Abstract: The present invention is related to an optical multiplexer/demultiplexer having a structure capable of allowing higher manufacturing tolerance for attainment of improvement in transmission wavelength characteristics. In the optical multiplexer/demultiplexer, a free propagation area for improvement in the transmission wavelength characteristics is provided between an input waveguide and a first slab waveguide. This free propagation area has a first portion increasing its width from the input waveguide toward the first slab waveguide and a second portion having the width larger than that of the input waveguide. The first portion once broadens an electric field strength distribution of light traveling from the input waveguide to the first slab waveguide, and the second portion restricts the broadening on the other hand. This makes change of the electric field strength distribution less susceptible to change of the waveguide width, so as to relax required accuracy for microprocessing as a result.

Abstract: A tightly closed casing has an inside space for storing coolant gas. A block is accommodated in this casing. A motor includes a stator and a mover. A piston is connected to the mover of the motor. A movable element includes the mover of the motor and the piston. A stationary element includes the stator of the motor and the block. An elastic element has a portion fixed to the movable element and another portion fixed to the stationary element. A cylinder is shiftable in an axial direction with respect the block. A shifting device shifts the cylinder in the axial direction.

Abstract: A card game toy includes a master card as an other self of a player and a plurality of monster cards, and is used for a card game that a battle is played by placing own and opponent cards in a proper positions of a battle field. The master card includes a character display portion to display a character, an ability-reducing indication to indicate an ability to reduce the attack power from the opponent, and a card-hand-ability indication to indicate an ability to use a card hand. The monster card includes a character display region to display a character, a position indication indicative of whether of a forward type or backward type, a physical-power indication indicative of a physical-power of the monster, and an ability indication indicative of an ability of the monster.

Abstract: In a linear compressor having a compression mechanism for compressing and discharging a refrigerant, an inflammable refrigerant or a natural refrigerant such as propane, isobutane, carbon dioxide or the like is used as the refrigerant while no lubricating oil is filled up, thereby improving the system efficiency and reducing the amount of refrigerant.

Abstract: An optical switch according to this invention has a planar waveguide in which an optical path is formed. A trench is formed in the upper surface of this planar waveguide. A cantilevered movable member is mounted on the planar waveguide. A comb is formed in the end portion of this movable member. A mirror which intercepts light propagating on the optical path is fixed to the end of the movable member. An electrode opposing the movable member is formed on the planar waveguide. A comb is formed in that portion of this electrode, which opposes the comb of the movable member. The movable member and electrode are connected via a voltage source. When this voltage source generates electrostatic force between the movable member and electrode, the movable member bends, and the mirror moves along the bottom surface of the trench accordingly.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical multiplexer/demultiplexer comprising a structure for effectively lowering the crosstalk between adjacent signal channels, thereby realizing excellent wavelength multi/demultiplexing characteristics. The optical multiplexer/demultiplexer is designed such that, while adjacent channel waveguides are allowed to have optical path length differences different from each other, effective optical path length differences become constant between optical paths traveling by way of the channel waveguides adjacent each other in optical paths including slab waveguides as a whole, whereby the structure for connecting channel waveguides to flat connecting end faces of slab waveguides can be changed arbitrarily without being restricted by multi/demultiplexing conditions.

Abstract: A tightly closed casing has an inside space for storing coolant gas. A block is accommodated in this casing. A motor includes a stator and a mover. A piston is connected to the mover of the motor. A movable element includes the mover of the motor and the piston. A stationary element includes the stator of the motor and the block. An elastic element has a portion fixed to the movable element and another portion fixed to the stationary element. A cylinder is shiftable in an axial direction with respect the block. A shifting device shifts the cylinder in the axial direction.

Abstract: A tightly closed casing has an inside space for storing coolant gas. A block is accommodated in this casing. A motor includes a stator and a mover. A piston is connected to the mover of the motor. A movable element includes the mover of the motor and the piston. A stationary element includes the stator of the motor and the block. An elastic element has a portion fixed to the movable element and another portion fixed to the stationary element. A cylinder is shiftable in an axial direction with respect the block. A shifting device shifts the cylinder in the axial direction.

Abstract: An optical signal, which is to become the subject of dispersion compensation, is split by optical combining/splitting unit 2, and each frequency component of the optical signal that is split is reflected by each reflective surface of reflective mirror 40 of reflective means 4 to apply a predetermined phase shift to the respective frequency components. Each reflected frequency component is then combined using optical combining/splitting unit 2, to give dispersion compensated optical signal. Furthermore, in regards to reflective means 4, which is used to apply phase shift to each frequency component of an optical signal, reflective mirror 40 is made a variable movable mirror by reflection position at each reflective surface, which is reflects the frequency components, deforming the entire reflective surface. This allows dispersion that is created in an optical signal to be compensated with favorable controllability and high accuracy.

Abstract: An optical switch that can restrain the occurrence of cross talk is provided. A first waveguide path 11 and a second waveguide path 12 are provided on a waveguide substrate PCL so as to intersect each other at a given angle. A trench T is formed in a straight line in the surface of the waveguide substrate PCL so as to cross the central axes of the first waveguide path and the second waveguide path. The trench T is as deep as to expose the whole end face of the first waveguide path and the second waveguide path. The first waveguide path 11 and the second waveguide path 12 are arranged such that their central axes are arranged asymmetrically with respect to the straight line.

