Abstract: A fluorescent-lamp driving apparatus and a compact self-ballasted fluorescent lamp, when a blowout occurs at the electrodes of the arc tube, swiftly and assuredly stop a glow discharge at the electrodes of the arc tube, therefore have heightened security. In the compact self-ballasted fluorescent lamp 1, a switching device (nMOS-FET56) is mounted to the lighting unit 50 so that the entire device main body of the switching device faces the choke coil 52, with the print substrate 51 therebetween. Thus structured lighting unit 50 forms a heat transmission path between the nMOS-FET56 and the choke coil 52, and the heat generated at the choke coil 52 will be swiftly and assuredly transmitted to the device main body of the nMOS-FET56.

Abstract: A plunger is shiftable in response to a trigger operation by a user. A valve piston has a valve piston chamber therein for slidably accommodating the plunger and an axial bore into which the plunger is inserted. An air passage connects the valve piston chamber to an atmosphere via a clearance between the plunger and the axial bore of the valve piston. A seal member is provided to seal the clearance between the plunger and the axial bore of the valve piston. And, a relief passage is formed on at least one of the plunger and the axial bore of the valve piston to open the air passage, thereby allowing compressed air to exit from the valve piston chamber to the atmosphere under a condition where the plunger is engaged with the axial bore of the valve piston.

Abstract: A window picture (robust window picture) is selected as a model window picture, which is unlikely to be influenced by the variations in an environment and selected irrespective of the variations in an environment of pictures assumed to be inputted in a recognition phase. Alternatively, a window picture (stable window picture) is selected as a model window picture, in which the changes in a feature value are small even though an environment is varied. For example, a tracking window picture group is obtained from a registered picture group in which an environment is continuously varied, by tracking window pictures of a basic registered picture. Then, a static extraction window picture is obtained by extracting window pictures as independent pictures from a series of pictures. Then, a window picture selected both in the tracking window picture group and in the static extraction window picture is set as a robust window picture, and picture matching is conducted using the robust window picture.

Abstract: A clearance is set between a nail feeder and an outer profile portion so that the nail feeder can turn. A pin as a first restriction member that inhibits movement of the nail feeder to an ejection portion by engaging with the nail feeder and can release the engagement with the rotation of the nail feeder is provided to the outer profile portion. The position at which the nail feeder and a spring engage is set in deviation from the position at which the nail feeder and the pin engage, in a reciprocating direction of the nail feeder and in a vertical direction.

Abstract: A top cover is made of a metal and constituted to provide substantially a bowl-like shape extended from an upper side of an exhaust cover in a side direction. Further, a damping member including an elastic member is provided between the top cover and the exhaust cover. Further, an expansion chamber constituting a space of communicating with an exhaust path and the exhaust port for communicating the expansion chamber to the atmosphere are provided and the damping member is provided to be pinched with an exposed thread at a surrounding of the expansion chamber.

Abstract: A cylinder is constituted such that the cylinder includes a large diameter portion constituted by forming a portion thereof brought into contact with an O ring by a diameter larger than a diameter of other portion when a piston is disposed at an upper dead center and a small diameter portion formed downward from the large diameter portion, and a fastening margin is provided between an outer periphery of the O ring and an inner periphery of the cylinder even when the piston is disposed at any position from the upper dead center to a lower dead center and a clearance is provided between an inner periphery of the O ring and an outer periphery of a groove.

Abstract: A magazine cover is integrally molded with a return-preventing claw part to be engaged with a fastener loaded into a guide part. The return-preventing claw part is so constructed as to include: a return preventing surface that abuts against the fastener to prevent the fastener from moving to a loading port; and a support portion that always makes the return preventing surface abut against the fastener, thereby being deformed, to support the return preventing surface such that the return preventing surface can be retracted to a position where the return preventing surface does not abut against the fastener.

Abstract: A fastener driving tool includes: a driver blade which is driven by compressed air so as to move in a vertical direction for striking a fastener such as a nail, an injection hole which guides said driver blade and forms a passage for the compressed air to be exhausted along with the movement of the driver blade, and a magazine for supplying the fastener to said injection hole, wherein an exhaust passage through which an interior of the injection hole is communicated with the atmosphere is provided between a lower end of the driver blade when the driver blade is positioned at a top dead center and a head part of the fastener which has been supplied into the injection hole.

Abstract: A fastener driving tool includes: a driver blade adapted to drive nails joined to one another into an object in order; a nose adapted to guide the driver blade and nails; and a guide surface of a projection adapted to guide a head portion of a first nail struck out into an exit hole of the nose so that the second nail is not exposed to the exit hole. The guide surface of the projection is formed to a shape identical with that of the head portions of the nails.

Abstract: A compact self-ballasted fluorescent lamp has an arc tube in a double-spiral configuration, the arc tube being formed by bending a glass tube around an axis of spiral up to both ends of the glass tube, and a holder that is made of resin and holds this arc tube. Electrodes, each being equipped with a filament coil, are sealed at respective ends of the glass tube. The holder is made up of a holding resin member with a cylindrical shape having a closed bottom and a resin cover in a cone shape, the holder including a circumferential wall and an end wall that is at the edge of the circumferential wall. A heat-dissipating plate is provided inside the holding resin member, at a position corresponding to where the filament coils within the glass tube are.

