Abstract: This invention aims at providing a sliding component having a crowning shape formed by applying surface quenching treatment to a portion made of a steel, and a production method thereof. The shape and the quantity of crowning can be controlled by heat-treatment or machining after the surface quenching. The sliding component may be made of a steel alone, or may be formed in such a manner that at least one portion of members forming the crowning-shaped sliding face by the surface quenching is joined or fitted to a sliding component main body made of the steel, and its material is a ceramic.

Abstract: An apparatus of the present invention is an apparatus for housing a splice reinforcing portion of optical fiber, which comprises (a) a first holding member for holding a splice reinforcing portion for reinforcing a splice between a first optical fiber and a second optical fiber optically connected to the first optical fiber and constituting a light transmission line together with the first optical fiber, and (b) a first photosensor disposed on a side surface of the splice reinforcing portion, receiving leaking light from the splice reinforcing portion, and fixed to the first holding member.

Abstract: An optical fiber path joint member according to the present invention includes a main path having an inlet and an outlet at respective ends thereof; and at least one joint path joining to the main path in one direction at an angle of equal to or less than 45.degree.. A method of blowing an optical fiber is comprised of the step of blowing an optical fiber into a pipe through the optical fiber path joint member according to the present invention.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods of measuring, adjusting and uniformalizing a sectional area ratio of a metal-covered electric wire, a method of cleaning an electric wire, a method of manufacturing a metal-covered electric wire, an apparatus for measuring a sectional area ratio of a metal-covered electric wire, and an apparatus for electropolishing a metal-covered electric wire.Electric resistance values of first and second materials are previously stored respectively so that a sectional area ratio of a metal-covered electric wire is calculated on the basis of the as-stored values and an actually measured electric resistance value of the metal-covered electric wire. Measurement and uniformalization of a sectional area ratio of a metal-covered electric wire and cleaning of an electric wire are carried out by dissolving surface layer parts of the electric wires by electropolishing.

Abstract: A high-porosity and high-strength porous silicon nitride body comprises columnar silicon nitride grains and an oxide bond phase containing 2 to 15 wt. %, in terms of oxide based on silicon nitride, of at least one rare earth element, and has an SiO.sub.2 /(SiO.sub.2 +rare earth element oxide) weight ratio of 0.012 to 0.65 and an average pore size of at most 3.5 .mu.m. The porous silicon nitride body is produced by compacting comprising a silicon nitride powder, 2 to 15 wt. %, in terms of oxide based on silicon nitride, of at least one rare earth element, and an organic binder while controlling the oxygen content and carbon content of said compact; and sintering said compact in an atmosphere comprising nitrogen at 1,650.degree. to 2,200.degree. C. to obtain a porous body having a three-dimensionally entangled structure made up of columnar silicon nitride grains and an oxide bond phase, and having an SiO.sub.2 /(SiO.sub.2 +rare earth element oxide) weight ratio of 0.012 to 0.65.

Abstract: Exhaust purifying filter material which can carry a larger amount of catalyst and from which the catalyst will not easily drop off even if subjected to vibrations or temperature changes due to repeated heating and cooling at high temperatures. Catalyst is carried on alumina whiskers formed on metal fiber having a composition of Fe--Ni--Cr--Al, Fe--Cr--Al or Ni--Cr--Al or woven or unwoven fabric formed of the metal fiber. The catalyst is firmly carried by the alumina whiskers. The amount of catalyst carried is increased with the increase in surface area.

Abstract: High quality diamond excellent in crystalline property as well as transparency, can be synthesized at a high growth speed by a process which comprises using, as a raw material gas, a mixed gas of hydrogen gas A, an inert gas B, a carbon atom-containing gas C and an oxygen atom-containing inorganic gas D in such a proportion as satisfying the following relationship by mole ratio:0.001.ltoreq.B/(A+B+C+D).ltoreq.0.950.001.ltoreq.C/(A+B+C+D).ltoreq.0.10.0005.ltoreq.D/C.ltoreq.10except that the carbon atom-containing gas C and the oxygen atom-containing inorganic gas D, cannot simultaneously be the same gas feeding the mixed gas into a reactor in which plasma is then formed by applying a DC or AC electric field at a pressure of 10 to 760 torr and thereby depositing and forming diamond on a substrate arranged in the reactor.

