Abstract: Disclosed is a method for manufacturing instant noodles using extruded noodles, with each noodle having a hole extending therethrough in a longitudinal direction, wherein the hole closes or contracts during boiling or rehydration in hot water and the hole in a cross section of the noodle is configured such that a plurality of grooves are formed rotationally symmetrically about a center of the cross section, extending in an outer radial direction from the center of the cross section of the noodle.

Abstract: A location obtaining unit obtains information on a location of the image capture apparatus during image; a direction obtaining unit obtains direction of an image captured; a device information obtaining unit obtains information on a location of a wireless device that is included by an object during image capture; a distance obtaining unit obtains a distance of the object in the image captured from the image capture apparatus; an object location calculating unit calculates a location of the object based on the information on the location of the image capture apparatus, a direction of the image, and the distance of the object from the image capture apparatus; and a object identifying unit identifies that the object is an object including the wireless device if the location of the object and the location of the wireless device are within a predetermined range.

Abstract: A power seat operation device is configured in such a manner that, when a dial member is rotated and operated, a movable mechanism which is to be operated is selected from among movable mechanisms. When a switch member is rotated and operated, the selected movable mechanism is actuated. The switch member is rotated and operated about a rotation axis extending in the widthwise direction of the seat. Thus the direction of operation of the switch member can be aligned with or nearly aligned with both the direction of the actual movement of a seat back when a recliner mechanism is actuated and the direction of the actual movement of an ottoman when an ottoman mechanism is actuated. Also, in a state in which a seat slide mechanism is selected, the direction of the operation of the switch member is aligned with the front-rear direction of the seat.

Abstract: The present invention obtains a multi-shaft drive device that can protect a rack and pinion from operative load input to a selector. The multi-shaft drive device is provided with: an input-side bevel gear (52) to which motor power is transmitted; and an output-side bevel gear (34) that transmits the power transmitted from the input-side bevel gear (52) to a movable mechanism. The multi-shaft drive device is further provided with: a selector (10) that connects/disconnects the meshing of the output-side bevel gear (34) and the input-side bevel gear (52); and a rotating shaft (16) that causes the selector (10) to slide via a rack (18) and pinion (17). Furthermore, the angle of rotation of the rotating shaft (16) is regulated by the end of the pinion (17) contacting a vertical wall (1A) of a case (1).

Abstract: A power seat operation device is configured in such a manner that, when a dial member is rotated and operated, a movable mechanism which is to be operated is selected from among movable mechanisms. When a switch member is rotated and operated, the selected movable mechanism is actuated. The switch member is rotated and operated about a rotation axis extending in the widthwise direction of the seat. Thus the direction of operation of the switch member can be aligned with or nearly aligned with both the direction of the actual movement of a seat back when a recliner mechanism is actuated and the direction of the actual movement of an ottoman when an ottoman mechanism is actuated. Also, in a state in which a seat slide mechanism is selected, the direction of the operation of the switch member is aligned with the front-rear direction of the seat.

Abstract: A power transmission member that transmits rotation of an output shaft to a movable mechanism achieves a simpler structure and increased productivity compared to when a conventional flexible cable is employed. Out of plural output portions 30 of a clutch unit 2, power transmission members that transmit rotation of an output shaft 31 to a movable mechanism are configured by a conventional torque cable in a second output portion 30B and a third output portion 30C. However in a first output portion 30A, the power transmission member is configured by a gearbox 3 including a worm 71 that is coaxially and integrally formed with an output shaft 31A.

Abstract: The present invention obtains a multi-shaft drive device that can protect a rack and pinion from operative load input to a selector. The multi-shaft drive device is provided with: an input-side bevel gear (52) to which motor power is transmitted; and an output-side bevel gear (34) that transmits the power transmitted from the input-side bevel gear (52) to a movable mechanism. The multi-shaft drive device is further provided with: a selector (10) that connects/disconnects the meshing of the output-side bevel gear (34) and the input-side bevel gear (52); and a rotating shaft (16) that causes the selector (10) to slide via a rack (18) and pinion (17). Furthermore, the angle of rotation of the rotating shaft (16) is regulated by the end of the pinion (17) contacting a vertical wall (1A) of a case (1).

Abstract: A power transmission member that transmits rotation of an output shaft to a movable mechanism achieves a simpler structure and increased productivity compared to when a conventional flexible cable is employed. Out of plural output portions 30 of a clutch unit 2, power transmission members that transmit rotation of an output shaft 31 to a movable mechanism are configured by a conventional torque cable in a second output portion 30B and a third output portion 30C. However in a first output portion 30A, the power transmission member is configured by a gearbox 3 including a worm 71 that is coaxially and integrally formed with an output shaft 31A.

Abstract: Disclosed is an extruded noodle having a hole extending therethrough in a longitudinal direction, wherein: the hole closes or contracts during boiling or rehydration in hot water; and the hole in a cross section of the noodle is configured such that a plurality of grooves are formed rotationally symmetrically about a center of the cross section, extending in an outer radial direction from the center of the cross section of the noodle.

Abstract: An imaging device includes a storage portion of carriers, a multiplier section having a multiplier electrode multiplying carriers, a holding portion of the carriers and a readout electrode of carriers, wherein the multiplier electrode is set to an OFF-state potential and carriers are transferred to the holding portion after the potential of the readout electrode is set to an ON-state potential, and the ON-state potential of the readout electrode is maintained at least until a signal corresponding to the carriers transferred to the holding portion is read.

