Abstract: This invention provides an electroless plating method comprising electrolessly plating the surface of a metal base sample using a supercritical fluid or a subcritical fluid in such a state that a metal powder is dispersed in an electroless plating liquid. According to this method, a homogeneous and thick plating layer is formed in a short time by taking advantage of an induction eutectoid phenomenon. In the electroless plating method, the metal powder may have an average particle diameter of not less than 1 nm and not more than 100 &mgr;m, and the electroless plating method may also be applied to a damascene process or a dual damascene process which is a method for forming a fine metal wiring within a semiconductor element. The above constitution can provide an electroless plating method which can realize the formation of an even film by electroless plating in a short time using a subcritical fluid or a supercritical fluid by taking advantage of an induction eutectoid phenomenon.

Abstract: A hydraulic control apparatus for an automatic transmission includes a first solenoid valve, a second solenoid valve, a third solenoid valve, a preliminary shift speed switch valve, and an oil pressure supply switch valve, which is switched between a normal-state position where the first, second, and third working fluid pressures can be supplied to the hydraulic servos of the first, second, and third friction engagement elements, respectively, and a failure-state position where the first and second preliminary oil pressures can be supplied to the hydraulic servos of the first and second friction engagement elements, respectively, and a line pressure can be supplied to the hydraulic servo of the third friction engagement element, during a failure that causes de-energization.

Abstract: A drive unit that includes a solenoid device that includes: a solenoid section having a movable portion that abuts on a case to arrive at an initial state when de-energized; a pump section axially sliding in association with a movement of the movable portion by an electromagnetic force of the solenoid section and pumping a hydraulic fluid by reciprocation; and an elastic member biasing the pump section in a direction counter to the electromagnetic force of the solenoid section; and a control unit that controls the solenoid device so that a current applied to the solenoid section is repeatedly increased and decreased between an upper limit value and a lower limit value that is greater than 0.

Abstract: The surface of a metal base is electroplated by utilizing an induction codeposition phenomenon using at least one of carbon dioxide and inert gas, an electroplating liquid containing a metal powder dispersed therein, and a surfactant in a supercritical state or a subcritical state. The concentration of the metal in the electroplating liquid is in a saturated or supersaturated state. Accordingly, the dissolution speed of the metal base can be suppressed, and, at the same time, a plating layer having a smooth surface can be formed in a short time by utilizing an induction codeposition phenomenon. The electroplating method can be applied even when the metal base is formed of a metallic thin film provided on a surface of an insulating film provided on the substrate, or even when the metal is copper, zinc, iron, nickel, or cobalt.

Abstract: A computer system, method and computer program that retrieves, from at least one piece of moving image data, at least one scene that includes moving image content to be retrieved. The computer system includes a storage unit that stores a locus of a model of the moving image to be retrieved and velocity variation of the model; a first calculation unit that calculates a first vector including the locus and the velocity variation of the model; a second calculation unit that calculates a second vector regarding the moving image content to be retrieved included in the at least one piece of moving image data; a third calculation unit that calculates a degree of similarity between the first and second vectors; and a selection unit that selects, at least one scene which includes the moving image content to be retrieved, on the basis of the degree of similarity.

Abstract: A valve section that functions as a solenoid valve device that includes a pressure adjusting section that adjusts fluid pressure supplied from a fluid pressure source; a pump section that sucks and discharges working fluid in a reservoir; and a single solenoid section that drives the pressure adjusting section and the pump section.

Abstract: A hydraulic control device of an automatic transmission having a pick up unit of a feedback oil passage that is provided in a line pressure oil passage branched from an oil passage communicating an oil pressure source and a pressure regulating port with each other. An influence of an oil pump on a feedback pressure is thus reduced, and a primary regulator valve regulates an oil pressure to a stable line pressure having a small amount of rising. This structure prevents instability of the feedback pressure due to the influence of the oil pump which is caused in the case where a feedback pressure of a primary regulator valve is directly obtained from an oil passage communicating from an oil pressure source to a pressure regulating port.

Abstract: A detection head has an array including a plurality of coils. Magnetic marks are arranged in a travel route at a pitch equal to the array length. By interaction between the magnetic marks and the coils, a position of a moving vehicle is determined based on the magnetic marks.

Abstract: An exemplary control device includes an input torque detection unit that detects an input torque input to the input shaft; and a controller that: determines torque distribution of two of the friction engagement elements that form the shift speeds; and calculates a transmission torque of the two friction engagement elements based on the input torque and the torque distribution and sets the engagement pressure to obtain a torque capacity that can transmit the transmission torque, wherein the controller sets the engagement pressure such that slippage does not occur in the two friction engagement elements in a state where engagement of the two friction engagement elements forms the shift speeds and such that, even if an additional friction engagement element engages based on the line pressure while the two friction engagement elements are engaged, one of the three friction engagement elements is caused to slip.

Abstract: A valve assembly includes a plurality of solenoid valves, each solenoid valve having a pressure-regulating valve portion formed by a sleeve having a plurality of valve-side ports and a spool for opening and closing the valve-side ports, and a solenoid portion having a plunger for driving the spool and a coil for electromagnetically driving the plunger; and a valve body having a plurality of insertion holes into which the solenoid valves are inserted, and having ports that are connected to the plurality of valve-side ports in a state in which the solenoid valves are mounted.

Abstract: In a condition of a vehicle which remains stationary or is about to stop and of a forward second speed having a clutch and a brake engaged, an N range is changed from a D range based on a shift lever operation and a forward range pressure is discharged from a manual shift valve. At this time, an orifice and a check ball are used to delay discharge of oil paths which communicate with a linear solenoid valve relative to discharge of an oil path a1 which communicates with a linear solenoid valve. Specifically, release of the brake is delayed relative to release of the clutch, so that a shift by way of a forward first speed through engagement of a one-way clutch can be prevented.

