Abstract: An optical fiber has a structure uniform in a longitudinal direction. This optical fiber includes a core and a cladding that surrounds the core in a cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. A refractive index of the cladding is lower than a refractive index of the core. The cladding has, in the cross-section, an inner cladding layer including an inner circumferential surface of the cladding, and an outer cladding layer including an outer circumferential surface of the cladding. The inner cladding layer contains fluorine. The inner and outer cladding layers have refractive indexes different from each other. The outer cladding layer includes a local maximum portion where a residual stress, which is a tensile stress, becomes local maximum. A radial distance between the local maximum portion and an inner circumferential surface of the outer cladding layer is 10 ?m or less.

Abstract: An optical fiber according to an embodiment includes a core and a cladding. The average value n1_ave of the refractive index of the core, the minimum value nc_min of the refractive index of the cladding, and the refractive index n0 of pure silica glass satisfy relationships of n1_ave>nc_min and nc_min<n0. The cladding contains fluorine. The fluorine concentration in the cladding is adjusted to be minimum in the outermost portion of the cladding including the outer peripheral surface of the cladding.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing an optical fiber preform for obtaining an optical fiber with low transmission loss. A core preform included in the optical fiber preform comprises three or more core portions, which are each produced by a rod-in-collapse method, and in which both their alkali metal element concentration and chlorine concentration are independently controlled. In two or more manufacturing steps of the manufacturing steps for each of the three or more core portions, an alkali metal element is added. As a result, the mean alkali metal element concentration in the whole core preform is controlled to 7 atomic ppm or more and 70 atomic ppm or less.

Abstract: A vehicle driving apparatus including: a rotating electrical machine that acts as a source of driving force for a first wheel and a second wheel; a speed reduction device that reduces a speed of rotation of the rotating electrical machine; a differential gear device that distributes, to the first wheel and the second wheel, the driving force transmitted from the rotating electrical machine via the speed reduction device; a case that houses the rotating electrical machine, the speed reduction device, and the differential gear device; and an oil circulator.

Abstract: A power conversion device comprising: a three-phase conversion circuit in which each of upper arm elements which are switching elements in an upper arm and each of lower arm elements which are switching elements in a lower arm are provided for each of three phases; and a switching control unit which alternately switches between an upper arm period of holding one of the upper arm elements ON and a lower arm period of holding one of the lower arm elements ON, wherein the switching control unit switches between the upper arm period and the lower arm period, based on an integrated value of power which is calculated by integrating a power pattern which is set beforehand.

Abstract: An optical fiber having an effective area that can be easily increased and bending loss characteristics that can be easily improved is provided. The optical fiber includes a glass fiber including a core and a cladding; a first resin coating layer that is in contact with the glass fiber and surrounds the glass fiber; and a second resin coating layer that surrounds the first resin coating layer and has a Young's modulus greater than a Young's modulus of the first resin coating layer. An effective area is greater than or equal to 110 ?m2 and less than or equal to 180 ?m2 at a wavelength of 1550 nm. A cable cut-off wavelength is less than or equal to 1530 nm. A uniformity of thickness of the first resin coating layer is greater than or equal to 60% and less than or equal to 80%.

Abstract: A settlement device includes a packing unit located near a reading unit to pack a commodity, a symbol of which is read by a reading unit, a measuring unit to measure the packed commodity, a light emitting unit, determining means for determining, using data of weight measured, whether the commodity, the symbol of which is read, is packed, and light-emission controller for, if determining that the commodity, the symbol of which is read, is packed, causing the light emitting unit to emit light in a first form and, if determining that the commodity, the symbol of which is read, is not packed, causing the light emitting unit to emit light in a second form.

Abstract: A settlement apparatus includes a bagging unit located near a reading unit for bagging merchandise from which the symbol is read, a measuring unit that measures the bagged merchandise, a light emitting unit provided within a field of view of the bagging operator in the bagging unit, determining means for determining whether or not the merchandise read is bagged using data of a weight measured, and light emission control means for controlling the light emitting unit to emit alight in a first form when the merchandise read is determined as being bagged and controlling the light emitting unit to emit a light in a second form when the merchandise read is determined as being not bagged.

Abstract: A reading device according to an embodiment includes a scanner configured to read code information indicated by a code symbol, a holder configured to detachably hold the scanner, a detecting unit configured to detect a first state in which the scanner is held by the holder and a second state in which the scanner is detached from the holder, and a setting-condition changing unit configured to, if the detecting unit detects the second state, set setting conditions relating to the reading by the scanner such that a reading distance of the scanner is shorter than the reading distance in the first state.

Abstract: An aspect of the present invention is directed to a vibration damping material for use in a mount part for supporting a motor, the vibration damping material including: a gel of a dehydration condensation reaction product of silicone oil and boric acid, wherein the boric acid is in an amount of 25 to 75 moles based on 100 moles of the total amount of the silicone oil and the boric acid.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an optical fiber includes: heating an optical fiber preform to draw glass fiber; measuring an outer diameter of the glass fiber to obtain a function of time; transforming the function of time into a function of frequency; identifying a first peak caused by a first drawing condition and a second peak caused by a second drawing condition in the function of frequency; and adjusting the second drawing condition so as to satisfy fn<fm?wm/2 or fn>fm+wm/2, where fm is a frequency of the first peak, wm is a full width at half maximum of the first peak, and fn is a frequency of the second peak.

