Abstract: A wind turbine blade is reinforced while suppressing possible stress concentration resulting from a load imposed on a blade root portion of the wind turbine blade in a flap direction. The wind turbine blade includes a blade main body extending from the blade root portion toward a blade tip portion and an FRP reinforcing layer formed so as to cover at least a part of the outer surface of the blade root portion of the blade main body. The FRP reinforcing layer includes a plurality of laminated fiber layers and a resin with which the plurality of fiber layers is impregnated. The FRP reinforcing layer is formed such that, in a cross section along a longitudinal direction of the blade main body, both ends of the plurality of laminated fiber layers in the longitudinal direction are tapered.

Abstract: To transfer slurry without a binder smoothly in each transition between a dewatering process, a water squeezing process, and a drying process during formation of the slurry into a sheet-like shape through these processes. A dewatering process unit P1 conveys slurry while removing moisture in the slurry. A water squeezing process unit P2 conveys the resultant slurry while squeezing water from the slurry by rolling the slurry. A drying process unit P3 conveys the resultant slurry while drying the slurry by heating the slurry. The conveyance speed of the slurry in the water squeezing process is lower than the conveyance speed of the slurry in the dewatering process. The conveyance speed of the slurry in the drying process is lower than the conveyance speed of the slurry in the water squeezing process.

Abstract: An imaging device includes a plurality of pixels each including a plurality of avalanche photodiodes, a setting unit configured to set the plurality of avalanche photodiodes to an active state or an inactive state separately, and a counter circuit that counts and outputs number of photons determined by the avalanche photodiode(s) set to the active state out of the plurality of avalanche photodiodes, wherein the imaging device is configured to change the number of avalanche photodiodes set to the active state out of the plurality of avalanche photodiodes in accordance with brightness of an object.

Abstract: An automatic transmission controller is provided, which is capable of reducing occurrence of a shift shock while improving responsiveness of a driving force. An ECU is configured to calculate a target shift time based on an input torque that is input to the automatic transmission when a gear stage is shifted from a current gear stage to a target gear stage spaced two or more stages apart from the current gear stage. The ECU is also configured to: shift the gear stage to an intermediate gear stage between the current gear stage and the target gear stage when the target shift time is not less than a predetermined value; and to shift the gear stage directly to the target gear stage when the target shift time is less than the predetermined value.

Abstract: An automatic transmission control device is configured to execute a first shifting between a pre-shifting gear position and an intermediate gear position, and a second shifting between the intermediate gear position and a post-shifting gear position such that each of the first and second shiftings is executed by releasing one of engagement devices and engaging one of the engagement devices, and is configured, upon transition from the first shifting to the second transition, to gradually changing an engagement torque of an engagement-maintained engagement device as one of the engagement devices which is engaged upon completion of the first shifting and is maintained in the engaged state during the second shifting, such that the engagement torque of the engagement-maintained engagement device is changed gradually from a required engagement torque required upon completion of the first shifting, to a required engagement torque which is required in the second shifting.

Abstract: A control apparatus for a stepped automatic transmission in which one of a plurality of shift speeds is established by selectively engaging a plurality of frictional engagement elements, the stepped automatic transmission mounted on a vehicle, the control apparatus includes: an electronic control unit configured to perform a control of prohibiting a plurality of shift that is transitioning from an upshift speed change to a downshift speed change, for a predetermined period, when a downshift speed change requirement is requested by an occurrence of an accelerator depression operation during an inertia phase of the upshift speed change in a driven state of a vehicle.

Abstract: A wind turbine blade is reinforced while suppressing possible stress concentration resulting from a load imposed on a blade root portion of the wind turbine blade in a flap direction. The wind turbine blade includes a blade main body extending from the blade root portion toward a blade tip portion and an FRP reinforcing layer formed so as to cover at least a part of the outer surface of the blade root portion of the blade main body. The FRP reinforcing layer includes a plurality of laminated fiber layers and a resin with which the plurality of fiber layers is impregnated. The FRP reinforcing layer is formed such that, in a cross section along a longitudinal direction of the blade main body, both ends of the plurality of laminated fiber layers in the longitudinal direction are tapered.

Abstract: Provided are a wind turbine blade, with which effective reinforcement against possible flexural deformation in a longitudinal direction is realized, and a reinforcing method for the wind turbine blade. The wind turbine blade includes a hollow blade main body having a cylindrical blade root portion and extending from the blade root portion along a blade length direction, and a reinforcing plate provided in contact with an inside surface of the blade root portion and formed of an elongated member having a dimension along the blade length direction that is larger than a dimension along a circumferential direction of the blade root portion.

Abstract: Provided are a wind turbine blade, with which effective reinforcement against possible flexural deformation in a longitudinal direction is realized, and a reinforcing method for the wind turbine blade. The wind turbine blade includes a hollow blade main body having a cylindrical blade root portion and extending from the blade root portion along a blade length direction, and a reinforcing plate provided in contact with an inside surface of the blade root portion and formed of an elongated member having a dimension along the blade length direction that is larger than a dimension along a circumferential direction of the blade root portion.

