Abstract: A sewing machine includes a sewing controller that controls sewing machine components, an imaging element capable of capturing facial images of a sewing machine user; a settings storage that stores settings for preset modes, the settings comprising items pertaining to sewing machine functions; a user information storage that stores facial image data of the user captured by the imaging element with mapping to the settings of the mode registered with the user; a verifier that verifies whether or not image data that matches the facial image data captured by the imaging element at sewing operation start exists in the user information storage; and an instruction controller that reads the settings from the user information storage when receiving a positive verification result from the verifier, and that instructs the sewing controller to control the sewing machine components based on the settings read.

Abstract: The present invention relates to maintaining the fundamental physical properties of a liquid alkali metal with dispersed nanoparticles which is such that nanoparticles are uniformly dispersed and mixed in a liquid alkali metal used in heat exchange, cooling and other applications, and suppressing the reaction of the liquid alkali metal with dispersed nanoparticles. Provided is a method of manufacturing a liquid alkali metal with dispersed nanoparticles by dispersing nanoparticles in a liquid alkali metal. In this method, the nanoparticles are made of a metal having a large atomic bonding due to a combination with the liquid alkali metal compared to the atomic bonding of atoms of the liquid alkali metal and a metal having a large amount of charge transfer is used in the nanoparticles. The liquid alkali metal is selected from sodium, lithium and sodium-potassium alloys, and the nanoparticles to be dispersed are made of transition metals, such as titanium, vanadium, chromium, iron, cobalt, nickel and copper.

Abstract: A nanoparticle manufacturing device capable of particle size control of nanoparticles made of a raw material metal powder and control of the occurrence condition of chaining of nanoparticles and of necking. The device 1 is provided for manufacturing nanoparticles by heating and melting a mixture of a raw material metal powder and a carrier gas in a heating space, cooling the mixture in a cooling space and collecting the mixture in a collection space. The heating space, the cooling space and the collection space form a continuous flow path without a back flow, and the cross-sectional area of the collection space is set at a large value compared to the cross-sectional area of the heating space and the cooling space. Further, there is provided a method of manufacturing a nanoparticle-dispersed liquid alkali metal by dispersing nanoparticles in a liquid alkali metal.

Abstract: A multi-needle sewing machine includes a plurality of needle bars having lower ends to which needles are attached, respectively, a needle bar selecting unit selectively switching one of the needle bars to a needle location, a stitch number obtaining unit and an allotting unit. An embroidery pattern including a plurality of partial patterns is sewn by the use of needle threads of colors differing per partial pattern, while the needle bars are selectively switched. The stitch number obtaining unit obtains the number of stitches necessary for sewing the partial patterns for every partial pattern. The allotting unit allots the needle threads to the needle bars so that the needle bars are prevented from being one-sided in the number of stitches, based on the obtained number of stitches, in order that one of the needle bars to be used for the sewing of each partial pattern may be determined.

Abstract: A sewing machine is disclosed that includes a needle bar allowing attachment of a sewing needle including a needle eye to a lower end of thereof; a needle-bar lifting/lowering mechanism that moves the needle bar up and down; a presser foot; a presser foot lifting/lowering mechanism that moves the presser foot up and down; a hook that is provided with a beak for seizing a needle thread loop formed at the needle eye and that rotates in coordination with the up and down movement of the needle bar; and a controller that controls the presser foot lifting/lowering mechanism so as to resize a needle thread loop by lifting the presser foot to a predetermined height in coordination with a swing position of the needle bar and a predetermined height of the needle bar where the beak meets the needle thread loop.

Abstract: A sewing machine includes a needle bar, a needle bar vertical movement mechanism, a sewing machine motor for driving the needle bar vertical movement mechanism as a drive source, an embroidery frame that holds a work cloth, and an embroidery frame movement mechanism that moves the embroidery frame. The sewing machine further includes a user-operated operation device with an operation member for outputting an output signal corresponding to an operation state of the operation member and a movement determination device that determines a movement direction and a movement distance of the embroidery frame based on the output signal outputted by the operation device. The sewing machine also includes an embroidery frame movement mechanism control device that drives the embroidery frame movement mechanism to move the embroidery frame according to the movement direction and the movement distance of the embroidery frame.

Abstract: A sewing machine includes a needle bar, a needle bar up-and-down movement mechanism that raises and lowers the needle bar, a needle bar up-and-down movement mechanism that raises and lowers the needle bar and a sewing machine motor for driving the needle bar up-and-down mechanism. The sewing machine further includes an operation device that is provided separately from a body of the sewing machine including at least one operation member to be operated by a user that outputs an output signal corresponding to an operation state of the operation member. The sewing machine also includes a command determination device that determines a command that corresponds to the output signal output by the operation device as a determined command and a drive control device that controls a predetermined operation of the sewing machine in accordance with the determined command.

Abstract: A punch data generating device that generates punch data used in an embroiderable sewing machine for punch engraving a pattern on a workpiece by attaching a punch needle that punch engraves a surface of the workpiece in dot-by-dot strokes on a needle bar of the embroiderable sewing machine and moving the punch needle up and down while transferring the workpiece in two predetermined directions by a transfer mechanism. The punch data generating device includes a data generator that generates the punch data so that when punch engraving a plurality of patterns, the patterns are sequentially punch engraved one by one.

Abstract: A multi-needle sewing machine including a plurality of needle bars including a specific needle bar allowing detachable attachment of a punch needle that punch engraves a surface of a punch workpiece in dot-by-dot strokes; a transfer mechanism that allows detachable attachment of a punch workpiece holder a detector that detects the attachment of the punch workpiece holder on the transfer mechanism; and a controller that when the attachment of the punch workpiece holder is detected by the detector, executes a punch engraving operation on the punch workpiece with the punch needle by selecting the specific needle bar and by controlling a needle-bar selector/driver mechanism and the transfer mechanism based on punch engraving pattern data which is pre-stored or given by external components.

