Abstract: A partially-reduced iron producing apparatus includes: an exhaust gas circulating device which supplies an oxygen-containing gas to raw-material pellets to be heated by a heat of ignition raw-material pellets, the oxygen-containing gas made by circulating part of an exhaust gas discharged from the raw-material pellets by use of the heat of the ignition raw-material pellets heated in a heating furnace and mixing the discharged exhaust gas with air; and a liquid-tar separating device which is provided in the exhaust gas circulating device and which separates a tar component in the exhaust gas from the exhaust gas as a liquid tar.

Abstract: Provided is a device for the destructive distillation of coal, said device suppressing increases in the concentration of mercury within destructively distilled coal generated by the device. The device for the destructive distillation of coal is a rotary kiln in which an inner cylinder is rotatably supported inside an outer cylinder, thermal gas is supplied to interior of the outer cylinder and dried coal is supplied to the interior of the inner cylinder from one end side thereof, the dried coal is subjected to thermal destructive distillation while being moved and agitated from the one end side of the inner cylinder to the other end side thereof due to the inner cylinder being rotated, and destructively distilled coal and destructively distilled gas are delivered from the other end side of the inner cylinder.

Abstract: A lens holder driving device includes a lens holder moving portion, a fixed member, suspension wires, and a damper compound. In the lens holder moving portion, a lens holder moves in an optical axis and in first and second directions which are orthogonal to the optical axis and which are perpendicular to each other. The fixed member is disposed apart from the lens holder moving portion in the direction of the optical axis. The suspension wires have first end portions fixed to the fixed member at outer regions thereof, extending along the optical axis, having second end portions fixed to an elastic member mounted to the lens holder moving portion, and swingably supporting the lens holder moving portion in the first direction and the second direction. The damper compound is disposed so as to enclose at least one suspension wire and suppresses undesired resonance in the lens holder moving portion.

Abstract: A lens holder driving device includes an auto-focusing lens holder driving portion moving a lens holder holding a lens barrel along an optical axis, and an image stabilizer portion stabilizing image blurred by moving the auto-focusing lens holder driving portion in first and second directions which are orthogonal to the optical axis and which are perpendicular to each other. The image stabilizer portion includes: a fixed portion disposed apart from the auto-focusing lens holder driving portion in the direction of the optical axis; a plurality of suspension wires having first end portions fixed to the fixed portion at outer regions thereof, extending along the optical axis, having second end portions fixed to the auto-focusing lens holder driving portion, and swingably supporting the auto-focusing lens holder driving portion in the first direction and the second direction; and a fracture preventing member preventing the suspension wires from fracturing.

Abstract: A release sheet comprising a base material and a release agent layer formed on at least one surface of the base material, wherein: the release agent layer is formed by using a release agent composition; the release agent composition contains a first polydimethylsiloxane having at least two alkenyl groups in one molecule and a second polydimethylsiloxane having at least two hydrosilyl groups in one molecule; the release agent composition contains 10.00 to 16.00 mmol of the alkenyl groups and 40.00 to 145.00 mmol of the hydrosilyl groups in a total of 30 g of the first polydimethylsiloxane and the second polydimethylsiloxane; and a molar ratio (b/a) of the hydrosilyl groups (b) to the alkenyl groups (a) is 2.0 to 15.0. According to the release sheet, it is possible to suppress the peeling force from increasing even when the release agent layer of the release sheet is exposed to the air for a long time.

Abstract: A partially-reduced iron producing apparatus includes: a supplying device laying ignition raw-material pellets on an endless-grate; a heating furnace heating the ignition raw-material pellets; another supplying device laying the raw material pellets on the ignition raw-material pellets; and an exhaust gas circulation device supplying an oxygen-containing gas to the raw-material pellets. The oxygen containing gas is made by circulating part of an exhaust gas discharged from the raw-material pellets and mixing it with air. A partially-reduced iron is produced by thermally reducing the raw-material pellets in a bed height direction thereof through separate combustion and heating regions. The combustion region formed on an upstream side in a travelling direction of the endless grate by supplying the oxygen-containing gas having a high oxygen concentration.

