Abstract: In an endoscope system, a nasal endoscope for entry in a first external nostril of a patient includes a first elongated tube, a first distal portion thereof, an imaging window, an instrument channel, a handle section, and a steering section. An assist device for entry in a second nostril includes a second elongated tube, a second distal portion thereof, and a working channel with a greater inner diameter than the instrument channel. A retaining device retains the second distal portion on the first distal portion removably and equidirectionally, to cause a second distal end surface to contact a lower peripheral part outside a first distal end surface lower than a horizontal line passing a center point of the imaging window when the first distal end surface is viewed in a state of orienting an upper side of steering of the steering section in an upward direction.

Abstract: A discharge lamp lighting device includes: a DC power source; an inverter for inverting the DC power at a predetermined inversion time interval to supply a square wave AC power to a discharge lamp; and a controller for controlling the output power. The controller performs a synchronous operation and controls the DC power source such that DC power outputted during a period other than the output temporarily increasing period in a power increasing period is greater than the DC output power outputted during the period other than the output temporarily increasing period in a rated power period. Further, the controller controls the DC power source such that at least one of an increment of the output power for the output temporarily increasing period and a length of the output temporarily increasing period is less in at least a part of the output increasing period than in the rated power period.

Abstract: In a toner supply container, an air blowing mechanism includes an air blowing fan, an air blowing tube, and an air inlet coupling member. The air inlet coupling member is in close contact with a side wall of the toner container around an air inlet, and includes a skirt made of elastic silicone rubber that covers a joint part of the air blowing tube and the air inlet. An exhaust mechanism includes an exhaust outlet coupling member, an exhaust tube, and an air cleaning filter. The exhaust outlet coupling member is in close contact with an upper wall of the toner container around an exhaust outlet, and includes a skirt made of elastic silicone rubber that covers a joint part of the exhaust tube and the air outlet.

Abstract: 2m sets (m being a natural number of 2 or more; and m=2 in embodiments) of teeth (31b to 34b) and 2m?1 slots (41, 42, 43) are disposed alternately in an axial direction; those of windings (36, 37, 38) accommodated in the slots (41, 42, 43), which are each accommodated in the slots (41, 42, 43) spaced apart by m from each other, are connected in line, so that exciting directions are opposite; and phases of magnetic fluxes passed through the teeth (31b to 34b) are displaced by 360°/2m from one another. Therefore, a thin and high-powered claw pole motor can be produced by disusing a portion of the winding which does not contribute to a torque (i.e., a crossover portion) and commonly using a magnetic path in each phase through return passes (31a to 34a). Moreover, a magnetic circuit of a wave winding motor is formed and hence, the output torque can be increased, as compared with a salient pole concentrated winding motor.

Abstract: In a motor stator, teeth radially project from an annular stator core, and a plurality of slots formed between adjacent teeth are skewed. Phase windings alternately pass through slots having different skew directions, wherein the length of bridging portions, which do not contribute to generation of torque, is short and the length of the portions which are located in the slots, and which contribute to the generation of torque, is long. Further, the phase windings are bent at an obtuse angle at opposite ends of the bridging portions.

Abstract: Charging and discharging lines for a rechargeable battery are arranged independently from each other, and as a protection circuit for the rechargeable battery, there are provided a nonreturn-type switch (for example, thermo-fuse with an internal heater) that is interposed in the charging line in series and interrupts the charging line by blowout and a semiconductor switch (for example, MOS-FET) that is interposed in the discharging line in series and electrically continues or interrupts the discharging line. The switch control circuit turns off the semiconductor switch element when detecting overdischarge of the rechargeable battery, and blows out the nonreturn-type switch when detecting overcharge of the rechargeable battery or a malfunction of the semiconductor switch element.

Abstract: 2m sets (m being a natural number of 2 or more; and m=2 in embodiments) of teeth (31b to 34b) and 2m?1 slots (41, 42, 43) are disposed alternately in an axial direction; those of windings (36, 37, 38) accommodated in the slots (41, 42, 43), which are each accommodated in the slots (41, 42, 43) spaced apart by m from each other, are connected in line, so that exciting directions are opposite; and phases of magnetic fluxes passed through the teeth (31b to 34b) are displaced by 360°/2m from one another. Therefore, a thin and high-powered claw pole motor can be produced by disusing a portion of the winding which does not contribute to a torque (i.e., a crossover portion) and commonly using a magnetic path in each phase through return passes (31a to 34a). Moreover, a magnetic circuit of a wave winding motor is formed and hence, the output torque can be increased, as compared with a salient pole concentrated winding motor.

