Abstract: Provided are a beam combiner that can form a fine and clear interference pattern, a method of forming an alignment film in which a fine and clear alignment pattern can be obtained, and a method of manufacturing an optical element including a fine and clear liquid crystal alignment pattern. The beam combiner element includes: a beam combiner element that emits light where right/left circularly polarized light components are combined; a polarization separating element that separates incidence light into two right or left circularly polarized light components; and a light control element that focuses or diffuses light and is provided on at least one optical path of circularly polarized light incident into the beam combiner element, in which an absolute value of an ellipticity of circularly polarized light emitted from the beam combiner element is 0.8 or more.

Abstract: A charge control system includes: a charging device having a first processor configured to store electric power to be supplied to a preset area; and a charge control device having a second processor configured to acquire brightness information in the area, calculate a charge amount of the charging device on a basis of the acquired brightness information, and perform charge control of the charging device on a basis of the calculated charge amount. Further, when calculating the charge amount, the second processor calculates the charge amount in such a manner that the charge amount decreases as brightness in the area increases.

Abstract: Provided are a liquid crystal diffraction element, an image display apparatus, and a head mounted display where occurrence of a ghost in a head mounted display such as VR glasses can be suppressed.

Abstract: A cartridge includes a developing roller rotatable about a rotational axis thereof and a movable lever. A coupling member is operatively connected to the developing roller, with the coupling member being movable, in response to a movement of the lever, between (a) a first position in which the coupling member is exposed to outside of the cartridge, and (b) a second position. The coupling member is provided at a first end portion on a first side of the cartridge. In a direction of the rotational axis of the developing roller, the first position is farther from a second end potion provided on a second side of the cartridge that is opposite to the first end portion on the first side of the cartridge than the second position is from the second end portion on the second side of the cartridge.

Abstract: A toner container is provided with a bag member made of flexible film material and a discharging member connected to the bag member and configured to discharge toner from an accommodating space to an outside. When a length from an opposing surface of the discharging member to an end portion in an opposite side of the opposing surface of the bag member in a first direction is defined as Xmax, and in a case in which a position X (0?X?Xmax) using the opposing surface as a reference in the first direction is given, a length of the bag member on a plane perpendicular to the first direction in a second direction is defined as Y and a length of the bag member on the plane in a third direction is defined as Z, in a case in which Z is Z0 in X=0, Xmax>Y?Z in a range of 0?X?Xmax, 0.8×Z0?Z?1.2×Z0 in the range of 0?X?Xmax, and Y?2×Z in a range of 0?X<0.5×Xmax.

Abstract: A vehicle cleaner system are mounted on an autonomous driving vehicle including a vehicle control unit capable of selectively executing an autonomous driving mode and a manual driving mode. The vehicle cleaner system includes: a cleaner unit configured to clean an external sensor; and a cleaner control unit configured to control the cleaner unit. When the vehicle control unit switches from the manual driving mode to the autonomous driving mode, the vehicle control unit is configured such that, after the cleaner control unit causes the cleaner unit to clean the external sensor or after a diagnosis is performed to ascertain whether or not the external sensor needs to be cleaned, the manual driving mode is switched to the autonomous driving mode.

Abstract: A cartridge includes a developing roller and a frame configured to support the developing roller. A lever is connected to the frame, with the lever being movable relative to the frame, and with a part of the lever protruding beyond the frame. The cartridge also includes a spring deformable in response to a movement of the lever relative to the frame, with the spring being positioned such that it is capable of exerting a first force on the lever and a second force on the frame. A memory board is provided and an electrode portion is connected to the memory board. A part of the electrode portion and a part of the spring are positioned in a plane that is perpendicular to a rotational axis of the developing roller.

Abstract: A cartridge includes a developing roller and a frame configured to support the developing roller. A lever is connected to the frame, with the lever being movable relative to the frame, and with a part of the lever protruding beyond the frame. The cartridge also includes a memory board. and an electrode portion connected to the memory board. When the cartridge is oriented with the lever and the electrode portion at a bottom portion of the cartridge, the protruding part of the lever protrudes downward from the frame and at least a part of an exposed part of the developing roller is positioned above the rotational axis.

Abstract: A sensor system includes a LiDAR and a dirt determination unit. The LiDAR includes a light emitting unit configured to emit light to a detection range via a transmissive part configured to transmit light, a light receiving unit configured to receive light emitted from the light emitting unit and reflected by hitting at an object, and a point group information output unit configured to output point group information comprising position information on the object and distance information to the object, based on the light received by the light receiving unit. The dirt determination unit is configured to detect dirt attached to the transmissive part, based on the point group information. The detection range to which the light emitting unit emits light is divided into a plurality of regions including a first region and a second region different from the first region.

