Abstract: A power converter includes first and second components on which male and female fitting members of each of a plurality of pairs of fitting members are arranged, with a pair of first alignment keys formed in the first and second components as reference positions. The first and second components are coupled to each other by the female fitting member clamping an insertion portion of the male fitting member inserted between first and second clamping portions of the female fitting member arranged so as to face each other in a state where the pair of first alignment keys are positionally aligned. The first and second clamping portions are each bent so as to form one of protrusions toward one of surfaces thereof facing each other. A gap is formed in a distal end portion of each of the first and second clamping portions.

Abstract: An electric power converter includes a first board, a second board, and a first board-to-board connector that electrically and mechanically connects the first board and the second board. The first board-to-board connector includes a male fitting member and a female fitting member. Each of a first clamp portion and a second clamp portion of the female fitting member includes a first contact forming portion and a second contact forming portion that are curved in a protruding shape, and a first spring portion and a second spring portion that are connected to the first contact forming portion and the second contact portion, respectively, and that are curved in corrugated shapes. An insert clamped between the first contact forming portion and the second contact forming portion forms an electrical contact, and the first spring portion and the second spring portion are independently deformable.

Abstract: A magnetic sensor circuit of the present invention includes: a Hall device 10; selection switch circuit 20 switching a detection state of the Hall device 10 to either a first switch state or a second switch state; a comparator unit 60 performing comparison using a detection voltage of a magnetoelectric conversion device 10 aid a predetermined reference voltage to generate a comparison result signal COUT; a logic circuit 80 generating, based on an output signal OUT and the comparison result signal COUT, a logic operation signal LOUT for maintaining or inverting the logic of the output signal OUT; a latch circuit 70 latching the logic operation signal LOUT to output this as the output signal OUT; and a control circuit go determining, based on the output signal OUT, an order of switching the detection state of the Hall device 10 (from the first switch state to the second switch state, or from the second switch state to the first switch state).

Abstract: A Hall element outputs a Hall voltage generated at a first terminal pair or a second terminal pair to first and second output terminals by switching the voltage in a first status and a second status. Based on the voltages of the first and the second output terminals and a reference voltage, first and second capacitors are charged. Then, the voltages of the first and the second capacitors are compared, and a detection signal is obtained. Thus, a magnetic sensor circuit which reduces influence of an element offset voltage of the Hall element and also reduces influence of an input offset voltage generated at an amplifier, and a portable terminal provided with such magnetic sensor circuit are provided.

Abstract: A sensor circuit has: a sensor portion that obtains, as an electrical signal, information on an object to be measured or detected; and a control circuit that controls the operation of the sensor portion. The control circuit receives a start input signal inputted thereto from outside for making the sensor portion operate only for a given duration after the start input signal is inputted thereto. With this configuration, it is possible to reduce the current consumption by arbitrarily controlling a period of an intermittent operation of the sensor circuit.

Abstract: A magnetic sensor circuit of the present invention includes: a Hall device 10; selection switch circuit 20 switching a detection state of the Hall device 10 to either a first switch state or a second switch state; a comparator unit 60 performing comparison using a detection voltage of a magnetoelectric conversion device 10 aid a predetermined reference voltage to generate a comparison result signal COUT; a logic circuit 80 generating, based on an output signal OUT and the comparison result signal COUT, a logic operation signal LOUT for maintaining or inverting the logic of the output signal OUT; a latch circuit 70 latching the logic operation signal LOUT to output this as the output signal OUT; and a control circuit go determining, based on the output signal OUT, an order of switching the detection state of the Hall device 10 (from the first switch state to the second switch state, or from the second switch state to the first switch state).

Abstract: When the operation frequency is high, in order to cause the rate of change of outputs from an output terminal (OUT) to be abrupt, a selection control signal is caused to be in a low state, thereby causing MOS transistors (T5b, T6b) to be in ON states, thereby causing the combined resistance of the ON-resistances of the MOS resistors in a NOR gate (NOx) to be small. On the other hand, when the operation frequency is low, in order to cause the rate of change of outputs from the output terminal (OUT) to be gentle, the selection control signal is caused to be in a high state, thereby causing the MOS transistors (T5b, T6b) to be in OFF states, thereby causing the combined resistance of the ON-resistances of the MOS transistors in the NOR gate (NOx) to be large.

