Abstract: Positioning precision between an image-acquisition device and an objective lens is enhanced by suppressing manufacturing errors. Provided is an endoscope image-acquisition unit equipped with an objective-lens-unit frame that holds an objective lens and an image-acquisition-device holding frame that is fitted to the objective-lens-unit frame and that holds an image-acquisition device, wherein the objective-lens-unit frame and the image-acquisition-device holding frame are attached and secured to each other by means of thermosetting resin that is applied to fitting portions therebetween and in which polar-molecule materials are mixed, and one of the objective-lens-unit frame and the image-acquisition-device holding frame, whichever one is positioned outside at the fitting portions, is formed of a material that allows microwaves to pass therethrough.

Abstract: Positioning precision between an image-acquisition device and an objective lens is enhanced by suppressing manufacturing errors. Provided is an endoscope image-acquisition unit equipped with an objective-lens-unit frame that holds an objective lens and an image-acquisition-device holding frame that is fitted to the objective-lens-unit frame and that holds an image-acquisition device, wherein the objective-lens-unit frame and the image-acquisition-device holding frame are attached and secured to each other by means of thermosetting resin that is applied to fitting portions therebetween and in which polar-molecule materials are mixed, and one of the objective-lens-unit frame and the image-acquisition-device holding frame, whichever one is positioned outside at the fitting portions, is formed of a material that allows microwaves to pass therethrough.

Abstract: A fluid pressure actuator including a fluid pressure cylinder having a first position detector and a second position detector, a piston body having a piston head and a rod, the piston head mounted on the rod and slidably accommodated in the fluid pressure cylinder, the rod including a first scale and a second scale, the first scale facing the first position detector and the first position detector configured to detect a position in a sliding direction of the piston body, the second scale facing the second position detector and the second position detector configured to detect a position of the rod in a rotation direction of the piston body, and a controller configured to perform a first positioning control of a position of the rod in the sliding direction and a second positioning control of the rod in the rotation direction may be provided.

Abstract: Provided is an endoscope objective optical system including, in order from an object side, an aperture stop, a front group having positive refractive power, and a rear group having positive refractive power, in which the rear group is formed by joining a single lens having positive refractive power and a single lens having negative refractive power and is joined to an imaging device; a joining surface between the single lenses has positive refractive power; and the endoscope objective optical system satisfies following Conditional Expression (1): 0.15<fF/fR<0.5,??(1) where fF indicates a focal length of the front group, and fR indicates a focal length of the rear group.

Abstract: The invention provides lenses at low cost, which form an illumination optical system for endoscopes that has high efficiency and achieves improved light distribution. The illumination optical system for endoscopes is used in opposition to a light beam exit end 1 of a transmission means F for light emitted from a light source, and comprises, as viewed from the light beam exit end 1, a lens group 10 having positive power and an optical member 20 subsequent thereto which has a spherical surface 20a that functions as a lens, has a radius of curvature R, and satisfies the following condition: 1.48?S/?R2?4??(1) where R is the radius of curvature of the spherical surface, in mm, and S is a surface area of the spherical surface, in mm2.

Abstract: The invention provides lenses at low costs, which form an illumination optical system for endoscopes that has high efficiency and achieves improved light distribution. The illumination optical system for endoscopes is used in opposition to a light beam exit end 1 of a transmission means F for light out of a light source, and comprises, as viewed from the light beam exit end 1, a lens group 10 having positive power and an optical member 20 subsequent to thereto which has a spherical surface 20a that has a radius of curvature R and lens action, and satisfies the following condition: 1.48?S/?R2?4 ??(1) where R is the radius of curvature of the spherical surface, and S is a surface area of the spherical surface.

Abstract: A fuel reforming method includes the step of supplying carbon-containing fuel and steam to a reactor filled with a fuel reforming catalyst and a CO2 absorbent and discharging CO2, and setting the absorbent at an absorption temperature, thereby converting the carbon-containing fuel into reformed fuel, and separating CO2 from the reformed fuel, the step of obtaining a product gas by oxidizing a portion of the reformed fuel and/or the carbon-containing fuel with an oxidizer, and heating the absorbent with this product gas to a regeneration temperature, thereby regenerating the absorbent and storing heat in this absorbent, and the step of supplying the carbon-containing fuel and steam to the reactor, thereby cooling, to the absorption temperature, the absorbent heated to the regeneration temperature, and converting the carbon-containing fuel into reformed fuel by heat energy stored in the CO2 absorbent. An apparatus for the method is also disclosed.

