Abstract: To provide a piston ring comprising a hard carbon film that is easy to form and exhibits excellent adhesion and wear resistance, and a manufacturing method therefor. The above-described problem is solved by means of a piston ring comprising a hard carbon film 50 formed on at least an outer peripheral sliding surface 11 of a piston ring base material 1, wherein the hard carbon film 50 is a laminated film comprising a plurality of layers, including an upper layer 5 with a lamination pitch within a range of 3 nm to 50 nm inclusive, a middle layer 4 with a lamination pitch less than that of the upper layer 5, and a lower layer 3 with a lamination pitch within the same range as that of the upper layer 5 and greater than that of the middle layer 4.

Abstract: A machine tool that processes a workpiece with a tool includes a holding device that holds a workpiece or a tool used in processing the workpiece, a first connector attached to the holding device, a transmission line that transmits at least one of fluid, powder, electricity, and light, and including a second connector connectable to the first connector, a storage unit that stores and protects the transmission line, and a transmission line transport mechanism that transports a tip end of the transmission line and switches the transmission line between an expanded state and a recovered state. The transmission line is pulled out from the storage unit and connected to the holding device via the second connector in the expanded state, while being recovered by the storage unit in the recovered state.

Abstract: Provided are a coating film, a manufacturing method for the same, and a PVD device that not only sufficiently improve the balance of low-friction properties and wear resistance, but also improve chipping resistance and peeling resistance. This film is coated on a substrate surface, wherein the coating film has a hard carbon that presents relatively black and white when observed in a cross-sectional bright-field TEM image, a mesh-shaped hard carbon layer is formed using a PVD method, said layer having white-colored hard carbon in a mesh shape extending in the thickness direction and black-colored hard carbon dispersed into the cavities in the mesh, and the ID/IG ratio is 1-6 when the mesh-shaped hard carbon layer is measured using Raman spectroscopy, said ratio being the ratio of the Raman spectrum D band peak area intensity and G band peak area intensity.

Abstract: Provided are a coating film, a manufacturing method for the same, and a PVD device that not only sufficiently improve the balance of low-friction properties and wear resistance, but also improve chipping resistance (defect resistance) and peeling resistance. This coating film coats a substrate surface, wherein a hard carbon layer is formed extending in columns-shape perpendicular to the substrate when observed in a cross-sectional bright-field TEM image, the hard carbon layer is formed using a PVD method, and the ID/IG ratio is 1-6 when the hard carbon layer is measured using Raman spectroscopy, said ratio being the ratio of the Raman spectrum D band peak area intensity and G band peak area intensity.

Abstract: An oil supply structure for a power unit includes a working oil pump, a lubrication oil pump, an oil storage section, a working oil pressure detection part and a lubrication hydraulic pressure detection part, the oil storage section including a lubrication oil storage chamber in which a suction section of the lubrication oil pump is opened, and a working oil storage chamber in which a suction section of the working oil pump is opened, and oil overflowed from the working oil storage chamber being stored in the lubrication oil storage chamber.

Abstract: A machine tool system includes a machine tool having a processing chamber covered by a cover and a door for covering or uncovering an opening formed on the cover; a stocker for being removably mounted on the machine tool to thereby define a storage space outside the processing chamber; and a robot having a movement range spanning the storage space and the processing chamber when the stocker is mounted on the machine tool. In the machine tool mentioned above, the stocker includes a safety fence that defines, in cooperation with the outer surface of the machine tool, a protective space when the stocker is mounted on the machine tool. The protective space is a space for accommodating the storage space.

Abstract: A holder for clamping a tool includes a clamping mechanism for clamping the tool, and an exposed portion. The clamping mechanism is switchable between a clamping state and an unclamping state. The clamping state is a state in which removal of the tool from the holder is hindered. The unclamping state is a state in which removal of the tool from the holder is allowed. The exposed portion is exposed outside the holder and directly or indirectly and mechanically linked to the clamping mechanism. The exposed portion is pushed in one direction for movement to thereby switch the clamping mechanism to the unclamping state.

