Abstract: A variable-rigidity device includes a tubular member including a plurality of high-rigidity portions and low-rigidity portions arranged along a longitudinal axis, a core member arranged on an inner side of the tubular member and including a plurality of high-rigidity core portions and low-rigidity core portions; and an actuator configured to relatively move the core member with respect to the tubular member, in which the actuator is configured to cause a first force to repeatedly fluctuate with a passage of time, the first force causing the core member to relatively move with respect to the tubular member in an axial direction along the longitudinal axis.

Abstract: An ultrasonic motor of the invention includes: a transducer including a plurality of piezoelectric elements and an elastic body having an outer wall surface on which the plurality of piezoelectric elements are secured, the transducer being configured to vibrate when an alternating voltage is applied to the plurality of piezoelectric elements; a rotator configured to rotate by receiving the vibration of the transducer by being pressed in contact with a surface of the transducer; a biasing spring configured to press the rotator against the elastic body; and an output shaft configured to output rotation of the rotator. The elastic body includes a hollow portion and houses the rotator and the biasing spring in the hollow portion, and the rotator rotates in a state of being pressed against an inner wall surface of the hollow portion of the elastic body by the biasing spring.

Abstract: A rigidity variable device includes: a main body unit having an elongated shape; a plurality of higher rigidity portions made of metal, the higher rigidity portions being included in the main body unit and arrayed in a separated manner in a direction along a longitudinal axis of the main body unit; and one or a plurality of lower rigidity portions included in the main body unit and including a shape memory alloy coil disposed between adjacent ones of the higher rigidity portions and formed by winding a wire around an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis. A rigidity of the shape memory alloy coil increases when heated.

Abstract: A variable-rigidity device includes a tubular member including a plurality of high-rigidity portions and low-rigidity portions arranged along a longitudinal axis; a core member arranged on an inner side of the tubular member and including a plurality of high-rigidity core portions and low-rigidity core portions; and an actuator configured to relatively move the core member with respect to the tubular member, in which the actuator is configured to cause a first force to repeatedly fluctuate with a passage of time, the first force causing the core member to relatively move with respect to the tubular member in an axial direction along the longitudinal axis

Abstract: A rigidity variable device includes: a main body unit having an elongated shape; a plurality of higher rigidity portions made of metal, the higher rigidity portions being included in the main body unit and arrayed in a separated manner in a direction along a longitudinal axis of the main body unit; and one or a plurality of lower rigidity portions included in the main body unit and including a shape memory alloy coil disposed between adjacent ones of the higher rigidity portions and formed by winding a wire around an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis. A rigidity of the shape memory alloy coil increases when heated.

Abstract: A rigidity variable device includes: an elongated main body unit; a plurality of metal high-rigidity portions arranged with gaps along an longitudinal axis of the main body unit in the main body unit, the plurality of high-rigidity portions being made of metal; and a low-rigidity portion including a plurality of shape-memory alloy wires that intervene between high-rigidity portions adjacent to each other among the high-rigidity portions, and are apart in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal axis in the main body unit.

Abstract: A 3D-scanning optical imaging probe which inhibits rotation unevenness of rotational sections, shaft run-out, friction, and rotation transmission delay by reducing the occurrence of torque loss and rotation transmission delay, and which is capable of obtaining 3D scans and observation images within a fixed frontal range. A substantially tubular catheter has, provided along substantially the same line therein: a fixed-side optical fiber; a first optical path conversion means which is rotationally driven by a first motor, and which rotates and emits a beam of light forwards and tilted at an angle with respect to a rotational axis; and a second optical path conversion means which, at a tip side of a rotation-side optical fiber rotationally driven by a second motor, tilts an optical path by a micro-angle with respect to the rotational axis, and rotates and emits the beam of light to irradiate the first optical path conversion means therewith.

Abstract: To provide an SmCo-based rare earth sintered magnet having a small diameter and a multipolar magnetized magnetic structure and having a high coercive force and a high magnetization rate. The outer shape of an SmCo-based rare earth sintered magnet having a coercive force HCJ (kOe) at a room temperature (° C.) of 7.5 (kOe)<HCJ?27 (kOe) is formed into any one of a cylindrical shape, a ring-like shape, a columnar shape, and a disk-like shape. Multi-pole magnetization is performed on the SmCo-based rare earth sintered magnet so as to satisfy (diameter D/the number of poles p) (mm)<(4/?) (mm) (p is an even number equal to or greater than 4), and the magnetization rate is set to 80(%) or more.

Abstract: A 3D-scanning optical imaging probe which inhibits rotation unevenness of rotational sections, shaft run-out, friction, and rotation transmission delay by reducing the occurrence of torque loss and rotation transmission delay, and which is capable of obtaining 3D scans and observation images within a fixed frontal range. A substantially tubular catheter has, provided along substantially the same line therein: a fixed-side optical fiber; a first optical path conversion means which is rotationally driven by a first motor, and which rotates and emits a beam of light forwards and tilted at an angle with respect to a rotational axis; and a second optical path conversion means which, at a tip side of a rotation-side optical fiber rotationally driven by a second motor, tilts an optical path by a micro-angle with respect to the rotational axis, and rotates and emits the beam of light to irradiate the first optical path conversion means therewith.