Abstract: A reduction furnace includes a pellet material supplying device forming on a grate an ignition carbon material layer having a predetermined height; an ignition device; and an exhaust gas circulation device supplying an oxygen-containing gas comprising circulated exhaust gas mixed with air, to a packed bed of the pellets heated by a combustion heat of the ignition carbon material layer. A partially-reduced iron is produced by thermally reducing the pellets through a combustion region for the ignition carbon material layer and a heating region, the combustion region formed upstream in a travelling direction of the grate by supplying a gas having a high oxygen concentration, the heating region formed downstream of the combustion region by supplying a gas having a low oxygen concentration.

Abstract: A distributed power supply system is configured to execute a process for determining whether or not to permit a diagnostic process in such a manner that it is determined whether or not a difference between a set upper limit value and an actual measurement current value is not less than a load current value, the set upper limit value being a predetermined upper limit value set with respect to a detected current of a current sensor, the measurement current value being detected by the current sensor in a state where the diagnostic process is not executed, and the load current value being a value of a current flowing from a commercial power utility to a power load during execution of the diagnostic process; and if it is determined that the difference is not less than the load current value, the controller permits the diagnostic process.

Abstract: A release sheet comprising a base material and a release agent layer formed on at least one surface of the base material by using a release agent composition; the release agent composition contains a first polydimethylsiloxane having at least two alkenyl groups in one molecule and a second polydimethylsiloxane having at least two hydrosilyl groups in one molecule; the release agent composition contains 0.40 to 5.25 mmol of the alkenyl groups and 7.00 to 120.00 mmol of the hydrosilyl groups in a total of 30 g of the first polydimethylsiloxane and the second polydimethylsiloxane; and a molar ratio (b/a) of the hydrosilyl groups (b) to the alkenyl groups (a) is 3.0 to 70.0. Consequently, it is possible to suppress the peeling force from increasing even when the release agent layer of the release sheet is exposed to the air for a long time.

Abstract: There is provided an optical scanning device and an image forming apparatus including the optical scanning device. The optical scanning device includes an optical box containing light source units, a rotating polygon mirror, and a motor. In order to prevent the entire optical box from being deformed by deformation occurring in the installation region due to heat of the driving unit, the optical box includes a connection region between a second sidewall and an installation region where a driving unit is installed. The optical box further includes regions provided next to the connection region and having heights different from each other. A concave portion is formed in the connection region.

Abstract: A robotic cane may include a grip handle, a cane body extending from the grip handle at a first end, a motorized omni-directional wheel coupled to a second end of the cane body, a balance control sensor, and a controller module. The balance control sensor provides a balance signal corresponding to an orientation of the robotic cane. The controller module may receive the balance signal from the balance control sensor and calculate a balancing velocity of the motorized omni-directional wheel based at least in part on the balance signal and an inverted pendulum control algorithm. The controller module may further provide a drive signal to the motorized omni-directional wheel in accordance with the calculated balancing velocity. The calculated balancing velocity is a speed and direction of the motorized omni-directional wheel to retain the robotic cane in an substantially upright position.

Abstract: A coal deactivation treatment device for deactivating of coal by means of a treatment gas that is a mixture of air and nitrogen gas is provided with, among other things: a treatment column inside of which coal flows from the top to the bottom; treatment gas feed means, and the like, for feeding treatment gas to the inside of the treatment column; humidifying heaters for heating and humidifying the treatment gas such that the treatment gas fed to the inside of the treatment column can maintain a relative humidity of 35% or greater, even at 95° C.; a temperature sensor and a control device for adjusting the temperature inside the treatment column such that the inside of the treatment column is maintained at a relative humidity of 35% or greater and a temperature of 95° C. or lower.

Abstract: Robotic posture transfer assist devices for assisting a posture transfer of a patient in a bed may include a device body, a stabilizer coupled with the device body and the bed, and at least one robotic arm having a plurality of degrees of freedom, wherein the robotic arm may be coupled with the device body. Robotic posture transfer assist devices may further include an end-effector removably coupled with the robotic arm, a controller module that provides a control signal to the robotic arm to control a movement of the robotic arm about the plurality of degrees of freedom, and a user input device that provides a command signal to the controller module to command the movement of the robotic arm, wherein the control signal provided by the controller module corresponds with the command signal.

