Abstract: The present invention aims to provide a warming composition showing a favorable dispersion stability after long-term storage, a high warming impact, and improvement of zeolite-specific deterioration of feeling of use, and to provide an aerosol formulation containing the warming composition. This object is achieved with a warming composition containing zeolite nanoparticles having an average particle size of not more than 500 nm, wherein the temperature of the composition is rapidly increased by heat generated by hydration reaction between the zeolite and water.

Abstract: The present invention aims to provide a warming composition showing a favorable dispersion stability after long-term storage, a high warming impact, and improvement of zeolite-specific deterioration of feeling of use, and to provide an aerosol formulation containing the warming composition. This object is achieved with a warming composition containing zeolite nanoparticles having an average particle size of not more than 500 nm, wherein the temperature of the composition is rapidly increased by heat generated by hydration reaction between the zeolite and water.

Abstract: A damper structure is configured to open and close evaporator-side communication paths and the condenser-side communication paths respectively formed between adsorbing/desorbing devices and an evaporator and a condenser in an adsorption type refrigerator. There are spherical dampers in the communication paths respectively rollably placed therein. A ring-shape seal member having an inner circumference that can be sealed by the spherical damper is provided on a tilting lower end side of each of the communication paths in a path formation direction. A stopper for preventing the spherical damper from falling out of the communication path is provided on a tilting upper end side of each of the communication paths in the path formation direction.

Abstract: A gas extraction device installed in a refrigerator removes uncondensed gases that exist in the refrigerator. The gas extraction device includes a gas extraction tank used to circulate a refrigerant put in an evaporator, a circulation pipe for circulation between the gas extraction tank and the evaporator, a gas extraction pump which feeds the refrigerant in the evaporator to the gas extraction tank, a shutoff valve configured to shut off a flow of the refrigerant from the gas extraction tank to the evaporator, a gas extractor which extracts the uncondensed gas in the refrigerator into the gas extraction tank, and an auxiliary tank which receives an inflow of the refrigerant filling up the gas extraction tank, and overflowing therefrom.

Abstract: A microscope apparatus can generate information of a super-resolved image at high speed. For that purpose, the microscope apparatus of the present invention is equipped with an image-forming optical system for forming an intermediate image of light emitted from a specimen, a relay optical system for forming an image of the intermediate image, an illuminating optical system that jointly owns an optical path of the image-forming optical system and illuminates the specimen through the optical path of the image-forming optical system, and a spatial modulator disposed on a formation plane of the intermediate image. In this microscope apparatus, the specimen is subjected to structured illumination by an image of the spatial modulator. Light from the specimen which is modulated by the structured illumination is automatically remodulated in the spatial modulator.

Abstract: A microscope apparatus can generate information of a super-resolved image at high speed. For that purpose, the microscope apparatus of the present invention is equipped with an image-forming optical system for forming an intermediate image of light emitted from a specimen, a relay optical system for forming an image of the intermediate image, an illuminating optical system that jointly owns an optical path of the image-forming optical system and illuminates the specimen through the optical path of the image-forming optical system, and a spatial modulator disposed on a formation plane of the intermediate image. In this microscope apparatus, the specimen is subjected to structured illumination by an image of the spatial modulator. Light from the specimen which is modulated by the structured illumination is automatically remodulated in the spatial modulator.

Abstract: A flow path switching device comprising two flow paths having pressure losses different from each other, and a valve body provided corresponding to one of the two flow paths which has a lower pressure loss, the two flow paths being switched by opening/closing the flow path having the lower pressure loss with the valve body, and a shower unit having the flow path switching device. It is possible to provide a low pressure-loss flow path switching device for which it is not necessary to open/close the two flow paths at the same time and which is simple in construction and can save space.

Abstract: In order to provide a microscope episcopic illumination device and a microscope therewith having simple structure, having an aperture diaphragm and a field stop, and being capable of setting optimum light source magnification in accordance with change of an image surface size required for from eyepiece observation to TV observation. The microscope episcopic illumination device has a light source, a collector lens, an aperture diaphragm, a light source image forming lens portion for forming an image of the light source in the vicinity of the aperture diaphragm, pupil relay lens groups for re-forming the image of the light source formed in the vicinity of the aperture diaphragm in the vicinity of a pupil surface of an objective lens, and a field stop. The lens portion is a lens system with a variable finite focal distance, and varies a projection magnification of a ratio of the re-formed image of the light source in the vicinity of the pupil surface to the light source by changing the focal distance thereof.

Abstract: In order to provide a microscope episcopic illumination device and a microscope therewith having simple structure, having an aperture diaphragm and a field stop, and being capable of setting optimum light source magnification in accordance with change of an image surface size required for from eyepiece observation to TV observation. The microscope episcopic illumination device has a light source, a collector lens, an aperture diaphragm, a light source image forming lens portion for forming an image of the light source in the vicinity of the aperture diaphragm, pupil relay lens groups for re-forming the image of the light source formed in the vicinity of the aperture diaphragm in the vicinity of a pupil surface of an objective lens, and a field stop. The lens portion is a lens system with a variable finite focal distance, and varies a projection magnification of a ratio of the re-formed image of the light source in the vicinity of the pupil surface to the light source by changing the focal distance thereof.

Abstract: A flow path switching device comprising two flow paths having pressure losses different from each other, and a valve body provided corresponding to one of the two flow paths which has a lower pressure loss, the two flow paths being switched by opening/closing the flow path having the lower pressure loss with the valve body, and a shower unit having the flow path switching device. It is possible to provide a low pressure-loss flow path switching device for which it is not necessary to open/close the two flow paths at the same time and which is simple in construction and can save space.

