Abstract: A magnet fixing method includes heating a rotor core. The magnet fixing method also includes inserting one or more of magnets, to which fixing sheets are bonded, into the uppermost one or more of slots with the rotor core being rotatably supported by a rotating jig such that openings of the slots face sideways. The magnet fixing method also includes fixing each magnet to the corresponding slot by heating a foam layer to foam the foam layer. The inserting one or more of magnets includes inserting the magnets into all the slots by repeating insertion of one or more of the magnets into the corresponding one or more of the slots with the associated one or more of the fixing sheets facing upward, and rotation of the rotor core.

Abstract: A biasing force adjustment device includes: a cylindrical component having a first thread part; a reciprocate component accommodated in the cylindrical component; a biasing portion that biases the reciprocate component in a first direction; and a biasing force adjustment component that adjusts a biasing force of the biasing portion. The biasing force adjustment component has a second thread part engaged with the first thread part so as to control the position of the biasing force adjustment component relative to the cylindrical component, and a regulation part that regulates movement of the biasing force adjustment component relative to the cylindrical component by being deformed in a radial direction by external force applied in the first direction.

Abstract: In an apparatus for controlling a mobile robot having movement mechanisms and work mechanisms both connected to a body, a battery connectable to an external power supply through a charging connector, actuators powered by the battery to drive the mechanisms, and a controller for controlling an action of the movement mechanisms and the work mechanisms through the actuators, the controller comprises a connector connection determiner to determine whether the charging connector is connected to the external power supply and an action restrictor to restrict one of the actions of the movement mechanisms and the work mechanisms performed through the actuators when the external power supply is determined to be connected.

Abstract: In an apparatus for controlling a mobile robot having leg locomotion mechanisms for traveling and walking and work mechanisms both connected to a body, actuators for driving them, and a controller for controlling the operation of the locomotion mechanisms and work mechanisms by supplying the actuators with a control value calculated by multiplying a deviation between a detected value and a desired value by a gain and to control operation of a speech input/output unit to recognize a human voice inputted through a microphone and utter a generated response to the human voice from a speaker, the controller calculates the gain of the control value to be supplied to at least one of the actuators at a minimum value when controlling only the operation of the speech input/output unit.

Abstract: A biasing force adjustment device includes: a cylindrical component having a first thread part; a reciprocate component accommodated in the cylindrical component; a biasing portion that biases the reciprocate component in a first direction; and a biasing force adjustment component that adjusts a biasing force of the biasing portion. The biasing force adjustment component has a second thread part engaged with the first thread part so as to control the position of the biasing force adjustment component relative to the cylindrical component, and a regulation part that regulates movement of the biasing force adjustment component relative to the cylindrical component by being deformed in a radial direction by external force applied in the first direction.

Abstract: In an apparatus for controlling a mobile robot having leg locomotion mechanisms for traveling and walking and work mechanisms both connected to a body, actuators for driving them, and a controller for controlling the operation of the locomotion mechanisms and work mechanisms by supplying the actuators with a control value calculated by multiplying a deviation between a detected value and a desired value by a gain and to control operation of a speech input/output unit to recognize a human voice inputted through a microphone and utter a generated response to the human voice from a speaker, the controller calculates the gain of the control value to be supplied to at least one of the actuators at a minimum value when controlling only the operation of the speech input/output unit.

Abstract: A housing of an air cleaner has an air inlet port and an air outlet port, and incorporates an air filter. In the housing, a fuel adsorption filter is arranged downstream of the air filter in such manner as to intersect an air passage. An open portion and a sheet-like adsorption portion are vertically defined in an outer frame of the fuel adsorption filter. The adsorption portion has a fuel adsorbing function. A weir is provided in a boundary between the open portion and the adsorption portion. The weir limits air flow from the upstream side of the adsorption portion to the upstream side of the open portion. A flow straightening plate having a flow straightening function is provided in the open portion.

