Abstract: Each of light beam switching elements disposed between input and output fiber collimators includes a support member, a first reflection member mounted on the peripheral portion of the support member and a second reflection member mounted on the peripheral portion of the support member. The first reflection member has a first reflection mirror surface to reflect the light beam from the input fiber collimator, and the second reflection member has a second reflection mirror surface to reflect the light beam reflected by the first reflection mirror surface. A drive actuator allows each of the switching elements to assume a first rotation position in which the light beam from the input fiber collimator is reflected by the first and second mirror surfaces, and a second rotation position in which the light beam from the input fiber collimator passes between the first and second reflection members without being reflected by the mirror surfaces.

Abstract: A hydraulic device includes a passage block with a first hole, an internal body received in the first hole connected to a hydraulic module and an actuator. The actuator has a cylindrical shell integrally connected at its one side to the passage block and projecting at its other side from the passage block. The passage block has a first and second passageway to communicate the hydraulic module with a groove means on the internal body, and a third passageway to communicate the groove means with a first chamber of the actuator. A connecting member connects the fluid distributor unit to the other side of the actuator to communicate the groove means with a second chamber of the actuator.

Abstract: In a hoisting device for an elevator, a driving motor is made cylindrical, and a brake system is accommodated radially inwardly of the driving motor. The driving motor and the brake system overlap in a radial direction.

Abstract: The disclosed herein is a novel and less expensive optical path switching apparatus for switching at least one input optical path selectively into at least one output optical path which comprises; switching means for switching the input optical path selectively into the output optical path which has at least one switching optical path to permit a light beam to pass thereon, inputting means for inputting at least one light beam to the switching means, and outputting means for outputting at least one light beam from the switching means, the switching means being essentially consisting of (i) a housing, (ii) at least one switching element having a first reflection surface to reflect the light beam inputted from each of input optical paths and a second reflection surface to reflect the light beam reflected from the first reflection surface toward the output optical path of the outputting means, and a reflection space formed between the first and second reflection surfaces of a switching element body, and (iii) at

Abstract: Herein disclosed is a shaft sealing apparatus which comprises a vacuum casing formed with a vacuum chamber, a driving shaft having an outer cylindrical surface and movably extending in the vacuum chamber of the vacuum casing, and a sealing ring in the form of an annular ring shape and including a sealing lip held in contact with the outer cylindrical surface of the driving shaft, an annular spring member operative to impart a force to the sealing lip to ensure that the sealing lip is held in tight contact with the outer cylindrical surface of the driving shaft, and a peripheral portion radially outwardly extending from the sealing lip, in which the outer cylindrical surface of the driving shaft is smaller in surface roughness Ra than 0.1 (&mgr;m).

Abstract: In a fluidic device, a space (35) is formed in a passage block (26) to which a plurality of fluidic modules are connected and which is provided, in its inside, with fluid passages (43, 47, 51) for connecting the plurality of fluidic modules to one another. An internal body (36) is received in the space (35). Channels (37, 38, 39) are formed in an outer surface of the internal body so that the channels (37, 38, 39) constitute part of the fluid passages.

Abstract: A driving apparatus for an elevator includes rotary elements disposed in such a manner as to be in contact with a circumferential surface of an input shaft adapted to be rotationally driven by an electric motor device so as to rotate as the input shaft rotates, a cylindrical element disposed in such a manner as to be in contact with the rotary elements on an inner circumferential surface thereof so as to rotate as the rotary elements rotate, and a sheave provided on an outer circumferential side of the cylindrical element and configured so as to be wound therearound with ropes for lifting up and/or down a moving cage of the elevator. A brake device is disposed in a radial direction of the sheave for braking a brake disc constructed so as to extend in the radial directions and secured to the sheave.

Abstract: A sealing mechanism comprises a support member forming part of the semiconductor producing apparatus which has a vacuum chamber, a rotation shaft rotatably received in the support member, and at least three seal rings axially spaced apart from each other between the support member and the rotation shaft to form a first fluid chamber close to the atmosphere and a second fluid chamber close to the vacuum chamber. The first fluid chamber is vacuumized to have a first pressure, and the second fluid chamber is also vacuumized to have a second pressure which is lower than the first pressure. The first and second fluid chambers work together to enhance the sealing performance of the sealing mechanism.

Abstract: A flight control surface control unit controls a swinging angle of a flight control surface of an aircraft by providing a swinging force to the flight control surface and swinging the flight control surface about a pivot. The flight control surface control unit comprises an actuator mounted on an airframe of the aircraft with a final output shaft of the actuator positioned coaxially with the pivot of the flight control surface. The final output shaft of the actuator and the flight control surface are connected to each other. The flight control surface is formed with a recess in the vicinity of the pivot thereof and the actuator is accommodated in the recess.

Abstract: In stereolithographic apparatus and method, a mask is formed on a light-transmissible member (glass plate) on the basis of stereolithographic data for one layer of photohardenable resin; photohardenable resin of one layer is successively supplied to form an unhardened resin layer of photohardenable resin; if necessary, a film having light transmission is attached onto the unhardened resin layer so as to cover the unhardened resin layer in close contact with the unhardened resin layer; the light-transmissible member having the mask on or above the film; the unhardened resin layer is plane-exposed to light through the mask to harden the photohardenable resin of the unhardened resin layer; and the light-transmissible member and the film are evacuated from the hardened photohardenable resin layer after the exposure by the exposure means, thereby obtaining a desired three-dimensional object through stereolithography. As the photohardenable resin may be used having a melting temperature ranging from 5 to 90° C.

