Abstract: A door opening/closing mechanism fitted on a door that closes and opens an opening formed in the body of an apparatus by being brought into and out of contact with the rim of the opening has cam mechanisms that permit the door to engage with and disengage from the body at either of the right and left sides of the door. The cam mechanisms can be brought into a first lock position in which they lie symmetrically at both sides of the door and into a second lock position in which they lie symmetrically at both sides of the door, and each have a hinge pin that serves as a rotation axis in the second lock position and a groove cam that engages with the hinge pin in such a way as to be movable relative to the hinge pin.

Abstract: A door opening/closing mechanism fitted on a door that closes and opens an opening formed in the body of an apparatus by being brought into and out of contact with the rim of the opening has cam mechanisms that permit the door to engage with and disengage from the body at either of the right and left sides of the door (102). The cam mechanisms can be brought into a first lock position in which they lie symmetrically at both sides of the door and into a second lock position in which they lie symmetrically at both sides of the door, and each have a hinge pin (134) that serves as a rotation axis in the second lock position and a groove cam (141, 142) that engages with the hinge pin (134) in such a way as to be movable relative to the hinge pin. The groove cam (141, 142) has a slide portion (142b) on which a part of the innermost portion of the hinge pin slides when the cam mechanism is moved from the first lock position to the second lock position.

Abstract: A door opening/closing mechanism fitted on a door that closes and opens an opening formed in the body of an apparatus by being brought into and out of contact with the rim of the opening has cam mechanisms that permit the door to engage with and disengage from the body at either of the right and left sides of the door. The cam mechanisms can be brought into a first lock position in which they lie symmetrically at both sides of the door and into a second lock position in which they lie symmetrically at both sides of the door, and each have a hinge pin that serves as a rotation axis in the second lock position and a groove cam that engages with the hinge pin in such a way as to be movable relative to the hinge pin.

Abstract: A tobacco smoke filter includes a corrugated tape-like wrapping which, together with an outer perforated or otherwise air-permeable paper, defines a set of longitudinal grooves. Each of the grooves includes a blocking member, so as to inhibit direct smoke flow through the grooves and promote a ventilation effect. The blocking members in each groove are longitudinally staggered from one groove to the next to simplify the production of the device.

Abstract: A smoking tobacco product, which is produced by incorporating in smoking material a thermo-gelable .beta.-1,3-glucan-type polysaccharide, either as the sole smoking material or as its partial replacement, has improved smoking characteristics such as flavor, taste and irritability, and its smoking material has improved physical properties such as thickness, wet-proof qualities, tensile strength, elongation and filling capacity.