Abstract: A biosensor is disclosed comprising a support; a conductive layer composed of an electrical conductive material such as a noble metal, for example gold or palladium, and carbon; slits parallel to and perpendicular to the side of the support; working, counter, and detecting electrodes; a spacer which covers the working, counter, and detecting electrodes on the support; a rectangular cutout in the spacer forming a specimen supply path; an inlet to the specimen supply path; a reagent layer formed by applying a reagent containing an enzyme to the working, counter, and detecting electrodes, which are exposed through the cutout in the spacer; and a cover over the spacer. The biosensor can be formed by a simple method, and provides a uniform reagent layer on the electrodes regardless of the reagent composition.

Abstract: Apparatus are disclosed for measuring substrate content present in a specimen that is applied to a biosensor, where the apparatus include an input for receiving an electrical signal from the biosensor; and a circuit coupled to the input to detect the electrical signal to determine whether an amount of the specimen needed for specimen detection has been supplied to the biosensor; where the apparatus measures the substrate content included in the specimen when the circuit determines that an amount of the specimen needed for specimen detection has been supplied to the biosensor, and the apparatus is prevented from measuring the substrate content included in the specimen when the circuit determines that the specimen has not been sufficiently supplied to the biosensor.

Abstract: In a biosensor that detects introduction of a sample liquid into a specimen supply path using a detecting electrode, a means of improving accuracy of detection is provided. The biosensor has: an electrode system including measuring electrode, counter electrode, and detecting electrode on first electrically insulating support; specimen supply path for introducing the sample liquid; and reagent layer used for quantifying a substrate contained in the sample liquid. The means is characterized in that detecting electrode is spaced from measuring electrode by a distance sufficient for the sample liquid to sufficiently cover measuring electrode before the sample liquid reaches detecting electrode.

Abstract: Methods are disclosed for measuring substrate content in a specimen using a biosensor that includes two pairs of electrodes in a specimen supply path, where the methods include the steps of: (a) a first detecting step for detecting an electrical change in the first pair of electrodes; (b) a second detecting step for detecting an electrical change in the second pair of electrodes after the first detecting step; (c) a judging step for judging a shortage of specimen amount that is needed for measurement, when an electrical change is not detected in the second detecting step within a prescribed period of time after the first detecting step; (d) an indicating step for indicating a shortage of the specimen amount; and (e) a stopping step for stopping measurement of substrate content in the specimen once the shortage of specimen amount is indicated in the indicating step.

Abstract: Quantifying devices and methods are disclosed for quantifying substrate content using a biosensor where the methods include a first detecting step for detecting an electrical change generated between a measuring electrode and a counter electrode of a biosensor by applying a sample liquid to the biosensor; a second detecting step for detecting an electrical change generated between a detecting electrode of the biosensor and the counter electrode or the measuring electrode by applying the sample liquid to the biosensor; and a notification step for informing a user when the second detecting step does not occur within a predetermined period after the first detecting step.

Abstract: A round steel rod having a carbon content between 0.30 and 0.60% is processed by a cold working process to form a flat wire for forming a ring gear. The cold working process forms a semifinished flat wire by at least one cold rolling or cold roller drawing step and at least one two-way or four-way rolling step. The semifinished flat wire is processed by die drawing using a drawing die to obtain a finished flat wire in a last stage of the cold working process. The cold working process reduces the round steel rod at a total area reduction of 65% or below.

Abstract: The steel wire material for a spring of the invention contains; C: 0.37-0.54%, Si: 1.7-2.30%, Mn: 0.1-1.30%, Cr: 0.15-1.1%, Cu: 0.15-0.6%, Ti: 0.010-0.1%, Al: 0.003-0.05%, and the balance including iron with inevitable impurities, wherein ferrite decarburized layer depth is 0.01 mm or less, whole decarburized layer depth is 0.20 mm or less, and fracture reduction of area is 25% or more. It alternately may contain; C: 0.38-0.47%, Si: 1.9-2.5%, Mn: 0.6-1.3%, Ti: 0.05-0.15%, Al: 0.003-0.1%, and the balance including iron with inevitable impurities, wherein ferrite decarburized layer depth is 0.01 mm or less.

Abstract: A method of measuring a quantity of a substrate contained in sample liquid is provided. This method can reduce measurement errors caused by a biosensor. The biosensor includes at least a pair of electrodes on an insulating board and is inserted into a measuring device which includes a supporting section for supporting detachably the biosensor, plural connecting terminals to be coupled to the respective electrodes, and a driving power supply which applies a voltage to the respective electrodes via the connecting terminals. One of the electrodes of the biosensor is connected to the first and second connecting terminals of the measuring device only when the biosensor is inserted into the measuring device in a given direction, and has a structure such that the electrode becomes conductive between the first and second connecting terminals due to a voltage application by the driving power supply.

