Abstract: There is intended to provide an overvoltage-protective device capable of protecting a power system from overvoltage not destructively without using a fuse. An alarm signal from an MOS transistor Tr3, a structural element of a DC/DC converter 21, is inputted to a switching circuit 55, a structural element of the AC/DC converter 11. In case an alarm signal keeps high-level potential without indicating overvoltage-state, the switching circuit 55 connects a output current detecting circuit 53 having the smaller gain G1 to an output voltage detecting circuit 50 as well as a feedback circuit 51A, thereby to set large output-power-supply capability. In case an alarm signal inverses to low-level potential indicating overvoltage-state, the switching circuit 55 connects a output current detecting circuit 54 having the larger gain G2 to the output voltage detecting circuit 50 as well as the feedback circuit 51A, thereby to set small output-power-supply capability.

Abstract: A vehicle body frame hollow member has an external contour whose cross section forms a polygon and has a plurality of plates, each defining a circumferential wall of the hollow member, each of points of intersection being formed by intersecting prolongations from exterior surfaces of the adjacent two plates, ribs connecting respective apical angles of the polygon with a center shaft thereof; and an elongated projection projecting outwardly of a circle tangent to the points of intersection and extending along an edge of each of the apical angles.

Abstract: The present invention provides a high speed MMR compression processing method by reducing the number of times of repeating a process of finding the positions of changing pixels a1, a2, b1, and b2. According to this method, first, a bit string corresponding to pixel data is obtained from an image. Then, data are sequentially fetched from the bit string byte by byte. Subsequently, a search is made of a table that describes the number of consecutive bits that are arranged to the right of and have the same color as each of bits of each byte of all bit patterns represented by bits included in the fetched 1 byte. Then, the number of consecutive bits, which are arranged to the right of and have the same color as each of bits of each of the fetched bytes, is detected according to the bit patterns represented by bits of the fetched byte. Subsequently, a pixel placed at the position corresponding to the number obtained by adding 1 to the detected number of consecutive bits is determined as a color changing pixel.

Abstract: In a plasma display panel, a partition wall 15 surrounds each of discharge cells to define the discharge cells. Each of the discharge cells is divided by a second transverse wall 15B into a display discharge cell C1 which is opposite transparent electrodes Xa, Ya of paired row electrodes X, Y to provide for a sustaining discharge; and an addressing discharge cell C2 which is opposite a bus electrode Yb of the row electrode Y to provide for an addressing discharge caused between the bus electrode Yb and a column electrode D. A clearance r is provided between the discharge cell C1 and the addressing discharge cell C2 for communication between the cells C1 and C2.

Abstract: A frequency measurement circuit comprises a plurality of frequency measurement units 10, 20, K0 each of which counts a reference clock Cb during a counting period having a predetermined number of waves of an input signal Cin, each of the frequency measurement units counts the reference clock, with shifted counting periods, respectively. Moreover, an adder 14 is provided to add the counted numbers of the plurality of the frequency measurement units. By shift the counting periods, even if the phase of the input signal agrees with the phase of the reference clock at the time counting starts and at the time counting ends on a certain frequency measurement unit, there is scarcely any possibility of agreement of the phases on other frequency measurement units. Therefore, by utilization of the added number of counts, frequency can be measured with high accuracy. In addition, by making the counting periods being shifted with overlaping each other, extension of the measurement time is not required any longer.

Abstract: The power transmission shaft 12 is made by applying induction hardening to carbon steel with hardening ratio in a range from 0.25 to 0.50. For the carbon steel, one containing 0.39 to 0.49% of C, 0.4 to 1.5% of Si, 0.4 to 1.0% of Mn, 0.025% or less S, 0.02% or less P and 0.01 to 0.1% of Al by weight as the basic components, with the rest comprising Fe and inevitable impurities is used. This makes it possible to achieve higher strength and lighter weight of the power transmission shaft.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a device suitable for marking a collected sample, comprising collecting means for collecting the sample and at least one detectable marker which is associated with at least a portion of the collecting means, wherein the at least one detectable marker is contractable with the sample upon collection of the sample to mark the collected sample upon contact of the sample with the at least a portion of the collecting means having the at least one detectable marker associated therewith, and wherein the at least one detectable marker is other than a component which is present in the sample before collection and is inert to any component present in the sample before collection. Kits containing the device, methods for marking samples using the device, methods for determining the integrity of a marked sample, and use of the markers for the testing of laboratories and/or laboratory personnel for certification, proficiency testing or accreditation purposes are also provided.

