Abstract: A laser welding method is provided to ensure a sufficient joining strength between metal plates by increasing the area of a joining region while preventing “burn through” of a molten metal. In the laser welding method by applying a laser beam to a surface of multiple metal plates superimposed on each other, a scanning locus with the laser beam is sequentially shifted from an inner circular scanning locus to an outer one in a predetermined joining region on the metal plates, and an emission interval is provided to temporally stop the metal-plate-surface irradiation when the scanning locus is shifted. Thus, every time the scanning locus is shifted, the molten metal due to the previous irradiation is cooled and increases its viscosity. Accordingly, the “burn through” is prevented regardless of increase of the area of the joining region, which results in a sufficient joining strength between the metal plates.

Abstract: In a method of operating a fuel cell system, a stable-period voltage difference is calculated in a state where output power of the fuel cell stack is stable. Thereafter, a voltage difference is calculated during power generation. Then, it is determined whether or not the change amount of the voltage difference with respect to the stable-period voltage difference has exceeded a predetermined threshold value. When it is determined that the change amount has exceeded the predetermined threshold value, electric power is generated with the supply amount of the anode gas to the fuel cell stack being increased.

Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a head configured to discharge liquid to a printing medium, a carriage configured to move the head back and forth to one side and another side in a scanning direction with respect to the printing medium, and a control unit configured to perform printing of a printing image with the liquid by controlling driving of the head and the carriage. When performing printing of an end portion of the printing image on the one side, the control unit performs the printing by a first scan in which the head is moved from the one side to the other side, and when performing printing of an end portion of the printing image on the other side, the control unit performs the printing by a second scan in which the head is moved from the other side to the one side.

Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a recording head that has a plurality of nozzles that eject liquid onto a medium and a control section that controls an ejection of liquid by the recording head, wherein the control section controls the recording head to record a plurality of first patterns having mutually different densities on the medium in a intersecting direction that intersects a nozzle alignment direction in which the nozzles are arranged, and to record a plurality of second patterns for identifying positions of the nozzles in the nozzle alignment direction on the medium in the intersecting direction such that each of the plurality of first patterns is adjacent to the second patterns on at least one of one end side and the other end side in the intersecting direction.

Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a first nozzle row and a second nozzle row, and a control unit configured to control ejection of liquid, the control unit is configured to cause the nozzle row to perform scan of ejecting the liquid while moving, and when recording a first pattern including a first overlapping region and a first normal region by controlling the first nozzle row and recording a second pattern including a second overlapping region and a second normal region by controlling the second nozzle row, the first overlapping region is formed at a position overlapping the second normal region as viewed in a longitudinal direction, the first overlapping region being an overlapping region where a raster line is formed by performing the scan m times, the first normal region being where the raster line is formed by performing the scan n times, n being smaller than m.

Abstract: An input device includes a fixed unit, a rotary member rotatably supported by the fixed unit, a rotation-detecting unit that detects a rotation angle of the rotary member, a brake-applying unit that applies a braking force to the rotary member, a torque-applying unit that applies a driving torque to the rotary member, and a control unit that controls the brake-applying unit and the torque-applying unit. The brake-applying unit includes magnetorheological fluid, a brake-applying coil that applies a magnetic field to the magnetorheological fluid, a shaft to which braking torque that changes with viscosity of the magnetorheological fluid is applied, and a transmission gear provided on the shaft and that is in mesh with a gear provided on the rotary member. The shaft is positioned on an outer side with respect to the rotary member in a radial direction of the rotary member.

Abstract: A block copolymer consists mainly of structural units each derived from an ethylenically unsaturated monomer and has at least one mercapto group. The block copolymer has an Mn of 5,000-500,000 and has a block structure, which is an A-B-A triblock structure or a star-shaped block structure of [A-B]qX. The q is an integer of 2-6. The polymer block (A) has a glass transition temperature of 20° C. or higher. The polymer block (B) of the triblock structure has a glass transition temperature lower than 20° C., and the [polymer block (B)]qX of the star-shaped block structure has a glass transition temperature lower than 20° C. The X is an initiator residue or/and a coupling-agent residue or is a derivative thereof.

Abstract: An input device includes a first part and a second part configured to move relative to each other according to an input operation, a magnetic viscous fluid whose viscosity changes according to a magnetic field, and a magnetic-field generator that generates the magnetic field applied to the magnetic viscous fluid. The second part includes a first surface and a second surface that are arranged in a direction orthogonal to a direction of relative movement between the first part and the second part. Gaps are formed between the first surface and the first part and between the second surface and the first part, and the magnetic viscous fluid is present in at least a part of the gaps.

Abstract: Provided is a block copolymer composition which contains a block copolymer having a specific molecular structure and has a molecular weight distribution within an appropriate range. A polymerizable composition containing a macromonomer (A) which has a group having a radical-reactive unsaturated double bond at one terminal of a poly(meth)acrylate segment, a vinyl monomer (B), and an organic iodine compound (C), or a polymerizable composition containing a macromonomer (A), a vinyl monomer (B), an azo-based radical polymerization initiator (E), and iodine is polymerized to obtain a block copolymer composition containing a block copolymer in which constitutional units of all blocks are derived from vinyl monomers and at least one block has a branched structure.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus supports observation of an object using a microscope. The image processing apparatus includes an obtainment unit and specifying unit. The obtainment unit obtains an image captured from an object observed by using a microscope. The specifying unit specifies at least one area in the image that will be captured at an expanded magnification based on evaluation of a detection target included in the image and a magnification of the microscope in capturing the image.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a graft polymer, that ensures more stable progress of a living radical polymerization by using a monomer structural unit containing an iodine initiating group as an initiator, includes performing a living radical polymerization of a compound with a vinyl monomer by an organic catalyst to manufacture the graft polymer. The compound has a recurring unit represented by a formula (1) below in a main chain: where, R1: linking group (linear, branched, or cyclic alkylene group having 1 to 30 carbon atoms that may contain an ether bond, an amide bond, or an ester bond, an aromatic group), R2, R3, R4, R5, R6: an aromatic group, an aliphatic group, a hydrogen atom, an aliphatic group, and n=1 to 5.

