Abstract: A gas bearing device is a gas bearing device using a gas as a working fluid, including: a rotational shaft; a housing where the rotational shaft penetrates; an annular top foil disposed inside the housing and surrounding an outer periphery of the rotational shaft; a back spring disposed between the top foil and the housing, and having a plurality of crests contacting the top foil and a plurality of valleys contacting the housing; and a pair of snap rings fitted in shaft holes where the rotational shaft of the housing penetrates, and configured to restrict movement of the back spring in an axial direction of the rotational shaft. The gas bearing device has a turning groove inclined with respect to an axis of the rotational shaft, in at least one of the pair of snap rings or in a region of the rotational shaft facing at least one of the pair of snap rings.

Abstract: A gas bearing device is a gas bearing device for rotatably supporting a rotational shaft by using a gas as a working fluid, including: a housing where the rotational shaft penetrates; an annular top foil disposed inside the housing and surrounding an outer periphery of the rotational shaft; a back spring disposed between the top foil and the housing, and having a plurality of crests contacting the top foil and a plurality of valleys contacting the housing; and a pair of snap rings fitted in shaft holes where the rotational shaft of the housing penetrates, and configured to restrict movement of the back spring in an axial direction of the rotational shaft. An inner peripheral surface of each of the pair of snap rings has self-lubricating properties.

Abstract: A battery terminal cover includes: a base portion that is fixed to a recess of a battery and accommodates a battery terminal and a fuse unit; a first cover coupled to the base portion via a first hinge; a second cover coupled to the base portion via a second hinge; a first engagement portion provided between the base portion and the first cover and disposed close to a side wall of the recess to hold the first cover at a shielding position; a second engagement portion provided between the base portion and the second cover and disposed close to the side wall of the recess to hold the second cover at a shielding position; and a release operation portion provided only in the first engagement portion so as to protrude upward higher than the side wall of the recess.

Abstract: A battery terminal cover includes a base portion that is fixed to a battery and accommodates a battery terminal; a first cover that is coupled to the base portion via a first hinge and is configured to be rotationally displaceable between a shielding position at which the first cover covers a fastening bolt attached to the battery terminal and an exposed position at which the fastening bolt is exposed; and a first protruding rib that is provided in the base portion and restricts rotation of a spanner rotated about the fastening bolt by interfering with the spanner before the spanner comes into contact with a peripheral member disposed around the battery.

Abstract: An ink-jet printing head comprises a laminated unit integrally formed as a sintered ceramic product and including a bottom insulating plate element, a top insulating plate element, and a piezoelectric plate element between the bottom and top insulating plate element, the laminated unit having a pressure chamber formed at the piezoelectric plate element fillable with an ink, the piezoelectric plate element having electrode layers formed on opposite surfaces thereof surrounding the pressure chamber, the laminated unit also being provided with an orifice in communication with the pressure chamber. The piezoelectric plate element is constituted such that its thickness is reduced upon applying a drive pulse voltage thereto, resulting in a decrease of the pressure chamber volume, whereby an ink-jet drop is ejected from the orifice.

Abstract: An optical fiber cable of multi-core single-mode type consists of a series of groups of a plurality of optical fibers having end portions fusion spliced to corresponding end portions of adjacent groups of optical fibers at an optical connection loss of at most 0.5 dB. Each of the end portions prior to fusion splicing has a radius of curvature in meters defined by .lambda./1.41 (where .lambda. is a wavelength in .mu.m at which said optical fiber cable is used). This structure and method ensures a sufficiently low optical connection loss of the optical fibers which are economically connected in batch and are easily reconnected in case of trouble.

Abstract: .theta.-clamp also serves as a jacket clamp. The clamp comprises a cover mounted on an arm by a hinge and kept closed by a magnet, so that a pusher provided in the cover is urged against a jacketed portion of an optical fiber by a spring. In this state, the fiber is rotated in a .theta. direction by rotating a dial. .theta.-clamp also serves as a jacket clamp. Therefore, 1. The .theta.-clamp can be positioned close to a fiber clamp. For this reason, the optical fiber is not twisted during .theta.-axes alignment, and a follow-up property of rotation of the optical fiber with respect to rotation of the .theta. axis is improved. In addition, the apparatus need not be adjusted so as not to twist the optical fiber. 2. The distance between fiber clamp and .theta.-clamp is shortened. Therefore, when the optical fiber is clamped and moved in the z direction, the jacketed portion is not flexed.

Abstract: An ink transfer type of dot printer utilizes thermo-sensitive ink which is solid at normal temperatures, with selected portions of the ink being liquified by heating and transferred onto recording paper. Such a printer can be of contact or of non-contact (e.g. ink-jet) configuration, and eliminates the need to utilize disposable materials such as ink ribbons etc.