Abstract: A fixing apparatus is used that has: a first rotation member; an elongated heater disposed in an internal space of the first rotation member, and having a heat generating member and a substrate on which the heat generating member is provided; a temperature sensing unit that detects a temperature of the heater; a heater holder that holds the heater; a second rotation member that forms a nip portion with the heater, across the first rotation member; a reservoir unit that stores grease that is supplied between the first rotation member and the heater; and an elastic member that encloses the temperature sensing unit, such that a toner image formed on a recording material is heated and fixed at the nip portion.

Abstract: Informations about design specifications, components, design items, the correlations between the design specifications and the components, and the correlations between the design items and the design specifications or between the design items and the component, which are required for designing a product, are registered in a database while giving given definitions to the informations on a computer. A computer is used to prompt a design engineer to determine the content of the design specification with respect to a specific version of the product, and to extract components for the specific version from the database in accordance with the correlations between the design specifications and the components and present the extracted components to an engineer so as to prompt the engineer to determine components required for the specific version.

Abstract: Informations about design specifications, components, design items, the correlations between the design specifications and the components, and the correlations between the design items and the design specifications or between the design items and the component, which are required for designing a product, are registered in a database while giving given definitions to the informations on a computer. A computer is used to prompt a design engineer to determine the content of the design specification with respect to a specific version of the product, and to extract components for the specific version from the database in accordance with the correlations between the design specifications and the components and present the extracted components to an engineer so as to prompt the engineer to determine components required for the specific version.

Abstract: A pressure-reducing device which incorporates, in a hydraulic actuating system provided with more than one circuit module, a flow rate control valve which is set at a lower flow rate value than the fluid supply rate from the hydraulic source and is installed in the supply side of a circuit module so as to control precisely the maximum working pressure of any of the said circuit modules thereby assuring that the maximum working pressure is at a value lower than the maximum pressure value set by a main relief valve installed in the fluid supply side leading from the hydraulic source. A relief valve is installed in the lower stream of the said flow rate control valve so as to control its maximum working pressure.

Abstract: A pressure responsive sequence device wherein in order to carry out the pressure responsive sequencing operation in both the meter-in and meter-out flow control modes, between a supply line and a discharge line of a primary actuator is inserted a switching valve which automatically switches, in response to the pressure difference between the supply and discharge lines, to communicate either of them having a lower pressure than the other with a tank through a low pressure relief valve; and a sequencing valve is inserted in a supply line which communicates a pump in a hydraulic power source with a secondary actuator.

Abstract: In order to automatically switch an open circuit type hydraulic actuating circuit to the meter-in flow control system when the direction of the load is positive or to the meter-out control system when the direction of the load is negative or is reversed to negative, thereby controlling the speed of the load, there is provided a hydraulic actuating system in which an amplifier valve assembly of the type which may produce a main flow whose flow rate is amplified with respect to that of a pilot flow in proportion to the ratio of the opening area of a detector orifice inserted in a pilot flow passage to the opening area of a main orifice inserted in a main flow passage, is hydraulically and operatively combined with a meter-in flow control valve for controlling the flow rate of the pilot supply flow in the amplifier valve assembly, a meter-out flow control valve for controlling the flow rate of the pilot return flow, and a switching valve inserted between the pilot supply and return flow passages and adapted to b

Abstract: An acceleration/deceleration device which, in order to achieve shockless acceleration/deceleration control in starting or stopping of the load by means of a hydraulic actuating circuit of the open circuit type, uses an amplification valve of a type such that the main flow rate may be amplified in proportion to the area ratio between a detection orifice installed in a pilot flow passage and a main orifice installed in the main flow passage and is constructed by combining the said amplification valve with a flow rate control valve for controlling the pilot flow and a control circuit for gradually changing the area of the opening of the main orifice.

Abstract: A fluid control valve, which relates to fluid control valves in which a pilot passage is opened or closed as a pilot flow is detected in the said pilot passage by means of a limit orifice mechanism located at the middle of the flow and a valve spool is switched by the differential pressure produced in the fluid passing the said limit orifice mechanism so as to effect a switch-over between unloaded and loaded states, and incorporates, as the said valve spool, a first valve spool effecting the switching action based on the differential pressure of the fluid passing the limit orifice mechanism and a second valve spool arranged in series with the first valve spool effecting a switching action being effected by the fluid pressure so that a load check function may also be provided.