Abstract: A method for producing fractured fragments of polycrystalline silicon having a fracturing process fracturing fragments of polycrystalline silicon between a pair of rolls which are rotated in a counter direction each other around parallel axes, in which: the rolls have a plurality of fracturing teeth protruding radially-outwardly from outer peripheral surfaces thereof; the fracturing teeth have spherical top surfaces and conical or cylindrical side surfaces; the fracturing process is performed in fracturing ratio of equal to or more than 1.0 to less than 1.5, and the fracturing ratio is specified by a maximum length of polycrystalline silicon before fracturing with respect to a facing distance between the top surfaces of the fracturing teeth at a facing part of the rolls.

Abstract: The wind power generator includes: a wind tunnel formed by a columnar member erected on a foundation in a vertical direction; a plurality of wind-collecting plates that extends from a circumferential wall of the columnar member in directions normal to the circumferential wall; a plurality of upper and lower guide plates provided between the wind-collecting plates; a plurality of wind inlets that introduces wind collected by the wind-collecting plates into the wind tunnel; back-flow preventing means that allow only the flow of wind blowing from the outside of the columnar member into the inside of the columnar member; a turbine that is driven by wind blowing out from one end of the wind tunnel, and power generator that is driven by the turbine.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for selecting a marker for diagnosis of the nutritional status capable of reflecting the status of a particular nutrient in a plant without being influenced by various stresses in environmental factors, etc., and a method for diagnosing the status of a particular nutrient in a plant using a marker for diagnosis of the nutritional status selected by the method. A metabolite quantitatively changed depending on only the amount of a particular nutrient in a plant is selected as a marker for diagnosis of the nutritional status reflecting the status of the nutrient in the plant.

Abstract: A resonator for joining metal members utilizing ultrasonic vibration includes an ultrasonic horn having a length of at least half wavelength of a resonance frequency of ultrasonic vibration transmitted from a vibrator, and a joining tool provided on the ultrasonic horn so as to project in a direction normal to a vibration transmission direction of the ultrasonic horn at a position of a point of a maximum vibration amplitude of the ultrasonic horn. The joining tool is formed into a linear bar made of a material excellent in acoustic property and is provided on a distal end thereof with a tool head projecting laterally.

Abstract: A sensor apparatus comprising a housing, two or three gyroscope units and three accelerometer units. The gyroscope units are oriented orthogonally respective to each other and mounted within the housing. Each gyroscope unit includes a plurality of gyroscopes with input axes parallel to each other. The accelerometer units are oriented orthogonally respective to each other and mounted within the housing. Each accelerometer unit includes a plurality of accelerometers with detection axes parallel to each other.

Abstract: Provided is a method for increasing the thickness of the secondary cell wall of a plant. A method for increasing the thickness of the secondary cell wall of a plant by using a tracheary element differentiation (TED)-associated protein or a C-terminal fragment of the same, which comprises constructing a transgenic (Tg) plant containing, in an expressible manner, a DNA encoding protein(s) selected from the group consisting of a combination of TED6 with TED7, a C-terminal fragment of TED6, a C-terminal fragment of TED7, and a combination of a C-terminal fragment of TED6 with a C-terminal fragment of TED7, and expressing said DNA in said plant; the Tg plant; and a progeny, a cell, a tissue or a seed of the same.

Abstract: A detection device is retained in the rumen of a cow by being orally administered to the cow, and detects the state of the inside of the rumen. The detection device wirelessly transmits measured values of the rumen pH as detection results. A monitoring unit (receiver and monitoring server) acquires information transmitted from the detection device, and monitors the state of the inside of the rumen. The detection device is configured to be recoverable orally from the rumen of the cow. The operating conditions of the detection device are recorded in the detection device ahead of time, and can be updated by means of a wireless signal transmitted from a setting unit to the detection device.

Abstract: Methods and systems for azimuth measurements using a gyroscope unit are disclosed. The method includes acquiring a ratio value between two earth rate components orthogonal to each other by using the gyroscope unit at a measuring position; acquiring three gravity vector components orthogonal to each other at the measuring position; and determining an azimuth with respect to a reference axis predetermined in the gyroscope unit, based on the ratio value, the three gravity vector components and a geodetic latitude of the measuring position.

Abstract: A pressure transducer comprising a housing and a piezoelectric resonator in the housing, wherein the resonator is made of a piezoelectric crystal having Curie temperature greater than 1000° C. or having no Curie temperature up to its melting point greater than 1000° C., and the piezoelectric crystal has a piezoelectric constant more than two times greater than that of quartz.

Abstract: A system of optical measurements for wellbore survey comprises a light conveyable cable, an optical measurement apparatus optically coupled to one end of the light conveyable cable, and a light source optically coupled to another end of the light conveyable cable. The light source produces light used for optical measurements in the optical measurement apparatus.

