Abstract: A gaming machine achieves a new entertainment characteristic by adding a new characteristic to selection of a bonus type. A gaming machine comprises: a lower image display panel configured to display selectable images in a bonus game which is triggered in a normal game, wherein the selectable images are changed to any one of bonus rank images corresponding to bonus types every time selection is made; a control panel enabling selection of one of the selectable images; and a controller configured to control the display panel so that only the number of the bonus rank images corresponding to the bonus determined in advance in the bonus game reaches a predetermined number, wherein the controller displays a bonus rank image corresponding to a high rank bonus type out of bonus types, before the number of the bonus rank images corresponding to the bonus determined in advance reaches the predetermined number.

Abstract: Probability of prize occurrence is easily controlled without provision of a blank between symbols on a reel. A gaming machine comprises: a lower image display panel configured to variably display a plurality of symbol arrays with a plurality of symbols including normal symbols and specific symbols more advantageous than the normal symbols, and then display a game result by rearranging the symbols in a symbol display region containing a matrix of cells; bet buttons capable of receiving a bet; and a controller configured to run a normal game which rearranges symbols on the symbol display device on condition that a bet is placed, the controller is configured to modify the symbols arrayed in the plurality of symbol arrays, so that the ratios of the specific symbols to the total number of the symbols in all the symbol arrays increases with an increase in the bet amount.

Abstract: A slot machine 1 executes the following processes of: (D1) receiving an input of betting of a game medium, (D2) reading, from a RAM 73, coin reels corresponding to the number of game media having been received in the process (D1) and setting the coin reels to be rearrangeable on the lower image display panel 141, (D3) as a game, randomly determining symbols and a coin 161 which are to be rearranged on the lower image display panel 141, (D4) executing an effect of scrolling the video reels 3 and the coin reels and visually changing the coin 161 during the scroll, and (D5) rearranging the symbols and the coin 161 determined in the process (D3) on the lower image display panel 141 and awarding a benefit or a special bonus based on a combination of the rearranged symbols and coin 161.

Abstract: There are provided highly entertaining games. A gaming machine 300 includes reels 151 to 155 each of which is configured to allow a predetermined type of symbols 502 to be stacked thereon. In a free game, a payout for establishment of a prize is multiplied by a multiplying factor depending on the number of rearranged wild symbols 503b.

Abstract: The gaming machine includes: a display for displaying a game outcome in a base game mode; and a controller for controlling a first transition route along which a game mode is directly shifted to a free game mode in accordance with the game outcome and a second transition route along which once via a transit game mode, the game mode is shifted to the free game mode in accordance with the game outcome. The controller is programmed to control a game so as to make a probability with which along the second transition route, the game mode is shifted from the transit game mode to the free game mode higher than a probability with which along the first transition route, the game mode is shifted from the base game mode to the free game mode.

Abstract: On the slot machine, a slot game including a base game and free games is caused to proceed on a display. On the base game reel strips, on all of a plurality of reels, symbols whose each kind is the same, other than feature symbols and wild symbols, are arranged in succession. On the free game reel strips, on all of a plurality of reels, symbols whose each kind is the same, other than the feature symbols and the wild symbols, are arranged in succession and in addition thereto, only in a case of top symbols whose payout multiplying factor is the highest, the top symbols whose number is larger than a number of top symbols displayed on the base game reel strips are arranged in succession.

Abstract: A gas separation composite membrane, containing a gas permeable supporting layer, and a gas separating layer containing a crosslinked polyimide resin above the gas permeable supporting layer, in which the crosslinked polyimide resin has a structure in which 2 to 4 molecules of a polyimide compound is coordinated with a divalent to tetravalent central metal via an oxygen atom or a sulfur atom, and when the crosslinked polyimide resin has plural central metals, the plural central metals are linked via the polyimide chain of the polyimide compound; and a gas separating module, a gas separation apparatus and a gas separation method utilizing this gas separation composite membrane.

