Abstract: A sterilizing apparatus includes a chamber which houses an object to be sterilized so as to sterilize the object using high pressure and temperature steam, an opening/closing section which opens and closes the chamber, and an outflow inhibiting mechanism which operates when the opening/closing section is opened, to inhibit outflow of the steam from the chamber to an exterior in connection with an operation for opening the opening/closing section.

Abstract: There is provided an engine start control method and an engine start control apparatus which can judge cell starting and kick starting with a simple constitution to perform optimum engine start according the respective starting. The engine start control method and the engine start control apparatus have a cell starting program at the time when an engine is started by a cell motor and a human power starting program at the time when the engine is started by a human power, detect a difference between a battery voltage at the time of engine stop and a battery voltage at the time of commencement of engine start, and starts the engine in accordance with the cell starting program if this difference is larger than a predetermined value and starts the engine in accordance with the human power starting program if the difference is smaller than the predetermined value.

Abstract: To accurately detect occurrence of erroneous detection of a crank pulse associated with dropout of a crank pulse or occurrence of noise. A cogless section is provided in cogs provided on an outer periphery of a crankshaft for transmitting a crank pulse. Occurrence of erroneous detection of a crank pulse is detected through use of an instantaneous rotational speed of the crankshaft computed from a crank pulse assigned to the cogless section and crank pulses assigned to cogs before and after the cogless section. When too few crank pulses are detected, a rapid increases arises in the instantaneous rotational speed of the crankshaft computed from the crank pulses after occurrence of a rapid decrease. The number of detected cramp pulses—which are fewer than the original crank pulses—is detected from the number of crank pulses existing between occurrence of a rapid decrease and occurrence of a rapid increase.

Abstract: A high temperature and pressure steam sterilization container for an endoscope, which contains the endoscope to perform a high temperature and pressure steam sterilization, is contained in a cleaner so that cleaning is possible in a state in which the endoscope is stored.

Abstract: To permit reliable occurrence of initial combustion at the start of an engine during which a stroke is not determined by only a crank pulse and to increase an engine speed.

Abstract: An unstable idling state immediately after engine start is stabilized.

Abstract: To accurately detect occurrence of erroneous detection of a crank pulse associated with dropout of a crank pulse or occurrence of noise.

Abstract: A plurality of portable terminals carried by nurses and a plurality of TV cameras disposed in respective rooms are able to send and receive images to and from a TV camera controller, by means of a wireless LAN, and hence a nurse can observe the status in each room, in real time, by means of his or her portable terminal. Moreover, the TV camera controller is able to provide a multiple display of the images from the plurality of TV cameras, on a TV monitor, and therefore the status of each of the rooms can be monitored in real time in the reception area also. Consequently, work can be carried out more effectively and at lower cost, in terms of the movements performed by the nurses.

Abstract: The medical equipment rental system comprises a plurality of hospitals, and a medical equipment rental center run by a rental operator who has concluded medical equipment rental agreements with these hospitals, the hospitals and the medical equipment rental center being interconnected by means of a communications line. The medical equipment rental center dispatches endoscope equipment required by a hospital, from a stock room, on the specified date and time, recovers the equipment from the examination room of the hospital after the examination, and cleans and sterilises the endoscope device that has been rented out, in a reprocessing room, before subsequently storing the equipment in a stock room. As a result of this, by renting out medical equipment requested by a rentee system, to the rentee system, by means of a rental service system on a fee-paying basis, it is possible to support medical examinations which are efficient and inexpensive.

Abstract: A sterilization apparatus includes a chamber in which a material to be sterilized is stored to sterilize the material by steam having a high temperature and pressure. An opening/closing mechanism opens and closes the chamber. A cooling mechanism cools the material in a thermally isolated state from the inside of the chamber. A control section drives the cooling mechanism as the opening/closing mechanism opens the chamber after the sterilizing step ends, thereby to cool the material.

Abstract: A washing vessel capable of housing an endoscope is formed in an apparatus body. A washing solution containing a detergent is spurted against the endoscope arranged within the washing vessel for washing the endoscope. Also, an oxide-based disinfecting-sterilizing solution is supplied into the washing vessel for disinfecting-sterilizing the endoscope after the washing step together with the washing vessel.

Abstract: A steam sterilization storing device comprises a cooling holding unit for holding and cooling sterilized equipment which has been sterilized by hot steam such as endoscopes, and at least one of a drying holding unit for holding and drying the sterilized equipment and a storage unit for holding and storing the sterilized equipment.