Abstract: A collecting exhaust port 18 provided in a cylinder head 12 is comprised of exhaust port sections 46 extending from exhaust valve bores 35 in cylinders 14, and an exhaust collecting section 47 in which the exhaust port sections 46 are collected. The cylinder head 12 includes a protrusion 49 projecting in an arch shape outside a side wall 111 of a cylinder block 11. The exhaust collecting section 47 of the collecting exhaust port 18 directly faces an inner surface of a side wall 12 of the protrusion 49. Water jackets J2 and J3 for cooling the protrusion 49 are provided in upper and lower surfaces of the protrusion 49 having the collecting exhaust port 18 defined therein. The water jackets J2 and J3 are not provided between the side wall 121 of the protrusion 49 and the exhaust collecting section 47. Thus, the compact cylinder head 12 having the collecting exhaust port 18 integrally provided therein can be formed, while avoiding the complication of the structure of a core.

Abstract: In a belt for a continuously variable transmission, the relationship of &thgr;NH<&thgr;Y is established between the following two angles: (i) an angle &thgr;Y formed between a straight line drawn from a lower end of one of left and right pulley-abutment faces of a metal element to an outer end of the other of the left and right lower ear surfaces and a straight line drawn from a point of the intersection of a straight line drawn downwards from the point with an outer peripheral surface of a metal ring assembly to the point; and (ii) an angle &thgr;NH formed between a tangent line drawn from the point onto a projection and a tangent line drawn from the point onto a recess of the metal element.

Abstract: A light emitting portion (1) and an objective lens (3) for collecting a light of the light emitting portion are provided. The light receiving portion (2) is provided in the vicinity of the light emitting portion (1) such that the light can be collected by the objective lens and the light reflected by an optical disk (10) to be an object can be detected. The light emitting portion and the light receiving portion are formed to get in a range of 1.22 &lgr;/NA (beam waist BW) wherein a numerical aperture of the objective lens is represented by NA and a wavelength of the light emitting portion is represented by &lgr; or the light receiving portion is multi-split such that a focal shift of a beam having an astigmatism formed thereon can be detected.

Abstract: A positioning means for a reverse shifting fork includes a toggle spring for biasing the reverse shifting fork toward one of a reverse position shown by a solid line and a neutral position shown by a dashed line with a dead point set as a boundary between the reverse position and the neutral position, and a stopper pin for stopping the reverse shifting fork in the reverse position and the neutral position against a biasing force of the toggle spring. The toggle spring is a torsional coil spring and is compressed so that a biasing force is generated in a direction to move opposite ends of the spring connected respectively to the reverse shifting fork holder and the reverse shifting fork away from each other, and the distance between the opposite ends is smallest in the dead point.

Abstract: A fuel supply device is provided capable of supplying a necessary amount of fuel while ensuring predetermined stoichiometric characteristics over a wide range of flow rates. The body unit of the fuel supply device includes the first ejector, the second ejector, and a switching valve. The switching valve has a function to select either one of a first passage or a second passage for communicating with the valve chamber and to block the other passage. The first passage is communicated with a nozzle of the first ejector, and the second passage is communicated with a nozzle of the second ejector. The first ejector has a diffuser passage communicated with the reflux chamber, the second ejector has a diffuser passage communicated with the reflux chamber, and the diffuser passage 43 and the diffuser passage are connected with a hydrogen outlet through a merging passage.

Abstract: This invention provides a photovoltaic semiconductor device of high efficiency capable of maintaining good interface characteristics of an amorphous semiconductor layer and a transparent electrode by eliminating damage caused by plasma of a plasma doping layer formed by doping impurity to the i-type amorphous semiconductor layer. The i-type amorphous semiconductor layer substantially not containing impurity for reducing electric resistance on a textured surface of an n-type single crystalline substrate. Then, the plasma doping layer is formed by exposing the n-type single crystalline substrate with the amorphous semiconductor layer formed thereon in an atmosphere of excited gas containing p-type impurity and diffusing the impurity to the amorphous semiconductor layer. A p-type amorphous semiconductor thin film layer containing p-type impurity is formed on the plasma doping layer by chemical vapor deposition and a transparent electrode 5 is formed on the p-type amorphous semiconductor thin film.

