Abstract: Providing a packaging machine and a packaging method both of which are capable of packaging with an imperforate bag provided with no small apertures or no aerating part, can prevent contamination of foreign substances such as insects and can further prevent the packaging bags from being damaged or collapsed during storage in a piled state or transportation by execution of reliable deaeration. The packaging machine and a packaging method have a closing unit 4 which holds a vicinity of mouth a of a packaging bag A inserted with a deaeration nozzle held from opposed sides of the bag A, an airway securing unit, a shaping press unit and a temporary sealing unit.

Abstract: A force-feedback multidirectional input device includes a slider slidably supported by a support base and an operation knob joined to the slider. In a sliding operation, the slider operates in conjunction with actuating members included in a force-feedback unit. Therefore, a sense of force based on the sliding is fed back to the operation knob. Furthermore, the slider is elastically urged by coil springs toward an inner bottom surface of a housing space defined in the support base. In a depressing operation, the operation knob presses the support base downward against the urging force of coil springs. Therefore, a vertically movable member joined to the support base is moved downward along guide portions (convex rails and concave grooves). Thus, a push switch provided on a pedestal (circuit board) is pressed and activated by the vertically movable member.

Abstract: An oscillator circuit comprises a piezoelectric vibrator, an amplifier device including inverters provided in a plurality of stages, and an inverter control device. The inverters provided in the plurality of stages includes a performance-variable inverter configured which is operational in both of an initial phase of oscillation startup and a post-startup phase where the oscillation is stabilized and capable of a variable performance depending on whether the initial phase of oscillation startup or the post-startup phase where the oscillation is stabilized, and an ON/OFF inverter which is operational in the initial phase of oscillation startup and disconnected in the post-startup phase where the oscillation is stabilized.

Abstract: A multi-directional input apparatus includes an operating member including a shaft portion which extends to the outside, a housing having an opening through which the shaft portion extends and configured to support the operating member in a tiltable manner, interlocking members moved by the operating member when the shaft portion is tilted, and detectors which detect changes in the positions of the interlocking members. A sliding member is externally fitted to the shaft portion such that the sliding member is movable in an axial direction, and a coil spring is disposed between a flange provided on the shaft portion and the sliding member. A rubbing surface of the sliding member is in elastic contact with a receiving surface on an inner wall of an annular edge portion surrounding the opening. The rubbing surface and the receiving surface are spherical surfaces centered on a tilting center of the shaft portion.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical fiber preform fabricating method that makes it possible to implement a reduction in iron impurities at a low cost. The optical fiber preform fabricating method comprises a glass synthesis step for forming a glass region constituting at least a part of the core area of the optical fiber. The glass synthesis step includes a deposition step of depositing glass particles containing the Al-element inside the glass pipe by means of chemical vapor deposition, and a consolidation step of obtaining a transparent glass body from the glass soot body thus obtained. In other words, the deposition step synthesizes glass particles on the inside wall of a glass pipe by feeding raw material gas, in which the content ratio (O/Al) of the O-element and Al-element is 20 or less, into the glass pipe. Furthermore, the consolidation step obtains a transparent glass body from the glass soot body by heating the glass soot body.

Abstract: A multi-directional input apparatus includes a swinging member (first drive lever) having a through hole and an operating lever including a drive shaft which is inserted through the long hole. When the operating lever is tilted in a direction that crosses an axial direction of the swinging member, the swinging member is rotated by the drive shaft. A leaf spring is attached to the swinging member, and the drive shaft of the leaf spring is elastically biased against a side surface of an inner wall of the long hole. The leaf spring includes a bent portion which extends substantially parallel to the axial direction of the swinging member and which is in elastic contact with the drive shaft. A hole at which the long hole is completely exposed is formed in the leaf spring.

Abstract: A force-feedback multidirectional input device includes a slider slidably supported by a support base and an operation knob joined to the slider. In a sliding operation, the slider operates in conjunction with actuating members included in a force-feedback unit. Therefore, a sense of force based on the sliding is fed back to the operation knob. Furthermore, the slider is elastically urged by coil springs toward an inner bottom surface of a housing space defined in the support base. In a depressing operation, the operation knob presses the support base downward against the urging force of coil springs. Therefore, a vertically movable member joined to the support base is moved downward along guide portions (convex rails and concave grooves). Thus, a push switch provided on a pedestal (circuit board) is pressed and activated by the vertically movable member.

Abstract: A trackball device includes a friction plate rockably supported having opening in which a top portion of the sphere is exposed, as a brake unit applying braking force (friction force) to the sphere, and an actuator capable of driving the friction plate to a lower side. When the friction plate is driven by the actuator, the circumference portion of the opening of the friction plate is pressed to be in contact with the sphere from an upper side. A supporting member rotatably holding the sphere includes a plurality of supporting small spheres contacts the sphere at a point and a base member in which the supporting small spheres is arranged to be dispersed in the circumferential direction. The base member rockably supports the friction plate.

Abstract: The periphery of a mask (3) is formed higher than a region where a ball holding hole (3a) is formed, a work (1) is arranged at a lower section of the ball holding hole (3a) of the mask (3), and the ball holding hole (3a) and an electrode of the work (1) are aligned with each other. A ball (B) is applied on the mask (3), and in such state, vibration is applied to the mask (3) to move the solder ball (B) on the surface of the mask (3) and drop the solder ball (B) into the ball holding hole (3a). The periphery of the mask (3) is permitted to be lower than the ball holding hole (3a), and an excessive portion of the solder ball (B) is recovered from over the mask (3).