Abstract: A document search method for extracting document information similar in content to given document information, from a document database with high accuracy and efficiency. A first document database is searched based on a search query which is input by a user. First document information extracted by the search of the first document database is formatted into a format of a second document database. The second document database is searched by using the formatted first document information. Second document information which is similar in content to the formatted first document information is extracted. A degree of similarity between the formatted first document information and the second document information is calculated. The calculated degree of similarity is corrected in accordance with a condition of correction which is preset. The first and second document information and the corrected degree of similarity are output.

Abstract: A washing vessel capable of housing an endoscope is formed in an apparatus body. A washing solution containing a detergent is spurted against the endoscope arranged within the washing vessel for washing the endoscope. Also, an oxide-based disinfecting-sterilizing solution is supplied into the washing vessel for disinfecting-sterilizing the endoscope after the washing step together with the washing vessel.

Abstract: A washing vessel capable of housing an endoscope is formed in an apparatus body. A washing solution containing a detergent is spurted against the endoscope arranged within the washing vessel for washing the endoscope. Also, an oxide-based disinfecting-sterilizing solution is supplied into the washing vessel for disinfecting-sterilizing the endoscope after the washing step together with the washing vessel.

Abstract: In a freeze-concentrating apparatus, an aqueous solution is cooled by a cooling cylinder 22 serving as a heat exchanger for cooling to continuously produce a suspension containing ice crystals. A liquid component is separated and discharged from the suspension to increase the ratio of the ice crystals, and the ice crystals are grown to produce a column-shaped ice cake. The ice cake is cut into an ice pillar of a given length and a concentrated solution is taken out from the ice pillar.

Abstract: A platinum thin film having a thickness of 0.01 to 5 &mgr;m is formed by means of the sputtering method on a press face of a die based on the use of a cemented carbide base material. A nickel thin film having a thickness of 0.05 to 0.5 &mgr;m and a thin film made of an alloy of platinum and iridium are allowed to intervene between the cemented carbide base material and the platinum thin film, if necessary. Alternatively, an alloy thin film having a thickness of 0.01 to 5 &mgr;m, which contains 10 to 70% by weight of iridium and 30 to 90% by weight of one or more species of metals selected from metals of the platinum group except for iridium, may be allowed to intervene between the cemented carbide base material and the platinum thin film.

Abstract: An article surveillance security system with self-alarm operates at 6 through 10 MHz as a central frequency, receives a swept low level radio wave within ±5 through 15% from the central frequency, and sounds the alarm. It includes a tuning circuit (1) tuning to the central frequency, and a differential amplifier (2) for amplifying and detecting the output of the tuning circuit. The load resistance (R1) of the differential amplifier is set to 3 through 5 M&OHgr;, and the operating current of the differential amplifier is set to 3 &mgr;A or less. The base-emitter of the amplification/detection transistor (Tr1) of the differential amplifier are connected to the base-emitter of another diode-connected transistor (Tr2) to stabilize a bias drift by temperature. Thus, a receiving circuit of an article surveillance security system with self-alarm (tag) is realized with ability having a power supply of approximately four-year durability, stably operating with a very low level radio wave at 8.

Abstract: A swing-type actuator for use in a magnetic disk unit which includes a magnetic head; an arm supporting the head and a movable coil acting in a magnetic circuit. The movable coil is composed of a coil bobbin having a conductive wire wrapped around the bobbin. The bobbin is produced by injection molding into the bobbin of a thermoplastic resin having a flexural modulus of at least 8×102 kgf/mm2 and a heat deformation temperature of at least 200° C. under a load of 18.6 kg/cm2. A junction member to which the arm and the bobbin are integrally fixed by insert molding is made of the same resin as the bobbin or another thermoplastic resin being selected from the group consisting of a polybutylene terephthalate resin, a polyphenylene sulfide resin, a polyamide, a polyether ether ketone resin and thermotropic liquid crystal polymer.

Abstract: The present invention provides apparatus and a process for efficiently removing particles generated during a laser marking of the semiconductor wafer substrate, thereby improving the yield. The process of the invention for marking a semiconductor wafer substrate by a beam of laser radiation comprises the steps of flowing a gas over a marking region at a predetermined flow rate and removing the gas from the marking region at the same predetermined flow rate, thereby generating a gas flow having a predetermined flow rate over and adjacent the marking region so that particles produced from the semiconductor wafer substrate while it is being marked will be removed. In a preferred embodiment, the semiconductor wafer substrate may be mounted with its upper surface to be marked directed downwardly while the laser marking beam is directed upwardly to the substrate.