Abstract: A positioning apparatus for positioning an object in respective axis directions of an X-axis, a Y-axis perpendicular to the X-axis, and a Z-axis orthogonal to the X-axis and the Y-axis and positioning the object around the Z-axis within a plane parallel to the X-axis and the Y-axis is provided. A fastener detachably fastens the retainer. A gap is formed between a first reference surface of the retainer and the second reference surface of the fastener when a fixing shaft of the retainer is inserted into a fixing hole of the fastener, an outer surface of a pyramid part of the fixing shaft fits to an inner surface of the fixing hole and the object is positioned in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction.

Abstract: A positioning apparatus for positioning an object in respective axis directions of an X-axis, a Y-axis perpendicular to the X-axis, and a Z-axis orthogonal to the X-axis and the Y-axis and positioning the object around the Z-axis within a plane parallel to the X-axis and the Y-axis is provided. A fastener detachably fastens the retainer. A gap is formed between a first reference surface of the retainer and the second reference surface of the fastener when a fixing shaft of the retainer is inserted into a fixing hole of the fastener, an outer surface of a pyramid part of the fixing shaft fits to an inner surface of the fixing hole and the object is positioned in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction.

Abstract: A magnetic disk read/write circuit comprises a core having a pair of coils wound such that signals supplied to the coils becomes opposite in phase and a read circuit having a first input terminal connected to one of terminals of a read head through one of the coils to receive a read signal from the read head and a second input terminal connected to the other terminal of the read head through the other coil to receive the read signal from the read head or a write circuit in which the read head is a write head, the signal at the first input terminal is a signal at the first output terminal and the signal at the second input terminal is a signal at a second input terminal.

Abstract: The present invention provides a new ice nucleus-forming bacterium strain, Xanthomonas campestris INXC-1 (FERM BP-4191), a process for the cultivation of the new ice nucleus-forming bacterium, an ice nucleus-forming substance containing the ice nucleus-forming bacterium, and the uses of the ice nucleus-forming substance. Further, a method for lyophilizing a food using the strain as an ice nucleus-forming substance is disclosed; wherein the method is carried out by adding the strain to the food, thereby freezing the food, and then vaporizing moisture from the frozen food to effect drying. The food types which may be lyophilized using the method include tea extracts, fruit juices, soy sauce, sauces, drippings, soups fermented soy bean paste and agar.

Abstract: A disk chuck mechanism of the present invention reliably chucks a disk on an upper end surface of a cylinder by providing a short rod penetrating the cylinder, coupling a circular plate and a plate member to opposite ends of the rod, providing a biasing member such as coil springs for biasing the rod in the direction in which the rod is moved away from the cylinder, pulling the rod down from the cylinder by biasing force of the biasing member to expand a ring member having a diameter smaller than an annular groove and to fit it in the annular groove, to thereby uniformly press a side surface of a center opening of the disk with an outer peripheral surface of the cylinder.

Abstract: The present invention provides a new ice nucleus-forming bacterium strain, Xanthomonas campestris INXC-1 (FERM BP-4191), a process for the cultivation of the new ice nucleus-forming bacterium, an ice nucleus-forming substance containing the ice nucleus-forming bacterium, and the uses of the ice nucleus-forming substance.

Abstract: The present invention provides a new ice nucleus-forming bacterium strain, Xanthomonas campestris INXC-1 (FERM BP-4191), a process for the cultivation of the new ice nucleus-forming bacterium, an ice nucleus-forming substance containing the ice nucleus-forming bacterium, and the uses of the ice nucleus-forming substance. In particular a method for freezing a substance is disclosed wherein the strain FERM BP-4191 is incorporated into an ice nucleus forming substance and added to a food substance. For example, the addition is conducted by contacting the surface of the substance or by blending, or by pouring thereon the ice nucleus forming substance onto the substance to be frozen.

Abstract: An analytic test sheet feeder comprises a cylindrical container 11 having an elongated through hole 15 formed in a side wall thereof for receiving a test sheet, a container support 18 which comprises an upper portion having a semi-cylindrical concave surface and a hole 20 formed in a central portion of the concave surface to permit a test sheet descending from the through hole of the container 11 to be taken out therethrough 20, and a test sheet delivering stage 31 which receives and delivers the test sheet descending from the through hole 15.

