Abstract: A fixing unit or device that can be used in an image forming apparatus includes a first heater element that is formed of a material that increases in electrical resistance with increases in temperature. A controller of the fixing unit is configured to vary a duty ratio of electric power applied to the first heater element during a start-up operation in which the temperature of the first heater element is raised to a target operating temperature. By varying the duty ratio during the start-up operation, changes in the resistance of the first heater element with the heating can be compensated. For example, the duty ratio can be increased during the course of the start-up to achieve the target operating temperature faster.

Abstract: A stir pin includes a base end portion configured to be held rotatably about a first axis, a stirring portion provided to project from a shoulder member to be rotatable about the first axis together with the base end portion, and an intermediate portion including a second portion connected to the stirring portion to be rotatable about the first axis together with the stirring portion and having a second diameter passing through the first axis, and a first portion provided between and connected to the base end portion and the second portion to be rotatable about the first axis together with the base end portion and the second portion. The first portion has an end surface to which the second portion is connected and which has a maximum diameter larger than the second diameter. The end surface has a ring-shaped receiving surface configured to receive a material waste.

Abstract: A repair welding method according to at least one embodiment is for a member in which a first end and a second end of a parent material are connected by welding and includes: a step of removing a portion including at least a part of a first heat-affected zone of an existing welded portion of the member; and a step of performing repair welding after removing the portion. In a cross-section including the parent material and the existing welded portion, all intersection portions between the first heat-affected zone of the existing welded portion and a second heat-affected zone due to the repair welding have an intersection angle between the first heat-affected zone and the second heat-affected zone of 70° to 110°.

Abstract: A treatment instrument includes a grasping piece that is openable and closable to a treatment portion, and includes an electrode member. An electrode inclination surface facing a side on which the treating portion is located is provided on an outer surface of the electrode member of the grasping piece, and the electrode inclination surface extends from an inner side to an outer side in a width direction so as to be inclined in a direction away from the treatment portion.

Abstract: To provide an optical element in which an electrode is directly formed on an LN substrate, and a drift phenomenon is suppressed. In an optical element including: a substrate made of lithium niobate crystals; and an electrode disposed on the substrate, the substrate and the electrode are in direct contact with each other, and as a contact metal disposed on a surface of the electrode where the electrode is in contact with the substrate, a metal material whose standard enthalpy of formation per coordinate bond upon oxidation is greater than a standard enthalpy of formation per coordinate bond of niobium pentoxide is used.

Abstract: A repair welding method according to at least one embodiment is for a member in which a first end and a second end of a parent material are connected by welding and includes: a step of removing a portion including at least a part of a first heat-affected zone of an existing welded portion of the member; and a step of performing repair welding after removing the portion. In a cross-section including the parent material and the existing welded portion, all intersection portions between the first heat-affected zone of the existing welded portion and a second heat-affected zone due to the repair welding have an intersection angle between the first heat-affected zone and the second heat-affected zone of 70° to 110°.

Abstract: A transducer is provided, which includes an oscillator and a broadbanded matching circuit. In the oscillator, a peak frequency corresponding to a peak transmission sensitivity may separate from a center frequency in a given bandwidth, and a transmission sensitivity may increase as a frequency separates from the peak frequency with respect to the center frequency. The broadbanded matching circuit may be configured to perform an impedance matching so that the transmission sensitivity of the oscillator at the peak frequency becomes substantially equal to the transmission sensitivity of the oscillator at the center frequency.

Abstract: To provide an optical element in which an electrode is directly formed on an LN substrate, and a drift phenomenon is suppressed. In an optical element including: a substrate made of lithium niobate crystals; and an electrode disposed on the substrate, the substrate and the electrode are in direct contact with each other, and as a contact metal disposed on a surface of the electrode where the electrode is in contact with the substrate, a metal material whose standard enthalpy of formation per coordinate bond upon oxidation is greater than a standard enthalpy of formation per coordinate bond of niobium pentoxide is used.

Abstract: A remaining-LP-gas display control apparatus includes a consumption obtaining unit that obtains daily gas consumptions in a tank, a consumption predicting unit that predicts future daily gas consumptions for a set number of days such that each future gas consumption is predicted based on the latest gas consumption on the same day of the week included in the gas consumptions obtained by the consumption obtaining unit, a replacement date predicting unit that predicts the amounts of gas remaining in the tank and a date on which the gas remaining in the tank will be used up by using the obtained gas consumptions and the predicted future gas consumptions, and a display control unit that controls a display unit to display an image in which remaining-gas information is superimposed on a location where the tank is placed by using the predicted date and location information.

Abstract: A treatment instrument includes a grasping piece that is openable and closable to a treatment portion, and includes an electrode member. An electrode inclination surface facing a side on which the treating portion is located is provided on an outer surface of the electrode member of the grasping piece, and the electrode inclination surface extends from an inner side to an outer side in a width direction so as to be inclined in a direction away from the treatment portion.

