Abstract: An auxiliary amalgam is contained in a light-emitting tube. The auxiliary amalgam has a base, a metal layer provided on the base, and a diffusion-inhibiting layer provided between the base and the metal layer.

Abstract: On a rigid tip end section at the distal end of an elongated endoscopic insertion member, an observation window washer means is provided to wash an endoscopic optical observation window, along with a fluid injection means to be used for injecting a fluid from an injection passage leading to an injection hole opened on the rigid tip end section of the insertion member. Connection ports to a wash liquid conduit and a compressed air conduit of the observation window washer means are opened at a conduit connection terminal of a multiplex connector on a proximal end of a universal connection cable. Disconnectibly connected to the conduit connection terminal is a conduit coupler member having a wash liquid conduit and a compressed air conduit to supply a wash liquid and compressed air to the wash liquid conduit and compressed air conduit on the side of the conduit connection terminal.

Abstract: Disclosed is a pneumatic tire provided with an elastic fixing band having excellent durability and enabling stable attachment of a member, which is independent from the tire, to an inner surface of a tread thereof. The pneumatic tire of the present invention includes a member attached to an inner surface of a tread thereof by use of an elastic fixing band, the member being independent from the tire. The pneumatic tire is characterized in that the elastic fixing band is formed of a metallic band form with a width in a range of 10 to 40 mm and a thickness in a range of 0.1 to 0.5 mm.

Abstract: Provided is a tire wheel assembly making it possible to effectively reduce cavity resonance noise without causing either negative influence on deformation of a tire or deterioration in rim assembling workability. A tire wheel assembly of the present invention includes a pneumatic tire, and a wheel provided with a rim fitted with the pneumatic tire, and forms a cavity portion between the pneumatic tire and the rim. The tire wheel assembly comprises at least one tube, which has one end thereof closed while having a length of 55% to 110% of a reference length L0 corresponding to one fourth of a cavity resonance wavelength, is provided so as to open to the cavity portion.

Abstract: A tire cavity resonance restricting device to be mounted on the inner surface of the tread portion facing to the cavity of a pneumatic tire. The tire cavity resonance restricting device includes a cross-sectional area changing member for changing the cross-sectional area of the cavity in tire meridian cross section, and an elastic fixing member in the form of a ring for fixing the cross-sectional area changing member to the inner surface of the tread portion. The elastic fixing member has an attachment portion to which the cross-sectional area changing member is attached and a non-attachment portion to which the cross-sectional area changing member is not attached. The non-attachment portion is greater in mass than the attachment portion.

Abstract: Disclosed is a tire noise reduction device to be mounted on the inner surface of the tread portion of a pneumatic tire facing its cavity. The tire noise reduction device includes an annular fixing elastic band and sound absorbing members disposed on the inner surface of the tread portion opposite to each other at two locations around its circumference by the fixing elastic band. The fixing elastic band has an outer peripheral length L defined in a certain range in relationship with the mass Wa of the sound absorbing members, the total mass We of the tire noise reduction device, and the inner peripheral length Li of the tire.

Abstract: A compact fluorescent lamp includes an arc tube having a bulb with a spiral portion formed in at least a portion thereof, the bulb having an electrode sealed in each of both end portions thereof so as to form a discharge path inside, and both the end portions of the bulb opposing to each other at positions inside a portion having a maximum outer diameter of the spiral portion so that the opposing end portions have a minimum distance of 5 to 15 mm; a lighting device lightening the arc tube; a cover member which supports the arc tube and in which the lighting device is arranged; and a base supported by the cover member.

Abstract: A tire-wheel assembly having a wheel with a rim and a pneumatic tire mounted on the rim, the pneumatic tire having a cavity inside for charging air. The pneumatic tire has a cavity's resonant frequency Fc arising from the cavity, and the wheel has a plurality of natural frequencies. The difference between the cavity's resonant frequency Fc of the pneumatic tire and the natural frequency Fw of the wheel closest to the cavity's resonant frequency is 10 Hz or more.

Abstract: This invention provides a low noise pneumatic tire allowed to achieve an efficient noise reduction effect by making full use of characteristics of a sound absorbing material. A pneumatic tire according to the present invention is a low noise pneumatic tire where a band-shaped sound absorbing material formed of a porous material whose apparent density defined in JIS K6400 is in a range of 10 to 70 kg/m3, is attached on the inner surface of a tread by use of an elastic fixing band.

Abstract: The present invention provides an endoscope comprising: an insertion unit which is to be inserted into a body; and a pipeline provided inside the insertion unit for supplying a fluid to a balloon mounted on an outer peripheral surface of the insertion unit, wherein the pipeline has a plurality of openings in an axial direction of the insertion unit on the outer peripheral surface of the insertion unit. Therefore, the endoscope of the present invention can easily fix a balloon and keep airtightness after the fixation, and can raise a degree of freedom of a mounting location of the balloon.

