Abstract: In mobile robot that runs from first flat surface which is a magnetic body to second flat surface which is a magnetic body and intersects the first flat surface, the mobile robot includes a pair of driving wheels which is rotatably supported to robot body and includes permanent magnets on outer circumferential surfaces thereof; driving mechanism which drives the pair of driving wheels to be independently rotated; rear wheel which is rotatably supported to the robot body and includes permanent magnets on an outer circumferential surface thereof; distance sensor which acquires a distance to the second flat surface; and pressing out mechanisms which include pressing out members which are movable between contact position at which the pressing out member can be in contact with the first flat surface and retracted position at which the pressing out member is retracted from the first flat surface.

Abstract: In mobile robot that runs from first flat surface which is a magnetic body to second flat surface which is a magnetic body and intersects the first flat surface, the mobile robot includes a pair of driving wheels which is rotatably supported to robot body and includes permanent magnets on outer circumferential surfaces thereof; driving mechanism which drives the pair of driving wheels to be independently rotated; rear wheel which is rotatably supported to the robot body and includes permanent magnets on an outer circumferential surface thereof; distance sensor which acquires a distance to the second flat surface; and pressing out mechanisms which include pressing out members which are movable between contact position at which the pressing out member can be in contact with the first flat surface and retracted position at which the pressing out member is retracted from the first flat surface.

Abstract: An electromechanical device includes a rotor, a stator having a magnetic coil, a sensor adapted to detect an electric angle of the rotor, a control section adapted to perform a PWM drive on the magnetic coil based on a signal from the sensor, a resistor connected in series to the magnetic coil when measuring temperature of the electromechanical device, and a voltage measurement section adapted to measure a voltage between both ends of the resistor, and the control section calculates an electric resistance of the magnetic coil using the voltage between the both ends of the resistor measured by the voltage measurement section, and then determines the temperature of the magnetic coil using the electric resistance of the magnetic coil in a measurement period in which application of a drive voltage to the magnetic coil is stopped in the PWM drive.

Abstract: An electromechanical device includes a rotor, a stator having a magnetic coil, a sensor adapted to detect an electric angle of the rotor, a control section adapted to perform a PWM drive on the magnetic coil based on a signal from the sensor, a resistor connected in series to the magnetic coil when measuring temperature of the electromechanical device, and a voltage measurement section adapted to measure a voltage between both ends of the resistor, and the control section calculates an electric resistance of the magnetic coil using the voltage between the both ends of the resistor measured by the voltage measurement section, and then determines the temperature of the magnetic coil using the electric resistance of the magnetic coil in a measurement period in which application of a drive voltage to the magnetic coil is stopped in the PWM drive.

Abstract: Driving electric current values of a semiconductor laser when detected light amount values are equal to each of five light amount values having respectively different magnitudes are detected. Thus, five detecting points relating to a light amount value-driving electric current value characteristic are obtained. A differential efficiency .eta. at an interval between two adjacent detecting points is calculated. For example, a differential efficiency .eta.1 is calculated from an adjacent detecting point and a differential efficiency .eta.2 is calculated from another adjacent detecting point. Further, values of the differential efficiencies are displayed on a display so that an operator can recognize an exact deteriorated state of an LD from the values of the differential efficiencies.

Abstract: Light scanning devices forming electrostatic latent images on photosensitive bodies are disposed so as to correspond respectively to the plurality of photosensitive bodies which correspond to a plurality of colors, respectively. Electrooptical elements are disposed on light paths of light beams. The electrostatic latent images formed on the respective photosensitive bodies 1 are respectively developed by developing means. Developed electrostatic latent images are respectively superposed together and transferred onto a sheet, so that a color image is formed. Images-for-detecting-offset-amounts, which are formed on a conveying body by the light scanning devices, are detected, and offset amounts of images of the respective colors are detected. Based on detected offset amounts, voltages are applied to the respective electrooptical elements such that the offset amounts become values of a predetermined range.

Abstract: A digital image forming apparatus is constructed to accurately detect period abnormality of a horizontal sync signal. In the apparatus, a sync signal generation portion outputs the horizontal sync signal by a received light signal from a light position detector. A sync signal abnormality monitor monitors whether a detected period of the sync signal is longer than a reference period, or it is normal. When the output signal of the sync signal is judged to be longer than the reference period, an abnormality detecting signal is supplied to a continuous turning-on portion. When the continuous turning-on portion receives the abnormality detecting signal, it issues an instruction to a synchronizing turning-on portion so that video data continues to be turned on, that is, turning-on signal is continuously outputted. Since a laser beam is continuously turned on by this instruction, the light position detector can certainly receive the laser beam.

Abstract: An impact dot printer designed to reduce noise, including a first cover, a second cover, and an overlap portion therebetween. The first cover is located above a print section, and may include sound wave reflecting plates, sheet guide plates, and a sound absorbing member, each reflecting plate, each sheet guide plate, and the sound absorbing member being arranged close to the print section. The second cover is rotatable relative to the first cover and forms a printed sheet discharge path together with the first cover. The second cover also has sound wave reflecting plates and sheet guide plates. Each sheet guide plate is designed to be projected farther from the associated cover than the corresponding reflecting plate on said cover. The distance between adjacent sheet guide plates is made smaller than the width of the smallest sheet to be used in the printer.

