Abstract: An analog-to-digital converter is disclosed that converts an input analog potential to a digital conversion value. An analog-to-digital converter according to one or more embodiments may include a comparator that compares the input analog potential with a reference potential; and a conversion circuit that measures comparison operation time from a start to an end of a comparison operation by the comparator and outputs the digital conversion value according to the measured comparison operation time and a comparison result by the comparator.

Abstract: The present invention enables, according to a situation, accurate extraction of related expressions pertaining to search queries and question sentences. A related expression extraction device 1 receives input of text data, performs at least one of categorization of the received text data and determination of a structural pattern of the text data, determines, based on a result of at least one of the categorization of the text data and the determination of the structural pattern of the text data, which of a plurality of comparative assessment models 27 and 28 is used to extract related expression group data 26, and extracts a related expression related to content of the text data from the related expression group data 26 using the determined comparative assessment models 27 and 28.

Abstract: A construction machine is capable of reducing a decrease in work efficiency due to maintenance for capturing dust. The construction machine includes: an engine; a heat exchanger; a cooling fan that sucks air into an engine chamber to pass the air through the heat exchanger; an intake chamber independent of the engine chamber; an intake tube connected to the intake chamber; and a dust receiving part. The intake tube has a curved part, which has an outside inner wall surface allowing dust in the air to contact it. The dust receiving part is located downstream of the outside inner wall surface to be capable of receiving dust.

Abstract: There is provided a liquid discharge apparatus including: a reservoir configured to store a liquid; a head in which a nozzle is opened; a liquid circulator including a negative pressure pump, the liquid circulator being configured to circulate the liquid between the reservoir and the nozzle; a negative pressure regulating valve configured to regulate communication between a gas layer of the reservoir and an atmosphere; and a controller configured to perform: obtaining a nozzle pressure in an area, of the liquid circulator, near the nozzle; and controlling the negative pressure regulating valve to open, in response to the nozzle pressure being less than a first threshold value that is a negative value and greater than a second threshold value that is less than the first threshold value.

Abstract: There is provided a liquid cartridge including a casing which has front and lower surfaces, a storage chamber, and a supply port. A groove is arranged on the lower surface of the casing. The groove has left and right surfaces and an entrance port. At least one of the right and left surfaces has first and second surfaces. The first surface is directed in one orientation of the front-rear direction and in one orientation of the left-right direction. The second surface is positioned in the other orientation of the front-rear direction as compared with the first surface and is directed in the other orientation of the front-rear direction and in the one orientation of the left-right direction. The groove is configured such that a latch enters the groove.

Abstract: A pouch is configured to accommodate one of ink, nozzle cleaning liquid or preserving liquid and is configured to be foldable from an expanded state in which the pouch has a thickness in a first direction to a shrunk state in which the pouch has a planar shape. The pouch includes: a body portion provided with a first edge and a second edge in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction; a gusset formed at an end portion of the body portion in a third direction orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction; and a spout inserting portion formed at one end edge of the gusset in the first direction. The spout inserting portion is formed at a position shifted to the first edge with respect to a center between the first edge and the second edge in the second direction.

Abstract: There is provided a liquid container including: a pouch and a case. The pouch includes a flexible bag and a spout with a first opening. The case includes a tank to store a liquid flowed through the second opening. The spout is fitted into the case, and the bag is positioned in the tank.

Abstract: An analog-to-digital converter according to one or more embodiments is disclosed that converts an analog input to a digital converted value by repeating a conversion data generation operation by a conversion data generator, a potential generation operation by a capacitance DAC, and a comparison operation by a comparator for a resolution bit, the analog-to-digital converter. a comparator operation signal generation circuit predicts the time when a potential generated by the capacitance DAC becomes settled based on a charging or discharging time to a capacitance element whose characteristics are equal to those of the capacitance used in the capacitance DAC, and generates a comparator operation signal to allow the comparator to start the comparison operation.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing slurry for an insulation protective layer of a rechargeable battery includes obtaining an insulation material calibration curve showing a relationship between particle size and compressibility of an insulation material using sets of particle size and compressibility of the insulation material, obtaining a binder calibration curve showing a relationship between particle size and compressibility of a binder using sets of particle size and compressibility of the binder, measuring particle sizes of the insulation material and the binder loaded, determining an optimal mixture weight ratio with reference to the curves so that compressibility of mixture powder of the insulation material and the binder equals a set compressibility based on the measured particle sizes, mixing the insulation material and the binder at the determined mixture weight ratio to form mixture powder, loading the mixture powder into a powder dispenser, and adding a solvent to the mixture powder.

Abstract: A semiconductor apparatus includes a first semiconductor layer, a second semiconductor layer, and a structure provided between the first and second semiconductor layers. The semiconductor apparatus further includes a first electrode supported by a first insulating layer, a second electrode supported by a second insulating layer, a first wire bonded to the first electrode through a first opening provided in the first semiconductor layer, and a second wire bonded to the second electrode through a second opening provided in the first semiconductor layer, and an annular member made of a non-insulating material and provided between the first semiconductor layer and the first electrode. A distance from the second semiconductor layer to a first joint between the first electrode and the first wire is longer than a distance from the second semiconductor layer to a second joint between the second electrode and the second wire.

