Abstract: A sheet material includes a fibrous substrate made of microfibers and a hydrophilic-group-containing resin applied to the fibrous substrate. The hydrophilic-group-containing resin has a microphase-separated structure that satisfies Condition I: In a phase image obtained by observing an area of 1 ?m2 in a cross-section of the hydrophilic-group-containing resin applied to the fibrous substrate by phase imaging using an atomic force microscope (AFM), a standard deviation of a mode of brightness distribution of areas of 0.2 ?m2 in the area of 1 ?m2 is from 0 to 10. Provided are a sheet material that is produced through an eco-conscious production process and yet has such uniformity that is comparable to those of man-made leathers produced using organic-solvent-based polyurethanes, an elegant surface appearance, and a good touch, and a method for producing such a sheet material.

Abstract: Disclosed is a heat exchanger that can more efficiently transfer heat between a heat-exchange fluid and an object with which heat is to be exchanged. A heat exchanger (1) can transfer heat between a heat-exchange fluid flowing through flow paths (R1) and a fluid with which heat is to be exchanged flowing through other flow paths (R2) by means of the flow path structure member (10) (a first metal sheet (11) and a second metal sheet (12)) in which the flow paths (R1 and R2) are formed. The flow paths (R1 and R2) are formed so that the side surfaces thereof are not straight and so that the depths thereof change along the flow direction.

Abstract: According to a medical traction device containing a polymer molded article having biocompatibility as a weight for traction of a living tissue to be resected under observation with an endoscope, and a medical traction equipment containing the medical traction device and a grasping member connected to each other, such a medical traction device or traction equipment is provided that in ESD in a digestive tract, a dissected living tissue is efficiently removed from the operative field also in a direction that is different from the moving direction of the endoscope, thereby maintaining the field of view, and the procedures are thus performed safely and rapidly.

Abstract: A distillation apparatus includes a separator, a cooler, a heater, and a heat collection circuit. The heat collection circuit includes a circulation channel, a compressor, an expanding mechanism, a storing section capable of storing a working medium in a liquid state, and a circulation-amount adjusting section that adjusts a circulation amount of the working medium. The circulation-amount adjusting section adjusts an outflow amount of the working medium, which is stored in the storing section, to the circulation channel or an inflow amount of the working medium, which is circulating in the circulation channel, to the storing section such that the circulation amount increases or decreases according to an increase or a decrease in a flow rate of the first output fluid.

Abstract: The invention provides a sheet-like article including: a fibrous base including ultrafine fibers; and a polyurethane resin as a binder to the fibrous base, wherein the polyurethane resin includes a polymer polyol-derived structure that includes a polycarbonate polyol-derived structure, and the polyurethane resin satisfies the following (I), (II) and (III) or (IV): (I) the polyurethane resin includes a carbonate bond, and an ether bond and/or an ester bond in the molecule; (II) the total content of urethane group and urea group in the polyurethane resin is 7 to 11% by mass; and (III) 80 to 100% by mass of a polycarbonate polyol yielding the polycarbonate polyol-derived structure is a polycarbonate polyol having a melting point of 20° C. or lower; or (IV) 80 to 100% by mass of a polycarbonate polyol yielding the polycarbonate polyol-derived structure is a polycarbonate polyol copolymerized with two or more polyhydric alcohols having different carbon skeletons.

Abstract: A program creation device includes a processing unit that displays, on a display device, an edit screen on which respective timing charts of controlled units are arrayed in the vertical direction. Upon reception of a first input for designating an arrangement position of a display object on the timing charts to arrange the display object at the arrangement position, the processing unit displays the display object at the arrangement position designated by the first input on the timing charts. After displaying the display object, the processing unit receives a second input including a designation of a type and an input of a parameter. The processing unit then generates an operation program for executing an operation command of the type designated by the second input, to which the parameter input by the second input is applied, at an execution timing according to the arrangement position designated by the first input.

