Abstract: A vehicle drive device and a control method therefor are provided. The vehicle drive device includes: a power source including a first rotating electrical machine; a second rotating electrical machine; a differential unit including three rotating elements to which a first output shaft, a second output shaft, and the second rotating electrical machine are connected; and an electronic control device. The electronic control device regeneratively controls the first rotating electrical machine and the second rotating electrical machine in such a manner that negative torque is applied to the first output shaft and the second output shaft, when performing regenerative control by the second rotating electrical machine in a drive mode in which torque from the power source is distributed to the first output shaft and the second output shaft by controlling torque of the second rotating electrical machine during deceleration of a vehicle.

Abstract: A four-wheel drive vehicle includes: a drive-power distribution device for distributing a drive power from an engine to main and auxiliary drive wheels with a drive-power distribution ratio between the main drive wheels and auxiliary drive wheels; and a control apparatus for controlling an electric motor such that the drive-power distribution ratio becomes a target distribution ratio value, by setting an electric-current command value for driving an electric motor. The control apparatus is configured, in a drive-power transmitted state in which the drive power is transmitted to the drive-power distribution device, to execute a command-value reduction control operation for causing the electric motor to be driven with the electric-current command value being set to a value smaller than in a drive-power non-transmitted state in which the drive power is not being transmitted to the drive-power distribution device.

Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus includes: a follow-up-running control portion configured to execute a follow-up running control for causing a vehicle to run following a preceding vehicle with a target inter-vehicle distance; and a shift control portion configured to change a gear ratio of an automatic transmission in accordance with a predetermined shifting condition. The shift control portion is configured to set a high fluid-temperature determination value, based on information relating to the preceding vehicle that affects an air flow rate. When a fluid temperature of the automatic transmission is not lower than the high fluid-temperature determination value, the shift control portion is configured to change the shifting condition such that a higher-speed gear position making the gear ratio lower is more frequently established in the automatic transmission than when the fluid temperature of the automatic transmission is lower than the high fluid-temperature determination value.

Abstract: A regenerative torque upper limit is set to a larger value when a rear-wheel distribution ratio is small than when the rear-wheel distribution ratio is large. Accordingly, when a distribution of a drive power to front wheels is large, a regenerative torque of a second rotary machine can be increased such that wheels are less likely to slip at the time of performing of regeneration control when the distribution of the drive power to the front wheels is small in comparison with a case in which the regenerative torque upper limit is set to a constant value similarly to when the distribution of the drive power to the front wheels is small. In this way, it is possible to increase the regenerative torque of the second rotary machine according to the rear-wheel distribution ratio.

Abstract: Provided is a weighing and packaging system including: a weighing unit which weighs and sequentially discharges articles; a discharge chute through which the articles discharged from the weighing unit pass; a foreign matter detecting unit which detects the foreign matter contained in the article passing through the discharge chute; a memory unit which stores quality information pertaining to the quality of the article based on a detection result of the foreign matter detecting unit; and a control unit which controls the memory unit, in which in a case where the foreign matter is detected by the foreign matter detecting unit with respect to the Nth (N is an integer of 2 or more) article discharged from the weighing unit, the control unit controls the memory unit to forcibly store the quality information of the (N?1)th article discharged from the weighing unit as a poor quality.

Abstract: An edge alignment method includes (a) calculating coordinates of points having a possibility of corresponding to an edge of the workpiece, (b) forming an approximate circle by using a least squares method on all the coordinates, (c) calculating deviations between the approximate circle and respective ones of all the points, and if plural ones of the points have deviations greater than or equal to a preset threshold, respectively, then determining the point, the deviation of which is greatest, to be a false detection position, and excluding from consideration candidates the point determined to be the false detection position, and (d) estimating a position of the edge of the workpiece from the coordinates of three or more of the points still remaining without exclusion, and based on the estimated position of the edge, deriving a machining area at the outer peripheral portion of the workpiece.

Abstract: Provided is a weighing and packaging system including: a weighing unit which weighs and sequentially discharges articles; a discharge chute through which the articles discharged from the weighing unit pass; a foreign matter detecting unit which detects the foreign matter contained in the article passing through the discharge chute; a memory unit which stores quality information pertaining to the quality of the article based on a detection result of the foreign matter detecting unit; and a control unit which controls the memory unit, in which in a case where the foreign matter is detected by the foreign matter detecting unit with respect to the Nth (N is an integer of 2 or more) article discharged from the weighing unit, the control unit controls the memory unit to forcibly store the quality information of the (N?1)th article discharged from the weighing unit as a poor quality.