Abstract: A shape-memory alloy valve device includes a shape-memory alloy wire configured to make a valve member perform an opening/closing operation and a valve actuation control unit configured to control an opening/closing operation of the valve member. The valve actuation control unit controls energization of the shape-memory alloy wire in accordance with an input valve open signal or an input valve close signal so as to make the shape-memory alloy wire contract by raising a temperature of the shape-memory alloy wire beyond an operating environmental temperature, thereby controlling valve opening/closing. A preheating unit heats the shape-memory alloy wire to a preset preheat set temperature by energizing the shape-memory alloy wire from a power circuit when the temperature of the shape-memory alloy wire which is measured by a temperature measurement unit is lower than the preheat set temperature.

Abstract: A water pump unit has, within a water pump case, a drive shaft for driving an impeller, and a transmission member for transmitting power of a power supply device to the drive shaft. The water pump unit is configured such that the water pump case receives therein and supports the drive shaft, the transmission member is supported by the water pump case by means of the drive shaft with a part of the transmission member protruding from within the water pump case, and an attachment surface of the water pump case, for joining the water pump case to the power supply device, is formed to extend along the transmission member.

Abstract: A tube pump having small driving energy is provided. The tube pump includes: a flexible tube for conveying a fluid; a holder part holding the tube so that the tube is at least partially bent; a driving part; and at least one pressing part, rotationally driven around a first central axis by the driving part, and pressing the tube along the bent portion of the tube held by the holder part while rotating around the first central axis, thereby conveying the fluid in the tube. The pressing part has an inclined plane inclined from the side of the tube toward the side of the pressing part in a radially outward direction with reference to the first central axis.

Abstract: An exhaust emission control device for an internal combustion engine including multiple reed valve chambers which are provided to cylinder head portions of a multi-cylinder engine. The reed valve chambers are formed by covering recessed portions in the cylinder head portion with reed valve covers. Upstream sides of the reed valve chambers communicate with the atmosphere via a secondary air supply pipe. Downstream sides of the reed valve chambers communicate with exhaust ports via communication passages provided to the cylinder head portion. The reed valves are interposed between the upstream sides and the downstream sides of the reed valve chambers, and are opened by exhaust pulsation pressure. In the cylinder head portion, the multiple reed valve chambers are disposed with spaces therebetween. The reed valve covers communicate individually with the secondary air supply pipe, and the reed valve covers are connected in series by the secondary air supply pipe.

Abstract: A machining swarf detection apparatus that detects presence or absence of machining swarf in a machining chamber of a machine tool includes an illumination unit that illuminates line laser light onto a detection area in the machining chamber, an imaging unit that images the detection area and acquires an image as an inspection image, and an image processor (controller) that detects the presence or absence of the machining swarf based on an image of the line laser light imaged in the inspection image.

Abstract: A shape-memory alloy valve device includes a shape-memory alloy wire configured to make a valve member perform an opening/closing operation and a valve actuation control unit configured to control an opening/closing operation of the valve member. The valve actuation control unit controls energization of the shape-memory alloy wire in accordance with an input valve open signal or an input valve close signal so as to make the shape-memory alloy wire contract by raising a temperature of the shape-memory alloy wire beyond an operating environmental temperature, thereby controlling valve opening/closing. A preheating unit heats the shape-memory alloy wire to a preset preheat set temperature by energizing the shape-memory alloy wire from a power circuit when the temperature of the shape-memory alloy wire which is measured by a temperature measurement unit is lower than the preheat set temperature.

Abstract: The purpose of the invention is to provide technology, which, in addition to being capable of forming thick hard carbon films of excellent durability even using PVD, is able to establish both chipping resistance and wear resistance in the formed hard carbon film and able to improve low friction properties and peeling resistance. Provided is a coating film to be coated on the surface of a substrate, the coating film having a total film thickness of greater than 1 ?m to 50 ?m wherein: when a cross-section is observed using bright field TEM images, white hard carbon layers that are shown as relatively white and black hard carbon layers that are shown as black are alternately laminated in the thickness direction; and the white hard carbon layers have regions that have grown in a fan-shape in the thickness direction.

