Abstract: When a target advance angle VTT1 of an intake valve is a threshold K1 or less and when a target retard angle VTT2 of an exhaust valve is a threshold K2 or less, an intake-side variable valve timing device and an exhaust-side variable valve timing device are turned into a base mode. When a target advance angle VTT1 of an intake valve exceed the threshold K1 or when the target retard angle VTT2 of an exhaust valve exceeds the threshold K2, both of the variable valve timing devices are turned into a feedback mode at the same time.

Abstract: An endoscope apparatus includes a light emitting diode provided at a tip end of an insertion part, and an electrical power supplying circuit of the light emitting diode which is detachably connected to a main power supply, the electrical power supplying circuit having an energizing controlling device of the light emitting diode, which operates upon being connected and disconnected to the main power supply.

Abstract: A valve timing control apparatus for an internal combustion engine is provided which is designed to ensure the drivability of the engine in the event of failure in operation of a variable valve timing control system made up of intake and exhaust side variable valve timing control mechanisms. If one of intake and exhaust side variable valve timing control mechanism has failed, the control apparatus actuates the other variable valve timing control mechanism to control the timing of opening and closing of a corresponding one of intake and exhaust valves so as to decrease an amount of overlap between the opening and closing of the intake and exhaust valves.

Abstract: When a target advance angle VTT1 of an intake valve is a threshold K1 or less and when a target retard angle VTT2 of an exhaust valve is a threshold K2 or less, an intake-side variable valve timing device and an exhaust-side variable valve timing device are turned into a base mode. When a target advance angle VTT1 of an intake valve exceed the threshold K1 or when the target retard angle VTT2 of an exhaust valve exceeds the threshold K2, both of the variable valve timing devices are turned into a feedback mode at the same time.

Abstract: An endoscope whose bending section is moved with supply or discharge of fluid comprises: a fluid-pressure actuator that is included as a bending section in an insertion unit and has fluid chambers associated with a plurality of bending directions; and fluid supply tubes over which fluid is supplied from a fluid pressure source to the respective fluid chambers of the fluid-pressure actuator or fluid supplied to the respective fluid chambers is discharged. The fluid-pressure actuator comprises: a soft multi-lumen tube that has a center through hole and a plurality of penetrating holes which surrounds the center through hole and which realizes the fluid chambers; an internal tubular member that is inserted in the center through hole; and an external tubular member that is put on the periphery of the multi-lumen tube with a gap, which allows each fluid chamber to axially stretch and radially slightly expand during supply of fluid to the fluid chamber and thus eases bending, created between them.

Abstract: An electronic endoscope having an illuminating section in which an LED for illumination that emits illuminating light to illuminate an observed site is provided and a C-MOS image sensor which has an image pickup surface on which an optical image is formed and outputs a video signal.

Abstract: An electric bending endoscope having a traction-member operating device according to the present invention has traction members each of whose one end portion is fixed to and extends from a distal end portion of a long and narrow inserting portion, a pulley forming multiple peripheral recesses in which middle parts of the traction members are wound and are located in predetermined states, respectively, a motor for rotating, in a predetermined direction, the pulley in the state where the traction members are wound and are located, an arm member having a plurality of arm members to which base end portions of the traction members wound and located in the peripheral recesses of the pulley and extended therefrom are fixed, and an operation instructing lever to which the arm member is integrally fixed and having an operating portion for changing a slanting direction and a slanting amount to instruct to move a predetermined traction member from the plurality of traction members by a predetermined amount.

Abstract: An endoscope shape detection system has a CPU included in a control unit. The CPU performs frequency sampling of digital data to calculate coordinates indicating the spatial positions of source coils incorporated in an insertion unit of an endoscope received in a patient and of marker coils placed on a patient. An inserted state of the insertion unit of the endoscope is estimated based on the calculated coordinate data indicating the positions of the source coils. Display data based on the shape of the endoscope is produced from the calculated coordinate data indicating the positions of the source coils, and output to a video RAM. Display data of the marker coils is produced from the calculated coordinate data indicating the positions of the marker coils, and output to the video RAM. Consequently, the positions of the markers are depicted together with the shape of the endoscope. The positional relationship between the insertion unit of the endoscope and a patient's body can therefore be ascertained.

Abstract: An endoscope system includes an endoscope and an insertion unit guide member. The endoscope has an elongated insertion unit whose bending section adjoins a distal section thereof. The insertion unit guide member comprises a plurality of tubular members to be placed in a pipe. Each of the tubular members has a guide channel having a predetermined diameter that permits other tubular member or the insertion unit to smoothly pass through the guide channel. The plurality of tubular members has predetermined degrees of flexibility and predetermined lengths. At least one of the tubular members has a member that changes the advancing direction in which the insertion unit is advanced through the guide channel.

Abstract: An engine has an upstream catalyst and a downstream catalyst in an exhaust system. An air-fuel ratio control apparatus has an oxygen sensor that outputs signal indicative of an oxygen storage amount in the downstream catalyst. The apparatus has an air supply device for supplying the air into upstream the downstream catalyst. When the signal of the oxygen sensor indicates a shortage of the oxygen storage amount in the downstream catalyst, the air supply device is activated to supply the air to the downstream catalyst. Thus, the downstream catalyst can recover the oxygen storage amount sufficient to keep its catalysis.