Abstract: An information processing device includes: a main unit to be held; a display unit provided on the main unit such that an information display screen is positioned on a front face thereof, to display information on the information display screen; a touch position detection unit to detect a touch position on the information display screen, and generate touch position detection data represented in terms of coordinates based on two axes intersecting at the detected touch position; and a control unit to display predetermined information on the information display screen, in the event of detecting that the touch position on the information display screen is being continually displaced from within a predetermined region on the information display screen in a predetermined first diagonal direction as to two directions following the two axes, based on the touch position detection data generated by the touch position detection unit.

Abstract: A fastening method for fastening a nut to a bolt by screwing includes preparing a nut including a tool mounting portion formed on a seat surface, and an annular thin portion formed on the tool mounting portion opposite to the seat surface, swaging a plurality of places of the thin portion with punches from an outer circumferential direction, and flowing a thickness of the thin portion so as to extend to a front end of the bolt partially in a circumferential direction to be closely adhered to a screw portion of the bolt.

Abstract: A tube having sealing ring grooves formed by a sequential rotational process and a shock absorber including the tube, in which durability of a sealing ring fitted in each of the sealing ring grooves is enhanced. An inclination angle (?1) formed with respect to a plane (PL1) perpendicular to an axis of a separator tube by a side surface of the sealing ring groove, which is located on an opening end side of the separator tube, is set to 8° or more. With this, a maximum tensile stress to be applied to an O-ring can be reduced to be smaller than a maximum tensile stress in a case of using a backup ring. As a result, the durability of the O-ring can be set equivalent to or enhanced to be higher than durability in the case of using the backup ring.

Abstract: A first direction exposed conductor group includes a plurality of exposed conductor portions of a first flat cable, and a second direction exposed conductor group includes a plurality of exposed conductor portions of a second flat cable. The plurality of exposed conductor portions are located parallel to each other, and the plurality of exposed conductor portions are located parallel to each other. The first direction exposed conductor group and the second direction exposed conductor group intersect and overlap each other to form an intersection overlap portion. An intersection insulating film is provided between the first direction exposed conductor group and the second direction exposed conductor group at the intersection overlap portion. The exposed conductor portions and the exposed conductor portions facing each other via windows of the intersection insulating film are connected to be conductive to each other. Thus, an electric cable structural body is provided.

Abstract: Disclosed is a waste heat recovery apparatus which comprises: a gas-liquid separator; an expander into which a gaseous working medium separated by the gas-liquid separator flows; a driven machine; a condenser; a first pump; a first heater; a circulation flow passage for serially connecting the gas-liquid separator, the expander, the condenser, the first pump and the first heater in this order; a heat recovery flow passage for allowing a liquid working medium discharged from the gas-liquid separator to merge with the working medium flowing in a portion between the first heater and the gas-liquid separator in the circulation flow passage; and a second pump.

Abstract: A joined body includes a first member having a female portion, and a second member having a male portion inserted in the female portion at one end, and an annular groove along an outer circumference of the male portion. The first member and the second member are fitted to each other. A plurality of joint portions is formed on a side wall of the female portion. The joint portions are joined to the male portion by being pushed in the annular groove. A pressing portion is formed at the female portion so as to face a position of the male portion axially different from the annular groove of the male portion. The pressing portion pressed against the male portion.

Abstract: When change amount information calculated by a change amount information calculating unit satisfies a start condition and a signal condition is true for an operation instruction the start condition and the signal condition of which are defined, an operation instruction execution control unit determines a start of the corresponding operation instruction and determines operation completion based on a completion condition determined in advance of the operation instruction. An operation instruction executing unit executes the operation instruction the start of which is determined by the operation instruction execution control unit and stops the operation instruction when the operation completion is determined by the operation instruction execution control unit.

