Abstract: A proximity and contact sensor (10) is provided with a sensor element (11) and a detection circuit (16). The sensor element is provided with a matrix (13) in which coil-shaped carbon fibers (12) are dispersed. A high-frequency oscillation circuit (19) of the detection circuit (16) supplies the sensor element with a high-frequency signal. A detector (22) in the detection circuit (16) receives an output signal from the sensor element (11) and detects proximity of an object (24). In one example, the coil-shaped carbon fibers (12) are contained in the matrix by 1 to 20% by weight. In another example, a high-frequency oscillation circuit generates a high-frequency signal of 100 to 800 kHz.

Abstract: A proximity and contact sensor (10) is provided with a sensor element (11) and a detection circuit (16). The sensor element is provided with a matrix (13) in which coil-shaped carbon fibers (12) are dispersed. A high-frequency oscillation circuit (19) of the detection circuit (16) supplies the sensor element with a high-frequency signal. A detector (22) in the detection circuit (16) receives an output signal from the sensor element (11) and detects proximity of an object (24). In one example, the coil-shaped carbon fibers (12) are contained in the matrix by 1 to 20% by weight. In another example, a high-frequency oscillation circuit generates a high-frequency signal of 100 to 800 kHz.

Abstract: A child seat anchoring device for anchoring a child seat to a vehicle body includes first and second tether belts, a connecting member connecting the first and second tether belts, a housing of the connecting member, and first and second shafts in the connecting member. One of the first and second shafts is a tension driven shaft movable by a tension. An urging member is provided for urging the tension driven shaft, and a see-through portion is provided with the housing. A tension indicator having an indicating portion faces the see-through portion. The other of the first and second shafts serves as a locking shaft movable toward the tension driven shaft. The housing further includes a pressing member, a clamping portion for clamping the tether belt, and an operating portion for moving the locking shaft.

Abstract: A bleaching composition comprising a peroxide and a photocatalyst (a visible light responsive photocatalyst) activated by the effect of light having a wavelength of greater than or equal to 420 nm. A method of bleaching teeth comprising application of the composition according to any of claims 1 to 4 on the surface of a tooth and irradiating the resulting coating with light comprising a component with a wavelength of greater than or equal to 420 nm.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing biomagnetic imaging to determine the location and intensity of current sources within a subject includes a sensor unit for sensing the magnetic field within the subject and for providing sensing signals. A signal processor defines a grid having multiple grid points and performs inverse estimation to determine the distribution of current sources on the defined grid based on the sensing signals. The signal processor then modifies the grid to improve the resolution of the current sources distributed on the grid. A control unit controls the operation of the signal processor and processes image data to provide magnified and non-magnified displays on a display unit. The biomagnetic imaging method and apparatus can be combined with a system for providing magnetic resonance imaging data so as to produce a superimposed display including an MRI image and a biomagnetic image.

Abstract: The present invention realates to an ultrasonic transducer providing a plurality of arranged vibrators as the piezoelectric materials. The present invention easily provide the shading to the polarization in the elevation direction of the piezoelectric materials in order to narrow the beam transmitted from the transducer. For this purpose, a structure of the present invention provides for the polarization (V.sub.1, V.sub.2, V.sub.3) of piezoelectric material of arranged vibrators to be gradually reduced in mass like a staircase from the center of the arranged vibrators to both end portions in the direction orthogonally crossing the arrangment direction of a plurality of arranged vibrators.

Abstract: An ultrasonic probe for use in hollow organs such as blood vessels of a living body and in other hollow objects of structures such as pipes, includes a piezoelectric transducer, a reflector and a rotor all housed in a tube. The rotor moves and/or rotates the piezoelectric transducer and/or the reflector and is driven by a stator located outside the object under examination.

Abstract: An Ultrasonic Equipment and its Catheter-type Ultrasonic Probe can be inserted in capillaries such as blood vessels, and comprises a catheter-type ultrasonic probe for generating ultrasonic waves by a piezoelectric transducer arrayed at its tip. A plurality of the piezoelectric transducer segments are arrayed on a two-dimensional plane, perpendicular or approximately perpendicular to the insertion direction of the probe into a capillary with their ultrasonic wave emitting surface faced in the insertion direction. A part of the plane is cut out to provide a guide unit for passing a treating catheter or a guide wire in the insertion direction.

Abstract: An acoustic coupler, combined with an ultrasound probe, is made of a gel a part of which is hardened for providing holding means for holding the probe for lifting up the probe with the coupler and another part of which is used to form an acoustically transparent path between the probe and a surface of an object to be acoustically inspected. Poly vinyl alcohol (PVA) is a typical material for the gel, and the coupler is fabricated by molding a PVA solution by partially increasing concentration of PVA and/or a repeating frequency of refrigerating and thawing the PVA solution, compared with those for the transparent path, in a molding process of the coupler.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an ultrasonic transducer for controlling an ultrasonic beam with the vibrators arranged and particularly to an ultrasonic transducer having improved the ultrasonic beam characteristic in the short axis direction in order to realize a high image quality ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. The present invention is aimed at improving the ultrasonic beam characteristic and therefore the present invention discloses an ultrasonic transducer for controlling ultrasonic beam using many vibrators arranged in the form of an array in which a composite piezoelectric element (1) is used as an electric-acoustic conversion element of the vibrator and the electrode (2) divided in the short axis direction orthogonally crossing the arrangement direction of many vibrators is also provided on the composite piezoelectric vibrator (1).

