Abstract: A lithium-ion secondary cell includes a winding electrode assembly. The exposed area of the positive-electrode metal current collector body is formed at one end in a winding axis direction of the winding electrode assembly, and the exposed area of the negative-electrode metal current collector body is formed at another end in the winding axis direction of the winding electrode assembly; and the negative-electrode metal current collector body is a copper foil rolled to a thickness between 6 ?m and 15 ?m in which one or more of additive elements of Zr, Ag, Au, Pt, Cr, Cd, Sn, Sb, and Bi are added to Cu having a purity of equal to or greater than 99.9%, and the negative-electrode active material mix layer has a cavity volume ratio of between 30% and 60%.

Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes: a flow channel unit, having a liquid flow channel for supplying a liquid stored in a liquid cartridge; and a plurality of cartridge holders, including a first cartridge holder and a second cartridge holder adjacent to each other, and attached to the flow channel unit while the cartridge holders are arranged in a first direction, each of the cartridge holders adapted to hold the liquid cartridge and having a first engaging portion and a second engaging portion.

Abstract: A state grasp device that needs no optical adjustment, and can be downsized. An exciting current waveform of an opening electromagnetic coil of an electromagnetic operating set functioning to drive a moving contact of a switching device includes an inflection point appearing subsequently to a maximum value, the inflection point taking place at the time of the contact being parted. Accordingly, a wear amount of contact from the change over time can be obtained. A position of the inflection point is obtained, for example, by focusing the rate of change in current; and a wear amount of a switching contact is obtained from the change over time of a time when the inflection point takes place. With the device, the use of a mechanical detection device, such as an optical detector, can be eliminated.

Abstract: A liquid medicine dispensing device includes a rotary unit 12 which rotates while holding a plurality of original drug vials 100, and a conveyance mechanism that conveys a prescription bottle 110 in the horizontal direction on the underside of the rotary unit 12. Each of the original drug vials 100 is connected with a discharge nozzle 17 to which a discharge valve 26 is attached, and an air nozzle 29 connected with a pump and an atmospheric relief valve. When discharging liquid medicine, the prescription bottle 110 is conveyed in advance to a position that is directly below an original drug vial 100 required for dispensing. In that state, the original drug vial 100 is inverted by rotating the rotary unit 12 by 180 degrees, and the discharge valve 26 is opened.

Abstract: A condition-monitoring device of the invention, which is provided in an electromagnetic actuator including a stationary core, a moving core, magnet coils; and a permanent magnet, monitors condition of the electromagnetic actuator. The condition-monitoring device includes a current measurement means for measuring a current flowing through the magnet coils; magnetic-flux measurement means for measuring magnetic flux inside the stationary core; a calculation means for generating a calculated waveform by performing a calculation using a current waveform representing a time variation of an output signal from the current measurement means and a magnetic-flux waveform representing a time variation of an output signal from the magnetic-flux measurement means; and a condition determination means, by finding a distinctive point on the calculated waveform, for determining conditions of the electromagnetic actuator based on information on the distinctive point.

Abstract: A fluid discharge device, a control method for a fluid discharge device, and an ink tank enable easy and accurate confirmation of the fluid usage history, such as how much fluid is left in the tank, on the user or device side without increasing the price. An inkjet printer that discharges ink from the inkjet head to print on recording paper has a cartridge loading unit in which a ink cartridge is loaded, an inkjet head that discharges ink drawn from the ink cartridge, a reader/writer that reads and writes an ink usage history about usage of ink in the ink cartridge to an IC chip substrate disposed to the ink cartridge, and a control unit that prints at least a part of the ink usage history written to the IC chip substrate to a printable part on the outside surface of the ink cartridge by the inkjet head.

Abstract: A switching contact, an electromagnetically operated electromagnet for driving the switching contact, and a drive power source device for driving the electromagnetically operated electromagnet. The electromagnetically operated electromagnet includes a movable core coupled to a movable contact of the switching contact, a fixed core located in a peripheral portion of the movable core, and coils wound around the movable core and the fixed core. Currents are supplied to the coils to drive the movable core. Capacitors store charges for supplying the current to the coils. Resistors are arranged in series with a path through which the capacitors are connected with the coils of the electromagnetically operated electromagnet and through which a current for closing operation flows. Capacitances of the capacitors and values of the resistors are controlled to adjust a supplied current characteristic to the electromagnetically operated electromagnet.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to obtain a high-accuracy condition-monitoring device of low cost and small size, and to obtain a switch-control device provided with such condition-monitoring device. A condition-monitoring device of the invention, which is provided in an electromagnetic actuator including a stationary core, a moving core, magnet coils; and a permanent magnet, monitors condition of the electromagnetic actuator.

Abstract: A mechanism having at least a function of measuring an arbitrary elapsed time is provided, which disables the function from being reset after the function is started, and enables the function to be reset after the function is stopped. The function is continuously held in an electrical ON state after being started, except when being normally stopped. This provides a time measurement device and method in which an electrical operating state and a mechanical operating state can coincide.

Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes: a flow channel unit, having a liquid flow channel for supplying a liquid stored in a liquid cartridge; and a plurality of cartridge holders, including a first cartridge holder and a second cartridge holder adjacent to each other, and attached to the flow channel unit while the cartridge holders are arranged in a first direction, each of the cartridge holders adapted to hold the liquid cartridge and having a first engaging portion and a second engaging portion.

Abstract: A state grasp device that needs no optical adjustment, and can be downsized. An exciting current waveform of an opening electromagnetic coil of an electromagnetic operating set functioning to drive a moving contact of a switching device includes an inflection point appearing subsequently to a maximum value, the inflection point taking place at the time of the contact being parted. Accordingly, a wear amount of contact from the change over time can be obtained. A position of the inflection point is obtained, for example, by focusing the rate of change in current; and a wear amount of a switching contact is obtained from the change over time of a time when the inflection point takes place. With the device, the use of a mechanical detection device, such as an optical detector, can be eliminated.

Abstract: A substantially pure culture of a microorganism having enzyme activities of pyrG and CCT and carrying a recombinant DNA composed of a DNA fragment containing genes encoding pryG and CCT and a vector.

Abstract: A timing device having a generator unit, a storage unit, and a drive unit is provided. The generator unit has a generating coil and converts kinetic energy into electric energy by utilizing electromagnetic induction. The storage unit stores the electric energy. The drive unit has a piezoelectric actuator, a mechanical structure, and a time display unit. The piezoelectric actuator is supplied with the electric energy from the storage unit and is caused to oscillate according to signals from the communication unit. The mechanical structure is provided with a time display unit and is driven by the piezoelectric actuator.

Abstract: An isolated 16S rDNA having a nucleotide sequence selected from SEQ ID NOs: 1, 2, 3, and 4. The invention also relates to an RNA or DNA probe with a length ranging from 10 to 50 bases which comprises at least one nucleotide sequence selected from SEQ ID NOs: 1, 2, 3, and 4; and wherein the probe is hybridizable specifically with a petroleum-degrading bacterium belonging to the genus Cycloclasticus. The invention also relates to isolated 16S rDNA useful for detecting and screening for petroleum-degrading bacteria.

Abstract: A method of detecting and quantitating a petroleum-digesting microorganism and its gene from natural environment. In one embodiment, the microorganism is a bacterium belonging to the genus Cycloclasticus. The invention also relates to a method for detecting and quantitating a petroleum-degrading bacterium belonging to the genus Cycloclasticus comprising using an RNA or DNA probe having a length of from 10 to 50 bases with a part of the nucleotide sequence of the probe represented by any of SEQ ID NOS: 1 to 4; and wherein the probe is hybridizable specifically with a petroleum-degrading bacterium belonging to the genus Cycloclasticus.

Abstract: An electronic timepiece without system failure at the time of transfer from the power-saving mode to the display mode is provided. A power-saving control circuit 400 controls drive of a date dial displaying a date when updating a date display, which has been stopped in a power-saving mode, to a current date at the time of transfer from the power-saving mode to the display mode. The power-saving control circuit 400 outputs a date dial drive inhibiting signal, which prohibits drive of the date dial 75, to a date-updating control circuit 300, if a voltage VDD of a power source unit B is less than or equal to a low threshold voltage V1. It outputs a date dial deceleration driving signal, which drives a date dial 75 with a predetermined speed slower than a normal update speed when transferring to the display mode, to a date-updating control circuit 300, if a source voltage VDD is equal to or less than a high threshold voltage V2.

Abstract: In order to provide an electronic timepiece having high transfer efficiency and a compact and thin structure, there are provided a plate-like piezoelectric actuator 341, a driven body 343 driven with a vibration of the piezoelectric actuator 341, and a time-indicating mechanism 5 operating with a drive of the driven body 343 via a transfer mechanism 4.

Abstract: A timing device having a generator unit, a storage unit, and a drive unit is provided. The generator unit has a generating coil and converts kinetic energy into electric energy by utilizing electromagnetic induction. The storage unit stores the electric energy. The drive unit has a piezoelectric actuator, a mechanical structure, and a time display unit. The piezoelectric actuator is supplied with the electric energy from the storage unit and is caused to oscillate according to signals from the communication unit. The mechanical structure is provided with a time display unit and is driven by the piezoelectric actuator.

Abstract: In order to provide an elegantly styled portable information device in which the visibility of the time can be sufficiently ensured even when the casing of the portable information device is closed, a portable phone includes a configuration wherein an analog quartz clock is provided to an outer surface on a display side of the casing of the portable phone, which is the surface forming the outer side when the casing is closed. Moreover, the time of the analog quartz clock is synchronized with the time displayed by the display section of the portable phone.

Abstract: A printer having a plurality of switching mechanisms movable between a first position and a second position. A selector is associated with a carriage of the printer such that the carriage moves the selector so as to actuate at least one of the switching mechanisms to the second position when the carriage moves to the first non-printing region, and so as to actuate the at least one of the switching mechanisms to the first position when the carriage moves to the second non-printing region.