Abstract: The present invention provides a low-carbon resulfurized free machining steel product excellent in machinability typified by finished surface roughness even though toxic Pb or special elements such as Bi or Te are not added, and a suitable production method thereof. A steel product has a specific composition, has contents of Mn and S satisfying the following conditions: 0.40?Mn*S?1.2 and Mn/S?3.0, and contains a ferrite-pearlite structure as the metallographic structure, in which the average width (?m) of sulfide inclusions in the steel product is 2.8*(log d) or more, wherein d (mm) is the diameter of the steel product, and pro-eutectoid ferrite in the metallographic structure has a hardness HV of 133 to 150 or a difference in deformation resistance at a strain of 0.3 between 200° C. and 25° C. is 110 MPa or more and 200 MPa or less, the deformation resistances being determined in a compression test at a deformation rate of 0.3 mm/min.

Abstract: A stirling engine includes a flow path which communicates a working space of the stirling engine and a crankcase of the stirling engine. An output of the stirling engine is controlled so that the output lowers when a pressure inside the working space is higher than a pressure in the crankcase, with a transfer of a fluid in the working space to the crankcase via the flow path thereby causing a decrease in the pressure of the working space.

Abstract: In order to decrease internal friction of a heat engine that converts a reciprocating motion of a piston into a rotational motion, a piston apparatus (1) forms an air bearing between a crankshaft (30) and a bearing unit (9B) provided in a crankcase (9) and between an eccentric portion (30c) of the crankshaft (30) and a large end portion (201) of a connecting rod (20) by feeding a gas therebetween from a crank-side hollow portion (31) of the crankshaft (30). The piston apparatus 1 also forms an air bearing between a piston pin (40) and a small end portion (202) of the connecting rod (20) by feeding a gas therebetween from a piston pin-side hollow portion (43) in the piston pin (40).

Abstract: A piston apparatus which configures an air bearing by introducing a compressed working media into an inside of a piston, and ejecting the working media from plural holes arranged on a circumferential portion of the piston into a clearance between the piston and the cylinder, which prevents a back-flow of the working media in the piston to a working space, and which readily secures reliability and longevity is provided.

Abstract: A steel for high-strength springs contains, on the mass basis, 0.35% to 0.65% of C, 1.4% to 2.5% of Si, 0.1% to 1.0% of Mn, 2.0% or less (exclusive of 0%) of Cr, 1.0% or less (exclusive of 0%) of Ni, 1.0% or less (exclusive of 0%) of Cu, 0.020% or less (exclusive of 0%) of P, 0.020% or less (exclusive of 0%) of S, 0.006% or less (exclusive of 0%) of N:, and 0.1% or less (exclusive of 0%) of Al, with the remainder being iron and inevitable impurities, in which Wp(Fe) and W(C) satisfy the following condition: Wp(Fe)>5×W(C), wherein Wp(Fe) is the content of Fe (percent by mass) constituting Fe-containing precipitates in the steel; and W(C) is the carbon content (percent by mass) of the steel. The steel is excellent in cold workability and quality stability.

Abstract: An exhaust heat recovery apparatus includes a first piston; a second piston; a first cylinder in which the first piston reciprocates; a second cylinder in which the second piston reciprocates; and a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger includes a heater that is independently shiftable with respect to at least one of the first cylinder and the second cylinder, and has one end portion arranged at a side of the first cylinder and receiving heat from heat medium, a regenerator that is arranged at a side of another end portion of the heater, and a cooler that has one end portion arranged at a side of the regenerator and another end portion arranged at a side of the second cylinder.

Abstract: A high carbon steel wire material which is made of high carbon steel as a raw material for wire products such as steel cords, bead wires, PC steel wires and spring steel, allows for these wire products to be manufactured efficiently at a high wire drawing rate and has excellent wire drawability and a manufacturing process thereof. This high carbon steel wire material is made of a steel material having specific contents of C, Si, Mn, P, S, N, Al and O, and the Bcc-Fe crystal grains of its metal structure have an average crystal grain diameter (Dave) of 20 ?m or less and a maximum crystal grain diameter (Dmax) of 120 ?m or less, preferably an area ratio of crystal grains having a diameter of 80 ?m or more of 40% or less, an average sub grain diameter (dave) of 10 ?m or less, a maximum sub grain diameter (dmax) of 50 ?m or less and a (Dave/dave) ratio of the average crystal grain diameter (Dave) to the average sub grain diameter (dave) of 4.5 or less.

Abstract: A stirling engine includes a flow path that communicates a working space of the stirling engine and outside of the stirling engine. A working gas is supplied from the outside of the stirling engine to the working space via the flow path based on a differential pressure of the working space and the outside of the stirling engine.

Abstract: An exhaust heat recovery apparatus includes a Stirling engine and a clutch. The Stirling engine produces motive power by recovering thermal energy from exhaust gas discharged from an internal combustion engine from which exhaust heat is recovered. The motive power produced by the Stirling engine is transmitted to an internal combustion engine transmission through the clutch and an exhaust heat recovery device transmission, and combined with the motive power produced by the internal combustion engine through the internal combustion engine transmission, and is output from an output shaft. If rapid acceleration is required, and the increase in the rotation speed of the Stirling engine therefore lags behind the increase in the rotation speed of the internal combustion engine, the clutch is released. With this configuration, reduction in the power output from the heat engine, from which exhaust heat is recovered, is restricted, and the degradation of the acceleration performance is minimized.

Abstract: A measurement system 1 for measuring a distance to an object to be measured, includes: a half mirror 10; a measurement light emitting unit 11; a projection unit 12; a light-receiving unit 13; a distance calculation unit 14; and a diffusion lens 16.