Abstract: A Hall element (10) outputs a Hall voltage generated at a first terminal pair (A, C) or a second terminal pair (B, D) to first and second output terminals by switching the voltage in a first status and a second status. Based on the voltages of the first and the second output terminals and a reference voltage, first and second capacitors (41, 42) are charged. Then, the voltages of the first and the second capacitors (41, 42) are compared, and a detection signal is obtained. Thus, a magnetic sensor circuit (1) which reduces influence of an element offset voltage of the Hall element (10) and also reduces influence of an input offset voltage generated at an amplifier (30), and a portable terminal provided with such magnetic sensor circuit (1) are provided.

Abstract: A sensor circuit has: a sensor portion that obtains, as an electrical signal, information on an object to be measured or detected; and a control circuit that controls the operation of the sensor portion. The control circuit receives a start input signal inputted thereto from outside for making the sensor portion operate only for a given duration after the start input signal is inputted thereto. With this configuration, it is possible to reduce the current consumption by arbitrarily controlling a period of an intermittent operation of the sensor circuit.

Abstract: A magnetic sensor circuit has Hall devices 10X and 10Y, selection switch circuits 20X and 20Y, amplifier units 30X ad 30Y, a comparison unit 60, capacitors 41X, 42X, 41Y, and 42Y, and switch circuits 51 and 52. The Hall voltages obtained from the Hall devices 10X and 10Y are outputted in either of a first and a second states switched by the selection switch circuits 20X and 20Y. The amplifier units 30X ad 30Y each operate differentially and, if the difference between their outputs is greater than a set hysteresis width, the output logic of a detection signal Sdet is shifted. This configuration helps reduce the influence of device offset voltages in the Hall devices, and also helps reduce the influence of input offset voltages arising in the amplifiers.

Abstract: According to the invention, a pulse-modulated signal demodulation circuit has a first integration circuit, a second integration circuit, and a third integration circuit. The first integration circuit generates a first pulse signal containing a pulse having a pulse width corresponding to the number of any consecutive pulses in the pulse-modulated signal. The second integration circuit generates a second pulse signal by removing from the first pulse signal any pulse independent of any other pulse and having a pulse width smaller than or equal to a predetermined pulse width, then producing a pulse corresponding to the pulse width of any pulse in the first pulse signal that is independent of any other pulse and has a pulse width greater than the predetermined pulse width, and then coupling together any pulse in the first pulse signal that is non-independent and thereby producing a pulse corresponding to the pulse width of the non-independent pulse.

Abstract: A discrimination circuit of the present invention checks whether a received signal is noise or a signal that is repeated with interposed rest time periods, and is provided with a low-pass filter that has a cut-off frequency that is lower than the frequency of the noise but higher than the reciprocal of a total period of one frame of the signal that is repeated with interposed rest time periods and the rest time period, and a judgment circuit that judges, according to an output of the low-pass filter, whether the received signal is noise or a signal that is repeated with interposed rest time periods. With this configuration, it is possible to discriminate between noise and a signal that is repeated with interposed rest time periods, and achieve miniaturization.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device (1) includes: a transistor switch (SWA) for electrically connecting and disconnecting output of a flip-flop (FF64) of a shift register (SR1) and input of a flip-flop (FF65) of a shift register (SR2); and a transistor switch (SWB) for electrically connecting and disconnecting an input driver (Din2) and input of the flip-flop (FF65). Here, when the shift registers (SR1 and SR2) are connected, the transistor switch (SWA) is turned ON and the transistor switch (SWB) is turned OFF by a selection signal.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device (1) includes: a transistor switch (SWA) for electrically connecting and disconnecting output of a flip-flop (FF64) of a shift register (SR1) and input of a flip-flop (FF65) of a shift register (SR2); and a transistor switch (SWB) for electrically connecting and disconnecting an input driver (Din2) and input of the flip-flop (FF65). Here, when the shift registers (SR1 and SR2) are connected, the transistor switch (SWA) is turned ON and the transistor switch (SWB) is turned OFF by a selection signal.