Abstract: A biosensor is disclosed comprising a support; a conductive layer composed of an electrical conductive material such as a noble metal, for example gold or palladium, and carbon; slits parallel to and perpendicular to the side of the support; working, counter, and detecting electrodes; a spacer which covers the working, counter, and detecting electrodes on the support; a rectangular cutout in the spacer forming a specimen supply path; an inlet to the specimen supply path; a reagent layer formed by applying a reagent containing an enzyme to the working, counter, and detecting electrodes, which are exposed through the cutout in the spacer; and a cover over the spacer. The biosensor can be formed by a simple method, and provides a uniform reagent layer on the electrodes regardless of the reagent composition.

Abstract: A method of measuring a quantity of a substrate contained in sample liquid is provided. This method can reduce measurement errors caused by a biosensor. The biosensor includes at least a pair of electrodes on an insulating board and is inserted into a measuring device which includes a supporting section for supporting detachably the biosensor, plural connecting terminals to be coupled to the respective electrodes, and a driving power supply which applies a voltage to the respective electrodes via the connecting terminals. One of the electrodes of the biosensor is connected to the first and second connecting terminals of the measuring device only when the biosensor is inserted into the measuring device in a given direction, and has a structure such that the electrode becomes conductive between the first and second connecting terminals due to a voltage application by the driving power supply.

Abstract: A biosensor is disclosed comprising a support; a conductive layer composed of an electrical conductive material such as a noble metal, for example gold or palladium, and carbon; slits parallel to and perpendicular to the side of the support; working, counter, and detecting electrodes; a spacer which covers the working, counter, and detecting electrodes on the support; a rectangular cutout in the spacer forming a specimen supply path; an inlet to the specimen supply path; a reagent layer formed by applying a reagent containing an enzyme to the working, counter, and detecting electrodes, which are exposed through the cutout in the spacer; and a cover over the spacer. The biosensor can be formed by a simple method, and provides a uniform reagent layer on the electrodes regardless of the reagent composition.

Abstract: A sliding support structure includes: a support member (12; 106) and a shaft member (10; 120) that relatively rotates with respect to the support member (12;106) wherein lubricating oil is supplied to between a sliding surface of the shaft member and a sliding surface of the support member, the support member (12; 106) has a sliding surface portion (x) that corresponds to a load concentrating portion between the shaft member (10; 120) and the support member (12; 106), and sliding surface regions (Ya, Yb) that are higher in oil repellency than the sliding surface portion are respectively provided on upstream and downstream sides of the sliding surface portion in a flow direction of the lubricating oil.

Abstract: A biosensor according to the present invention comprises a support 1, a conductive layer 2 composed of an electrical conductive material such as noble metal, for example gold, palladium or the like, and carbon, slits 3a and 3b parallel to the side of the support 1, slits 4a and 4b vertical to the side of the support 1, a working electrode 5, a counter electrode 6, a detecting electrode 7, a spacer 8 which covers the working electrode 5, the counter electrode 6 and the detecting electrode 7 on the support 1, a rectangular cutout part 9 forming a specimen supply path, an inlet 9a of the specimen supply path, a reagent layer 12 formed by applying a reagent including an enzyme or the like to the working electrode 5, the counter electrode 6 and the detecting electrode 7, which is exposed from the cutout part 9 of the spacer 8, and a cover 13 which covers the spacer 8, as shown in FIG. 1.

Abstract: A method of measuring a quantity of a substrate contained in sample liquid is provided. This method can reduce measurement errors caused by a biosensor. The biosensor includes at least a pair of electrodes on an insulating board and is inserted into a measuring device which includes a supporting section for supporting detachably the biosensor, plural connecting terminals to be coupled to the respective electrodes, and a driving power supply which applies a voltage to the respective electrodes via the connecting terminals. One of the electrodes of the biosensor is connected to the first and second connecting terminals of the measuring device only when the biosensor is inserted into the measuring device in a given direction, and has a structure such that the electrode becomes conductive between the first and second connecting terminals due to a voltage application by the driving power supply.

Abstract: A method of measuring a quantity of a substrate contained in sample liquid is provided. This method can reduce measurement errors caused by a biosensor. The biosensor includes at least a pair of electrodes on an insulating board and is inserted into a measuring device which includes a supporting section for supporting detachably the biosensor, plural connecting terminals to be coupled to the respective electrodes, and a driving power supply which applies a voltage to the respective electrodes via the connecting terminals. One of the electrodes of the biosensor is connected to the first and second connecting terminals of the measuring device only when the biosensor is inserted into the measuring device in a given direction, and has a structure such that the electrode becomes conductive between the first and second connecting terminals due to a voltage application by the driving power supply.