Abstract: A gaming machine that is capable of providing information relevant to a winning combination to a player before spinning of a respective one of reels stops in a unit game is provided. When the player's operation is made, in the case where the predetermined symbol is displayed in the effect reel display region 410, symbol arrays of the effect reels are scrolled in an upward direction or in a downward direction and then the predetermined symbol is displayed at the to-be-stopped position, or alternatively, in the case where the predetermined symbol is not displayed, scrolling is controlled so that a symbol displayed immediately after the above situation is replaced with the predetermined symbol and then the predetermined symbol appears from an upper part of the effect reel display region 410, and stops at the to-be-stopped position.

Abstract: A packing member for packing an article includes a medium accommodating portion accommodating medium, a non-return valve for passing the medium toward the medium accommodating portion along a longitudinal direction of the medium accommodating portion and for stopping the medium in an opposite direction away from the medium accommodating portion, and a flow path, formed by welding the non-return valve to the medium accommodating portion, for passing the medium. The flow path includes a reference flow path portion extending in the longitudinal direction and an expanding flow path portion having a width larger than that of the reference flow path portion.

Abstract: On the slot machine, a slot game including a base game and free games is caused to proceed on a display. On the base game reel strips, on all of a plurality of reels, symbols whose each kind is the same, other than feature symbols and wild symbols, are arranged in succession. On the free game reel strips, on all of a plurality of reels, symbols whose each kind is the same, other than the feature symbols and the wild symbols, are arranged in succession and in addition thereto, only in a case of top symbols whose payout multiplying factor is the highest, the top symbols whose number is larger than a number of top symbols displayed on the base game reel strips are arranged in succession.

Abstract: A coating method is a method for forming a multilayer coating film including at least one lower layer formed on a substrate and an uppermost layer formed on the lower layer, and the coating method comprises the steps of: preparing a certain curable coating material as an uppermost layer-coating material for forming the uppermost layer, and preparing a certain coating material as at least one lower layer-coating material for forming the lower layer; forming an uncured multilayer coating film by applying the lower layer-coating material and the uppermost layer-coating material on the substrate using a wet-on-wet technique; and curing at least the uppermost layer-coating material by subjecting the uncured multilayer coating film to a curing treatment.

Abstract: A coating method is a method for forming a multilayer coating film including at least one lower layer formed on a substrate and an uppermost layer formed on the lower layer, and the coating method comprises the steps of: preparing a certain curable coating material as an uppermost layer-coating material for forming the uppermost layer, and preparing a certain coating material as at least one lower layer-coating material for forming the lower layer; forming an uncured multilayer coating film by applying the lower layer-coating material and the uppermost layer-coating material on the substrate using a wet-on-wet technique; and curing at least the uppermost layer-coating material by subjecting the uncured multilayer coating film to a curing treatment.

Abstract: A packing member for packing an article, the packing member includes a medium accommodating portion accommodating medium; a non-return valve for passing the medium toward the medium accommodating portion along a longitudinal direction of the medium accommodating portion and for stopping the medium in an opposite direction away from the medium accommodating portion; and a flow path, formed by welding the non-return valve to the medium accommodating portion, for passing the medium, the flow path including a reference flow path portion extending in the longitudinal direction and an expanding flow path portion having a width larger than that of the reference flow path portion.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a series of techniques for treating a waste material of an asbestos-containing material, from emergency treatment, dismantling, or transportation of an already constructed asbestos-containing material to a heating and melting treatment of the dismantled asbestos-containing waste material. The preset invention provides a method of preventing the exposure of the fibrous dust of the asbestos involving melting an asbestos-containing waste material, into which lithium silicate is impregnated in a melting furnace for treating an asbestos-containing material into harmless. The lithium silicate impregnated into the asbestos-containing waste material forms a gel within the range of temperatures of 500 to 1,100° C., and the formed gel adheres onto the surfaces of asbestos fibers, thereby preventing the exposure of the fibrous dust of the asbestos. Moreover, the melting temperature of asbestos can be reduced to about 1,360° C.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a series of techniques for treating a waste material of an asbestos-containing material, from emergency treatment, dismantling, or transportation of an already constructed asbestos-containing material to a heating and melting treatment of the dismantled asbestos-containing waste material. The preset invention provides a method of preventing the exposure of the fibrous dust of the asbestos involving melting an asbestos-containing waste material, into which lithium silicate is impregnated in a melting furnace for treating an asbestos-containing material into harmless. The lithium silicate impregnated into the asbestos-containing waste material forms a gel within the range of temperatures of 500 to 1,100° C., and the formed gel adheres onto the surfaces of asbestos fibers, thereby preventing the exposure of the fibrous dust of the asbestos. Moreover, the melting temperature of asbestos can be reduced to about 1,360° C.

