Abstract: A rotary encoder having a slider provided with a plurality of movable contact points disposed along a circle of a certain radius at an angular interval six times as large as an output pitch of rectangular wave signal. The contact-point board is provided on the surface with a signal pattern and a common pattern. Signal pattern consists of three fixed contact points, each having two conductive layers of radial shape of the same width, disposed at an angular pitch which is three times as large as the output pitch of rectangular wave signal. These fixed contact points are disposed along sliding circle of the movable contact points, at an angular pitch which is smaller, or larger, than angular interval of movable contact points, or a multiple of it, by the output pitch of rectangular wave signal, or twice that. Common pattern is disposed insulated from the signal pattern. Overall size of the rotary encoder is small in the outer diameter, and the encoder generates three-phase rectangular wave signal.

Abstract: A rotary encoder has housing case provided with common electrode and signal electrode disposed to an area narrower than the entire circumference, or an angular range of generally ½ of the circumference in concentrical with central hole of housing case, and sliding contact in a confronting manner to the electrodes, the sliding contact provided with four combinations of contacts points arranged at four equally divided angular positions, or every 90 degrees along the same circumference about the rotary axis, each of the combinations comprises contact point on inner side for connectively sliding on common electrode and two contact points on outer side for connectively sliding on signal electrode. The rotary encoder of this structure can reduce the cost by decreasing a width of material needed for fabrication of electrodes, and decrease distances for contact points to slide on electrodes, to thereby improve durability to sliding abrasion.

Abstract: Rotary electronic component of the invention has a contact board and an elastic contact. The contact board, including an annular contact having an arc-segmental portion split by a slit with a predetermined width and signaling contacts disposed at spaced positions and in electrical continuation with the arc-segmental portion, is fixed in a resin molding with the annular contact exposed on the top plane of the resin molding. The elastic contact slides on the contact board along the annular contact. In this rotary electronic component, a stress occurring when the annular contact is fixed by molding on to the contact board is relaxed owing to presence of the slit. Thus, a rotary electronic component generating an electric signal with a stabilized waveform over a long time can be obtained.

Abstract: A stop and start control apparatus of an internal combustion engine prevents fuel supplied in a specific cylinder at the time of stopping the engine from being discharged in an unburned state. When an ignition switch is turned off in a state that the unburned fuel is sealed in the combustion chamber of a specific cylinder during idling stop, the unburned fuel is combusted to prevent the unburned fuel from being discharged. The vibration occurring at that time can be suppressed by rotating the motor generator in the counter direction to the rotation direction of the crankshaft. After the unburned fuel is sealed in the combustion chamber of the specific cylinder, if it is estimated that the unburned fuel is discharged, the exhaust valve corresponding to the specific cylinder is closed at the predetermined timing, or the unburned fuel is combusted, whereby the unburned fuel is prevented from being discharged. Thus, deterioration of emission can be avoided.

Abstract: When a crank angle is controlled to stop at an optimal crank angle stop position by an engine automatic stop control, such as idling stop, or when the crank angle stop position can be estimated with high accuracy, the automatic engine restart is performed by a motor generator serving as an electric motor or an electric generator, at the next time of restarting of the engine. On the other hand, when the crank angle is not controlled to stop at the optimal crank angle stop position, when the crank angle stop position cannot be estimated with the high accuracy, or when the crank angle stop position changes after the stop control, the engine is restarted by a DC starter having an output torque larger than that of a motor generator, at the next time of restarting of the engine.

Abstract: A stop position control apparatus of an internal combustion engine is applied to a vehicle of a type in which a function of a motor or a generator is connected to a crankshaft of the engine, such as an economic-running vehicle and a hybrid vehicle, for example. A rotation position of a motor generator is detected by a motor angle sensor or the like, and a crank angle of the engine is detected by a crank angle sensor or the like. A stop position of the internal combustion engine i.e., a crank angle, at the time of stop page is estimated based on the rotation position of the motor generator and the crank angle. By utilizing both the detection results, the stop position of the internal combustion engine can be accurately estimated. By detecting a rotation direction of the crankshaft from the output of the motor angle sensor, the stop position of the engine can be accurately estimated even when the engine is rotated in the reverse direction at the time of the engine stopping.

Abstract: In a non-insulated DC—DC converter for performing direct-current power conversion by operating a first MOS transistor and a second MOS transistor in mutually inverted phases, the second MOS transistor is held off during soft-start control. In soft-start control, the on-duty period of the first MOS transistor is short immediately after the switch-on of a power source, and is gradually extended afterwards.

Abstract: A three phase alternating current generator-motor that serves as a starter motor or the alternator includes switching elements for controlling current. When the three phase alternating current generator-motor generates electricity, current flowing to the switching elements is suppressed by current control units in accordance with quantity of generated electricity. A plurality of rectifying diodes are provided in the three-phase alternating current generator-motor are connected in parallel with the corresponding switching elements.

Abstract: A valve-driving system which is applied to an internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders for driving an intake or exhaust valve provided in each cylinder, including a plurality of valve-driving apparatuses provided for driving valves of different cylinders of the internal combustion engine, wherein each valve-driving apparatus includes an electrical motor as a driving source for generating rotation motion; and a power transmission mechanism for converting the rotation motion of the electric motor into opening and closing motion of the valve to be driven and for transmitting the opening and closing motion to the valve through a cam or a link.