Abstract: A method of measuring a quantity of a substrate contained in sample liquid is provided. This method can reduce measurement errors caused by a biosensor. The biosensor includes at least a pair of electrodes on an insulating board and is inserted into a measuring device which includes a supporting section for supporting detachably the biosensor, plural connecting terminals to be coupled to the respective electrodes, and a driving power supply which applies a voltage to the respective electrodes via the connecting terminals. One of the electrodes of the biosensor is connected to the first and second connecting terminals of the measuring device only when the biosensor is inserted into the measuring device in a given direction, and has a structure such that the electrode becomes conductive between the first and second connecting terminals due to a voltage application by the driving power supply.

Abstract: The steel wire material for a spring of the invention contains; C: 0.37-0.54%, Si: 1.7-2.30%, Mn: 0.1-1.30%, Cr: 0.15-1.1%, Cu: 0.15-0.6%, Ti: 0.010-0.1%, Al: 0.003-0.05%, and the balance including iron with inevitable impurities, wherein ferrite decarburized layer depth is 0.01 mm or less, whole decarburized layer depth is 0.20 mm or less, and fracture reduction of area is 25% or more. It alternately may contain; C: 0.38-0.47%, Si: 1.9-2.5%, Mn: 0.6-1.3%, Ti: 0.05-0.15%, Al: 0.003-0.1%, and the balance including iron with inevitable impurities, wherein ferrite decarburized layer depth is 0.01 mm or less, Ceq1 in the equation (1) below is 0.580 or more, Ceq2 in the equation (2) below is 0.49 or less, and Ceq3 in the equation (3) below is 0.570 or less. Ceq1=[C]+0.11[Si]?0.07[Mn]?0.05[Ni]+0.02[Cr]??(1) Ceq2=[C]+0.30[Cr]?0.15[Ni]?0.70[Cu]??(2) Ceq3=[C]?0.04[Si]+0.24[Mn]+0.10[Ni]+0.20[Cr]?0.89[Ti]?1.92[Nb]??(3) (In the above equations, [ ] shows the content (mass %) of each element in steel.

Abstract: A biosensor according to the present invention comprises a support 1, a conductive layer 2 composed of an electrical conductive material such as noble metal, for example gold, palladium or the like, and carbon, slits 3a and 3b parallel to the side of the support 1, slits 4a and 4b vertical to the side of the support 1, a working electrode 5, a counter electrode 6, a detecting electrode 7, a spacer 8 which covers the working electrode 5, the counter electrode 6 and the detecting electrode 7 on the support 1, a rectangular cutout part 9 forming a specimen supply path, an inlet 9a of the specimen supply path, a reagent layer 12 formed by applying a reagent including an enzyme or the like to the working electrode 5, the counter electrode 6 and the detecting electrode 7, which is exposed from the cutout part 9 of the spacer 8, and a cover 13 which covers the spacer 8, as shown in FIG. 1.

Abstract: A biosensor according to the present invention comprises a support 1, a conductive layer 2 composed of an electrical conductive material such as noble metal, for example gold, palladium or the like, and carbon, slits 3a and 3b parallel to the side of the support 1, slits 4a and 4b vertical to the side of the support 1, a working electrode 5, a counter electrode 6, a detecting electrode 7, a spacer 8 which covers the working electrode 5, the counter electrode 6 and the detecting electrode 7 on the support 1, a rectangular cutout part 9 forming a specimen supply path, an inlet 9a of the specimen supply path, a reagent layer 12 formed by applying a reagent including an enzyme or the like to the working electrode 5, the counter electrode 6 and the detecting electrode 7, which is exposed from the cutout part 9 of the spacer 8, and a cover 13 which covers the spacer 8, as shown in FIG. 1.

Abstract: A biosensor is disclosed comprising a support; a conductive layer composed of an electrical conductive material such as noble metal, for example gold or palladium, and carbon; slits parallel to and perpendicular to the side of the support; working, counter, and detecting electrodes; a spacer which covers the working, counter, and detecting electrodes on the support; a rectangular cutout in the spacer forming a specimen supply path; an inlet to the specimen supply path; a reagent layer formed by applying a reagent containing an enzyme to the working, counter, and detecting electrodes, which are exposed through the cutout in the spacer; and a cover over the spacer. The biosensor can be formed by a simple method, and provides a uniform reagent layer on the electrodes regardless of the reagent composition.