Abstract: An in-vehicle network system deployed in a vehicle includes a plurality of first nodes configured to perform an operation relevant to a first function in the vehicle, a second node configured to perform an operation relevant to a second function different from the first function in the vehicle; and a relay device configured to relay communication between the first nodes and the second node. The relay device is configured to start relay of communication between the first nodes earlier than the relay of communication between the first node and the second node at a time of startup.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing soymilk includes heating units for heating a soybean soup, a defoaming unit for defoaming a heated soybean soup, an extracting unit for separating a defoamed soybean soup into soymilk, bean curd refuse and a liquid residue, and pipe lines for returning the separated liquid residue between the defoaming unit and the heating unit to refeed the separated liquid residue to the defoaming unit. The pipe lines for refeeding the separated liquid residue to the defoaming unit are connected to a liquid residue discharge port of the extracting unit from which the separated liquid residue is taken out and refed to the defoaming unit with a transfer pump.

Abstract: A tofu packing apparatus for packing plural tofu blocks in individual packs for sales includes a conveyor for conveying the plural tofu blocks cut to a predetermined size and arrayed at predetermined intervals, and a paired grasp plates be driven in the direction to approach each other. The tofu blocks cut to a predetermined size are grasped with the paired grasp plates, moved to predetermined positions above packaging packs conveyed to predetermined positions with the packaging pack conveyance apparatus, and dropped and packed in the packaging packs through release of grasp by the paired grasp plates. The tofu blocks may be dropped and housed in the packaging packs while at least maintaining the tofu blocks in a holding state by the paired grasp plates.

Abstract: [Problem to be solved] To provide a method for sterilizing powder or grain by which the heating time is a minimum required time to reduce thermal degradation of the quality of the powder or grain while securing sufficient sterilization effect, and a sterilizing apparatus employing the method. [Means to solve the problem] The problem is solved by a method for sterilizing powder or grain, and a sterilizing apparatus employing the method, and the method includes applying heat and pressure in which powder or grain is supplied into a heated gas flow pipe kept under heated and pressurized conditions, and the powder or grain is transferred while coming into direct contact with a heated condensable gas in the heated gas flow pipe for 0.

Abstract: A tofu packing apparatus for packing plural tofu blocks in individual packs for sales includes a conveyor for conveying the plural tofu blocks cut to a predetermined size and arrayed at predetermined intervals, and a paired grasp plates be driven in the direction to approach each other. The tofu blocks cut to a predetermined size are grasped with the paired grasp plates, moved to predetermined positions above packaging packs conveyed to predetermined positions with the packaging pack conveyance apparatus, and dropped and packed in the packaging packs through release of grasp by the paired grasp plates. The tofu blocks may be dropped and housed in the packaging packs while at least maintaining the tofu blocks in a holding state by the paired grasp plates.

Abstract: [Problem to be solved] To provide a method for sterilizing powder or grain by which the heating time is a minimum required time to reduce thermal degradation of the quality of the powder or grain while securing sufficient sterilization effect, and a sterilizing apparatus employing the method. [Means to solve the problem] The problem is solved by a method for sterilizing powder or grain, and a sterilizing apparatus employing the method, and the method includes applying heat and pressure in which powder or grain is supplied into a heated gas flow pipe kept under heated and pressurized conditions, and the powder or grain is transferred while coming into direct contact with a heated condensable gas in the heated gas flow pipe for 0.

Abstract: [Task] High-quality soymilk is produced, with overflow of foam or bubbles avoided in an extracting step, and the extractability (extraction ratio) of the soymilk is simultaneously heightened. [Solving Means] An apparatus for producing soymilk includes heating units H1 and H2 for heating a soybean soup go1; a defoaming unit F for defoaming a heated soybean soup go2; an extracting unit B for separating a defoamed soybean soup go3 into soymilk Tn1, bean curd refuse Tn2 and a liquid residue Tn3; and pipe lines u11 and u12 for returning the separated liquid residue Tn3 to a position before the defoamng unit F or behind the heating unit H2 (H1) and feeding it again to the defoaming unit F, wherein the pipe lines u11 and u12 for feeding the separated liquid residue to the defoaming unit F are connected to a liquid residue discharge port B3j of the extracting unit B from which the liquid residue Tn3 having been separated is taken out.

