Abstract: A rotatable rod includes a plurality of cylindrical center rods and a plurality of joints. Each joint connects between corresponding two of the plurality of center rods. Each of opposed ends of each center rod has at least one engaging projection, which projects from the end of the center rod in a direction parallel to an axial direction of the center rod. Each of opposed ends of each joint has at least one engaging recess, each of which is engaged with a corresponding one of the at least one engaging projection that is provided in an adjacent one of the ends of a corresponding one of the plurality of center rods.

Abstract: A control apparatus controls an ultrasonic motor. The ultrasonic motor includes a stator, a piezoelectric element provided in the stator, and a rotor. The rotor is slidably pressed against the stator. When a driving high frequency voltage is applied to the piezoelectric element, the stator is vibrated to rotate the rotor. The control apparatus includes measuring means. The measuring means changes the frequency of a searching high frequency voltage, the searching high frequency voltage being lower than the driving high frequency voltage, thereby measuring a resonance frequency of the ultrasonic motor. The control apparatus drives the motor in a favorable manner.

Abstract: A defect detection of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) is electrically performed on a large-scale display, comprising a plurality of light-emitting diodes arranged by a predetermined arrangement on an image display face, voltage detection portions for applying a constant current to a plurality of light-emitting diodes in an off region at a forward voltage or less in accordance with an input of a signal indicating a defect detection mode and detecting voltages between terminals of light-emitting diodes arising when the constant current flows there through, and a defect detection portion for electrically detecting a defect from the plurality of light-emitting diodes based on detection results of the voltage detection portion; and drive circuit devices (driver ICs) having the above configuration are serially connected and an electric signal indicating a result of defect detection is output from its final stage.

Abstract: A stator includes first and second piezoelectric elements, a flexible aluminum-based connective arrangement and upper and lower aluminum-based metal blocks. The flexible aluminum-based connective arrangement includes first to fourth aluminum-based electrodes, which apply a voltage to the piezoelectric elements to generate a vibration. Each aluminum-based electrode is made of one of aluminum and an aluminum alloy and directly contacts a corresponding one of axial ends of the piezoelectric elements. Each aluminum-based metal block is made of one of aluminum and an aluminum alloy. The piezoelectric elements and the aluminum-based electrodes are interposed between the aluminum-based metal blocks.

Abstract: A lower metal block of a stator includes a plurality of securing projections, which engage with an external member and are arranged in an outer peripheral surface of the lower metal block at generally equal angular intervals. Each securing projection is circumferentially located between corresponding two of slits of the lower metal block and has first and second axial ends, which are opposed to one another in a direction generally parallel to the axial direction of the stator and are oriented toward first and second axial ends, respectively, of the stator. The first axial end of each securing projection is axially positioned within an axial extent of the slits, which is measured in the axial direction of the stator.

Abstract: A capacitance sensor usable as a fingerprint sensor is provided in which a timing controller (16) provides such a switching control as to first cause a switch (SA) in a sensor cell (100−k) to turn on to set the potential at a sense electrode to a reference potential and then a switch SB to turn on after the switch (SA) is turned off, whereby charge is stored from the sensor cell (100−k) into a reference capacitance Cf1 of a sensing circuit (13−k), the sensitivity of sensing the capacitance is raised by increasing the number of times the charge storage is repeated and only signal components are extracted by reducing noise components by averaging.

Abstract: When a current charge method is used as a method of detecting capacitance, there poses a problem in which S/N is deteriorated by a dispersion in element characteristics of a cell to be detected and when a voltage charge method is used, since parasitic capacitances of column sense lines are very large and accordingly, there is needed some devise for sampling electric charge charged to the capacitance. There are arranged unit cells having detection electrodes and cell selecting switches connected between the detection electrodes and column sense lines in an array shape, electric charge is charged from detecting circuits to the detection electrodes under constant charge voltage, and thereafter, the column sense lines are imaginarily grounded to thereby detect the capacitances formed between the detection electrodes and the surface of the finger in accordance with recesses and projections of a fingerprint via the column sense lines.

