Abstract: A variable-stiffness actuator is to be installed into a flexible member and provide different degrees of stiffness to the flexible member. The actuator includes two hard members located apart from each other, and a shape-memory member connecting the hard members. The shape-memory member has a property of transitioning in phase between a first phase and a second phase. The shape-memory member is in a low stiffness state when in the first phase, and is in a high stiffness state when in the second phase. The actuator also includes a inducing member configured to cause a portion of the shape-memory member between the hard members to transition in phase between the first and second phases, and a urging member configured to urge the hard members in directions away from each other.

Abstract: A shape measuring apparatus includes a cylindrical flexible body and a bend detection sensor. The sensor includes an optical fiber extending along the flexible body, a detection target to vary characteristics of detection light guided through the optical fiber in accordance with a curvature of the optical fiber, and a light detection unit to detect the detection light. The shape measuring apparatus also includes a shape calculating device to calculate a bend shape of the flexible body, based on the variation of the characteristics of the detection light, a cylindrical sheathing member sheathing a part of the optical fiber in the flexible body, and a hard distal member provided at a distal end of the flexible body and holding a distal end of the sheathing member.

Abstract: A variable-stiffness actuator includes a shape-memory member that increases in stiffness on heating, a heating member arranged to surround the shape-memory member along a longitudinal axis of the shape-memory member, and a heat transmitting medium arranged to surround the heating member along a longitudinal axis of the heating member. The heating member generates heat in response to supply of a current, so as to heat the shape-memory member. The heat transmitting medium is deformed to decrease an inner diameter of the heat transmitting medium to come into contact with the heating member, so as to cool the heating member. The heat transmitting medium is deformed to increase the inner diameter to come out of contact with the heating member.

Abstract: To provide an image forming apparatus having a sheet processing apparatus installed in an in-body space, capable of discharging sheets of different sizes without interfering with discharge operation of the sheet processing apparatus in a compact configuration. An image forming apparatus has a sheet binding unit disposed in an in-body space part thereof, a first conveying path for conveying the sheet discharged to the in-body space part toward the sheet binding unit, and a second conveying path for conveying the sheet discharged to the in-body space part toward a second stack tray that stacks thereon the sheet vertically below a first stack tray disposed outside the in-body space part. The second conveying path extends, inside the in-body space part, substantially horizontally between an image forming part and the sheet binding unit.

Abstract: A sheet binding processing apparatus includes a transport section transporting a bunch of sheets in a transport direction, a sheet discharge outlet to discharge the bunch of sheets transported from the transport section, a placement section to place the bunch of sheets discharged from the discharge outlet, a manual set section enabling a bunch of sheets inserted in a direction different from the transport direction to be set, a press member pressing the bunch of sheets placed on the placement section or on the manual set section to bind, a drive section applying a pressing force to the press member, and a control section controlling the drive section to make the pressing force applied to a binding member higher in the case of binding the bunch of sheets placed on the placement section than in the case of binding the bunch of sheets set from the manual set section.

Abstract: A video compression apparatus configured to compress a plurality of frames outputted from an imaging element that has a first imaging region in which a subject is captured and a second imaging region in which a subject is captured, and in which a first imaging condition can be set for the first imaging region and a second imaging condition differing from the first imaging condition can be set for the second imaging region, includes: an image processing unit configured to execute image processing based on the second imaging condition on image data outputted from the first imaging region by the imaging element capturing the subject; and a compression unit configured to compress each of the frames subjected to the image processing by the image processing unit on the basis of block matching with a frame differing from the frame.

Abstract: A contactless power supply system is provided for supplying electric power to a vehicle in a contactless manner during traveling of the vehicle. The contactless power supply system includes a plurality of primary coils installed along a traveling direction in a road and a secondary coil mounted to the vehicle. Each of the primary coils is a single-phase coil with the secondary coil being a multi-phase coil, or is a multi-phase coil with the secondary coil being a single-phase coil.