Abstract: A serial printer for printing on a recording medium which includes a platen, a carriage and a recording medium discharge section. The platen serves as a recording medium insert member and is rotated by a motor. A carriage shuttles in parallel with the platen and includes a recording head and a paper holder attached thereto. The sheet discharge section is arranged on a downstream side of the carriage and is provided for guiding the recording medium to a sheet discharge outlet. The printer further includes a carriage controller for moving the carriage towards the center of the recording medium and stopping the carriage proximate the center of the recording medium, while decelerating the carriage before the center of the recording medium, when the recording medium is forwarded for printing until the recording medium reaches a sheet discharge section from a predetermined position on the downstream side of the paper holder.

Abstract: An impact dot printer designed to reduce noise, including a first cover, a second cover, and an overlap portion therebetween. The first cover is located above a print section, and may include sound wave reflecting plates, sheet guide plates, and a sound absorbing member, each reflecting plate, each sheet guide plate, and the sound absorbing member being arranged close to the print section. The second cover is rotatable relative to the first cover and forms a printed sheet discharge path together with the first cover. The second cover also has sound wave reflecting plates and sheet guide plates. Each sheet guide plate is designed to be projected farther from the associated cover than the corresponding reflecting plate on said cover. The distance between adjacent sheet guide plates is made smaller than the width of the smallest sheet to be used in the printer.

Abstract: A print controller apparatus and method thereof for controlling the movement of a printhead assembly including a carriage, printhead, and head pins. First and second moving times of the carriage moving from first and second predetermined distances and a difference between these moving times are determined. The carriage at a third predetermined distance is then determined based on the first and second moving times and the difference of the moving times. A basic timing signal corresponding to the current print mode is generated in accordance with the current moving time of the carriage. A correction value is then computed based on the current moving time of the carriage and from a preceding detected moving time which equals a predetermined time the printhead arrives at the printing paper. The basic timing signal is corrected using the correction value to thereby generate a print timing signal.

Abstract: In a serial impact printer, a printing head having an impact wire pin array of two arrangement lines is mounted on a carriage in such a way that the pin arrangement lines are inclined by an angle .theta. with respect to the virtual vertical direction. The respective wire pins in the array are driven at timings different delay time by delay time according to the inclination angle .theta.. The control circuit for determining the drive timings comprises a circuit for turning on the respective wire pins at the delay time intervals and a circuit for turning off the respective wire pins in sequence at the delay time intervals after a predetermined time has elapsed. It is desirable that the inclination angle .theta. satisfies the following formula:tan .theta..ltoreq.a/(2.multidot.b)where 2a denotes the pitch between two adjacent wire pins arranged along a single arrangement line of the array, and b denotes a distance between the two arrangement lines of the array.

Abstract: A print controller apparatus and method thereof for controlling the movement of a printhead assembly including a carriage, printhead, and head pins. First and second moving times of the carriage moving from first and second predetermined distances and a difference between these moving times are determined. The carriage at a third predetermined distance is then determined based on the first and second moving times and the difference of the moving times. A basic timing signal corresponding to the current print mode is generated in accordance with the current moving time of the carriage. A correction value is then computed based on the current moving time of the carriage and from a preceding detected moving time which equals a predetermined time the printhead arrives at the printing paper. The basic timing signal is corrected using the correction value to thereby generate a print timing signal.

Abstract: The disclosed invention achieves a proper speed control of a sheet feeding motor for a serial printer that uses an astable power supply with a simple operation irrespective of variations in power supply voltage. The invention provides a method of and an apparatus for controlling the frequency of a sheet feeding pulse motor for a printer in accordance with the power supply voltage during sheet feeding.

Abstract: A print wire driving apparatus for use in a printer having a stabilized power source, a print wire, an urging coil for driving said print wire and a power source including a smoothing capacitor for energizing the urging coil is provided. An accumulating circuit accumulates electro-magnetic energy generated in the urging coil once the current supplied to the urging coil has been turned OFF. A feedback circuit feeds back energy from the accumulating circuit to the smoothing capacitor when the voltage of the accumulating circuit reaches a predetermined level. A regulating circuit maintains the voltage of the accumulating circuit so that the voltage does not fall below the predetermined level, thereby obtaining high power source efficiency and high speed operation of the print wire.

Abstract: A print head activation circuit for a wire dot printer includes a first switch and a second switch. A CPU produces a printing timing control signal. A first driving signal-generating circuit produces a first driving signal pulse having a pulse width T.sub.1 in response to the printing timing control signal. A delay circuit delays the first driving signal. A second driving signal-generating means produces a second driving signal pulse having a pulse width T.sub.2 in response to the leading edge of the delayed first driving signal. The first switching means is connected with a DC power supply. The first switching means is also connected with one terminal of each actuator coil of the print head. The second switching means is connected between a second terminal of the actuator coil and ground. The second driving signal-generating means is operated in response to the delayed first driving signal. The delay time .DELTA.

Abstract: A carriage control system for a printer which effects printing by moving the carriage mounted on a print head to reduce the distance on either side of the printing area required for acceleration and deceleration. Various approaches to rapidly and accurately accelerating carriage to a selected constant speed and then decelerating the carriage from the constant speed to a stop are provided. Both open-loop and closed-loop control approaches are utilized.

Abstract: In an automobile having an exhaust gas purifying device such as a catalytic converter beneath the floor of the vehicle body, a heat absorption layer is provided, within a space bounded on its lower and upper sides by the purifying device and an interior covering for the floor to prevent the covering from being burned in case of an abnormal rise in the temperature of the purifying device. The essential material of the heat absorption layer is a hydrate which loses its water of hydration at a temperature to which is heated the heat absorption layer in case of the abnormality.