Abstract: An organic EL element that is an electroluminescence element has at least an organic layer held between a pair of electrodes. At least an electrode made of material having a higher volume resistivity, of the pair of electrodes, is formed in a flat form. The organic layer is provided with a plurality of non-light emitting portions. The non-light emitting portions are provided so that a larger number of non-light emitting portions exist per unit area at a position physically closer to the position of a terminal portion at which the electrode made of material having the higher volume resistivity is connected to an external connection terminal. As a result, the level of current passing per unit area is substantially uniform at each position on the element.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal panel and an illumination unit. The illumination unit has a planar light emitting region formed by an EL element. The light emitting region is formed by a plurality of linear light emitting regions that extend in a direction perpendicular to the vertical scanning direction of liquid crystal. The linear light emitting regions are switched between a light emitting state and a non-light emitting state based on a command signal from a controller in a manner that the linear light emitting regions sequentially emit light in synchronization with vertical scanning of the liquid crystal. Each linear light emitting region is controlled to be in the non-light emitting state at least during a drive data rewriting period of a portion of the liquid crystal immediately above the linear light emitting region.

Abstract: An organic EL element that is an electroluminescence element has at least an organic layer held between a pair of electrodes. At least an electrode made of material having a higher volume resistivity, of the pair of electrodes, is formed in a flat form. The organic layer is provided with a plurality of non-light emitting portions. The non-light emitting portions are provided so that a larger number of non-light emitting portions exist per unit area at a position physically closer to the position of a terminal portion at which the electrode made of material having the higher volume resistivity is connected to an external connection terminal. As a result, the level of current passing per unit area is substantially uniform at each position on the element.

Abstract: A transparent substrate used for an area light emitting device. The transparent substrate comprises a light incidence surface and a light exit surface opposite to the light incidence surface. A plurality of recesses are formed on the light exit surface bulged towards the light incidence surface. Each recess has a shape approximately corresponding to a portion of an oval sphere. Each recess perimeter on the light exit surface is approximately circle. Each recess is separately formed from other recesses.

Abstract: A lighting unit is installed in an optical reader having a transparent plate and a sensor. The transparent plate can mount a document thereon. The lighting unit includes a light source and a reflective member provided on a light exit side of the light source. The reflective member converges light from the light source on the document. The lighting unit is operable to scan along the transparent plate. The sensor is provided for sensing light reflected from the document.

Abstract: An area lighting unit has an electroluminescent device, a light scattering portion on a side of a light exit surface of the electroluminescent device, and a light covering portion on a side of a light exit surface of the light scattering portion. The light converging portion includes first and second layered optical sheets, each having a planar light incidence portion through which light enters and a light exit portion through which the light exits. The light exit portion of each optical sheet forms parallel prismatic protrusions, each having a vertex angle of 90 degrees to 105 degrees. The optical sheets each are so arranged that the light incidence portion is oriented to the electroluminescent device and a direction in which the protrusions of the first optical sheet are arranged is perpendicular to a direction in which the protrusions of the second optical sheet are arranged.

Abstract: A luminescent panel has a light emitting portion for emitting isotropic light and a non-light emitting portion. A brightness compensating member has an incident portion and a light exit portion. The incident portion includes at least one inclined surface that is inclined relative to the light exit portion. The inclined surface is arranged to correspond to the non-light emitting portion. The inclined surface is configured so that the brightness of a section of the brightness compensating member that corresponds to the light emitting portion is substantially equal to the brightness of a section of the brightness compensating member that corresponds to the non-light emitting portion. Therefore, a substantially uniform brightness is obtained from the light exit portion.

Abstract: A transparent substrate used for an area light emitting device. The transparent substrate comprises a light incidence surface and a light exit surface opposite to the light incidence surface. A plurality of recesses are formed on the light exit surface bulged towards the light incidence surface. Each recess has a shape approximately corresponding to a portion of an oval sphere. Each recess perimeter on the light exit surface is approximately circle. Each recess is separately formed from other recesses.

Abstract: An electroluminescent device has a transparent substrate, an electroluminescent element, a transparent layer, and a brightness-enhancing layer. The transparent substrate has a first surface and a second surface. The electroluminescent element is provided on the first surface of the transparent substrate. Light emitted from exits the transparent substrate through the second surface. The transparent layer having a higher refractive index than the transparent substrate is provided on the second surface of the transparent substrate. The brightness-enhancing layer is provided on the transparent layer for enhancing brightness of light that has a specific wavelength.

Abstract: A bottom emission type electroluminescence device for emitting an increased amount of light rays in a direction that is within a predetermined angle relative to a light incidence surface of a transparent substrate. The transparent substrate is sandwiched between an electroluminescence element and a transparent layer. The refractive index of the transparent layer is greater than that of the transparent substrate. A plurality of projections and recesses are formed on the upper surface of the transparent layer.

