Abstract: A lighting device includes: a lighting unit which outputs a direct current; a smoothing unit having a capacitor which smoothes the direct current outputted from the lighting unit and supplies it; and a control unit for performing an intermittent control which alternately repeats a first time period in which the direct current is supplied to the smoothing unit and a second time period in which the direct current decreases to be smaller than that in the first time period. In the lighting device, a product of a frequency (Hz) and a capacitance (?F) of the capacitor is equal to or greater than 0.05 in which one cycle of the frequency corresponds to a sum of the first time period and the second time period.

Abstract: The power supply apparatus a main power device, an auxiliary power unit, and controlling means. Each of the main power device and the auxiliary power unit is configured to supply DC power to a DC supply line. The main power device is configured to generate DC power by use of power supplied from a secondary cell. The controlling means is configured to, when a measurement (a magnitude of a current flowing through the DC supply line) exceeds an optimal current magnitude, send an instruction to the main power device such that a current supplied from the main power device to the DC supply line has the same magnitude as the optimal current magnitude.

Abstract: The home appliance managing system includes a plurality of central managing devices and a center server. The center server is connected to the plurality of the central managing devices, and stores plural data used at home appliances. When the central managing device stores predetermined data requested by the home appliance, the central managing device sends the predetermined data to the home appliance. When the central managing device does not store the predetermined data, the central managing device requests the predetermined data from the center server. The center server sends the predetermined data to the central managing device in response to the request from the central managing device. The central managing device sends the predetermined data received from the center server to the home appliance and stores the same data.

Abstract: The power supply apparatus includes a first power device, a second power unit, and controlling means. Each of the first power device and the second power unit supplies DC power to a DC supply line. The first power device makes constant voltage control. The second power unit includes a second power device configured to make inclination control of monotonically decreasing its output voltage with an increase of its output current, and of monotonically increasing its output voltage with a decrease of its output current. Upon acknowledging that a measurement (a magnitude of a current flowing through the DC supply line) exceeds an optimal current magnitude (a magnitude of a current supplied to the DC supply line from the first power device operating at maximum conversion efficiency), the controlling means outputs an instruction such that a magnitude of a current supplied to the DC supply line from the second power unit is identical to a difference between the measurement and the optimal current magnitude.

Abstract: A dye-sensitized solar cell of the present invention including: an electrode having, on one surface, a semiconductor layer with a sensitizing dye supported thereon, a counter electrode positioned opposing the semiconductor layer, and a charge transport layer disposed between the electrode and the counter electrode, wherein at least one of the electrode and the counter electrode is a transparent conductive film prepared by laminating an ITO film and an FTO film, and part or all of the crystal structure of the surface of the FTO film is orthorhombic.

Abstract: The illuminating apparatus includes a light-transmissive surface-emitting module, and a switching board disposed on a back surface of the surface-emitting module. The switching board is configured such that a state of the switching board can be switched between a light blocking state and a light transmitting state.

Abstract: An objective is to produce the plug-in-connector for DC-wiring with safety by preventing degradation of contact points by shortening of period when arc is caused due to detaching and attaching the plug. An electrical outlet comprises an inversion-spring electrically connected to the plug's blade inserted from the insertion-hole. Both the ends of the inversion-spring are fixed to the inversion-spring's body, whereby the inversion-spring's intermediate-portion is moved between the contact position of making an elastically contact with the blade and the non-contact position of making a space having a predetermined distance or more for cutting the arc. The blade pushes the intermediate-portion to move it to the non-contact position by twisting the plug having a contact condition between the intermediate-portion and the blade. The intermediate-portion is inverted to have an elastic contact to the blade by pushing the push button to move the intermediate-portion, with non-contact position, by the driving member.

Abstract: An illumination device, includes: a photovoltaic power generation unit; a battery unit for storing the electric power generated in the photovoltaic power generation unit; a light source to be turned on using the battery unit as a power source; a human detecting sensor; a human determining unit for determining presence/absence of the human based on a detection result of the human detecting sensor; a season determining unit; and a lighting control unit for, if the human determining unit determines that the human exists, turning on the light source at a specified dimming rate for a specified on-duration. The lighting control unit is configured to, based on a season determination result of the season determining unit, make power consumption of the light source in a season having a reduced daytime period smaller than power consumption of the light source in a season having an increased daytime period.

Abstract: There is provided a method for manufacturing a three-dimensional shaped object. The method of the present invention comprises the repeated steps of: (i) forming a solidified layer by irradiating a predetermined portion of a powder layer with a light beam, thereby allowing a sintering of the powder in the predetermined portion or a melting and subsequent solidification thereof; and (ii) forming another solidified layer by newly forming a powder layer on the resulting solidified layer, followed by the irradiation of a predetermined portion of the powder layer with the light beam; wherein only the surface portion of the solidified layer, to which a force is applied when the three-dimensional shaped object is used, is subjected to a machining process.

Abstract: An electromagnetic relay includes: an electromagnetic block a bobbin including collar parts at both ends of a coil winding part on which a coil is wound, an iron core and a yoke; a contact block including a fixed contact and a movable contact; a pair of partition walls provided in parallel with the axial direction of the coil, opposing each other with the coil sandwiched therebetween and abutting on both the collar parts of the bobbin; and a case that accommodates therein the electromagnet block, the contact block and the partition walls. Inner wall surfaces of the case abut on both the collar parts of the bobbin and the partition walls from a direction intersecting both a direction in which the pair of partition walls oppose and the axial direction of the bobbin.

