Abstract: The object of this invention is to provide a float for a liquid waste disposal apparatus having a simple structure for enabling the content inside a container to be easily visually recognizable and allowing a faster and steadier solidification of an absorbed liquid waste. A water-absorptive material 6 is retained inside a spherical float 5 in a manner where a water-absorptive material 6 is wrapped by a water permeable sheet 22 inside a hemispherical primary structural portion 5a and a secondary structural portion 5b capable of being separated into two portions, and thus structured, a circle shaped hole 5c or a square shaped hole 5d of the float 5 serving as a flow path for flowing downward a liquid waste 21 absorbed from an upper portion into a lying member L is formed at the surface of the float 5. The float 5 is contained inside the lying member L in a floatable manner permitted to revolve in a vertical direction.

Abstract: Provided is a soaking apparatus to treat materials which require higher accuracy in soaking and improved cleanliness. The soaking apparatus to soak a material 12 to be treated is provided with a heat treatment apparatus 14 having walls, a ceiling and a floor, each of the walls, the ceiling and the floor of the heat treatment apparatus 14 being divided into a plurality of sections, a heater block mounted on each of the sections, a thermal sensor 11 mounted to the heater block, and a thermal controller 13 to control heating of the heater block based on a temperature measured by the thermal sensor 11.

Abstract: A ceramic device has an actuator element which includes a shape-retaining layer, an upper electrode formed on an upper portion of the shape-retaining layer, and a lower electrode formed on a lower portion of the shape-retaining layer; a vibrating section of ceramics which supports the actuator element; and a fixed section of ceramics which vibratingly supports the vibrating section. An electrode material of the lower electrode contacting the vibrating section contains an additive in an amount of 0.01% by weight to 20% by weight. The electrode material contains platinum as a major component, for example. The additive such as zirconium oxide, cerium oxide, or titanium oxide is preferably used.

Abstract: A piezoelectric/electrostrictive device comprises a piezoelectric/electrostrictive layer and at least a pair of electrodes formed on the piezoelectric/electrostrictive layer, wherein the piezoelectric/electrostrictive layer is composed of a material containing Mn in an amount corresponding to 0.1 to 0.5% by weight as converted into an amount of MnO2, in PZT (lead zirconate titanate), or a material containing Mn in an amount corresponding to 0.1 to 0.5% by weight as converted into an amount of MnO2, in a perovskite type piezoelectric/electrostrictive material based on Pb(Mg⅓Nb⅔)O3—PbZrO3—PbTiO3 which contains Pb and in which a part of Pb is substituted with Sr.

Abstract: A piezoelectric/electrostrictive film device comprises a piezoelectric/electrostrictive layer and at least a pair of electrodes formed on the piezoelectric/electrostrictive layer, wherein a perovskite piezoelectric/electrostrictive material of the piezoelectric/electrostrictive layer contains Pb, and wherein the perovskite piezoelectric/electrostrictive material contains MnO2 in an amount of 0.1 to 0.5% by weight. Specifically, the perovskite piezoelectric/electrostrictive material contains Pb(Mg⅓Nb⅔)O3-PbZrO3-PbTiO3 in which a part of Pb is substituted with Sr.

Abstract: An integrated piezoelectric/electrostrictive film type element with excellent durability, includes a substrate made of a ceramic material composed mainly of completely stabilized or partially stabilized zirconium oxide, and a piezoelectric/electrostrictive operating section integrated onto the ceramic substrate by a film-forming method, the piezoelectric/electrostrictive operating section comprising a lower electrode, a piezoelectric/electrostrictive layer of a lead element-containing composition, and an upper electrode, wherein a heterophase-occurence rate at a surface of the piezoelectric/electrostrictive layer is controlled to a range of 0.1 to 30%.

Abstract: An integrated piezoelectric/electrostrictive film type element with excellent durability, includes a substrate made of a ceramic material composed mainly of completely stabilized or partially stabilized zirconium oxide, and a piezoelectric/electrostrictive operating section integrated onto the ceramic substrate by a film-forming method, the piezoelectric/electrostrictive operating section comprising a lower electrode, a piezoelectric/electrostrictive layer of a lead element-containing composition, and an upper electrode, wherein a heterophase-occurence rate at a surface of the piezoelectric/electrostrictive layer is controlled to a range of 0.1 to 30%.

Abstract: The object of this invention of a float for liquid waste disposal apparatus enables the content inside a container to be easily visually recognizable and allows a faster and steadier solidification of an absorbed liquid waste.

Abstract: A depolarizer 11 is inserted between an optical branch unit 2 and a polarization filter 3, a depolarizer 12 and a polarization filter 14 are inserted between an optical phase modulator 5 and a quarter-wave plate 16, and a depolarizer 13 and a polarization filter 15 are inserted between the other branch end of the optical branch unit 4 and a quarter-wave plate 17. The optical branch unit 2 and the optical phase modulator 5 are formed by single mode optical fibers, and single mode optical fibers are used to connect between optical elements, thus providing an arrangement which is inexpensive as a whole.

Abstract: A system for protecting and controlling substation main-circuit components. The system comprises: digital data output means for inputting analogue AC electric values and outputting digital data; protection-and-controlling means for inputting the data from the digital data output means, and for controlling, monitoring and protecting the substation main-circuit components; component controlling-and-monitoring means for receiving commands from the protection-and-controlling means or the substation controlling-and-monitoring equipment, and for controlling and monitoring the substation main-circuit components; and communication means. The digital data output means, the protection-and-controlling means and the component controlling-and-monitoring means are built in their corresponding substation main-circuit components.

Abstract: The object of this invention is to provide a float for a liquid waste disposal apparatus having a simple structure for enabling the content inside a container to be easily visually recognizable and allowing a faster and steadier solidification of an absorbed liquid waste.

