Abstract: A curtain airbag and a curtain airbag device that reduce the energy transferred to an occupant even though an internal inflation pressure in a curtain airbag body is low are provided. A tie panel 3 is disposed on a curtain airbag body 2 on a side opposite a vehicle interior. An upper portion and a lower portion of the tie panel 3 are connected to the curtain airbag body 2 by sewing. In an area overlapped with the tie panel 3, the panels 5 and 6 of the curtain airbag body 2 are connected to each other by sewing with linearly connected portions 32 to 35, which extend radially in four directions, so as to form four inflation chambers 8 to 11. The curtain airbag body 2 and the tie panel 3 define a space S therebetween when the curtain airbag body 2 is inflated. The space S is in a pyramidal shape in which a portion around an intersection M of the connected portions 32 to 35 protrudes the most.

Abstract: Provided are a seat belt retractor and a seat belt apparatus the number of components of which can be reduced and the size and weight of which can be reduced. A pretensioner 5 includes a rotor 51 that is connected coaxially with a spool 2 and that has a plurality of engaging teeth 51a formed on the outer periphery thereof, a power generating means 52 that engages with the engaging teeth 51a and rotates the rotor 51, and a cover member 53 that houses at least the rotor 51, and the cover member 53 is disposed inside the base frame 3, and can bear the spool 2.

Abstract: There is provided a manufacturing method of a ferroelectric crystal film in which an orientation of a seed crystal film is transferred preferably and a film deposition rate is suitable for volume production. A seed crystal film is formed on a substrate in epitaxial growth by a sputtering method, an amorphous film including ferroelectric material is formed over the seed crystal film by a spin-coat coating method, the seed crystal film and the amorphous film are heated in an oxygen atmosphere for oxidation and crystallization of the amorphous film, and thereby a ferroelectric coated-and-sintered crystal film is formed.

Abstract: The present invention is a spinal implant that can be inserted into a surgically created cavity of one or more regions of the mammalian spine. Among other things, the biocompatible implant and end cap or biocompatible implant, end cap and spacer combinations can assist with the restoration of the normal anatomic spinal alignment and spinal stability.

Abstract: The present invention solves a problem of a trade-off between increases in paint discharge rate and maintenance of painting quality. A rotary atomizing electrostatic applicator includes a bell cup 10 whose back 10a is hit by atomization air SA-IN at an angle of 90 degrees or less; and first air holes 30 adapted to discharge the atomization air SA-IN directed at the back 10a of the bell cup, wherein the first air holes 30 are arranged at equal intervals on a circumference centered around a rotation axis of the bell cup 10, the first air holes 30 are oriented in a direction opposite to a rotation direction of the bell cup 10; and the atomization air SA-IN discharged through the first air holes 30 is twisted in the direction opposite to the rotation direction of the bell cup 10 at an angle of 50 degrees or more and less than 60 degrees.

Abstract: A dual robotic sorting apparatus for identifying and sorting a product with at least two different sorting mechanisms is provided. In the preferred embodiment, the dual robotic sorting apparatus illuminates and images the product using at least one light source and imaging device, analyzes the image, and activates a specific sorting mechanism of a robotic arm to sort the product; wherein the dual sorting mechanism is a vacuum pickup tool, that picks up and places products in another location, and vacuum transport tool, that utilizes a suction tube to transport products to another location. Additionally, a plurality of robotic sorting apparatuses may be utilized. In the preferred embodiment of the dual robotic sorter, the CPU is capable of determining the most efficient method and type of pickup for each product identified for sorting.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an R-T-B rare earth sintered magnet includes a process of disposing and sintering a compact of a first alloy powder and an alloy material of a second alloy in a chamber of a sintering furnace. The first alloy consists of R which represents a rare earth element, T which represents a transition metal essentially containing Fe, a metal element M which represents Al and/or Ga, B, Cu, and inevitable impurities. The first alloy contains 11 at % to 17 at % of R, 4.5 at % to 6 at % of B, 0 at % to 1.6 at % of M, and T as the balance, and Dy content in all of the rare earth elements is 0 at % to 29 at %. The second alloy consists of R which represents a rare earth element, T which represents a transition metal essentially containing Fe, a metal element M which represents Al and/or Ga, B, Cu, and inevitable impurities. The second alloy contains 11 at % to 20 at % of R, 4.5 at % to 6 at % of B, and 0 at % to 1.

Abstract: A method for producing an aluminum bar includes at least one machining step in which an aluminum bar-shaped work is machined while supplying a machining fluid containing oil to produce a machined aluminum bar-work, and a cleaning step in which the machined aluminum bar-shaped work is cleaned using a cleaning fluid to produce a cleaned machined aluminum bar-shaped work. The cleaning step is performed so that the oil contained in the machining fluid remains on a surface of the cleaned machined aluminum bar-shaped work in a range of 5 ?g/cm2 to 20 ?g/cm2.