Abstract: An encoder includes: a correction unit configured to execute gradation correction on RAW image data from an image capture element having optical black on the basis of a gamma coefficient and an optical black value of the optical black; and an encoding unit configured to encode gradation correction RAW image data that has undergone gradation correction by the correction unit.

Abstract: A power inversion apparatus includes a smoothing capacitor, first and second primary coils, a secondary coil, first to fourth switches of bridge circuit switches, a clamp capacitor, and a switch controller. The switch controller calculates a lower-arm duty ratio of each of the first and second switches using a map or a mathematical expression by feed-forward control based on an input voltage. The switch controller outputs a fixed value that is equal to or greater than a maximum value of the lower-arm duty ratio within a variation range of the input voltage as an upper-arm duty ratio of each of the third and fourth switches. The switch controller generates a pulse width modulation signal based on the calculated lower-arm duty ratio and the fixed value of the upper-arm duty ratio, and outputs the pulse width modulation signal to the bridge circuit switches.

Abstract: A power conversion device includes a backup power source as a power source for a discharge controller that discharges electric charges of a capacitor, and an abnormal state in the backup power source or loads is not capable of being dealt with when power is supplied to loads from the backup power source, which makes an output voltage of the backup power source be in an abnormal state. In order to solve the problem, when an abnormality occurs in the backup power source or in loads and the abnormality is detected in power supply from the backup power source, a place where the abnormality occurs is specified. When the specified place where the abnormality occurs is a load, power supply to the load is stopped, thereby preventing the output voltage of the backup power source from being abnormal even when an abnormality occurs in part of power supply destinations.

Abstract: Provided is a power supply system for a vehicle, which can reduce a voltage of a main circuit to a specified voltage or less within a specified time after a vehicle collision. The power supply system for the vehicle includes: a high voltage battery, a driving motor connected to a driving wheel, a high voltage circuit transferring electric power between the high voltage battery and the driving motor, a secondary side voltage sensor acquiring a secondary side voltage which is a voltage in the high voltage circuit, and a system ECU executing discharge control for operating the high voltage circuit and reducing the secondary side voltage when a discharge start condition is established. After the discharge start condition is established, the system ECU starts a discharge control process after executing a standby control process for standing by for the start of the discharge control process for a predetermined time.

Abstract: An electric power system of the vehicle includes: first power lines which are connected to a high-voltage battery; second power lines, which are connected to a direct-current input-output side of a first inverter; a second smoothing condenser, which is arranged on the second power lines; a low-voltage DCDC converter, which is connected in parallel with the high-voltage DCDC converter to the first power lines; and a drive circuit, which drives a switching element of the low-voltage DCDC converter; the second power lines and the drive circuit are connected by a third power line, and on the third power line, a voltage-reducing device, which reduces a voltage of electric power from the second smoothing condenser and supplies the electric power to the drive circuit to consume the electric power by the drive circuit.

Abstract: An electric power system of a vehicle includes: a high-voltage circuit, which includes a high-voltage battery connected to a main circuit; a system ECU, which controls the main circuit; a first system control power line, which connects a low-voltage battery to the system ECU; a second system control power line, which connects the high-voltage circuit to the first system control power line; a voltage-reducing device, which reduces a voltage of the electric power from the high-voltage circuit; a second switch, which is arranged on the second system control power line; and a backup power supply ECU, which turns the second switch off when a pre-charge of smoothing condensers arranged on the main circuit is performed by supplying the electric power of the high-voltage battery.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a conveying portion for conveying sheets, a conveying path for sheets, a stack portion for stacking sheets, a first binding portion having a first binding member and moving in a crossing direction crossing to the conveying direction, a first regulating portion which regulates a position of a sheet bundle stacked on the stack portion, a second regulating portion which regulates a position of a sheet bundle stacked on the stack portion, a third regulating portion which regulates a position of a sheet bundle, and a second binding portion which has a second binding member and binds a corner portion of a sheet bundle without a staple. The first binding portion binds a corner portion of a sheet bundle by a staple. The second binding member is located at a downstream of the first binding member in the conveying direction.

