Abstract: A connector (50) includes a tubular member (52) and a base tube (58). A light-guiding tube (60) is drawn out from the base tube (58) toward the opposite side to the tubular member (52). An adapter (1) includes: a first connecting portion (10) that can be connected to and disconnected from a light source device (70); a second connecting portion (20) that can be connected to and disconnected from the connector (50); and a light-guiding member (30) that guides light emitted from the light source device (70) to a proximal end surface (61) of the tube (60).

Abstract: A tube distal end position detection system (1) includes a light source device (50) that emits light, a hollow tube (10) having a flow path (11) that allows a liquid to flow through, a connector (20) provided at a base end of the tube so as to allow light from the light source device to be incident on an end surface (12) at the base end of the tube, and a light emitting portion (30) provided at the distal end of the tube. Light from the light source device passes through the tube and is emitted from the light emitting portion and transmitted to the body surface.

Abstract: An impact detecting device includes a first impact detecting portion, a determining portion and an informing portion. The first impact detecting portion detects an impact applied to an object equipped to a vehicle. The determining portion determines that the object has received the impact when a detection result of the first impact detecting portion is greater than a first impact determination threshold. The informing portion informs that the object has received the impact, when the determining portion determines that the object has received the impact.

Abstract: A passenger protection system includes: first and second sensors that detect an impact applied to a vehicle in a width direction; a determination device that determines a collision by comparing a first detection signal from the first sensor with a first determination condition, and by comparing a second detection signal from the second sensor with a second determination condition; and a boarding position detector that detects a boarding position of a passenger. The determination device sets the first determination condition and the second determination condition according to the boarding position in such a manner that the first determination condition is different from the second determination condition.

Abstract: A passenger protection system includes: first and second sensors that detect an impact applied to a vehicle in a width direction; a determination device that determines a collision by comparing a first detection signal from the first sensor with a first determination condition, and by comparing a second detection signal from the second sensor with a second determination condition; and a boarding position detector that detects a boarding position of a passenger. The determination device sets the first determination condition and the second determination condition according to the boarding position in such a manner that the first determination condition is different from the second determination condition.

Abstract: An impact detecting device includes a first impact detecting portion, a determining portion and an informing portion. The first impact detecting portion detects an impact applied to an object equipped to a vehicle. The determining portion determines that the object has received the impact when a detection result of the first impact detecting portion is greater than a first impact determination threshold. The informing portion informs that the object has received the impact, when the determining portion determines that the object has received the impact.

Abstract: A highly pure ultra-fine SiOx (wherein x is from 0.6 to 1.8) powder having a specific surface area of at least 10 m2/g and a total content of Na, Fe, Al and Cl of at most 10 ppm is provided. The SiOx powder is produced by reacting a monosilane gas with a gas capable of oxidizing the monosilane gas in a non-oxidizing gas atmosphere under a pressure of from 10 to 1000 kPa at a temperature of from 500 to 1000° C. In this case, the amount of the non-oxidizing gas is preferably larger than the total amount of the monosilane gas and oxygen participating in the oxidation of the gas capable of oxidizing the monosilane gas.

Abstract: A low relative permittivity SiOx film excellent in heat resistance without using an alkali metal, fluorine, etc., a method for modifying an SiOx film to accomplish a further reduction of the relative permittivity of the low relative permittivity SiOx film and further to increase the insulating property, a highly reliable semiconductor device free from crack or peeling of the film by employing the low relative permittivity SiOx film as an interlayer insulating film for metal wirings, are provided. The low relative permittivity film is characterized in that it is made of a porous material, the major constituent of which is SiOx (where 1.8?X?1.0), and the relative permittivity at 1 MHz is at most 2.3.

Abstract: A highly pure ultra-fine SiOx (wherein x is from 0.6 to 1.8) powder having a specific surface area of at least 10 m2/g and a total content of Na, Fe, Al and Cl of at most 10 ppm is provided. The SiOx powder is produced by reacting a monosilane gas with a gas capable of oxidizing the monosilane gas in a non-oxidizing gas atmosphere under a pressure of from 10 to 1000 kPa at a temperature of from 500 to 1000° C. In this case, the amount of the non-oxidizing gas is preferably larger than the total amount of the monosilane gas and oxygen participating in the oxidation of the gas capable of oxidizing the monosilane gas.

Abstract: A low relative permittivity SiOx film excellent in heat resistance without using an alkali metal, fluorine, etc., a method for modifying an SiOx film to accomplish a further reduction of the relative permittivity of the low relative permittivity SiOx film and further to increase the insulating property, a highly reliable semiconductor device free from crack or peeling of the film by employing the low relative permittivity SiOx film as an interlayer insulating film for metal wirings, are provided. The low relative permittivity film is characterized in that it is made of a porous material, the major constituent of which is SiOx (where 1.8≧X≧1.0), and the relative permittivity at 1 MHz is at most 2.3.

