Abstract: A low melting point glass consisting essentially of, as represented by mol % based on the following oxides: Mol % SnO   2 to 37.5, ZnO 5 to 73, P2O5 16 to 50,  Li2O 0 to 9,  Na2O 0 to 9,  K2O 0 to 9,  Al2O3 0 to 20, B2O3 0 to 30, SiO2 0 to 20, MgO 0 to 35, CaO 0 to 35, SrO 0 to 35, BaO 0 to 35, In2O3 0 to 10, WO3 0 to 10, wherein SnO+ZnO+P2O5+B2O3 is at least 76 mol %, Li2O+Na2O+K2O is from 0 to 9 mol %, MgO+CaO+SrO+BaO is from 0 to 35 mol %, and the molar ratio of SnO to ZnO is less than 1.

Abstract: An AC-DC converter is provided which comprises a booster circuit 9 which has a MOS-FET 6 and a reactor 4 connected in series to MOS-FET 6 for generating a DC output voltage VOUT; a voltage generator 11 for providing a reference voltage VR; and a control circuit 10 for comparing reference voltage VR and DC output voltage VOUT and generating outputs to turn MOS-FET 6 ON and OFF in response to the difference between reference voltage VR and DC output voltage VOUT.

Abstract: A ceramic color composition which comprises from 5 to 40 wt % of a heat-resistant color pigment powder, from 50 to 94.5 wt % of a glass powder, from 0 to 25 wt % of a refractory filler, and from 0.1 to 40 wt % of at least one whisker-like refractory filler selected from the group consisting of aluminum borate whiskers, &agr;-alumina whiskers, potassium titanate whiskers, zinc oxide whiskers, Na2Ca2P2O18 whiskers, magnesium oxide whiskers, magnesium borate whiskers, basic magnesium sulfate (MgSO4.5MgO.8H2O) whiskers and titanium diboride whiskers.

Abstract: A water-atomized metal powder having a spherical particle shape, an average particle size of 25 &mgr;m or less and a tap density ratio of 50-60%. The spherical powder is produced by forming non-spherical metal particles, which have been produced from molten metal by water-atomization, into spherical particles using a high speed gas current which causes high speed collisions to occur between said particles and between said particles and a collision body. The thus obtained spherical metal powder is particularly suitable for injection molding since and, by using the powder, the blending proportion of organic binder used in injection molding can be reduced and high strength debound bodies can be obtained.

Abstract: A hermetic sealing composition consisting essentially of from 90 to 99.95 wt % of a crystalline low melting glass powder and from 0.05 to 10 wt % of a low expansion ceramic filler powder, and having an average thermal expansion coefficient after firing of from 80.times.10.sup.-7 to 110.times.10.sup.-7 /.degree.C. within a range of from room temperature to 300.degree. C., wherein the crystalline low melting glass consists essentially of:______________________________________ PbO 71.5 to 78.0 wt % ZnO 10.5 to 14.5 wt % B.sub.2 O.sub.3 7.0 to 10.0 wt % SiO.sub.2 1.65 to 3.0 wt % BaO 0.1 to 1.95 wt % SrO 0 to 1.5 wt % CaO 0 to 1.5 wt % BaO + SrO + CaO 0.5 to 1.95 wt %, ______________________________________and contains substantially no fluorine, and the weight ratio of ZnO/PbO is within a range of from 0.14 to 0.20.

Abstract: A self holding type connecting device comprising an armature which is disposed movably in an axial direction, a magnetic path member having a cross section formed along a closed loop and having an axial space wherein axial movement of the armature is permitted, a permanent magnet secured to the magnetic path member and forming two kinds of magnetic flux which pass through the armature and the magnetic path member, an electric magnetic coil which forms magnetic flux for moving the armature in an axial direction against the two kinds of magnetic flux, and switch for switching direction of the magnetic flux from the electric magnetic coil. In the device, decrease of connecting force due to abrasion of pads does not occur and power consumption can be remarkably reduced.

Abstract: A colored ceramic composition comprising, as inorganic components, from 5 to 40 wt % of a colored heat resistant pigment powder, from 60 to 95 wt % of a powder of zinc-containing glass and from 0 to 10 wt % of a refractory filler powder, wherein said glass consists essentially of the following components:______________________________________ SiO.sub.2 30 to 60 wt % ZnO 8 to 60 wt % B.sub.2 O.sub.3 0 to 5 wt % Li.sub.2 O 0 to 20 wt % Na.sub.2 O 0 to 20 wt % K.sub.2 O 0 to 20 wt % Li.sub.2 O + Na.sub.2 O + K.sub.2 O 0.1 to 20 wt % MgO + CaO + SrO + BaO 0 to 20 wt % Bi.sub.2 O.sub.3 0 to 40 wt % TiO.sub.2 0 to 10 wt % F 0 to 5 wt %.

Abstract: A hermetic sealing composition consisting essentially of from 60 to 99 wt % of a bismuth type low melting glass powder and from 1 to 40 wt % of a low expansion ceramic filler powder, wherein the low melting glass has a composition consisting essentially of:______________________________________ Bi.sub.2 O.sub.3 77 to 95 wt %, MgO + ZnO 1 to 20 wt %, B.sub.2 O.sub.3 2 to 10 wt %, SiO.sub.2 0 to 1 wt % and CeO.sub.2 0 to 10 wt %.