Abstract: A phase comparison circuit for generating control voltages for a number of varactors of a phase locked loop (PLL) circuit has been disclosed. According to a particular embodiment, a number of phase difference detection circuits (101, 102 and 103) can be successively activated in response to a set of activation signals to generate output voltage signals (Vtunei). Output voltage signals (Vtunei) can vary according to an elapsed period time, and thus represent a phase difference. Each phase difference detection circuit (101, 102 and 103) can activate a trigger signal (Trg) when an internal voltage signal equals a predetermined value. A main signal (SIG) can be input as an activation signal to a first stage phase difference detection circuit (101). A trigger signal from a first stage phase difference detection circuit (101) can be input as an activation signal to a subsequent stage phase difference detection circuit (102).

Abstract: A single-phase clock CLK0 is divided into a clock signal CLK1 to drive nMOS transistor and a clock signal CLK2 to drive pMOS transistor, and the resulting clock signals are inputted to DFF circuits 1 to 3 constituting a frequency dividing circuit, making gms of nMOS and pMOS transistors larger than that could be achieved using the conventional technique. Therefore, frequency dividing performance can be greatly improved in comparison with that achieved using conventional technology.

Abstract: A phase comparison circuit for generating control voltages for a number of varactors of a phase locked loop (PLL) circuit has been disclosed. According to a particular embodiment, a number of phase difference detection circuits (101, 102 and 103) can be successively activated in response to a set of activation signals to generate output voltage signals (Vtunei). Output voltage signals (Vtunei) can vary according to an elapsed period time, and thus represent a phase difference. Each phase difference detection circuit (101, 102 and 103) can activate a trigger signal (Trg) when an internal voltage signal equals a predetermined value. A main signal (SIG) can be input as an activation signal to a first stage phase difference detection circuit (101). A trigger signal from a first stage phase difference detection circuit (101) can be input as an activation signal to a subsequent stage phase difference detection circuit (102).

Abstract: A fuel reforming method includes the step of supplying carbon-containing fuel and steam to a reactor filled with a fuel reforming catalyst and a CO2 absorbent and discharging CO2, and setting the absorbent at an absorption temperature, thereby converting the carbon-containing fuel into reformed fuel, and separating CO2 from the reformed fuel, the step of obtaining a product gas by oxidizing a portion of the reformed fuel and/or the carbon-containing fuel with an oxidizer, and heating the absorbent with this product gas to a regeneration temperature, thereby regenerating the absorbent and storing heat in this absorbent, and the step of supplying the carbon-containing fuel and steam to the reactor, thereby cooling, to the absorption temperature, the absorbent heated to the regeneration temperature, and converting the carbon-containing fuel into reformed fuel by heat energy stored in the CO2 absorbent. An apparatus for the method is also disclosed.

Abstract: A single-phase clock CLK0 is divided into a clock signal CLK1 to drive nMOS transistor and a clock signal CLK2 to drive pMOS transistor, and the resulting clock signals are inputted to DFF circuits 1 to 3 constituting a frequency dividing circuit, making gms of nMOS and pMOS transistors larger than that could be achieved using the conventional technique. Therefore, frequency dividing performance can be greatly improved in comparison with that achieved using conventional technology.

Abstract: The speed of coal gas desulfurization is improved and the total size of the apparatus can be made compact. The apparatus comprises a sulfide-ion-producing portion (54), which reacts with a sulfur compound being supplied by the coal gas and produces sulfide ion S2− in molten carbonate. A sulfur compound discharge portion (53) discharges a sulfur compound produced by a reaction with sulfur discharge gas (56).

Abstract: A gasification power generation system includes: a gasifying section for allowing a fuel, such as coal, to react with a gasifying agent, such as air, to produce a gasified product gas; a power-generating section for generating electricity using energy obtained by burning the gasified product gas, which is produced by the gasifying section; and a preheating section for preheating the gasifying agent supplied to the gasifying section, to a self ignition temperature of, e.g., about 1000° C. The preheating section raises the temperature of air supplied into the gasifying section, to a high temperature of about 1000° C. when a fossil fuel, such as coal, is used as the fuel. Thus, it is possible to achieve gasification power generation with a high generating efficiency using inexpensive, simple constructions and to realize a stable and low NOx combustion of the gasified product gas.