Abstract: To provide a plane heater, including a carbon wire heating element CW, in which surface arrangement density of the heating element CW in an outer area is denser than that in an inner area. A power supply terminal unit having connection wires for supplying electricity to the heating element CW is arranged in the center on the back side of a silica glass plate-like member 2. Connection wires 4a and 4b connected with the heating element CW in the inner area are connected with the heating element in the inner area in the center of the silica glass plate-like member. Connection wires 3a and 3b connected with the heating element in the outer area are extended from the center of the silica glass plate-like member toward the outer area and connected with the heating element CW in the outer area, without intersecting the heating element CW in the inner area.

Abstract: [Problem to be Solved] To provide a plane heater including a carbon wire heating element which has an arrangement pattern allowing a heating surface to be a substantially uniform heating temperature plane. [Means to Solve Problem] Surface arrangement densities of a carbon wire heating element CW are different in an inner area and an outer area located in the periphery. The surface arrangement density in the above-mentioned outer area is denser than the surface arrangement density in the inner area. A power supply terminal unit 8 having connection wires for supplying electricity to the above-mentioned heating element CW is arranged in the center on the back side of the above-mentioned silica glass plate-like member 2. The connection wires 4a and 4b connected with the carbon wire heating element in the above-mentioned inner area are connected with the carbon wire heating element CW in the inner area in the center of the above-mentioned silica glass plate-like member.

Abstract: An engine includes: a cylinder block; and a piston ring, in which the cylinder block has a cylinder liner portion formed of an aluminum-based composite reinforced by a ceramic containing at least either of a silicon carbide and an alumina, and in which the piston ring is coated with a nitride film (20) including a vanadium nitride layer (21) exposed on an outer circumferential sliding surface (17).

Abstract: A plane heater and a semiconductor heat treatment apparatus having the heater which suppress high frequency induction heating by having an earth electrode therein for suppressing high frequency induction and do not corrode with an excited reaction gas is provided. A plane heater 1 includes a carbon wire heating element CW arranged and sealed two-dimensionally inside a silica glass plate-like member 2 and an earth electrode 3 arranged and sealed two-dimensionally inside the silica glass plate-like member 2 above the above-mentioned carbon wire heating element CW.

Abstract: A process for producing a ceramic molding having a three-dimensional network structure with a plurality of spherical cells and a plurality of through holes present in dividing walls between the spherical cells, includes: a step of obtaining an aggregate of coated particles in which a plurality of ceramic particles are attached to the surface of spherical synthetic resin particles; a step of arranging the aggregate of coated particles in closest packed form within a mold; a step of filling gaps in the aggregate of coated particles with a ceramic so as to give a shaped product; a step of releasing the shaped product from the mold; a step of thermally decomposing the spherical synthetic resin particles of the shaped product so as to form the spherical cells and form the plurality of through holes in dividing wall-forming sections that are present between adjacent spherical cells; and a step of sintering the ceramic particles and the ceramic so as to form the dividing walls.

Abstract: The ceramic molded body of the present invention includes spherical cells of a spherical bubble plurally formed therein: in the ceramic molded body the spherical cells neighboring each other are communicated through communication porosities and form a three-dimensional network structure, and a ratio (Md/MD) of a median (Md) of inner diameters of the communication porosities to a median (MD) of inner diameters of the spherical cells is less than 0.5. In the ceramic molded body used for manufacturing a metal matrix composite, a metal is filled within the spherical cells and the communication porosities.

Abstract: an engine includes: a cylinder block; and a piston ring, in which the cylinder block has a cylinder liner portion formed of an aluminum-based composite reinforced by a ceramic containing at least either of a silicon carbide and an alumina, and in which the piston ring is coated with a nitride film (20) including a vanadium nitride layer (21) exposed on an outer circumferential sliding surface (17).

Abstract: In a cylinder block, at least one member disposed around a bore is made of a metal matrix composite including a ceramic compact having a three-dimensional mesh structure comprised of a plurality of spherical cells and a plurality of communicating pores for allowing adjacent spherical cells to communicate with each other, with the plurality of spherical cells filled with a metal.

Abstract: The ceramic molded body of the present invention includes spherical cells of a spherical bubble plurally formed therein: in the ceramic molded body the spherical cells neighboring each other are communicated through communication porosities and form a three-dimensional network structure, and a ratio (Md/MD) of a median (Md) of inner diameters of the communication porosities to a median (MD) of inner diameters of the spherical cells is less than 0.5. In the ceramic molded body used for manufacturing a metal matrix composite, a metal is filled within the spherical cells and the communication porosities.

Abstract: In a cylinder block, at least one member disposed around a bore is made of a metal matrix composite including a ceramic compact having a three-dimensional mesh structure comprised of a plurality of spherical cells and a plurality of communicating pores for allowing adjacent spherical cells to communicate with each other, with the plurality of spherical cells filled with a metal.

Abstract: A process for producing a ceramic molding having a three-dimensional network structure with a plurality of spherical cells and a plurality of through holes present in dividing walls between the spherical cells, includes: a step of obtaining an aggregate of coated particles in which a plurality of ceramic particles are attached to the surface of spherical synthetic resin particles; a step of arranging the aggregate of coated particles in closest packed form within a mold; a step of filling gaps in the aggregate of coated particles with a ceramic so as to give a shaped product; a step of releasing the shaped product from the mold; a step of thermally decomposing the spherical synthetic resin particles of the shaped product so as to form the spherical cells and form the plurality of through holes in dividing wall-forming sections that are present between adjacent spherical cells; and a step of sintering the ceramic particles and the ceramic so as to form the dividing walls.

