Abstract: A vulcanization mold in which a blade has a blade proximal end portion, a blade distal end side thick portion expanded in a thicknesswise direction on the distal end side, and a blade connection portion that connects the portions to each other, is a vulcanization mold wherein a sweep area that is the difference where a cross sectional area of the blade connection portion is subtracted from an area from the blade distal end side thick portion to a mold surface with a width equal to a maximum width of a thickness of the blade distal end side thick portion in a cross sectional shape perpendicular to a tire widthwise direction of the blade is smaller at the blades in circumferential end portion side regions than at the blades in a circumferential central portion side region of the sector mold. Further, a pneumatic tire is manufactured using the vulcanization mold.

Abstract: A vulcanization mold is a mold including blades having a distal end side thick portion and pullout is performed smoothly by the mold without causing any failure, and a pneumatic tire. A vulcanization mold in which a blade or has a blade proximal end portion, a blade distal end side thick portion expanded in a thicknesswise direction on the distal end side, and a blade connection portion that connects the blade proximal end portion and the blade distal end side thick portion to each other is a vulcanization mold in which a blade density that is a number of blades implanted on a sector mold per unit length in a circumferential direction is lower at the blades in circumferential end portion side regions than at the blades in a circumferential central portion side region of the sector mold. Further, a pneumatic tire is manufactured using the vulcanization mold.

Abstract: A vulcanization mold including blades having a distal end side and pullout is performed smoothly without causing any failure and a pneumatic tire. A vulcanization mold in which a blade has a proximal end, a blade distal end side expanded in a thicknesswise direction on the distal end side, and a blade connection portion that connects the proximal end portion and the blade distal end side is a vulcanization mold in which a sweep area is the difference where a cross sectional area of the blade connection is subtracted from an area blade distal end side to a mold surface with a width equal to a maximum width of a thickness of the blade distal end side in a cross sectional shape perpendicular to a tire widthwise direction of the blade is smaller in circumferential end side regions than in a circumferential central side region of the sector mold.

Abstract: A method of inspecting defects in an inspection target includes (1) a step of supplying a particle-containing gas to one end face of the inspection target under pressure, applying in parallel a first laser beam to the vicinity of the other end face of the inspection target, and photographing such end face from a position vertical to such end face, (2) a step of supplying a particle-containing gas to the one end face of the inspection target under pressure, applying in parallel a second laser beam to the vicinity of the other end face of the inspection target, and photographing such end face from a position vertical to such end face, and (3) a step of specifying defects in the inspection target from photographic results obtained by the steps (1) and (2).

Abstract: A method of inspecting defects in an inspection target includes (1) a step of supplying a particle-containing gas to one end face of the inspection target under pressure, applying in parallel a first laser beam to the vicinity of the other end face of the inspection target, and photographing such end face from a position vertical to such end face, (2) a step of supplying a particle-containing gas to the one end face of the inspection target under pressure, applying in parallel a second laser beam to the vicinity of the other end face of the inspection target, and photographing such end face from a position vertical to such end face, and (3) a step of specifying defects in the inspection target from photographic results obtained by the steps (1) and (2).

Abstract: A plasma generating electrode of the present invention includes a pair of unit electrodes 2, each of the pair of unit electrodes 2 including a plate-like ceramic body 19 and a conductive film 12 disposed inside the ceramic body 19 and including a plurality of protrusions 13 on a front surface, the pair of unit electrodes 2 constituting a basic unit 1 by being hierarchically layered at intervals corresponding to thickness of the protrusion 13 in a state that a plurality of spaces which are open on each end in the arrangement direction of the protrusion are formed, the basic units 1 constituting an electrode unit in which the basic units 1 are hierarchically layered at intervals corresponding to the thickness of the protrusion 13, and the plasma generating electrode being capable of generating plasma in the three-dimensionally arranged spaces V upon application of voltage between the unit electrodes 2 constituting the electrode unit.

