Abstract: Aggregation of particulate matter is facilitated. Provision is made for an electrode that is arranged in an exhaust passage of an internal combustion engine with a voltage to be applied thereto being able to be changed, a detection device that detects an electric current passing through the electrode, a determination device that determines whether a pulse current has been generated in the electric current detected by the detection device, and a control device that reduces the voltage to be applied more than that at this time in cases where a determination has been made by the determination device that a pulse current has been generated.

Abstract: An excessively large electric current is suppressed from flowing to an electrode. A particulate matter processing apparatus in which a processing part with an electrode installed therein is arranged in an exhaust passage of an internal combustion engine, wherein particulate matter is caused to aggregate by generating a potential difference between the electrode and the processing part, is provided with a power supply that is connected to the electrode and applies a voltage thereto, a current detection device that detects an electric current which passes through the electrode, an air fuel ratio detection device that detects or estimates an air fuel ratio of an exhaust gas which flows through the exhaust passage, and a voltage control device that makes the voltage applied to the electrode from the power supply smaller in cases where the air fuel ratio detected by the air fuel ratio detection device is a rich air fuel ratio, than in cases where it is a stoichiometric air fuel ratio or a lean air fuel ratio.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a front lens group, which constitutes part of an imaging optical system, at a fixed position with respect to an optical axis direction, wherein the front lens group includes a front lens element and a reflector and the reflector reflects light rays exiting from the front lens element; a movable lens group provided closer to the image plane side than the front lens group and movable along the optical axis; a support member which supports the reflector; a movable frame which supports the front lens element and is supported by the support member to be movable along a plane orthogonal to the optical axis of the front lens element; and a driver which drives the movable frame in the plane, in accordance with vibrations applied to the photographing optical system, to reduce image shake.

Abstract: The embodiments relate to a method of calculating an image for simulating by calculation an image imaged by a projection optical system. In this method, a Stokes vector showing a characteristic of an illumination light is acquired first. Next, this Stokes vector is divided into a polarized light component vector and a non-polarized light component vector. The polarized light component vector is divided into a first coherent component vector and a first non-coherent component vector. The non-polarized light component vector is divided into a second coherent component vector and a second non-coherent component vector. Then, imaging calculation is performed at least for the first coherent component vector and the second coherent component vector, respectively.

Abstract: A drive system includes a rotational driving member, a rotational driven member, to which a rotational resistance is applied, a holding member of a rotatable optical element supported by the rotational driving member and the rotational driven member, an insertion controller preventing the holding member from rotating when the holding member is in an inserted position, and a removal controller allowing the holding member to move to a fully removed position and prevents the holding member from rotating at a limited removed position. An insertion/removal operation of the holding member is performed by relative rotation between the rotational driving member and the rotational driven member, and when the holding member is prevented from rotating by the insertion controller and the removal controller, the rotational driven member and the holding member rotate with the rotational driving member about the optical axis.

Abstract: A stress treatment device has an operating unit including a head unit performing peening by irradiating an inside of a hole formed in a structure with laser to form a compressive stress region in the hole; a laser unit having an optical fiber guiding the laser to the head unit; a jetting unit jetting liquid into the hole; and a support part supporting the optical fiber in a manner of allowing the jetted liquid to flow through and being fixed in the head unit.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus includes an image sensor and a photographing optical system. An imaging surface of the image sensor includes an effective light-receiving area having a rectangular shape that is defined by short sides and long sides. An optical surface of a lens that is provided closest to the image plane within the photographing optical system and which possesses an imaging function has a non-circular shape in a front elevational view. A boundary of the non-circular optical surface of the lens that is provided closest to the image plane includes two pairs of mutually parallel sides so that, when the lens that is provided closest to the image plane is rotated about the optical axis relative to the imaging surface, an image area formed by the non-circular optical surface covers the rectangular effective light-receiving area of the imaging surface before and after rotation.

Abstract: A lens-frame moving mechanism includes a lens frame guided to move between a ready-to-photograph position and a retracted position, the lens frame being biased forwardly by a biaser; an intermediate linearly movable member, wherein the lens frame contacts the intermediate linearly movable member; a leading screw formed on the drive shaft of a motor; a nut member screw-engaged onto the leading screw, wherein the nut member does not rotate relative to the lens frame and moves the intermediate linearly movable member in the optical axis direction; and a rearwardly-movable member which rearwardly moves the lens frame against the biasing force such that the lens frame moves away from the intermediate linearly movable member in the optical axis direction while the lens frame is moved from the ready-to-photograph position to the retracted position.

Abstract: A laser irradiation apparatus of the embodiment includes: a laser light transmission mechanism to guide laser light from a laser light source and emit the laser light from a laser light emission part; a condensing mechanism to condense the laser light; a pipe state casing to house and hold the condensing mechanism inside thereof and have an opening part to irradiate the laser light; a fluid supply mechanism to supply a fluid into the casing to emit the fluid from the opening part; a positioning mechanism provided at the casing to keep a distance from the condensing mechanism to the processing object constant by being brought into contact with the processing object; and a fluid guide mechanism to guide the fluid emitted from the opening part to flow between the casing and the processing object along an axial direction of the casing.

Abstract: A particulate matter control system includes: an electrode that is provided in an exhaust pipe of an internal combustion engine; a power supply that is connected to the electrode and that applies voltage; a particle number detecting unit that detects the particle number of particulate matter on a downstream side of the electrode; a calculation unit that calculates a reduction rate of the particle number at the time when voltage is applied on the basis of the particle number detected by the particle number detecting unit at the time when voltage is applied and the particle number detected by the particle number detecting unit at the time when no voltage is applied; and a determination unit that determines that there is a failure when the reduction rate of the particle number, calculated by the calculation unit, is smaller than a threshold.

