Abstract: An actuator includes a shaft supported in such a manner as to make axial reciprocating movement or rotational reciprocating movement around longitudinal axis thereof, and an electricity conducting member for making contact with the shaft at a plurality of points on a circumferential surface of the shaft used as an electricity conducting path leading to other members. Further, an electric toothbrush includes the actuator as a drive power source for a brush body, and the brush body is adapted to be supplied with an electric current through the shaft.

Abstract: A heating and blowing apparatus includes a main body housing having an inlet port and a discharge port. An air flow path extends from the inlet pod to the discharge port. A rotatingly driven fan and a heating unit are arranged on the air flow path. A bypass flow path branches off from the air flow path and leads to an ion emission port. An ion generator including a discharge electrode and an opposing electrode is arranged in the bypass flow path Further, the apparatus includes a cover arranged at the ion emission port and having an opening through which ions pass. One or more protrusions are provided on a rear surface of the cover. The protrusions make contact with the opposing electrode such that the cover is grounded through the opposing electrode.

Abstract: An output of a load voltage detector is read by an A/D converter, and a reference value Is and a switching frequency are decided by a microcomputer. In order that the decided switching frequency can be achieved, a SET signal is inputted from a switching frequency counting unit to a drive controller, and a switching element is turned on. When a current flowing through the switching element, which is detected by a resistor, exceeds the reference value Is of a reference arithmetic unit, a RESET signal is inputted from a current detector to the drive controller, and the switching element is turned off. Thereafter, the reference value Is and the switching frequency are set so that the switching element can be turned on at the next time at timing when a regenerative current of a diode turns to substantial zero.

Abstract: An adhesive sheet with a base for flexible printed wiring boards is provided, which has advantages of easiness of machining, excellent moldability, high rigidity and preventing the fall of resin dust particles during machining of a multilayer flexible printed wiring board or a flex-rigid printed wiring board. This adhesive sheet is used for bonding of a flexible printed wiring board made of a polyimide resin, and comprises a woven or nonwoven fabric as the base and a resin composition. The resin composition contains, as essential components, (a) an epoxy resin having two or more of epoxy groups in one molecule; (b) a polycarbodiimide resin dispersible in a solvent, in which the epoxy resin (a) is also dispersible, and having a number average molecular weight of 2000 or more and less than 10000; and (c) an imidazole curing agent. A weight ratio of the component (a) and the component (b) is in a range of 80:20 to 20:80.

Abstract: A charging apparatus includes a battery pack, which includes a cell voltage detection unit outputting a signal if a detected cell voltage is not smaller than V1, and a temperature sensor detecting a temperature of the battery pack; and a charger, which includes a charging control circuit and a pack voltage detection unit detecting a voltage across two terminals of the battery pack. If the detected temperature from the temperature sensor exceeds 0° C., the charging control circuit switches to a constant voltage charging when the signal from the cell voltage detection unit is received; and if otherwise, the charging control unit switches to the constant voltage charging when receiving the signal or the detected pack voltage exceeds V2, whichever occurs first.

Abstract: Disclosed is a multilayer organic solar cell having a structure wherein an inter-layer (3) is arranged between a first photoactive layer (1) and a second photoactive layer (2). This structure is obtained by forming the inter-layer (3) on the first photoactive layer (1) which is formed from an organic compound solution containing a donor material and an acceptor material, and then applying an organic compound solution containing a donor material and an acceptor material over the inter-layer (3) for forming the second photoactive layer (2). The inter-layer (3) is composed of at least either of a transparent oxide and a transparent nitride. By having such a structure, the inter-layer (3) prevents the solvent in the solution for the second photoactive layer (2) from permeating into the first photoactive layer (1) when the second photoactive layer (2) is formed over the first photoactive layer (1) by applying the solution.