Abstract: A main optical path and an auxiliary optical path which are formed in a substrate are optically coupled to each other with a plurality of optical couplers, so as to constitute a Mach-Zehnder interferometer. By controlling the temperature regulation of main and auxiliary optical paths effected by heaters, a control unit regulates the transmissivity of light across an optical input end and an optical output end. Respective optical path lengths of the main and auxiliary optical paths are set so as to lower birefringence when optical loss becomes greater.

Abstract: An optical signal, which is to become the subject of dispersion compensation, is split by optical combining/splitting unit 2, and each frequency component of the optical signal that is split is reflected by the corresponding reflective mirror 30 included in reflective mirror group 3 to apply a predetermined phase shift to the respective frequency components Each reflected frequency component is then combined using optical combining/splitting unit 2, to give dispersion compensated optical signal Furthermore, in regards to reflective mirror group 3, which is used to apply phase shift to each frequency component of an optical signal, each of the respective plurality of reflective mirrors 30 is made a movable mirror having a movable reflection position that reflects the frequency components. Through this, dispersion that develops in an optical signal may be compensated with favorable controllability and high accuracy.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an AWG type optical multiplexer/demultiplexer having a small size in a state where cross talk is effectively restrained from increasing between adjacent channels. The optical multiplexer/demultiplexer is designed such that, in a power spectrum indicating a wavelength-transmission characteristic concerning an output light component from selected one of output waveguides disposed so as to correspond to respective signals having channel wavelengths set with a predetermined wavelength spacing, an adjacent channel wavelength exists within a wavelength region yielding an output light power lower than that at the channel wavelength corresponding to the selected one by 20 dB or more, whereby the cross talk between adjacent channels occurring as the optical multiplexer/demultiplexer attains a smaller size is effectively suppressed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical multiplexer/demultiplexer comprising a structure for effectively lowering the crosstalk between adjacent signal channels, thereby realizing excellent wavelength multi/demultiplexing characteristics. The optical multiplexer/demultiplexer is designed such that, while adjacent channel waveguides are allowed to have optical path length differences different from each other, effective optical path length differences become constant between optical paths traveling by way of the channel waveguides adjacent each other in optical paths including slab waveguides as a whole, whereby the structure for connecting channel waveguides to flat connecting end faces of slab waveguides can be changed arbitrarily without being restricted by multi/demultiplexing conditions.

Abstract: An intermediate transfer type image forming apparatus is provided, in which a secondary transfer unit includes a secondary transfer member having a contact transfer member disposed in contact with at least the surface of an intermediate transfer medium, a bias applying unit for applying a transfer bias to transfer a toner image on the intermediate transfer medium through the secondary transfer member to a transfer medium and an inverse transfer bias having the opposite polarity to the transfer bias, and a bias switching unit for switching the applied bias of the bias applying unit so that the transfer bias is applied to an image transfer area on the intermediate transfer medium and the inverse transfer bias is applied to an image non-transfer area on the intermediate transfer medium. The apparatus is also equipped with a disturbing member for disturbing (scraping out, sweeping off or the like) toner adhering to the contact transfer member.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical multiplexer/demultiplexer which ameliorates the deterioration in crosstalk characteristics between adjacent signal channels in a simpler configuration with a better reproducibility. In this optical multiplexer/demultiplexer, a space filled with cladding glass having a size which is at least three times the width or thickness of each channel waveguide is provided between the slab and channel waveguides. This configuration effectively improves the deterioration in crosstalk between adjacent signal channels on a par with the case where the slab and channel waveguides are directly connected to each other.

Abstract: A card game apparatus includes a display to display a game scene. In the game scene, a first master display site and a second master display site are formed to respectively display therein a first master as the other self of a game player and a second master as the other self of an opponent. The game player is allowed to select a monster card from a card hand display site and present it to a monster card presenting site. Responsive to an instruction of attack with a monster card, an attack power of the monster card is compared with the HP of a designated second master or the monster presented in the monster card presenting site, thereby arithmetically determining a battle result.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical multiplexer/demultiplexer which ameliorates the deterioration in crosstalk characteristics between adjacent signal channels in a simpler configuration with a better reproducibility. In this optical multiplexer/demultiplexer, a space filled with cladding glass having a size which is at least three times the width or thickness of each channel waveguide is provided between the slab and channel waveguides. This configuration effectively improves the deterioration in crosstalk between adjacent signal channels on a par with the case where the slab and channel waveguides are directly connected to each other.

Abstract: A small optical device which has low power consumption and which is excellent for integration, and which has a variable optical attenuation function which features proper polarization dependence over the entire wide variable optical attenuation range is provided. In the optical device, an optical circuit including a core and a cladding that covers the core is formed on a substrate. An optical element is movably disposed inside a groove provided in the substrate so as to traverse the core, and includes a plurality of optical attenuation elements having different light attenuation amounts. By moving the optical element by an actuation function portion provided on the optical circuit, the attenuation amount of signal light that propagates through the optical circuit is changed.

Abstract: A tightly closed casing has an inside space for storing coolant gas. A block is accommodated in this casing. A motor includes a stator and a mover. A piston is connected to the mover of the motor. A movable element includes the mover of the motor and the piston. A stationary element includes the stator of the motor and the block. An elastic element has a portion fixed to the movable element and another portion fixed to the stationary element. A cylinder is shiftable in an axial direction with respect the block. A shifting device shifts the cylinder in the axial direction.