Abstract: To facilitate permeation of water when water is applied to the crimping range of a sheet made of a water-permeable paper material. A binding unit applies water to placed sheets and then crimp-binds the sheets. The binding unit includes a pair of pressure teeth (pressure teeth and receiving teeth part) provided on both the front and back sides of the sheets and configured to crimp-binding the sheets, a water reservoir provided on the back surface side of any one of the pressure teeth and configured to store water to be applied to the sheet, and a pressurizing member (piston) that pressurizes the water in the water reservoir to apply water to the sheet crimping range.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a conveying portion; a conveying path for sheets conveyed by the conveying portion; a stack portion where sheets discharged from the conveying path are stacked; a first binding portion moving in a crossing direction crossing the conveying direction; a first regulating portion regulating a position of a sheet bundle stacked on the stack portion; a first guide member guiding the first regulating portion; a second regulating portion regulating a position of a sheet bundle on the stack portion in the crossing direction; a second guide member guiding the second regulating portion; a third regulating portion regulating a position of a sheet bundle on the stack portion in the conveying direction; and a second binding portion binding a corner portion of a sheet bundle without a staple. The first binding portion binds a corner portion of a sheet bundle by a staple.

Abstract: In inverter control for supplying power to a motor, a power conversion device includes a temperature sensor for detecting a temperature of the inverter, a voltage sensor for detecting a voltage between terminals of a capacitor that smooths the voltage between terminals between the power source and the inverter, an inverter controller for controlling the inverter, a rotation speed sensor for detecting a rotation speed of the motor, an electric current sensor for detecting electric current supplied to the motor and a discharge determination instruction controller for giving an instruction for discharging electric charges accumulated in the capacitor, in which, control of reducing the rotation speed of the motor and discharge control of the capacitor are performed in accordance with the temperature of the inverter, the rotation speed of the motor and the electric current supplied to the motor.

Abstract: A power supply system includes a high voltage circuit; a system ECU that controls the high voltage circuit; and a backup power supply unit that supplies electric power in the high voltage circuit to the system ECU. The system ECU includes a discharge controller that performs discharge control to discharge the electric charges in a smoothing capacitor until a secondary-side voltage is reduced to a discharge termination determination voltage or lower; and a vehicle state monitor that determines whether a vehicle is in a stopped state, and determines whether the secondary-side voltage is lower than or equal to a re-rise determination voltage in a monitoring period from termination of the discharge control until the vehicle is determined to be in the stopped state. When the secondary-side voltage is determined to be higher than the re-rise determination voltage by the vehicle state monitor, the discharge controller performs the discharge control again.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a conveying portion; a conveying path for sheets conveyed by the conveying portion; a stack portion where sheets discharged from the conveying path are stacked; a first binding portion moving in a crossing direction crossing the conveying direction; a first regulating portion regulating a position of a sheet bundle stacked on the stack portion; a first guide member guiding the first regulating portion; a second regulating portion regulating a position of a sheet bundle on the stack portion in the crossing direction; a second guide member guiding the second regulating portion; a third regulating portion regulating a position of a sheet bundle on the stack portion in the conveying direction; and a second binding portion binding a corner portion of a sheet bundle without a staple. The first binding portion binds a corner portion of a sheet bundle by a staple.

Abstract: A sheet processing device has a binding unit that applies water to a crimping range of sheets and then crimps the sheets. The sheet processing device includes a processing tray on which sheets are placed, a pair of pressure teeth (pressure teeth and receiving teeth) that crimps the sheets placed on the processing tray at a crimping position with the sheets interposed therebetween, and a water application member (cylinder and piston) that applies water to the crimping position before crimping by the pressure teeth. When the number of sheets placed on the processing tray is equal to or less than a predetermined number, the sheets are crimped by the pressure teeth without water application; while when the number of sheets placed on the processing tray exceeds the predetermined number, the sheets are crimped by the pressure teeth after water application.