Abstract: A capacitance sensor used as a fingerprint sensor is provided which includes, in addition to a sensor array (11) in which sensor cells (100) each with a sense electrode are disposed in the form of an array, a canceling dummy block (14) having, disposed in an area having no relation with any object under detection, one column of dummy cells (141) corresponding to each row in the sensor array (11) and each having a dummy electrode nearly identical in parasitic capacitance to the sense electrode of the sensor cell (100). Also a differentiation output unit (183) is provided to differentiate between a sensed voltage Vsig sensed at the sensor array (11) by a sensing circuit (13) and a sensed voltage Vdmy sensed at the canceling dummy block (14), thereby eliminating the influence of a variation in parasitic capacitance Cp, caused by a production tolerance.

Abstract: A control apparatus controls an ultrasonic motor. The ultrasonic motor includes a stator, a piezoelectric element provided in the stator, and a rotor. The rotor is slidably pressed against the stator. When a driving high frequency voltage is applied to the piezoelectric element, the stator is vibrated to rotate the rotor. The control apparatus includes measuring means. The measuring means changes the frequency of a searching high frequency voltage, the searching high frequency voltage being lower than the driving high frequency voltage, thereby measuring a resonance frequency of the ultrasonic motor. The control apparatus drives the motor in a favorable manner.

Abstract: An ultrasonic motor comprises a stator, a rotor and a fixing portion. The stator has a first block, a second block and a piezoelectric element, which is held between the first and second blocks. The piezoelectric element vibrates when receiving a drive voltage having a predetermined frequency, and the stator produces resonance vibration in accordance with vibration of the piezoelectric element. The rotor is pressed on the stator in a slidable manner and rotates due to the vibration of the stator. The fixing portion is provided on the stator to fix the stator to a predetermined support portion. The fixing portion is formed in such a way that a natural frequency of the fixing portion comes off a frequency range of the drive voltage where the rotor is rotatable. This structure provides an ultrasonic motor which is quiet and has high energy conversion efficiency.

Abstract: A video display device is capable of performing a high-speed switching process and preventing video flicker from occurring. The video display device comprises a plurality of display units including a plurality of unit cells. The unit cell comprises a plurality of dots arranged vertically and horizontally each other and divided into a plurality of dot groups. Each dot is comprised of a plurality of display elements. Further, each unit cell is provided with a plurality of memories, a driving means and a switching means. The memories store the video data to be supplied to display elements. The driving means reads the video data corresponding to said dot groups stored in one of the memory and drives the display elements of said dot groups based on the read video data. The switching means switches alternately and successively the dot groups. The memories store the video data successively in a one-frame unit or a one-field unit.

Abstract: A stator includes a longitudinal-vibration sensing electrode. The stator also includes a torsional-vibration sensing piezoelectric element and a torsional-vibration sensing electrode plate for sensing torsional vibrations. A voltage signal from the torsional-vibration sensing electrode plate or a voltage signal from the longitudinal-vibration sensing electrode is sensed. Then, a drive voltage signal for driving the stator is generated in a self-excited oscillation drive circuit in such a manner that an actual vibrational frequency of the stator substantially coincides with a resonance frequency. Thereafter, the generated drive voltage signal is applied between a drive electrode and each one of first and second electrode plates.

Abstract: A stator of an ultrasonic motor includes a piezoelectric element, a plurality of metal blocks, and a fastener. The piezoelectric element is held by the metal blocks The fastener extends through the piezoelectric element and the metal blocks to fasten the piezoelectric element and the metal blocks together. A rotor is pressed against one side of the stator in a contact state. The rotor is rotated in a first direction by generating oscillation at a first resonance frequency in the stator. Further, the rotor is rotated in a second direction opposed to the first direction by generating oscillation at a second resonance frequency, which corresponds to the resonance frequency of the rotor, in the stator. The outer diameter of the fastener is within the range of from 30% to 55% of the outer diameter of the stator.