Abstract: In order to provide a transformer and an electric power converter which are less likely to become deteriorated with time and which have stable insulation performance, the transformer according to the present invention is provided with: a core; a bobbin in which a low-voltage-side primary winding and a high-voltage-side secondary winding are disposed along the central magnetic leg of the core; and a bobbin support part that supports the bobbin at an end of the bobbin on the primary winding side, such that an air gap is provided between the central magnetic leg of the core and a surface of the bobbin corresponding to the secondary winding.

Abstract: The power conversion device includes multiple converter cells. Each converter cell includes a pair of primary-side terminals and a pair of secondary-side terminals. The converter cell transmits power between the pair of primary-side terminals and the pair of secondary-side terminals. The primary-side terminals of the multiple converter cells are connected in series to a primary-side power supply system. The secondary-side terminals of the multiple converter cells are connected in series to a secondary-side power supply system. Among the multiple converter cells, the converter cell in which an absolute value of a ground voltage appearing in the pair of primary-side terminals is the highest is different from the converter cell in which an absolute value of a ground voltage appearing in the pair of secondary-side terminals is the highest.

Abstract: A mode-dependent loss measurement device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure measures a mode-dependent loss of a measurement target optical fiber including a coupled MCF. The device includes a light source, a light receiver, mode coupled state change means, and an analysis unit. The light source inputs light to an input end of an excitation optical fiber including another coupled MCF. The light receiver detects a sum of powers of outputted light beams from a plurality of core end faces positioned on an output end of the measurement target optical fiber. The mode coupled state change means changes a mode coupled state of the excitation optical fiber. The analysis unit obtains a mode-dependent loss of the measurement target optical fiber from variations in optical powers detected by the light receiver.

Abstract: An optical fiber having an effective area that can be easily increased and bending loss characteristics that can be easily improved is provided. The optical fiber includes a glass fiber including a core and a cladding; a first resin coating layer that is in contact with the glass fiber and surrounds the glass fiber; and a second resin coating layer that surrounds the first resin coating layer and has a Young's modulus greater than a Young's modulus of the first resin coating layer. An effective area is greater than or equal to 110 ?m2 and less than or equal to 180 ?m2 at a wavelength of 1550 nm. A cable cut-off wavelength is less than or equal to 1530 nm. A uniformity of thickness of the first resin coating layer is greater than or equal to 60% and less than or equal to 80%.

Abstract: In a treatment instrument, a shaft is rotatable around a predetermined rotation axis relative to the housing, and an end effector is bendably or curvably attached to the shaft. In the treatment instrument, an interlocking member is provided independently of the shaft, and a receiver is provided in such a manner that rotation of the receiver relative to the housing is restricted or that rotation of the receiver relative to the shaft is restricted. The interlocking member moves in conjunction with bending or curving movement of the end effector so that the receiver engages with the interlocking member, thereby preventing rotation of the shaft around the predetermined rotation axis.

Abstract: An optical fiber includes a core and a cladding. The core contains silica glass and includes a central portion (part having a diameter of 0.5 ?m or more and 4 ?m or less). The central portion has the central axis of the optical fiber. The cladding contains silica glass and surrounds the core. The core contains chlorine. A chlorine concentration averaged in the entire core is 10,000 ppm or more and 50,000 ppm or less. The chlorine concentration averaged in the entire core minus a chlorine concentration averaged in the central portion is 4,500 ppm or more and 13,500 ppm or less.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present disclosure relates to an optical fiber having lower transmission loss. The optical fiber is an optical fiber comprised of silica-based glass and includes a core including a central axis and a cladding. The cladding surrounds the core and has a refractive index lower than a refractive index of the core. The core contains phosphorus, chlorine, and fluorine. The core further includes an alkali metal element or an alkaline earth metal element. In a cross section of the optical fiber orthogonal to the central axis, a ratio Rp/Ra of a radius Rp of a phosphorus-containing region with respect to a radius Ra of the core is 0.3 or more.

Abstract: In order to provide a transformer and an electric power converter which are less likely to become deteriorated with time and which have stable insulation performance, the transformer according to the present invention is provided with: a core; a bobbin in which a low-voltage-side primary winding and a high-voltage-side secondary winding are disposed along the central magnetic leg of the core; and a bobbin support part that supports the bobbin at an end of the bobbin on the primary winding side, such that an air gap is provided between the central magnetic leg of the core and a surface of the bobbin corresponding to the secondary winding.

Abstract: A surgical treatment instrument includes a holdable housing, a shaft, an end effector configured to perform a bending movement with respect to the shaft, a rotor configured to rotate about a rotation axis in response to an operation input performed through an operation member, and a transmission member configured to transmit a driving force for causing the end effector to perform the bending movement to the end effector. The operation member and the transmission member are configured to rotate together with the shaft and the end effector in response to the operation input, and the rotor is configured to not rotate together with the shaft and the end effector when the operation input is performed.