Abstract: Service life of the compressor is extended. The evaporator is provided with the housing having the suction port connectable to the suction portion of the compressor in order to evaporate at least part of a droplet or misty working fluid in the housing by a suction effect of the compressor through the suction port, comprising a filter installed in the housing, the filter dividing a space in the housing into the first space for generating the droplet or misty working fluid and the second space for communicating with the suction port, the filter being inclined away from the suction port as advancing upward, and the filter transmitting therethrough vapor resulting from evaporation of the droplet or misty working fluid while capturing the droplet or misty working fluid.

Abstract: Boron carbide ceramics produced by spark sintering methods have more desirable mechanical properties than conventionally produced carbides. The boron carbide ceramics include amorphous boron, amorphous carbon, and Al2O3 powder as a sintering aid. The boron carbides may also contain a carbon nano fiber in a nearly homogeneously dispersed state. The sintered compact has a relative density of a boron carbide ceramic of approximately not less than 99%. The boron carbide ceramics are prepared preferably by subjecting a mixed powder of the starting raw materials and the carbon nano fiber to simultaneous synthesis and sintering using the spark plasma sintering method.

Abstract: Boron carbide ceramics produced by spark sintering methods have more desirable mechanical properties than conventionally produced carbides. The boron carbide ceramics include amorphous boron, amorphous carbon, and Al2O3 powder as a sintering aid. The boron carbides may also contain a carbon nano fiber in a nearly homogeneously dispersed state. The sintered compact has a relative density of a boron carbide ceramic of approximately not less than 99%. The boron carbide ceramics are prepared preferably by subjecting a mixed powder of the starting raw materials and the carbon nano fiber to simultaneous synthesis and sintering using the spark plasma sintering method.

Abstract: An apparatus diagnoses and controls combustion of an internal combustion engine which makes smooth operation of an engine possible by adjusting the combustion condition at the occurrence of knock, misfire, and flame quenching and also makes it possible to detect the occurrence of abnormality in cylinder pressure detectors without delay and deal with the abnormality without stopping the operation of the engine. A maximum pressure ratio Pp/P0 is calculated, Pp being the maximum cylinder pressure and P0 being the compression pressure at one or a plurality of crank angles in the compression stroke Pp/P0 is compared with pressure ratios for each diagnosis category, the combustion conditions are diagnosed by judging the result of the comparison every cycle or plural cycles.

Abstract: An oil application roller capable of preventing an oil leak when the roller is left in the state where the rotation axis thereof runs vertically and also capable of preventing an oil escape from the roller in a fixing device. The oil application roller (15) includes a seal ring (25) at respective end portions of the roller (15). The seal ring (25) includes a vent hole (26) extending from an end face of the roller (15) to the outside of the seal ring (25), and the cross-sectional area of the vent hole is not less than 0.01 mm2 and not more than 1 mm2.

Abstract: An apparatus for diagnosing and controlling combustion of an internal combustion engine is provided which makes smooth operation of an engine possible by adjusting the combustion condition at the occurrence of knock, misfire, and flame quenching and also makes it possible to detect the occurrence of abnormality in cylinder pressure detectors without delay and deal with the abnormality without stopping the operation of the engine. The apparatus comprises a means to calculate the maximum pressure ratio Pp/P0, Pp being the maximum cylinder pressure, P0 being the compression pressure at one or a plurality of crank angles in the compression stroke, a means to compare said Pp/P0 with pressure ratios (threshold pressure ratios) predetermined for each of diagnosis categories, and a means(step) to diagnose the combustion condition such as cylinder pressure by judging the result of said comparison every cycle or every plural cycle.

Abstract: An oil application roller capable of preventing an oil leak when the roller is left in the state where the rotation axis thereof runs vertically and also capable of preventing an oil escape from the roller in a fixing device. The oil application roller (15) includes a seal ring (25) at respective end portions of the roller (15). The seal ring (25) includes a vent hole (26) extending from an end face of the roller (15) to the outside of the seal ring (25), and the cross-sectional area of the vent hole is not less than 0.01 mm2 and not more than 1 mm2.

Abstract: Electrolytic manganese dioxide having a BET specific surface area of less than 30 m.sup.2 /g and a suspensiveness of less than 50 mg/liter is used for alkaline manganese batteries and manganese batteries to make them excellent both in initial performance and storability. The electrolytic manganese dioxide may be made by a suspension method or a clarification method.

Abstract: There is provided manganese dioxide to be suitably used for alkaline manganese batteries and manganese batteries to make them excellent both in the initial performance and the storability. There is also provided a method of manufacturing such manganese dioxide. The electrolytic manganese dioxide has a BET specific surface area of less than 30 m.sup.2 /g (preferably less than 27 m.sup.2 /g) and a suspensiveness of less than 50 mg/liter. A method of manufacturing electrolytic manganese dioxide may be a suspension method, wherein manganese oxide is suspended at a rate of 0.01 to 0.2 g/liter in an electrolytic bath containing sulfuric acid at a concentration of 0.4 to 0.55 mol/liter and electrolyzed to produce electrolytic manganese dioxide with an anodic current density of 0.4 to 3.0 A/dm.sup.2 and an electrolytic temperature of 93.degree. to 103.degree. C., the relationship between the anodic current density and the electrolytic temperature being expressed by 103.gtoreq.y.gtoreq.1.67x+92.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus such as an electrophotographic copying machine includes an optical system for housing a scanning exposure optical system. The optical system housing is composed of surrounding walls having ends joined in pairs in interdigitating relationship, one of the ends in each of the pairs having an end surface held in abutment against an inner surface of the surrounding wall having the other end. An image forming mechanism is housed in an image forming mechanism housing having a pair of confronting side walls spaced from each other. One of the side walls is taller than the other side wall, and has support fingers projecting laterally from an inner surface thereof. The optical system housing is supported on the support fingers and the other side wall.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus such as an electrophotographic copying machine includes an optical system for housing a scanning exposure optical system. The optical system housing has air inlet and outlet holes for introducing air into and discharging air from the optical system housing. The air outlet holes have an opening area greater than an opening area of the air inlet holes. Electrostatic filters are mounted on the optical system housing in covering relation to the air inlet and outlet holes. Thus, the optical system housing is substantially closed. The optical system housing is composed of surrounding walls having ends joined in pairs in interdigitating relationship, one of the ends in each of the pairs having an end surface held in abutment against an inner surface of the surrounding wall having the other end. An image forming mechanism is housed in an image forming mechanism housing having a pair of confronting side walls spaced from each other.