Abstract: An ultrasonic motor includes a stator and a rotor. The stator has piezoelectric elements. When an alternating current having a predetermined frequency is applied to the piezoelectric elements, the elements axially vibrate. The stator axially vibrates in response to the axial vibration of the piezoelectric elements. The rotor includes projections arranged about its axis. The projections contact the stator. Each projection is designed and formed such that it torsionally vibrates independently in response to the axial vibration of the stator. As a result, a compact and high torque motor is produced.

Abstract: A stator includes a longitudinal-vibration sensing electrode. The stator also includes a torsional-vibration sensing piezoelectric element and a torsional-vibration sensing electrode plate for sensing torsional vibrations. A voltage signal from the torsional-vibration sensing electrode plate or a voltage signal from the longitudinal-vibration sensing electrode is sensed. Then, a drive voltage signal for driving the stator is generated in a self-excited oscillation drive circuit in such a manner that an actual vibrational frequency of the stator substantially coincides with a resonance frequency. Thereafter, the generated drive voltage signal is applied between a drive electrode and each one of first and second electrode plates.

Abstract: A video display device is described, which is capable of easily correcting variations in luminous brightness of each display element. When a video display part is comprised of a plurality of display units including a plurality of display elements, respective correction data for correcting the variations in luminous brightness of the individual display elements are supplied to memory means. When the display elements are driven, the correction data is supplied to their corresponding drivers. In doing so, the display elements can be driven in a corrected state of the variations in luminous brightness. Even when a unit cell comprising display elements is replaced by another and brightness level is re-adjusted, new correction data relative to it is updated. Said updated correction data may simply be stored in the same memory means. Thus, the variations in luminous brightness can be easily corrected even when the unit cell is replaced by another and re-adjusted.

Abstract: An ultrasonic motor having a stator in which at least a longitudinal vibration is generated and a rotor rotatably mounted on the stator. Slanted slits are formed on the cylindrical surface of the rotor, which convert a part of the longitudinal vibration in the stator into a twisting vibration that gives the rotor a rotational force. The slits are slanted to the rotational direction of the rotor. The rotor is rotated at a higher speed because of the slits. The form of the slits may be selectively varied according to desired characteristics of the ultrasonic motor.

Abstract: An ultrasonic motor having a stator for generating a vibration therein and a rotor rotatably disposed on the stator is designed so that an electric power for driving the motor is efficiently converted to a rotational force. The rotor is designed so that its resonant frequency becomes equal to a resonant frequency of the stator. Therefore, the resonant vibration in the stator having a peak amplitude is efficiently transferred to the stator which has the same resonant frequency. A plurality of slanted slits for converting a longitudinal vibration into a twisting vibration may be provided on the stator or both of the stator and the rotor. The slanted slits further enhance efficiency of the ultrasonic motor and may be used to selectively rotate the rotor in two directions.

Abstract: The invention provides a parallel to serial data converter wherein the frequency of a basic clock pulse signal to be applied for driving can be reduced to one half with respect to a same data rate and consequently the operation speed required for a circuit in a preceding stage can be reduced, and a bad influence of noise such as, for example, jitters of serial data is eliminated. In the parallel to serial data converter, a clock pulse signal having a frequency f/2 Hz equal to one half the data rate of parallel data which is f bps is used as a basic clock pulse signal, and an inverted pulse signal is produced from the basic clock pulse signal. Then, a rising or falling edge of each pulse of the basic clock pulse signal and a rising or falling edge of each pulse of the inverted pulse signal are detected, and a byte clock pulse signal having a frequency equal to that of the parallel data is produced by logical ORing of such two edge detection outputs and is supplied to a multiplexer.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a stator for an ultrasonic motor, wherein the stator includes a circular land portion, a plurality of teeth secured to the land portion by a plurality of radial slits, the method comprising the steps of: compressing fine metal particle to form a pre-compression body having a predetermined shape, whereby said pre-compression body is provided with a plurality of projections for forming a plurality of teeth of the stator; baking said pre-compression body, for producing a sintered body; applying a densification process on the teeth of said sintered body produced in said baking step, whereby each of said teeth is provided with a high dense portion having a density ratio of at least 90%; and applying a sizing process to said sintered body produced in said baking step.