Abstract: The object of this invention is to provide a multiply connected type liquid waste disposal apparatus to unify the kind of canister bottles used for multiple connection, to provide plural patient hoses for separate use, to enable easy visual recognition of a content capacity even if a liquid waste disposing capacity is increased, and to rapidly solidify an absorbed liquid waste.

Abstract: A respiration-synchronized oxygen supplying apparatus includes a sensor detecting respiration of human being, a valve connecting and disconnecting communications between a first gas passage coupled to the human being and a second gas passage coupled to the oxygen supplier, and a controller for controlling the valve based on information from the sensor. A negative pressure generating mechanism is provided having a communication area widened as closer to the human being between the valve and the human being, and a third gas passage is coupled to the negative pressure generating mechanism to normally communicate between the sensor and the human being. During an oxygen supplying state, oxygen does not leak toward the negative pressure sensor, so that the oxygen can be employed without waste.

Abstract: An integrated piezoelectric/electrostrictive film type element with excellent durability, includes a substrate made of a ceramic material composed mainly of completely stabilized of partially stabilized zirconium oxide, and a piezoelectric/electrostrictive operating section integrated onto the ceramic substrate by a film-forming method, the piezoelectric/electrostrictive operating section comprising a lower electrode, a piezoelectric/electrostrictive layer of a lead element-containing composition, and an upper electrode, wherein a heterophase-occurrence rate at a surface of the piezoelectric/electrostrictive layer is controlled to a range of 0.1 to 30%.

Abstract: The present invention provides a flexible suction body and method of its use for temporarily immobilizing a local area of tissue during surgery or a diagnostic procedure. The invention device and method are particularly well suited for immobilizing a local area of heart tissue to thereby permit surgery, for example, minimally invasive or micro-surgery, on a coronary vessel without significant deterioration of the pumping function of the beating heart. The invention suction device, which is coupled to a vacuum source, has a ring- or horseshoe-shaped suction channel with a flexible, spreadable outer rim that flattens and spreads outwardly against the surface of the treatment site as air is withdrawn from the suction channel. This design distributes the pressure of the suction body against the treatment site while maximizing the suction field to minimize bruising and suction hemorrhage at the treatment site caused by the suction body.

Abstract: Disclosed is a piezoelectric/electrostrictive element composed of an actuator section of a uni-morph type comprising a main actuator element including a piezoelectric/electrostrictive layer and a pair of electrodes formed on a first principal surface of the piezoelectric/electrostrictive layer; a vibrating section which contacts with a second principal surface of the piezoelectric/electrostrictive layer for supporting the main actuator element; and a fixed section for supporting the vibrating section in a vibrative manner; wherein a relationship of y=ax is satisfied, and an expression of {fraction (1/10)}≦a≦100 is satisfied provided that x represents a distance between the pair of electrodes (1 &mgr;m≦x≦200 &mgr;m), and y represents a thickness of the piezoelectric/electrostrictive layer (1 &mgr;m≦y≦100 &mgr;m).

Abstract: An optical current transformer includes a sensor arranged adjacent to a conductor through which an electric current is to be measured flows, a light source for generating a measuring light, a detector for detecting the measuring light emitted from the sensor, a coupling optical system for optically connecting the sensor, the light source and the detector, and a signal processing system for processing a signal transmitted from the detector so as to calculate the electric current flowed through the conductor by using a Faraday effect of light which passes through the sensor. The sensor is formed by an optical fiber, the optical fiber being wound around the conductor, and the two ends of the optical fiber being arranged to form a closed loop of the optical fiber.

Abstract: Disclosed is a display device comprising a light-shielding plate including a metal thin film formed on a first principal surface of an optical waveguide plate for introducing the light thereinto and including light-transmitting sections formed at portions corresponding to picture elements to make penetration through the optical waveguide plate, and shutter sections provided opposingly to a second principal surface of the light-shielding plate, for selectively intercepting the light transmitted through the light-transmitting sections in accordance with an input signal. The shutter sections include actuator elements provided corresponding to the large number of light-transmitting sections so that the light to be transmitted through the light-transmitting sections is intercepted substantially in synchronization with the operation of the actuator elements. Accordingly, it is possible to improve the contrast and improve the image quality of a displayed image.

Abstract: The present invention provides stabilizing devices and methods of use for temporarily remotely immobilizing a local area of tissue, such as a local area of tissue on a beating heart, or other internal organ, to thereby permit minimally-invasive or robotic surgery thereon. The invention stabilizing device, which is coupled to a vacuum source, features an elastomeric suction body mounted on the steerable tip of a rod-like instrument, such as a steerable catheter. The flexible or steerable tip and elongate suction channel are sized for introduction into an interior body cavity via a small surgical opening. A steering mechanism mounted at the proximal end of the device is used to coil the elongate tip and suction channel into a ring- or horseshoe-shape within the body cavity.

Abstract: Disclosed is a piezoelectric/electrostrictive element composed of an actuator section of a uni-morph type comprising a main actuator element including a piezoelectric/electrostrictive layer and a pair of electrodes formed on a first principal surface of the piezoelectric/electrostrictive layer; a vibrating section which contacts with a second principal surface of the piezoelectric/electrostrictive layer for supporting the main actuator element; and a fixed section for supporting the vibrating section in a vibrative manner; wherein a relationship of y=ax is satisfied, and an expression of 1/10.ltoreq.a.ltoreq.100 is satisfied provided that x represents a distance between the pair of electrodes (1 .mu.m.ltoreq.x.ltoreq.200 .mu.m), and y represents a thickness of the piezoelectric/electrostrictive layer (1 .mu.m.ltoreq.y.ltoreq.100 .mu.m).