Abstract: A heat fixing apparatus has a heating unit for heating a recording medium having a substrate, a fixing layer and a surface layer so as to sublimate sublimating ink applied in advance to the surface layer for transferring the sublimated ink to the fixing layer. The heating unit includes a heating transporting mechanism for transporting the recording medium within a heating space, a heater body for heating air, and a blower mechanism for supplying hot air heated by the heater body to the recording medium being transported by the heating transporting mechanism. The apparatus further includes a flat guide member for coming into contact with the surface of the recording medium being transported by the heating transporting mechanism and a heater for heating the guide member.

Abstract: When the operation frequency is high, in order to cause the rate of change of outputs from an output terminal (OUT) to be abrupt, a selection control signal is caused to be in a low state, thereby causing MOS transistors (T5b, T6b) to be in ON states, thereby causing the combined resistance of the ON-resistances of the MOS resistors in a NOR gate (NOx) to be small. On the other hand, when the operation frequency is low, in order to cause the rate of change of outputs from the output terminal (OUT) to be gentle, the selection control signal is caused to be in a high state, thereby causing the MOS transistors (T5b, T6b) to be in OFF states, thereby causing the combined resistance of the ON-resistances of the MOS transistors in the NOR gate (NOx) to be large.

Abstract: In a conventional N-channel MOSFET for an open-drain circuit, when a positive static electric charge is applied to its drain, there is no route by way of which to discharge the static electric charge, resulting in a rather low static withstand voltage. To overcome this, according to the invention, an open-drain N-channel MOSFET has a drain region formed of an N-type semiconductor layer, a P-type impurity diffusion layer formed within the drain region, two high-concentration N-type impurity diffusion layers formed within the drain region so as to sandwich the P-type impurity diffusion layer, and a drain electrode connected to the P-type impurity diffusion layer and to the two high-concentration N-type impurity diffusion layers. When a positive static electric charge is applied to the drain, a parasitic transistor appears that forms a route by way of which the static electric charge is discharged.

Abstract: In a conventional N-channel MOSFET for an open-drain circuit, when a positive static electric charge is applied to its drain, there is no route by way of which to discharge the static electric charge, resulting in a rather low static withstand voltage. To overcome this, according to the invention, an open-drain N-channel MOSFET has a drain region formed of an N-type semiconductor layer, a P-type impurity diffusion layer formed within the drain region, two high-concentration N-type impurity diffusion layers formed within the drain region so as to sandwich the P-type impurity diffusion layer, and a drain electrode connected to the P-type impurity diffusion layer and to the two high-concentration N-type impurity diffusion layers. When a positive static electric charge is applied to the drain, a parasitic transistor appears that forms a route by way of which the static electric charge is discharged.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording medium by heating the medium having ink applied to its surface layer by a heater device, thereby to fix the ink applied to the surface layer to a fixing layer of the recording medium. A heating controlling section (78) for controlling the heater device (4) includes a fixing behavior evaluating means (9) for evaluating a fixing behavior of the ink to the fixing layer and then outputting a control amount to the heating controlling section (78) for controlling the heater device (4). The fixing behavior evaluating means (9) includes such functions as a sublimation degree evaluating function for evaluating a sublimation degree of the ink in the recording medium (1), a function for evaluating surface temperature distribution of the recording medium or a transferred energy evaluating function for evaluating transferred energy received by each area of the recording medium (1).

Abstract: In a printing device which prints a color image on a photosensitive material by allowing an exposing head to modulate light from a light source for each pixel in accordance with image information, the exposing head is constituted by superposing three LCS's in the light-axis direction. The respective LCS's control the transmission and interruption of only the respective blue, green and red color components so that color tones in the respective pixels with respect to an image printed on printing paper are controlled based upon the subtractive color process. Therefore, it is possible to eliminate the generation of pixel offsets in an image printed on the photosensitive material by using a simple structure, and consequently to provide a printing device having a superior processability.