Abstract: A traction drive speed reducer which comprises circumscribed axes 20A and 20B, a plurality of intermediate axes 30A and 30B arranged contacting around the outer periphery of the circumscribed axes, and inscribed cylinders 40A and 40B inscribing the outer periphery of the intermediate axes, and in which a supporting member 10 to rotatably support the intermediate axes is fixed, a drive motor is connected to at least one of the plurality of intermediate axes, and an output is taken from the circumscribed axis having the larger diameter than the outer diameter of the intermediate axis.

Abstract: The almost rectangular cutout portion (55) penetrating in the axial direction is formed in an outer edge portion (upper edge portion) of the fixed member (12), and a part of the brake device (58), to be in detail, the movable body (65) is accommodated in the cutout portion (55). Therefore, the fixed member (12) and the movable body (65) of the brake device (58) overlap on each other, and the length of a portion in the periphery of the brake device (58) is shortened, so that the size of the entire elevating drive apparatus (11) can be reduced.

Abstract: A hydraulic device includes a passage block with a first hole, an internal body received in the first hole connected to a hydraulic module and an actuator. The actuator has a cylindrical shell integrally connected at its one side to the passage block and projecting at its other side from the passage block. The passage block has a first and second passageway to communicate the hydraulic module with a groove means on the internal body, and a third passageway to communicate the groove means with a first chamber of the actuator. A connecting member connects the fluid distributor unit to the other side of the actuator to communicate the groove means with a second chamber of the actuator.

Abstract: A robot arm mechanism includes a handling member for supporting and handling an object, a robot arm made up of a plurality of links, and a robot arm driving mechanism for driving the robot arm to assume its contracted and extended position. The robot arm comprises first and second arm links, a link retaining mechanism pivotably retaining the first and second arm links and a link operating mechanism to operate one of the first and second arm links by a motion of the other of the first and second arm links. The link operating mechanism comprises a crank, a coupling link and a connecting link. The crank integrally connected to the coupling link is pivotably connected to one of the first and second arms and to the link retaining mechanism. The connecting link is pivotably connected to the other of the first and second arms. This leads to the advantage that the robot arms can be contracted and extended and rotated by only two electric motors.

Abstract: When the load acting on a fluid motor (25) increases, a changeover valve (61) starts to be changed over toward a low-speed position L, but at this time an additional pilot fluid whose pressure is determined by the amount of fluid flowing into or out of a second passage (68) through first and second notches functions as a pressure regulator for a spool (65), and lowers the pressure within the second passage (68) without lowering the pressure within a high pressure-side main circuit (28), thereby tilting a swash plate (26) from a position of high-speed rotation to a position of low-speed rotation.

Abstract: A reduction gear which facilitates the mounting of a motor while securing a hollow space in a portion of the rotation center of the reduction gear, and which makes it possible to easily change the reduction ratio. A hollow space is formed in a portion of the rotation center of a reduction gear, a motor mounting member (24) for maintaining a distance between the center of rotation and a rotating shaft of the motor to a fixed distance, and a front-stage reducing portion (32) for reducing the output rotation of the motor is provided between the center of rotation and the rotating shaft of the motor.

Abstract: A sealing mechanism comprises a support member forming part of the semiconductor producing apparatus which has a vacuum chamber, a rotation shaft rotatably received in the support member, and at least three seal rings axially spaced apart from each other between the support member and the rotation shaft to form a first fluid chamber close to the atmosphere and a second fluid chamber close to the vacuum chamber. The first fluid chamber is vacuumized to have a first pressure, and the second fluid chamber is also vacuumized to have a second pressure which is lower than the first pressure. The first and second fluid chambers work together to enhance the sealing performance of the sealing mechanism.

Abstract: Axial positions of two driven external gears 66 making up each of a plurality of paired-gear groups 67 with respect to an input shaft 62 are made identical, and a different paired-gear group 67 is arranged by being offset in the axial direction of the input shaft 62. Therefore, only two driven external gears 66 making up the paired-gear group 67 are present at an identical axial position of the input shaft 62. Consequently, even if the diameters of these driven external gears 66 are made large up to the very limit, these driven external gears 66 do not interfere with each other. Accordingly, it is possible to readily enlarge the reduction ratio based on the driving and driven external gears 65 and 66.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to improve sealing performance of a seal under a specific environment. The seal is arranged in an annular space A in which a rotary shaft 1 and a housing 2 face each other, and partitions the annular space in axial direction into a vacuum space B and an atmospheric pressure space C. The seal is constituted such that a main lip 6 of the seal has an axial contact width W0 with which the main lip slides on and contacts with the rotary shaft 1 and which is set to be equal to or larger than an axial contact width W1 necessary to secure minimum sealing performance with respect to a sealed portion and equal to or smaller than an axial contact width W2 with which sliding resistance against the rotary shaft becomes a permissible upper limit, to thereby prevent the axial contact width W0 from influencing rotation characteristics with respect to the rotary member and to allow securing required sealing performance.