Abstract: A driving control device including a processor. The processor detects that a vehicle has encroached into an area configured for car-washing by a carwash machine, switches a travel mode of the vehicle to autonomous driving, and controls the vehicle so as to stop at a carwash position for the carwash machine under autonomous driving.

Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide a novel medical use of pluripotent stem cells (Muse cells) in the regenerative medicine area. Provided are a cell preparation and a medicinal composition for ameliorating and treating chronic lung disease in newborns, said cell preparation and medicinal composition comprising SSEA-3-positive pluripotent stem cells isolated from a mesenchymal tissue in a living body or cultured mesenchymal cells. The cell preparation according to the present invention is based on a mechanism whereby the aforesaid disease is ameliorated and treated by administering Muse cells to a subject suffering from the disease and engrafting the cells in lung tissues.

Abstract: A cartridge includes a developing roller rotatable about a rotational axis thereof. A frame is configured to support the developing roller. A lever is connected to the frame, with the lever being movable relative to the frame, and a part of the lever protruding beyond the frame. A surface of the developing roller extends a longer distance in a direction of the rotational axis than a distance that the lever extends in the direction of the rotational axis.

Abstract: Provided are an optical element having a high diffraction efficiency of transmitted light and an image display apparatus formed of the optical element.

Abstract: A toner container includes a toner storage unit, a container base portion including a discharge port provided on an outer surface of the container base portion, the outer surface extending in a first direction, the discharge port communicating with the toner storage unit, and a container shutter configured to be rotatable about a rotation axis extending in a direction along the first direction between a shielding position and an open position. The container base portion includes an engaging portion configured to be engaged with an engaged portion of the image forming apparatus so that rotation of the container base portion with respect to the image forming apparatus about the rotation axis is restricted. At least a part of the engaging portion of the container base portion is exposed from the container shutter in a case where the container shutter is in the shielding position.

Abstract: A heat medium temperature adjustment system includes a heat medium circuit configured to circulate heat medium having a temperature controlled by a heat exchange with a heat source. The heat medium circuit includes a pump configured to pump the heat medium, and a plurality of heat exchangers for temperature-adjustment subjects configured to perform heat exchanges with temperature-adjustment subjects. The heat medium circuit is configured to form a series flow path to connect the pump to the plurality of heat exchangers for temperature-adjustment subjects when a system malfunction occurs.

Abstract: In an installing method for installing divided upper tools to upper tool holders disposed to be spaced at an appropriate interval in a left-right direction in a lower portion of an upper table of a press brake, by using a tool changer, a round bar-shaped finger provided in the tool changer is engaged in a circular engagement hole provided at a central portion in the lateral direction of each divided upper tool. The divided upper tool is temporarily positioned in a gap between an upper tool holder to which the divided upper tool is to be installed, and an adjacent upper tool holder. The temporarily positioned divided upper tool is moved in the left-right direction to be installed to the upper tool holder to which the divided upper tool is to be installed.

Abstract: A film forming method for a metal film includes steps of, after a substrate material is mounted on a mounting table, forming the metal film on a surface of the substrate material with a plating solution brought into contact with the substrate material through an electrolyte membrane, and with the plating solution sealed, separating the electrolyte membrane from the substrate material by moving at least one of the mounting table and a container in a direction away from the other. The plating solution contained in the container is circulated through a circulation path outside the container, before or during the film forming step. A circulation path is blocked and the plating solution in the container is sealed, before this separating step.

Abstract: A process cartridge includes a photosensitive drum, a developing roller, and a movable lever. The process cartridge also includes a coupling member operatively connected to the developing roller, with the coupling member being movable in response to a movement of the lever. The process cartridge is configured such that, when the process cartridge is oriented with the photosensitive drum and the developing roller positioned at a downward side of the process cartridge, an end of the lever is positioned lower than a rotational axis of the photosensitive drum and a rotational axis of the developing roller.

Abstract: A vehicle cleaner system includes: a cleaner unit configured to be mounted on a vehicle and to discharge a cleaning liquid to an external sensor that acquires information outside the vehicle so as to clean the external sensor; and a cleaner control unit configured to control the cleaner unit. The cleaner control unit is configured to acquire vehicle speed information related to a traveling speed of the vehicle, and control the cleaner unit such that at least one of a discharge amount of the cleaning liquid, a discharge amount of the cleaning liquid per unit time, the number of times of discharge of the cleaning liquid, the number of times of discharge of the cleaning liquid per unit time, and a discharge time of the cleaning liquid varies according to the vehicle speed information.