Abstract: An inspection and sorting system sorts conveyed articles. The system is provided with a conveyance device, an X-ray inspection device, and a sorting device. The conveyance device conveys inspection articles. The X-ray inspection device inspects the conveyed inspection articles. The sorting device has an air sorting mechanism that sorts the conveyed inspection articles in a sorting operation. The sorting device has a sorting information receiving component, a reference signal receiving component, and a sorting mechanism control component. The sorting information receiving component receives sorting information relating to the sorting of the inspection articles based on an inspection result of the X-ray inspection device. The reference signal receiving component receives a fixed-interval reference signal relating to the conveyance by the conveyance device.

Abstract: An inspection and sorting system sorts conveyed articles. The system is provided with a conveyance device, an X-ray inspection device, and a sorting device. The conveyance device conveys inspection articles. The X-ray inspection device inspects the conveyed inspection articles. The sorting device has an air sorting mechanism that sorts the conveyed inspection articles in a sorting operation. The sorting device has a sorting information receiving component, a reference signal receiving component, and a sorting mechanism control component. The sorting information receiving component receives sorting information relating to the sorting of the inspection articles based on an inspection result of the X-ray inspection device. The reference signal receiving component receives a fixed-interval reference signal relating to the conveyance by the conveyance device.

Abstract: A weight-checking apparatus is adapted to check weight of an object while conveying the object in a predetermined direction. The weight-checking apparatus includes a conveying part, a weighing part and a control part. The conveying part is configured and arranged to convey the object in the predetermined direction. The weighing part is configured and arranged to weigh the object. The control part is configured to control the conveying part so that a conveying speed of the conveying part is reduced to a predetermined conveying speed according to a conveyance condition of the object being conveyed in an upstream of the weighing part.

Abstract: A first gate opens obliquely downward, and maintains the posture, rendering the slope angle of the bottom surface thereof steeper than that of the bottom surface of the second gate. Thus, the bottom surface of the second gate forms a gentle slope sliding surface, and the bottom surface of the first gate forms a steep slope sliding surface. Then articles drop following the shape of a parabola toward the bottom surface of the first gate on the steep slope side, with momentum gained from sliding down the bottom surface of the second gate on the gentle slope side, and then change the sliding trajectory inward upon bumping into the bottom surface of the first gate. The articles then drop following the shape of a parabola toward the center area of a dispersal table, with momentum gained from sliding down the bottom surface of the first gate.

Abstract: A first gate opens obliquely downward, and maintains the posture, rendering the slope angle of the bottom surface thereof steeper than that of the bottom surface of the second gate. Thus, the bottom surface of the second gate forms a gentle slope sliding surface, and the bottom surface of the first gate forms a steep slope sliding surface. Then articles drop following the shape of a parabola toward the bottom surface of the first gate on the steep slope side, with momentum gained from sliding down the bottom surface of the second gate on the gentle slope side, and then change the sliding trajectory inward upon bumping into the bottom surface of the first gate. The articles then drop following the shape of a parabola toward the center area of a dispersal table, with momentum gained from sliding down the bottom surface of the first gate.

Abstract: A thin film of ferrite for use as a magnetic recording medium includes (a) Cu and Ti or (b) Cu, Ti and Co. The inclusion of Ti extends upwards the upper limit of the range of temperature for reducing .alpha.-Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 to Fe.sub.3 O.sub.4, whereas the inclusion of Cu extends downwards the lower limit of this range. Further, the inclusion of both Ti and Cu enables the stable production of .gamma.-Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 over a wide range of temperature for oxidizing Fe.sub.3 O.sub.4 to said .gamma.-Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3. The inclusion of Co improves the magnetic properties of the ferrite.

Abstract: A thin film of ferrite for use as a magnetic recording medium includes up to ten atomic percent of Nb based on the total number of metallic atoms in the ferrite film. This thin film of ferrite further includes up to fifteen atomic percent of Cu in addition to the Nb. The inclusion of Nb improves the squareness ratio and the coercive force of the recording medium, and also enlarges the temperature range of reduction from .alpha. -Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 to one of the ferrites, i.e. Fe.sub.3 O.sub.4. The inclusion of Cu lowers the reduction temperature below 300.degree. C. According to the invention, a magnetic recording medium exhibiting excellent required properties, such as a high coercive force and a high squareness ratio, can be produced by a reliable process.

Abstract: A thin film of ferrite for use as a magnetic recording medium contain (a) Cu, (b) both Cu and Co, or (c) Cu, Co and Nb. The inclusion of Cu increases the temperature range for reduction from .alpha.-Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 to one of the ferrites, i.e. Fe.sub.3 O.sub.4, and also lowers the above-mentioned reducting temperature. The addition of Co improves the magnetic properties of the ferrite. The simultaneous addition of Cu, Co and Nb provides .gamma.-Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 with excellent magnetic properties, which are stable over wide temperature range for oxidizing the Fe.sub.3 O.sub.4 to the .gamma.-Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3.