Abstract: A press formed article such as a center pillar or the like for a vehicle having a demanded strength distribution achieved by hardening through induction hardening or the like, and a method and an apparatus for performing induction hardening on the press formed article. The center pillar (10) being a press formed article has an intermediate top portion (11) which extends in a longitudinal direction of the center pillar (10), and two blade portions (12) which are both bent in the same direction from both sides of the intermediate top portion (11), in which hardening regions (Q) are provided on both sides of the intermediate top portion (11), extending over the intermediate top portion (11) and the blade portions (12). These hardening regions (Q) hardened by the induction hardening apparatus are regions in a form which widens toward the end and continuously expand from the upper portion to the lower portion of the center pillar (10).

Abstract: A press formed article such as a center pillar or the like for a vehicle having a demanded strength distribution achieved by hardening through induction hardening or the like, and a method and an apparatus for performing induction hardening on the press formed article. The center pillar (10) being a press formed article has an intermediate top portion (11) which extends in a longitudinal direction of the center pillar (10), and two blade portions (12) which are both bent toward the same side from both sides of the intermediate top portion (11), in which hardening regions (Q) are provided on both sides of the intermediate top portion (11), extending over the intermediate top portion (11) and the blade portions (12). These hardening regions (Q) hardened by the induction hardening apparatus are regions in the form, widening toward the end, which continuously expands from the upper portion to the lower portion of the center pillar (10).

Abstract: A cross flow having a volute is disclosed which is less noisy during its operation. A volute-portion starting radius which is the length of a segment O-F.sub.1 at a volute-portion starting point F.sub.1 is R.sub.1 ; a maximum volute radius which is the length of a segment O-F.sub.2 at the outlet portion starting point F.sub.2 is R.sub.M ; a maximum volute angle which is an angle formed by the segment O-F.sub.2 and O-F.sub.1 is .varies.M; a point on the volute portion having a distance to the center O of the rotating shaft is R.sub.J =(R.sub.1 +R.sub.M)/2; an angle .varies..sub.J is formed by a segment connecting that point and the center 0 of the rotating shaft; the segment O-F.sub.1 is .varies..sub.M /2 (=F.sub.1 -O-F.sub.J); a volute portion of a scroll casing is formed into a circular arc such that R.sub.1 <R.sub.J <R.sub.M, and the circular arc passes through the points F.sub.1, F.sub.J, and F.sub.2.

Abstract: In a refrigeration cycle using a cooling medium circuit in which a compressor, a heat-source-side heat exchanger, a decompressor, and a user-side heat exchanger are connected successively for circulating a cooling medium, and refrigerating machine oil having no or extremely low mutual solubility to the cooling medium; an internal diameter of a down comer in which a liquid phase cooling medium flows from the upstream side to the down stream side in the refrigeration cycle is adjusted so that the flow velocity of cooling medium in the down comer is made to be higher than that at which refrigerating machine oil floating in a cooling medium goes down.

Abstract: A refrigerating machine oil composition suitable for a compressor using a hydrofluorocarbon as a refrigerant, which comprises 100 parts by weight of a polyol ester as a base oil, from 7.0 to 15.0 parts by weight of a phosphate, and from 0.2 to 3.0 parts by weight in total of a 1,2-epoxyalkane and/or a vinylcyclohexene dioxide. The use of the refrigerating machine oil composition improves wear resistance of sliding portions of compressors and is free from the formation of sludges derived from the polyol ester used as a base oil of the oil composition. A rotary compressor using the oil composition is also disclosed.

Abstract: A refrigerant circulating system that uses a highly polar refrigerant, as typified by a hydrofluorocarbon-based one, and a refrigerating oil that has slight solubility with a liquid refrigerant on the condensation side. Also, a refrigerant circulating cycle that uses a highly polar refrigerant, as typified by a hydrofluorocarbon-based one, and a refrigerating oil that has a slight solubility with a liquid refrigerant and which has a greater specific gravity than the liquid refrigerant. Thereby, it provides a high electrical insulation and moisture resistance, good oil return to the compressor, and high reliability.

Abstract: A horizontal rotary compressor comprises a sealed shell having a lubricating oil accumulated at a lower part therein; a drive unit included in the sealed shell; a compression unit included in the sealed shell and driven by the drive unit through a crankshaft; the crankshaft having a lubricating oil feeding hole formed therein; a lubricating oil pump for supplying the lubricating oil to the crankshaft to lubricate the compression unit; a discharge muffler which is arranged at the end of the compression unit remote from the drive unit, and which is provided with a lubricating oil passage; the lubricating oil passage having one end opened in the lubricating oil and the other end opened at the lubricating oil feeding hole; and a discharge refrigerant gas passage which is formed to be upwardly inclined in the discharge muffler so as to communicate from the space in the discharge muffler to the lubricating oil feeding passage.

Abstract: A multicylinder rotary compressor has a plurality of cylinders housing rolling pistons which are rotated inside the cylinders by a common crankshaft. Each cylinder has a separate suction pipe. At least one of the suction pipes has a check valve which may be closed to unload the cylinder to which the suction pipe is connected. The check valve has a housing and a slider which can slide inside the housing between an open position and a closed position. The check valve may be closed by introduction of high-pressure refrigerant gas into the space beneath the slider to push it to the closed position when a cylinder is to be unloaded. In another form of the invention, the check valve is closed by a spring made of a shape-memory alloy and a heater for heating the spring above a prescribed temperature at which the allow changes shape. When a cylinder is to be unloaded, the heater is turned on, and the shape-memory alloy deforms into a shape such as to force the slide to the closed position.