Abstract: An optical fiber is provided, which is unlikely to cause interlayer delamination between a glass optical fiber and a primary coating layer even when it is immersed in water. The optical fiber of the present invention includes a glass optical fiber 1 consisting of a core and a cladding, a primary coating layer 2 overlaid on the glass optical fiber, and a secondary coating layer 3 overlaid on the primary coating layer, wherein the relaxation modulus of the secondary coating layer is set at 400 MPa or less.

Abstract: A floating unit comprises: a stationary portion; a movable portion supported to be movable relative to the stationary portion and including an article support; a support disposed between the stationary portion and the movable portion, the support having a plurality of rolling elements rotatably held by a holder between an upwardly facing first contact surface provided on the stationary portion and a downwardly facing second contact surface provided on the movable portion, whereby the support is movable in all horizontal directions relative to the movable portion and the stationary portion; a movable portion returning device for biasing the movable portion relative to the stationary portion toward a reference position for receiving an article; and a support returning device for biasing the support horizontally relative to the stationary portion toward a reference position for holding the movable portion.

Abstract: An optical fiber is provided, which is unlikely to cause interlayer delamination between a glass optical fiber and a primary coating layer even when it is immersed in water. The optical fiber of the present invention includes a glass optical fiber 1 consisting of a core and a cladding, a primary coating layer 2 overlaid on the glass optical fiber, and a secondary coating layer 3 overlaid on the primary coating layer, wherein the relaxation modulus of the secondary coating layer is set at 400 MPa or less.

Abstract: The invention discloses a transporting apparatus that transmits a drive force to a transported object in a state where the transported object is supported by a air-supplying-type support apparatus. In one implementation thereof, a device for transferring drive force to a transported object transfers drive force to one side in the width direction, which is perpendicular to the transporting direction. In another implementation thereof, the transporting apparatus can be switched between a horizontal state in which the transported object is supported substantially horizontally, and an upright state.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a plate-shaped work piece transporting apparatus that has a fan, a dust-removal filter disposed above this fan, and a plate-shape porous member disposed above the dust-removal filter. By forming a chamber in which air can accumulate between the porous member and the dust-removal filter, it is possible to suppress air pulsations. Further, by providing support members on the porous member, the plate-shaped work piece can be supported and damage thereto can be avoided when the plate-shaped work piece, which is supported by air from the fan, drops to below a set height.

Abstract: The invention discloses a transporting apparatus provided with a air-supplying-type support device for supplying purified air toward a lower surface of a transported object to contactlessly support the transported object in a horizontal orientation or a substantially horizontal orientation, a drive force application device for applying a drive force in the transporting direction to the transported object, a first transport member, a second transport member, and a relay transport member that links the first transport member and the second transport member. The drive force application device applies a drive force by contacting a lower surface of the transported object that is supported by the air-supplying-type support device. The relay transport member changes at least one of the transporting direction and the transporting orientation of the transported object.

Abstract: A floating unit comprises: a stationary portion; a movable portion supported to be movable relative to the stationary portion and including an article support; a support disposed between the stationary portion and the movable portion, the support having a plurality of rolling elements rotatably held by a holder between an upwardly facing first contact surface provided on the stationary portion and a downwardly facing second contact surface provided on the movable portion, whereby the support is movable in all horizontal directions relative to the movable portion and the stationary portion; a movable portion returning device for biasing the movable portion relative to the stationary portion toward a reference position for receiving an article; and a support returning device for biasing the support horizontally relative to the stationary portion toward a reference position for holding the movable portion.

Abstract: It is an object of the invention to provide an apparatus for transporting a transported object in a transporting direction as the transported object is supported by air, the apparatus having a plurality of transporting units. A specific transporting unit of the plurality of transporting units is controlled based on the transporting state of at least one other transporting unit. Thus, it is possible to reduce the number of problems that may occur during transporting.

Abstract: It is an object of the invention to provide an apparatus for transporting a transported object in a transporting direction as the transported object is supported by air, the apparatus having a plurality of transporting units. A specific transporting unit of the plurality of transporting units is controlled based on the transporting state of at least one other transporting unit. Thus, it is possible to reduce the number of problems that may occur during transporting.

Abstract: A cassette storage equipment. The cassette storage equipment comprises a cassette storage spatially storing a cassette receiving a plurality of substrates in multiple levels, a transporting unit moving along the cassette storage, comprising a elevating structure and a cassette moving device disposed thereon, and a substrate transporting device transporting the substrate piece by piece to the processing device from the transporting unit. A substrate detecting device is disposed on the elevating structure to obtain a mapping data from the substrates transported form the cassette storage to a cassette on the elevating structure.