Abstract: This image sensor includes a charge increasing portion for increasing the quantity of charges, a first electrode for applying a voltage regulating a region adjacent to the charge increasing portion to a prescribed potential, a second electrode provided adjacently to the first electrode for applying another voltage increasing the quantity of charges in the charge increasing portion, a first wire formed on a prescribed layer for supplying a signal to the first electrode and a second wire formed on a layer different from the prescribed layer for supplying another signal to the second electrode.

Abstract: An imaging device capable of multiplying carriers and miniaturizing the device is obtained. The imaging device includes a carrier storage portion for storing carriers generated by photoelectric conversion, having a photoelectric conversion function, a multiplier section including a multiplier electrode applying an electric field for multiplying carriers due to impact ionization by an electric field, one first transfer electrode so provided between the carrier storage portion and the multiplier electrode as to be adjacent to the carrier storage portion and the multiplier electrode.

Abstract: There is provided a traffic sign apparatus that can improve the luminance of a sign surface which emits light by ultraviolet irradiation, and the uniformity ratio of illuminance, so as to enhance the visibility thereof in the nighttime. The traffic sign apparatus 10 includes a sign body 11 having the sign surface 14 which emits light by ultraviolet irradiation, and an irradiation device 12 for irradiating ultraviolet rays onto the sign surface 14. Assuming that the maximum incident angle of the ultraviolet rays be ?1, the ultraviolet rays being irradiated from the ultraviolet emission lamps 26 of the irradiation unit 12 onto the objective sign surfaces W1 and W2 on the sign surface 14 which is the irradiation object of the ultraviolet emission lamps 26; and that the minimum incident angle be ?2, the angle ?1 is set to more than 30° and less than 70°; and the angle ? 2 is set to more than 5° and less than 30°.

Abstract: This image sensor includes a charge increasing portion for increasing the quantity of charges, a first electrode for applying a voltage regulating a region adjacent to the charge increasing portion to a prescribed potential, a second electrode provided adjacently to the first electrode for applying another voltage increasing the quantity of charges in the charge increasing portion, a first wire formed on a prescribed layer for supplying a signal to the first electrode and a second wire formed on a layer different from the prescribed layer for supplying another signal to the second electrode.

Abstract: An imaging device includes a storage portion of carriers, a multiplier section having a multiplier electrode multiplying carriers, a holding portion of the carriers and a readout electrode of carriers, wherein the multiplier electrode is set to an OFF-state potential and carriers are transferred to the holding portion after the potential of the readout electrode is set to an ON-state potential, and the ON-state potential of the readout electrode is maintained at least until a signal corresponding to the carriers transferred to the holding portion is read.

Abstract: A semiconductor device capable of improving the operating speed and inhibiting the threshold voltage from fluctuation is obtained. In this semiconductor device, fluorine is introduced into at least any of regions extending over the junction interfaces between a first conductivity type semiconductor region and second conductivity type source/drain regions, at least the interface between the gate insulator film and the central region of a channel region as well as a gate insulator film, and side wall insulator films.

Abstract: An imaging device capable of multiplying carriers and miniaturizing the device is obtained. The imaging device includes a carrier storage portion for storing carriers generated by photoelectric conversion, having a photoelectric conversion function, a multiplier section including a multiplier electrode applying an electric field for multiplying carriers due to impact ionization by an electric field, one first transfer electrode so provided between the carrier storage portion and the multiplier electrode as to be adjacent to the carrier storage portion and the multiplier electrode.

Abstract: A vehicular lamp including power supply connectors 20, attached to a bracket 10, and LED modules 30, attached detachably to the power supply connectors 20, respectively. The LED module includes an LED circuit board 31, an LED 32 mounted on the LED circuit board, and conduction portions 33 disposed on the LED circuit board and electrically connected to the LED. The power supply connector includes an accommodation portion 41, into which the LED circuit board of the LED module is inserted when the power supply connector is attached to the bracket, and a pair of contact terminals 50. When the LED circuit board of the LED module is inserted in the accommodation portion of the power supply connector, the contact terminals of the power supply connector contact the conduction portions of the LED module, thus making an electrical connection between the LED module and the power supply connector.

Abstract: There is provided a charge transfer element, comprising a shift register, with a plurality of transfer electrodes, for transmitting information charge by application of clock pulses to the transfer electrodes, and an output section for outputting an output voltage according to information charge sequentially transferred and output from the shift register, a driver for applying clock pulses to the transfer electrodes at a specified timing, and a sampling circuit for sampling output voltage output from the output section, wherein the sampling circuit samples the output voltage, avoiding points in time where the clock pulses applied to the transfer electrodes change. In this way, it is possible to reduce noise that is superimposed on an output signal of a solid state imaging device.

Abstract: Upon receiving a message, a mail server (20) causes an SMSC (30) to transmit a reception notice. In response to the reception notice, a digest acquisition unit (211) of a cellular phone (60) requests information (digest information) about the message of the mail server (20). In accordance with a user's instruction for the digest information, a control unit (214) instructs a message acquisition unit (212) to receive each part of the message. Consequently, the message can efficiently be transmitted, and unnecessary traffic can be reduced.