Abstract: In an abnormality detection system of a mobile robot, it is configured such that it is self-diagnosed whether the quantity of state is an abnormal value, or whether at least one of the internal sensor, etc., is abnormal and when an abnormality is self-diagnosed, abnormality information is outputted, then the degree of abnormality is discriminated based on the outputted abnormality information and the robot is driven into a stable state in response to the discriminated degree of abnormality. With this, it becomes possible to effectively utilize the abnormality detection result. In addition, since the robot is driven into a stable state in response to the discriminated degree of abnormality, it becomes possible to render the driving appropriate.

Abstract: A housing of an air cleaner has an air inlet port and an air outlet port, and incorporates an air filter. In the housing, a fuel adsorption filter is arranged downstream of the air filter in such manner as to intersect an air passage. An open portion and a sheet-like adsorption portion are vertically defined in an outer frame of the fuel adsorption filter. The adsorption portion has a fuel adsorbing function. A weir is provided in a boundary between the open portion and the adsorption portion. The weir limits air flow from the upstream side of the adsorption portion to the upstream side of the open portion. A flow straightening plate having a flow straightening function is provided in the open portion.

Abstract: In an abnormality detection system of a mobile robot, it is configured such that it is self-diagnosed whether the quantity of state is an abnormal value, or whether at least one of the internal sensor, etc., is abnormal and when an abnormality is self-diagnosed, abnormality information affixed with a time on which the abnormality occurred is outputted to be stored in an internal memory and in an external memory. With this, it becomes possible to improve the reliability of abnormality detection of the mobile robot and by storing the information affixed with a time on which the abnormality occurred, it becomes possible to ascertain accurately the course of events leading up to the abnormality. It is further configured such that in addition to a time on which the abnormality occurred, the information is stored in an external memory together with a parameter indicative of the quantity of state.

Abstract: Provided is a method in which a communication state between a main control unit and each sub control unit can be judged to be normal or abnormal, in a condition where a noise may be generated from a drive system power line. This method includes a power supply step s4, a test communication step (see arrows (3) and (4)), and a judgment step s6. In the power supply step s4, power is supplied to first sub control units 2a from a drive system power source 6 while no power is supplied to actuators 7 from the power source 6. In the test communication step, communication of a test signal is performed between the main control unit 1 and each of the sub control units 2. In the judgment step s6, whether the communication state is normal or abnormal is judged based on the result of the communication of the test signal between the main control unit 1 and each of the sub control units 2.

Abstract: According to a legged mobile robot of the present invention, a variable measuring portion 101 measures the changing amount of a secondary desired angle ?T2, namely, of the newest primary desired angle ?T1 that is received by a first sub-control unit 121 as a variable ?. When a determining portion 102 determines that an absolute value of the variable ? exceeds a threshold ?, a correcting portion 103 corrects a motor current I so as to inhibit the changing amount of the motor current I. Thereby, even when an abnormality is temporarily generated in the communication between a main control unit 110 and a first sub-control unit 121 via a first communication line and the absolute value of the variable ? exceeds a threshold ?, the current supply I to a motor 131 is inhibited from changing rapidly.

Abstract: A method of appropriately controlling functions of a moving body having a joint such as a robot in view of the content of an error detected in the functions of the moving body. A mode setting section (112) sets “a first mode” for halting first and second functions at least after the end of a starting period of the robot (200) in response to the detection of “a first error” by an error detecting section (111). The mode setting section (112) halts the first function at least after the end of the starting period in response to the detection of “a second error” by the error detecting section (111), while setting “the second mode” for adjusting control unit (100) or the like using the second function during the starting period. Furthermore, the mode setting section (112) sets “the third mode” for moving the robot (200) using the first and second functions in response to the detection of “a third error” by the error detecting section (111).

Abstract: In an abnormality detection system of a mobile robot, it is configured such that it is self-diagnosed whether the quantity of state is an abnormal value, or whether at least one of the internal sensor, etc., is abnormal and when an abnormality is self-diagnosed, abnormality information affixed with a time on which the abnormality occurred is outputted to be stored in an internal memory and in an external memory. With this, it becomes possible to improve the reliability of abnormality detection of the mobile robot and by storing the information affixed with a time on which the abnormality occurred, it becomes possible to ascertain accurately the course of events leading up to the abnormality. It is further configured such that in addition to a time on which the abnormality occurred, the information is stored in an external memory together with a parameter indicative of the quantity of state.