Abstract: The apparatus comprises a rack containing a casting that includes a core, a heating chamber that includes a vibration structure for vibrating the rack and in a lower portion thereof a first sand discharge structure for discharging sand falling from the casting for removing casting sand and core sand adhering to the casting while heat treating the casting, and a cooling chamber that includes a water tank for immersing the rack containing the casting, an elevator structure for lowering the rack into the water tank and lifting the rack out of the water tank, an oscillation structure for oscillating the rack when the rack is in the water tank, and a second sand discharge structure for discharging sand falling onto a bottom of the water tank for washing off casting sand and core sand adhering to the casting ejected from the heating chamber while cooling the casting.

Abstract: A transformer has a primary winding connected across a dc power supply via a first switch such as a field effect transistor, and a secondary winding connected to a smoothing capacitor via a rectifying diode. Another field effect transistor or like second switch is connected in parallel with the rectifying diode. The voltage of the rectifying diode, detected by a serial circuit of a resistor and a reverse blocking diode, is compared with a reference voltage, and the second switch is made conductive when the diode voltage is less than the reference voltage.

Abstract: A ceramic color composition comprising from 5 to 34 wt % of a heat resistant color pigment powder, from 65 to 94 wt% of a bismuth type glass powder, from 0 to 10 wt % of a refractory filler powder, and from 0.1 to 20 wt % of at least one additive selected from the group consisting of borides and silicides, as inorganic components.

Abstract: A colored ceramic composition comprising, as inorganic components, from 5 to 40 wt % of a colored heat resistance pigment powder, from 60 to 95 wt % of a zinc-containing glass powder and from 0 to 10 wt % of a refractory filler powder, wherein said glass powder consists essentially of the following components:______________________________________ SiO.sub.2 27 to 40 wt % B.sub.2 O.sub.3 10 to 20 wt % ZnO 35 to 45 wt % Li.sub.2 O 0 to 5 wt % Na.sub.2 O 0 to 10 wt % K.sub.2 O 0 to 5 wt % Li.sub.2 O + Na.sub.2 O + K.sub.2 O 0 to 15 wt %.

Abstract: A ceramic color composition comprising, as inorganic components, from 5 to 35 wt % of a colored heat resistant pigment powder, from 65 to 95 wt % of a crystalizable glass powder and from 0 to 10 wt % of a refractory filler powder, wherein said glass powder consists essentially of from 10 to 24 wt % of SiO.sub.2, from 60 to 75 wt % of Bi.sub.2 O.sub.3, from 0 to 15 wt % of B.sub.2 O.sub.3, from 0 to 4 wt % of Li.sub.2 O+Na.sub.2 O+K.sub.2 O, from 0 to 15 wt % of BaO and from 0 to 3 wt % of TiO.sub.2.

Abstract: An expansion-molded article is produced by filling prefoamed thermoplastic particles in a mold cavity formed in combination of mold sections, through each of which plural heating medium holes are defined, and then feeding a heating medium such as steam through the holes to heat and fusion-bond the particles into the article conforming with the mold cavity. Each of the mold sections is covered by a permeable porous sheet at least over the heating medium on a side of the mold cavity.

Abstract: Glass having ultrafine particles of CuCl and/or CuBr precipitated therein, which consists essentially of:from 10 to 70 mol % of SiO.sub.2,from 30 to 90 mol % of B.sub.2 O.sub.3,from 0.1 to 50 mol % of Li.sub.2 O+Na.sub.2 O+K.sub.2 O, andfrom 0.01 to 10 mol % of CuCl+CuBr.The glass may further contain from 0.01 to 40 mol % of Al.sub.2 O.sub.3.

Abstract: A DC-DC converter for supplying stabilized DC power to a load comprises a transformer, a switch, a starting circuit, a resistor, a capacitor, a control circuit, and a rectifying and smoothing circuit. The transformer has a primary winding, a secondary winding and a tertiary winding. The primary winding of the transformer is connected in series to the switch. The secondary winding of the transformer is connected to the rectifying and smoothing circuit, and the tertiary winding is connected to a control terminal of the switch so as to drive the switch by positive feedback voltage. The capacitor is charged and discharged in response to the ON/OFF operation of the switch. The control circuit converts the switch from the ON state into the OFF state in response to the voltage of the control circuit. The power loss of the DC-DC converter is little.

Abstract: A DC-DC converter for supplying stabilized DC power to a load comprises a transformer, a switch, first and second capacitors, a control circuit, and a rectifying and smoothing circuit. The transformer has a primary winding, a secondary winding and a tertiary winding. The primary winding of the transformer is connected in series to the switch. The secondary winding of the transformer is connected to the rectifying and smoothing circuit, and the tertiary winding is connected to a control terminal of the switch so as to drive the switch by positive feedback voltage. The first and second capacitors repeat charge and discharge periodically. When voltage of the first capacitor attains to the threshold voltage of the switch, the switch is converted from the OFF state into the ON state. When voltage of the second capacitor attains to the prescribed value, the control circuit converts the switch from the ON state into the OFF state. Circuit parts of the DC-DC converter is small in number.

Abstract: A gas turbine has a casing forming a fluid passage through which a primary luid flows, and a rotor blade disposed in the fluid passage with a clearance between distal ends of the rotor blades and the casing. The casing has a plurality of spaced blow holes extending circumferentially thereof for communicating an external secondary fluid chamber with the clearance, the blow holes being formed at an incline with respect to the wall of the casing in such a manner that a secondary fluid discharged from the blow holes is imparted with a flow component that opposes a flow of the primary fluid leaking from the clearance. The amount of the secondary fluid discharged from the blow holes and the discharge pressure are controlled to hydromechanically vary the resistance which the secondary fluid offers to the primary fluid leakage flow, thereby making it possible to mimimize the leakage flow.