Abstract: A cooler cools a plurality of electric parts from both sides thereof. The cooler includes a plurality of cooling units including a pair of cooling tubes for flowing coolant therethrough. A pair of cooling tubes having a flat shape is disposed to sandwich the electric part so that both sides of the electric part are cooled by a pair of cooling tubes. The cooling units are disposed to align in a stacking direction. A clearance is disposed between the neighboring cooling units in the stacking direction.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring biological data such as blood pressure of a user has a pulse detector for simultaneously obtaining fingerprint data and a first signal from the user's body such as a pulse wave signal. The fingerprint data are used to check if the user is a registered user. After the user's biological data such as pulse waves are measured and a second signal is obtained from the user, the first and second signals are compared to check if this is the same user from whom the fingerprint data were taken in order to prevent the apparatus from being used by a wrong person. Comparison may be made between the first signal and a pattern of pulse waves extracted from earlier obtained pulse waves stored in a memory. Similar components may be used for an exercising machine to prevent it from being used by a person not preliminarily registered or a person different from the one who passed the fingerprint test on the machine.

Abstract: In a method of applying a brazing material to braze a joining portion between a first member and a second member, a relationship between an amount of the brazing material and an expanding dimension of the brazing material is determined. Then, a position to apply the brazing material or a necessary amount of the brazing material is decided based on the relationship. After the first member and the second member are joined, the brazing material is applied. The position is defined by a distance from the joining portion. The distance is set smaller than one-half the expanding dimension of the brazing material on an applying surface.

Abstract: A cooler cools a plurality of electric parts from both sides thereof. The cooler includes a plurality of cooling units including a pair of cooling tubes for flowing coolant therethrough. A pair of cooling tubes having a flat shape is disposed to sandwich the electric part so that both sides of the electric part are cooled by a pair of cooling tubes. The cooling units are disposed to align in a stacking direction. A clearance is disposed between the neighboring cooling units in the stacking direction.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring biological data such as blood pressure of a user has a pulse detector for simultaneously obtaining fingerprint data and a first signal from the user's body such as a pulse wave signal. The fingerprint data are used to check if the user is a registered user. After the user's biological data such as pulse waves are measured and a second signal is obtained from the user, the first and second signals are compared to check if this is the same user from whom the fingerprint data were taken in order to prevent the apparatus from being used by a wrong person. Comparison may be made between the first signal and a pattern of pulse waves extracted from earlier obtained pulse waves stored in a memory. Similar components may be used for an exercising machine to prevent it from being used by a person not preliminarily registered or a person different from the one who passed the fingerprint test on the machine.

Abstract: In a method of applying a brazing material to braze a joining portion between a first member and a second member, a relationship between an amount of the brazing material and an expanding dimension of the brazing material is determined. Then, a position to apply the brazing material or a necessary amount of the brazing material is decided based on the relationship. After the first member and the second member are joined, the brazing material is applied. The position is defined by a distance from the joining portion. The distance is set smaller than one-half the expanding dimension of the brazing material on an applying surface.

Abstract: An interactive medical diagnostic device includes control, display, input and memory devices. Dosage data related to administration of medicaments given to a patient and physiological values obtained by measurement from the patient are stored, and an interactive medical examination is carried out by outputting questions to and receiving answers from the patient. These data are compared and propriety of the current treatment of the patient is determined and outputted. Either data on prescribed dosage or those on actually administered dosage may be used by the control device. During the interactive medical examination, the patient may be allowed to review the earlier posed questions and supplied responses. The answers may be given not only in terms of “yes” and “no” but also as “neither.

Abstract: In a hot water supply system with a heat pump cycle, an oil separator for separating refrigerant and oil flowing from a compressor from each other is provided, and oil separated from refrigerant in the oil separator returns to the compressor through an oil returning passage after passing through an oil passage of a water heat exchanger. The water heat exchanger includes a first heat exchanging portion in which refrigerant from the oil separator and water from a tank are heat-exchanged, and a second heat exchanging portion in which oil from the oil separator and water from the tank are heat-exchanged. In the heat exchanger, a flow direction of water is set opposite to that of refrigerant and oil.

Abstract: In a heat-pump water heater, an ECU sets a target temperature difference between water flowing into a water heat exchanger and refrigerant flowing out from the water heat exchanger, and controls a valve opening degree of an expansion valve so that the target temperature difference is obtained. When a refrigerant temperature discharged from a compressor is higher than a predetermined value, the target temperature difference is increased until the refrigerant temperature discharged from the compressor becomes lower than the predetermined value. Further, when water-heating capacity is decreased due to the increase of the target temperature difference, a rotation speed of the compressor is increased.

Abstract: In a heat-pump water heater, an ECU sets a target temperature difference between water flowing into a water heat exchanger and refrigerant flowing out from the water heat exchanger, and controls a valve opening degree of an expansion valve so that the target temperature difference is obtained. When a refrigerant temperature discharged from a compressor is higher than a predetermined value, the target temperature difference is increased until the refrigerant temperature discharged from the compressor becomes lower than the predetermined value. Further, when water-heating capacity is decreased due to the increase of the target temperature difference, a rotation speed of the compressor is increased.

Abstract: In a hot water supply system with a heat pump cycle, an oil separator for separating refrigerant and oil flowing from a compressor from each other is provided, and oil separated from refrigerant in the oil separator returns to the compressor through an oil returning passage after passing through an oil passage of a water heat exchanger. The water heat exchanger includes a first heat exchanging portion in which refrigerant from the oil separator and water from a tank are heat-exchanged, and a second heat exchanging portion in which oil from the oil separator and water from the tank are heat-exchanged. In the heat exchanger, a flow direction of water is set opposite to that of refrigerant and oil.