Abstract: Inside a tank body storing a liquid, a return filter is provided protruding downward from an upper surface of the tank body, and a substantially plate-like (plate-shaped) float is also provided that is inserted into the tank body and floats in accordance with change in a liquid surface of the liquid stored in the tank body. The float is provided with an opening larger than a diameter of a filter case, and in a plan view, the float is disposed between the tank body and the filter case.

Abstract: A rod having a substantially-cylindrical shape with both ends being covered is provided to a lid body, which covers an upper end surface of a case having a bottomed substantially-cylindrical shape, the rod protruding in the case. A first hole is formed in a portion of a side surface of the rod, which is exposed to the inside of the case. Further, an air vent pit (passage) is formed in the lid body, and a second hole is formed in a portion of the side surface of the rod, which is exposed to the inside of the air vent pit. A moving member moves along the rod from a first position at which the moving member does not cover the first hole and a second position at which the moving member covers the first hole.

Abstract: A tank for storing oil includes a suction strainer with first and second filtration portions. The first filtration portion has a substantially cylindrical shape and formed by bending a thin plate into a pleated shape. The second filtration portion is provided on the outer side of the first filtration portion. The second filtration portion has a substantially cylindrical shape and is formed of a material having a plurality of spaces formed in a surface and interior of the material.

Abstract: When air inside a filter device is purged, filtered liquid can be discharged together with air to the outside of the filter device. A casing is provided inside a tank, a filter element is provided inside the casing, and a lid is provided so as to cover the upper face of the casing and the upper face of the tank. A first through-hole is formed in the substantially center of an upper plate that covers the upper end face of a filtration member of a filter element and is abutted with the lower face of the lid; in a plan view, a second through-hole, in which a first opening being one end is disposed at a position overlapped with the first through-hole, and a second opening being the other end is disposed between the side face of the tank and the side face of the casing, is formed in the lid; and the first through-hole and the second through-hole communicate with the hollow portion of the filtration member and space that is inside the tank and outside the casing.

Abstract: A strainer includes a second filtration section having a substantially cylindrical shape with both ends connected, formed by folding a thin plate-shaped filter medium in a pleated shape, which is provided inside a first filtration section having a substantially cylindrical shape with both ends connected, formed by folding the thin plate-shaped filter medium in a pleated shape, without coming into contact with the first filtration section. An outer cylinder having a substantially cylindrical shape having a height higher than that of each of the first filtration section and the second filtration section is also provided outside the first filtration section, without coming into contact with the first filtration section.

Abstract: Inside a tank body storing a liquid, a return filter is provided protruding downward from an upper surface of the tank body, and a substantially plate-like (plate-shaped) float is also provided that is inserted into the tank body and floats in accordance with change in a liquid surface of the liquid stored in the tank body. The float is provided with an opening larger than a diameter of a filter case, and in a plan view, the float is disposed between the tank body and the filter case.

Abstract: A rod having a substantially-cylindrical shape with both ends being covered is provided to a lid body, which covers an upper end surface of a case having a bottomed substantially-cylindrical shape, the rod protruding in the case. A first hole is formed in a portion of a side surface of the rod, which is exposed to the inside of the case. Further, an air vent pit (passage) is formed in the lid body, and a second hole is formed in a portion of the side surface of the rod, which is exposed to the inside of the air vent pit. A moving member moves along the rod from a first position at which the moving member does not cover the first hole and a second position at which the moving member covers the first hole.

Abstract: When a lid covers an opening portion formed at an upper end of a filter case with a bottomed substantially cylindrical shape inside which a filter element is disposed, the internal space between the lid and the filter case is formed. A bypass flow path connecting the internal space and outside space is formed in the lid, and a relief valve disposed moveably between a position closing the bypass flow path and a position opening the bypass flow path includes an air bleeder formed from a porous material.

Abstract: A liquid is made to flow into a filter case from a tangential direction at any point on a side surface of the filter case and produces a swirling flow. Bubbles collected in a center of the swirling flow are retained by a retainer plate, thereby removing the bubbles from the liquid. A filter element filters the liquid from which the bubbles were removed.

Abstract: When air inside a filter device is purged, filtered liquid can be discharged together with air to the outside of the filter device. A casing is provided inside a tank, a filter element is provided inside the casing, and a lid is provided so as to cover the upper face of the casing and the upper face of the tank. A first through-hole is formed in the substantially center of an upper plate that covers the upper end face of a filtration member of a filter element and is abutted with the lower face of the lid; in a plan view, a second through-hole, in which a first opening being one end is disposed at a position overlapped with the first through-hole, and a second opening being the other end is disposed between the side face of the tank and the side face of the casing, is formed in the lid; and the first through-hole and the second through-hole communicate with the hollow portion of the filtration member and space that is inside the tank and outside the casing.

