Abstract: A method monitors an air-conditioner having a semi-conductor gas sensor, the method including: determining that a refrigerant leakage has occurred on condition that the detection value is equal to or greater than a first threshold when the fan is in operation; starting operation of the fan as a provisional operation if the detection value is equal to or greater than a second threshold when the fan is not in operation; stopping the provisional operation of the fan; determining that a refrigerant leakage has occurred on condition that the detection value is equal to or greater than a third threshold after stopping the provisional operation of the fan; and taking a predetermined action for outputting alarm information and/or limiting supply of refrigerant to the heat exchanger when a refrigerant leakage is determined to have occurred.

Abstract: A shell and plate heat exchanger includes a shell and a plate pack. The shell defines a cavity configured to receive a first fluid and a second fluid. The plate pack is arranged inside the cavity. The plate pack has a plurality of heat exchanger plates. Each of the heat exchanger plates has two sides facing in opposite directions in a thickness direction of the heat exchanger plate. At least one of the sides of at least one of the heat exchanger plates has a surface roughness of between 5 ?m and 100 ?m.

Abstract: To provide a light-emitting element with an improved reliability, a light-emitting element with a high current efficiency (or a high quantum efficiency), and a novel dibenzo[f,h]quinoxaline derivative that is favorably used in a light-emitting element which is one embodiment of the present invention. A light-emitting element includes an EL layer between an anode and a cathode. The EL layer includes a light-emitting layer; the light-emitting layer contains a first organic compound having an electron-transport property and a hole-transport property, a second organic compound having a hole-transport property, and a light-emitting substance; the combination of the first organic compound and the second organic compound forms an exciplex; the HOMO level of the first organic compound is lower than the HOMO level of the second organic compound; and a difference between the HOMO level of the first organic compound and the HOMO level of the second organic compound is less than or equal to 0.4 eV.

Abstract: Pressure-responsive particles include pressure-responsive base particles and fatty acid metal salt particles, in which the pressure-responsive base particles contain a styrene-based resin which contains styrene and other vinyl monomers as polymerization components and a (meth)acrylic acid ester-based resin which contains at least two kinds of (meth)acrylic acid esters as polymerization components and in which amass ratio of the (meth)acrylic acid esters to all polymerization components is 90% by mass or higher, the pressure-responsive particles have at least two glass transition temperatures, and a difference between the lowest glass transition temperature and the highest glass transition temperature is 30° C. or higher.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a forged article, capable of improving the durability of a die for forging is provided. The method, includes forging a steel material, by using a die, by spraying or applying a water-soluble polymer lubricant containing 0.01 to 0.98 mass % of a water-soluble sulfate onto a working surface of the die, the die being made of a raw material having a constituent composition of by mass %, of 0.4 to 0.7% of C, 1.0% or less of Si, 1.0% or less of Mn, 4.0 to 6.0% of Cr, 2.0 to 4.0% of (Mo+½W), 0.5 to 2.5% of (V+Nb), 0 to 1.0% of Ni, 0 to 5.0% of Co, 0.02% or less of N, and a remnant composed of Fe and impurities, and having hardness of 55 to 60 HRC, and the die including a nitrided layer or a nitrosulfidized layer on the working surface thereof.

Abstract: A liquid ejection apparatus includes a nozzle, a pressure chamber, a piezoelectric element, a count processing portion, and a detection processing portion. The nozzle ejects a liquid. The pressure chamber communicates with the nozzle and contains the liquid. The piezoelectric element changes a pressure in the pressure chamber in response to an input of a drive signal. The count processing portion counts a number of times that an electric signal output from the piezoelectric element and corresponding to vibration generated in the pressure chamber in response to the input of the drive signal to the piezoelectric element exceeds a predetermined threshold value. The detection processing portion detects a viscosity of the liquid contained in the pressure chamber, based on a count result of the count processing portion.