Abstract: Two male guides protrude up from a dock and the bottom of a portable computer is formed with parallel female channels configured to receive the guides in a drop-down docking configuration. Accordingly, a user can slide the portable computer side-to-side across the male guides until the guides are tactiley detected by the user to be in the channels. The user then slides the portable computer back until the computer connector drops into engagement with the dock connector.

Abstract: A sewing machine includes a sewing controller that controls sewing machine components, an imaging element capable of capturing facial images of a sewing machine user; a settings storage that stores settings for preset modes, the settings comprising items pertaining to sewing machine functions; a user information storage that stores facial image data of the user captured by the imaging element with mapping to the settings of the mode registered with the user; a verifier that verifies whether or not image data that matches the facial image data captured by the imaging element at sewing operation start exists in the user information storage; and an instruction controller that reads the settings from the user information storage when receiving a positive verification result from the verifier, and that instructs the sewing controller to control the sewing machine components based on the settings read.

Abstract: Arrangements and methods for implementing a “spin-down policy” for HDD motors that is “smart”, flexible and admirably achieves an objective of ensuring prolonged motor life as just discussed. To this end, one specific implementation involves (among other things) the addition of a dedicated cache that acts as a buffer element of sorts for writing or obtaining data during a period when a motor may be spun down, especially (but not necessarily exclusively) in instances when a notebook needs to be running for a large portion of the day. Other analogous implementations are of course possible that would achieve similar ends.

Abstract: A sewing machine includes a needle bar, a sewing needle attached to the needle bar, a needle bar vertical movement mechanism, a sewing machine motor for driving the needle bar vertical movement mechanism as a drive source, an embroidery frame that holds a work cloth, and an embroidery frame movement mechanism that moves the embroidery frame. The sewing machine further includes a user-operated operation device with an operation member for outputting an output signal corresponding to an operation state of the operation member and a movement determination device that determines a movement direction and a movement distance of the embroidery frame based on the output signal outputted by the operation device. The sewing machine also includes an embroidery frame movement mechanism control device that drives the embroidery frame movement mechanism to move the embroidery frame according to the movement direction and the movement distance of the embroidery frame determined by the movement determination device.

Abstract: A sewing machine includes a needle bar, a sewing needle mounted to the needle bar, a needle bar up-and-down movement mechanism that raises and lowers the needle bar, a needle bar up-and-down movement mechanism that raises and lowers the needle bar and a sewing machine motor for driving the needle bar up-and-down mechanism. The sewing machine further includes an operation device that is provided separately from a body of the sewing machine including at least one operation member to be operated by a user that outputs an output signal corresponding to an operation state of the operation member. The sewing machine also includes a command determination device that determines a command which corresponds to the output signal output by the operation device as a determined command and a drive control device that controls a predetermined operation of the sewing machine in accordance with the determined command determined by the command determination device.

Abstract: Arrangements and methods for implementing a “spin-down policy” for HDD motors that is “smart”, flexible and admirably achieves an objective of ensuring prolonged motor life as just discussed. To this end, one specific implementation involves (among other things) the addition of a dedicated cache that acts as a buffer element of sorts for writing or obtaining data during a period when a motor may be spun down, especially (but not necessarily exclusively) in instances when a notebook needs to be running for a large portion of the day. Other analogous implementations are of course possible that would achieve similar ends.

Abstract: Two male guides protrude up from a dock and the bottom of a portable computer is formed with parallel female channels configured to receive the guides in a drop-down docking configuration. Accordingly, a user can slide the portable computer side-to-side across the male guides until the guides are tactiley detected by the user to be in the channels. The user then slides the portable computer back until the computer connector drops into engagement with the dock connector.

Abstract: An apparatus for regenerating an adsorbent includes an electrolytic cell filled with an electrolyte and an electrode unit that includes a first electrode made from the adsorbent in which a substance is adsorbed and a second electrode. The first electrode and the second electrode are soaked in the electrolyte. The apparatus also includes a power source that supplies a voltage applied between the first electrode and the second electrode.

Abstract: An inverter output current detection device is provided which can calculate an output current of an inverter easily by using a low-performance calculating device without lowering a calculation accuracy. A current ic? equivalent to a capacitor current ic is digitally calculated according to a predetermined expression. This expression is ic?=V×?0×C×[cos Wavedata]×K, where V is an effective value or average value of an output voltage vo, C is a capacitance of a capacitor C, ?0 is an angular frequency of the output voltage, and K is a value obtained by multiplying a detection ratio for detecting the output voltage vo, a conversion ratio for converting an analog value into a digital value, and a conversion ratio for converting the effective value or average value V into a maximum value.

Abstract: A method for producing a compound represented by the general formula (I-A) or the general formula (I-B), comprising the following step: wherein R1 is an optionally substituted lower alkyl, and the like; R2 is a lower alkyl or an optionally substituted aralkyl, and the like; R3 is a lower alkyl, characterized in that a compound represented by the general formula (II-A) or the general formula (II-B) is treated with thionyl chloride.

Abstract: An inverter output current detection device is provided which can calculate an output current of an inverter easily by using a low-performance calculating device without lowering a calculation accuracy. A current ic? equivalent to a capacitor current ic is digitally calculated according to a predetermined expression. This expression is ic?=V×?0×C×[cos Wavedata]×K, where V is an effective value or average value of an output voltage vo, C is a capacitance of a capacitor C, ?0 is an angular frequency of the output voltage, and K is a value obtained by multiplying a detection ratio for detecting the output voltage vo, a conversion ratio for converting an analog value into a digital value, and a conversion ratio for converting the effective value or average value V into a maximum value.