extracts a node and data to be influenced by a modified portion in the new business process definition, for display.

Abstract: In a workflow system, control is performed such that a process instance and process instance-related data will be simultaneously deleted. This control makes unnecessary a deletion work of the process instance-related data by handwork which differs from a deletion work of the process instance, thereby reducing operating loads of the system. When an administrator terminal makes a process instance deleting request to a workflow server, a process instance managing function selects, from a process instance managing table, a process instance to be deleted. The process instance managing function calls a deletion time processing function on each selected process-instance basis. Based on a specified deletion-time-processing definition, the deletion time processing function calls either a database management system or an application controlling function, thereby performing the processing using the process instance-related data.

Abstract: In a workflow system performing works by circulating data to a plurality of staffs via a network, a processing history of a workflow case is recorded and processing histories are collected. A processing situation in the workflow system is checked by using the processing histories collected. In case the situation check decides that a delay is present, case entry is suppressed so as to control a case amount and a work amount.

Abstract: In a workflow system performing works by circulating data to a plurality of staffs via a network, a processing history of a workflow case is recorded and processing histories are collected. A processing situation in the workflow system is checked by using he processing histories collected. In case the situation check decides that a delay is present, case entry is suppressed so as to control a case amount and a work amount.

Abstract: Clients are prevented from issuing allocation requests to the same items by using a condition depending upon work and a selection key when selecting items to be allocated. By thus selecting allocation subjects so as not to cause competition and thereby reducing exclusive waiting, the efficiency of allocation processing in a large scale workflow system can be raised.

Abstract: Clients are prevented from issuing allocation requests to the same items by using a condition depending upon work and a selection key when selecting items to be allocated. By thus selecting allocation subjects so as not to cause competition and thereby reducing exclusive waiting, the efficiency of allocation processing in a large scale workflow system can be raised.