Abstract: A thin-plate LN optical control device includes: a thin-plate LN optical waveguide element which includes an optical waveguide formed by thermal diffusion of Ti in a substrate made of lithium niobate, and a control electrode that is formed on the substrate and is configured to control a light wave propagating through the optical waveguide, and in which at least a part of the substrate is thinned; and a housing that accommodates the thin-plate LN optical waveguide element in an air-tight sealing manner. Oxygen is contained in a filler gas inside the housing.

Abstract: A remaining-LP-gas display control apparatus includes a consumption obtaining unit that obtains daily gas consumptions in a tank, a consumption predicting unit that predicts future daily gas consumptions for a set number of days such that each future gas consumption is predicted based on the latest gas consumption on the same day of the week included in the gas consumptions obtained by the consumption obtaining unit, a replacement date predicting unit that predicts the amounts of gas remaining in the tank and a date on which the gas remaining in the tank will be used up by using the obtained gas consumptions and the predicted future gas consumptions, and a display control unit that controls a display unit to display an image in which remaining-gas information is superimposed on a location where the tank is placed by using the predicted date and location information.

Abstract: A transducer is provided, which includes an oscillator and a broadbanded matching circuit. In the oscillator, a peak frequency corresponding to a peak transmission sensitivity may separate from a center frequency in a given bandwidth, and a transmission sensitivity may increase as a frequency separates from the peak frequency with respect to the center frequency. The broadbanded matching circuit may be configured to perform an impedance matching so that the transmission sensitivity of the oscillator at the peak frequency becomes substantially equal to the transmission sensitivity of the oscillator at the center frequency.

Abstract: An acquisition portion obtains the daily gas consumption amount of a tank from a gas meter. A consumption amount predicting portion predicts future daily gas consumption amounts for the set number of days using the latest gas consumption amount having the same day of the week among the gas consumption amounts obtained by the acquisition portion. A replacement day predicting portion, as a remaining amount predicting portion, predicts the remaining gas amount in the tank using the gas consumption amounts obtained by the acquisition portion and the future gas consumption amounts for the set number of days predicted by the consumption amount predicting portion.

Abstract: An acquisition portion obtains daily gas consumption amounts of tanks from gas meters. A consumption amount predicting portion predicts future daily gas consumption amounts for a first set number of days using latest gas consumption amounts having the same days of the week among the gas consumption amounts obtained by the acquisition portion. A replacement day predicting portion predicts the day on which the remaining gas amount in the tank becomes zero using the gas consumption amounts and the future gas consumption amounts for the set number of days. An extracting portion extracts the installation address of the tank for which the remaining amount is predicted to become zero on the day after a second set of days from a set period. A planning portion creates a delivery plan for delivering a new tank to the address extracted by the extracting portion 14 within the set period.

Abstract: A handle unit for a surgical device that operates an end effector to give various kinds of treatments, includes: a handle main body having a fixed member; a support section that is supported by the same hand of the user and is movable along a turning plane defined by moving closer to or away from the fixed member; a first coupling section that is coupled with the handle main body by moving the support section along the turning plane; a second coupling section that has an extended axis defined by the first coupling section and the support section and is configured to turn the support section in a periaxial direction orthogonal to the extended axis; and a third coupling section that is configured to turn the support section in the periaxial direction of the extended axis.

Abstract: A thin-plate LN optical control device includes: a thin-plate LN optical waveguide element which includes an optical waveguide formed by thermal diffusion of Ti in a substrate made of lithium niobate, and a control electrode that is formed on the substrate and is configured to control a light wave propagating through the optical waveguide, and in which at least a part of the substrate is thinned; and a housing that accommodates the thin-plate LN optical waveguide element in an air-tight sealing manner. Oxygen is contained in a filler gas inside the housing.

Abstract: A jaw of a grasping treatment device includes a non-contact portion having a space between it and a distal treatment section in a state where an abutment portion abuts on the distal treatment section, and the non-contact portion includes a wall surface portion inclined so that it is extended toward a distal treatment section side as it is extended away from the abutment portion. A movement regulating portion is provided in a region of the non contact portion located closer to the abutment portion than a continuous surface which forms an edge of the non-contact portion. The movement regulating portion located in the first wall surface portion regulates a movement of a grasp object along the jaw axis direction.

Abstract: A jaw of the grasping treatment device includes an abutting portion being abutable on a probe treatment portion when the jaw is closed relative to the probe treatment portion, and a separated portion being disposed with a clearance between the separated portion and the probe treatment portion when the abutting portion is in abutment with the probe treatment portion. The jaw includes a distal-side wall portion provided to a distal direction side of the separated portion and protruding toward the probe treatment portion as compared with the separated portion, and a proximal-side wall portion provided to a proximal direction side of the separated portion and which protruding toward the probe treatment portion as compared with the separated portion.

Abstract: A handle unit for a surgical device that operates an end effector to give various kinds of treatments, includes: a handle main body having a fixed member; a support section that is supported by the same hand of the user and is movable along a turning plane defined by moving closer to or away from the fixed member; a first coupling section that is coupled with the handle main body by moving the support section along the turning plane; a second coupling section that has an extended axis defined by the first coupling section and the support section and is configured to turn the support section in a periaxial direction orthogonal to the extended axis; and a third coupling section that is configured to turn the support section in the periaxial direction of the extended axis.