Abstract: An economical capacitor-type welding device and capacitor-type welding method that have a small power loss, that can be made compact, and that reliably control a charging circuit without being affected by the inductance of a charging path. In an exemplary capacitor-type welding device and an exemplary capacitor-type welding method of the invention, a bypass switching element having a forward-blocking function is connected in parallel to output terminals of a charging circuit, and the bypass switching element is brought into a conduction state to allow a backflow current, which is caused to flow by a magnetic energy stored in the inductance of a primary winding or an inductor included in the charging path, to bypass the charging circuit. A discharge switching element is brought into a conduction state after the bypass switching element enters the non-conduction state and recovers the forward-blocking function.

Abstract: The capacitive welder includes a charging circuit, a welding transformer, a capacitor, a discharging switching element connected in parallel with a primary winding of the welding transformer and the capacitor that are connected in series, a bypass switching element connected in parallel with the primary winding, welding electrodes connected in parallel with a secondary winding of the welding transformer, and a control circuit for bringing the welding transformer into a reset allowing state by allowing a reset current to flow in the primary winding using the input power introduced through the charging circuit without supplying an ON signal to the bypass switching element, and then supplying the ON signal to the bypass switching element such that the capacitor is charged through the bypass switching element by the input power introduced through the charging circuit.

Abstract: In order to achieve an object of stably joining two or more composite materials containing carbon fibers and a thermoplastic resin at a target joining position, joining surfaces of two or more composite materials (11a, 11b) containing carbon fibers and a thermoplastic resin are brought into contact, and an electric current for joining the two or more composite materials (11a, 11b) by Joule heat is fed to the target joining position in a state in which vibration is applied by a vibration generating device (17) to the two or more composite materials (11a, 11b) which are being pressed by a pressing device (13) so as to join the two or more composite materials (11a, 11b).

Abstract: The capacitive welder includes a charging circuit, a welding transformer, a capacitor, a discharging switching element connected in parallel with a primary winding of the welding transformer and the capacitor that are connected in series, a bypass switching element connected in parallel with the primary winding, welding electrodes connected in parallel with a secondary winding of the welding transformer, and a control circuit for bringing the welding transformer into a reset allowing state by allowing a reset current to flow in the primary winding using the input power introduced through the charging circuit without supplying an ON signal to the bypass switching element, and then supplying the ON signal to the bypass switching element such that the capacitor is charged through the bypass switching element by the input power introduced through the charging circuit.

Abstract: An economical capacitor-type welding device and capacitor-type welding method that have a small power loss, that can be made compact, and that reliably control a charging circuit without being affected by the inductance of a charging path. In an exemplary capacitor-type welding device and an exemplary capacitor-type welding method of the invention, a bypass switching element having a forward-blocking function is connected in parallel to output terminals of a charging circuit, and the bypass switching element is brought into a conduction state to allow a backflow current, which is caused to flow by a magnetic energy stored in the inductance of a primary winding or an inductor included in the charging path, to bypass the charging circuit. A discharge switching element is brought into a conduction state after the bypass switching element enters the non-conduction state and recovers the forward-blocking function.

Abstract: To provide a sheet shutter which, when a shutter electrical unit is provided in a support post, prevents the shutter electrical unit from greatly projecting from the support post. The sheet shutter according to the present invention, which includes a sheet case, a support post arranged at each of the left and right end portions of the sheet case, a sheet guide section that is provided at each of left and right inner portions of the support posts to guide the lifting and lowering of the sheet, and a shutter electrical unit is featured in that a storage space which detachably accommodates and supports the shutter electrical unit along the direction of the support post is formed on the left and right outer side of the sheet guide section in the support post.

Abstract: A method of obtaining a high-strength bonded body between composite materials, each containing a thermoplastic resin and carbon fibers, with a low current in a short period of time, wherein the bonded body is rarely susceptible to deformation such as warp. The method of manufacturing a bonded body, comprises the steps of: (i) preparing a plurality of composite materials, each containing a thermoplastic resin and discontinuous carbon fibers which are randomly oriented; (ii) overlapping the composite materials each other; (iii) sandwiching at least a part of the overlapped portion between a pair of electrodes; and (iv) applying electricity between the electrodes to weld together the thermoplastic resins with Joule heat.

Abstract: The present invention is to facilitate the attachment and maintenance work of left and right sheet guides of a shutter and to facilitate the return of the disengaged sheet. A sheet guide of a sheet shutter according to the present invention is a mechanism configured such that a sheet 2 is lifted and lowered by being wound and unwound around a sheet drum 5 supported between left and right support posts 3 and 3 according to the rotation of the sheet drum 5, and such that both the left and right ends of the sheet 2 are lifted and lowered by being guided by sheet guide sections 11 and 11 respectively installed in the support posts 3 and 3.

Abstract: To provide a sheet shutter in which an urging member for urging an unwound, sheet toward the left and right outer side is provided so that the sheet is made to smoothly slide in the left and right direction and the wear of the urging member is suppressed. The sheet shutter according to the present invention is configured such that a rail groove is provided in each of left and right support posts, such that an inner rail is accommodated and supported in the rail grooves, such that engagement guides for guiding the lifting and lowering of the sheet formed in the inner rails, and such that, when the urging member is provided in the rail groove, an elastic sheet section for partitioning the inside of the rail groove into front and rear portions is provided at the urging member.