Abstract: An exhaust gas treating apparatus 1 includes; a case body 2 and a plasma producing means 3 capable of producing plasma inside the case body 2 and treats the substances to be treated contained in the exhaust gas by the plasma producing means 3. The plasma producing means 3 has one or more each of a pulse electrode 4 and a ground electrode 5 that are oppositely disposed in the case body 2 and has a pulse power source 6 capable of feeding a pulse current to the pulse electrode 4 by switching frequency and/or voltage for different values at predetermined time intervals. The substances to be treated contained in the exhaust gas can selectively be treated by switching frequency and/or voltage value for different values at predetermined time intervals so that plasma of a kind adequate for the substances to be treated contained in an exhaust gas is produced between the pulse electrode 4 and the ground electrode 5.

Abstract: A plasma generating electrode 1 of the present invention includes a plurality of unit electrodes 2 hierarchically layered at predetermined intervals, the unit electrodes 2 including a deficient unit electrode 2b in which a conductive film 4 has an absent portion and a normal unit electrode 2a in which the conductive film 4 does not have an absent portion. Spaces V formed between the unit electrodes 2 include a normal space Va formed so that the distance between conductive films 4 corresponds to the distance between the unit electrodes 2 and a deficient space Vb formed so that the distance between the conductive films 4 is greater than the distance between the conductive films 4 in the normal space Va. The plasma generating electrode 1 of the present invention can efficiently treat a plurality of predetermined components contained in a treatment target fluid by utilizing different types of plasma suitable for respective reactions by causing the treatment target fluid to flow only once.

Abstract: A plasma generating electrode 1 of the invention includes at least a pair of electrodes 5, at least one electrode 5a of the pair of electrodes 5 including a plate-like ceramic body 2 as a dielectric and a plurality of conductive films 3 disposed in the ceramic body 2 and each having a plurality of through-holes 4 formed through the conductive film 3 in its thickness direction in a predetermined arrangement pattern, the through-holes 4 having a cross-sectional shape including an arc shape along a plane perpendicular to the thickness direction, an arrangement pattern of the through-holes 4a formed in at least one conductive film 3a being different from an arrangement pattern of the through-holes 4b formed in the other conductive film 3b. The plasma generating electrode 1 is capable of simultaneously generating different states of plasma upon application of voltage between the pair of electrodes 5 due to the different arrangement patterns of the through-holes 4 in the conductive films 3.

Abstract: A plasma generating electrode of the invention present includes at least a pair of electrodes 5, at least one electrode 5a of the pair of electrodes 5 including a plate-like ceramic body 2 as a dielectric and a conductive film 3 disposed inside the ceramic plate 2 and having a plurality of through-holes 4 formed through the conductive film 3 in its thickness direction, the through-holes having a cross-sectional shape including an arc shape along a plane perpendicular to the thickness direction. The plasma generating electrode can generate uniform and stable plasma at low power consumption.

Abstract: In a high voltage pulse generating circuit, inductive energy is accumulated in an inductor due to electrical continuity of a first semiconductor switch by turning on a second semiconductor switch, and a high voltage pulse is generated by the inductor due to turning off of the first semiconductor switch by turning off the second semiconductor switch. In the case where both edge voltages of the first semiconductor switch and the second semiconductor switch are off the normal range, a failure diagnosis circuit is provided for stopping drive of the second semiconductor switch.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a plugged honeycomb structure includes the steps of: applying a predetermined amount of the plugging slurry on a face of an end face sealing member, one end face of the masked honeycomb structure is pressed against the face to which the plugging slurry was applied of the end face sealing member to fill the plugging slurry in the predetermined cells on the one end face side, and drying at least the plugging slurry at a portion in contact with the face of the end face sealing member in a state that the face of the end face sealing member is pressed against the one end face of the masked honeycomb structure. The method can manufacture simply at a low cost a plugged honeycomb structure with reduced accumulation of deposit on an end face when the honeycomb structure is used as a filter or the like.

Abstract: The ceramic honeycomb structure has a plurality of cells partitioned by porous partition walls and extending through the structure in an axial direction, one end portion of a predetermined cell is plugged with a plugging portion constituted of a plugging material with which the cell is filled, and the other end portion of a remaining cell is plugged with the plugging portion on a side opposite to the end portion of the predetermined cell. In the ceramic honeycomb structure, a sectional numerical aperture of the plugging portion in the vicinity of the partition wall is smaller than that of the plugging portion in the vicinity of a central axis, and a difference between the sectional numerical apertures is 10% or more.