Abstract: A bending device to bend a flexible tube from inside electrically includes an electric actuator to drive a movable shaft electrically along the longitudinal direction of the tube in the axial direction and in the rotational direction, and an elongated member of which one end is connected to the movable shaft and the other end is connected to the inner surface of the tube at the location distanced, in the longitudinal direction of the tube, from the connecting point connecting the one end of the elongated member and the movable shaft, the connecting point connecting the one end of the elongated member and the movable shaft being located eccentric to the center of the movable shaft so that the towing direction of the elongated member towed by retreating the movable shaft changes along the circumferential direction by rotation of the movable shaft.

Abstract: A heat-sensitive adhesive material contains a substrate and a heat-sensitive adhesive layer that contains a thermoplastic resin and a solid plasticizer, and the heat-sensitive adhesive material is so configured as to be heated and applied to an adherend, wherein the heat-sensitive adhesive material exhibits such an adhesive strength to the adherend as to increase with time from immediately after applying the heat-sensitive adhesive material to the adherend.

Abstract: A heat-sensitive adhesive material according to the present invention includes a support, and a heat-sensitive adhesive layer on the support, the heat-sensitive adhesive layer comprises a water-dispersible heat-sensitive adhesive containing at least a thermoplastic resin, a solid plasticizer and a tackifier, wherein the thermoplastic resin is obtained by emulsion polymerization using a reactive surfactant and has a glass transition temperature (Tg) of lower than ?20° C.

Abstract: In order to provide heat-sensitive adhesive materials that represent high pressure-sensitive adhesive strength with respect to rough adherends such as cardboards or polyolefin wraps and lower decrease of adhesive strength with time, are thermally activated with lower energy and exhibit excellent blocking resistance, heat-sensitive adhesive materials are disclosed that contain a support, an underlayer, and a heat-sensitive adhesive layer, in this order, wherein the underlayer comprises a thermoplastic resin and a hollow filler, and the glass transition temperature of the thermoplastic resin is ?70° C. or higher and below 0° C.

Abstract: A heat-sensitive adhesive material contains a substrate and a heat-sensitive adhesive layer that contains a thermoplastic resin and a solid plasticizer, and the heat-sensitive adhesive material is so configured as to be heated and applied to an adherend, wherein the heat-sensitive adhesive material exhibits such an adhesive strength to the adherend as to increase with time from immediately after applying the heat-sensitive adhesive material to the adherend.

Abstract: A heat-sensitive adhesive material contains a substrate and a heat-sensitive adhesive layer that contains a thermoplastic resin and a solid plasticizer, and the heat-sensitive adhesive material is so configured as to be heated and applied to an adherend, wherein the heat-sensitive adhesive material exhibits such an adhesive strength to the adherend as to increase with time from immediately after applying the heat-sensitive adhesive material to the adherend.

Abstract: A composition can be provided which contains a plasticizer for plasticizing a thermoplastic resin and a surfactant, wherein the surfactant includes a surfactant having a clouding point equal to or higher than 50° C. A heat-sensitive adhesive material can be provided which exerts an adhesive property thereof by heating, and which includes a layer obtained by drying the composition, wherein the composition further includes a thermoplastic resin. An information recording material capable of recording information, which includes the heat-sensitive adhesive material, can be provided.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a heat-sensitive adhesive material having improved delivery properties and a superior adhesive strength. The objective heat-sensitive adhesive material in which an adhesive layer comprising mainly an adhesive is coated over a support and a heat-sensitive adhesive layer having developed adhesion by heating and maintaining the developed adhesive strength is coated over the adhesive layer, has Clark stiffness set by JIS P-8143 of 30 m3/100 to 180 cm3/100 in a longitudinal direction and a coefficient of static friction between a heat-sensitive layer and a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film of 0.90 or less.

Abstract: A heat-sensitive adhesive material includes a substrate, a heat-sensitive adhesive layer containing a thermoplastic resin and a solid plasticizer formed on the substrate, and a heat-fusible substance capable of depressing the solidifying point of the solid plasticizer in at least one of the heat-sensitive adhesive layer and a layer adjacent to the heat-sensitive adhesive layer. The heat-fusible substance satisfies the following condition (A): E1<E2 where E1 is heat energy to fuse the solid plasticizer; and E2 is heat energy to fuse the heat-fusible substance.

Abstract: A heat-sensitive adhesive material includes a substrate, a heat-sensitive adhesive layer containing a thermoplastic resin and a solid plasticizer formed on the substrate, and a heat-fusible substance capable of depressing the solidifying point of the solid plasticizer in at least one of the heat-sensitive adhesive layer and a layer adjacent to the heat-sensitive adhesive layer. The heat-fusible substance satisfies the following condition (A): E1<E2 where E1 is heat energy to fuse the solid plasticizer; and E2 is heat energy to fuse the heat-fusible substance.