Abstract: The present invention provides an endoscope comprising: an insert portion having a bending portion for bending operation and a flexible soft portion connected to the proximal end of the bending portion; an inflatable/deflatable balloon attached on the proximal side from the bending portion; and a supplying/sucking opening provided in the outer surface of a ring that connects the bending portion to the soft portion, the supplying/sucking opening supplying and sucking fluid to and from the balloon.

Abstract: The present invention provides a balloon unit for an endoscope apparatus comprising: a balloon for an endoscope apparatus having an opening formed in a cylindrical shape in which an insert part of an endoscope or an insert supporter having the insert part inserted therein is inserted and fixed; and a cylinder body having an inner diameter larger than an outer diameter of the insert part or the insert supporter; wherein the opening of the balloon is fitted over and fixed to the cylinder body to form a unit and the unit is attached to the insert part or the insert supporter or detached from the insert part or the insert supporter.

Abstract: In macroblocks to which a prediction mode determination step, which determines whether or not a prediction mode applied to the macroblocks is a predetermined prediction mode, and an encoded data selection step, which selects a predetermined type of encoded data corresponding to the pixels at predetermined positions in the macroblocks to which the predetermined prediction mode is applied, are applied, there is provided a bit distribution step for more preferentially distributing bits to a predetermined type of encoded data selected at the encoded data selection step than a predetermined type of encoded data that is not selected at the encoded data selection step in the macroblocks to which the predetermined prediction mode is applied.

Abstract: A tire-wheel assembly having a wheel with a rim and a pneumatic tire mounted on the rim, the pneumatic tire having a cavity inside for charging air. The pneumatic tire has a cavity's resonant frequency Fc arising from the cavity, and the wheel has a plurality of natural frequencies. The difference between the cavity's resonant frequency Fc of the pneumatic tire and the natural frequency Fw of the wheel closest to the cavity's resonant frequency is 10 Hz or more.

Abstract: Disclosed is a low noise pneumatic tire having a configuration where, while installation work of a strip-shaped sound absorbent is simple, it is possible to simultaneously reduce cavity resonance and high-frequency noise, and thereby to effectively reduce noise when a vehicle is traveling. In the low noise pneumatic tire of the present invention, the strip-shaped sound absorbent is attached to an annular elastic fixing band, and then is installed onto an inner surface of a tread of the tire taking advantage of the elastic force of the annular elastic fixing band. The strip-shaped sound absorbent is formed of at least two kinds of porous materials whose sound absorption characteristics with respect to frequencies are different from one another.

Abstract: An antireflection film comprising a transparent substrate film having thereon a hard coat, a high refractive index layer and a low refractive index layer, wherein: (i) the high refractive index layer is formed by applying a coating solution containing the following (a) to (c); (ii) the low refractive index layer is formed by applying a coating solution containing the following (d) and (e); (iii) the antireflection film is heat treated, wherein (a) metal oxide particles having an average primary particle diameter of 10 to 200 nm; (b) a metal compound; (c) an ionizing radiation curable resin; (d) an organosilicon compound having a prescribed structure, a hydrolyzed compound of the organosilicon compound, a decomposed compound of the organosilicon compound or a polycondensed compound of the organosilicon compound; and (e) hollow silica particles each having an outer shell, and a void or a porous portion in the inside.

Abstract: This invention provides a low noise pneumatic tire allowed to achieve an efficient noise reduction effect by making full use of characteristics of a sound absorbing material. A pneumatic tire according to the present invention is a low noise pneumatic tire where a band-shaped sound absorbing material formed of a porous material whose apparent density defined in JIS K6400 is in a range of 10 to 70 kg/m3, is attached on the inner surface of a tread by use of an elastic fixing band.

Abstract: A bulb-shaped fluorescent lamp with an emission bulb having a bent tube and a lighting device having a circuit board and electronic parts mounted on the circuit board. The lighting device has a cover member with a cap and a holder for holding the emission bulb and the circuit board has a great part of its electronic parts disposed on the cap side. The lighting device has a fine tube that extends from the end of a portion of the bent tube toward the cap side within the cover member, and protrudes so that the surface temperature of a portion of said fine tube is kept in the range between 40–70°C. at the time of normal lighting and/or the fine tube extending from the end of the bent tube toward the cap side within the cover member protrudes from the end of said bent tube by 25–70 mm.

Abstract: In order to automate the positioning at the steps of reference position teaching and normal manufacturing at respective ports at the start-up of an equipment in a semiconductor manufacturing equipment equipped with a positioning device and a carrying robot and enhance productivity, 2 points W1 and W2 at which the circumference of a disc-like object 47 such as a wafer and the locus 43 of a detection means cross are detected, and the center position A of a disc-like object is calculated using the specific point O on the perpendicular bisector 42 of the section of a line combining 2 points with these and the radius r of the disc-like object, in the present invention. Thereby, the carrying robot could carry out the positioning work and not only the correction of a carrying route but also the reference position teaching at the start-up of equipment could be automated using the result.

Abstract: An auxiliary amalgam is contained in a light-emitting tube. The auxiliary amalgam has a base, a metal layer provided on the base, and a diffusion-inhibiting layer provided between the base and the metal layer.