Abstract: An imaging device comprises pixels. The pixel includes first semiconductor regions of a first conductivity type provided in a surface part of a semiconductor substrate and a second semiconductor region of a second conductivity type provided in the surface part of the semiconductor substrate between the first semiconductor regions. The pixel includes: a light-receiving unit in which photodiodes each configured between the second semiconductor region and one of the first semiconductor regions; quenching circuits, each connected to a corresponding one of the first semiconductor regions; and a counter unit connected to each of connection nodes between the first semiconductor regions and the quenching circuits and counts a pulse generated in response to a photon being incident on the light-receiving unit. The second semiconductor region is provided across a deeper part of the semiconductor substrate than the first semiconductor regions.

Abstract: A sewing machine includes a thread tension mechanism, a thread feed sensor, a sewing portion, a processor, and a memory. By executing instructions stored in the memory, the processor causes a first tension to act on an upper thread by the thread tension mechanism to be in a first state, in a state in which a sewing is stopped. The processor causes a second tension that is smaller than the first tension to act on the upper thread, by causing the thread tension mechanism to be in a second state, when the movement of the upper thread is detected by the thread feed sensor. The processor causes a third tension that is equal to or greater than the second tension to act on the upper thread by causing the thread tension mechanism to be in a third state, in a state in which the sewing is performed.

Abstract: A sewing machine includes a thread tension mechanism, a thread feed sensor, a sewing portion, a processor, and a memory. By executing instructions stored in the memory, the processor causes a first tension to act on an upper thread by the thread tension mechanism to be in a first state, in a state in which a sewing is stopped. The processor causes a second tension that is smaller than the first tension to act on the upper thread, by causing the thread tension mechanism to be in a second state, when the movement of the upper thread is detected by the thread feed sensor. The processor causes a third tension that is equal to or greater than the second tension to act on the upper thread by causing the thread tension mechanism to be in a third state, in a state in which the sewing is performed.

Abstract: An air hockey game device allows a plurality of players to play a match game using a first puck and a second puck having a disc size smaller than that of the first puck. The air hockey game device is configured so that each player can score points by shooting the first puck and the second puck into the opponent's goal. The air hockey game device is configured to control the game process (e.g., collection/supply of the first puck and the second puck, calculation/display of score, and production effect) based on the type of puck.

Abstract: An air hockey game device allows a plurality of players to play a match game using a first puck and a second puck having a disc size smaller than that of the first puck. The air hockey game device is configured so that each player can score points by shooting the first puck and the second puck into the opponent's goal. The air hockey game device is configured to control the game process (e.g., collection/supply of the first puck and the second puck, calculation/display of score, and production effect) based on the type of puck.

Abstract: A sewing machine that includes an image capturing device and a sewing device. The image capturing device captures an image, and the sewing device sews a buttonhole having a length in accordance with a shape of the button, based on an image of a button captured by the image capturing device.

Abstract: A sewing machine capable of mode switching between a normal sewing mode and a free motion sewing mode including a feed dog switcher that switches a feed dog between an active state in which the feed dog is moved above and below a needle plate and an inactive state in which the feed dog is lowered below the needle plate, a first instruction issuer that instructs execution of fastening stitching at a beginning of pattern sewing sequence, a second instruction issuer that instructs execution of fastening stitching at an end of pattern sewing sequence, and a controller that, when in the free motion sewing mode, activates the feed dog by the feed dog switcher in response to an incoming instruction signal from the first or the second instruction issuer to execute fastening stitching through control of feed dog based on fastening stitching data to longitudinally feed a workpiece cloth.

Abstract: A sewing machine that is capable of sewing an embroidery pattern on a work cloth held by an embroidery frame includes a display device that is capable of displaying at least one of an image and embroidery information, a detection device that detects an occurrence of a thread break, an image capture device that is capable of capturing an image of at least an area including a needle drop point, a display control device that displays an image captured by the image capture device and an operation key on the display device in a case where the detection device has detected the occurrence of the thread break, the operation key being to be used to transfer the embroidery frame by at least one stitch, and a sewing control device that causes the embroidery frame to be transferred based on a number of stitches specified by operation of the operation key.

Abstract: A sewing machine that sews a work cloth being moved by a user includes a detection device that detects the work cloth, a movement calculation device that calculates movement data of the work cloth, a movement data storage device that stores the movement data, a movement data creation device that causes the detection device and the movement calculation device to respectively detect the work cloth and calculate the movement data for each stitch, and that stores the movement data into the movement data storage device, a line segment specification device that specifies a line segment based on the movement data, a determination device that determines whether a stitch to be formed next will overlap with an already formed stitch corresponding to the specified line segment, and an error control device that performs an error correction operation based on a determination result.

Abstract: A sewing machine for a user to perform sewing while moving a work cloth includes: a detecting device that detects the work cloth; a movement calculating device that calculates, by two-dimensional coordinate data, a movement direction and a movement quantity of the work cloth between previous detection and current detection of the work cloth when the work cloth is detected; a movement data storage device that stores movement data serving as two-dimensional coordinate data indicative of the movement direction and the movement quantity; a movement data creating device that detects the work cloth on a one by one needle basis of sewing, calculates the movement data, and stores the calculated data in the movement data storage device; a cloth feed mechanism that moves the work cloth; and a reproduction sewing control device that performs sewing while moving the work cloth based on the movement data stored in the movement data storage device.

