Abstract: An icemaker includes an ice-making tray in which ice is produced, an ice-discharging mechanism that removes the ice from the ice-making tray, a driver that drives the ice-discharging mechanism and that is attached to the ice-making tray on a front side in a front-rear direction, and a lighting unit that emits light. The lighting unit emits the light toward a rear side in the front-rear direction.

Abstract: An icemaker includes an ice-making tray in which ice is produced, an ice-discharging mechanism that removes the ice from the ice-making tray, a driver that drives the ice-discharging mechanism and that is attached to the ice-making tray on a front side in a front-rear direction, and a lighting unit that emits light. The lighting unit emits the light toward a rear side in the front-rear direction.

Abstract: An ice machine includes an ice discharge gear to which an output of a motor is transmitted. The ice discharge gear is configured to rotate about a rotation axis, a cam member is disposed at a first axial side of the ice discharge gear and provided with a ratchet structure between the cam member and the ice discharge gear, and an ice discharge shaft is connected to the cam member in a facing relationship with the cam member and configured to scrape out ice pieces with ice discharge claw portions during rotation of the ice discharge shaft. A flat or substantially flat sleeve is disposed at a second axial side of the ice discharge gear so as to face the ice discharge gear across a gap, and an elastic member is interposed between the sleeve and the ice discharge gear.

Abstract: An organ image capturing device includes an imaging unit to image a tongue of a living body, and a computing unit. The computing unit calculates a numerical value indicating a state of at least one of a plurality of indices pertaining to health by way of computations using chromaticity values that are obtained from captured image data of the tongue acquired by the imaging unit.

Abstract: An ice machine includes an ice discharge gear to which an output of a motor is transmitted. The ice discharge gear is configured to rotate about a rotation axis, a cam member is disposed at a first axial side of the ice discharge gear and provided with a ratchet structure between the cam member and the ice discharge gear, and an ice discharge shaft is connected to the cam member in a facing relationship with the cam member and configured to scrape out ice pieces with ice discharge claw portions during rotation of the ice discharge shaft. A flat or substantially flat sleeve is disposed at a second axial side of the ice discharge gear so as to face the ice discharge gear across a gap, and an elastic member is interposed between the sleeve and the ice discharge gear.

Abstract: An automatic icemaker includes a swing arm, an actuator swinging the swing arm, and a transmission section transmitting movement of the actuator to the swing arm. The transmission section includes a cam rotated by the actuator, a pivotally movable lever including an abutting portion abutting the cam and pivotally moved by the rotation of the cam, and a joint member to transmit the movement of the pivotally movable lever to the swing arm. As the swing arm, one of the first, second, and third swing arms is selected and provided. As the joint member, one of the first, second, and third joint members which corresponds to the selected one of the first, second, and third swing arms is selected and provided. At different positions on a board which extends in a vertical direction, the first, second, and third supporting portions support the first, second, and third joint members, respectively.

Abstract: An automatic icemaker includes a swing arm, an actuator swinging the swing arm, and a transmission section transmitting movement of the actuator to the swing arm. The transmission section includes a cam rotated by the actuator, a pivotally movable lever including an abutting portion abutting the cam and pivotally moved by the rotation of the cam, and a joint member to transmit the movement of the pivotally movable lever to the swing arm. As the swing arm, one of the first, second, and third swing arms is selected and provided. As the joint member, one of the first, second, and third joint members which corresponds to the selected one of the first, second, and third swing arms is selected and provided. At different positions on a board which extends in a vertical direction, the first, second, and third supporting portions support the first, second, and third joint members, respectively.

Abstract: An automatic ice maker installed within a freezing compartment includes an ice tray arranged to hold water and make ice pieces; an ice ejecting mechanism arranged to eject the ice pieces made in the ice tray; an ice releasing heater arranged to melt surfaces of the ice pieces made in the ice tray; a thermostat arranged to detect a temperature of the ice tray and to operate at a specified temperature; and an ice storage amount detecting mechanism arranged to detect an amount of the ice pieces stored within an ice storage box. The automatic ice maker further includes a switch mechanism arranged to stop an operation of the ice releasing heater in conjunction with an operation of the ice ejecting mechanism.

Abstract: A micro switch is mounted onto a mounting base attached to a controller of an automatic icemaker. The micro switch generates a signal for controlling the amount of water to be filled in an ice tray. The micro switch is fixed to the mounting base by the first fixing member and the second fixing member. The first fixing member is inserted through a mounting hole formed in a case of the micro switch. The second fixing member is arranged on a surface of the mounting base on an opposite side of a surface mounted with the micro switch, and is fixed to the first fixing member.

Abstract: A micro switch is mounted onto a mounting base attached to a controller of an automatic icemaker. The micro switch generates a signal for controlling the amount of water to be filled in an ice tray. The micro switch is fixed to the mounting base by the first fixing member and the second fixing member. The first fixing member is inserted through a mounting hole formed in a case of the micro switch. The second fixing member is arranged on a surface of the mounting base on an opposite side of a surface mounted with the micro switch, and is fixed to the first fixing member.

