Abstract: An engine (internal combustion engine), in accordance with an embodiment, includes: a crankcase having an oil pan; a crankshaft disposed inside the crankcase; a second crank gear disposed inside the crankcase to rotate about the crankshaft; a driven gear meshed with the second crank gear to be rotated as the second crank gear rotates; an oil pump drive gear meshed with the driven gear to rotate together with the driven gear; and an oil pump gear to be rotated as the oil pump drive gear rotates. The oil pump gear is disposed to overlap the driven gear as viewed from an axial end of the crankshaft.

Abstract: A Ti film is pattern-formed on a desired portion on a silicon substrate, and a Co film is formed on the substrate so as to cover the Ti film. CNTs are formed only on a portion, under which the Ti film is formed, of the surface of the Co film at approximately 600° C. by a thermal CVD method. The length of the CNT can be controlled by adjusting the thickness of the Ti film.

Abstract: A Ti film is pattern-formed on a desired portion on a silicon substrate, and a Co film is formed on the substrate so as to cover the Ti film. CNTs are formed only on a portion, under which the Ti film is formed, of the surface of the Co film at approximately 600° C. by a thermal CVD method. The length of the CNT can be controlled by adjusting the thickness of the Ti film.

Abstract: An electrical connection structure having elongated carbon structures electrically connected to an electroconductive body is obtained by successively layering an electroconductive catalyst support layer, a fine catalyst particle layer for producing the elongated carbon structures and the elongated carbon structures on the electroconductive body. A low-resistance electrical connection structure is provided.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium is disclosed that includes a substrate; an anodic alumina film formed on the substrate; a pore formed in the anodic alumina film; a carbon layer covering the surface of the anodic alumina film and the inner wall of the pore; a magnetic particle formed on the carbon layer inside the pore; and a lubrication layer covering the carbon layer and the magnetic particle.

Abstract: After forming an opening, a resist film is formed on the entire surface and a resist pattern is formed by patterning the resist film. The shape of the resist pattern is such that it covers one side of the bottom of the opening. As a result, a Si substrate is exposed only in one part of the opening. Then, using the resist pattern as a mask, a catalytic layer is formed on the bottom of the opening. Then, the resist pattern is removed. Carbon nanotubes are grown on the catalytic layer. At this time, since the catalytic layer is formed on only one side of the bottom of the opening, the Van der Waals force biased towards that side works horizontally on the growing carbon nanotubes. Therefore, the carbon nanotubes are attracted towards the nearest side of the SiO2 film and grow biased towards that side.

Abstract: Carbon nanotubes are provided which are made to grow on a plane, on surfaces of which particulates are supported. The particulates generated by particulate generator, after sizes of the particulates are selected by a particulate size selector, are sprayed, together with a carrier gas, from a nozzle, onto a carbon nanotube-mounted substrate in a particulate deposition chamber. When the particulates are sprayed, a Stokes number is controlled according to particulates being supported. This enables the particulates to be supported, in a desired dispersed state, on the carbon nanotubes made to grow in a vertically orientated manner.

Abstract: The present invention proposes a method of readily and reliably forming CNTs independent of a substrate allowing a catalyst metal to deposit thereon, or an underlying material, even for the case where the substrate is not used, in which a titanium-cobalt composite particles are deposited, using a catalyst particle production system, on an insulating film formed on a silicon substrate, and CNTs are grown from the from titanium-cobalt composite particles by the CVD process.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium of the present invention includes a substrate and a porous layer on or above the substrate. The porous layer contains a plurality of pores each extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to a substrate plane and having a soft magnetic layer and a ferromagnetic layer inside in this order from the substrate side. The ferromagnetic layer has any one of (1) a thickness equal to or less than that of the soft magnetic layer, (2) a thickness one-thirds to three times a minimum bit length, the minimum bit length being determined by a linear recording density in recording, and (3) a thickness equal to or less than the total thickness of the soft magnetic layer and the soft magnetic underlayer.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium is disclosed that includes a substrate; an anodic alumina film formed on the substrate; a pore formed in the anodic alumina film; a carbon layer covering the surface of the anodic alumina film and the inner wall of the pore; a magnetic particle formed on the carbon layer inside the pore; and a lubrication layer covering the carbon layer and the magnetic particle.

Abstract: A particle counting device is improved to prevent adhesion impurities that result from condensation of condensation vapor on optical systems and the like in a particle detection area or the like of a measuring device to detect particles contained in the atmosphere or in certain gases and using condensation nuclei. In particular, in a particle measuring operation in which, in a chamber for saturated vapor that contains a liquid that can condense at a room temperature, a gas is added to a saturated vapor, the gas is introduced into a condensation part that is at a room temperature, the vapor is condensed on the particles as nuclei, and in which the particles, in a connected particle detection area, are measured, a heater is provided to keep the temperatures of the detection area, the connection pipe and the nozzle at least at a temperature higher than or equal to the temperature of the condensation part, to prevent adhesion impurities of condensation vapor on optical systems and the like in the detection area.

Abstract: A method of producing a plurality of identical ring-shaped metal parts from a single blank in the form of solid rod without forming any hole in the blank and without cross-sectionally cutting the blank. The outer periphery of the blank corresponds to the inner periphery of the metal parts to be produced. First the blank is longitudinally compressed such that an end portion of the blank undergoes upsetting and provides a laterally expanded portion having a side periphery corresponding to the outer periphery of the metal parts and a length corresonding to the thickness of the metal parts. Then the laterally expanded portion is subjected to shearing along a plane defining the outer periphery of the blank to part its peripheral region as one of the ring-shaped metal parts. The blank remains in the solid rod form, though somewhat shortened, and therefore can be used to produce additional metal parts by repeating the same procedure until it becomes very short.

Abstract: Walkable foot plates are laid directly on a concrete slab or a water resistant layer on a roof. Each foot plate has crack inducing grooves which divide the plate into blocks which are connected to each other by weak joint portions defined by the grooves. The foot plate cracks along the grooves to be accommodated to uneven surface portions of the slab or layer. Flexible reinforcing material extends across the weak joint portions to maintain the blocks connected to each other after the weak joint portions are cracked.