Abstract: A power transmission system for a hybrid vehicle includes a motor/generator and a torque converter. The motor/generator and the torque converter are disposed in series between a crankshaft of an engine and a main shaft of a transmission. A side plate of the torque converter and a rotor disc of the motor/generator are connected via a drive plate having heat shielding properties and heat releasing properties.

Abstract: A claw pole motor stator includes teeth for N phases (N being a natural number of 3 or more), for example, U-phase, V-phase, and W-phase teeth juxtaposed in an axial direction, return paths for interconnecting the U-phase, V-phase, and W-phase teeth, and (N?1) annular slots formed between the U-phase, V-phase, and W-phase teeth. A U-phase coil and one V-phase coil are housed in one annular slot, and another V-phase coil and a W-phase coil are housed in the other annular slot. In this way, only N sets of teeth and N?1 annular slots are provided for N phases, and thus it is possible to minimize the thickness in the axial direction of the stator compared with a conventional stator which requires 2N sets of teeth and N annular slots for N phases.

Abstract: In a motor stator, teeth radially project from an annular stator core, and a plurality of slots formed between adjacent teeth are skewed. Phase windings alternately pass through slots having different skew directions, wherein the length of bridging portions, which do not contribute to generation of torque, is short and the length of the portions which are located in the slots, and which contribute to the generation of torque, is long. Further, the phase windings are bent at an obtuse angle at opposite ends of the bridging portions.

Abstract: A claw pole motor stator includes teeth for N phases (N being a natural number of 3 or more), for example, U-phase, V-phase, and W-phase teeth juxtaposed in an axial direction, return paths for interconnecting the U-phase, V-phase, and W-phase teeth, and (N?1) annular slots formed between the U-phase, V-phase, and W-phase teeth. A U-phase coil and one V-phase coil are housed in one annular slot, and another V-phase coil and a W-phase coil are housed in the other annular slot. In this way, only N sets of teeth and N?1 annular slots are provided for N phases, and thus it is possible to minimize the thickness in the axial direction of the stator compared with a conventional stator which requires 2N sets of teeth and N annular slots for N phases.

Abstract: A power transmission system for a hybrid vehicle includes a motor/generator and a torque converter. The motor/generator and the torque converter are disposed in series between a crankshaft of an engine and a main shaft of a transmission. A side plate of the torque converter and a rotor disc of the motor/generator are connected via a drive plate having heat shielding properties and heat releasing properties.

Abstract: A sterilizer using steam, which can assure maintaining the temperature at the inside of a thing to be sterilized at a sterilizing temperature during a predetermined period, is proposed. The time to maintain the steam temperature at boiling, temperature is determined as a function of the time which was necessary to raise the steam temperature from a predetermined starting temperature to a predetermined end temperature. After maintaining the boiling temperature, a valve is closed to raise the steam temperature to the sterilizing temperature, which sterilizing temperature is maintained during a predetermined time period.

Abstract: Disclosed is a contrast medium for ultrasonic diagnosis, which comprises an aqueous medium and gas-encapsulated particles each having a ferrite magnetic layer on the surface thereof contained in the aqueous medium.

Abstract: Method of manufacturing a sewing machine bobbin having flanges at both ends, which is characterized by integrally welding bobbin parts by means of laser beam irradiation. Aluminum is suitable for bobbin material except having comparatively low melting point, which has conventionally made it difficult to use aluminum material for bobbin. Described is the method of welding alminum bobbin parts by means of laser beam irradiation, which is also available for welding other materials.

Abstract: A laser beam machining device has a working head with a laser beam irradiation part, and a movable table for setting an iron plate or a work. On the upper surface of said movable table, driving rollers such as iron rollers are provided in parallel to each other, and said movable table has on its either side a cramp device for fixing a setting plate for setting said iron plate or work. The provision of said driving rollers on the upper surface of said movable table enables the automatic carrying in of said iron plate or work, and its carrying out together with the product by the driving rollers, contributing to the labor saving.