Abstract: An ultrasonic receiver according to the present invention includes: a wave propagating portion 6, which defines a first opening 63 and a waveguide 60 that makes an ultrasonic wave, coming through the first opening 63, propagate in a predetermined direction; and a propagation medium portion 3, which has a transmissive interface 61 and which is arranged with respect to the waveguide 60 such that the transmissive interface 61 defines one surface of the waveguide 60 in the direction in which the ultrasonic wave propagates. The interface 61 is designed and arranged with respect to the waveguide 60 such that as the ultrasonic wave propagates along the waveguide 60, each portion of the ultrasonic wave is transmitted into the propagation medium portion 3 through the interface 61 and then converged toward a predetermined convergence point. The receiver further includes a sensor portion 2, which is arranged at the convergence point 33 to detect the ultrasonic wave converged.

Abstract: An ultrasonic measurement method, including: receiving a plurality of ultrasonic waves that have been spectrum-spread with different codes by first and second wave-receivers; de-spreading the first and second receive signals respectively with a selected code and a non-selected code; obtaining an amplitude ratio between the produced selected de-spread signal and the non-selected de-spread signal; determining a threshold value based on the amplitude ratio; extracting a signal having an amplitude greater than or equal to the threshold value from the non-selected de-spread signal to thereby produce an interfering signal; spreading the interfering signal with a corresponding non-selected code and then removing the interfering signal from the first and second receive signals to thereby produce first and second receive signals from which the interfering signal has been removed; de-spreading the first and second receive signals from which the interfering signal has been removed each with the selected code to thereby

Abstract: An ultrasonic measuring method includes the steps of: receiving ultrasonic waves, which have been transmitted by a spread spectrum technique using mutually different codes, at first and second receivers, thereby generating first and second received signals, respectively; generating interference signals, of which the amplitudes are equal to or greater than respective threshold values, from the first and second received signals that have been despread with a code that has been used to spread any of the ultrasonic waves other than a desired one; removing the spread interference signals from the first and second received signals; calculating maximum correlation values between the first and second despread received signals for the respective threshold values; selecting one of the threshold values, at which the greatest one of the maximum correlation values has been obtained, as a threshold value for canceling interference; and calculating the propagation distance or propagation azimuth of the desired ultrasonic wa

Abstract: A medical stapler is provided with a stapler body 1 having a head portion 3 at one end thereof, which drives out medical staples S, and a manipulating lever that can be opened and closed by being turned in a state in which a part provided at the side of the head portion 3 is housed in an accommodating portion 8 of the stapler body 1. A grip portion 11 opposed to the head portion 3 of the manipulating lever 2 is usually urged in an opening direction in which the grip portion 11 protrudes from the accommodating portion 8. When a staple S is driven out, the manipulating lever 2 is turned in a closing direction in which the manipulating lever 2 is housed in the accommodating portion 8. Thus, the staple S is driven out of the head portion 3. Then, the staple S is put into skin “a” while both sides of a wound are brought toward each other. Thus, the wound is sutured while both tip end parts of the staple are inwardly bent.

Abstract: A passive-type exercising device and its control device are provided in which accuracy of deriving exercise intensity is improved.

Abstract: An ultrasonic receiver according to the present invention includes a first horn having a first large opening and a first small opening which are an incidence end and an outgoing end of an ultrasonic wave; a second horn having a second small opening and a second large opening which are an incidence end and an outgoing end of the ultrasonic wave, the first and second horns being located such that the first and second small openings face each other, and such that propagation directions of the ultrasonic wave in the first and second horns match each other; and at least one ultrasonic receiver main body provided between the first and second small openings, the ultrasonic receiver including a surface parallel to the propagation direction and detecting the ultrasonic wave which has propagated in the first horn and then is incident on the parallel surface.