Abstract: A swarf handling apparatus installed in a machining tool that performs machining operation accompanied with production of stringy swarf includes a swarf catching device. The swarf catching device includes a holder unit that holds the stringy swarf when the stringy swarf makes contact with the holder unit. The swarf catching device causes the holder unit to be floated in a region around a machining point in such a manner that the position of the holder unit is varied relative to the machining point, for catching the stringy swarf in the holder unit.

Abstract: A machine tool includes a main shaft unit; a polishing head for processing a workpiece; and an unnecessary byproduct leakage preventing unit for preventing leakage of abrasive resulting from processing at or around a part of the workpiece, the part being processed, and wherein the unnecessary byproduct leakage preventing unit includes a cover provided separately from the polishing head, the cover having a structure that is open in three directions and that has walls in another three directions such that a protection space where to hold a part of the workpiece is defined, the cover for receiving the abrasive, and a movement mechanism for moving the cover so as to stay apart from the workpiece while the workpiece is not being processed and so as to have a part of the workpiece held in the protection space while the workpiece is being processed.

Abstract: A piston ring having a hard carbon film formed on at least an external peripheral sliding surface of a piston ring base material, the hard carbon film having an sp2 component ratio within a range of 40% to 80% inclusive as measured by a TEM-EELS spectrum which combines electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) with a transmission electron microscope (TEM), a hydrogen content being in a range of 0.1 at. % to 5 at. % inclusive, and an amount of macroparticles appearing on the surface being within a range of 0.1% to 10% inclusive by area ratio. The hard carbon film is formed on a hard carbon foundation film formed under low-speed film-forming conditions on the side of the piston ring base material, and the hard carbon foundation film is formed with an arc current value 80% or less of the arc current value during the formation of the hard carbon film.

Abstract: To provide a piston ring comprising a hard carbon film that is easy to form and exhibits excellent wear resistance. The above-described problem is solved by having a hard carbon film 4 formed on at least an outer peripheral sliding surface 11 of a piston ring base material 1, wherein the hard carbon film 4 is a laminated film comprising a plurality of layers, and is configured so as to contain boron within a range of an atomic density of 0.2×1022 atoms/cm3 to 2.0×1022 atoms/cm3 inclusive. This hard carbon film 4 may be configured to have an sp2 component ratio within a range of 40% to 80% inclusive, measured in a TEM-EELS spectrum formed by combining electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) with a transmission electron microscope (TEM), and a hydrogen content within a range of 0.1 atom % to 5 atom % inclusive. Further, a total thickness of this hard carbon film 4 may be configured to be within a range of 0.5 ?m to 20 ?m inclusive.

Abstract: To provide a piston ring comprising a hard carbon film that is easy to form and exhibits excellent adhesion and wear resistance, and a manufacturing method therefor. The above-described problem is solved by means of a piston ring comprising a hard carbon film 50 formed on at least an outer peripheral sliding surface 11 of a piston ring base material 1, wherein the hard carbon film 50 is a laminated film comprising a plurality of layers, including an upper layer 5 with a lamination pitch within a range of 3 nm to 50 nm inclusive, a middle layer 4 with a lamination pitch less than that of the upper layer 5, and a lower layer 3 with a lamination pitch within the same range as that of the upper layer 5 and greater than that of the middle layer 4.

Abstract: For the present small solenoid valve, a stem is coupled to a solenoid plunger, and a valve body is attached to a distal end of the stem. A circular-ring shaped valve seat on which the valve body is seated is provided in a valve chamber of a valve casing, and a seal ring is externally fitted on the stem between the valve chamber and the solenoid plunger with an outer peripheral portion of the seal ring made to contact with an inner surface of the valve casing. The valve casing and the seal ring are made of a rubber-like polymer elastic body, a first port is connected to communicate with the valve chamber, and a second port is connected to communicate with an inner side of the valve seat. At actuation of the solenoid, when the stem moves in an axial direction, the seal ring follows the movement by only elastic deformation without sliding.