Abstract: A valve timing control apparatus for an internal combustion engine is provided which is designed to ensure the drivability of the engine in the event of failure in operation of a variable valve timing control system made up of intake and exhaust side variable valve timing control mechanisms. If one of intake and exhaust side variable valve timing control mechanism has failed, the control apparatus actuates the other variable valve timing control mechanism to control the timing of opening and closing of a corresponding one of intake and exhaust valves so as to decrease an amount of overlap between the opening and closing of the intake and exhaust valves.

Abstract: An endoscope shape detecting system displays an endoscope image and an insertion form image simultaneously on a display means. A first memory stores an endoscope image and a second memory stores an insertion form image. A control device controls a switching action such that the insertion form image is output to the display means during a period wherein the output of the endoscope image to the display means is turned off and stored in the first memory means, and that the output of the insertion form image to the display means is turned off and stored in the second memory during the period wherein the output of the endoscope image to the display is turned on. In addition, a control device is provided that controls the storing action such that a first period for storing endoscope images in the first memory and a second period for storing output signals from a magnetic field detecting device in the second memory do not overlap.

Abstract: An electric bending endoscope having a traction-member operating device according to the present invention has traction members each of whose one end portion is fixed to and extends from a distal end portion of a long and narrow inserting portion, a pulley forming multiple peripheral recesses in which middle parts of the traction members are wound and are located in predetermined states, respectively, a motor for rotating, in a predetermined direction, the pulley in the state where the traction members are wound and are located, an arm member having a plurality of arm members to which base end portions of the traction members wound and located in the peripheral recesses of the pulley and extended therefrom are fixed, and an operation instructing lever to which the arm member is integrally fixed and having an operating portion for changing a slanting direction and a slanting amount to instruct to move a predetermined traction member from the plurality of traction members by a predetermined amount.

Abstract: In this invention, a drum around which an insertion portion is wound is integrally housed in a carrying case, and a cylinder for supplying a fluid to a hydropneumatic actuator and a solenoid valve unit for controlling the application of a hydropneumatic pressure are housed in the carrying case or drum. In addition, a joystick for operating the controlled variables of the solenoid valve unit can be housed in the carrying case.

Abstract: In this invention, a drum around which an insertion portion is wound is integrally housed in a carrying case, and a cylinder for supplying a fluid to a hydropneumatic actuator and a solenoid valve unit for controlling the application of a hydropneumatic pressure are housed in the carrying case or drum. In addition, a joystick for operating the controlled variables of the solenoid valve unit can be housed in the carrying case.

Abstract: A shape-of-endoscope detection system has a CPU included in a control unit. The CPU performs frequency sampling on digital data to calculate coordinates indicating the spatial positions of source coils incorporated in an insertion unit of an endoscope and of marker coils. An inserted state of the insertion unit of the endoscope is estimated based on the calculated coordinate data indicating the positions of the source coils. Display data based on which the shape of the endoscope is depicted is produced from the calculated coordinate data indicating the positions of the source coils, and output to a video RAM. Display data based on which the marker coils are depicted is produced from the calculated coordinate data indicating the positions of the marker coils, and output to the video RAM. Consequently, the positions of the markers are depicted together with the shape of the endoscope. The positional relationship between the insertion unit of the endoscope and a patient's body can therefore be grasped.

Abstract: An endoscope shape detection system has a CPU included in a control unit. The CPU performs frequency sampling on digital data to calculate coordinates indicating the spatial positions of source coils incorporated in an insertion unit of an endoscope and of marker coils. An inserted state of the insertion unit of the endoscope is estimated based on the calculated coordinate data indicating the positions of the source coils. Display data based on which shape of the endoscope depicted is produced from the calculated coordinate data indicating the positions of the source coils, and output to a video RAM. Display data based on which marker coils are depicted is produced from the calculated coordinate data indicating the positions of the marker coils, and output to the video RAM. Consequently, the positions of the markers are depicted together with the shape of the endoscope. The positional relationship between the insertion unit of the endoscope and a patient's body can therefore be ascertained.

Abstract: A source coil line-break/short-circuit detecting circuit and a probe connection detecting circuit are provided to the source coil driving circuit unit of an endoscope shape detecting apparatus. The source coil line-break/short-circuit detecting circuit detects line-breaks and short-circuits of the source coils. The probe connection detecting circuit detects whether a connection exists with a probe. A marker coil line-break/short-circuit detecting circuit detects line-breaks and short-circuits of the marker coils. A marker connection detecting circuit detects whether a connection exists with a marker. Accordingly, using the apparatus without being connected to a probe or markers can be avoided by detecting the connection of the probe and markers by the probe connection detecting circuit and marker connection detecting circuit, respectively, when the system is energized, thereby avoiding detecting noise and consequently displaying a random image on the monitor.

Abstract: A computer apparatus and a method of diagnosing are provided that increase reliability and make non-stop operation possible even at a hardware repair, replacement, or addition time. The computer apparatus, which comprises a main OS and a sub OS, may have a peripheral device or an I/O card repaired, replaced, or added with power on. The repaired, replaced, or added hardware component is disconnected from the main OS. With the main OS performing usual processing, the sub OS uses a test/maintenance program to check the operation of the repaired, replaced, or added hardware component and then passes the control of the hardware component to the main OS.

Abstract: In an air fuel ratio control for engines, a target operation characteristic of engine speed is set based on a coolant temperature when the engine starts cranking. The target engine speed is variable with time after the engine cranking has started and converges to a speed value lower than a normal target idle speed. Immediately after a complete combustion of air-fuel mixture suplied to the engine is detected, an actual engine speed is compared with a target engine speed corresponding to the target operation characteristics, and an air-fuel ratio of the mixture supplied to the engine is controlled based on a comparison result.