Abstract: A torque generating device includes a magnetic disk configured to rotate around a rotation axis, first and second yokes located on opposite sides across the magnetic disk, a coil disposed to overlap the magnetic disk along a direction of the rotation axis, a third yoke of which at least a region proximity to the magnetic disk is located outside the magnetic disk and the coil and that makes up a magnetic path of a magnetic field generated by the coil with the first and second yokes, and a magnetic viscous fluid filled between the magnetic disk and the first and second yokes. The third yoke has a magnetic gap between the third and first yokes. The magnetic gap is formed at a position outside an outer peripheral edge of the magnetic disk or overlapping the outer peripheral edge of the magnetic disk along the direction of the rotation axis.

Abstract: The present invention provides an antifouling ability-imparting agent that adheres well to a variety of water treatment membranes such as reverse osmosis membranes and imparts excellent antifouling ability to the water treatment membranes.

Abstract: An input device includes a first part and a second part configured to move relative to each other according to an input operation, a magnetic viscous fluid whose viscosity changes according to a magnetic field, and a magnetic-field generator that generates the magnetic field applied to the magnetic viscous fluid. The second part includes a first surface and a second surface that are arranged in a direction orthogonal to a direction of relative movement between the first part and the second part. Gaps are formed between the first surface and the first part and between the second surface and the first part, and the magnetic viscous fluid is present in at least a part of the gaps.

Abstract: In an operating device, a brake setting unit sets a target braking torque based on a braking torque pattern, and a rotational torque setting unit sets a target rotational torque based on a rotational torque pattern in accordance with information detected by a rotation detecting portion at reference time intervals. A control unit includes a time change adjustment unit. For at least one of the braking torque and the rotational torque, the time change adjustment unit changes the braking torque so that a current braking torque reaches the target braking torque and/or changes the rotational torque so that a current rotational torque reaches the target rotational torque in a predetermined time period greater than the reference time interval.

Abstract: An operating device according to the present invention includes magnetic field generation means. The magnetic field generation means includes a coil generating a magnetic field when energized, and a yoke forming a magnetic path for the magnetic field passing through a rotor. A control unit includes magnetization means and rotational torque control means. The magnetization means supplies a current to energize the coil such that a residual magnetic field in the yoke is held at a predetermined magnitude. The rotational torque control means adjusts a current value applied to the coil in accordance with the magnitude of the residual magnetic field in the yoke. An absolute value of a maximum value of the current value applied to the coil by the rotational torque control means is smaller than an absolute value of a current value applied by the magnetization means.

Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a head configured to discharge liquid to a printing medium, a carriage configured to move the head back and forth to one side and another side in a scanning direction with respect to the printing medium, and a control unit configured to perform printing of a printing image with the liquid by controlling driving of the head and the carriage. When performing printing of an end portion of the printing image on the one side, the control unit performs the printing by a first scan in which the head is moved from the one side to the other side, and when performing printing of an end portion of the printing image on the other side, the control unit performs the printing by a second scan in which the head is moved from the other side to the one side.

Abstract: An operating device includes a magnetic disk capable of rotational motion around a rotation axis, a first yoke located on one side and a second yoke located on an other side across the magnetic disk, a coil disposed to overlap the magnetic disk when viewed in a direction along a direction in which the rotation axis extends, a magnetic viscous fluid filled between the magnetic disk and each of the first yoke and the second yoke, a magnetic measurement portion for measuring magnetism caused by a magnetic field using the magnetic viscous fluid, the magnetic disk, the first yoke, and the second yoke as a magnetic path, and a control unit configured to acquire a measured value from the magnetic measurement portion and control a magnetic field that is generated by the coil based on the measured value to change a viscosity of the magnetic viscous fluid.

Abstract: An operating device according to the present invention includes magnetic field generation means. The magnetic field generation means includes a coil generating a magnetic field when energized, and a yoke forming a magnetic path for the magnetic field passing through a rotor. A control unit includes magnetization means and rotational torque control means. The magnetization means supplies a current to energize the coil such that a residual magnetic field in the yoke is held at a predetermined magnitude. The rotational torque control means adjusts a current value applied to the coil in accordance with the magnitude of the residual magnetic field in the yoke. An absolute value of a maximum value of the current value applied to the coil by the rotational torque control means is smaller than an absolute value of a current value applied by the magnetization means.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a graft polymer, that ensures more stable progress of a living radical polymerization by using a monomer structural unit containing an iodine initiating group as an initiator, includes performing a living radical polymerization of a compound with a vinyl monomer by an organic catalyst to manufacture the graft polymer. The compound has a recurring unit represented by a formula (1) below in a main chain: where, R1: linking group (linear, branched, or cyclic alkylene group having 1 to 30 carbon atoms that may contain an ether bond, an amide bond, or an ester bond, an aromatic group), R2, R3, R4, R5, R6: an aromatic group, an aliphatic group, a hydrogen atom, an aliphatic group, and n=1 to 5.