Abstract: A nail gun is capable of making wear resistance and light-weighted formation compatible with each other by enabling to make a wall thickness of a body or the like as thin as possible by providing a plurality of projected portions having heights in correspondence with wear limits of respective portions at respective portions of a body a head guard for guarding an exhaust cover and the like and reducing wear other than the projected portions.

Abstract: An objective is to provide a compact self-ballasted fluorescent lamp which can reduce occurrence of a short circuit without protecting lead wires extending from each end portion of a spiral arc tube. To achieve the objective, a pair of connection pins is provided on a circuit board of the compact self-ballasted fluorescent lamp, near a periphery of the circuit board so as to oppose another pair of connection pins formed near the periphery. In this way, the pairs of connection pins can be respectively provided directly above the end portions of the spiral arc tube. Thus, lead wires extending from each of the end portions can be connected to a corresponding one of the pairs of connection pins with a relatively short distance. This prevents the lead wires from being in contact with the circuit board, thereby reducing occurrence of a short circuit.

Abstract: A fastener driving tool having a magazine device including a magazine and a nail feeder. The magazine extends in a first direction and defines an accommodation portion for accommodating therein a fastener array. Each fastener has a shaft with a sharp-end and a head connected to the shaft. The plurality of fasteners are directed in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and positioned side by side to form the fastener array extending in the first direction. The magazine has one end and another end in the second direction. One end is close to the sharp end of the fastener and another end is close to the head of the fastener. The accommodation portion includes an expanding portion having a width in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and to the second direction. The width is gradually increased from the one end toward the other end.

Abstract: A compact self-ballasted fluorescent lamp includes a double-spiral arc tube and a holder. The holder has a tubular protrusion which is surrounded by the arc tube, at a center of its main surface. A closed end of the protrusion and a part of the arc tube facing the end of the protrusion are bonded together using a silicone adhesive. A part of a vertical printed circuit board that is used as a lighting circuit is housed within the protrusion.

Abstract: The variations in appearance of an object caused by the variations in a capturing environment are estimated to be modeled, and the object model thus obtained is previously registered in a database. Picture information of an object to be a recognition target is input, and the input picture information is matched with the previously registered object model. The similarity with respect to the registered object model is determined, and the type of the object to be a recognition target is output, which is determined to be most similar among the registered object models. Information of a plurality of pictures captured by changing the relative position and posture of an object is input, and the variations in appearance of an object caused by the possible variations in a capturing environment are estimated to be modeled based on the input information of a plurality of pictures.

Abstract: Disclosed is a compact self-ballasted fluorescent lamp with higher luminous efficiency than conventional lamps and improved luminous flux rising characteristics at lamp startup equivalent to those of general fluorescent lamps. The compact self-ballasted fluorescent lamp (1) includes an arc tube (2) formed by a bent glass tube (9) covered with a globe (6). The glass tube (9) has a turning part substantially in the middle between its both ends, a first spiral part starting from one end and wound around an axis toward the turning part, and a second spiral part starting from the turning part and wound around the axis toward the other end. The arc tube (2) has mercury enclosed therein in a single form. The glass tube (9) has a substantially circular-shaped cross section and an inner diameter of 7.4 mm. The turning part is connected to the globe (9) via a heat-conductive member (15).

Abstract: A compact self-ballasted fluorescent lamp has an arc tube in a double-spiral configuration, the arc tube being formed by bending a glass tube around an axis of spiral up to both ends of the glass tube, and a holder that is made of resin and holds this arc tube. Electrodes, each being equipped with a filament coil, are sealed at respective ends of the glass tube. The holder is made up of a holding resin member with a cylindrical shape having a closed bottom and a resin cover in a cone shape, the holder including a circumferential wall and an end wall that is at the edge of the circumferential wall. A heat-dissipating plate is provided inside the holding resin member, at a position corresponding to where the filament coils within the glass tube are.

Abstract: A fluorescent-lamp driving apparatus and a compact self-ballasted fluorescent lamp, when a blowout occurs at the electrodes of the arc tube, swiftly and assuredly stop a glow discharge at the electrodes of the arc tube, therefore have heightened security. In the compact self-ballasted fluorescent lamp 1, a switching device (nMOS-FET56) is mounted to the lighting unit 50 so that the entire device main body of the switching device faces the choke coil 52, with the print substrate 51 therebetween. Thus structured lighting unit 50 forms a heat transmission path between the nMOS-FET56 and the choke coil 52, and the heat generated at the choke coil 52 will be swiftly and assuredly transmitted to the device main body of the nMOS-FET56.

Abstract: A fastener driving tool includes a housing, a cylinder supported to the housing, a piston, and a driver blade. The piston is reciprocally movable in the cylinder in an axial direction thereof. The piston includes a piston body and a boss integrally extending from the piston body in the axial direction. The boss is formed with a fitting groove extending in the axial direction, and the driver blade having a fitting portion is inserted into the fitting groove. Brazing material is distributed between the fitting groove and the fitting portion. The boss is in cylindrical shape, and the driver blade has a pair of protrusions extending in the axial direction and spaced away from each other by a diameter of the boss.