Abstract: In a cord reel capable of housing a power cord for transmitting electric power from an external power source to a vehicle that can be externally charged, pulling-out of the power cord wound around the cord reel from the cord reel is suppressed based on a temperature of the power cord. This can prevent a hot charging cord from exerting influence on the surroundings, such as breakage of equipment or the like which touches the hot charging cord.

Abstract: A pulsed laser oscillator includes at least one first electrooptical element that polarizes light according to an applied voltage and a voltage control unit that applies a voltage to the first electrooptical element and controls the voltage. The voltage control unit changes over time a voltage value applied to the first electrooptical element, to control a pulse width of laser light.

Abstract: An energy management system has an integration control portion that performs control to charge a storage battery with a power of such an amount that a power consumption including a power supplied by a supply portion is equal to or smaller than a target value indicated by power consumption target information recorded in a recording portion when a power consumption detected by a detection portion is smaller than the target value, and to supply a building with a power with which the storage battery is charged such that the power consumption including the power supplied by the supply portion coincides in amount with a power equal to or smaller than the target value indicated by the power consumption target information recorded in the recording portion when the power consumption detected by the detection portion is larger than the target value.

Abstract: A support arm includes a bracket supported by a support, a bracket arranged away from the bracket, a parallel link arranged between the bracket and the bracket and coupled pivotally to the bracket and the bracket, and a self-weight compensation device producing a force that cancels a force of gravity acting on the parallel link. The parallel link has an upper shaft and a lower shaft arranged in parallel to each other with spacing, the spacing being changed with a pivoting movement of the parallel link. The upper shaft and the lower shaft are arranged offset with respect to each other in a direction of an axis on which the parallel link is pivoted. With such a structure, a support arm for which a large movable range is achieved is provided.

Abstract: A vehicle 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied to a charge-discharge system CDS. The charge-discharge system includes the vehicle 10, an electric power cable 20, a plug-in station 30, a HEMS 40, and a commercial power supply 50. In a state where the connector 21 of the electric power cable 20 is connected with the inlet of the vehicle 10, an electric power is discharged/supplied from the vehicle electric storage device 11 to an external electric load (e.g., external electric storage device 41). Further, the vehicle electric storage device 11 is capable of being charged by the external power supply 50 through the electric power cable 20. A control device 12 of the vehicle 10 obtains/detects a permissible current value of the electric power cable 20, based on a specific signal (control pilot signal) which is transmitted through a CPLT terminal of the connector 21 before it starts the discharge to the external electric load from the vehicle electric storage device 11.

Abstract: A support arm supports a charge connector which can be connected to a vehicle. The support arm includes a parallelogram linkage provided in a freely swingable manner, a gravity compensation apparatus for generating force canceling gravity acting on the parallelogram linkage, and a charge connector having a support shaft insertion portion supported by the parallelogram linkage and provided to be rotatable around the support shaft insertion portion. The support shaft insertion portion is arranged at a position of the center of gravity of the charge connector. According to such a construction, a support arm appropriately exhibiting a gravity compensation function can be provided.

Abstract: A charging start time and preliminary air conditioning time are calculated based on the departure time that is set with a control/operation device (S108), and the charging time and preliminary air conditioning time are set (S110). Then, a control is executed to start charging when at the charging start time (S112 to 116) and preliminary air conditioning may be started when the amount of charge is sufficient for preliminary air conditioning and a preliminary air conditioning starting trigger is detected, that is locking or preparation for leaving house is detected, for example (S118 to 128).

Abstract: A charging schedule creation unit creates a charging schedule of a power storage device by an external power supply. A charging control unit executes charging control of the power storage device in accordance with the charging schedule. A condition determination unit turns on a charging continuation flag to be output to the charging control unit when a predetermined charging continuation permitting condition holds in the case where charging is not completed in accordance with the charging schedule. When the charging continuation flag is on, the charging control unit executes charging control such that charging is continued even after a charging end timing in accordance with the charging schedule.