Abstract: An induction motor has a gear connected to an output shaft of the motor, a ratchet wheel having a claw for preventing the reverse rotation of the gear, and an urging device. The urging device urges the ratchet wheel so that an end surface of a tip end of the claw of the ratchet wheel is brought into contact with a tooth face facing a reverse rotary direction of the gear so as to prevent the reverse rotation of the gear. A contact angle formed by the end surface of the tip end of the claw and a center line of the tooth of the end surface of gear preferably is set equal to a pressure angle of the gear.

Abstract: A “theme” conceptually representing a pose and/or expression of an object is displayed on a image capture monitor as text information. A user checks the “theme” displayed before image capture starts and creates his/her pose and/or expression associated with the theme. The image capture is performed in response to a user instruction to start image capture, and a photograph with a composition associated with the “theme” iscaptured. In graffiti processing on an image, which is started at the end of the image capture processing, text corresponding to the “theme” having been given for capturing the image can be input onto the captured image. The invention can be applied to a photo sticker vending machine.

Abstract: A photographic apparatus, system and related method is disclosed to prevent overexposure at the time of upper-body photography. Strobe lights are incorporated in the photographic system, where the strobe lamps are offset from a directional line leading from the photographic apparatus to the user. The lights are activated in a sequence to minimize the incidence of shading. A photograph print system associated with the photographic system includes a photographic device for capturing a photograph of a user. An image output device forms an image on the basis of the photograph for output to a print sheet.

Abstract: A power supply circuit improves the power factor when the load is light, and incorporates a starting circuit for reacting quickly to the changes in the output from the power supply circuit and a short-circuit detecting means for detecting the short-circuit of the feedback signal. The apparatus includes: an error amplifier; a comparator that monitors the output from the error amplifier and generates an offset regulating current ISO; a multiplier; a sensing current comparator that compares the output signal from the multiplier and the AC line current and generates a reset signal; a timer that directly monitors the inputted zero-cross signal; and a comparator for short-circuit detection, that facilitates reducing the exterior parts and components.

Abstract: An automatic ice maker for use in freezing compartments of the refrigerators. A planar stop arm is used as an ice cube detecting device for detecting a sufficient ice cubes stored in a bin arranged below a tray for making ice cubes. The stop arm can be swung between the bin for storing therein the ice cubes and the tray in order prevent the ice cubes stored in the bin from being molten by a head radiation from a heater provided on the tray.

Abstract: A power supply circuit improves the power factor when the load is light, and incorporates a starting circuit for reacting quickly to the changes in the output from the power supply circuit and a short-circuit detecting means for detecting the short-circuit of the feedback signal. The apparatus includes: an error amplifier; a comparator that monitors the output from the error amplifier and generates an offset regulating current ISO; a multiplier; a sensing current comparator that compares the output signal from the multiplier and the AC line current and generates a reset signal; a timer that directly monitors the inputted zero-cross signal; and a comparator for short-circuit detection, that facilitates reducing the exterior parts and components.

Abstract: An automatic ice making apparatus having a sensor which can detect continuously a temperature of an ice making tray is used as a temperature sensor. The temperature and a temperature variation rate of the ice making tray are detected by an electronic control circuit having a function corresponding to an A/D converter and a microprocessor or the like to determine a freezing state of water. Further, a thermistor is used as the temperature sensor, and by and A/D converter including a microprocessor a water level in the ice making tray is detected and a solenoid valve for determining an amount of supply water is controlled so as to suppress the water amount variation due to a water pressure change or the like.

Abstract: An automatic ice maker for use in freezing compartments of the refrigerators. A planar stop arm is used as an ice cube detecting device for detecting a sufficient ice cubes stored in a bin arranged below a tray for making ice cubes. The stop arm can be swung between the bin for storing therein the ice cubes and the tray in order prevent the ice cubes stored in the bin from being molten by a head radiation from a heater provided on the tray.

Abstract: A damping top which comprises first and second L1 connection members (10, 20) connected to each other so as to connect two relatively displacing points (objects) (L1, L2) to each other, which connection members are fixed at one end thereof to the two points (L1, L2), respectively. The first connection member (10) is formed at its connection side with a guide screw portion (10a), on which is rotatably and slidably mounted a rotating top (integral rotating unit) (16) adapted to be driven by a guide nut (14) threaded onto the screw portion through a ball bearing (12). The second connection member (20) is formed at its connection side in a casing (24) for a chamber (22), which receives therein the rotating top (16), and a damping viscous body (26) is filled in the chamber (22). Thus it is possible to provide a damping device which is simple and small-sized, and provides great damping effects.

Abstract: An ice-making machine has a thermal relay in which resilient mounting arms are formed at both sides of the thermal relay. A concave portion for receiving the thermal relay and grooves for receiving tip ends of the resilient mounting arms are formed on a surface of a case. The surface is brought into intimate contact with an ice-making tray. The thermal relay is urged toward the ice-making tray through the resilient mounting arms by bottom walls of the grooves.