Abstract: A print head is operable to perform printing with respect to a medium. A motor is operable to move the print head. A guide unit is operable to guide the print head along a predetermined direction. A determination unit is operable to determine whether or not the print head performs a stick-slip operation. A motor control unit is operable to generate a command value for controlling the motor when moving the print head. The motor control unit generates a command value for moving the print head at a predetermined target speed on the basis of determination of the determination unit that the print head does not perform the stick-slip operation and generates a command value for moving the print head at a target speed faster than the predetermined target speed on the basis of determination of the determination unit that the print head performs the stick-slip operation.

Abstract: A medium transport apparatus including a medium detection sensor having a light-emitting unit and a light-receiving unit that are arranged apart from each other by a predetermined distance, and that changes the signal level of a detection signal output from the light-receiving unit according to the presence/non-presence of a medium between the light-emitting unit and the light-receiving unit, and a medium guide member that is arranged in the middle of a transport path for the medium to guide the medium, and that has a medium guide face for guiding the medium, and a sensor attachment so that the medium guide face may be arranged at a position closer to either the light-emitting unit or the light-receiving unit.

Abstract: A printing apparatus, including a first roller and a second roller, adapted to transport a plurality of print media on a tray in a transport direction, the second roller disposed at a downstream side, the first roller disposed at an upstream side, includes: a first calculator, operable to calculate a first transport amount for the first roller; a second calculator, operable to calculate, based on the first transport amount, a second transport amount for the second roller, the second transport amount being greater than the first transport amount; a first controller, operable to drive a first motor that drives the first roller and to stop the first motor such that the first roller stops with the first transport amount; and a second controller, operable to drive a second motor that drives the second roller when the first controller drives the first motor and to stop the second motor such that the second roller stops with the second transport amount.

Abstract: A fuel cell system having a fuel cell, a coolant supply device for circulating a supply of the coolant through a coolant path for cooling the fuel cell, a fuel cell temperature detector for detecting a temperature of the fuel cell, a coolant temperature detector for detecting a temperature of the coolant in the coolant path, and a controller for controlling the amount of coolant circulated by the coolant supply device. The controller selects an operation mode of the fuel cell between a power generation mode and a power generation stop mode and calculates the difference between the detected coolant temperature and detected fuel cell temperature. While the operation mode is the power generation stop mode, the controller increases the amount of the coolant circulated as the difference between the detected coolant temperature and the detected fuel cell temperature increases.

Abstract: A fuel cell stack includes a heat exchange unit that performs heat exchange between a gas mixture containing source hydrogen and a circulating gas and cooling water used for controlling the temperature of the fuel cell stack. A system controller adjusts the temperature of the cooling water by controlling a temperature control unit on the basis of the temperature of source hydrogen flowing into a junction at which the source hydrogen and a circulating gas are mixed such that the temperature of a source/recirculated hydrogen mixture that is mixed at the junction and that is supplied to the fuel cell stack is kept within a managed temperature range.

Abstract: A position detecting device for detecting a position of an object, includes a light emitting portion that emits light, a light receiving portion that receives the light from the light emitting portion, and a scale that is arranged between the light emitting portion and the light receiving portion, and includes a position detecting pattern and a smear detecting pattern. The position detecting pattern has a first light transmitting portion for transmitting the light from the light emitting portion and a first light interception portion for intercepting the light from the light emitting portion which are alternately arranged in a detection range of the object. The smear detecting pattern for detecting smear of the scale has a second light transmitting portion for transmitting the light from the light emitting portion and a second light interception portion for intercepting the light from the light emitting portion which are alternately arranged.

Abstract: A scale is provided with a plurality of marks or slits arranged in a first direction such that a distance between centers of adjacent marks or slits in the first direction assumes a first length. An encoder is opposing the scale and includes: a photo emitter, operable to emit light; and a plurality of photo detectors, each of which has a light receiving region adapted to receive the light emitted from the photo emitter and transmitted by way of the marks or slits, and is operable to output a detection signal in accordance with a quantity of the light received by the light receiving region, so that the detection signal has a first cycle corresponding to the first length. A control signal generator is operable to generate a control signal having a second cycle which is (½n1) of the first cycle. A controller is operable to estimate a rotation speed of a motor based on a third cycle which is defined by subsequent (2n1) second cycles. Here, n1 is an integer no less than one.

Abstract: A fuel cell system which prevents the deterioration of the fuel cell stack when feeding of the oxidant gas is paused under a load to perform a fuel conservation operation. Controller shuts down oxidant gas compressor and cooling water circulating pump to execute fuel conservation operation at a low fuel cell system load. The controller gives a current draw instruction to electric power controller. In the fuel conservation operation, electric power controller draws a current larger than zero from fuel cell stack, and keeps the total charge drawn per unit time constant or substantially constant.

Abstract: A fuel cell system has a purge valve that adjusts the amount of nitrogen in a hydrogen circulation channel and a fuel electrode to be discharged through a discharge channel. A purge rate correcting unit variably sets a target control value of the nitrogen content in the hydrogen circulation channel and the fuel electrode by taking into account whether a driving mode is set in a normal power generation mode or an idle mode. An opening of the purge valve is controlled on the basis of the target control value.