Abstract: A high voltage pulse generating circuit comprises an inductor, a first semiconductor switch and a second semiconductor switch connected in series between both ends of a direct current power supply, and a diode wherein a cathode terminal is connected to one end of the inductor whose other end is connected to an anode terminal of the first semiconductor switch, and an anode terminal is connected to a gate terminal of the first semiconductor switch. The inductor has a first coil and a second coil. A diode is connected in parallel to the first semiconductor switch, and a capacitor is connected in parallel to the first coil of the inductor.

Abstract: A high-voltage pulse generating circuit has an inductor, a first semiconductor switch, and a second semiconductor switch which are connected in series between opposite terminals of a DC power supply unit, and a diode having a cathode terminal connected to a terminal of the inductor which has another terminal connected to an anode terminal of the first semiconductor switch, and an anode terminal connected to a gate terminal of the first semiconductor switch. The inductor stores an induction energy when the first semiconductor switch is rendered conductive by a turn-on of the second semiconductor switch, and generates a high-voltage pulse when the first semiconductor switch is turned off by a turn-off of the second semiconductor switch.

Abstract: A pulse generator circuit comprises a DC power supply (power supply voltage=V); a transformer series connected across the DC power supply; and a single switch; wherein an output is derived from the two ends of a secondary winding of the transformer. While the switch is on-state, a pulse of negative polarity is outputted from the two ends of the secondary winding. When the switch is turned off, a discharging to a resistive load is commenced and an induced electromotive force occurring in the transformer causes the output voltage to abruptly rise, thereby outputting a pulse of positive polarity.

Abstract: In a high voltage pulse generating circuit, inductive energy is accumulated in an inductor due to electrical continuity of a first semiconductor switch by turning on a second semiconductor switch, and a high voltage pulse is generated by the inductor due to turning off of the first semiconductor switch by turning off the second semiconductor switch. In the case where both edge voltages of the first semiconductor switch and the second semiconductor switch are off the normal range, a failure diagnosis circuit is provided for stopping drive of the second semiconductor switch.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method for manufacturing a plugged honeycomb structure capable of manufacturing a plugged honeycomb structure in which the plugging depth is uniform. A method for manufacturing a plugged honeycomb structure, according to the invention, includes disposing a plug filling jig 6 so that it covers the side of the periphery of one end 7a of the honeycomb structure 3 at the side where plugged cells 4a are open and its tip locates being protruded from the end surface of the one end 7a, the end surface of the side of the one end 7a is separated from the surrounding space and the one end 7a of the honeycomb structure 3 where the plug filling jig 6 is disposed is pressed onto a ceramic slurry to thus introduce the ceramic slurry into the plugged cells 4a to form plugged portions.

Abstract: A high voltage pulse generating circuit comprises an inductor, a first semiconductor switch and a second semiconductor switch connected in series between both ends of a direct current power supply, and a diode wherein a cathode terminal is connected to one end of the inductor whose other end is connected to an anode terminal of the first semiconductor switch, and an anode terminal is connected to a gate terminal of the first semiconductor switch. The inductor has a first coil and a second coil. A diode is connected in parallel to the first semiconductor switch, and a capacitor is connected in parallel to the first coil of the inductor.

Abstract: A high-voltage pulse generating circuit has an inductor, a first semiconductor switch, and a second semiconductor switch which are connected in series between opposite terminals of a DC power supply unit, and a diode having a cathode terminal connected to a terminal of the inductor which has another terminal connected to an anode terminal of the first semiconductor switch, and an anode terminal connected to a gate terminal of the first semiconductor switch. The inductor stores an induction energy when the first semiconductor switch is rendered conductive by a turn-on of the second semiconductor switch, and generates a high-voltage pulse when the first semiconductor switch is turned off by a turn-off of the second semiconductor switch.