Abstract: An apparatus for azimuth measurements is provided. The apparatus comprises a housing and a plurality of gyro sensors aligned in the housing. Each of the plurality of gyro sensors has an input axis for angular velocity measurements. There is provided a drive unit for rotating each of the plurality of gyro sensors about a rotation axis. Each of the plurality of gyro sensors changes orientation of the input axis with the drive unit.

Abstract: A counter base for checkout includes a basket placing table on one side thereof to be freely raised and lowered. A driving unit can drive to raise and lower the basket placing table. A first detecting unit detects that a shopping cart enters an access area closer to the basket placing table than a predetermined range. A second detecting unit detects presence or absence of the shopping cart stopped along one side of the counter base. A control unit controls to drive, when the first detecting unit detects entrance of the shopping cart into the access area, the driving unit to move the basket placing table to a lowered position and, thereafter, controls to drive, when the second detecting unit does not detect the shopping cart stopped along the counter base, the driving unit to return the basket placing table to a raised position.

Abstract: An integrated circuit (“IC”) connector includes a card detection contact terminal which is provided substantially at a central part of a housing unit and between a first grounding contact terminal and a second grounding contact terminal, and first and second contact terminals located so as to face each other along a direction of mounting and demounting of a first IC card, the first contact terminals provided adjacent to and both sides of the card detection contact terminal, the second contact terminals provided adjacent to both sides of the card detection contact terminal.

Abstract: A resonator is used for ultrasonic machining and attached to the side or bottom of a liquid tank so as to pass through the liquid tank used in ultrasonic machining equipment for dipping a workpiece part in machining liquid given supersonic vibration. The resonator includes a working vessel formed in one end of the resonator within the liquid tank as a dent opening upward so as to enable the workpiece part to be inserted therein from above and part of the machining liquid in the liquid tank to be accommodated therein as separated from the machining liquid in the liquid tank.

Abstract: To provide a membrane separation method capable of attaining reduced adsorption of a membrane-fouling substance contained in treatment water onto the surface of a separation membrane during membrane separation of the treatment water, to thereby lead retarded deterioration in membrane separation performance, and a membrane separation apparatus for performing the method. In the membrane separation method, to treatment water, a particulate cationic polymer which swells in water but does not substantially dissolve therein is added, and the treatment water is subjected to membrane separation.

Abstract: Example vibrating helical spring sensors and methods to operate the same are disclosed. A disclosed example apparatus includes a housing, a helical spring held in tension, a flowline to expose the helical spring to a fluid, a magnet to expose the helical spring to a magnetic field, and a wire to electrically conduct an actuating current through the helical spring to displace the helical spring.

Abstract: A sensor apparatus comprising a housing, two or three gyroscope units and three accelerometer units. The gyroscope units are oriented orthogonally respective to each other and mounted within the housing. Each gyroscope unit includes a plurality of gyroscopes with input axes parallel to each other. The accelerometer units are oriented orthogonally respective to each other and mounted within the housing. Each accelerometer unit includes a plurality of accelerometers with detection axes parallel to each other.

Abstract: A card insertion slot in the card connector through which two types of cards, large and small cards, can be selectively installed in a card accommodation space include first and second guideways in corresponding to the sizes of the cards. The card connector includes first and second contacts, a lock bracket configured to detect the width of the large card, an actuator configured to be rotatable, and a partition member including a partition plate configured to be movable. When the large card is inserted into the card connector, the lock bracket is moved from the first position to the second position. When the large card is further fed into the card connector, the actuator is rotated from the first position to the second position, and the partition plate is moved from the first position to the second position.

Abstract: A card insertion slot in the card connector through which two types of cards, large and small cards, can be selectively installed in a card accommodation space include first and second guideways in corresponding to the sizes of the cards. The card connector includes first and second contacts, a lock bracket configured to detect the width of the large card, an actuator configured to be rotatable, and a partition member including a partition plate configured to be movable. When the large card is inserted into the card connector, the lock bracket is moved from the first position to the second position. When the large card is further fed into the card connector, the actuator is rotated from the first position to the second position, and the partition plate is moved from the first position to the second position.

Abstract: An air cleaner is used in a two-stroke internal combustion engine to supply an air-fuel mixture passage and a fresh air passage in a carburetor with air cleaned by an air cleaner element. The air cleaner includes an air cleaner base having an air-fuel mixture opening communicating with the air-fuel mixture passage and a fresh air opening communicating with the fresh air passage, and an air guide member provided at the air-fuel mixture opening. The air guide member is configured to curve near the air-fuel mixture opening and extend from there along the air cleaner base, and has a cross section surrounded by a peripheral wall. The air guide member defines a mixture-use air extension passage for air to be added to prepare an air-fuel mixture air-fuel mixture, which extends from a first clean air intake to the air-fuel mixture opening.