Abstract: An analog-digital conversion circuit is disclosed for comparing a comparison potential with a reference potential generated based on a reference power supply to convert a comparison potential to a digital value. An analog-to-digital converter generates the comparison potential based on a sampled and held input potential, the digital value, and the reference power supply. A current amount control unit controls current amount flowing to the current amount control element in each bit circuit. In response to second switches of the bit circuits being turned on in order from the upper bit in each bit circuit by the digital value, the current amount control unit applies a current control potential to the current amount control element in any of the bit circuits that the noise current is more than allowable value while the noise current proportional to the charge flowing from the capacitor is more than the allowable value.

Abstract: One or more embodiments of a successive approximation type analog-to-digital converter that converts an analog input into a digital conversion value and outputs the digital conversion value, may include: a capacitance DAC that generates a bit-by-bit potential based on an analog input; a comparator that compares the potential generated by the capacitance DAC, wherein the comparator is a memory cell rewriting type, the comparator includes a first stage current mirror type operational amplifier; and a second stage memory cell; a conversion data generator that generates conversion data of resolution bits based on a comparison result of the comparator; and a correction circuit that corrects an output error of the conversion data caused by an offset error of the comparator by adding or subtracting an offset correction value that is a fixed value, and outputs the conversion data as a digital conversion value.

Abstract: A liquid ejection head, including: a first head unit; a second head unit shifted with respect to the first head unit in both of a first direction in which nozzles of the head units are arranged and a second direction orthogonal to the first direction and disposed so as to overlap the first head unit in the second direction; and a first wiring member having flexibility and drawn from the second head unit in the second direction toward the first head unit, wherein the first wiring member includes a large-width portion on which a drive circuit is mounted and a small-width portion having a width in the first direction smaller than a width of the large-width portion in the first direction, and wherein the small-width portion passes through a space existing next to the first head unit in the first direction and extends in the second direction.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a rechargeable battery includes forming a mixture layer and an insulating layer on an electrode substrate having an edge extending in a specified direction so that an exposed portion where the electrode substrate is exposed extends between the edge and the insulating layer; pressing the mixture layer; and stretching an extension portion, located between the edge and the mixture layer, and the insulating layer in the specified direction. The stretching includes applying a stress greater than or equal to yield stress of the electrode substrate or greater than or equal to 0.2% proof stress of the electrode substrate and less than tensile strength of the electrode substrate to the extension portion, and applying a stress greater than or equal to yield stress of the insulating layer or greater than or equal to 0.2% proof stress of the insulating layer to the insulating layer.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, a reversing roller pair, a moving unit, and an obtaining unit. The image forming unit forms an image on a sheet. The reversing roller pair nips the sheet having the image, rotates in a first direction, and then rotate in a second direction and conveys the sheet. The moving unit moves the reversing roller pair. The obtaining unit obtains the sheet length. If a first sheet having a first length is reversed and conveyed, the moving unit moves the reversing roller pair conveying the first sheet in the width direction by a first moving amount. If a second sheet having a second length greater than the first length is reversed and conveyed, the moving unit moves the reversing roller pair conveying the second sheet in the width direction by a second moving amount smaller than the first moving amount.

Abstract: A liquid jetting apparatus jetting a liquid onto a recording medium conveyed in a first direction includes head units arranged in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. One head unit includes nozzle chips; one nozzle chip has a nozzle arrangement area wherein nozzles are aligned in a third direction crossing the first and second directions. The nozzle chip is arranged to be shifted relative to another nozzle chip in a direction crossing the first and second directions and different from the third direction. The head unit has a first overlapping portion wherein nozzle arrangement areas of first and second nozzle chips included in the nozzle chips partially overlap with each other in the first direction. The liquid jetting apparatus has a second overlapping portion wherein nozzle arrangement areas of third and fourth nozzle chips included in the head units partially overlap with each other in the first direction.

Abstract: A valve device increases or decreases a flow rate of EGR gas. The valve device includes a housing, a bypass valve body, and an EGR valve body. The housing includes a first upstream passage into which the EGR gas cooled by an EGR cooler flows, a second upstream passage into which the EGR gas that bypasses the EGR cooler flows, and a downstream passage connected to the first upstream passage and the second upstream passage, and provided downstream with respect to the first upstream passage and the second upstream passage. The bypass valve body opens and closes the second upstream passage. The EGR valve body is provided in the downstream passage and rotates around an EGR valve axis to open and close the downstream passage.

Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes an individual flow passage member; and a common flow passage member joined to the individual flow passage member in a first direction. The individual flow passage member has nozzle groups formed on a surface on a side opposite to the common flow passage member and connecting hole groups formed on a surface on a side of the common flow passage member; and the common flow passage member has manifold flow passages corresponding to the connecting hole groups respectively. Each of the nozzle groups includes nozzles aligned in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction; and each of the connecting hole groups includes connecting holes aligned in the second direction and connected to the nozzles respectively. Each of the manifold flow passages extends in the second direction and is connected to the nozzles via the connecting holes.