Abstract: An ultrasonic measuring method includes the steps of: receiving ultrasonic waves, which have been transmitted by a spread spectrum technique using mutually different codes, at first and second receivers, thereby generating first and second received signals, respectively; generating interference signals, of which the amplitudes are equal to or greater than respective threshold values, from the first and second received signals that have been despread with a code that has been used to spread any of the ultrasonic waves other than a desired one; removing the spread interference signals from the first and second received signals; calculating maximum correlation values between the first and second despread received signals for the respective threshold values; selecting one of the threshold values, at which the greatest one of the maximum correlation values has been obtained, as a threshold value for canceling interference; and calculating the propagation distance or propagation azimuth of the desired ultrasonic wa

Abstract: A breaking means is installed in a stagnant portion of the body of the toilet device. The breaking means has a breaking mechanism unit. The breaking mechanism unit is a cutter mechanism and has cutter members. Each of the cutter members has multiple cutter blades along its rotation axis direction. Cutter blades of adjacent cutter members mesh with each other with a small clearance kept. Because by the action of this cutter member, excrement and others including tissue paper, etc. can be cut out finely and broken, the excrement and others (solids) are made into liquid mixture in this breaking process. Because of liquid mixture, drain takes place easily so that clogging of a drain pipe can be prevented even if hardly soluble matters such as tissue paper are used.

Abstract: This is a portable toilet device. Broken excrement may be certainly drained. Means (40) for breaking the excrement having crushing blades is installed in the stagnant portion (18) of the body (20) of the toilet device, means (200) for sending the broken excrement by compression, which sends compressed air into the stagnant portion (18), and a lid for open and closure that closes the stagnant portion (18) tightly are provided. When treating the excrement after bowel movement, the lid for open and closure is closed and then, by driving the means for breaking the excrement, the excrement is stirred and broken into fragments with the stagnant portion being tightly closed. After breaking the excrement into fragments, compressed air is jetted into the stagnant portion so that a liquid mixture formed by breaking the excrement into fragments can be sent by compression toward a side of drain hose (14).

Abstract: A cleaning effect is improved by cleaning a component that has a recess structure by using a cleaning medium of a liquefied gas or a supercritical fluid. By the cleaning method of removing adhering substances adhering to at least the surface of the recess structure of the component that has the recess structure, cleaning is carried out by using the supercritical gas or the liquefied gas so that the cleaning medium spreads over the surface of the recess structure.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is provided with an ultrasonic probe driving section 2, a receiving section 5 for amplifying an ultrasonic reflected wave, a phase detecting section 6 for phase-detecting the ultrasonic reflected wave, a velocity computing section 10 for obtaining the velocity of an object to be measured at a plurality of measuring positions on the object to be measured from a phase-detected signal, a computing section 10 for obtaining the deformation amount and/or elastic module between measuring positions of the object to be measured from the velocity, a fluid determining section 9 for determining a fluid portion in the object to be measured in accordance with the phase-detected signal, and an image data generating section 72 for two-dimensionally image-displaying the deformation amount and/or elastic module of the object to be measured in a region other than the fluid portion by using the information determined by the fluid determining section.

Abstract: A car power source apparatus is provided with a battery having a plurality of battery modules connected in series on positive and negative sides of a midpoint reference node, and a voltage detection circuit that detects the voltage of one or a plurality of battery modules with respect to the midpoint reference node of the battery. The battery midpoint reference node of the power source apparatus is connected to the voltage detection circuit via a plurality of reference connection lines. Further, one or a plurality of conduction detection circuits connect to the reference connection lines, supply a voltage to each reference connection line, and detect current. The connection status of each reference connection line to the midpoint reference node is determined by this conduction detection circuit.

