Abstract: A filter having a plurality of filter pores penetrating one surface and another surface of the filter, wherein the filter pore has a first opening on the one surface and a second opening on the another surface, a ratio (L1/W1) of a major axis diameter L1 to a minor axis diameter W1 of the first opening is 1.00 or more and 1.20 or less, the minor axis diameter W1 is 7.0 ?m or more and 9.0 ?m or less, a ratio (L2/W2) of a major axis diameter L2 to a minor axis diameter W2 of the second opening is 1.00 or more and 1.20 or less, and a ratio (W2/W1) of the minor axis diameter W2 to the minor axis diameter W1 and a ratio (L2/L1) of the major axis diameter L2 to the major axis diameter L1 are both 1.20 or more and 1.50 or less.

Abstract: A bearing component for rotatably receiving a rotating shaft on an end of a rotating unit includes a component body, an inner protrusion, and one or more outer protrusions. The component body has a recess into which the rotating shaft is rotatably inserted. The inner protrusion protrudes from a wall portion of the recess facing an end surface of the rotating shaft. The inner protrusion receives an axial load by the rotating shaft. The outer protrusions protrude from an outer surface of the component body opposite to the recess. The one or more outer protrusions are in contact with a holding unit. A contact portion between the outer protrusions and the holding unit is offset from a contact portion position between the inner protrusion and the end surface. The contact portion between at least one of the outer protrusions and the holding unit has a non-planar shape.

Abstract: A bearing component for rotatably receiving a rotating shaft on an end of a rotating unit includes a component body, an inner protrusion, and one or more outer protrusions. The component body has a recess into which the rotating shaft is rotatably inserted. The inner protrusion protrudes from a wall portion of the recess facing an end surface of the rotating shaft. The inner protrusion receives an axial load by the rotating shaft. The outer protrusions protrude from an outer surface of the component body opposite to the recess. The one or more outer protrusions are in contact with a holding unit. A contact portion between the outer protrusions and the holding unit is offset from a contact portion position between the inner protrusion and the end surface. The contact portion between at least one of the outer protrusions and the holding unit has a non-planar shape.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a rotary image carrying unit, a charging unit that charges a surface of the image carrying unit, a developing unit that develops an electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the image carrying unit, and an applying unit that applies, to the developing unit, a developing voltage having a reverse polarity to a polarity for image formation when an uncharged region of the image carrying unit reaches the developing unit at a start of the charging unit.

Abstract: A battery charging method that charges a battery to a full charged state at a specified voltage. In the battery charging method, the battery is charged to the full charged state at the specified voltage that decreases as battery charging/discharging processes are repeated.

Abstract: A battery pack provided with a current cut-off device connected in series with batteries, a tamper detector to detect tampering and issue a tamper signal, and a control circuit connected to the tamper detector. If the tamper detector detects tampering with the battery pack, the control circuit switches the current cut-off device off to shut off current to the batteries, or it issues a tamper signal.

Abstract: A method for charging a lithium-ion secondary battery is so designed as to fully charge, with a voltage of the lithium-ion secondary battery being limited to a set voltage. Further, the method for charging the lithium-ion secondary battery is so designed that a degradation level of the lithium-ion secondary battery is detected, and when the degradation is advanced, the battery is fully charged with the set voltage being lowered.

Abstract: The present invention provides a battery charging method that charges a battery to a full charged state at a specified voltage. In the battery charging method, the battery is charged to the full charged state at the specified voltage that decreases as battery charging/discharging processes are repeated.

Abstract: The battery pack of the present invention is provided with a current cut-off device connected in series with batteries, a tamper detector to detect tampering and issue a tamper signal, and a control circuit connected to the tamper detector. If the tamper detector detects tampering with the battery pack, the control circuit switches the current cut-off device off to shut off current to the batteries, or it issues a tamper signal.

Abstract: The charging apparatus for charging a secondary battery by controlling the charging current on the basis of the change with time of the voltage of the secondary battery through sampling of the voltage. The voltage of the secondary battery is sampled by use of a voltage/frequency converter which converts the voltage of the secondary battery to pulses of a frequency corresponding to the voltage and a counter which counts the converted pulses for a predetermined time with a predetermined cycle. The counting time of the counter is set to be larger than half a cycle of a commercial alternating current source used as a charging power source. Short duration fluctuations in the battery voltage due to charging power source variations are compensated for because the average voltage during this time is converted to digital values, thus making it possible to sample the voltage of the secondary battery correctly without being influenced by the change of the voltage of the power source.

Abstract: An apparatus which is capable of providing an advance warning for indicating excessive discharge of a battery, during the supply of electric power from the battery to a load, prior to the battery being unuseable for powering the load. The apparatus comprises first power supplying means for initially supplying power from the battery to the load, supervisory control means for continuously monitoring the residual or current power capacity of the battery and interrupting or reducing the supply of power to the load when a predetermined quantity of power consumption is detected, and second power supplying means for supplying, subsequently, the residual power of the battery to the load when the first power supplying means is rendered inoperative.

Abstract: An electric shaver is described which comprises: a housing; a fixed cutter mounted to the housing; and a movable cutter arranged to slide along the fixed cutter. A driving motor is linked to the movable cutter for slidably moving the movable cutter along the fixed cutter. A power supply circuit is electrically connected to the driving motor for supplying a selectively controllable voltage to the driving motor. The power supply circuit comprises a charging circuit and a control circuit. The charging circuit includes a voltage reducing transformer, and a rectifying element and a rechargeable battery connected in series with the secondary coil of the voltage reducing transformer. The control circuit is connected to the driving motor in parallel to the rechargeable battery. The control circuit includes a starting switch and at least one voltage drop element having a substantially constant voltage characteristic. The starting switch and the voltage drop element are connected in series with the driving motor.