Abstract: A hemostatic forceps (20) includes a pair of forceps elements (forceps cups (1)) constituted of a conductive metal and configured to serve as high-frequency electrodes and configured to be able to change into a state where front portions of the pair of forceps cups (1) are open, and a state where the pair of forceps cups (1) are close. A sawtooth portion (15) having a plurality of concavo-convex structures which constitute a sawtooth-shape is provided on at least one of respective closing-side surfaces (17) of the pair of forceps cups (1). The sawtooth portion (15) is provided with an electrically insulative coating over its bottom portion (21), but not on a top portion (22) thereof, and hence the top portion (22) is conductive.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process including: (i) dissolving, in water, a polyvinyl alcohol having a degree of saponification of 98% or more and a degree of polymerization of 800 to 3500 to prepare a polyvinyl alcohol aqueous solution in which the concentrations of methyl acetate, acetic acid and methanol are 50 ppm or less, (ii) adding the polyvinyl alcohol aqueous solution to a fibrous substrate having microfiber-generating fibers as its main constituent, so that the fibrous substrate has the polyvinyl alcohol in an amount of 0.1 to 50% by mass based on the mass of the fibers contained in the fibrous substrate, (iii) generating microfibers having an average single fiber diameter of 0.

Abstract: A shock absorber includes a cylinder sealingly containing oil, and a piston coupled with a piston rod and inserted in the cylinder. The shock absorber generates a damping force by controlling an oil flow generated according to a movement of the piston with use of a damping force generation mechanism. A separator tube is externally disposed around the cylinder. The oil is transmitted into the damping force generation mechanism via a branch tube integrally formed on a cylindrical sidewall of the separator tube. The branch tube is formed on the cylindrical sidewall of the separator tube by burring processing. Both sides of a proximal portion of the branch tube in a circumferential direction of the cylindrical sidewall of the separator tube are pressed from an interior to concave an inner circumferential surface radially outwardly, thereby forming recesses.

Abstract: A base body for an artificial leather includes an intertwined fiber body mainly including an ultrafine fiber having a 0.01 to 10 ?m fiber diameter and an elastic polymer, the ultrafine fiber including, as a constituent polymer, a polyester obtained from a dicarboxylic acid and/or an ester-forming derivative thereof, and a diol, the polyester containing 15 to 500 ppm of a 1,2-propanediol-derived component.

Abstract: Provided is an environmentally friendly process for producing a sheet-shaped material having both an elegant, napped appearance and a soft texture, which qualities have not been achieved concurrently, and also exhibiting good abrasion resistance. The process of the present invention for producing a sheet-shaped material includes the successive steps of (a) adding a polyvinyl alcohol having a degree of saponification of 98% or more and a degree of polymerization of 800 to 3,500 to a fibrous substrate in an amount of 0.1 to 50% by mass relative to the total mass of fibers in the fibrous substrate; (b) adding a waterborne polyurethane to the fibrous substrate with the added polyvinyl alcohol; and (c) removing the polyvinyl alcohol from the fibrous substrate with the added waterborne polyurethane.

Abstract: A microwave heating device of the present invention comprises a heating chamber housing an object to be heated, a microwave generation portion generating a microwave, a waveguide portion propagating the microwave, and a plurality of microwave radiating portions radiating the microwave in the heating chamber, wherein the microwave radiating portions are arranged in a direction orthogonal to a direction of electric field and to a direction of propagation within the waveguide portion, and centers of the microwave radiating portions are arranged at positions corresponding to approximate node positions of the electric field within the waveguide portion. The microwave heating device is enabled to make uniform heat distribution in the object to be heated, without using a driving mechanism.

Abstract: Provided is an image forming system including plural image forming devices, a first storage unit that stores user information and device information, an updating unit that updates the device information, and a transmitting device that transmits image data to an image forming device, each image forming device including a second storage unit that stores the image data, a receiving unit that receives an input of the user information, a first acquiring unit that acquires image data from an image forming device, an image forming unit that forms an image, a counter unit that measures frequency in which image data is acquired by another image forming device and stores the user information, the device information, and the measured frequency in the second storage unit in a correlated manner, and a transmitting unit that transmits the user information and the device information to the updating unit.