Abstract: A cylinder apparatus comprises a piston which is displaced along a cylinder tube under the driving action of a driving section provided for a main cylinder body, while the piston is displaced under the pressing action of a pressure fluid supplied to the cylinder tube. The amount of the pressure fluid supplied to the main cylinder body is increased before a workpiece is engaged with a table section arranged at an end of the main cylinder body so that pressing force, which is applied to the piston, is increased. Accordingly, driving load, which is exerted on the driving section when the workpiece is engaged with the table section, is reduced.

Abstract: A guide mechanism, which guides a slider along an inner wall surface of a frame, includes a plurality of resin sliding members retained by the slider. The plurality of resin sliding members include a pair of first resin sliding members that make sliding movement along first sliding grooves formed in a bottom wall section of the frame, a pair of second resin sliding members that make sliding movement along second sliding grooves formed in side wall sections of the frame, and a pair of third resin sliding members that make sliding movement along third sliding grooves formed in the side wall sections.

Abstract: Helical gears, which are provided for a sun gear, planet gears, and an internal gear, have helix angles ? of not less than 25 degrees and not more than 45 degrees. Pawls provided for lock sections and internal gear lock receiving sections of the internal gear have rising angles ?, respectively, that satisfy the relational expression, 0 ?tan ?<(?·di)/{dp·tan(90??)}, wherein ? is the helix angle of the sun gear, ? is the screw efficiency of the sun gear as a sliding screw, dp is the pitch circle diameter of the sun gear, and di is an outer diameter of the internal gear defining a center of application of torque of the pawls.

Abstract: A slider is displaceable in an axial direction on guide sections of a cylinder tube through a guide mechanism. A first elastic member is interposed between a first bearing support member of the guide mechanism and one retaining section of the slider. A bearing installed in the first bearing support member, is pressed continuously toward the guide section. A second bearing support member is installed via a second elastic member between the guide section and another retaining section of the slider. A bearing provided on the second bearing support member is pressed toward the guide section by means of a resilient force of the second elastic member.

Abstract: A workpiece-gripping chuck includes a converting mechanism provided in a body, which converts a driving force from a rotary driving source into a displacement in the axial direction. First and second pistons of the converting mechanism are displaced in the axial direction under a rotary action of a pinion gear. Further, the first and second pistons are displaced in the axial direction, respectively, by supplying a pressure fluid from a first or second port formed in the body. A workpiece may be positioned by means of a pair of gripping members under the driving action of the rotary driving source, and the workpiece is further gripped by the gripping members by applying a pressing force of the pressure fluid in addition to the driving force.

Abstract: A lever, provided with rollers, is rotatably supported with respect to a lever holder. A lock pin disposed on the lever engages with a lock pawl of a lock mechanism. Accordingly, rotary action of the lever is regulated so as to stop a workpiece that is transported in a predetermined direction. On the other hand, when the workpiece is transported in a direction opposite to the predetermined direction, a second bracket having the lock pawl is rotated due to a pressing action of the lock pin. Accordingly, the lever is released from its rotation-regulated state effected by the lock pin, whereupon the lever is rotated and displaced.

Abstract: An installation groove is formed on an outer circumferential surface of a tube joint body, into which a fluid tube is inserted. An annular fixing ring is installed through interaction with the installation groove. A cylindrical guide member is arranged inside of the body. A chuck is provided that engages with an outer circumferential surface of the fluid tube, thereby retaining the fluid tube. When a fastening pawl of the chuck bites into the outer circumferential surface of the fluid tube, the guide member is pressed radially outwardly by the chuck, with the tube joint body being interposed between the guide member and the fixing ring.

Abstract: A lock mechanism is provided in a head cover of a cylinder tube. The lock mechanism comprises a holder, which is installed in the head cover, a plurality of balls that are retained displaceably in a radial direction with respect to the holder, and a displacement member that displaces the balls under a resilient action of an elastic member. The balls engage with a ball groove of a lock pin. The balls are retained by a resilient force of the elastic member, in order to restrict displacement of the lock pin.

Abstract: Pressed shape steel, made of a low cost general steel material that is not hardened, forms a frame with long grooves cut therein. Guide rails, made of a specialized steel material that can be subjected to a hardening treatment, are hardened. Thereafter, outer surfaces of the hardened guide rails are ground and the guide rails are integrally joined in the long grooves. Ball-rolling grooves are formed in the guide rails, thereby completing a guide-equipped frame for an actuator. Because the general steel material and the specialized steel material are principally ferrous materials, both exhibiting a Young's modulus at or above 170 GPa with substantially the same coefficient of linear thermal expansion, the frame needn't be increased in size or have a complex internal structure to reinforce the strength of the frame, and the guide rails remain securely retained in the grooves even if the actuator experiences changes in temperature.

Abstract: A coupler is provided inside an engaging hole of a piston yoke, which is connected to pistons. A slider is installed on an upper portion of the coupler through a coupler-insertion hole. An engaging member, provided at a lower portion of the coupler, is inserted into the engaging hole so as to be displaceable by a slight amount in the widthwise direction of a cylinder tube. The coupler is inserted into the coupler-insertion hole of the slider, so that the coupler-insertion hole is slidable with respect to curved surface sections of the coupler.