Abstract: A linear guide mechanism of a lens barrel, the lens barrel including a rotatable ring, and a linearly movable member which holds an optical element and moves linearly in an optical axis direction by rotation of the rotatable ring, the linear guide mechanism includes a plurality of partial linear guide members which linearly guide the linearly movable member in the optical axis direction. A movement range of the linearly movable member in the optical axis direction is shared by a plurality of different movement ranges, via which the linearly movable member is linearly guided in the optical axis direction by the plurality of partial linear guide members, respectively.

Abstract: A rotationally extendable structure of a lens barrel includes a stationary ring; a rotational ring, supported by the stationary ring to move in an optical axis direction while rotating and includes a peripheral gear at the rear end thereof; and a rotational-ring drive gear. The rotational-ring drive gear includes a long gear portion, formed long enough to mesh with the peripheral gear over an entire moving range of the rotational ring, and a large-diameter gear portion at the rear end of the long gear portion. The rotational ring is provided in a rear end thereof with a large-diameter-gear accommodating recess. When the rotational ring is moved to a rearward movement extremity in the optical axis direction, the large-diameter gear portion enters into the large-diameter-gear accommodating recess so that the large-diameter gear portion coincides with the peripheral gear with respect to the optical axis direction.

Abstract: A particulate matter treatment system includes an electrode provided in an exhaust passage of an internal combustion engine, a power supply connected to the electrode and operable to apply a voltage to the electrode, a particle number detector that detects the number of particles of particulate matter downstream of the electrode, and a determining device that determines that the system is at fault when an absolute value of the amount of change in the number of particles of particulate matter detected by the particle number detector when the voltage applied from the power supply to the electrode is changed is smaller than a threshold value.

Abstract: Apparatus for acoustic measurement in a downhole environment to enable high quality measurements to be obtained in difficult logging conditions are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a downhole tool having a body with a plurality of transmitters located on the body. A receiver is located on the body a distance from the transmitters and an attenuator section is integrally formed on the body between at least one transmitter and the receiver.

Abstract: The embodiments relate to a method of calculating an image for simulating by calculation an image imaged by a projection optical system. In this method, a Stokes vector showing a characteristic of an illumination light is acquired first. Next, this Stokes vector is divided into a polarized light component vector and a non-polarized light component vector. The polarized light component vector is divided into a first coherent component vector and a first non-coherent component vector. The non-polarized light component vector is divided into a second coherent component vector and a second non-coherent component vector. Then, imaging calculation is performed at least for the first coherent component vector and the second coherent component vector, respectively.

Abstract: A zoom lens includes a variable aperture-stop mechanism positioned in front or behind an aperture-control lens group; a first rotation imparting member, which rotates an opening/closing ring of the variable aperture-stop mechanism by a relative movement between the variable aperture-stop mechanism and the first rotation imparting member in the optical axis direction so as to hold an adjustable aperture of the variable aperture-stop mechanism at a small aperture size when the aperture-control lens group moves within in the zooming range; and a second rotation imparting member, which rotates the opening/closing ring by a relative movement between the variable aperture-stop mechanism and the second rotation imparting member to open and hold the adjustable aperture at a large aperture size when the aperture-control lens group moves to the accommodated position, at which the aperture-control lens group is partly positioned in the adjustable aperture held at the large aperture size.

Abstract: A stress treatment device has an operating unit including a head unit performing peening by irradiating an inside of a hole formed in a structure with laser to form a compressive stress region in the hole; a laser unit having an optical fiber guiding the laser to the head unit; a jetting unit jetting liquid into the hole; and a support part supporting the optical fiber in a manner of allowing the jetted liquid to flow through and being fixed in the head unit.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for electrostatic spray deposition (ESD) for fabricating a thin-layer yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) electrolyte on a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) anode substrate constructed of nickel-YSZ cermet. By reducing the thickness of the electrolyte, and thereby reducing the cell internal IR drop, an intermediate temperature SOFC (ITSOFC) can operate at 600-800° C. A collar positioned at a distance from a discharge end of a spray nozzle enhances a spray pattern of a precursor including the electrolyte material and thus provides a very thin electrolyte layer.

Abstract: An imaging unit including an image sensor, an incident-side prism, an exit-side prism, and an intermediate optical system positioned therebetween, wherein light incident on the incident-side prism passes through the incident-side prism, the intermediate optical system and the exit-side prism to be incident on the image sensor, the imaging unit includes a housing supporting the incident-side prism, the exit-side prism and the intermediate optical system such that incident and exit optical axes of the incident-side prism, an optical axis of the intermediate optical system, and incident and exit optical axes of the exit-side prism all lie on a common plane; and a cover board, on which the image sensor is mounted, fixed to the housing so that the image sensor faces an exit surface of the exit-side prism, the cover board closing an opening of the housing.

Abstract: An optical element position control mechanism includes an optical element holding member which holds an optical element of a photographing system and is guided in an optical axis direction; a drive mechanism for moving the optical element holding member in the optical axis direction; and a biasing device including an arm which is swingable about a swing axis, the swing axis being substantially orthogonal to the optical axis, and the arm extending substantially orthogonal to the swing axis and having a free end portion which engages with the optical element holding member to bias the optical element holding member in the optical axis direction.