Abstract: A hydrogen storage alloy suitable for a negative electrode of an on-board alkaline storage battery, an alkaline storage battery using this hydrogen storage alloy, and a vehicle; wherein a fine-grained hydrogen storage alloy is used for an alkaline storage battery that has a crystal structure of an A2B7-type structure as a main phase and is represented by a general formula: (La1-aSma)1-bMgbNicAldCre (where suffixes a, b, c, d, and e meet the following conditions: 0?a?0.35, 0.15?b?0.30, 0.02?d?0.10, 0?e?0.10, 3.20?c+d+e?3.50, and 0<a+e), and an alkaline storage battery using this hydrogen storage alloy for a negative electrode. A vehicle also includes this alkaline storage battery as an electricity supply source for a motor.

Abstract: An inductor including a component main body having a multilayer structure formed with stacked non-conductive material layers; and a coil inside the component main body and configured of line conductors each extending along an interface between the non-conductive material layers and via conductors penetrating through the non-conductive material layers to a thickness direction. The line conductors each have pad portions connected to the via conductors and line wire portions connected to the pad portions. The coil has a shape of extending along a helical path with the line conductors and the via conductors alternately connected, in which the via conductors include a longitudinal via conductor in a longitudinal shape extending along the line conductor. The pad portions include a longitudinal pad portion connected to the longitudinal via conductor, and a width-direction dimension of the longitudinal pad portion is larger than a width-direction dimension of the line wire portion.

Abstract: An electrophotographic conductive member comprising: a conductive layer provided on an outer surface of a support, wherein the conductive layer comprises a plurality of domains dispersed in a matrix, the plurality of domains comprise a crosslinked product of a second rubber and a conductive particle, an outer surface of the electrophotographic conductive member is configured of the matrix and an exposed portion of the domain exposed on the outer surface of the electrophotographic conductive member, an impedance is 1.0×103 to 1.0×108? of the electrophotographic conductive member, and when specific regions are a first region and a second region, a volume resistivity R1 of a portion being not the conductive particle in the first region and a volume resistivity R2 of a portion being not the conductive particle in the second region satisfy R1>R2.

Abstract: In a plasma processing apparatus, a table has a wafer support to hold a wafer and a peripheral segment surrounding the wafer support and having through-holes. The peripheral segment has an upper surface lower than that of the wafer support. An outer focus ring is disposed over the peripheral segment and has a recess or a cutout at an inner portion of the outer focus ring, and the recess or cutout has through-holes. An inner focus ring is disposed in the recess or cutout of the outer focus ring. Lift pins respectively extend through the through-holes of the peripheral segment and the through-holes of the recess or cutout of the outer focus ring. Shift mechanisms control shift of the respective lift pins.

Abstract: A method may produce a biodegradable laminate, including: laminating an aliphatic polyester-based resin layer and a polyvinyl alcohol-based resin layer with a bonding layer between the aliphatic polyester-based resin layer and the polyvinyl alcohol-based resin layer. The biodegradable laminate may include: the aliphatic polyester-based resin layer comprising an aliphatic polyester-based resin composition; the bonding layer comprising an adhesive resin; and the polyvinyl alcohol-based resin layer comprising a polyvinyl alcohol-based resin. The aliphatic polyester-based resin composition may include an aliphatic polyester-based resin, a polyhydroxyalkanoate including a 3-hydroxybutyrate unit as a main constituent unit, and an inorganic filler.

Abstract: This lens driving device is configured separately from a lens unit including a liquid lens, and is provided with: a fixed part; a movable part; a support part that supports the movable part with respect to the fixed part; a driving unit that is formed from a voice coil motor comprising a coil and a magnet and that moves the movable part in an optical axis direction with respect to the fixed part; and a lens deformation unit that is connected to the movable part and that applies, in association with the movement of the movable part, a force to the liquid lens in the optical axis direction. The movable part has a plurality of movable units, and the driving unit drives the movable units independently so as to change the curvature of the liquid lens or to change the optical axis of the liquid lens.

Abstract: A power supply device includes an electrical storage device and a bidirectional buck-boost converter having a charging function of starting charging of the electrical storage device based on input power from a power system of a vehicle, upon occurrence of a condition in which a voltage of the electrical storage device decreases to a first threshold and of stopping the charging of the electrical storage device, upon occurrence of a condition in which the voltage of the electrical storage device increases to a second threshold that is greater than the first threshold. The bidirectional buck-boost converter has a boost function of stepping up the voltage of the electrical storage device. The power supply device includes a control circuit configured to cause the boost circuit to perform a boost operation such that a boosted voltage that is higher than the voltage of the electrical storage device is supplied to a load device, and such that the boosted voltage is a constant voltage.

Abstract: A motor drive control device includes a control unit monitoring a rotational state of a rotor of a two-phase stepping motor, setting an energization angle ? representing a magnitude of an electric angle for continuously energizing, of coils of two phases of the two-phase stepping motor, a coil of one phase in one direction based on the rotational state of the rotor, and generating a control signal Sd for controlling driving of the two-phase stepping motor based on the set energization angle ?, and a drive unit driving the coils of two phases based on the control signal Sd.

Abstract: An optical actuator is an optical actuator configured to move an optical element by a driving part, and includes a movable-side member including a base portion configured to hold the optical element, and a fixed-side member configured to support the movable-side member such that the movable-side member is movable, in which the movable-side member includes a cushioning member that is engaged with the base portion to be prevented from coming off.

Abstract: An optical actuator is an optical actuator configured to move an optical element by a driving part, and includes a movable-side member configured to hold the optical element, a fixed-side member configured to support the movable-side member such that the movable-side member is movable, and a cushioning member disposed on the movable-side member, in which the cushioning member includes a first cushioning surface and a second cushioning surface that face the fixed-side member at respective different distances.