Abstract: A respiration control apparatus connected to a controlled body includes a respiration circuit having an inhalation circuit and an exhalation circuit. The inhalation circuit includes a first solenoid-operated valve and a first check valve. The exhalation circuit includes a vent valve, a dehumidifying chamber, a pressure detector, a second check valve, and a second solenoid-operated valve. A central processor closes the first solenoid-operated valve and the second solenoid-operated valve based on a respiration control signal supplied from a synchronizing signal output control device, disconnecting the respiratory system of the controlled body from the outside of the respiration control apparatus.

Abstract: A valve seat section is formed on a valve body having first and second ports. A plate-like movable iron core is provided so that the movable iron core is capable of being seated on the valve seat section. Springs, which press the movable iron core toward the valve seat section, are provided between the movable iron core and a solenoid section. When the movable iron core is seated on the valve seat section, the movable iron core is pressed toward the valve seat section by the resilient forces of the springs in addition to the pressing force of the pressure fluid.

Abstract: A suck back valve comprises an ON/OFF valve, a suck back mechanism which includes a second piston connected to a second diaphragm to make displacement integrally and a second spring member fastened to the second piston, a load sensor which detects a load applied by a resilient force of the second spring member corresponding to a pressure of a pilot pressure to be supplied, and a second control unit which detects loads before and after displacement of the second diaphragm by using the load sensor to calculate a displacement amount of the second diaphragm based on a difference between the detected loads.

Abstract: An actuator control system comprises an electric actuator, a driver, and a controller. The electric actuator is provided with a buffering mechanism which absorbs impact applied to a piston rod. The buffering mechanism includes piston dampers which absorb impact applied to a piston, a first end damper which is provided at an end of a housing facing the piston, and a second end damper which is provided on a rod cover separated from the housing by a predetermined distance.

Abstract: A slider is displaceable in an axial direction on guide sections of a cylinder tube. Bearings are installed with the slider, so that the bearings are opposed to the guide sections. Bearings are also installed on first and second bearing support members, which are provided respectively at retaining sections of the slider. When the slider is displaced in the axial direction along the cylinder tube, only one end surface of one of the flange sections of the bearing is pressed, depending on the displacement direction of the slider, in order to effect displacement in an integrated manner.

Abstract: A rectifying module is arranged on an upstream side of a flow passage containing a flow velocity sensor. The rectifying module includes mesh members each having a plurality of circular small holes and ring-shaped spacers, wherein the mesh members and the spacers are alternately stacked in an axial direction and integrally joined to one another by means of thermal diffusion bonding. The mesh members have identical structures, in which the plurality of small holes are arranged concentrically at angles of separation of 60 degrees in the circumferential direction about the center of a reference small hole. The small holes are formed over the entire surface of the mesh member continuous with adjoining other small holes. The small holes of one mesh member and another mesh member adjacent thereto in the axial direction are arranged so as to have a phase angle difference of 90 degrees in the circumferential direction.

Abstract: This invention relates to novel clarified hydrocolloids which substantially retain the physical properties of unclarified hydrocolloids. The invention also pertains to a novel process for making the clarified hydrocolloids. A process of producing a hydrocolloid which, when hydrated, forms a clear sol comprising: (a) soaking a hydrocolloid containing material dispersed in water until the hydrocolloid is hydrated; (b) stirring the hydrated hydrocolloid until a homogenous particulate containing sol is obtained; (c) removing insoluble particulates to produce a clarified sol; (d) removing remaining particulates in the clarified sol by filtration; and (e) recovering the clarified hydrocolloid from the filtrate.

Abstract: An ultrasonic irradiation apparatus irradiates ultrasonic waves onto a wide area having three-dimensionally curved surfaces. An ultrasonic irradiator having a plurality of ultrasonic transducer is arranged in a plane. The position of at least a portion of the ultrasonic transducers is mutually and flexibly changeable in three dimensions. Ultrasonic transducers are installed on a surface of a flexible and/or elastic sheet member or net member. The ultrasonic irradiator may include a plurality of ultrasonic transducers formed on a flexible piezoelectric sheet member, including driving electrodes arranged on one surface and opposed electrodes arranged on another surface. The ultrasonic irradiator may be installed on or inside of a flexible planar bag containing a fluidic ultrasonic conductive medium. A mechanism is provided for moving or tilting the ultrasonic irradiator with respect to the object, or a band-holding member may be provided for fitting the irradiator to the object.

Abstract: A signal input/output device includes an array of signal input/output units. The signal input/output units have respective bases, each of which includes a connecting member. The connecting member has a second protruding end finger swingably supported on a base, and a first protruding end finger that engages with a stop of an adjacent base. The connecting member is positioned and fixed (secured) by a screw, which extends through a bottom plate and is threaded in a square nut. The connecting member, when secured in this manner, joins the adjacent bases to each other.

Abstract: A flow rate-measuring apparatus comprises a housing having a passage for supplying a liquid thereto, and a pair of detecting sections provided at both ends of the housing, and which contain sonic wave transmitter/receiver sections capable of transmitting and receiving sonic wave signals. Cover members are installed on each of the detecting sections, wherein the cover members face the passage in the housing. Curved surfaces, which expand toward the passage, are provided respectively on ends of the cover members.