Abstract: A system including control devices configured to perform nth-order transmission, each control device including: a storage device storing, in relation to the control devices, a source list being a list of the control devices to be passed through from a most upstream control device to the control device and a destination list being a list of the control devices to be passed through from the control device to a most downstream control device; and a processor performing processing including: when an update request including a first source list of a first control device is received, updating the source list using the update request, generating a new update request using the updated source list, and transmitting the new update request to a second control device; and when a completion response including a second destination list of the second control device is received, updating the destination list using the completion response.

Abstract: A liquid ejection apparatus includes a nozzle, a pressure chamber, a piezoelectric element, an acquisition processing portion, and a restriction processing portion. The nozzle ejects a liquid. The pressure chamber communicates with the nozzle and contains the liquid. The piezoelectric element changes a pressure in the pressure chamber in response to an input of a drive signal. When image formation processing for ejecting the liquid from the nozzle is executed based on image data, the acquisition processing portion acquires a length of a non-ejection period in which the liquid is not ejected from the nozzle, the non-ejection period being included in an execution period of the image formation processing. When the length of the non-ejection period acquired by the acquisition processing portion is less than a predetermined first threshold value, the restriction processing portion restricts abnormality detection processing for detecting an abnormality of the nozzle using the piezoelectric element.

Abstract: A liquid ejection apparatus includes a nozzle, a pressure chamber, a piezoelectric element, an output processing portion, and a determination processing portion. The nozzle ejects a liquid. The pressure chamber communicates with the nozzle and contains the liquid. The piezoelectric element changes a pressure in the pressure chamber in response to an input of a drive signal. The output processing portion causes the piezoelectric element to output a first electric signal corresponding to vibration generated in the pressure chamber in response to the input of the drive signal to the piezoelectric element. The determination processing portion determines whether or not the pressure chamber is in a filled state in which the pressure chamber is filled with the liquid, based on a frequency of the first electric signal output by the output processing portion.

Abstract: A signal generation device includes a first signal generation portion and a second signal generation portion. The first signal generation portion, based on a reference signal that includes a plurality of rectangular single-wave signals, generates an original common signal in which the rise times of the two or more of the single-wave signals are extended so that they are different from each other, and the fall timing of one or more of the single-wave signals is shifted. The second signal generating portion generates a drive signal to be input to a piezoelectric element by extracting a rising edge of any one of the single-wave signals, the rise time of which is extended, from the original common signal amplified by the amplifying portion, maintaining a signal level changed by extracting the rising edge of the single-wave signal, and extracting a falling edge of a single-wave signal after the single-wave signal.

Abstract: A charging prediction system includes vehicles, a charging station, and a control device including one or more processors and one or more memories. The one or more processors are configured to execute a process. The process includes accumulating, in a storage device, record data that is actual data on a charged vehicle ratio for a first remaining traveling distance of each of the vehicles traveling along a specific traveling road. The process includes deriving, based on the record data, a predicted value of the charged vehicle ratio for each vehicle in a predetermined group including ones of the vehicles currently traveling along the specific traveling road. The process includes deriving a predicted waiting period that is a predicted value of a waiting period to a start of charging at the charging station based on the predicted values of the charged vehicle ratios.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing device to heat a recording material at a use position, an opening and closing member, and a drawer unit. In a state where the fixing device is at the use position, part of the fixing device is located in a space for the drawer unit to pass through when moved from a first inner position to a first outer position so that movement of the drawer unit from the first inner to the first outer position is restricted. The fixing device is retracted from the use position to a retracted position so that the movement of the drawer unit from the first inner to the first outer position is allowed. Part of the fixing device at the retracted position is at a position higher than a position of an upper cover portion of the opening and closing member at a closed position.

Abstract: A magnesium clad material 100 includes, when a cross-section thereof cut in a thickness direction thereof is observed, a Mg layer (11), a first Al layer (12) made of pure Al or an Al alloy, and a first joint (13) made of pure Cu or a Cu alloy and arranged between the Mg layer and the first Al layer, and the magnesium clad material has a 0.2% proof stress of 150 MPa or more as measured in a tensile test under a room temperature atmosphere.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus main body, a drawer unit, and a transfer device a including a belt. When image formation on a recording material is performed, the drawer unit is at a first apparatus main body inner position and the transfer device is at a second apparatus main body inner position. In this drawer unit state, (a) a part of the transfer device is disposed downstream of the drawer unit in a moving direction in which the drawer unit moves from the first inner position to a first apparatus main body outer position, and (b) in a vertical direction, an area where the part of the transfer device is positioned overlaps, at least in part, with an area where the drawer unit is positioned. The transfer device includes a cleaning member to clean the belt and is accommodated in the part of the transfer device.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus to form an image on a recording material includes an apparatus main body having a first end provided with an opening and having a second end, a fixing device to heat the recording material, an opening and closing member, a drawer unit having a first photosensitive drum, and a transfer device. When being moved from a first inner position inside the apparatus main body to a first outer position outside the apparatus main body through the main body opening, the drawer unit is to be moved in a moving direction intersecting with a rotation axis of the first photosensitive drum, and is to be moved away from the second end. When being moved from a second inner position inside the apparatus main body to a second outer position outside the apparatus main body, the transfer device is moved away from the second end.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus main body, a drawer unit, and a transfer device including a belt. The drawer unit includes a first cartridge, a support member to which the first cartridge is detachably attached, and a first photosensitive drum disposed on the support member or the first cartridge. The drawer unit is moved to a first inner position inside the apparatus main body and to a first outer position outside the apparatus main body. The transfer device is moved to a second inner position inside the apparatus main body and to a second outer position outside the apparatus main body. The belt contacts the first photosensitive drum with the transfer device at the second inner position. The transfer device is moved from the second inner to the second outer position when the drawer unit is moved from the first inner to the first outer position.

Abstract: A device for controlling a storage battery system is provided. The device includes: a state information calculator configured to calculate state information on each of batteries of a plurality of storage battery modules; a conversion efficiency characteristics calculator configured to calculate a power conversion efficiency of each of DC/DC converters of the plurality of storage battery modules; and a storage battery module selector configured to select one or a plurality of storage battery modules to be used while the storage battery system is charged or discharged and to determine a charge power or a discharge power of each of the selected storage battery modules, based on the state information of the batteries and the power conversion efficiencies of the DC/DC converters.

Abstract: A tractor includes: a vehicle body; an engine bonnet that forms an engine compartment; an engine disposed in the engine compartment; a first exhaust-gas cleaning device that is disposed in the engine compartment and purifies exhaust gas discharged by the engine; and a second exhaust-gas cleaning device that is disposed in the engine compartment and purifies the exhaust gas, the first exhaust-gas cleaning device being disposed above the engine such that a long side of the first exhaust-gas cleaning device is substantially parallel to a vehicle-body lateral width direction, the second exhaust-gas cleaning device being disposed behind the engine such that a long side of the second exhaust-gas cleaning device is substantially parallel to the vehicle-body lateral width orientation, and a maximum vertical length of the first exhaust-gas cleaning device is shorter than a maximum longitudinal length of the first exhaust-gas cleaning device.

Abstract: A pressure sensitive adhesive particle includes a pressure sensitive adhesive base particle that contains a styrene resin containing styrene and a vinyl monomer other than styrene as polymerization components, and a (meth)acrylate resin containing at least two (meth)acrylates as polymerization components, in which a mass ratio of the (meth)acrylates relative to a total of polymerization components of the (meth)acrylate resin is 90 mass % or more; and an external additive. The pressure sensitive adhesive particle has a surface having an arithmetic average roughness Ra within a range of 0.005 ?m to 0.100 ?m. The pressure sensitive adhesive particle has at least two glass transition temperatures, and the difference between the lowest glass transition temperature and the highest glass transition temperature among the glass transition temperatures of the pressure sensitive adhesive particle is 30° C. or more.

Abstract: Oxidizing an oligonucleotide precursor having a phosphite ester bond or a phosphonate ester bond with an oxidant, wherein the oxidant is a compound represented by the formula (I) excluding 2,2-dipyridyl disulfide: wherein the symbols are as defined in the specification is useful for producing an oligonucleotide having a phosphate ester bond.