Abstract: In a power feeding apparatus A1, a drive circuit 11 receives electrical power supplied from a power supply 10 and generates a driving signal V. In response to this, an actuator 12 vibrates, and this vibration is transmitted through vibration transmission members 14 and 20 to a converter 21 of a power receiving apparatus B1. The converter 21 includes a piezoelectric device. Accordingly, vibration is converted into voltage, thus generating an electromotive voltage Vg. The electromotive voltage Vg is rectified by a rectification circuit 23, and a large-capacitance capacitor 24 is charged with rectified voltage. A clock circuit 25 receives power from the large-capacitance capacitor 24 and measures time.

Abstract: A tube pump (1A) of the present invention is provided with a main body (2) to which a tube (100) is attached, a rotor (5), an oscillator (6) located so as to touch an outer circumferential face of the rotor (5), and a plurality of rollers (10) mounted to the rotor (5) for pressurizing and thereby squeezing the tube (100). The oscillator (6) is essentially shaped like a rectangular plate, and is formed by laminating an electrode, a piezoelectric element, and a reinforcing plate. When an alternating current voltage is applied to the piezoelectric element, the oscillator (6) oscillates longitudinally in the direction of the length at minute amplitude as the piezoelectric element expands and contracts. The rotor (5) receives a frictional force and a pressing force from a convex portion (66) when the oscillator (6) expands, and the rotor (5) rotates as it repetitively receives the frictional force and the pressing force.

Abstract: To provide an actuator which can achieve a reduction in size and weight of a device in which the actuator is mounted by amplifying and outputting displacement of a movable end of a vibrating plate as vibration in an in-plane direction, and to provide a timepiece and a notification device using the same, in an actuator (10), when a voltage is applied to a piezoelectric element (21) formed on a vibrating plate (12), the vibrating plate (12) generates bending vibrations in an out-of-plane direction, and one end portion (125) repeats displacement in an in-plane direction as a movable end. The displacement is transmitted to a lever (32) whose base end side (321) is connected to the end portion (125) of the vibrating plate (12) and an elastically deformable constricted portion (31), and a free end (322) of the lever (32) vibrates in the in-plane direction to drive a follower member (500).

Abstract: An embodiment of the the present invention is a computer system comprised of a main computer circuit having an interruptible CPU, a control program stored in memory connected to the CPU with interrupt procedures, and a power supply that has a mainspring and winder, a generator, a regulator, a power supply, and an internal battery. The power supply is able to accept electrical power from the generator-regulator combination, house current (line voltage) through a standard outlet plug, and the battery. A user is able to input his own kinetic energy into the system by turning a winding key. The action is similar to winding up a large windup alarm clock. A pair of detectors connected to the mainspring sense when the mainspring is fully wound and when it is almost unwound. The unwound condition will interrupt the CPU and one of the interrupt procedures will bring the system to a controlled shut-down. The fully-wound condition will cause the system to be re-enabled to run normally.

Abstract: A micro robot having a size of about 1 cm.sup.3 and capable of wireless control. This robot includes at least two sensors (12, 14) having detection regions thereof overlapping partially with each other, at least a pair of independently operated driving units (30, 28) having driving points spaced apart in a direction perpendicular to a moving direction, control units (40, 58, 60, 62) for controlling the driving units on the basis of the outputs of the sensors, and a rechargeable power supply portion (16) for supplying a power supply voltage to the sensors, the driving units and the control units. The control units and the power supply units are disposed between the driving units.

Abstract: An ultrasonic step motor includes a stator and a rotor. A vibrator is mounted on the stator and a driving mechanism excites the vibrator causing the stator to induce a vibrating mode on the rotor. The rotor has a vibration mode in a selected direction and the stator exhibits a plurality of vibrating states which are changed in a time sequential manner. The vibrating states of the stator include a composite vibration of a travelling wave formed from two standing wave vibrations and a standing wave vibration. The rotor is formed of a non-uniform rigidity and mass distribution and the stator is formed with relief portions formed therein corresponding to loops of a standing wave vibration and projections corresponding to the nodes of the standing wave vibration.

Abstract: A method of and an apparatus for guiding a microrobot without the necessity of an operator is disclosed. The operation area for the microrobot can easily be enlarged, contracted or changed. Sensors of the microrobot are used to cause the microrobot to react to light, magnetism or sound through an arbitrary passage formed on a surface of a light transmissible base plate, on which the microrobot is moved. The passage is formed by projecting light emitted from a light source through a pattern mask from an opposite side of the base plate.

Abstract: A micro robot which is less than about one cubic centimeter in size and adapted for wireless control and which includes at least two photo sensors (12,14) having detection areas partly overlapping each other, at least a pair of drive units (28, 30) adapted to be driven independently of each other and having driving points apart in a direction perpendicular to a direction for travel, a controller (58) including a CPU and responsive to outputs of the photo sensors to control the drive units, a power supply unit (16) including a rechargeable battery and a voltage regulator circuit (56) for regulating and outputting the battery voltage for supplying a power supply voltage to the photo sensors, the drive units and the controller, and a reset circuit (40) responsive to the reception for a command in a non-contact manner from the outside to send a reset signal to the controller and a holding case for the micro robot which permits charging of the micro robot during its accommodation.