Abstract: A valve-driving system, which is applied to an internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders, for driving an intake or exhaust valve provided in each cylinder, comprising: a plurality of valve-driving apparatuses, each of which is provided for at least each one of the intake valve and the exhaust valve, each valve-driving apparatus having an electrical motor as a driving source for generating rotation motion and a power transmission mechanism provided with a transmitting section for transmitting the rotation motion generated by the electrical motor and a converting section for converting the rotation motion transmitted from the transmitting section into opening and closing motion of the valve to be driven; and a motor control device which controls operations of electric motors of the respective valve-driving apparatuses in accordance with the operation state of the internal combustion engine.

Abstract: A stop control apparatus for an internal combustion engine is provided with a valve mechanism capable of operating at least one of an intake valve and an exhaust valve independently a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine, and a valve controlling device for controlling an operation of the valve mechanism so that the internal combustion engine is stopped in a predetermined state.

Abstract: A key of a building and a tool may be required for responding to various incidents that occur in targets to be processed. The maintenance engineer closest to the target mat not carry the key and tool. Optimum selection of the maintenance engineer cannot be achieved with current locations of the maintenance engineer candidates and of the target. Location information on a key and tool required for processing an incident that occurs in a target to be processed is managed. Additionally, when at least one maintenance engineer who processes the incident is selected, in accordance with a predetermined rule that location information on the maintenance engineer candidates, on the target, and on the key and tool required for the process request should be considered to select at least one maintenance engineer who processes the incident, the maintenance engineer is selected.

Abstract: In a starting control system for an internal combustion engine, an output shaft is rotated in a reverse direction at a predetermined direction upon start of the internal combustion engine, and then is rotated in a normal direction so as to start a cranking operation. The system serves to combust the fuel in a cylinder in an expansion stroke when the output shaft is rotated in the reverse direction, and the resultant combustion pressure is used for performing the cranking operation. This makes it possible to reduce the load exerted to the electric motor.

Abstract: In a method of starting an internal combustion engine, a combustion energy is generated by combusting a fuel that has been injected into a cylinder in an expansion stroke when the internal combustion engine is stopped. In the aforementioned method, the combustion energy generated by combusting the fuel is obtained based on a state of an air/fuel mixture within the cylinder to which the fuel has been injected. Based on the obtained combustion energy, a kinetic energy to be supplied to the internal combustion engine from a primary energy supply source is estimated. A difference between a predetermined target kinetic energy required for starting the internal combustion engine subsequent to the start of combustion and the estimated kinetic energy to be supplied from the primary energy supply source is obtained. The kinetic energy corresponding to the obtained difference is supplied from a secondary energy supply source in the form of a starter motor.

Abstract: A rotary encoder having a slider provided with a plurality of movable contact points disposed along a circle of a certain radius at an angular interval six times as large as an output pitch of rectangular wave signal. The contact-point board is provided on the surface with a signal pattern and a common pattern. Signal pattern consists of three fixed contact points, each having two conductive layers of radial shape of the same width, disposed at an angular pitch which is three times as large as the output pitch of rectangular wave signal. These fixed contact points are disposed along sliding circle of the movable contact points, at an angular pitch which is smaller, or larger, than angular interval of movable contact points, or a multiple of it, by the output pitch of rectangular wave signal, or twice that. Common pattern is disposed insulated from the signal pattern. Overall size of the rotary encoder is small in the outer diameter, and the encoder generates three-phase rectangular wave signal.

Abstract: An engine is cranked by a motor generator at a start time of the engine. An engine ECU opens an intake valve or an exhaust valve during a compression stroke using a valve control mechanism during a period from when cranking is started until when a predetermined crank angle position (detected by a crank angle sensor) is reached, thereby reducing a compression workload.

Abstract: A voltage conversion apparatus is connected between a first charging/discharging device and a second charging/discharging device, and performs voltage conversion between the first and second charging/discharging devices. The apparatus includes a first switching device having one terminal connected to the first charging/discharging device, a second switching device connected between the other terminal of the first switching device and the earth, a third switching device having one terminal connected to the second charging/discharging device, a fourth switching device connected between the other terminal of the third switching device and the earth, and a coil provided between the other terminal of the first switching device and the other terminal of the third switching device.

Abstract: A client connected to an IP network has a unit for adding an inquiry identifier when an inquiry is made to a DB server, and a unit for accumulating time information together with the inquiry identifier when the inquiry is transmitted and a result is received. A DB server connected to the IP network and a storage network has a unit for adding the received inquiry identifier when the result is transmitted to a client and the inquiry is received, and a unit for accumulating time information together with the inquiry identifier when the inquiry is received, when I/O is requested to the storage, when an I/O result is received from the storage, and when the result is transmitted to the client.

Abstract: A three phase alternating current generator-motor that serves as a starter motor or the alternator includes switching elements for controlling current. When the three phase alternating current generator-motor generates electricity, current flowing to the switching elements is suppressed by current control units in accordance with quantity of generated electricity. A plurality of rectifying diodes are provided in the three-phase alternating current generator-motor are connected in parallel with the corresponding switching elements.