Abstract: An oil content measuring device measures the oil content of a refrigerant in a supercritical or a vapor phase state. A refrigeration system uses the oil content measuring device. The oil content measuring device has an electrostatic capacity measuring device for measuring an electrostatic capacity of the refrigerant containing a refrigerating machine oil, a density measuring device for measuring a density of at least one of the refrigerant and the refrigerating machine oil, a computing device for performing a computation on correlation characteristics between the electrostatic capacity and an oil content which indicates the ratio of the amount of the refrigerating machine oil to the amount of the refrigerant containing the refrigerating machine oil, using the density measured by the density measuring device. An oil content determining device determines an oil content at the measuring time from an electrostatic capacity using the correlation characteristics obtained by the computing device.

Abstract: In a vehicle air conditioner with a heat pump cycle having an interior heat exchanger and an exterior heat exchanger, when a frosting on a surface of the exterior heat exchanger is determined and when a temperature of hot water supplied to a heater core is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature, the exterior heat exchanger is defrosted in a defrosting operation. Accordingly, the defrosting operation can be performed while a sufficient heating can be obtained.

Abstract: An oil content measuring device measures the oil content of a refrigerant in a supercritical or a vapor phase state. A refrigeration system uses the oil content measuring device. The oil content measuring device has an electrostatic capacity measuring device for measuring an electrostatic capacity of the refrigerant containing a refrigerating machine oil, a density measuring device for measuring a density of at least one of the refrigerant and the refrigerating machine oil, a computing device for performing a computation on correlation characteristics between the electrostatic capacity and an oil content which indicates the ratio of the amount of the refrigerating machine oil to the amount of the refrigerant containing the refrigerating machine oil, using the density measured by the density measuring device. An oil content determining device determines an oil content at the measuring time from an electrostatic capacity using the correlation characteristics obtained by the computing device.

Abstract: Heat exchange is performed between a discharge side refrigerant and a suction side refrigerant also at the time of a heating operation. By this, a liquid phase refrigerant containing lubricating oil in the suction side refrigerant is heated by the discharge side refrigerant, and the liquid phase refrigerant is vaporized also at the time of the heating operation, so that the amount of the liquid phase refrigerant sucked into a compressor is decreased. Accordingly, the increase of compression work of the compressor is prevented, and an opening area of an oil return hole can be expanded to such a degree that an optimum amount of lubricating oil is attained at the time of the heating operation.

Abstract: When the first pressure reducing device 161 is fixed to the accumulator tank 140 and the internal heat exchanger 150 is housed in the accumulator tank 140, the accumulator, the first pressure reducing device 161 and the internal heat exchanger 150 are integrated into one body. Due to the foregoing, it is possible to eliminate parts for piping to connect the first pressure reducing device 161 with the internal heat exchanger 150. The mass of the vibration system of the first pressure reducing device 161 including the accumulator tank 140 and the internal heat exchanger 150 is increased. Therefore, even if the valve body 413 in the first pressure reducing device is vibrated, it becomes difficult for other portions to vibrate. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce noise (vibration) generated when refrigerant is decompressed by the first pressure reducing device 161.

Abstract: In a vehicle air conditioner having a refrigerant cycle using carbon dioxide as refrigerant, a displacement of a compressor is changed and controlled, so that an air temperature immediately after passing through an evaporator becomes approximately 0° C., and it can prevent a refrigerant amount discharged from the compressor from being larger than a predetermined flow amount. Because the refrigerant amount discharged from the compressor is controlled to be not larger than the predetermined flow amount, it can prevent a high-pressure side refrigerant pressure and a high-pressure side refrigerant temperature from being excessively increased in the refrigerant cycle.