Abstract: The present invention provides a new ice nucleus-forming bacterium strain, Xanthomonas campestris INXC-1 (FERM BP-4191), a process for the cultivation of the new ice nucleus-forming bacterium, an ice nucleus-forming substance containing the ice nucleus-forming bacterium, and the uses of the ice nucleus-forming substance.

Abstract: A processed egg powder comprising water-insoluble dry egg yolk particles of substantially spherical shape and a process for producing a processed egg yolk powder, which comprises spray-drying an egg liquid containing egg yolk and thereafter denaturing the resulting dry egg powder substantially in the form as it is.

Abstract: An apparatus for transporting an electronic component includes a head for holding the component when the component is picked up from a suitable storage device. The head is movable relative to a base with an imaging apparatus being fixed to the head and allowing position of the component relative to the head to be determined while the component is being transported. A movable optical component is provided on the head which, in one position, contributes to defining an optical path between the component and the imaging apparatus, and in another position, is withdrawn. A further imaging apparatus may be provided, on the base or on the head with the further imaging apparatus detecting the position of large components, if the first imaging apparatus has a narrow filed of view for small components. Alternatively, when the further imaging apparatus is on the head, the imaging apparatus may detect the position to which the component is to be transported.

Abstract: The distance sensor means and the ultrasonic probe are integrally coupled to each other in such a manner that a preceding scanning line to a current scanning line which is scanned by the ultrasonic probe is scanned by the distance sensor means, and the shape-measurement scanning operation of the distance sensor means and the flaw-detection scanning operation of the ultrasonic probe are performed in parallel with each other. A flaw detection area is divided into plural sub-areas, and plural storing areas are arranged in a mesh form in one-to-one correspondence to the sub-areas, only one shape information of position storing area including the flaw detection area being stored in each of the storing areas. The position and orientation of the ultrasonic probe at each flaw detection point is controlled using the stored shape information.

Abstract: An apparatus for containing semiconductor wafers and performing heat treatment thereon. Heaters disposed in a high temperature furnace form at least one heating space therein. An insertion and retrieval aperture is disposed at the lower portion of each heating space for allowing passage of wafers therethrough. Each of the heating spaces is adapted to receive one or two wafers and to provide simultaneous and uniform heat treatment on the wafers.

Abstract: Parallel, pulse-width-modulation controlled three-way valves each both supply and exhaust a pressure chamber of a fluid actuator. The phase difference of the oscillator carrier waves of the pulse width modulation input circuit effectively increases the frequency of a net actuator carrier wave so as to quicken the response of the actuator.

Abstract: A control system for a hydraulic circuit having an on-off valve interposed between the control valve and the actuator for allowing and blocking a flow of hydraulic fluid therebetween in which the control valve and on-off valves are actuated and switched in accordance with an operation signal from an operation device. Pressure sensors are connected to hydraulic lines upstream and downstream of the on-off valves for detecting the pressures in these hydraulic lines, and control unit is operative to calculate, based on the pressures detected by the pressure sensors, a value which reduces the difference between thrusts applied to the actuator and output the calculated value to the control valve while the on-off valves are closed to thereby perform pressure matching control.

Abstract: A gripping device for gripping an outer peripheral edge of an object to be grasped such as, for example, a semiconductor wafer, with the gripping device including a base, gripping members for gripping the object to be grasped, elastic members disposed between the base and the grip members so as to urge the respective grip members in an opening or closing direction. A driver for the grip members is provided, with the driver being fashioned as a linear or flat shape memory alloy member which is connected across the grip members.

Abstract: A working structure having a support and an arm assembly pivotally connected to the support. The arm assembly includes at least two arm members pivotally connected to each other and each pivotally moved by a respective actuator. The second arm member has an external load applied to its front end or working point.

Abstract: Tactile sensing apparatus for detecting a tactile sense with an object to-be-handled, comprising a plurality of pressure sensing devices, a processor which processes outputs of the pressure sensing devices, and a touch device which contacts with the respective pressure sensing devices in common, whereby information items on a pressure sense, a viscosity sense and a slip sense are simultaneously detected with the outputs of the pressure sensing devices which vary depending upon a direction and a magnitude of a force acting on the touch device.

Abstract: In a navigation apparatus for guiding a mobile system along a predetermined path, an image obtained by measuring an actual environment is compared with a predicted image stored in advance, and a guidance signal is delivered to the mobile system on the basis of the comparison of the images.