Abstract: A diamond wafer including a substrate and a (100) oriented polycrystalline diamond film grown on the substrate for making surface acoustic wave devices, semiconductor devices or abrasion-resistant discs. The (100) oriented film is produced by changing a hydrocarbon ratio in a material gas halfway from a higher value to a lower value. The wafer is monotonously distorted with a distortion height H satisfying 2 .mu.m.ltoreq..vertline.H.vertline..ltoreq.150 .mu.m. The film is polished to a roughness of less than Rmax50 nm and Ra20 nm.

Abstract: The present invention directed to a SAW device comprising a diamond layer thinner ZnO layer, which can be operated at higher frequency, with superior characteristics including less energy loss. The first SAW device according to the present invention comprises a layer constitution shown in FIG. 23, wherein, for 0th mode surface acoustic wave having a wavelength .lambda., a parameter kh3 =(2.pi./.lambda.)t3 satisfies: 0.0470.ltoreq.kh3.ltoreq.0.0625, and wherein a parameter kh1 =(2.pi./.lambda.)t1 and a parameter kh2=(2.pi./.lambda.)t2 are given within a region A-B-C-D-E-F-A in a two-dimensional Cartesian coordinate graph having ordinate axis of the kh1 and abscissa axis of kh2, the outer edge of the region A-B-C-D-E-F-A being given by a closed chain in the Cartesian coordinate, consisting of points A, B, C, D, E, and F, and lines A-B, B-C, C-D, D-E, E-F and F-A, as shown in a two-dimensional Cartesian coordinate graph of FIG. 3.

Abstract: An improved coated hard alloy tool having a substrate made of a hard alloy, and a multi-layer ceramic coating film provided on the surface of the substrate, the coating film including at least one oxide layer. The top several layers of the coating film are missing partially or completely in an area where the tool is brought into frictional contact with a workpiece. At least one oxide layer (such as Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 layer) is included in the missing layers. This increases wear resistance of the coated hard alloy tool.

Abstract: A slide member has a sliding surface made of ceramic and a has surface roughness of not more than 1.0 .mu.m in center line average roughness Ra. The ceramics includes a silicon nitride sintered body which contains crystal grains having a linear density of at least 35 per 30 .mu.m in length with a boundary phase volume ratio of not more than 15 volume %, and which contains pores of not more than 20 .mu.m in maximum diameter in a content of not more than 3%. In a method of manufacturing the slide member, it is possible to ensure smoothness of the sliding surface by grinding the sliding surface and thereafter heating the ceramic in an either an inert gas or atmospheric air. A slide member that can be used under severe sliding conditions of high-speed sliding or the like and that has excellent wear resistance is obtained.

Abstract: A power cable is disclosed, which comprises a conductor having thereon an insulating layer which comprises a composition comprising from 25 to 35% by weight based on the total amount of the composition of an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer resin having a vinyl acetate content of from 25 to 33% by weight, and from 65 to 75% by weight based on the total amount of the composition of polyethylene, the polyethylene containing in the molecule thereof vinyltrimethoxysilane by copolymerization or graft polymerization, the composition containing an organo heavy metal compound as a cross-linking catalyst, the insulating layer is cross-linked by the cross-linking reaction of trimethoxysilane groups in the polyethylene in the presence of water.

Abstract: A coated article comprising a stainless steel base having an etched surface and having on the etched surface a coated layer. The coating layer may comprise a fluororesin and can be provided: after sensitizing the stainless steel base through heating, treating with an acid, subjecting to etching, and subjecting to a solution treatment; after immersing in an aqueous acid solution or an aqueous ferric chloride solution to cause the base to be dissolved to such an extent that the gloss of the surface disappears; after uniformly abrading the surface of the base through buffing or blasting to the weight corresponding to a thickness of 1.0 .mu.m or more of the base, immersing in an aqueous acid solution or an aqueous ferric chloride solution to cause the base to be dissolved to such an extent that the gloss of the surface disappears, and subjecting to etching; or after subjecting to electrolytic etching at 15.degree. C. or less.