Abstract: Provided is a solid state imaging device including a plurality of pixels, a signal line on which a pixel signal is transmitted, a load transistor having a drain connected to the signal line, a readout circuit that reads out the pixel signal from the signal line, and a control unit that controls a current flowing in the load transistor in accordance with a potential of a control terminal. When a reference potential of the pixel fluctuates relatively to a reference potential of the readout circuit, a potential of the control terminal relative to a potential of a source of the load transistor is changed in a same phase with a fluctuation of the reference potential of the pixel.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes: a first signal processing circuit arranged in a first direction to process a signal from a first group of pixels; a second signal processing circuit arranged in a second direction to process a signal from a second group of pixels; a first external connecting terminal arranged in the first direction to supply a first potential to the first signal processing circuit; a second external connecting terminal arranged in the second direction to supply the first potential to the second signal processing circuit; a third external connecting terminal arranged in the first direction to supply a second potential to the first group of pixels; and a fourth external connecting terminal arranged in the second direction to supply the second potential to the second group of pixels.

Abstract: An exemplary heat pump includes: an accumulator that separates liquid refrigerant from gas refrigerant returning to a compressor; a refrigerant suction channel connecting the compressor to the accumulator; a refrigerant return channel that returns liquid refrigerant in the accumulator to the refrigerant suction channel; a first valve disposed on the refrigerant return channel; a temperature sensor that detects a temperature of refrigerant in the refrigerant suction channel; a second valve that reduces a pressure of a part of liquid refrigerant flowing between the first and second heat exchangers; a refrigerant evaporator that gasifies, by using waste heat of an engine, the liquid refrigerant whose pressure has been reduced; a gas refrigerant supply channel through which the gasified refrigerant is supplied to the accumulator; and a control device that, while the first valve is open, controls an opening of the second valve based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor.

Abstract: An exemplary heat pump includes: a compressor configured to compress a refrigerant; a first heat exchanger configured to condense the compressed refrigerant; a flow rate adjustment valve configured to adjust a flow rate of the condensed refrigerant; an expansion valve having an adjustable opening and configured to decompress the refrigerant having passed the flow rate adjustment valve; a second heat exchanger configured to cool a temperature control target by using the refrigerant decompressed by the expansion valve; and a control device configured to control the opening of the expansion valve based on a difference between the temperature of the refrigerant flowing into the second heat exchanger and the temperature of the refrigerant flowing out from the second heat exchanger, and to control the opening of the flow rate adjustment valve based on the flow rate of the refrigerant to be supplied to the second heat exchanger.

Abstract: An exemplary heat pump (10) includes: a compressor (16A, 16B) that discharges refrigerant; an oil separator (30) that separates oil from the refrigerant discharged from the compressor; an oil return channel (80) that returns the oil separated by the oil separator to the compressor; a pressure sensor (86A, 86B) that detects a pressure in the oil return channel; a first pressure loss member (84A, 84B) and a second pressure loss member (88A, 88B) disposed in portions of the oil return channel at an oil separator side and a compressor side relative to the pressure sensor; and a control device that increases an output of the compressor in a case where a pressure detected by the pressure sensor exceeds a suction pressure of the compressor and less than a discharge pressure of the compressor.

Abstract: Provided is a solid-state image pickup element including: a plurality of pixels arranged in a pixel well region; a readout circuit arranged in a peripheral well region, having a first input terminal for receiving the pixel signals from the plurality of pixels and a second input terminal for receiving a reference signal; and a reference signal circuit arranged in the peripheral well region, having a first electrode to which a ground voltage is supplied, and being configured to output the reference signal to the second input terminal of the readout circuit, wherein a resistance value R1 of an electrical path from one of a plurality of pixel well contacts to the first electrode and a resistance value R2 of an electrical path from one of a plurality of peripheral well contacts closest to the first electrode to the first electrode satisfy a relationship of R1<R2.

Abstract: When an engagement-side clutch taking charge of rotation control in an upshift is the same as a rotation control clutch of a previous gear shift, it is determined that there is a likelihood that a thermal load of a clutch friction material will increase, and the thermal load of the clutch friction material is decreased by delaying gear shift start. By setting a delay time by which the gear shift start is delayed when an accelerator depression amount is small to be shorter than when the accelerator depression amount is large depending on the accelerator depression amount, a gear shift which is an upshift can be performed without unnecessary waiting.

Abstract: A control device for a vehicle includes an electronic control unit configured to increase a disengagement-side instructed pressure such that an input rotation speed decreases when overspeeding of the input shaft occurs during a coast downshift of an automatic transmission. Overspeeding of the input shaft in a disengagement-side element that forms a gear stage before a downshift having a lower gear ratio than that after the downshift is suppressed.

Abstract: An electronic control unit is configured to control a hydraulic pressures of engaging element and disengaging element in accordance with a preset target output shaft torque during a power-on downshift. The electronic control unit is configured to delay a start of decrease in the hydraulic pressure of the disengaging element from a start of a torque phase while maintain the hydraulic pressure of the disengaging element at the start of the torque phase. The electronic control unit is configured to start decreasing the hydraulic pressure of the disengaging element when the electronic control unit determines that overspeed of an input shaft is occurring during the torque phase and a predetermined condition is established.

Abstract: When there is a request for a skip downshift that transitionally establishes an intermediate speed position, a surge hydraulic pressure at the start of a torque phase during shift control toward the intermediate speed position is set so as to be lower than a surge hydraulic pressure at the start of a torque phase during shift control toward a required speed position.

Abstract: When an inertia phase has started while torque phase control is being executed, the torque phase control is ended, a target torque capacity of an engaging element in inertia phase control is corrected on the basis of a difference between the target torque capacity of the engaging element at the time when the inertia phase has started and the target torque capacity of the engaging element at the time when the torque phase control has completed (or a difference between the target torque capacity of the engaging element at the time when the inertia phase has started and the target torque capacity of the engaging element, which is set at the time when the inertia phase control has started), and the inertia phase control is started.