Abstract: A single-layered rubber-product-reinforcing steel cord with good rubber penetration properties, excellent fatigue resistance, and small low-load stretch is obtained. All of wires 11 are provided with curls having a substantially elliptical cross-section and a pitch smaller than that of curls for intertwining, formed by providing the wires with spiral curls and then pressing the wires. These wires are intertwined into each other to form a single-layered twist structure, and, thus, a cord is obtained in which a hollow portion at the center of the cord is in communication with an outside via a gap 12 between the wires 11, and at least any one pair of adjacent wires 11 are substantially in contact with each other at any point in the longitudinal direction of the cord.

Abstract: To make it possible to replace a metallic filament end retaining clip in a take-up reel for metallic filament, a clip (10) has, for example, a clip portion (11) having an essentially W shape, and attachment arm portions (12) and coiled portions (14) on both sides thereof. The upper portion of the clip portion (11) and the attachment arm portions (12) are fitted into the space between a flange outer periphery portion (4), and the end part of a metallic filament W is retained through elastic force. Alternatively, a clip mounting portion (107) and a clip tip retaining portion (109) are formed in a flange (101), into which a clip (110) is mounted in a detachable state, the clip (110) having, for example, essentially inverse U-shaped positioning attachment portions (112) formed on both sides of an essentially U-shaped clip portion (111).

Abstract: In a method for manufacturing a rotor hub for use in a spindle motor, free-cutting stainless steel is used as a material of the rotor hub. A slug of free-cutting stainless steel is subjected to a plastic working to form a disk mounting portion and a cylindrical surface positioned radially inwardly of the disk mounting portion. Then, a cylindrical disk fitting surface is formed by machining substantially the entirety of the cylindrical surface. The rotor hub contains A-type inclusions appearing in a cross section taken along a center axis of the disk mounting portion. The A-type inclusions are oriented in directions different than the center axis.

Abstract: A reel around which a fine metal linear material, such as a filament for a tire cord, a saw wire, or the like, is wound, is formed by fixedly joining flanges (2) made of a steel sheet and having a hollow ring-shaped outer edge reinforcing portion (8) at an outer edge to both ends of a winding drum (1). In the outer edge reinforcing portion (8) of the flange (2), an outer edge portion of the flange (2) is bent back outward in a reel axial direction at a substantially right angle with respect to a substantially flat inner surface thereof and is then curled inward in a radial direction so that the metal linear material can be wound up to the very outer edge of the flange (2).

Abstract: In order that spaces, including a space in the central portion, inside a steel cord used as a reinforcement by being embedded in a tire or the like are filled with an uncured rubber, the uncured rubber is coated on plural steel core filaments which are then stranded to form a single layer steel cord, the core then being stranded with uncoated outer layer filaments. Consequently, it is possible to exhibit satisfactory corrosion resistance and satisfactory fatigue resistance as a steel cord, shorten a curing time in tire component assembling or the like to attain energy saving and prolong the life of a steel cord itself and the life of a tire or the like using the same as a reinforcement. Further, production can be performed at low cost.

Abstract: A zero degree tire reinforcing steel cord is formed by twisting together four to seven individual wires having a wire diameter of 0.20 to 0.45 mm, wherein the steel cord has a substantially spiral or a substantially planar wavy deformation, has an elongation of 1.2% to 2.0% under a tensile load of 50 N and becomes substantially linear with its wavy deformation disappearing under a tensile load of 50 to 250 N. The steel cord stretches to a moderate extent so as to track expansion of the tire in the radial direction during the vulcanization process and thereafter restrains expansion of the tire in the radial direction during continued high speed rotation of the tire.

Abstract: The diamter of &bgr;-titanium alloy wire is reduced by cold wire-drawing and the &bgr;-titanium alloy wire is subjected to heat treatment. The heat treatment comprises the first aging process for precipitation strengthening and the second aging process for removing processing strain. &bgr;-titanium alloy wire is heat-treated under the supply of tension at the second aging process.

Abstract: A probe needle for a probe card which is characterized by applying a Ni plating containing PTFE to at least an end face of a tip portion thereof is disclosed. A Ni plating containing PTFE layer may preferably be formed on the tip portion of the probe needle by using a Ni plating layer as a substrate. The Ni plating may preferably have a thickness of 0.5-2 &mgr;m to ensure the adhesion of the Ni plating containing PTFE, while the Ni plating containing PTFE may preferably have a thickness of 0.5-2 &mgr;m to ensure the sliding property of the PTFE. In this probe needle, since the tip portion thereof is covered with the Ni plating containing PTFE layer, the wear resistance is not deteriorated, the favorable conductivity is obtained, and the oxidization of the end face which is brought into contact with an integrated circuit is prevented.

Abstract: An imitation tree is made by forming a trunk, roots, branches and leaves by using chiefly stranded wires as a material imitating a natural tree. The stranded wire which is a material may be a composite stranded wire obtained by stranding metal filaments and an optical fiber together, or may be obtained by stranding the same or different kinds of metal filaments selected from iron or an iron alloy, copper or a copper alloy, aluminum or an aluminum alloy and noble metals. The stranded wires are suitably subjected to the annealing or surface treatment such as coloring, plating, lustering, delustering or application of a fluorescent coating material. The stranded wires are bundled together to form a trunk, roots and branches, and the ends thereof are unstranded to form twigs, leaves, buds and blossoms.

Abstract: A base (17a) of a flat end engaging member (17) which protrudes from a hole (19) is fixed on an outside surface of a flange (15) installed at each end of a winding drum (14) in such a manner that the end engaging member (17) is fitted in a groove (16) provided at least at one point of an inside surface of the flange (15). A guide portion (18) is continuously provided on an upper side of the groove (16). The guide portion (18) is an inclined surface extending obliquely upward from each corner of the groove (16) to an outer peripheral edge of the flange (15). An engaging fragment (17b) which is bent toward a guide portion (18) side is provided in a tip portion of the end engaging member (17). Furthermore, the guide portion (18) and the engaging fragment 17b are provided with engaging portions (20) and (21) comprising recesses which are concaved in the same direction, respectively.

Abstract: A metal wire winding reel having a winding drum and a flange at each end is capable of engaging and releasing the metal wire end easily without shortening the reel life. An elastic end engaging member with the forward end thereof slightly bent outward along an outer peripheral edge of the flange defines a small clearance with the outer peripheral edge of the flange is mounted at least at one point in the vicinity of the outer periphery of the inside surface of the flange.

Abstract: A steel cord comprising a number (between 3 and 27) of element steel wires tightly twisted at a regular pitch P between 5 and 20 mm in the same direction. Each wire has a diameter d between 0.1 and 0.4 mm. At least one of the wires includes a spiral portion having a spiral pitch P1 between 0.1P and 0.7P and a spiral diameter d1 between d+2/100 mm and d+2/10 mm. At least one other wire includes a straight portion. At any cross section of the cord, 1/4 through 2/3 of the wires is/are spiral and the other wire/s is/are straight. The stretch of the cord under a load of 5 kg is between 0.10 and 0.40%. A method of producing a steel cord comprises supplying a number of element steel wires, forming at least part of at least one of the wires to be spiral, and tightly twisting the wires.