Abstract: The applicator according to the present invention applies an ultrasonic gel to an ultrasonic wave radiating surface of a probe. The applicator includes a container containing the ultrasonic gel, a belt partly immersed in the ultrasonic gel in the container and partly protruding therefrom and exposed to the outside, and a belt drive unit driven by rollers for drawing up the ultrasonic gel in the container to an exposed position outside of the container.

Abstract: An ultrasonic probe includes a housing, and a plurality of piezoelectric elements radially arranged in a plane substantially perpendicular to a direction in which the ultrasonic probe is inserted into a hollow portion to be scanned. The ultrasonic probe also includes an electrical part for carrying electricity to the piezoelectric elements to thereby cause the piezoelectric elements to emit ultrasonic waves and for carrying, to an external device, electric signals generated from the ultrasonic waves reflected by the hollow portion and received by the piezoelectric elements.

Abstract: An ultrasonic probe includes a housing, a piezoelectric element provided in the housing, the piezoelectric element emitting an ultrasonic beam, and a refracting member rotatably provided in the housing. The refracting member has a first surface opposite to the piezoelectric element and a second surface at which the ultrasonic beam emitted from the piezoelectric element and passing through the first surface is deflected in a state where a deflection angle between an axis perpendicular to a surface of the piezoelectric element and a deflected ultrasonic beam changes as the refracting member rotates.

Abstract: A plurality of rectangular piezo-electric ultrasonic sector transducers are aligned to form an array, and each transducer has first and second electrodes on its radiating surface. The first electrode is located on a center line of the sector transducer's length, and has a first length in the longitudinal direction and a first width along the center line. Two of the second electrodes are arranged outside the first electrode, symmetrical to the center line. The two second electrodes have a second length in the longitudinal direction longer than the first length, and have a second width which is almost the same as the first width, along a line near the center line. Thus, diamond-shaped electrodes excellent for providing a beam narrow in the longitudinal direction can be employed as the first electrode, and the combination of the first and second electrodes can be connected to each other.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for measuring a very weak magnetic field generated by a human body, etc. External magnetic noise components coming from other magnetic sources and existing around an object whose magnetic field is to be measured are detected by compensation coils of the apparatus. The compensation coils are oriented in multiple dimensional directions. The detected noise components are weighted and added to each other to correctly find the noise components. Thereafter, the noise components mixed in the objective very weak magnetic field are removed, thereby correctly measuring the very weak magnetic field.

Abstract: An ultrasound probe for a medical imaging system, comprising an ultrasound absorber and a piezoelectric vibrator mounted on the ultrasound absorber, cut in the direction from the surface of the piezoelectric vibrator to the ultrasound absorber into an array by a plurality of cutting grooves. The cutting depth d of each cutting groove in the ultrasound absorber is determined as an integer multiple of a quarter of a wave length .lambda. corresponding to a center frequency f.sub.0 of ultrasound waves radiated from the piezoelectric vibrator. Consequently, symmetrical electro-acoustic conversion characteristics of the ultrasound probe can be obtained in the frequency domain.

Abstract: Ultrasonic transducer having a plurality of piezoelectric elements arranged in a matrix, and a method for fabricating them. L shaped printed wiring boards are respectively bonded to each arrays of piezoelectric elements arranged in azimuthal direction. The bonding points of the L shaped printed wiring board to respective piezoelectric element are located at edge portion of respective back electrode. The other branch of L shaped printed wiring boards are stretched vertically to the surface of the piezoelectric elements matrix. A backing plate is formed by molding on the back side of the piezoelectric elements matrix leaving the top of the L shaped printed wiring board protruded from the molded surface of the molded backing plate. Such configuration prevents the reflection from the wiring plate of the piezoelectric element. A flexible printed wiring board is provided with wiring pattern having bonding areas positioned corresponding to the matrix of piezoelectric elements.

Abstract: An ultrasonic sector-scan probe comprises at least an array having a plurality of ultrasonic transducer segments, a window for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves and an ultrasonic wave propagation medium filled in a front space between the array and the window. A group of the ultrasonic transducer segments are selectively driven as an aperture and ultrasonic waves emitted therefrom are converged into a beam for transmission and reception. By partly or entirely changing the segments in the group with the ones outside the group the scan line is shifted to a new angle, and a member under test contacted with the window on the outside thereof is sector-scanned by the ultrasonic beam. The array is arranged so that scanning lines of the groups intersect at one point in the window or in its vicinity for sector scan.

Abstract: An ultrasonic sector-scan probe comprises at least an array having a plurality of ultrasonic transducer segments, a window for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves and an ultrasonic wave propagation medium filled in a front space between the array and the window. A group of the ultrasonic transducer segments are selectively driven as an aperture and ultrasonic waves emitted therefrom are converged into a beam for transmission and reception. By partly or entirely changing the segments in the group with the ones outside the group the scan line is shifted to a new angle, and a member under test contacted with the window on the outside thereof is sector-scanned by the ultrasonic beam. The array is arranged so that scanning lines of the groups intersect at one point in the window or in its vicinity for sector scan.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus protected from multi-reflection of sound echoes. Multi-reflection is avoided by eliminating the reflection from the surface of an electro-sound transducer. This invention eliminates the surface reflection of the transducer by following three methods:(a) changing a direction of each surface of an array of transducer elements to direct the reflected sound wave away from the main direction of the sound beam;(b) applying an acoustic matching layer to a surface of a piezo-electric device of the transducer to cancel out phases of sound waves reflected by the surfaces of the layer and the device; and(c) providing an acoustic matching surface on a front or back face of the piezo-electric device to cancel out phases of sound waves reflected by the surface of the device.