Abstract: A method for welding laser-impermeable resin members. The resin members are overlapped with each other at least partially, with a light absorber capable of absorbing laser light being interposed therebetween, so as to form an overlapping portion. The light absorber in the overlapping portion is irradiated directly with laser light, and is heated and melted thereby. Heat from the melted light absorber is transferred to the resin members in the overlapping portion, and therefore the resin members are melted in the overlapping portion. The melted overlapping portion is cooled and solidified, whereby the overlapping portion is integrally bonded.

Abstract: Linking parts are formed on one end of a first resin composite member and on one end of a second resin composite member in order to bond the ends together. For example, the linking parts may be wavy parts containing concave portions and convex portions. In this case, the wavy parts initially are heated and softened. Then, in a molding unit, respective pairs of confronting convex portions are overlapped with each other, and respective pairs of confronting concave portions are utilized to form a non-overlapping space. The overlapped convex portions are pressed and crushed, such that a base thermoplastic resin and fibers contained therein flow toward the non-overlapping space. Thereafter, the thermoplastic resin is cooled and hardened, whereby the first resin composite member and the second resin composite member are bonded integrally to obtain a resin composite structure.

Abstract: A water-repellent film is formed on a first joint surface of a first member that contains any one of a macromolecular material, a metallic material, and an inorganic material. The water-repellent film is subjected to an activation treatment, and is thereby converted into a film having a high hydrophilicity and a nylon 6 contact angle of less than 25°. A second joint surface of a second member that contains at least a thermoplastic resin, which differs from the macromolecular material, is placed on the first joint surface having the film, whereupon the second member is heated and melted. Then, the molten second member is cooled and solidified in order to bond the first joint surface and the second joint surface.

Abstract: A distributed power generation system includes: an inverter connected to the first connection point; a first power generation device, a current sensor provided on the electric wire in a position between the utility power supply and the first connection point; and a controller wherein in a case where a current flowing in a direction from the first connection point to the power supply utility is a positive current, the controller determines that there is an abnormality in an installation state of the current sensor, or performs notification of the abnormality in the installation state of the current sensor, when an electric power difference obtained by subtracting electric power consumed in the power load from the electric power output from the inverter is greater than a first threshold which is greater than 0.

Abstract: Two partings are provided, a movable core edge face where core back is performed with a mold plate being configured of multiple plates is provided within the thickness of a component edge face, and a driving unit is provided to a pushing-cut shape and a nipping shape. With a molding process, after filling of a foaming resin, the sub parting moves in the core-back direction by predetermined amount, but a punching insert block, a nipping insert block, a slant core, and an outer slider do not move in the core-back direction, and maintain in a position before core back.

Abstract: The distributed power generation system includes: an inverter connected to the first connection point; a first power generator; a current sensor provided on the power line between the commercial power supply and the first connection point; and a controller. In a case where a current flowing in a direction from the first connection point to the commercial power supply is a positive current, in a state where the inverter is disconnected, the controller determines that there is an abnormality in an installation state of the current sensor, or gives a notification of the abnormality in the installation state of the current sensor, if differential power that is obtained by subtracting power consumed by the electrical load from output power of the inverter is greater than a first threshold greater than 0.

Abstract: A secure search processing system includes an information processing apparatus that calculates an exclusive OR of second information obtained by applying a keyword for search to a one-way function and a second random number obtained with a random number generator, calculates an exclusive OR of a search value that is the calculation result and registration values in a database, and calculates an exclusive OR of a value obtained by applying to the homomorphic function a calculation result of an exclusive OR of a value of a search value and registration values and a value obtained by applying a second random number to a homomorphic function, searches for an output value of the one-way function with which registration values in the database are associated using as a key a value obtained by applying a calculation result to the one-way function, and outputs a search result to an output interface.