Abstract: The present invention is a medical posture retainer having a mat and a core member. The mat includes an airtight bag and a cushion layer. The airtight bag is a cover of the mat and has a gas barrier property. An exhaust valve for deflation is attached to the bag. The cushion layer is formed of particles in the bag. The core member includes a plate-like support that is attached to a side face of the hag to keep a certain rise height, and a stopper that is attached to the upper face and the lower face of the airtight bag to restrict the rise height. The core member is attached before deflation of the bag so as to impart a shape necessary for receiving a specific part of a human body.

Abstract: A medical supporting fixing device having a yaw angle fine adjustment plate (6) and/or a tilt angle fine adjustment plate (8) interposed between a stage (2) and a supporting fixing means (4) for supporting and fixing a predetermined part of a human body. The yaw angle fine adjustment plate (6) and/or the tilt angle fine adjustment plate (8) are mounted so as to be rotatable over a predetermined angular range about required rotation center axes (22, 48). A yaw angle fine adjustment plate drive mechanism (16) and/or a tilt angle fine adjustment plate drive mechanism (54) including input members (28, 72) and transmission means (36, 38, 42, 74, 80, 82, 84, 86) are disposed with respect to the yaw angle fine adjustment plate (6) and/or the tilt angle fine adjustment plate (8).

Abstract: In a microvolume-liquid dispenser, there is performed an application operation for dispensing a microvolume liquid present in an amount measured in nanoliters or picoliters from a nozzle tip-end opening and applying the microvolume liquid to an application surface. When the application operation has not been performed over a time interval longer than a set time interval ta, a tip-end liquid surface of an application liquid in the nozzle tip-end opening is caused to vibrate at a high amplitude that includes the position of a liquid surface height from immediately before application in the case of application at equal time intervals. The subsequently performed application operation is performed at a point in time when the liquid surface height has returned to the liquid surface height. The operation for applying the microvolume application liquid can be precisely performed in the same manner as when application is performed at equal time intervals.

Abstract: In a microvolume-liquid dispenser, there is performed an application operation for dispensing a microvolume liquid present in an amount measured in nanoliters or picoliters from a nozzle tip-end opening and applying the microvolume liquid to an application surface. When the application operation has not been performed over a time interval longer than a set time interval ta, a tip-end liquid surface of an application liquid in the nozzle tip-end opening is caused to vibrate at a high amplitude that includes the position of a liquid surface height from immediately before application in the case of application at equal time intervals. The subsequently performed application operation is performed at a point in time when the liquid surface height has returned to the liquid surface height. The operation for applying the microvolume application liquid can be precisely performed in the same manner as when application is performed at equal time intervals.

Abstract: Provided is a microvolume liquid dispensing method in which a variable capacity passage section of a liquid passage in a microvolume liquid dispenser is pressurized from the outside and shrunk in a direction that reduces the internal capacity thereof so that a liquid that is within the variable capacity passage section is pushed toward both a downstream passage section and an up stream passage section. A microvolume of the liquid is pushed toward the downstream passage section as a result of the downstream passage section having a much larger liquid passage resistance than the upstream passage section. It is thus possible to precisely drip a microvolume liquid of a picoliter order from the tip opening of a nozzle by simple control.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a means for retaining stably a posture of a subject or a patient during a medical practice, namely, a medical posture retainer having a mat 1 and a core member. The mat 1 is composed of an airtight bag 2 and a cushion layer 3. The airtight bag 2 is a cover of the mat 1 supporting the human body and retaining the posture. The airtight bag 2 has a gas barrier property, and an exhaust valve for deflation is attached to the airtight bag 2. The cushion layer 3 is formed of strata of particles P filled in the airtight bag 2. The core member includes a plate-like support 4 that is attached to a (inner or outer) side face of the airtight bag 2 to keep a certain rise height of the airtight bag 2, and a stopper 6 that is attached to the upper face and the lower face of the airtight bag 2 so as to restrict the rise height of the airtight bag 2.

Abstract: Provided is a microvolume liquid dispensing method in which a variable capacity passage section of a liquid passage in a microvolume liquid dispenser is pressurized from the outside and shrunk in a direction that reduces the internal capacity thereof so that a liquid that is within the variable capacity passage section is pushed toward both a downstream passage section and an up stream passage section. A microvolume of the liquid is pushed toward the downstream passage section as a result of the downstream passage section having a much larger liquid passage resistance than the upstream passage section. It is thus possible to precisely drip a microvolume liquid of a picoliter order from the tip opening of a nozzle by simple control.

Abstract: In a liquid discharging device, an objective optical system is moved in the optical axis direction by a focus position adjusting mechanism to perform a first focusing action relative to the tip of a liquid discharging nozzle or a mirror image thereof and a second focusing action relative to the surface of a substrate facing the liquid discharging nozzle, the distance between the nozzle tip and the surface of the substrate is calculated on the basis of the resulting focus positions, and the position of the liquid discharging nozzle is adjusted by nozzle position adjusting mechanism so that the gap is appropriate. According to this configuration, the distance between the nozzle tip and the surface of the substrate can be precisely calculated and an optical unit for observation can be focused on the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: In a liquid discharging device, an objective optical system is moved in the optical axis direction by a focus position adjusting mechanism to perform a first focusing action relative to the tip of a liquid discharging nozzle or a mirror image thereof and a second focusing action relative to the surface of a substrate facing the liquid discharging nozzle, the distance between the nozzle tip and the surface of the substrate is calculated on the basis of the resulting focus positions, and the position of the liquid discharging nozzle is adjusted by a nozzle position adjusting mechanism so that the gap is appropriate. According to this configuration, the distance between the nozzle tip and the surface of the substrate can be precisely calculated and an optical unit for observation can be focused on the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A one-man helicopter 1 in which a drive transmission 10 that transmits driving force to upper and lower rotors 5 and 6 comprises first and second planet gear mechanisms 100 and 200 provided with a common carrier 104. When the common carrier 104 is rotated by a motor 301, a differential motion is generated between the two planet gear mechanisms. This results in the rotors being rotated at different velocities, which can be used to control yaw. A fore-and-aft swing mechanism 400 and right-and-left swing mechanism 500 depend from the lower end of a vertical shaft 41 on which the rotors are supported. Moving a stick 8 forward or backward, or to either side, tilts the vertical shaft 41 in the same direction. When the stick 8 is not subjected to a controlling force, the vertical shaft 41 reverts automatically to its original vertical state. This configuration makes it possible to realize a coaxial twin-rotor type helicopter having a compact, structurally simple control mechanism.