Abstract: A photovoltaic apparatus includes: a concentrator photovoltaic panel; a driving device configured to change an attitude of the photovoltaic panel; a current detection unit configured to detect an output current of the photovoltaic panel; and a control unit configured to cause the driving device to perform a sun-tracking shift operation when it is determined based on a detection result of the current detection unit that the photovoltaic panel is generating no power during tracking of the sun.

Abstract: Provided is a flexible printed circuit including: a film-shaped insulating base material having flexibility and having a withstand voltage value of at least 2000 V; and an electric conductor layer formed on the insulating base material and forming a circuit pattern, wherein with respect to the insulating base material, a principal component thereof is a polyimide and a filler content thereof is 0%. Thus, a flexible printed circuit can be obtained that has an insulating base material which suppresses decrease in withstand voltage performance even in a high humidity environment.

Abstract: A photovoltaic apparatus includes: a concentrator photovoltaic panel; a driving device configured to change an attitude of the photovoltaic panel; a current detection unit configured to detect an output current of the photovoltaic panel; and a control unit configured to cause the driving device to perform a sun-tracking shift operation when it is determined based on a detection result of the current detection unit that the photovoltaic panel is generating no power during tracking of the sun.

Abstract: A transformer is provided between a power supply and a load, and includes a front stage circuit and a rear stage circuit each having a function of performing switching so as to alternately invert a polarity of output relative to input. The transformer further includes: a series unit provided in at least one of both circuits and composed of a pair of reactance elements connected in series to each other via a connection point; and a switch device which, with both ends of the series unit serving as a first port, causes a part between one end of the series unit and the connection point, and a part between the other end of the series unit and the connection point, to serve as a second port alternately through switching while inverting a polarity, and executes power transmission from the first port to the second port or vice versa.

Abstract: A transformer is provided between a power supply, and a load with a resistance value R, and includes a two-terminal pair circuit composed of n-number of reactance elements that are mutually connected, where n is a natural number equal to or greater than 4. With respect to any value of the resistance value R of the load, an input impedance Zin of the two-terminal pair circuit has a real number component of k·R, where k is a constant, and an imaginary number component of 0. Such a transformer has a small size and a light weight, and does not need a coil, an iron core, and the like as used in a conventional transformer.

Abstract: A transformer includes a front stage circuit and a rear stage circuit. As a front stage circuit, a switch series unit, which is connected in parallel to a power supply, includes odd-numbered switches and even-numbered switches alternately turned ON. Mutual connection points of the respective switches and points at both ends of the switch series unit are regarded as m nodes in total. Capacitors are provided on at least one of a first electrical path combining odd nodes to lead them to a first output port, and a second electrical path combining even nodes to lead them to a second output port. The capacitors are present so as to correspond to at least (m?1) nodes. The rear stage circuit includes an element series unit, which is composed of a pair of semiconductor elements connected in series to each other for conducting operations of mutually opposite polarities, and necessary inductors.

Abstract: A front stage circuit of a transformer includes a switch series unit, capacitors, and a ground electrical path. The switch series unit, connected in parallel to a power supply, includes odd-numbered/even-numbered switches configured to be alternately turned ON. Assuming that mutual connection points of the switches and points at both ends of the switch series unit are m nodes in total, and one of the points at the both ends is a ground node, the capacitors are provided on at least one of a first electrical path that combines odd nodes and leads them to a first output port, and a second electrical path that combines even nodes and leads them to a second output port, and the capacitors are present to correspond to (m?1) nodes excluding the ground node. The ground electrical path connects the ground node directly to the first output port without an interposed capacitor.

Abstract: A concentrator photovoltaic module 1M includes a vessel-shaped housing 11 composed of a metal and a flexible printed wiring board 12 provided so as to be in contact with an inner surface of the housing 11. The flexible printed wiring board 12 includes an insulating layer 124, an insulating substrate 121a, a pattern 121b, a plurality of power generation elements 122, and an insulting layer 126. The insulating layer 124 is in contact with a bottom surface 11a of the housing 11. The insulating substrate 121a is provided on the insulating layer 124 and has flexibility. The pattern 121b is composed of a conductor and is provided on the insulating substrate 121a. The plurality of power generation elements 122 are mounted on the pattern 121b. The insulating layer 126 is provided so as to cover an entire surface of the pattern 121b except for portions where the power generation elements 122 are mounted.

Abstract: A front stage circuit of a transformer includes a switch series unit, capacitors, and a ground electrical path. The switch series unit, connected in parallel to a power supply, includes odd-numbered/even-numbered switches configured to be alternately turned ON. Assuming that mutual connection points of the switches and points at both ends of the switch series unit are m nodes in total, and one of the points at the both ends is a ground node, the capacitors are provided on at least one of a first electrical path that combines odd nodes and leads them to a first output port, and a second electrical path that combines even nodes and leads them to a second output port, and the capacitors are present to correspond to (m?1) nodes excluding the ground node. The ground electrical path connects the ground node directly to the first output port without an interposed capacitor.

Abstract: A transformer includes a front stage circuit and a rear stage circuit. As a front stage circuit, a switch series unit, which is connected in parallel to a power supply, includes odd-numbered switches and even-numbered switches alternately turned ON. Mutual connection points of the respective switches and points at both ends of the switch series unit are regarded as m nodes in total. Capacitors are provided on at least one of a first electrical path combining odd nodes to lead them to a first output port, and a second electrical path combining even nodes to lead them to a second output port. The capacitors are present so as to correspond to at least (m?1) nodes. The rear stage circuit includes an element series unit, which is composed of a pair of semiconductor elements connected in series to each other for conducting operations of mutually opposite polarities, and necessary inductors.

