Abstract: A light emitting device includes: a light source; a fixing part on which the light source is mounted; and a rotary light emitting part rotatably supported by the fixing part around a rotational axis Ax and provided such that a light axis of the light source is aligned with the rotational axis. The rotary light emitting part includes: a rod-shaped light guide having an incidence surface from which light from the light source enters and an exit surface from which the light guided inside exits, the rod-shaped light guide being arranged along the rotational axis Ax; a half mirror that changes a direction of light emitted from the exit surface of the rod-shaped light guide; and a light guide plate that receives light from the half mirror and emits light accordingly.

Abstract: A light-emitting apparatus includes a light-emitting diode that functions as a light source, and a teardrop-shaped translucent member formed of a translucent material. The teardrop-shaped translucent member includes a bottom portion via which the light emitted from the light-emitting diode is input, a lateral portion configured to provide total internal reflection of the light input via the bottom portion, and a top portion configured to focus the light subjected to total internal reflection by the lateral portion so as to form an image.

Abstract: A light-emitting apparatus includes a light-emitting diode that functions as a light source, and a teardrop-shaped translucent member formed of a translucent material. The teardrop-shaped translucent member includes a bottom portion via which the light emitted from the light-emitting diode is input, a lateral portion configured to provide total internal reflection of the light input via the bottom portion, and a top portion configured to focus the light subjected to total internal reflection by the lateral portion so as to form an image.

Abstract: A method of treating a shape memory alloy to improve its various characteristics and to cause it to exhibit a two-way shape memory effect. A raw shape memory alloy having a substantially uniformly fine-grained crystal structure is prepared and then its crystal orientations are arranged substantially in a direction suitable for an expected operational direction, such as tensile or twisting direction or the like, in which the shape memory alloy is expected to move when used in an actuator after the completion of the treatment.

Abstract: The present invention employs a shape memory alloy that exhibits a two-way shape memory effect and that has a stress-strain property that, in a stress-strain diagram, the stress-strain curve comprises a gentler gradient portion extending with relatively small gradients and a steeper gradient portion extending with relatively great gradients. The shape memory alloy is operated in the region surrounded by the gentler gradient portion, the steeper gradient portion, a practical stress limit line, a straight line connecting the intersection of the practical stress limit line and a strain limit line near shape recovery completion on which the strain of the shape memory alloy reaches a specified value in a state close to the shape recovery completion and the point where the strain is zero at a low temperature in the stress-strain diagram.

Abstract: A method of treating a shape memory alloy to improve its various characteristics and to cause it to exhibit a two-way shape memory effect. A raw shape memory alloy having a substantially uniformly fine-grained crystal structure is prepared and then its crystal orientations are arranged substantially in a direction suitable for an expected operational direction, such as tensile or twisting direction or the like, in which the shape memory alloy is expected to move when used in an actuator after the completion of the treatment.

Abstract: A method of treating a shape memory alloy to improve its various characteristics and to cause it to exhibit a two-way shape memory effect. A raw shape memory alloy having a substantially uniformly fine-grained crystal structure is prepared and then its crystal orientations are arranged substantially in a direction suitable for an expected operational direction, such as tensile or twisting direction or the like, in which the shape memory alloy is expected to move when used in an actuator after the completion of the treatment.

Abstract: The present invention employs a shape memory alloy that exhibits a two-way shape memory effect and that has a stress-strain property that, in a stress-strain diagram, the stress-strain curve comprises a gentler gradient portion extending with relatively small gradients and a steeper gradient portion extending with relatively great gradients. The shape memory alloy is operated in the region surrounded by the gentler gradient portion, the steeper gradient portion, a practical stress limit line, a straight line connecting the intersection of the practical stress limit line and a strain limit line near shape recovery completion on which the strain of the shape memory alloy reaches a specified value in a state close to the shape recovery completion and the point where the strain is zero at a low temperature in the stress-strain diagram.

Abstract: A method of treating a shape memory alloy to improve its various characteristics and to cause it to exhibit a two-way shape memory effect. A raw shape memory alloy having a substantially uniformly fine-grained crystal structure is prepared and then its crystal orientations are arranged substantially in a direction suitable for an expected operational direction, such as tensile or twisting direction or the like, in which the shape memory alloy is expected to move when used in an actuator after the completion of the treatment.

Abstract: A valve including a wire-shaped element of shape memory alloy as its driving source. The wire-shaped element is mechanically associated with a valve element so as to undergo an elongation from its original length when the valve element is moved in a predetermined direction, which can be either a direction to open a valve port or a direction to close the valve port. A biasing device biases the valve element in the predetermined direction. When the shape memory alloy is not heated to its critical temperature, it undergoes an elongation due to the biasing device, allowing the valve element to close/open the valve port. On the other hand, when heated to its critical temperature or higher, the shape memory alloy exhibits the shape memory effect contracting to its original length, whereupon the valve element opens/closes the valve port.

Abstract: A method of treating a Ti-Ni shape memory alloy to improve their various characteristic properties. In a first step of the method, a wire of the shape memory alloy is held at a high temperature within a predetermined range to be turned into a solid solution, and thereafter, cooled, whereby plastic strain in it is removed and crystals of the alloy are grown. In a second step of the method, current pulse is passed through the wire to rapidly heat it to a temperature higher than its M.sub.f point to cause elongation due to transformation superplasticity to it. In a third step of the method, the application of the pulse is stopped, the wire is rapidly cooled to the temperature of its M.sub.f point or below, and tensile load is applied to the wire immediately after the stop of the application of the pulse to cause elongation to the wire again in a cooling process, and thereafter the load is removed or sufficiently decreases to stop the deformation when the value of m concerning the wire is sharply decreased.

Abstract: A circuit breaker includes first and second contactors having connecting/disconnecting means which normally keeps the two contactors in contact with each other. A shape memory alloy is mechanically connected to a predetermined portion of one of the connecting/disconnecting means of one contactor is electrically connected in parallel with a device to be protected, e.g. an electric circuit or an electric element. When a voltage of a predetermined value or more is applied to the device being protected, a current of a predetermined value or more passes through the shape memory alloy, whereby the alloy is heated to produce its shape memory effect. A shape recovering force is applied to the connecting/disconnecting means of the on contactor in a predetermined direction to separate the contactors.