Abstract: A vane pump includes a rotor chamber; a rotor eccentrically accommodated in the rotor chamber; a plurality of vanes attached to the rotor, each vane having a leading end adapted to make sliding contact with an inner peripheral surface of the rotor chamber. The vane pump includes working compartments surrounded by inner surfaces of the rotor chamber, an outer peripheral surface of the rotor, and the vanes; an inlet port through which a working fluid is drawn into a working compartment; and an outlet port through which the working fluid is discharged from a working compartment. An engaging portion is formed in a peripheral end portion of a thrust surface of the rotor and an engaged portion with which the engaging portion engages in a non-contact state is formed in an inner surface region of the rotor chamber facing the thrust surface of the rotor in a non-contact state.

Abstract: An OLED driver possesses a square-wave voltage source, a controller and a detector. In accordance with first control, the source generates square-wave voltage and applies the voltage across at least one organic electroluminescence element to drive the element. The controller controls the source in accordance with the first control. The detector detects equivalent capacitance inherent in the element. The controller also judges whether or not the element is normal based on the equivalent capacitance. If the element is normal, the controller operates in accordance with the first control. If the element is not normal, the controller operates in accordance with predetermined second control for the element which is not normal.

Abstract: An insulating structure is employed between conductive members of an electric device. The electric device has a housing accommodating electric components therein and a cover member covering the housing, the conductive members being disposed through communication holes of the housing and the cover member. The insulating structure includes contact prevention members for preventing water infiltrated into a gap between the housing and the cover member from contacting water collected in the communication holes for the conductive members, wherein the contact prevention members are interposed between the housing and the cover member. Each contact prevention member has a substantially annular shape, surrounding one of the conductive members.

Abstract: A personal trimming system includes a main body having a motor and a part of a driving unit for converting a rotation of the motor into a reciprocating motion; and a head portion having a driven member moving in a reciprocating motion. The head portion is pivotably supported with respect to the main body, and a gap is provided between the main body and the head portion.

Abstract: A high voltage is applied between an emitter electrode in an atomizing barrel and an opposed electrode supported to the atomizing barrel to electrostatically atomize a liquid supplied to the emitter electrode into a mist of charged minute particles. A silencer duct is attached to the front end of the atomizing barrel for reducing noises developed when generating the mist of the charged minute particles. Accordingly, the silencer duct can absorb the noises developed around the emitter electrode and the opposed electrode at immediately downstream thereof for effectively reducing the noises.

Abstract: In an ultrasonic vibration device (1) for hairstyling, which has a vibration element (10) for generating ultrasonic vibrations, and a horn (2) for amplifying vibrations generated by and transmitted from the vibration element. The horn (2) has a vibration entrance surface (21) of an oblong rectangular shape to which the vibration element (10) is connected and through which the vibrations generated by the vibration element enters into the horn, and a vibration exit surface (22) through which the vibrations propagated in the horn exits. The horn (2) has a cross sectional shape in a lateral direction of the oblong rectangular shape so that a width in the lateral direction becomes gradually narrower from the vibration entrance surface (21) to the vibration exit surface (22), and the vibration exit surface (22) has at least a convex portion, such as a hemi-cylindrical shape.

Abstract: An optical switch is provided, which is used to switch a light path(s) between at least three lenses spaced from each other in a horizontal direction, or in horizontal and vertical directions. This optical switch comprises a lens supporting member for supporting the lenses, fixed prism optically coupled to the lenses, and a movable prism supported to be movable relative to the lens supporting member. The movable prism is driven by an actuator between a first position where a light path is formed between two of the lenses by use of the fixed prism and a second position where a light path is formed between another two of the lenses by use of the movable prism.

Abstract: The electromagnetic relay of the present invention comprises a base (10), an electromagnet (20) disposed on the base, an armature (30) supported rotatably by the base, a movable spring (40) whose one end has a movable contact (41) and the opposite end is secured to the base, a fixed contact (51) disposed opposite to the movable contact, and a card (60). The card has a coupling part (61) to be coupled to the armature and an insertion hole (62) to which the one end of the movable spring is inserted, and it deforms the movable spring elastically in conjunction with a swing motion of the armature to selectively open or close a connection between the movable contact and the fixed contact. The movable spring has a U-shaped hook formed by bending the one end of the movable spring toward the opposite end side, and the hook can pass through the insertion hole while being pushed by an inner surface of the insertion hole and being deformed elastically, and an end of the hook is engaged with the card.