Abstract: An ultrasonic receiver according to the present invention includes a first horn having a first large opening and a first small opening which are an incidence end and an outgoing end of an ultrasonic wave; a second horn having a second small opening and a second large opening which are an incidence end and an outgoing end of the ultrasonic wave, the first and second horns being located such that the first and second small openings face each other, and such that propagation directions of the ultrasonic wave in the first and second horns match each other; and at least one ultrasonic receiver main body provided between the first and second small openings, the ultrasonic receiver including a surface parallel to the propagation direction and detecting the ultrasonic wave which has propagated in the first horn and then is incident on the parallel surface.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an acoustic matching member, the acoustic matching member being incorporated into an ultrasonic transducer for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves, and including: at least two layers including a first layer and a second layer that have different acoustic impedance values from each other. The method for manufacturing including the steps of: filling voids of a porous member with a fluid filling material, and solidifying both the fluid filling material inside the voids and the surplus fluid filling material at the same time. The acoustic matching member does not have independent intermediate layers between the layers, so that delamination hardly occurs and the difficulty in the designing associated with the presence of intermediate layers can be avoided.

Abstract: A medical staple is provided with a crown portion 1 and needle leg portions 3 bent to a lower side by way of curved portions 2 on both ends thereof. An open wound is narrowed by striking the needle leg portion 3 into the skin by bending intervals between the center portion of the crown portion 1 and the curved portion 2 by a stapler. First notches 6 are formed at a lower face portion of curved portions on both sides bent by the stapler, and second notches 7 are formed at an upper face portion thereof between the first notches 6 of the crown portion 1 and remote from the two first notches 6, 6 uniformly by predetermined distances.

Abstract: A medical stapler is provided with a sterilized cartridge removably attached to a stapler body 1 and accommodating a predetermined number of staples 9, a driving mechanism for driving a staple 9 supplied to a driving section at the tip of the cartridge, a manipulating lever 2 for actuating the driving mechanism and a counter device 20. The counter device 20 counts the number of staples 9 driven from the driving mechanism and indicates the counted result.

Abstract: A tracking system of the present invention includes a transponder 20 attached on a moving object 2 and an autonomous mobile unit 1 for tracking the transponder 20. The autonomous mobile unit 1 has an environment detecting means for acquiring reflection environment information relating to a wall surface 6a, 6b and 6c existing in the vicinity. In this system, the following tracking cycle is executed. The autonomous mobile unit 1 transmits a first ultrasonic wave, and upon receipt of it, the transponder 20 transmits a second ultrasonic wave. By receiving the second ultrasonic wave, the autonomous mobile unit 1 acquires reception information relating to a direct wave that directly arrives at the autonomous mobile unit 1 from the transponder 20 and a reflected wave that arrives via the wall surface.

Abstract: There are provided an ultrasonic transducer that performs transmission and/or reception of an ultrasonic wave, and a propagation medium portion that forms a propagation path of the ultrasonic wave. A density and an acoustic velocity of the propagation medium portion, and a density and a sound velocity of a fluid that fills a circumjacent space are appropriately set, and a propagation loss of the ultrasonic wave into the fluid is reduced to almost zero by refracting the ultrasonic wave at an appropriate angle.

Abstract: A difference in the thermal expansion coefficient between a casing and a piezoelectric body is adapted to be reduced by making an adhesive expand and contract, and this can prevent the separation of connection between the casing and the piezoelectric body and the damage of the piezoelectric body. As a result, the ultrasonic vibrator can be used over an extended period of time in an outdoor use environment.

Abstract: A tracking system of the present invention includes a transponder 20 attached on a moving object 2 and an autonomous mobile unit 1 for tracking the transponder 20. The autonomous mobile unit 1 has an environment detecting means for acquiring reflection environment information relating to a wall surface 6a, 6b and 6c existing in the vicinity. In this system, the following tracking cycle is executed. The autonomous mobile unit 1 transmits a first ultrasonic wave, and upon receipt of it, the transponder 20 transmits a second ultrasonic wave. By receiving the second ultrasonic wave, the autonomous mobile unit 1 acquires reception information relating to a direct wave that directly arrives at the autonomous mobile unit 1 from the transponder 20 and a reflected wave that arrives via the wall surface.