Abstract: An optical fiber of the present invention comprising a bare optical fiber and one or plural coating layers on the bare optical fiber, wherein Y, the Young's modulus of the outermost coating layer is in the range of 400 to 1000 and ?, a coefficient of kinetic friction which occurs between the outermost coating layers is equal to or larger than 0.15, and further satisfying the following formulas (a) and (b); ???0.9822 Log Y+3.45156 ??(a) ???0.5418 Log Y+1.74128, ??(b) wherein the unit of Y is MPa. By the present invention, optical fibers with a low rate of occurrences of the attenuation discontinuity in a measurement result by OTDR and the method of measuring the coefficient of kinetic friction of optical fiber with high reliability are offered.

Abstract: The invention discloses a transporting apparatus having a transport member provided with a air-supplying-type support portion for supplying purified air toward a lower surface of a transported object to contactlessly support the transported object, and a drive force application portion for contacting a lower surface of the transported object that is supported by the air-supplying-type support means and applying a drive force in the transporting direction to the transported object. The transporting apparatus, by raising and lowering the drive force application portion and the air-supplying-type support portion relative to one another, can be switched between a transport state where the drive force application portion is brought into contact with the lower surface of the transported object, and a transfer state where the drive force application portion is moved downward away from the transported object that is supported by the air-supplying-type support portion.

Abstract: The invention discloses a transporting apparatus having a transport member provided with a air-supplying-type support portion for supplying purified air toward a lower surface of a transported object to contactlessly support the transported object, and a drive force application portion for contacting a lower surface of the transported object that is supported by the air-supplying-type support means and applying a drive force in the transporting direction to the transported object. The transporting apparatus, by raising and lowering the drive force application portion and the air-supplying-type support portion relative to one another, can be switched between a transport state where the drive force application portion is brought into contact with the lower surface of the transported object, and a transfer state where the drive force application portion is moved downward away from the transported object that is supported by the air-supplying-type support portion.

Abstract: The invention discloses a transporting apparatus provided with a air-supplying-type support device for supplying purified air toward a lower surface of a transported object to contactlessly support the transported object in a horizontal orientation or a substantially horizontal orientation, a drive force application device for applying a drive force in the transporting direction to the transported object, a first transport member, a second transport member, and a relay transport member that links the first transport member and the second transport member. The drive force application device applies a drive force by contacting a lower surface of the transported object that is supported by the air-supplying-type support device. The relay transport member changes at least one of the transporting direction and the transporting orientation of the transported object.

Abstract: The invention discloses a transporting apparatus that transmits a drive force to a transported object in a state where the transported object is supported by a air-supplying-type support apparatus. In one implementation thereof, a device for transferring drive force to a transported object transfers drive force to one side in the width direction, which is perpendicular to the transporting direction. In another implementation thereof, the transporting apparatus can be switched between a horizontal state in which the transported object is supported substantially horizontally, and an upright state.

Abstract: It is an object of the invention to provide an apparatus for transporting a transported object in a transporting direction as the transported object is supported by air, the apparatus having a plurality of transporting units. A specific transporting unit of the plurality of transporting units is controlled based on the transporting state of at least one other transporting unit. Thus, it is possible to reduce the number of problems that may occur during transporting.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a plate-shaped work piece transporting apparatus that has a fan, a dust-removal filter disposed above this fan, and a plate-shape porous member disposed above the dust-removal filter. By forming a chamber in which air can accumulate between the porous member and the dust-removal filter, it is possible to suppress air pulsations. Further, by providing support members on the porous member, the plate-shaped work piece can be supported and damage thereto can be avoided when the plate-shaped work piece, which is supported by air from the fan, drops to below a set height.

Abstract: An optical fiber of the present invention comprising a bare optical fiber and one or plural coating layers on the bare optical fiber, wherein Y, the Young's modulus of the outermost coating layer is in the range of 400 to 1000 and &mgr;, a coefficient of kinetic friction which occurs between the outermost coating layers is equal to or larger than 0.

Abstract: A flat cable, which has an insulating coating composed of a polyester resin composition, the composition containing: (A) 100 parts by weight of a thermoplastic aromatic polyester; (B) 10 to 120 parts by weight of a polyester block copolymer composed of: 20 to 80 wt % of a hard segment whose main component is poly(tetramethylene terephthalate) that is composed of an acid component in which terephthalic acid occupies 60 mole % or more and a diol component in which tetramethylene glycol occupies 60 mole % or more; and 80 to 20 wt % of a soft segment whose main component is a polyester that is composed of an acid component in which an aromatic dicarboxylic acid occupies 60 mole % or more and a diol component of a long-chain diol having 5 to 12 carbon atoms; and (C) 1 to 50 parts by weight of an olefin-acrylate copolymer modified by a glycidyl compound.

Abstract: A flat cable, which has an insulating coating composed of a polyester resin composition, the composition containing: