Abstract: A rectifying element is connected to an auxiliary winding. The shut-down circuit receives a bias voltage output from the rectifying element. A shut-down circuit stops supply of power to a power supply terminal of the power supply control IC when the bias voltage is less than a set voltage. A power supply control IC controls a ratio of on-time to a switching cycle of the switching element, based on a current sensing voltage generated at a current sense resistor. The power supply control IC causes the switching operation of the switching element to stop when a voltage at the power supply terminal decreases to a stop voltage or less.

Abstract: A rectifying element is connected to an auxiliary winding. The shut-down circuit receives a bias voltage output from the rectifying element. A shut-down circuit stops supply of power to a power supply terminal of the power supply control IC when the bias voltage is less than a set voltage. A power supply control IC controls a ratio of on-time to a switching cycle of the switching element, based on a current sensing voltage generated at a current sense resistor. The power supply control IC causes the switching operation of the switching element to stop when a voltage at the power supply terminal decreases to a stop voltage or less.

Abstract: An actuator includes an elastic member extensible in axial directions when a pressurized fluid is supplied into the elastic member, and guiding device arranged inwardly of the elastic member and permitting the elastic member to move in the axial directions, but restraining the elastic member from moving in directions intersecting the axial directions. As the actuator is of an air-bag type so that energy of the pressurized fluid can be converted into mechanical movement with high efficiency. The actuator moves only in radial directions without expanding in radial directions, so that a space occupied by the actuator in operation is little.

Abstract: A pneumatic actuator includes an elongate tubular body of a rubber-like elastic material, a braided reinforcing structure arranged on outer circumferential wall of the tubular body and composed of high tensile strength fibers oriented at a predetermined initial braiding angle with reference to longitudinal axis of the tubular body, and two closure members tightly closing the axial ends of the tubular body, respectively. At least one closure member has a connection hole for supplying pressurized fluid into a pressure chamber inside of the tubular body so that axial length of the actuator changes depending upon the initial braided angle of the reinforcing structure. Two hollow cylindrical fitting members are connected to the closure members and relatively slidably fitted with each other inside of the pressure chamber.

Abstract: An actuator includes an elastic member extensible in axial directions when a pressurized fluid is supplied into the elastic member, and guiding device arranged outwardly of the elastic member and permitting the elastic member to move in the axial directions, but restraining the elastic member from moving in directions intersecting the axial directions. As the actuator is of an air-bag type so that energy of the pressurized fluid can be converted into mechanical movement with high efficiency. The actuator moves only in axial directions without expanding in radial directions, so that the actuator takes up little space in operation.

Abstract: A bendable actuator includes a tubular body made of an elastic material, a reinforcing braided structure surrounding the tubular body, and closure members closing both open ends of the tubular body and the reinforcing braided structure, respectively. At least one closure member is formed with a connecting aperture communicating with an internal space of the tubular body. A restraining device is provided at least partially between the closure members for partially restraining extension of the actuator in the axial direction. When the tubular body is supplied with a pressurized fluid, the actuator is extended in the axial direction while being curved at the same time.

Abstract: A bendable actuator includes a plurality of elastic extensible members arranged in parallel and extensible in axial directions when a pressurized fluid is supplied into the elastic extensible members. The actuator further includes connecting members arranged in a manner embracing the elastic extensible members and connecting respective ends of the elastic extensible members. The actuator includes an elastic member arranged between the connecting members and surrounding the elastic extensible members to resist extending forces of the elastic extensible members and to restrain bending of the elastic extensible members. With this arrangement, linear extension and bending of the actuator are realized by adjusting supply and exhaust of the pressurized fluid into and from the elastic extensible members.

Abstract: A unit-price presetting method for a plurality of electronic cash registers each equipped with a built-in memory and provided independently of one another, in which the unit price for each commodity code is stored in a portable memory unit by the use of one electronic cash register and in which the portable memory unit is used to store the data of the same contents in all of the other electronic cash registers.

Abstract: A merchandise sales control system having a plurality of memory cassettes each provided with a memory for storing unit-price setting data or sales data, wherein a unit-price writing device presets commodity unit prices in the memory cassettes which are thereafter set in a plurality of electronic cash registers respectively and thereby the commodity unit prices are automatically read out according to the commodity code and wherein the memory cassettes are set in a totalling device to obtain gross sales total and the like.