Abstract: A return filter is provided in a tank, for removing bubbles from hydraulic oil before returning the hydraulic oil to the tank. A vortex forming portion that includes a spiral-shaped blade member is provided in an outflow portion that has a substantially cylindrical shape and communicates with a hollow portion of a filter element. Thus, a vortex forms in the hydraulic oil flowing through the outflow portion and bubbles contained in the hydraulic oil are collected.

Abstract: A first discharge tube having a substantially cylindrical shape with openings at both ends is inserted through an outflow hole of a filter case and provided protruding toward the bottom surface of the tank. A second discharge tube having a substantially cylindrical shape is provided so as to cover the first discharge tube. The second discharge tube includes a first end that comes into contact with a bottom surface of the filter case, and is provided protruding from the bottom surface of the filter case toward the bottom surface of the tank. A tip end of the second discharge tube is covered by a bottom surface cover, and a plurality of discharge holes are formed in a region near an upper end of a side surface.

Abstract: When a lid covers an opening portion formed at an upper end of a filter case with a bottomed substantially cylindrical shape inside which a filter element is disposed, the internal space between the lid and the filter case is formed. A bypass flow path connecting the internal space and outside space is formed in the lid, and a relief valve disposed moveably between a position closing the bypass flow path and a position opening the bypass flow path includes an air bleeder formed from a porous material.

Abstract: A return filter is provided in a tank, for removing bubbles from hydraulic oil before returning the hydraulic oil to the tank. A vortex forming portion that includes a spiral-shaped blade member is provided in an outflow portion that has a substantially cylindrical shape and communicates with a hollow portion of a filter element. Thus, a vortex forms in the hydraulic oil flowing through the outflow portion and bubbles contained in the hydraulic oil are collected.

Abstract: A tank for storing oil includes a suction strainer with first and second filtration portions. The first filtration portion has a substantially cylindrical shape and formed by bending a thin plate into a pleated shape. The second filtration portion is provided on the outer side of the first filtration portion. The second filtration portion has a substantially cylindrical shape and is formed of a material having a plurality of spaces formed in a surface and interior of the material.

Abstract: A liquid is made to flow into a filter case from a tangential direction at any point on a side surface of the filter case and produces a swirling flow. Bubbles collected in a center of the swirling flow are retained by a retainer plate, thereby removing the bubbles from the liquid. A filter element filters the liquid from which the bubbles were removed.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a microstructure, which includes at least one fine feature on an existing feature, using an NSOM laser micromachining system. A microstructure device preform is provided. A portion of its top surface is profiled with the NSOM to produce a topographical image. This profiled portion is selected to include the existing feature. An image coordinate system is defined for the profiled portion of top surface based on the topographical image. Coordinates of a reference point and the orientation of the existing feature in the image coordinate system are determined using the topographical image. The probe tip of the NSOM is aligned over a portion of the existing feature using the determined coordinates of the reference point and the orientation of the existing feature. The top surface of the microstructure device preform is machined with the micro-machining laser to form the fine feature(s) on the existing feature.

Abstract: A method for pre-calibration of a laser micro-machining system to achieve alignment tolerances greater than the diffraction limit of an illumination wavelength. A blank is mounted in the system, such that the beam spot is incident on its top surface. Two marks are ablated in the blank. The centers of the marks are a predetermined distance apart. The blank is illuminated with light and imaged with a digital camera. The resulting image is scaled such that each pixel has a width corresponding to a distance on the imaged surface, which is less than half of the illumination wavelength. The number of pixels between the centers of the marks determines this distance. The locations of the marks in the image are determined and a coordinate system is defined for surfaces imaged by the digital camera. Coordinates of the beam spot in this coordinate system are also determined using the second mark.

Abstract: A microcavity forming device is provided for making microcavities in a tungsten wire. The microcavity forming device includes a source of particles; a housing for receiving a heated tungsten wire; and a plurality of jet nozzles disposed in the housing for spraying the particles toward the heated tungsten wire. The particles are 0.35–0.75 micron in diameter. The heated tungsten wire is received in the housing and the jet nozzles spray the particles toward the tungsten wire to form the microcavities in the tungsten wire.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a microstructure, which includes at least one fine feature on an existing feature, using an NSOM laser micromachining system. A microstructure device preform is provided. A portion of its top surface is profiled with the NSOM to produce a topographical image. This profiled portion is selected to include the existing feature. An image coordinate system is defined for the profiled portion of top surface based on the topographical image. Coordinates of a reference point and the orientation of the existing feature in the image coordinate system are determined using the topographical image. The probe tip of the NSOM is aligned over a portion of the existing feature using the determined coordinates of the reference point and the orientation of the existing feature. The top surface of the microstructure device preform is machined with the micro-machining laser to form the fine feature(s) on the existing feature.