Abstract: An electronic ballast includes a microprocessor which is programmed to read an external voltage value, output a signal which controls an amount of power outputted by the electronic ballast, and adjust the signal based upon a difference between the external voltage value and an internal reference value.

Abstract: An electrical apparatus includes an electrical apparatus main body and a battery pack. The electrical apparatus main body has a load, a manipulation switch, a power receiving electrode, a main body control unit for controlling the electric power supplied from the power receiving electrode in response to a manipulation of the manipulation switch, a signal generation unit for generating an on-manipulation signal if the manipulation switch is switched on, and a main body signal electrode for outputting the on-manipulation signal. The battery pack has a battery, a power supplying electrode, a battery control unit for controlling the electric power supplied from the battery to the power supplying electrode, a battery signal electrode for receiving the on-manipulation signal, and a power supplying unit for starting a power supply from the battery to the battery control unit when the battery signal electrode receives the on-manipulation signal.

Abstract: An image display apparatus includes a projector 2 receiving an image signal and projecting image light and a screen 1 including a projection plane of arbitrary shape. The projector 2 and screen 1 are connected with link mechanisms 3a to 3c and link mechanisms 3b and 3d. The relative position and posture between the projector 2 and the screen 1 are automatically or manually changeable. The relative position and posture between the projector 2 and the screen 1 are measured, and correction parameters for correcting distortion of image light projected from the projector 2 onto the screen 1 are calculated from the previously set viewing position of the viewer and the shape of the projection plane of the projector 2. Based on the calculated correction parameters, the image signal inputted into the projector 2 is subjected to distortion correction processing. It is therefore possible to allow the viewer to see a clear image even if the position of the screen is changed.

Abstract: A light-emitting device of the present invention includes: a semiconductor layer 1 including a light-emitting layer 12; a recess/projection portion 14 including recesses and projections formed in a pitch larger than a wavelength of light emitted from the light-emitting layer 12, the recess/projection portion 14 being formed in a whole area or a partial area of the surface of the semiconductor layer which light is emitted from; and a reflective layer formed on an opposite surface of the semiconductor layer to the surface from which light is emitted, the reflective layer having a reflectance of 90% or more. According to the light-emitting device having such arrangement, the light can be emitted efficiently by synergetic effect of the reflective layer and the recess/projection portion.

Abstract: A light emitting device includes a light emitting diode chip, a heat conductive plate mounting thereon the light emitting diode chip, a sub-mount member disposed between said light emitting diode chip and said heat conductive plate, a dielectric substrate stacked on the heat conductive plate and being formed with a through-hole through which the sub-mount member is exposed, an encapsulation member for encapsulation of said light emitting diode chip, and a lens superimposed on the encapsulation member. The sub-mount member is formed around a coupling portion of the light emitting diode chip with a reflective film which reflects a light emitted from a side face of the light emitting diode chip. The sub-mount member is selected to have a thickness such that the reflecting film has its surface spaced away from said heat conductive plate by a greater distance than said dielectric substrate.

Abstract: An impact tool for simultaneously providing a rotational force and an impact force to an object has an output shaft rotated by a motor, hammer for intermittently providing an impact force to the output shaft, hammer holder for movably holding the hammer, and an impact force generator for generating the impact force from an output of the motor. An air chamber is formed between the hammer and the hammer holder such that a volume of the air chamber is variable in response to a position of the hammer relative to the hammer holder. In addition, the hammer receives a bias force generated in a direction toward the output shaft by a biasing device. This bias force effectively increases the impact force in cooperation with an air pressure caused by a volume change of the air chamber.