Abstract: A method of appropriately controlling functions of a moving body having a joint such as a robot in view of the content of an error detected in the functions of the moving body. A mode setting section (112) sets “a first mode” for halting first and second functions at least after the end of a starting period of the robot (200) in response to the detection of “a first error” by an error detecting section (111). The mode setting section (112) halts the first function at least after the end of the starting period in response to the detection of “a second error” by the error detecting section (111), while setting “the second mode” for adjusting control unit (100) or the like using the second function during the starting period. Furthermore, the mode setting section (112) sets “the third mode” for moving the robot (200) using the first and second functions in response to the detection of “a third error” by the error detecting section (111).

Abstract: In an abnormality detection system of a mobile robot, it is configured such that it is self-diagnosed whether the quantity of state is an abnormal value, or whether at least one of the internal sensor, etc., is abnormal and when an abnormality is self-diagnosed, abnormality information is outputted, then the degree of abnormality is discriminated based on the outputted abnormality information and the robot is driven into a stable state in response to the discriminated degree of abnormality. With this, it becomes possible to effectively utilize the abnormality detection result. In addition, since the robot is driven into a stable state in response to the discriminated degree of abnormality, it becomes possible to render the driving appropriate.

Abstract: According to a legged mobile robot of the present invention, a variable measuring portion 101 measures the changing amount of a secondary desired angle ?T2, namely, of the newest primary desired angle ?T1 that is received by a first sub-control unit 121 as a variable ?. When a determining portion 102 determines that an absolute value of the variable ? exceeds a threshold ?, a correcting portion 103 corrects a motor current I so as to inhibit the changing amount of the motor current I. Thereby, even when an abnormality is temporarily generated in the communication between a main control unit 110 and a first sub-control unit 121 via a first communication line and the absolute value of the variable ? exceeds a threshold ?, the current supply I to a motor 131 is inhibited from changing rapidly.

Abstract: Provided is a method in which a communication state between a main control unit and each sub control unit can be judged to be normal or abnormal, in a condition where a noise may be generated from a drive system power line. This method includes a power supply step s4, a test communication step (see arrows (3) and (4)), and a judgment step s6. In the power supply step s4, power is supplied to first sub control units 2a from a drive system power source 6 while no power is supplied to actuators 7 from the power source 6. In the test communication step, communication of a test signal is performed between the main control unit 1 and each of the sub control units 2. In the judgment step s6, whether the communication state is normal or abnormal is judged based on the result of the communication of the test signal between the main control unit 1 and each of the sub control units 2.

Abstract: A coil packing line in which coils are packed by a plurality of operation processes is provided. The coil packing line is provided with a plurality of work stations, stationary skid mechanisms, carriage mechanisms and a plurality of reciprocating mechanisms. Each operation process has a corresponding work station. The stationary skid mechanisms are provided at each work station for supporting a coil at the work station. The carriage mechanisms are provided between each work station for removing a coil from an upstream stationary skid mechanism, supporting the coil and depositing the coil at a downstream stationary skid mechanism. The plurality of reciprocating mechanisms independently move at least one carriage mechanism back and forth between the upstream and downstream stationary skid mechanisms.

Abstract: A laser-welding apparatus including a pair of clamps at least one of which is movable reciprocally along the steel strip-feed line direction and which are adapted to clamp the edge portions of preceding and trailing steel strips, a shear which is advanceable and retractable between the pair of the clamps in a perpendicular direction to the line and cuts the edge portions of the preceding and trailing steel strips, a device for butting the cut faces of the preceding and trailing steel strips while being clamped by means of the clamps, a device for continuously feeding a filler wire at a weld zone at which the laser beam is condensed, and a laser torch adapted to condense a laser beam from a laser oscillator on an off-line at a weld zone and movable in the width direction of steel strips to be welded together.