Abstract: An oxide dispersion strengthened martensitic steel excellent in high-temperature strength having residual ?-grains can be manufactured by a method comprising mixing either element powders or alloy powders and a Y2O3 powder; subjecting the resulting mixed powder to mechanical alloying treatment; solidifying the resulting alloyed powder by hot extrusion; and subjecting the resulting extruded solidified material to final heat treatment involving normalizing and tempering heat treatment to thereby manufacture an oxide dispersion strengthened martensitic steel in which Y2O3 particles are dispersed in the steel, wherein ?to ?transformation is not allowed to occur during the described hot extrusion and the proportion of residual ?-grains in which oxide particles are finely dispersed in high density is increased by controlling the mixture ratio of the powders for the mechanical alloying treatment.

Abstract: An optical splitter includes a main waveguide, a tapered waveguide, and a split waveguide group having first and second split waveguides. The side portions of the tapered waveguide taper and expand from a first end portion toward second end portions. The widths of the split waveguides differ from each other. The whole width of the split waveguide group at connecting portions between the tapered waveguide and the split waveguides is smaller than the width of the tapered waveguide at the second end portions. Step portions are formed between the split waveguide group and the side portions.

Abstract: In an oxide dispersion strengthened martensitic steel which comprises, by % by weight, 0.05 to 0.25% C, 8.0 to 12.0% Cr, 0.1 to 4.0% W, 0.1 to 1.0% Ti, 0.1 to 0.5% Y2O3 with the balance being Fe and unavoidable impurities and in which Y2O3 particles are dispersed in the steel, by adjusting the Ti content within the range of 0.1 to 1.0% so that an excess oxygen content Ex.O in steel satisfies [0.22×Ti (% by weight)<Ex.O (% by weight)<0.46×Ti (% by weight)], the oxide particles are finely dispersed and highly densified to thereby obtain an oxide dispersion strengthened martensitic steel excellent in high-temperature strength. It is also possible to reduce the amount of oxygen contamination in steel during the mechanical alloying of raw material powders to provide Ex.O within a predetermined range, by carrying out the mechanical alloying in an Ar atmosphere having a super purity of not less than 99.

Abstract: A weathering test method comprising making active oxygen and light simultaneously act on a test piece, a weathering test method comprising successive and/or alternate steps of making active oxygen and light simultaneously act on a test piece and making at least one of light, oxygen, and water to act on the test piece, and apparatus for carrying out the methods are disclosed. In evaluating weatherability of organic materials, articles made of organic materials or articles coated with organic materials, the methods and apparatus achieve acceleration of deterioration of test pieces to greatly reduce the testing time.

Abstract: An oxide dispersion strengthened martensitic steel excellent in high-temperature strength having residual ?-grains can be manufactured by a method comprising mixing either element powders or alloy powders and a Y2O3 powder; subjecting the resulting mixed powder to mechanical alloying treatment; solidifying the resulting alloyed powder by hot extrusion; and subjecting the resulting extruded solidified material to final heat treatment involving normalizing and tempering heat treatment to thereby manufacture an oxide dispersion strengthened martensitic steel which comprises, as expressed by % by weight, 0.05 to 0.25% C, 8.0 to 12.0% Cr, 0.1 to 4.0% W, 0.1 to 1.0% Ti, 0.1 to 0.