Abstract: A vehicle 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention is applied to a charge-discharge system CDS. The charge-discharge system includes the vehicle 10, an electric power cable 20, a plug-in station 30, a HEMS 40, and a commercial power supply 50. From the HEMS 40 to the vehicle 10, a request for charge to charge an electric storage device 11 and a request for discharge to allow an external electric load to use an electric power of the electric storage device 11 are transmitted. When a request is changed from the request for charge to the request for discharge, or vice versa, the vehicle 10 realizes a charge-discharge stop state in which neither a charging operation nor a discharging operation is performed without directly changing from the charging operation to the discharging operation, or vice versa.

Abstract: A power storage system includes a power control unit including an inverter, and a battery for storing electrical energy supplied with commercial AC power by way of the inverter to supply the electrical energy to an electrical load. An apparatus for selecting specifications of a power storage system includes a data input interface unit for input of data obtained by measuring power usage during prescribed hours at a location of power consumption where the power storage system is to be installed, and an operation processing unit for finding annual average power usage during prescribed hours based on the measured data, and determining an output of the inverter based on the average power usage.

Abstract: Provided is an observation method by an electron microscope, in which a biological sample can be observed as it is alive and a situation that the biological sample is moving can be observed using an electron microscope, and a composition for evaporation suppression under vacuum, a scanning electron microscope, and a transmission electron microscope used in the method. The sample observation method by an electron microscope according to the invention includes applying a composition for evaporation suppression containing at least one kind selected from an amphiphilic compound, oils and fats, and an ionic liquid to the surface of a sample to form a thin film, and covering the sample with the thin film, and displaying an electron microscopic image of the sample, which is covered with the thin film and accommodated in a sample chamber under vacuum, on a display device.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a first inlet to be connected to a commercial power source, a second inlet to be connected to a battery of an HEMS (Home Energy Management System) which supplies electric power greater than electric power supplied by the commercial power source, and an ECU. The ECU indicates one of the first inlet and the second inlet to a user in accordance with a state of a battery of the vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a charging unit receiving electric power supplied from an external power supply through a power feeding cable connected to an inlet for charging a power storage device; a discharging unit for supplying electric power from the power storage device to the power feeding cable through the inlet; a discharge relay; and a charge relay. When ending a discharging operation, an ECU outputs an opening instruction to the discharge relay and determines based on the state of a power line during output of the opening instruction whether the discharge relay is welded or not. When starting the discharging operation, the ECU outputs a closing instruction to the discharge relay and does not determine during output of the closing instruction whether the discharge relay is welded or not.

Abstract: A pulsed laser oscillator includes at least one first electrooptical element that polarizes light according to an applied voltage and a voltage control unit that applies a voltage to the first electrooptical element and controls the voltage. The voltage control unit changes over time a voltage value applied to the first electrooptical element, to control a pulse width of laser light.

Abstract: A charging schedule creation unit creates a charging schedule of a power storage device by an external power supply. A charging control unit executes charging control of the power storage device in accordance with the charging schedule. A condition determination unit turns on a charging continuation flag to be output to the charging control unit when a predetermined charging continuation permitting condition holds in the case where charging is not completed in accordance with the charging schedule. When the charging continuation flag is on, the charging control unit executes charging control such that charging is continued even after a charging end timing in accordance with the charging schedule.

Abstract: A power supply system for a vehicle includes a power storage device, a plurality of charging paths for charging the power storage device with electric power from the outside, a plurality of relays provided on the plurality of charging paths respectively, each for switching between supply and cut-off of electric power, and a charge control unit for making selection as to through which charging path among the plurality of charging paths charging of the power storage device is permitted, based on a state of welding of the plurality of relays.

Abstract: A support arm supports a charge connector which can be connected to a vehicle. The support arm includes a parallelogram linkage provided in a freely swingable manner, a gravity compensation apparatus for generating force canceling gravity acting on the parallelogram linkage, and a charge connector having a support shaft insertion portion supported by the parallelogram linkage and provided to be rotatable around the support shaft insertion portion. The support shaft insertion portion is arranged at a position of the center of gravity of the charge connector. According to such a construction, a support arm appropriately exhibiting a gravity compensation function can be provided.