Abstract: When the first pressure reducing device 161 is fixed to the accumulator tank 140 and the internal heat exchanger 150 is housed in the accumulator tank 140, the accumulator, the first pressure reducing device 161 and the internal heat exchanger 150 are integrated into one body. Due to the foregoing, it is possible to eliminate parts for piping to connect the first pressure reducing device 161 with the internal heat exchanger 150. The mass of the vibration system of the first pressure reducing device 161 including the accumulator tank 140 and the internal heat exchanger 150 is increased. Therefore, even if the valve body 413 in the first pressure reducing device is vibrated, it becomes difficult for other portions to vibrate. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce noise (vibration) generated when refrigerant is decompressed by the first pressure reducing device 161.

Abstract: Heat exchange is performed between a discharge side refrigerant and a suction side refrigerant also at the time of a heating operation. By this, a liquid phase refrigerant containing lubricating oil in the suction side refrigerant is heated by the discharge side refrigerant, and the liquid phase refrigerant is vaporized also at the time of the heating operation, so that the amount of the liquid phase refrigerant sucked into a compressor is decreased. Accordingly, the increase of compression work of the compressor is prevented, and an opening area of an oil return hole can be expanded to such a degree that an optimum amount of lubricating oil is attained at the time of the heating operation.

Abstract: In a vehicle air conditioner with a heat pump cycle having an interior heat exchanger and an exterior heat exchanger, when a frosting on a surface of the exterior heat exchanger is determined and when a temperature of hot water supplied to a heater core is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature, the exterior heat exchanger is defrosted in a defrosting operation. Accordingly, the defrosting operation can be performed while a sufficient heating can be obtained.

Abstract: In a vehicle air conditioner having a refrigerant cycle using carbon dioxide as refrigerant, a displacement of a compressor is changed and controlled, so that an air temperature immediately after passing through an evaporator becomes approximately 0° C., and it can prevent a refrigerant amount discharged from the compressor from being larger than a predetermined flow amount. Because the refrigerant amount discharged from the compressor is controlled to be not larger than the predetermined flow amount, it can prevent a high-pressure side refrigerant pressure and a high-pressure side refrigerant temperature from being excessively increased in the refrigerant cycle.

Abstract: An automotive air conditioner using a mixed type coolant of a higher boiling point coolant and a lower boiling point coolant. The air conditioner employs a stacking container connecting to an upper portion of a receiver for introducing a gas phased coolant which contains much of the lower boiling point coolant via a first valve. The stacking container is also connected to a suction side of a compressor via a second valve. The air conditioner becomes a mixing mode when the first valve closes a conduit and the second valve opens a conduit for introducing the lower boiling point coolant into a refrigerant circuit. The cooling ability is increased during the mixing mode. The air conditioner becomes a separating mode when the first valve opens the conduit and the second valve closes the conduit for separating the lower boiling point coolant circulating in the refrigerant circuit and stacking the same in the container.

Abstract: An automotive air conditioner uses a non-azeotropic mix-type refrigerant of a higher boiling point refrigerant and a lower boiling point refrigerant. The automotive air conditioner changes its cooling capacity by varying the proportion of the lower boiling point refrigerant and the higher boiling point refrigerant. In order to madulate the proportion of the refrigerant, the present heat exchanger employs a rectifying means and a cooling means. The cooling means introduces the refrigerant circulating in the refrigerant circuit as the cooling medium when the air conditioner is not required high cooling capacity, so that lower boiling point refrigerant is separated and is stucked within the cooling means within a short while.

Abstract: The automotive air conditioner uses a plurality of groups of coolant having different boiling points. The air conditioner uses both the lower boiling point coolant and the higher boiling point coolant when the air conditioner requires high cooling efficiency. The air conditioner separates the lower boiling point coolant from the higher boiling point coolant when the air conditioner does not require high cooling efficiency. In order to separate the lower boiling point coolant, the air conditioner has a rectifying circuit on which a controlling valve, a first pressure reducing means, a rectifying means, a second pressure reducing means and a heat exchanger is provided. The amount of coolant passing through the rectifying circuit is controlled in accordance with the temperature of the coolant downstream of the heat exchanger.