Abstract: An activating device for an airbag system is constructed to prevent erroneous activating operation. A microcomputer generates a test signal and applies it to a determination circuit and an inhibition circuit as an inhibition signal. The determination circuit grounds the gate of a switching element which activates an airbag. The inhibition circuit inhibits a switching element from being turned on based on the inhibition signal. In the ON-inhibition state, the switching element is turned on if it is normal with the gate grounded. The switching element remains OFF if it is in malfunction.

Abstract: An activating device for an airbag system is constructed to prevent erroneous activating operation. A microcomputer generates a test signal and applies it to a determination circuit and an inhibition circuit as an inhibition signal. The determination circuit grounds the gate of a switching element which activates an airbag. The inhibition circuit inhibits a switching element from being turned on based on the inhibition signal. In the ON-inhibition state, the switching element is turned on if it is normal with the gate grounded. The switching element remains OFF if it is in malfunction.

Abstract: An aluminum-chromium alloy having an atomic ratio of aluminum to chromium of from 0.2 to 10.9 and a resistivity at room temperature of at most 1 .OMEGA..multidot.cm after heat treatment in air at a temperature of 900.degree. C. for 200 hours.

Abstract: A process for sealing an end face of a ceramic honeycomb structure includes introducing an expansive material which can be burned off, into through-holes not to be sealed, among through-holes of the honeycomb structure, expanding the expansive material to temporarily seal the through-holes not to be sealed, at their ends, filling a sealant into ends of through-holes to be sealed, and burning off the expansive material and sintering the sealant at the same time.

Abstract: A honeycomb structure having a porous cell wall, wherein the surface roughness of the cell wall is at least 30 .mu.m. The open pore diameter at the cell wall surface is at least 10 .mu.m and the porosity of the cell wall is at least 40%. The honeycomb structure is made of alumina, cordierite, mullite, silicon nitride or aluminum nitride. In the alternative, the honeycomb structure may be made of silicon carbide. The honeycomb structure is used to form a diesel particulate filter.

Abstract: After a polysilicon film is formed on a wafer, a cleaning gas containing ClF.sub.3 at 10 to 50 vol % is supplied into a reaction tube and an exhaust pipe system at a flow rate of 3000 to 3500 SCCM, so as to remove a polysilicon-based film deposited on an inner wall surface of the reaction tube, the surface of a member incorporated in the reaction tube, and an inner wall surface of the exhaust pipe system while the film forming process, by etching using ClF.sub.3. The cleaning gas is supplied while the temperature in the reaction tube is maintained at 450.degree. C. or higher, and in a pressure condition set at the maintained temperature such that an etching rate of the polysilicon-based film by the cleaning gas is higher than an etching rate of silicon which is the material of the reaction tube or the member incorporated in the reaction tube.

Abstract: An apparatus for etching a WSi film on a wafer by using a plasma of a gas containing a halogen element includes a vacuum process chamber in which upper and lower counter electrodes are provided. An electrostatic chuck is provided on a table at the center of a susceptor or the lower electrode. The wafer is held on the electrostatic chuck. A focus ring surrounding the wafer in a complementary manner is placed on a flange of the susceptor. The temperature of the wafer surface is set to be lower than that of the surface of the focus ring while the plasma is being generated. The focus ring comprises an inner part of amorphous carbon and an outer part of tungsten. While the plasma is being generated, a halide of tungsten generated from the outer part is diffused on the wafer surface, thereby correcting a distribution of the amount of the halide of tungsten on the wafer surface. Thus, the uniformity within the wafer surface of the etching rate and etching anisotropy is enhanced.

Abstract: Prior to formation of a polysilicon film on a wafer, a pre-coat film having a thickness of 1 .mu.m and consisting of polysilicon is formed on the inner wall surface of a reaction tube or the surface of a member incorporated in the reaction tube. A polysilicon film is formed on the wafer at a temperature of 450.degree. C. to 650.degree. C. A cleaning gas containing ClF.sub.3 having a concentration of 10 to 50 vol. % is supplied into the reaction tube at a flow rate to an area of an object be cleaned of 750 to 3,500 SCCM/m.sup.2 to remove a polysilicon film deposited on the inner wall surface of the reaction tube or the surface of the member incorporated in the reaction tube by etching using the ClF.sub.3. In this case, the cleaning gas is supplied while a temperature in the reaction tube is kept at a temperature of 450.degree. C. to 650.degree. C.

Abstract: A sintered body containing ZrB.sub.2 is obtained by sintering a starting powder material containing not less than 50% by weight of a starting powder mixture consisting essentially of Cr.sub.3 C.sub.2 and a boride represented by the formula (XB.sub.2).sub.n wherein n represents an integer of 1 or 2 and when n is 1, X represents a zirconium atom and when n is 2, X represents a zirconium atom and a titanium atom, respectively and B represents a boron atom. The weight ratio of the Cr.sub.3 C.sub.2 : the boride is 50 to 0.5:50 to 99.5.

Abstract: A chromium carbide sintered body having high toughness contains 99.5 to 50% by weight of chromium carbide and 0.5 to 50% by weight of AlN. The sintered body contains acicular crystals of chromium carbide.