Abstract: A Galileo type stereomicroscope permits an observer to change its eye-level by varying a space between an objective lens and a pair of a focal variable magnification lenses. The Galileo type stereomicroscope satisfies following condition: Z>f0/3, where Z denotes a variable range of the eye-level and f0 denotes a focal length of an objective lens to be used. The objective lens for the Galileo type stereomicroscope keeps imaging quality up to a periphery of an image field while the eye-level is changed.

Abstract: An afocal zoom lens comprising, in order from an object side, a first lens group having a positive refractive power, a second lens group having a negative refractive power, a third lens group having a positive refractive power and a fourth lens group having a negative refractive power; the second lens group being movable in a fixed direction from the object side to an image side and the third lens group being movable in a fixed direction from the image side to the object side at the time of the zooming of from the low magnification end state to the high magnification end state. The afocal zoom lens fulfills specific conditions. The afocal zoom lens has a zoom ratio of 14 magnifications or higher and has a good optical performance. Also disclosed is a microscope having such a lens.

Abstract: An adapter lens for a Greenough-type stereomicroscope (SM1), the adapter comprising a negative lens group (4) and a positive lens group (5) along an optical axis (AX3). The adapter lens attaches to the objective lens side of the Greenough-type stereomicroscope. Variation of the distance (D54L, D54H) between the positive and the negative lens group allows an operator of the stereomicroscope to position the eye pieces (8 and 8′) of the stereomicroscope to a comfortable height for ease of use.

Abstract: Illumination light emanated from a laser illumination light source is reflected by a semi-transparent mirror arranged between first and second objective lenses, and illuminates an object through the first objective lens. Reflected light from the object is incident to the photoelectric conversion device through the first objective lens, the semi-transparent mirror, and the second objective lens, and forms an image of the object. The image is captured by a image-taking plane of the photoelectric conversion device tilted relative to the image plane. The second objective lens is telecentric at the image side. The image-taking plane of the photoelectric conversion device is tilted relative to the image plane. Therefore, almost all diffracted light rays from on-axis and off-axis portion of the image-taking plane among all incident light to the image-taking plane are reflected not to enter the second objective lens.

Abstract: Disclosed is a multi-way valve comprising a valve casing having a fluid inlet and a plurality of fluid outlets, first and second chambers defined in the valve casing, a partition disposed between the first and second chambers and having a plurality of fluid paths, a plurality of valve elements each engaging a corresponding fluid path from the first chamber side for opening and closing the fluid path and a driving device having cams which selectively drive the valve elements from the second chamber side. The multi-way valve can be manufactured as a small-sized one, and therefore, a water purifier using the valve also can be assembled as a small-sized one as a whole. The amount of resident fluid in the valve can be decreased, thereby improving the hygienic property of the water purifier. The operation for taking off or exchanging valve elements can be simplified.

Abstract: The present invention provides a relay variable power optical system in a simple structure which is capable of suppressing a change of the position of the exit pupil on varying the power. To this end, the relay variable power optical system is provided with a front lens group G0 for condensing a light from a primary image, a variable power lens system (G1 to G3) for receiving the light from the front lens group G0, and performing zooming and a rear lens group G4 for forming the secondary image by condensing the light from the variable power lens system. When the zooming is performed from the high magnification end to the low magnification end, a distance between the first lens group G1 and the second lens group G2 and a distance between the second lens group G2 and the third lens group G3 are changed.

Abstract: A focus-detecting method and device is provided for detecting when an object is arranged in a focal plane of an object lens. A pattern or a light-source image is formed based on a light-beam on the object through an object blends. The light-beam emitted from the light-beam pattern on the object is reflected from the object to the object lens. Plural images of the light-beam pattern are formed along an optical axis of the object lens based on the light-beam passed through the object lens. A conjugate image point of the pupil of the object lens is formed between the object lens and a final imaging plane based on the light-beam passed through the object lens. The final light-beam pattern is imaged toward the final imaging plane. A photodetecting device is arranged on the final imaging plane. A shielding plate is provided to partially block the light beam from reaching the photodetecting device. The shielding plate is placed substantially at the conjugate image point of the pupil of the object lens.

Abstract: A structure that changes from a confocal observation mode to a normal observation mode is made possible while keeping a Nipkow disk in a fixed position. A main optical system includes a confocal illumination light source, a first half mirror, a Nipkow disk, an objective lens, a relay lens and an ocular lens for conducting confocal observation. A bypass optical system includes a normal illumination light source, a second half mirror and first, second and third fully reflective mirrors. The bypass optical system is appended to the main optical system to form the tandem scanning confocal microscope. The first and third fully reflective mirrors can be moved out of and separated from the light path of the main optical system. As a result, with the position of the Nipkow disk fixed, it is possible to change between confocal and normal observation modes.

Abstract: A focus detecting apparatus of the present invention comprises (a) an image projection unit which projects a first checking light through a first region out of two regions formed by splitting a space into two along a border plane including the optical axis of the objective optical system, onto the measured object to form an image of the light source thereon, and (b) an image detection unit which condenses a second checking light emerging from the image of the light source through the second region opposed to the first region with the border plane inbetween, on a light-receiving surface of a photodetector to form image of the measured object thereon. The image projection unit comprises a first converging optical system, which has a first refractive power in a first plane parallel to the border plane, which has a second refractive power substantially different from the first refractive power in a second plane parallel to the optical axis of the objective optical system and perpendicular to the border plane.

Abstract: A position detecting apparatus detects a matching state of a position of a surface of a light-transmissive object with respect to a fiducial object plane of an objective optical system. Light transmitted through one-half of a pupil plane of the objective optical system is reflected by a front surface of the object through an opposite half of the pupil plane to a photoelectric detector. Light reflected from a rear surface of the object through the opposite half of the pupil plane is intercepted and prevented from reaching the detector.