Abstract: A motor drive control device includes a control unit generating a control signal Sd such that one-phase excitation of exciting, of coils and of two phases of a two-phase stepping motor, a coil for one phase and two-phase excitation of exciting the coils for two phases are alternately repeated, and a drive unit driving the coils of two phases based on the control signal Sd. An energization angle ? representing a magnitude of an electric angle for continuously energizing the coil of one phase in one direction is capable of being set in the control unit. Specifically, the control unit determines a period T1n for performing the one-phase excitation based on a back electromotive voltage generated in the coil non-excited in the one-phase excitation, and determines a period T2n for performing the two-phase excitation based on an elapsed time per unit angle while the two-phase stepping motor is being excited and the energization angle ?.

Abstract: A buoyancy adjuster includes: a buoyant portion detachably attached to a target object including a housing portion having a positive buoyancy, the buoyant portion having a neutral or negative buoyancy; and an orientation adjuster detachably attachable to the buoyant portion, the orientation adjuster configured to adjust orientation of the target object in a fluid. The orientation adjuster includes a weight portion detachably attached to a prescribed position of the buoyant portion, the weight portion having a negative buoyancy exceeding the positive buoyancy of the housing portion. A first height position of the housing portion relative to a second height position of the buoyant portion attaching the weight portion is lower than the first height position relative to the second height position of the buoyant portion without the weight portion in the fluid.

Abstract: A process of producing a fine-grained austenitic stainless steel, the process comprising a step of subjecting a fine-grained austenitic stainless steel comprising: C: 0.15 wt % or less, Si: 1.00 wt % or less, Mn: 2.0 wt % or less, Ni: 6.0 to 14.0 wt %, Cr: 16.0 to 22.0 wt %, and Mo: 3.0 wt % or less, with the balance being Fe and inevitable impurities, and having an average grain size of 10 ?m or lower, to an annealing treatment at a temperature from 600° C. to 700° C. for 48 hours or longer.

Abstract: An optical actuator is configured to include: a movable part on which a lens part is mountable, the movable part being configured to move by driving of a driving part; a fixing part accommodating the movable part; and a first shaft and a second shaft that are spaced apart from each other in a width direction of the movable part, and are fixed to the fixing part, in which the movable part is configured to slide on the first shaft and the second shaft while making contact with the first shaft at two places in an axial direction and with the second shaft at one place in the axial direction. Thus, the optical actuator capable of stably supporting the movable part with respect to the fixing part is provided.

Abstract: A motor drive control device includes a control unit monitoring a rotational state of a rotor of a two-phase stepping motor, setting an energization angle ? representing a magnitude of an electric angle for continuously energizing, of coils of two phases of the two-phase stepping motor, a coil of one phase in one direction based on the rotational state of the rotor, and generating a control signal Sd for controlling driving of the two-phase stepping motor based on the set energization angle ?, and a drive unit driving the coils of two phases based on the control signal Sd.

Abstract: A motor drive control device includes a control unit generating a control signal Sd such that one-phase excitation of exciting, of coils and of two phases of a two-phase stepping motor, a coil for one phase and two-phase excitation of exciting the coils for two phases are alternately repeated, and a drive unit driving the coils of two phases based on the control signal Sd. An energization angle ? representing a magnitude of an electric angle for continuously energizing the coil of one phase in one direction is capable of being set in the control unit. Specifically, the control unit determines a period T1n for performing the one-phase excitation based on a back electromotive voltage generated in the coil non-excited in the one-phase excitation, and determines a period T2n for performing the two-phase excitation based on an elapsed time per unit angle while the two-phase stepping motor is being excited and the energization angle ?.

Abstract: This austenitic stainless steel sheet contains, as a chemical composition, by mass %, C: 0.030% or less, Si: 1.0% or less, Mn: 1.5% or less, Cr: 15.0% or more and 20.0% or less, Ni: 6.5% or more and 9.0% or less, N: 0.030% or more and 0.150% or less, any one of Nb, V, and Ti or two or more thereof in total: 0.030% or more and 0.300% or less, Mo: 0% or more and 2.0% or less, Cu: 0% or more and 1.5% or less, Co: 0% or more and 1.0% or less, P: 0.10% or less, S: 0.010% or less, and Al: 0.10% or less, in which a remainder includes Fe and impurities, the average grain size is 5.0 ?m or less, and the non-recrystallization rate is more than 3% and 20% or less.

Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes a head configured to discharge a liquid, and a discharge receptacle configured to receive the liquid discharged from the head at an installation position. The discharge receptacle includes a liquid holder configured to receive the liquid discharged from the head, and a support configured to detachably support the liquid holder. At least a part of the support is displaceable to a detachment position at which the liquid holder is detachable from the support, and the detachment position is lower than the installation position.

Abstract: This lens driving device is configured separately from a lens unit including a liquid lens, and is provided with: a fixed part; a movable part; a support part that supports the movable part with respect to the fixed part; a driving unit that is formed from a voice coil motor comprising a coil and a magnet and that moves the movable part in an optical axis direction with respect to the fixed part; and a lens deformation unit that is connected to the movable part and that applies, in association with the movement of the movable part, a force to the liquid lens in the optical axis direction. The movable part has a plurality of movable units, and the driving unit drives the movable units independently so as to change the curvature of the liquid lens or to change the optical axis of the liquid lens.

Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes a head configured to discharge a liquid, and a discharge receptacle configured to receive the liquid discharged from the head at an installation position. The discharge receptacle includes a liquid holder configured to receive the liquid discharged from the head, and a support configured to detachably support the liquid holder. At least a part of the support is displaceable to a detachment position at which the liquid holder is detachable from the support, and the detachment position is lower than the installation position.