Abstract: A washing machine includes a dehydrating tub whose interior is divided by rotational angle detecting elements into a plurality of circumferential areas. A period of time required for each area to pass a water pouring location is cumulated by a timer function of a microcomputer in a rinse-with-dehydration operation in which the dehydrating tub is rotated with water being supplied to the tub, A quantity of water poured into or contained in laundry in each area is determined on the basis of a cumulated value so that insufficiency in the quantity of poured water due to rotational unevenness of the dehydrating tub is solved.

Abstract: In a shock wave generating system, a width of a focused region synthesized from a plurality of focal points formed by a plurality of shock waves is varied by properly controlling delay times and/or drive voltages for a plurality of ring-shaped piezoelectric transducer elements. The shock wave generating system includes a shock wave generating unit having a plurality of shock-wave generating elements and a driving unit for separately driving the plurality of shock-wave generating elements by controlling at least delay times to produce a plurality of shock waves in such a manner that a dimension of a focused region synthesized from a plurality of different focal points formed by the plurality of shock waves, is varied in accordance with a dimension of a concretion to be disintegrated which is present in a biological body under medical examination.

Abstract: A full automatic washing machine includes an outer tub, a rotatable tub rotatably mounted in the outer tub, an agitator rotatably mounted in the rotatable tub and an electric motor for driving the rotatable tub and the agitator. The volume of clothes accommodated in the rotatable tub is detected. A control circuit controls either a stored-water rinse mode in which the clothes are rinsed with water being stored in the rotatable tub or a rinse-with-dehydration mode in which the clothes are rinsed and dehydrated with the water supplied into the rotatable tub. The stored-water rinse mode is selected when the detected volume of clothes is large. The rinse-with-dehydration mode is selected when the detected volume is small.

Abstract: In a shockwave generating apparatus, a shockwave effective region pattern is displayed on a B-mode ultrasonic tomographic image of a biological body under superimposition state.

Abstract: An ultrasonic treatment apparatus has an applicator for generating ultrasound for an object to be treated, an ultrasonic probe arranged in the applicator for acquiring tomographic image information of the object to be examined and/or destroyed, and an applicator support for supporting the applicator such that the applicator is movable in several directions. This ultrasonic treatment apparatus further includes a provision for changing an approach direction of the applicator between a downward approach and an upward approach to achieve suitable treatment of the object to be treated, a monitor for displaying the tomographic image information of the object supplied from the ultrasonic probe, and an approach direction indicator for indicating a condition of the approach direction of the applicator, whether in the downward approach or in the upward approach on the monitor.

Abstract: In a shock wave generating apparatus, phase shifts contained in echo signals reflected from a calculus are corrected in order to clearly judge whether or not such a calculus is actually present at a focal point or a near region.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for an ultrasonic wave medical treatment in which it is possible to cheek the effect of the treatment in the course of the treatment, while executing the treatment process efficiently. In the apparatus, an entire ultrasonic wave medical treatment process is divided into a plurality of sections; a total number of ultrasonic wave irradiations for the entire ultrasonic wave medical treatment process and a sectional number of ultrasonic wave irradiations for each of the plurality of sections are set; and ultrasonic waves are irradiated on a treatment target for the total number of times, such that the ultrasonic waves are irradiated for the sectional number of times for each of the plurality of sections and then the ultrasonic waves radiation pauses before the ultrasonic wave irradiation for a subsequent one of the plurality of sections is executed.

Abstract: A shock wave medical treatment apparatus in which the imaging ultrasonic wave probe can be changed among those of different imaging region depths easily. The apparatus includes a shock wave transducer for generating shock waves with a focal point inside a body to be treated, having an aperture at a center; an imaging ultrasonic wave probe for taking images of the body to be treated containing the focal point of the shock wave; and a housing pipe, placed on a line joining the focal point of the shock wave and a center of the aperture of the shock wave transducer, for exchangeably holding the imaging ultrasonic wave probe.

Abstract: In a shock wave therapy apparatus, shock wave irradiation conditions, such as the number of shock wave irradiations, a pulse rate, a driving voltage, and the number of pause shots, are set by a setting unit in accordance with the position and size of a calculus in a subject which are acquired by an ultrasonic tomographic image. Irradiation of shock waves by a shock wave applicator starts according to the set shock wave irradiation conditions, and the ultrasonic tomographic image and the corresponding irradiation condition data are displayed on a display unit during shock wave irradiation. When the number of shock wave irradiations reaches the number of pause shots, the shock wave irradiation is temporarily stopped. Then, the focus point of a shock wave is moved on the basis of the ultrasonic tomographic image and irradiation condition data displayed on the display unit. When the shock wave irradiation is completed, a therapy record of the subject is printed out by an output unit.

Abstract: A shock-wave curative apparatus is provided with a second imaging probe, which is disposed outside a shock-wave applicator, in addition to a first imaging probe. The first imaging probe collects mode data of a human body, and is movably located at substantially the center of the shock-wave applicator. The second imaging probe is located outside the shock-wave applicator, and manually collects mode data of the human body from the outside of the shock-wave applicator. The first and second imaging probes are connected through a select switch to a mode data processing section. The select switch selectively makes either of the first and second imaging probes ready for use. The processed mode data is displayed by a display means.