Abstract: Provided is an erbium doped optical fiber (EDF) for amplification which allows an easy estimation of the amplification performance and high production stability. The fiber includes a core and a cladding. The core is mainly made of silica glass and doped with erbium at a concentration of 500 wtppm or more and 2500 wtppm or less. In the fiber, the cutoff wavelength is 850 nm or more and 1450 nm or less, the mode field diameter is 4.5 ?m or more and 6.5 ?m or less, the polarization mode dispersion is not more than 0.1 ps per 10 m, the coordination number of oxygen elements around an erbium element in the core is one or more and eight or less, and the bond length between erbium and oxygen is 0.225 nm or more and 0.235 or less.

Abstract: An oscillator circuit comprises a piezoelectric vibrator, an amplifier device including inverters provided in a plurality of stages, and an inverter control device. The inverters provided in the plurality of stages includes a performance-variable inverter configured which is operational in both of an initial phase of oscillation startup and a post-startup phase where the oscillation is stabilized and capable of a variable performance depending on whether the initial phase of oscillation startup or the post-startup phase where the oscillation is stabilized, and an ON/OFF inverter which is operational in the initial phase of oscillation startup and disconnected in the post-startup phase where the oscillation is stabilized.

Abstract: A micro-ball (2) remained on a suction plate (11) is removed using a ball removal implement (9) having a wire section that is stretched under tension, by bringing a wire (17) into contact with the micro-ball (2) remained on the suction plate (11), while moving the ball removal implement (9) in relation to the suction plate (11) and moving the wire (17) in the wire section by extending and retracting the wire.

Abstract: A variable operation sensation input device includes: an operation member slidable along a plane including first and second directions perpendicular to each other; a first driving member including a first engagement portion driven by sliding movement of the operation member in the first direction; a second driving member including a second engagement portion driven by sliding movement of the operation member in the second direction; a first motor connected to the first driving member via a first power transmission section; a second motor connected to the second driving member via a second power transmission section; a first detection section detecting a movement state of the operation member in the first direction; a second detection section detecting a movement state of the operation member in the second direction; and a control section controlling a driving of the motors on the basis of outputs of the first and second detection sections.

Abstract: The periphery of a mask (3) is formed higher than a region where a ball holding hole (3a) is formed, a work (1) is arranged at a lower section of the ball holding hole (3a) of the mask (3), and the ball holding hole (3a) and an electrode of the work (1) are aligned with each other. A ball (B) is applied on the mask (3), and in such state, vibration is applied to the mask (3) to move the solder ball (B) on the surface of the mask (3) and drop the solder ball (B) into the ball holding hole (3a). The periphery of the mask (3) is permitted to be lower than the ball holding hole (3a), and an excessive portion of the solder ball (B) is recovered from over the mask (3).

Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical fiber preform fabricating method that makes it possible to implement a reduction in iron impurities at a low cost. The optical fiber preform fabricating method comprises a glass synthesis step for forming a glass region constituting at least a part of the core area of the optical fiber. The glass synthesis step includes a deposition step of depositing glass particles containing the Al-element inside the glass pipe by means of chemical vapor deposition, and a consolidation step of obtaining a transparent glass body from the glass soot body thus obtained. In other words, the deposition step synthesizes glass particles on the inside wall of a glass pipe by feeding raw material gas, in which the content ratio (O/Al) of the O-element and Al-element is 20 or less, into the glass pipe. Furthermore, the consolidation step obtains a transparent glass body from the glass soot body by heating the glass soot body.

Abstract: This invention relates to optical sensing technology to measure and control a physical quantity of an object that exists on or within a microstructure object, utilizing Brillouin scattering decreases. The measurement method prepares an optical waveguide one-, two- or three-dimensionally, on or within a micro-chemical chip, IC chip, or other element, and measures a physical quantity of the object on the basis of a property variation of light attributed to Brillouin scattering occurring in the optical waveguide.

Abstract: A multi-directional input apparatus includes an operating member including a shaft portion which extends to the outside, a housing having an opening through which the shaft portion extends and configured to support the operating member in a tiltable manner, interlocking members moved by the operating member when the shaft portion is tilted, and detectors which detect changes in the positions of the interlocking members. A sliding member is externally fitted to the shaft portion such that the sliding member is movable in an axial direction, and a coil spring is disposed between a flange provided on the shaft portion and the sliding member. A rubbing surface of the sliding member is in elastic contact with a receiving surface on an inner wall of an annular edge portion surrounding the opening. The rubbing surface and the receiving surface are spherical surfaces centered on a tilting center of the shaft portion.

Abstract: A multi-directional input apparatus includes a swinging member (first drive lever) having a through hole and an operating lever including a drive shaft which is inserted through the long hole. When the operating lever is tilted in a direction that crosses an axial direction of the swinging member, the swinging member is rotated by the drive shaft. A leaf spring is attached to the swinging member, and the drive shaft of the leaf spring is elastically biased against a side surface of an inner wall of the long hole. The leaf spring includes a bent portion which extends substantially parallel to the axial direction of the swinging member and which is in elastic contact with the drive shaft. A hole at which the long hole is completely exposed is formed in the leaf spring.