Abstract: To provide a sheet shutter which, when a shutter electrical unit is provided in a support post, prevents the shutter electrical unit from greatly projecting from the support post. The sheet shutter according to the present invention, which includes a sheet case, a support post arranged at each of the left and right end portions of the sheet case, a sheet guide section that is provided at each of left and right inner portions of the support posts to guide the lifting and lowering of the sheet, and a shutter electrical unit is featured in that a storage space which detachably accommodates and supports the shutter electrical unit along the direction of the support post is formed on the left and right outer side of the sheet guide section in the support post.

Abstract: To provide a sheet shutter in which an urging member for urging an unwound, sheet toward the left and right outer side is provided so that the sheet is made to smoothly slide in the left and right direction and the wear of the urging member is suppressed. The sheet shutter according to the present invention is configured such that a rail groove is provided in each of left and right support posts, such that an inner rail is accommodated and supported in the rail grooves, such that engagement guides for guiding the lifting and lowering of the sheet formed in the inner rails, and such that, when the urging member is provided in the rail groove, an elastic sheet section for partitioning the inside of the rail groove into front and rear portions is provided at the urging member.

Abstract: The present invention is to facilitate the attachment and maintenance work of left and right sheet guides of a shutter and to facilitate the return of the disengaged sheet. A sheet guide of a sheet shutter according to the present invention is a mechanism configured such that a sheet 2 is lifted and lowered by being wound and unwound around a sheet drum 5 supported between left and right support posts 3 and 3 according to the rotation of the sheet drum 5, and such that both the left and right ends of the sheet 2 are lifted and lowered by being guided by sheet guide sections 11 and 11 respectively installed in the support posts 3 and 3.

Abstract: A magnetic sensor includes a pair of serially-connected magneto-resistive elements (1a, 1b), one of which serves as a sensing portion (6) made to face a magnetic detecting medium (S), and the other of which serves as a temperature-compensating portion (7). The magnetic sensor also includes a magnet (5) that gives magnetic biases having different types of magnetism to the magneto-resistive elements (1a, 1b), and a detection circuit (8) that applies DC voltage to between ends of the serially-connected magneto-resistive elements (1a, 1b) and detects a potential change of the common connection point of the magneto-resistive elements (1a, 1b).

Abstract: There are provided a pair of serially-connected magneto-resistive elements (1a, 1b), one of which serves as a sensing portion (6) made to face a magnetic detecting medium (S), and the other as a temperature-compensating portion (7); a magnet (5) that gives magnetic biases having different types of magnetism to the magneto-resistive elements (1a, 1b); and a detection circuit (8) that applies DC voltage to between ends of the serially-connected magneto-resistive elements (1a, 1b) and detects a potential change of the common connection point of the magneto-resistive elements (1a, 1b).

Abstract: An optical apparatus is provided with storage means for storing captured images taken beforehand within a range of directional variability of an optical imaging system. The direction of the optical imaging system is detected and an image obtained in the detected direction is read from the storage means and displayed in place of an image actually being taken by the optical imaging system. When the scene desired to be viewed is not clearly visible or hard to find owing to cloudiness or the like, the user can view a corresponding simulated scene and, based on the simulated scene, can quickly find and view the actual scene. The real or simulated scene can be displayed for a predetermined period of time in response to insertion of a coin.

Abstract: An apparatus for imaging fluorescent particles comprises an imaging vessel having a lower section defining an interior space for containing fluorescent particles, the lower section having a side wall, a bottom wall and an exterior surface portion defining an entry surface for transmitting into the interior space a flat excitation beam of light. A light projecting device projects a flat excitation beam of light onto the entry surface of the imaging vessel in a direction generally parallel to the bottom wall thereof to illuminate the fluorescent particles. Images of the illuminated fluorescent particles are captured from the bottom wall of the imaging vessel.

Abstract: A vessel for imaging fluorescent particles comprises a tubular body having an upper section, and a lower section defining an interior space for containing fluorescent particles. The lower section of the tubular body has an exterior surface portion forming an entry surface for transmitting into the interior space a beam of light projected in a direction generally parallel to the exterior surface portion of the lower section to illuminate the fluorescent particles.

Abstract: A voice coding system for separating and coding voice information into spectrum envelope information and voice source information, with the intention of compressing the amount of information for efficient coding of vocal audio signals through the control of the voice source information based on the fact that the spectrum envelope information and voice source information highly correlate with each other.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a sheet shutter which is a shutter of the type in which a sheet-form shielding material is lifted and lowered to be used as a partition of the entrance or passage of factory, warehouse or the like. The sheet shutter comprises (a) a pair of sheet guides erected parallel with a predetermined spacing therebetween, each sheet guide having an uppr end; (b) a sheet case provided between the upper ends of the sheet guides; (c) a take-up drum rotatably supported within the sheet case, the take-up drum having an interior space; (d) a flexible sheet having a top edge and both of side edges, the both side edges being guided by the sheet guides in such a manner that the flexible sheet is lifted and lowered, and the top edges being attached to the take-up drum; and (e) a motor for rotationally driving the take-up drum, and motor being fixed to the sheet case and accommodated in the interior space of the take-up drum.

Abstract: A user interface system for information retrieval which includes apparatus for sequentially effecting syntactic and semantic analysis, every time a retrieval request sentence is inputted on words and clauses of the request sentence, apparatus inputted for creating partial syntactic and semantic expressions from successively obtained results of the syntactic and semantic analysis, apparatus for predicting words or clauses which are to be next inputted as the retrieval request sentence by making use of a semantic relation between the syntactic and semantic expression and an associated task, apparatus for displaying candidates for the predicted clauses, and apparatus for taking in selected clauses as subsequent clauses of the retrieval request sentence by and permitting a user to select at least one of the displayed candidates.