Abstract: An exhaust heat recovery apparatus includes a reciprocating internal combustion engine in which a piston reciprocates in a cylinder to generate motive power; and a Stirling engine that recovers the thermal energy of the exhaust gas discharged from the internal combustion engine and converts the thermal energy into kinetic energy. The Stirling engine is united with the internal combustion engine. A heater that the Stirling engine includes is disposed in an exhaust manifold of the internal combustion engine. With this configuration, it is possible to restrict reduction in the power output from the exhaust heat recovery means.

Abstract: In order to decrease internal friction of a heat engine that converts a reciprocating motion of a piston into a rotational motion, a piston apparatus (1) forms an air bearing between a crankshaft (30) and a bearing unit (9B) provided in a crankcase (9) and between an eccentric portion (30c) of the crankshaft (30) and a large end portion (201) of a connecting rod (20) by feeding a gas therebetween from a crank-side hollow portion (31) of the crankshaft (30). The piston apparatus 1 also forms an air bearing between a piston pin (40) and a small end portion (202) of the connecting rod (20) by feeding a gas therebetween from a piston pin-side hollow portion (43) in the piston pin (40).

Abstract: The present invention provides a stirling engine, which is capable of reducing a frictional loss and eliminating possibility of deterioration of a heat exchanger due to lubricant oil applied to piston rings and the like. The stirling engine includes cylinders (22,32), pistons (21,31) reciprocating inside the cylinder while keeping an air-tight condition between the piston and the cylinder by means of a gas bearing (48), and an linear approximation mechanism (50) coupled directly or indirectly to the piston and disposed so that the piston may make approximately linear motion when the piston reciprocates inside the cylinder. The stirling engine has a piston engine which is in a ringless (i.e., without piston rings) and oilless (i.e., without lubricant oil) state so as to reduce the frictional loss and to prevent the deterioration of the heat exchanger by the lubricant oil.

Abstract: An exhaust heat recovery apparatus (functioning as a Stirling engine), which is installed in, for example, an exhaust passage of an internal combustion engine and an exhaust passage of factory exhaust heat as restraining reduction in exhaust heat recovery efficiency, is installed in a device installing surface formed in the heat medium passage so that the device installing surface and a heater connecting side end surface of a high temperature side cylinder become parallel and the device installing surface and a cooler connecting side end surface of a low temperature side cylinder become parallel. The high temperature side cylinder is arranged at an upstream side of a direction of exhaust flow. The low temperature side cylinder is arranged at a downstream side of the high temperature side cylinder.

Abstract: In a Stirling engine, a casing houses therein component elements of the Stirling engine, including a high-temperature-side cylinder, a high-temperature-side piston, a connecting rod, a crankshaft, etc. A pressure control device determines whether the pressure of the gas charged in the casing has declined. If the pressure of the gas has declined, the pressure control device drives a pump to pressurize the gas charged in the casing.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a steel for high-speed cold working which exhibits good cold workability during working and also exhibits high hardness after working. The steel for high-speed cold working contains C: 0.03 to 0.6% (by mass), Si: 0.005 to 0.6%, Mn: 0.05 to 2%, P: no more than 0.05% (excluding 0%), S: no more than 0.05% (excluding 0%), and N: no more than 0.04% (excluding 0%), with the remainder being iron and inevitable impurities and the amount of dissolved nitrogen in the steel being no less than 0.006%.

Abstract: A piston apparatus which configures an air bearing by introducing a compressed working media into an inside of a piston, and ejecting the working media from plural holes arranged on a circumferential portion of the piston into a clearance between the piston and the cylinder, which prevents a back-flow of the working media in the piston to a working space, and which readily secures reliability and longevity is provided.

Abstract: Disclosed are a wire rod and a method therefor. The wire rod is excellent in wire-drawing workability, insusceptible to wire break in spite of an increase in wire-drawing rate, and reduction of area, and capable of extending a die life by suppressing die wear. The wire rod is made of steel containing C: 0.6 to 1.1%, Si: 0.1 to 2.0%, Mn: 0.1 to 1%, P: not more than 0.20%, S: not more than 0.20%, N: not more than 0.006%, Al: not more than 0.03%, and O: not more than 0.003%, the balance including Fe, and unavoidable impurities. Further, the wire rod comprises a pearlite structure wherein an area ratio of a second-phase ferrite is not more than 11.0%, and a pearlite lamellar spacing is not less than 120 ?m.

Abstract: An exhaust heat recovery apparatus includes: an exhaust heat recovery unit that produces motive power by recovering thermal energy from exhaust gas discharged from a heat engine; an electric generator that is driven by the exhaust heat recovery unit; a first power transmission-switching device that switches between connection and disconnection between the heat engine and the exhaust heat recovery unit; and a second power transmission-switching device that switches between connection and disconnection between the exhaust heat recovery unit and the electric generator, wherein the heat engine or the electric generator is selectively connected to the exhaust heat recovery unit, depending on the operational status of the heat engine. The exhaust heat recovery apparatus makes it possible to effectively use surplus motive power produced by an exhaust heat recovery unit.

Abstract: An exhaust heat recovery apparatus includes: an exhaust heat recovery unit that produces motive power by recovering thermal energy from exhaust heat, wherein the produced motive power is combined with motive power produced by a heat engine and is output together therewith; an auxiliary that is driven by at least the exhaust heat recovery unit; and a power transmission-switching device that is provided between the heat engine and the exhaust heat recovery unit, the same power transmission-switching device being provided between the heat engine and the auxiliary, and that cuts off the connection between the heat engine and the exhaust heat recovery unit when there is no request to drive the heat engine. Thus, it becomes possible to effectively use the surplus motive power produced by the exhaust heat recovery unit when there is no request to drive the heat engine.