Abstract: A first GaN layer (2) is formed on a substrate (1), mask layer (3) having opening parts (3a) are formed thereon, a second GaN layer (4) is selectively grown in the lateral direction from the opening parts on the mask layer, and further a nitride type compound semiconductor layered part (15) is so laminated as to form a light emitting layer. Recessed parts (3b) are formed in the upper face side of the mask layer. In other words, owing to the recessed parts in the upper face side of the mask layer, the second GaN type compound semiconductor layer (4) is grown as to form approximately parallel gap (3c) between the bottom face of the second GaN type compound semiconductor layer and the mask layer. Further, it is preferable for the mask to be formed in a manner that the opening parts for exposing the seeds are not arranged only continuous in one single direction in the entire surface of the wafer type substrate.

Abstract: This invention provides a beam light source which enables a light guide plate for receiving light to have a smooth end surface. A light emitting surface of the beam-shaped light guide for dispersing and emitting light emitted from a point light source in a form of beam light faces to a channel bottom surface as a scattering reflecting surface of a reflecting member. The light emitted from the light emitting surface is irregularly reflected on the channel bottom surface of the reflecting member so as to make viewing angle characteristics uniform. The light having the uniform viewing angle characteristics is transmitted from the light emitting surface of the beam-shaped light guide through a side surface opposite to the light emitting surface, and is emitted from another side surface opposite to the above side surface.

Abstract: A machine which makes filter bags from flat tubular envelopes for products to be infused includes a thread applying station having a first drum rotating in a defined direction and a plurality of seats to position and pick up of seals, continuous thread and pick-up tabs fed from feed units located downstream of one another relative to the rotation direction of the first drum. The seal and pick-up tab feed units are supplied with continuous webs fed towards relative cutting elements, which cut the webs into individual seals and individual pick-up tabs. Two feed units each include a corresponding transfer element operating between a corresponding cutting element and the first drum and pick up individual seals and pick-up tabs in a first zone at the cutting elements and transfer them to a second zone separated from the first zone by a given angle and at a seat on the drum.

Abstract: A method for controlling electromagnetic actuators for operating induction and exhaust valves in internal combustion engines where one actuator, connected to a control unit, is coupled to a respective valve having a real position and includes a movable element magnetically driven by means of a resultant force to control the movement of the said valve between a closure position and a fully open position; the control unit is further connected to a piloting unit and includes a supervision block, an open loop control block, a closed loop control block and a selector block commanded by a switching signal generated by the supervision block. The method includes the steps of: operating in an open loop control mode of the real position; operating in a closed loop control mode of the real position; and alternatively selecting the open loop control mode and the closed loop control mode.

Abstract: A sintered sprocket is provided in which surface pressure resistance can be improved without using a forging processing. An Fe-based sintered alloy which contains C at 0.2 to 0.5% by weight, Mo at 0.2 to 1.0% by weight, and Ni at 0.2 to 1.0% by weight, and which exhibits a metallic structure in which an internal base layer comprises ferrite and bainite and in which the ferrite adjoins voids, is subjected to a rolling and is then subjected to carburizing and hardening.

Abstract: Rotary type fluid machine includes a casing 7, a rotor 31 and a plurality of vane-piston units U1-U12 which are disposed in a radiate arrangement on the rotor 31. Each of the vane-piston units U1-U12 has a vane 42 sliding in a rotor chamber 14 and a piston 41 placed in abutment against a non-slide side of the vane 42. When it functions as an expanding machine 4, the expansion of a high pressure gas is used to operate the pistons 41 thereby to rotate the rotor 31 via vanes 42 and the expansion of a low pressure gas caused by a pressure reduction in the high pressure gas is used to rotate the rotor 31 via the vanes 41. On the other hand, when it functions as a compressing machine, the rotation of rotor 31 is used to supply a low pressure air to the side of pistons 41 via vanes 42 and further, the pistons 41 are operated by the vanes 42 to convert the low pressure air to the high pressure air.

Abstract: A humidifying module that includes a plurality of hollow fiber membranes grouped together to form a hollow fiber membrane bundle. A moisture exchange is performed through a thickness of each hollow fiber membrane between fluid streaming within an interior of each hollow fiber membrane and along an exterior of each hollow fiber membrane. An inner flow passage is inserted within the hollow fiber membrane bundle and along a longitudinal axis thereof, wherein a total longitudinal length which the inner flow passage is inserted within the hollow fiber membrane bundle is shorter than a longitudinal length of the hollow fiber membrane bundle. The inner flow passage includes an inlet and an outlet through which the fluid passes. An end wall is located proximate the outlet. A protrusion is disposed at the end wall and opposite a flow direction of the fluid streaming within the inner flow passage.