Abstract: A sewing machine including a needle bar; a sewing needle attached to the lower end of the needle bar; a needle bar drive mechanism vertically driving the needle bar; a presser foot capable of applying releasable pressure on a workpiece cloth and that releases the pressure to allow manual movement and sewing of the workpiece cloth; a regulatory needle including a tip and being capable of assuming a pierced state where the tip is pierced through the workpiece cloth and a non-pierced state, wherein the regulatory needle is moved along with the workpiece cloth while retaining the pierced state of the tip; a regulatory needle drive unit vertically driving the regulatory needle between the pierced state and the non-pierced state in coordination with vertical movement of the sewing needle; and a regulatory needle regulator limiting horizontal movement of the regulatory needle so as not to exceed a predetermined stitch pitch.

Abstract: A sewing machine that enables a user to perform sewing while moving a piece of work cloth, the sewing machine including: a main shaft that drives a needle bar equipped with a sewing needle, a sewing machine motor that rotary-drives the main shaft, a detection device that detects an actual movement distance of the piece of work cloth, a target pitch storage device that stores a predetermined length as a target pitch, which is a target value of stitch pitches of the piece of work cloth, an agreement degree calculation device that calculates an agreement degree between the target pitch and a stitch pitch in actual sewing that is to be determined based on the actual movement distance of the piece of work cloth which is detected by the detection device; and a notification device that notifies of the agreement degree calculated by the agreement degree calculation device.

Abstract: A sewing machine capable of sewing a manually moved workpiece cloth in free motion includes a carrier that carries the workpiece cloth and being manually moved to move the workpiece cloth; a support element that movably supports the carrier; a movement amount detector that detects an amount of carrier movement; a specifier that specifies a stitch pitch; a comparator that produces a comparison of the amount of carrier movement with the stitch pitch; a regulator provided at the support element and that regulates carrier movement; and a controller that controls the regulator such that the amount of carrier movement does not exceed the stitch pitch based on the comparison produced by the comparator.

Abstract: A heat exchanger includes tubes and a tank. The tubes extend in a first direction, and are stacked in a second direction. The tank has a tube insertion plate part, and is arranged at an end portion of the tubes. The tube insertion plate part has tube holes in which the tubes are inserted, and ribs extending in a third direction that is approximately perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction. The tube hole has end portions in the third direction. The rib are arranged to overlap with the end portion of the tube hole in the second direction, and to provide a deformable part to be deformable in the first direction. The deformable part is located in the tube insertion plate part outside of the ribs in the third direction.

Abstract: A sewing machine and a method for managing manufacture of the sewing machine that effectively utilize production information in a manufacture process or a repair process of the sewing machine. The sewing machine may include a stitch formation device that forms stitches in work cloth by relatively moving the work cloth with respect to a vertically moving needle; a display device that displays a record of performing an operational test, in which operations of the sewing machine are adjusted or confirmed, the operational test including test items; and a performance record storage device that stores the performance record, the performance record being correlated with the test items of the operational test.

Abstract: A sewing machine includes a sewing machine motor that vertically drives a sewing needle via a main shaft; a sewing speed commander that produces a command sewing speed determined by rotational speed of the sewing machine motor; a stitch-pitch specifier that specifies a stitch pitch to be applied to manually fed sewing operation; a consumed thread amount detector that detects a consumed needle-thread amount in each ongoing sewing cycle; a sewing speed controller that controls sewing speed at the command sewing speed when the command sewing speed is equal to or less than a predetermined reference sewing speed, and that controls sewing speed at a target sewing speed calculated based on the consumed needle-thread amount and the stitch pitch when the command sewing speed is greater than the reference sewing speed.

Abstract: A sewing machine including an input unit that inputs a thread cut instruction; a thread cutting mechanism that cuts a needle thread and a bobbin thread based on the thread cut instruction; a feed dog vertically moving mechanism that vertically drives a feed dog for feeding a workpiece cloth; a feed dog activating switch unit that switches the feed dog between an active state in which the feed dog is vertically driven by the feed dog vertically moving mechanism and an inactive state in which an upper surface of the feed dog is positioned in a lowered position below an upper surface of a needle plate provided in a sewing machine bed; and a control unit that drives the thread cutting mechanism based on the thread cut instruction inputted from the input unit and that controls the feed dog activating switch unit to switch the feed dog to the inactive state in which the feed dog is positioned in the lowered position.

Abstract: A sewing machine including a maintenance information storage that stores maintenance information; an alert element that communicates maintenance information; a cumulative data storage that stores cumulative data of at least either of a sew time or a stitch count; a determiner that determines whether or not a predetermined timing for communicating the maintenance information has been reached based on the cumulative data; an alert count storage that stores an alert count of the maintenance information communicated; and an alert controller that, when determined by the determiner to have reached the predetermined timing for communicating the maintenance information, controls the alert element to communicate the maintenance information for a predetermined number of times based on the alert count.

Abstract: A heat exchanger comprising: a core portion including a plurality of tubes; a pair of header tanks communicating with the tubes; and a pair of inserts arranged substantially parallel to the length of the tubes, and in such a manner as to contact the core portion at the ends of the core portion to transfer the heat from the core portion, and having the ends thereof supported on the header tanks; wherein a stress absorber to absorb the stress generated along the length of each insert is formed in the insert; wherein the stress absorber is formed over each insert from the upstream side to the downstream side in the air flow; and wherein the stress absorber is arranged in such a manner that the most upstream end and the most downstream end thereof in the air flow are not superposed, one on the other, along the direction of air flow.

Abstract: A sewing machine includes a needle bar that is equipped with a sewing needle at a lower end of the needle bar, a presser bar that is equipped with a presser foot at a lower end of the presser bar, which holds down a work cloth, a sewing machine motor which is a driving source that drives the needle bar in an up and down direction, and a switching device that switches between a normal mode in which the needle bar is driven in the up and down direction to form stitches and a practice mode in which the sewing machine is operated in a condition where at least the needle bar is not driven.