Abstract: A transformer of distributed-constant type is provided between an AC power supply with a frequency f and a load with a resistance value R, and includes: a first converter connected to the AC power supply and having a length of ?/4; and a second converter provided between an end of the first converter and the load, and having a length of ?/4, where a wavelength at the frequency f is ?. Such a transformer has a small size and a light weight, and does not need a coil, an iron core, and the like as used in a conventional transformer.

Abstract: A concentrator photovoltaic module including: a flexible printed circuit provided in contact with a bottom surface of a housing; and a primary concentrating portion formed by a plurality of lens elements being arranged, each lens element concentrating sunlight, wherein the flexible printed circuit includes: an insulating base material and a conductive pattern; a plurality of power generating elements provided on the pattern, so as to correspond to the lens elements, respectively; a cover lay as a covering layer having insulating property and a low water absorption not higher than a predetermined value, the cover lay covering and sealing a conductive portion including the pattern on the insulating base material; and an adhesive layer having insulating property and a low water absorption not higher than the predetermined value, the adhesive layer bonding the insulating base material and the covering layer together.

Abstract: Provided is a flexible printed circuit including: a film-shaped insulating base material having flexibility and having a withstand voltage value of at least 2000 V; and an electric conductor layer formed on the insulating base material and forming a circuit pattern, wherein with respect to the insulating base material, a principal component thereof is a polyimide and a filler content thereof is 0%. Thus, a flexible printed circuit can be obtained that has an insulating base material which suppresses decrease in withstand voltage performance even in a high humidity environment.

Abstract: A transformer is provided between a power supply, and a load with a resistance value R, and includes a two-terminal pair circuit composed of n-number of reactance elements that are mutually connected, where n is a natural number equal to or greater than 4. With respect to any value of the resistance value R of the load, an input impedance Zin of the two-terminal pair circuit has a real number component of k·R, where k is a constant, and an imaginary number component of 0. Such a transformer has a small size and a light weight, and does not need a coil, an iron core, and the like as used in a conventional transformer.

Abstract: A transformer of distributed-constant type is provided between an AC power supply with a frequency f and a load with a resistance value R, and includes: a first converter connected to the AC power supply and having a length of ?/4; and a second converter provided between an end of the first converter and the load, and having a length of ?/4, where a wavelength at the frequency f is ?. Such a transformer has a small size and a light weight, and does not need a coil, an iron core, and the like as used in a conventional transformer.

Abstract: A transformer is provided between a power supply and a load, and includes a front stage circuit and a rear stage circuit each having a function of performing switching so as to alternately invert a polarity of output relative to input. The transformer further includes: a series unit provided in at least one of both circuits and composed of a pair of reactance elements connected in series to each other via a connection point; and a switch device which, with both ends of the series unit serving as a first port, causes a part between one end of the series unit and the connection point, and a part between the other end of the series unit and the connection point, to serve as a second port alternately through switching while inverting a polarity, and executes power transmission from the first port to the second port or vice versa.

Abstract: To realize a transmission function of power line communication by a further simplified and cost-effective circuit configuration, in a PLC modem installed in an electric appliance such as a household electrical appliance. A semiconductor switching element that is present on an electric circuit connected to a power line is driven by a modulator unit. The modulator unit controls ON/OFF operations of the semiconductor switching element, to thereby cause a communication signal of a modulated rectangular wave to be output to the power line for a prescribed period.

Abstract: A concentrator photovoltaic module 1M includes a vessel-shaped housing 11 composed of a metal and a flexible printed wiring board 12 provided so as to be in contact with an inner surface of the housing 11. The flexible printed wiring board 12 includes an insulating layer 124, an insulating substrate 121a, a pattern 121b, a plurality of power generation elements 122, and an insulting layer 126. The insulating layer 124 is in contact with a bottom surface 11a of the housing 11. The insulating substrate 121a is provided on the insulating layer 124 and has flexibility. The pattern 121b is composed of a conductor and is provided on the insulating substrate 121a. The plurality of power generation elements 122 are mounted on the pattern 121b. The insulating layer 126 is provided so as to cover an entire surface of the pattern 121b except for portions where the power generation elements 122 are mounted.

Abstract: A concentrator photovoltaic module including: a flexible printed circuit provided in contact with a bottom surface of a housing; and a primary concentrating portion formed by a plurality of lens elements being arranged, each lens element concentrating sunlight, wherein the flexible printed circuit includes: an insulating base material and a conductive pattern; a plurality of power generating elements provided on the pattern, so as to correspond to the lens elements, respectively; a cover lay as a covering layer having insulating property and a low water absorption not higher than a predetermined value, the cover lay covering and sealing a conductive portion including the pattern on the insulating base material; and an adhesive layer having insulating property and a low water absorption not higher than the predetermined value, the adhesive layer bonding the insulating base material and the covering layer together.

Abstract: Provided is a concentrator photovoltaic system including: a concentrator photovoltaic panel; a driving device configured to cause the concentrator photovoltaic panel to perform operation of tracking the sun; and a control device configured to detect a change pattern repeatedly occurring in temporal change in generated power of the concentrator photovoltaic panel, and configured to compare the detected change pattern with a form characteristic to deviation in an azimuth and a form characteristic to deviation in an elevation, to detect the presence/absence of deviation in tracking.