Abstract: A cup grinding wheel includes a cup-shaped carrier, and an annular grinding body. The annular grinding body is connected to the cup-shaped carrier by a single hot-pressing operation, and the annular grinding body is connected only by a binding region having an annular surface to an annular mounting surface of the cup-shaped carrier.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes a photodetecting unit and a signal readout unit, and further includes a control unit controlling an operation of each of the photodetecting unit and the signal readout unit. The photodetecting unit includes M×N pixels on a first principal surface of a semiconductor substrate having the first principal surface and a second principal surface opposite to each other. Each pixel includes a plurality of buried photodiodes, a capacitance portion a plurality of transfer switches, and an output switch.

Abstract: A negative electrode material for a lithium ion battery, including silicon-containing particles, artificial graphite particles and a carbonaceous material, wherein at least part of the silicon-containing particles, the artificial graphite particles and the carbonaceous material form composite particles; wherein the silicon-containing particles are silicon particles having a SiOx (0<x?2) layer on the particle surface, having an oxygen content of 1.0 mass % or more and 18.0 mass % or less, and mainly containing particles having a primary particle diameter of 200 nm or less; wherein the artificial graphite particles are non-flaky artificial graphite particles and have a 50% particle diameter in a volume-based cumulative particle size distribution, D50, of 1.0 ?m or more and 15.0 ?m or less. Also disclosed is a lithium-ion battery including a negative electrode using the negative electrode material.

Abstract: A system (1100) includes an ultrasound imaging probe (304) with an elongate shaft (312) including an outer perimeter housing (331), two ends (328, 330) and a long axis (320). The system further includes a channel (326) that extends along the direction of the long axis, is part of the outer perimeter housing, and is configured as a recess of the outer perimeter housing. The system further includes a handle (310) affixed to one of the ends of the elongate shaft. The system further includes a transducer array (322) disposed at another of the ends of the elongate shaft. The transducer array includes one or more transducer elements (324).

Abstract: An ultrasound imaging probe (204) includes a transducer array (210). The transducer array includes one or more transducer elements (212). The ultrasound imaging probe further includes an illumination component (218) and an optical imaging component (220). The ultrasound imaging probe further includes an elongated housing (302) with a long axis (304). The elongated housing includes a proximal end region (306) affixed to a handle (308) and a distal end region (310) with a tip region (312). The elongated housing houses the transducer array, the illumination component, and the optical imaging component in the distal end region.

Abstract: A viscoelastic characteristics acquisition device is a device that acquires viscoelastic characteristics of a blood vessel of an inspection target, and includes a pulse wave acquisition unit that acquires a time waveform corresponding to a volume pulse wave of the inspection target, a spectrum acquisition unit that acquires a volume pulse wave spectrum by performing Fourier transform on the time waveform, an input unit to which values corresponding to maximum blood pressure and minimum blood pressure of the inspection target are input, and an analysis unit that acquires the viscoelastic characteristics on the basis of the values corresponding to the maximum blood pressure and the minimum blood pressure and the volume pulse wave spectrum at a frequency equal to or higher than a frequency corresponding to the pulse of the inspection target.

Abstract: A blood pressure ratio calculation device is a device for calculating a maximum-minimum blood pressure ratio corresponding to a ratio between a maximum blood pressure value and a minimum blood pressure value of an inspection target, and includes an input unit for inputting a relative blood pressure waveform corresponding to temporal change in relative blood pressure of the inspection target, a spectrum generation unit for generating a relative blood pressure waveform spectrum by performing Fourier transform on the relative blood pressure waveform, and an analysis unit for calculating the maximum-minimum blood pressure ratio on the basis of the relative blood pressure waveform spectrum.

Abstract: A connector having a housing, a slide member, and an operation lever. The slide member slides in response to operation of the operation lever. The slide member has a guide projection and slides while the guide projection is guided in a guide groove of the housing. The slide member has a cam groove that receives a cam pin in a second connector and the slide member, by sliding, performs mating with the second connector. The slide member has a first nipping portion that nips the cam pin when it slides to a completely mated position. The housing has a second nipping portion that nips the guide projection of the slide member when the slide member slides to the completely mated position.

Abstract: An air filter including two opposing open ends, and a filter area circumferentially enclosing a cavity in between. The first open end frictionally and sealingly engages the filter housing including an air port, while the second end engages the housing to close the second end from passage of air. The filter area may be reinforced to provide a durable, reusable filter. The filter material may be selected to provide depth loading and increase the particulate capacity of the filter.

Abstract: A quantum cascade laser is configured with a semiconductor substrate, and an active layer provided on a first surface of the substrate and having a cascade structure in the form of a multistage lamination of unit laminate structures each of which includes an emission layer and an injection layer. The active layer is configured to be capable of generating first pump light of a frequency ?1 and second pump light of a frequency ?2 by intersubband emission transitions of electrons, and to generate output light of a difference frequency ? by difference frequency generation from the first pump light and the second pump light. Grooves respectively formed in a direction intersecting with a resonating direction in a laser cavity structure are provided on a second surface opposite to the first surface of the substrate.