Abstract: A shock wave lithotrity apparatus comprises an applicator which includes a first transducer for generating ultrasonic waves and for converging the ultrasonic waves on a focal point to treat an object, a second transducer for generating ultrasonic waves at a low level for echography, and a water bag for transmitting the ultrasonic waves to the object. A lithotrity unit and a B-mode imaging unit are respectively connected to the first and second transducers. When a position mode is selected, the second transducer is driven by the B-mode imaging unit and the echography is displayed and the first transducer is driven by the lithotrity unit at a low voltage to detect the intensity of the echo signal. The degree of focus-calculus matching is calculated based on the intensity. The operator adjusts the position of the first transducer by referring to the echography and the matching degree.

Abstract: A detergent dispenser for clothes washing machines includes a detergent container for containing a predetermined amount of powdered detergent, the detergent container having a lower discharge outlet from which the detergent contained therein is discharged and a detergent fall preventing member displaced between a first position where the detergent is prevented from falling out from the discharge outlet of the container and a second position where the detergent discharged from the discharge outlet of the detergent container is allowed to fall out therefrom.

Abstract: To electrically and simultaneously form a plurality of focused regions of shock waves, a shock wave generating apparatus comprises: a plurality of high-voltage pulse generators for generating a plurality of high-voltage pulses; a shock wave generating unit having a plurality of ultrasonic vibrating element groups, coupled to the plurality of high voltage pulse generators, for generating shock waves and for focusing the shock waves onto a plurality of different focused regions within a biological body under examination; and a plurality of delay units coupled via the high-voltage pulse generators to the plural ultrasonic vibrating element groups, for causing the plurality of high-voltage pulses having predetermined delay times to be generated from the high-voltage pulse generators, whereby the plural focused regions are simultaneously formed juxtaposed each other near a concretion to be disintegrated with the biological body.

Abstract: A shock wave treatment apparatus has a piezo-electric transducer for creating a convergent point of shock wave to crush a to-be-crushed object in a living body. A water tank filled with water is disposed under the shock wave transmission surface of the piezo-electric transducer. Further, an ultrasonic wave transducer is disposed in the water tank in the shock wave transmission range of the piezo-electric transducer and has an ultrasonic wave transmission/reception surface held in substantially the same plane as the bottom surface of the water tank. The ultrasonic wave transducer is used to collect tomographic image data of the living body with the ultrasonic wave transmission/reception surface set in contact with the surface of the living body.

Abstract: A destroying wave treatment apparatus collects tomogram data before and during the transmission of a destroying wave by a destroying wave applicator. An image processing circuit processes the tomogram data to form a subtraction image. A display displays tomograms before and during the transmission of the destroying wave. Therefore, an operator may start and stop the transmission of the destroying wave while seeing those images.

Abstract: A shock wave treatment apparatus has a shock wave applicator including a shock wave transducer for forming a focusing region of a shock wave for destroying an object to be destroyed in an object to be examined, and an ultrasonic transducer for transmitting/receiving an ultrasonic wave and acquiring ultrasonic tomographic image information. The shock wave applicator is aligned with the object to be destroyed, such that an overlap degree between a focusing region of the shock wave and the object to be destroyed is discriminated by an overlap degree discrimination circuit. When the calculation result of the overlap is smaller than a predetermined value, control is performed not to generate a shock wave. On the other hand, the shock wave application is mechanically aligned with the object, such that a support device supporting the applicator is operated so that a focal point position of the shock wave in the object to be examined can be moved to coincide with the object to be destroyed.

Abstract: An ultrasonic image of a living body is obtained by use of an ultrasonic apparatus and, an ultrasound tissue characterization value at a region of interest of the body, such as the ultrasound propagation velocity, the scattered ultrasound waveform width, and the attenuation coefficient, is measured and calculated by use of a cross beam method. These processes are performed in real time and the results of processing are continuously displayed. In this way, the tissue characterization values of the living body can be determined and the state of a disease present in the region of interest can be examined readily and clearly.

Abstract: A system for both measuring the sound velocity of tissue in an object and simultaneously providing a real-time B-mode image of the object. The system alternately image scans the object and cross scans the object so that a B-mode image of the object can be displayed while the object is being cross scanned by intersecting beams. By measuring the propagation times and displaying both a B-mode image of the object along with an image representing the cross scan signals, the user can view and correct errors caused by the reflection of echos waves from undesired reflection points, such as blood vessels.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a miniaturized multilayer ceramic capacitor having high capacitance which comprises a dielectric body of the type that the grain boundaries thereof are insulated. Multilayer chips are prepared which consist of a semiconductor ceramic material whose major constituent comprises titanate of alkaline-earth metal such as Ba, Sr or the like; and such chips are placed within a container formed of a fired mixture of CuO and Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 and subjected to a heat treatment so that copper ions which serve as insulating agent, are caused to uniformly diffuse from vapor phase in crystal grain boundaries of the semiconductor ceramics body of each of the chips.

Abstract: A shock wave treatment apparatus has a shock wave applicator including a shock wave transducer for forming a focusing region of a shock wave for destroying an object to be destroyed in an object to be examined, and an ultrasonic transducer for transmitting/receiving an ultrasonic wave and acquiring ultrasonic tomographic image information. The shock wave applicator is aligned with the object to be destroyed, such that an overlap degree between a focusing region of the shock wave and the object to be destroyed is discriminated by an overlap degree discrimination circuit. When the calculation result of the overlap is smaller than a predetermined value, control is performed not to generate a shock wave. On the other hand, the shock wave application is mechanically aligned with the object, such that a support device supporting the applicator is operated so that a focal point position of the shock wave in the object to be examined can be moved to coincide with the object to be destroyed.