Abstract: In an electroluminescent element, a first electrode having first and second opposite surfaces is layered on a substrate so as to contact the substrate on its first surface. A luminescent layer containing a light-emitting layer is layered on the first electrode so as to contact the second surface of the first electrode. A second electrode having first and second opposite surfaces is layered on the luminescent layer so as to contact the luminescent layer on its first surface. The second surface of the second electrode is at least partially exposed. A first terminal is provided on the second surface of the first electrode at a portion that does not contact the luminescent layer. A second terminal is partially formed in the exposed portion. At least one of the first and second electrodes is transparent. The first and second terminals are connected to a power source.

Abstract: An optical device has an incident surface and a light exit surface located at an opposite side from the incident surface. The light exit surface defines a plurality of projections. The projections project away from the incident surface. Sections of the light exit surface that define projections include side faces of pyramids. Each of the pyramids has a bottom that is an imaginary plane substantially parallel to the incident surface. The side faces of each pyramid are slopes. At least one of the slopes is inclined at a range greater than 17° and less than 60° relative to the normal to the incident surface.

Abstract: A light extracting sheet is provided on a light extracting surface of an organic EL device. A prism sheet is provided on the light extracting sheet. The light extracting sheet has a first incident surface contacting the light extracting surface and a light exit surface located at an opposite side from the first incident surface. The light exit surface defines a plurality of first projections. Each of the first projections is pyramid. The prism sheet has a second incident surface that is substantially parallel to the light extracting surface and a light exit surface located at an opposite side from the second incident surface. The light exit surface defines a plurality of second projections. Each of the second projections is pyramid.

Abstract: A backlight in a liquid crystal display unit according to the present invention has a transparent substrate and an organic electroluminescent element provided on the transparent substrate. The backlight emits light emitted from the organic electroluminescent element from a light exit surface of the transparent substrate. A plurality of recesses are formed in the light exit surface. A part of the light exit surface between each adjacent pair of the recesses includes a plane that is perpendicular to the thickness direction of the transparent substrate. The backlight permits light emitted from the organic electroluminescent element to be efficiently emitted.

Abstract: A detection apparatus is provided which is capable of detecting an excessive position error in a servo system in an appropriate manner over a wide servomotor rotational rate region, so as to accurately and immediately determine an overload state of a servomotor and the like. A permissible maximum value of the position error is obtained by first obtaining a product of a proportional coefficient set beforehand and a maximum value of pulse distribution amounts--a number of movement command pulses distributed from a central processing unit of a numerical control unit. The pulse distribution amounts are respectively stored in a table provided in a memory. The product is then, second, divided by a position loop gain. The central processing unit then determine that an excessive position error has occurred when an actual position error read from an axis controller is greater than or equal to the permissible maximum value.

Abstract: A robot control apparatus is provided, including a for storing a plurality of approach patterns related to hand movement for when workpieces gripped by a robot hand are stacked and unstacked at predetermined locations. Approach pattern from a position at which movement of the robot hand starts to a motion position at which a workpiece is stacked or unstacked, and from this motion position to a position at which movement of the robot hand ends can be selected at will depending upon the type of workpiece and the motion position.

Abstract: A robot control method for enabling a robot effectuate various operations, having load conditions which differ from one another, in accordance with optimum control conditions.A load condition, including the sum (W) of the weight of a robot hand and the weight of a workpiece, a distance (L) from the center point of the joint of the robot hand to the center of gravity of the hand and the workpiece, and a combined inertia (J) of the robot hand and the workpiece, is set for each of the robot operations and stored together with a group number indicating the load condition. To operate the robot, load condition commands, which are written in a program along with operation commands include a load condition control code and a group number. The control conditions are determined on the basis of the load conditions corresponding to the group numbers. The robot operations are then performed in accordance with the control conditions thus determined.

Abstract: A welding control system in an automatic welding machine controls the movement of a torch (TC) such that while the torch is weaving along a welding line (CT), the torch is moved under the control of a control device (3). The amplitudes on the lefthand side (aL) and righthand side (aR) of a welding line are based on independent commands. The welding control system can provide a weaving pattern according to the manner in which a desired workpiece is to be welded.

Abstract: A robot control apparatus which controls a robot by a program language and which has keys and a display which displays at least one block of data, cyclically selects the word to be changed, in the one block of data is displayed, to be compiled with the desired block and stores the data in that compiled form, so that syntax errors are avoided and it is possible to compile a desired block easily and in a short time.

Abstract: A path correction system of an automatic welding machine has means for differentiating welding current values at respective left and right positions of a torch when weaving is performed, and means for sensing welding current when a value obtained from the differentiating means is zero. The difference is found between welding current values when left and right differentiated values are zero, and the position of the center of the weaving pattern along which the torch advances is corrected based on the difference value.