Abstract: An instrument panel harness is arranged between an instrument panel and a body, and can be easily connected to other wire harnesses, thereby reducing the time and labor required for the operation. A junction box, connected to an instrument panel harness is divided into a first junction box, having a large-current circuit, and a second junction box having a small-current circuit, and a pair of collective-fitting connector portions, fitted together, are provided on the first and second junction boxes, respectively. The first junction box is attached to an instrument panel, and is connected to the instrument panel harness. The second junction box is attached to a body panel and a plurality of harness connector portions, fitted respectively on wire harnesses, are provided on the second junction box.

Abstract: A metal electrode disposed on a surface of an oxide superconductor and forming electric contact with the oxide superconductor wherein at least a portion of the metal electrode is in contact with a side surface of the oxide superconductor which is perpendicular to the surface on which the metal electrode is disposed.

Abstract: A tire identifying method comprising measuring each rotation speed of four tires fitted to wheels of a vehicle; calculating a ratio of front wheel rotation speed to rear wheel rotation speed from the measured value; and identifying the kind of tire fitted by comparing the calculated front-rear wheel ratio with a function of speed and front-rear wheel ratio prepared on the basis of data from a tire whose kind is previously known. Utilization might be made of the means for measuring the rotation of tire such as ABS which is provided on the vehicle control device, thus requiring small initial cost.

Abstract: A metal plate for electromagnetic heating is disclosed which includes a substrate comprising aluminum or aluminum alloys, an intermediate layer formed on at least a portion of one surface of the substrate and comprising zinc or zinc alloys and a conductive layer formed on the intermediate layer for serving as a heat generating body when eddy current induced by high-frequency magnetic flux flows therethrough. Methods of manufacturing a metal plate for electromagnetic heating and a metallic mold for electromagnetic heating are also disclosed.

Abstract: To provide sliding components each comprising a base metal and, joined thereto, a sliding face member having a sliding face of crowning profile, in particular, sliding components such as valve train parts, a cam follower and a rocker arm of an automobile engine. A sliding component having a structure comprising (1) a ceramic forming a sliding face and (2) a base metal joined together, in which the extent of crowning of the sliding face is at least 0.1 to 0.4% of the maximum length of the junction face of the ceramic. The ceramic has a four-point flexural strength of at least 50 Kg/mm as measured in accordance with the Japanese Industrial Standard R1601. The base metal is mainly steel at least the surface of which has preferably a martensite texture and has a hardness of higher than 45 in terms of H.sub.RC. The structure may have an intermediate layer of a metal or cermet.

Abstract: The present invention provides a diamond sintered compact having a higher strength as well as more excellent heat resistance, breakage resistance and corrosion resistance, as compared with those of the prior art, which thus can effectively be applied to tool materials for cutting or polishing of non-ferrous metals or ceramics, and edge materials of drill bits for excavating petroleum. The feature of the diamond sintered compact contains 0.1 to 30 volume % of at least one compound containing at least one element selected from the group consisting of silicon and titanium, and oxygen and the balance of diamond, for example, a titanate of a metal selected from the group consisting of iron, cobalt, nickel and manganese.

Abstract: There are provided a process for forming a silicon nitride sintered body, encompassing a sialon sintered body, by making much of the superplasticity of the sintered body intact as a simple material without formation thereof into a composite material, and a formed sintered body produced by the foregoing process. A silicon nitride sintered body (encompassing a sialon sintered body) having a relative density of at least 95% and a linear density of 120 to 250 in terms of the number of grains per 50 .mu.m in length in a two-dimensional cross section of the sintered body is formed through plastic deformation thereof at a strain rate of at most 10.sup.-1 /sec under a tensile or compressive pressure at a temperature of 1,300 to 1,700.degree. C. The formed sintered body has a degree of orientation of 5 to 80% as examined according to a method specified by Saltykov, a linear density of 80 to 200, and excellent mechanical properties especially at ordinary temperatures.