Abstract: A light emitter is operable to emit light. A light receiver is adapted to receive the light emitted from the light emitter, and operable to output a signal in accordance with an amount of the received light, thereby detecting a position of an object. At least one transparent member is disposed between the light emitter and the light receiver. A first line pattern is provided with the transparent member so as to oppose the light emitter, and includes first light transmitting sections and first light shielding sections which are alternately arranged in a first direction with a first pitch. A second line pattern is provided with the transparent member so as to oppose the light receiver, and includes second light transmitting sections and second light shielding sections which are alternately arranged in the first direction with a second pitch. Each of the first light transmitting sections is adapted to allow the light emitted from the light emitter to pass through.

Abstract: A position detecting device for detecting a position of an object, includes a light emitting portion that emits light, a light receiving portion that receives the light from the light emitting portion, and a scale that is arranged between the light emitting portion and the light receiving portion, and includes a position detecting pattern and a smear detecting pattern. The position detecting pattern has a first light transmitting portion for transmitting the light from the light emitting portion and a first light interception portion for intercepting the light from the light emitting portion which are alternately arranged in a detection range of the object. The smear detecting pattern for detecting smear of the scale has a second light transmitting portion for transmitting the light from the light emitting portion and a second light interception portion for intercepting the light from the light emitting portion which are alternately arranged.

Abstract: A printing apparatus for printing on a medium to be printed includes an ink ejection section for intermittently ejecting ink while moving, wherein the printing apparatus detects a distance from the ink ejection section to the medium to be printed, and controls a timing of intermittent ejection of the ink from the ink ejection section based on the distance that has been detected. With such a printing apparatus, the timing at which ink is ejected can be controlled taking into account the distance from the ink ejection section to the medium to be printed.

Abstract: A printing apparatus includes: (A) a transport mechanism transporting a medium in a forward direction and a backward direction; (B) a head printing dots on the medium; (C) a sensor sensing existence of the medium in a non-contact manner; (D) a reversion mechanism reversing the medium; and (E) a controller controlling the sensor to sense an end of the medium when the transport mechanism transports the medium in the forward direction so as to allow the head to print the dots on the surface of the medium and controlling the sensor to sense the end of the medium when the transport mechanism transports the medium in the backward direction so as to allow the reversion mechanism to reverse the medium after the dots are printed on the surface thereof.

Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejecting head which ejects a liquid onto a liquid ejection surface of an ejection target member; a scanning unit which scans the liquid ejecting head relative to the ejection target member; and a driving force transmission mechanism which transmits driving force of a rotary driving force source to the scanning unit through a belt, wherein a liquid absorbing material which absorbs and retains mists of a liquid floating in an inner space of the liquid ejecting apparatus is disposed on the belt.

Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejecting head which ejects a liquid onto a liquid ejection surface of an ejection target member; a scanning unit which scans the liquid ejecting head relative to the ejection target member; a driving force transmission mechanism which transmits driving force of a rotary driving force source to the scanning unit through a belt; an encoder which detects a scanning position of the liquid ejecting head relative to the ejection target member and having a scale disposed at a position adjacent to the belt; and a neutralizing unit which removes static electricity from the belt.

Abstract: There is provided a printing method using a first motor that applies a driving force for rotating a roll body around which a printing medium is wound, a second motor that applies a driving force for intermittently driving a transport driving roller that transports the printing medium, and a print head that intermittently ejects ink onto the printing medium alternately with the driving of the second motor. The printing method includes driving the first motor such that tension applied to the printing medium is constant during at least a part of a period in which the second motor is driven and stopping the driving of the first motor during at least a part of a period in which the driving of the second motor is stopped.

Abstract: A method of reading an image by an image sensor comprising: a) reciprocating a carriage from a predetermined position in a predetermined direction by rotating a stepping motor to which a second current value smaller than a first current value is supplied; and b) detecting whether or not the carriage after reciprocating is disposed at the predetermined position, by the sensor, wherein, in the case where the sensor detects that the carriage after reciprocating is disposed at the predetermined position, when the image sensor reads an image, the first current value is supplied to the stepping motor, and in the case where the sensor detects that the carriage after reciprocating is not disposed at the predetermined position, when the image sensor reads an image, a current value obtained by adding a third current value to the first current value is supplied to the stepping motor.

Abstract: A recording apparatus performs recording on a strip of a recording target medium that is fed from a roll object that is set in or on the recording apparatus. The roll object is formed as, or at least includes, a roll of the recording target medium. The recording apparatus includes: a rotating unit that rotates the roll object; a rotation controlling unit that controls the rotation of the rotating unit; and a roll object diameter measuring unit that measures the diameter of the roll object, wherein the rotation controlling unit sets the rotation speed of the rotating unit or the rotation amount of the rotating unit on the basis of the diameter of the roll object measured by the roll object diameter measuring unit so as to ensure that at least either one of the transportation speed of the recording target medium and the transportation distance of the recording target medium is set at a predetermined value.

Abstract: A printing apparatus including: a first motor configured to provide a drive force for rotating a roll member that is a wound medium; a second motor configured to provide a drive force for driving a transporting drive roller provided on a downstream side of the roll member along a feeding direction of the medium for transporting the medium; and a control unit configured to drive at least one of the first motor and the second motor to cancel the slackness of the medium generated between the roll member and the transporting drive roller.

Abstract: A pump member is cyclically moved to apply an air pressure to a liquid supply source to thereby supply liquid stored therein to a reservoir member. A driving source is driven in accordance with control information to move the pump member. A position sensor senses a position of the pump member. A first storage stores target information indicative of a target driving speed of the driving source. A first calculator obtains drive information indicative of an actual driving speed of the driving source based on the sensed position of the pump member. A second calculator obtains a difference between the target driving speed and the actual driving speed, and obtains correction information for reducing the difference. A corrector corrects the control information with the correction information.