Abstract: The infrared array sensor comprises a base with recess and a plurality of image elements on the base to cover the recess. The image element has the first infrared absorption members and the thermosensors. The thin film structural body is formed with a slit which divides the thin film structural body into the cantilevers. The cantilever has one lengthwise end which is defined as the first end, and remaining one lengthwise end which is defined as the second end. The thermosensor is disposed on the cantilever. When the temperature variation of the thermosensor is caused, the thermosensor generates the output signal corresponding to the temperature variation of the thermosensor.

Abstract: A power converter that receives a plurality of direct current (DC) powers, which are received in different modes and have a common ground and substantially the same potential, and operates a plurality of loads, wherein the power converter operates the respective loads according to input states of the plurality of DC powers and supplies the plurality of loads with power via at least a common switch element or a common coil.

Abstract: A moving object detecting apparatus includes: a transmitting/receiving unit for radiating an ultrasonic wave and receiving a reflective wave reflected from an object present in a monitoring space; a phase detection circuit for mixing reference signals with a reflective signal and obtaining a pair of Doppler signals each having an amplitude depending on a phase difference from the reference signal, each of the Doppler signals having a different phase from each other; a rotation angle calculation unit for calculating a rotation angle; a cumulative addition unit for accumulating the rotation angle; and a comparison unit for comparing the accumulated rotation angle with a threshold value. In the moving object detecting apparatus, a single ultrasonic vibrator is commonly used in the transmitting unit and the receiving unit.

Abstract: There is provided an AC/DC two-way switch connected between an AC power source or a DC power source and a load to control a power supply to the load. The AC/DC two-way switch includes: a bi-directional semiconductor switch element having a transistor structure connected in series between a power source and the load; a rectifying unit connected in parallel between the first input terminal and a second input terminal; a power source unit for converting an output voltage from the rectifying unit into a stable voltage; and a controller for controlling an entire operation of the AC/DC two-way switch. The AC/DC two-way switch further includes a driving unit for turning on the bi-directional semiconductor switch element in response to a control signal.

Abstract: A hair clipper (1) comprises a replaceable blade block (3) having a comb-shaped stationary blade (5) and a comb-shaped moving blade (6) which is reciprocally movable in a widthwise direction of the hair clipper (1), a main body (2) having a motor (8) and a driving member (14) to transfer and to transmit a driving force of the motor (8) to reciprocal motion of the moving blade (6), and to which the blade block (3) is detachably attached, and a pressing mechanism (4) to press the moving blade (6) toward the stationary blade (5). The pressing mechanism (4) is provided on the main body (2) and has at least one contact portion (4b) which reciprocally moves in synchronism with a reciprocal motion of the moving blade (6).

Abstract: An electrodeless discharge lamp is provided which prevents the problem of decrease in strength due to degradation of resin material, allowing secure fitting of a lamp part and a coupler member to a base even if it is used for a long time. A bulb containing a discharge gas and a coupler member for generating a high frequency electromagnetic field to excite the bulb are detachably fitted to each other via a base for fixing and supporting the bulb. The bulb and the base form a lamp part. The base comprises a base frame formed of a metal such as aluminum and a base cover formed e.g. of synthetic resin. The base frame has a coupler member fitting portion which is provided at a lower part thereof and fitted to the coupler member, wherein bulb fixing posts provided to stand on the coupler member fitting portion fix a bulb outer tube. Thus, the fitting portions of the lamp part and the coupler member to the base undergo less material degradation than a conventional one which uses a base of resin material.

Abstract: A plant growing system of the present invention includes: a first light source for irradiating red light to a plant; a second light source for irradiating far-red light to the plant; a control part that controls irradiation operations of the first light source and the second light source; and a time setting part that sets a time zone in which the control part operates the irradiation of the first light source and the second light source. The time setting part is designed such that the first light source starts red light irradiation before sunset; and the second light source starts far-red light irradiation after the red light irradiation.

Abstract: A linear oscillatory actuator includes a magnetic pole forming portion that includes an electromagnet and a base, magnetic blocks each of which includes a magnet attracted or repelled by the electromagnet to reciprocate, elastic suspensions for supporting the magnetic blocks, and at least one coupling spring portion that couples the magnetic blocks reciprocatably. Each of the elastic suspension includes upper and lower extending portions, and elastic planar portions integrally provided between the upper extending portions and the lower extending portions, respectively. Depressed portions are formed at continuous portions between the upper extending portions and the elastic planar portions, respectively, and each of the depressed portions is depressed toward the magnetic blocks. While the magnetic blocks reciprocate, Stress concentration on the continuous portions can be mitigated by the depressed portions.

Abstract: In a photometry device, photopic vision luminance Lp is measured by a first luminance measuring unit including a first light filter 4 and a first photoelectric converter 5, and scotopic vision luminance Ls is measured by a second luminance measuring unit including a second light filter 6 and a second photoelectric converter 7. A calculation part 8 calculates mesopic vision luminance Lmes based on a measurement value (photopic vision luminance Lp) of the first luminance measuring unit and a ratio of a measurement value (scotopic vision luminance Ls) of the second luminance measuring unit to the measurement value (photopic vision luminance Lp) of the first luminance measuring unit. Consequently, the photometry device can improve measurement accuracy of the brightness (mesopic vision luminance) in mesopic vision.

Abstract: A LED illuminating device includes: a power source device, a controller, an LED lighting device, and an LED unit 4 incorporating LEDs of a plurality of emission colors. The device is configured to mix the lights of the LEDs at an arbitrary proportion and set the lights in an arbitrary color mixture proportion on the basis of a dimming signal from the controller. The device is further configured so that: a coefficient specific to the LED unit at which an emission color of the LED unit becomes a desired color can be set to a signal value of the controller preliminarily set as a standard. The LED lighting device can control an emission amount of the LEDs having the respective emission colors by using a value calculated by a calculation expression employing the specific coefficient.