Abstract: A drive device includes: connection gears connected to driving objects; a movable gear movable between the connection gears; a drive source for rotating the movable gear; and at least one estimator each provided for a corresponding one of at least one of the connection gears and configured to: estimate a reaction-force estimate value, as an estimate value of a reaction force acting in a power transmission system from the drive source to the driving object, based on control input, control output, and a model of the power transmission system; and output the reaction-force estimate value. The model is configured such that the reaction-force estimate value falls within a set range in a state in which the movable gear is meshed with the connection gear. A controller detects mesh and/or separation between the movable gear and the at least one connection gear based on the reaction-force estimate value.

Abstract: A drive device includes: connection gears connected to driving objects; a movable gear movable between the connection gears; a drive source for rotating the movable gear; and at least one estimator each provided for a corresponding one of at least one of the connection gears and configured to: estimate a reaction-force estimate value, as an estimate value of a reaction force acting in a power transmission system from the drive source to the driving object, based on control input, control output, and a model of the power transmission system; and output the reaction-force estimate value. The model is configured such that the reaction-force estimate value falls within a set range in a state in which the movable gear is meshed with the connection gear. A controller detects mesh and/or separation between the movable gear and the at least one connection gear based on the reaction-force estimate value.

Abstract: A contactless power supply system for transferring power without contact between a primary side coil and a secondary side coil is provided. In the contactless power supply system, a manipulation unit manipulates a secondary side converter so that power outputted to a load is controlled to be a command value. The manipulation unit manipulates an input voltage of a primary side resonance circuit so that a current flowing in the primary side resonance circuit equals a product of a current flowing in the secondary side resonance circuit and a current coefficient. The current coefficient is defined as a square root of a specific value and the specific value is an equivalent resistance of the secondary side resonance circuit divided by an equivalent resistance of the primary side resonance circuit.

Abstract: A metal object detection device includes a plurality of detection coils, a capacitor configuring a resonant circuit in cooperation with each of at least two of the detection coils, a first series connection body, a second series connection body, a voltage applying unit, and a processing unit. The voltage applying unit applies an AC voltage to both ends of each of the first series connection body and the second series connection body. The processing unit performs a process for detecting the metal object on the basis of a potential difference between a connection point included in the first series connection body and a connection point included in the second series connection body.

Abstract: A conveying mechanism has a pair of nipping members configured to nip a sheet from both sides thereof at a nipping position and to convey the sheet from upstream to downstream side. The pair of nipping members includes a conveying roller. A controller performs: a motor controlling process of controlling the motor to perform a conveying operation of the sheet by rotation of the conveying roller; a reaction-force calculating process of calculating a reaction-force inference value which corresponds to reaction force that acts on the motor, by removing a friction component generated due to rotation of the motor from a disturbance inference value, the disturbance inference value being calculated from both a control input to the motor and a control output relative to the control input; and a warning process of outputting warning in response to occurrence of multiple feeding of the sheet, based on the reaction-force inference value.

Abstract: A contactless power supply device includes a power-transmitting-side pad and a power-receiving-side pad. Each of the power-transmitting-side pad and the power-receiving-side pad has a core and a coil. The core has a plate-shaped yoke portion. The coil has a first coil portion and a second coil portion. The first coil portion is arranged on a top surface of the yoke portion. The second coil portion is arranged along an outer periphery of the yoke portion.

Abstract: A contactless feeding pad includes a power-receiving side pad, a power-transmitting side pad, and an auxiliary pad. The power-transmitting side pad is different from the power-receiving side pad in size or shape and transmits electric power contactlessly to the power-receiving side pad while being situated oppositely to the power-receiving side pad. The auxiliary pad is installed between the power-transmitting side pad and the power-receiving side pad in close proximity to the power-transmitting side pad or the power-receiving side pad and forms a resonance circuit.

Abstract: An AC motor having loop windings is provided, which is able to reduce unbalance of three-phase impedance to enhance the motor efficiency. Three loop windings of the three phases are interlinked with magnetic fluxes ?u, ?v and ?w of the respective phases to provide magnetic paths of the three phases. The magnetic paths of the three phases are connected to the respective stator poles of the three phases to configure the motor. The magnetic path of each of the three phases is formed by processing an electromagnetic steel plate using bending to provide a motor configuration having multiple stator poles. Magnetic fluxes of two or more stator poles of the same phase are collected to a single magnetic path to form a three-dimensional three-phase magnetic path without allowing close contact with a magnetic path of a different phase.

Abstract: An AC motor having loop windings is provided, which is able to reduce unbalance of three-phase impedance to enhance the motor efficiency. Three loop windings of the three phases are interlinked with magnetic fluxes ?u, ?v and ?w of the respective phases to provide magnetic paths of the three phases. The magnetic paths of the three phases are connected to the respective stator poles of the three phases to configure the motor. The magnetic path of each of the three phases is formed by processing an electromagnetic steel plate using bending to provide a motor configuration having multiple stator poles. Magnetic fluxes of two or more stator poles of the same phase are collected to a single magnetic path to form a three-dimensional three-phase magnetic path without allowing close contact with a magnetic path of a different phase.

Abstract: The motor includes a rotor including N-pole magnets and S-pole magnets located alternately along a circumferential direction of said AC motor, a stator core including a plurality of partial cores arranged coaxially along an axial direction of said AC motor each of said partial cores including a plurality of stator poles located along said circumferential direction so as to be on the same circumference, and a plurality of loop-like windings each of which extends in said circumferential direction while passing through, in said axial direction, interpole spaces between each two adjacent stator poles in said circumferential direction. The a phase angle difference between each adjacent two of said stator poles in said circumferential direction of the same one of said partial cores is set at a value smaller than 360 degrees for each of said partial cores.