Abstract: A hydraulic control device for an automatic transmission includes a first solenoid valve, a second solenoid valve, a third solenoid valve, a preliminary shift speed switching valve, and a hydraulic pressure supply switching valve. A second friction engagement element is engaged at high speed side shift speeds, a low speed that is one of low speed side shift speeds is achieved by engagement of a first friction engagement element and a third friction engagement element, and a high speed that is one of the high speed side shift speeds is achieved by engagement of a second friction engagement element and the third friction engagement element.

Abstract: An aroma dispensing method and device which includes: an air pump (2) for supplying air; six element smell bottles (5a)-(5f) for containing smell materials and for holding smells generated by blowing the air against the smell materials; and six solenoid valves for controlling of the air to be introduced into the element smell bottles. When the plurality of smells generated in the six element smell bottles are blended in specific mixing proportions, the mixing proportions are determined by numbers or time periods of opening and closing per second of the six solenoid valves respectively connected to the six element smell bottles; and proportions of the numbers or time periods of opening and closing per second of the solenoid valves correspond to the mixing proportions.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided that facilitate detection and processing of A/V device power status in A/V networks. Preferably, a power detection system includes a current sensor coupled to the power cord of an A/V device, a current-to-voltage converter coupled to the sensor, a voltage comparator coupled to the converter, a reference voltage output circuit coupled to the comparator, and a micro-controller coupled to the comparator and the reference voltage output circuit. In operation, the current being drawn by the A/V device through its power cord is detected and converted to an input voltage, which is then compared to a device specific threshold voltage. If the input voltage is not greater than the threshold voltage, a “Power On” command is sent to the A/V device and the detection, conversion and comparison process is repeated. If the input voltage is greater than the threshold voltage, desired commands and/or instructions are sent to the A/V device.

Abstract: The present invention relates a high-strength nonmagnetic stainless steel, containing, by weight percent, 0.01 to 0.06% of C, 0.10 to 0.50% of Si, 20.5 to 24.5% of Mn, 0.040% or less of P, 0.010% or less of S, 3.1 to 6.0% of Ni, 0.10 to 0.80% of Cu, 20.5 to 24.5% of Cr, 0.10 to 1.50% of Mo, 0.0010 to 0.0050% of B, 0.010% or less of O, 0.65 to 0.90% of N, and the remainder being Fe and inevitable impurities; the steel satisfying the following formulae (1) to (4): [Cr]+3.3×[Mo]+16×[N]?30, ??(1) {Ni}/{Cr}?0.15, ??(2) 2.0?[Ni]/[Mo]?30.0, and ??(3) [C]×1000/[Cr]?2.5, ??(4) wherein [Cr], [Mo], [N], [Ni], [Mo] and [C] represent the content of Cr, the content of Mo, the content of N, the content of Ni, the content of Mo and the content of C in the steel, respectively, and {Ni} represents the sum of [Ni], [Cu] and [N], and {Cr} represents the sum of [Cr] and [Mo].

Abstract: A hydraulic control device includes an oil pan; an oil pump; a strainer; a pressure regulating valve; an oil cooler; a cooler bypass valve with an input port that is connected with a cooler supply oil passage through which the hydraulic oil to be supplied to the oil cooler flows, wherein the input port is communicatively connected with an output port when the hydraulic pressure of the hydraulic oil within the cooler supply oil passage is equal to or greater than a predetermined valve opening pressure; and a cooler bypass oil passage that connects the output port of the cooler bypass valve with an intake oil passage between the strainer and the intake port of the oil pump.

Abstract: The hydraulic control apparatus includes a separating plate that is interposed between an upper valve body and a lower valve body. The separating plate and the lower valve body provide a projecting portion that projects toward a discharge opening side of the oil pump with respect to the upper valve body. A first oil feed path is provided at the projecting portion, is formed between the separating plate and the lower valve body, and receives the hydraulic oil from the oil pump and guides the hydraulic oil to an upper valve body disposition side.

Abstract: An oil return structure for a vehicle drive apparatus includes a hydraulic control apparatus disposed below an oil supply target device to which oil for lubricating and cooling is supplied; and an oil pan that retains the oil that is supplied to the oil supply target device is provided below the hydraulic control apparatus, wherein a bypass oil path is formed in a body of the hydraulic control apparatus, the bypass oil path being structured in order to guide the oil from the oil supply target device from an upper surface of the body, inside the body and then discharge the oil from a side surface of the body.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an austenitic free-cutting stainless steel, containing: by weight percent, 0.500% or less of C; 0.01 to 5.00% of Si; 0.01 to 10.00% of Mn; 5.00 to 25.00% of Ni; 7.50 to 30.00% of Cr; 0.300% or less of N; more than 0.0100% but not more than 0.1000% of 0; 0.0020 to 0.1000% of B; 0.300% or less of Al; and the remainder of Fe and inevitable impurities, the steel satisfying the following formula (1): 0.68?[O]/[B]?2.50 ??(1) in which [O] represents the content of O and [B] represents the content of B.

Abstract: A hydraulic control apparatus includes a switching device that switches between a hydraulic servo of the plurality of hydraulic servos of the first friction engaging element and a hydraulic servo of the plurality of hydraulic servos of the second friction engaging element so as to supply a control pressure from the one pressure regulating solenoid valve to each of the plurality of hydraulic servos, wherein the switching enables a control of an engagement and disengagement of the first friction engaging element and the second friction engagement element using the one pressure regulating solenoid valve.