Abstract: A micro robot having a size of about 1 cm.sup.3 and capable of wireless control. This robot includes at least two sensors (12, 14) having detection regions thereof overlapping partially with each other, at least a pair of independently operated driving units (30, 28) having driving points spaced apart in a direction perpendicular to a moving direction, control units (40, 58, 60, 62) for controlling the driving units on the basis of the outputs of the sensors, and a rechargeable power supply portion (16) for supplying a power supply voltage to the sensors, the driving units and the control units. The control units and the power supply units are disposed between the driving units.

Abstract: An ultrasonic step motor is provided with a stator and rotor. The rotor has a plurality of projections extending in the direction of the stator so that contact is made between the rotor and the stator creating a frictional force to drive the rotor. Vibrators are formed from a piezoelectric material directly attached to the stator. The ultrasonic motor further includes a drive control apparatus for impressing standing waves to the vibrating elements of the vibrator causing a change over to the phase or carrying out an ON-OFF operation of the ultrasonic motor.

Abstract: An electronic timepiece utilizing a motor to drive indicating hands is provided. The motor includes a first member having displaceable portions displaceable in a first direction. A second member moveable in a second direction is moved in the second direction by selectively coming in contact with the first member.

Abstract: An ultrasonic step motor includes a stator and a rotor. A vibrator is mounted on the stator and a driving mechanism excites the vibrator causing the stator to induce a vibrating mode on the rotor. The rotor has a vibration mode in a selected direction and the stator exhibits a plurality of vibrating states which are changed in a time sequential manner. The vibrating states of the stator include a composite vibration of a travelling wave formed from two standing wave vibrations and a standing wave vibration. The rotor is formed of a non-uniform rigidity and mass distribution and the stator is formed with relief portions formed therein corresponding to loops of a standing wave vibration and projections corresponding to the nodes of the standing wave vibration.

Abstract: An ultrasonic step motor is provided with a stator and rotor. The rotor has a plurality of projections extending in the direction of the stator so that contact is made between the rotor and the stator creating a frictional force to drive the rotor. Vibrators are formed from a piezoelectric material directly attached to the stator. The ultrasonic motor further includes a drive control apparatus for impressing standing waves to the vibrating elements of the vibrator causing a change over to the phase or carrying out an ON-OFF operation of the ultrasonic motor.

Abstract: An ultrasonic motor comprising a rotor and a stator driven by a piezoelectric element is disclosed. The rotor includes a plurality of gaps which correspond to periods in which piezoelectric sub-element rows are formed. A plurality of level differences on the surface of the stator have rotational symmetry in prescribed periods. Standing waves generated on the stator exert stress on the level differences of non-contact areas of the rotor so as to provide for rotor rest at a relative position where the stress becomes balanced. Stepping operation of the rotor is achieved by movement of the standing waves employing a plurality of level differences with rotational symmetry. The positions where the stress becomes balanced always occur at the same interval thereby facilitating precise stepping operation.

Abstract: An ultrasonic step motor includes a rotor having projections which extend toward a flexible stator. Piezoelectric elements are connected to and spaced along the circumference of the stator. A drive control unit applies driving signals to the vibrators to create nodes and antinodes forming substantially a standing waveform on the stator. The crests of the stator contact the projections of the rotor so as to move the projections of the rotor relative to and toward the nodes of the stator. Drive control circuitry maintains the frequency of the driving signal at the resonant frequency of the stator. The period of time during which the driving signals are applied to the piezoelectric elements is adjusted so as to reduce the power level required to drive the step motor.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electroless gold plating solution, a method of plating by using the same, and an electronic device plated with gold by using the same.According to the present electroless gold plating solution, the plating solution components contain no cyanide ions, the amount of a reducing agent used is small, and gold plating can be carried out without causing the gold plating on conducting paths having a fine interval between them to short-circuit the conducting paths.Therefore, according to the method of gold plating by using said electroless gold plating solution, a plating method that is safe in the plating work and in the treatment of its waste liquor can be accomplished. The method has a feature that the method can provide an electronic device on which parts can be mounted highly densely, and wherein the joint reliability to the parts is high.

Abstract: A timepiece includes an accumulator such as a hairspring for storing the energy provided by a step motor and a control mechanism such as a rotor immersed in a viscous fluid for controlling the energy released by the accumulator to provide a constant driving force for turning the display hands of the timepiece. The accumulator and control mechanism are constructed along a common axis and are displaced from a spindle about which the display hands rotate. The spindle is positioned substantially at the center of the watch.

Abstract: An electronic timepiece provides continuous rotation for a hand in response to a discrete driving rotation. An energy storage mechanism is coupled to the discrete driving rotation and converts the discrete driving rotation into stored energy. A control mechanism continuously releases the stored rotational energy as continuous rotation. A linkage coupled between the energy storage mechanism and control mechanism transmits continuous rotation therebetween and drives the hand in a continuous sweeping manner.