Abstract: A fault diagnosis apparatus comprises a vibration sensor for detecting vibration waveforms being generating by machinery or equipment, a cumulative frequency computing device for obtaining a cumulative frequency distribution curve of an absolute value of the vibration waveforms detected by the vibration sensor, a maximum value detecting device for obtaining a maximum value xp of the vibration waveforms detected by the vibration sensor, a peak ratio computing device for obtaining the peak ratio &bgr;1 of an equivalent effective value &sgr;eq in the cumulative frequency distribution curve computed by the cumulative frequency computing device to the maximum value xp computed by the maximum value detecting device, and a fault diagnosing device for diagnosing the degree of fault of the machinery or equipment from the magnitude of the peak ratio &bgr;1 computed by the peak ratio computing device.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating a test pattern enabling the detection of malfunctions produced when a semiconductor device is loaded on actual equipment prior to marketing. Using a logical analyzer, signal waveform data collected during the period of signal malfunction is acquired. This signal waveform data is converted by a test pattern generating device into a test pattern for automatic testing equipment. This test pattern is used to change data at the time of malfunction into normal data to generate a pattern of expected values for an output signal of the semiconductor device. Then, it is determined whether the input signal setting required for an output signal of the semiconductor device is present in the signal waveform data. If not, a test pattern for setting the input signal is generated. If the malfunction is reproduced in the testing equipment, the test pattern is used as a mass production test.

Abstract: A method of defrosting frozen products of the present invention is the method of carrying out microwave heating while reducing the pressure, terminating microwave heating upon detection of a microwave-induced electrical discharge during the microwave heating step, reducing the pressure while microwave heating is in a terminated state to a pressure level at or below a sublimation pressure level to generate sublimation on the frozen products, returning the pressure to a prescribed pressure level to enable microwave heating to be restarted, and repeating the steps from the microwave heating step through the pressure returning step a prescribed number of times.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for carrying out high quality defrosting in a short amount of time which creates only a small temperature difference between the inside and outside of the frozen products, with very little oxidation of the frozen products, and without generating a drip from the frozen products regardless of the shape and temperature of the frozen products.

Abstract: A defrosting method and apparatus for defrosting frozen food products which is based on a pressure reducing chamber in which the frozen food products are placed for defrosting; a vacuum pump for reducing the pressure in the pressure reducing chamber to a pressure level at or below the sublimation pressure of said frozen food products; a microwave heating unit; and a support jig for supporting said frozen food products.

Abstract: A fault diagnosis apparatus comprises a vibration sensor for detecting vibration waveforms being generating by machinery or equipment, a cumulative frequency computing device for obtaining a cumulative frequency distribution curve of an absolute value of the vibration waveforms detected by the vibration sensor, a maximum value detecting device for obtaining a maximum value xp of the vibration waveforms detected by the vibration sensor, a peak ratio computing device for obtaining the peak ratio &bgr;1 of an equivalent effective value &sgr;eq in the cumulative frequency distribution curve computed by the cumulative frequency computing device to the maximum value xp computed by the maximum value detecting device, and a fault diagnosing device for diagnosing the degree of fault of the machinery or equipment from the magnitude of the peak ratio &bgr;1 computed by the peak ratio computing device.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating a test Pattern enabling the detection of malfunctions produced on loading on an actual equipment in advance such as at the time of production testing. Using a logical analyzer, signal waveform data during a time period beginning with a first time point going back from the time of the malfunction and running until a second time point including the malfunctioning time is acquired. This signal waveform data is converted by a test pattern generating device into a test pattern for an automatic testing equipment for testing a semiconductor device as a device to be test. The test pattern so generated is output and used to change data at the time of malfunction into normal data to generate a pattern of expected values for an output signal of the semiconductor device. It is then checked whether or not input signal setting required in connection with an output signal of the semiconductor device is present in the signal waveform data.

Abstract: A mold is provided which is capable of producing a sound fiber-reinforced composite article utilizing a die-casting process. A cavity in the mold includes a composite article forming area in which a formed product of fiber is located, a molten metal storing area located adjacent the composite article forming area to fill a molten metal into the formed product of fiber, and a molten metal flow slackening area for reducing the turbulent flow of the molten metal from gates to introduce it to the molten metal storing area. Thus, the flow of the molten metal introduced into the molten metal storing area, is brought into a substantially laminar flow state, so that the inclusion of air in the molten metal flow is inhibited. Therefore, the molten metal in the molten metal storing area can be smoothly filled into the formed product of fiber under pressure.

Abstract: In an engine block structure in a multi-cylinder engine in which a piston is incorporated from the side of a crank chamber into each of a plurality of cylinders disposed in series in a cylinder block, cylinder axes of the two adjacent cylinders are disposed to extend in such directions that they are gradually spaced apart from each other as proceeding from the side of a valve operating chamber toward the crank chamber as viewed from a direction of arrangement of the cylinders. Thus, a sufficient crankshaft bearing area can be ensured without bringing an increase in number of parts and an increase in size of the engine block.