Abstract: A sealing device according to at least one embodiment includes not less than three arc-shaped fins arranged in an axial direction. The arc-shaped fins include: a first fin which is one of two outermost fins located on an outermost side in the axial direction; a second fin disposed adjacent to the first fin in the axial direction; and at least one third fin disposed opposite to the first fin across the second fin in the axial direction. It is preferable that the third fin is disposed to be inclined with respect to a radial direction such that a tip end portion is located on a side of the first fin in the axial direction relative to a base end portion, and the third fin has a larger inclination angle than the first fin or the second fin with respect to the radial direction.

Abstract: A hair treatment agent in which penetrability of a modified peptide into the internal structure of the hair can be enhanced even under the conditions of acidic pH, and a method for causing a modified peptide to penetrate into the hair, are provided. Disclosed is a hair treatment agent at a pH of from 3.5 to 5.

Abstract: A hair treatment agent in which penetrability of a modified peptide into the internal structure of the hair can be enhanced even under the conditions of acidic pH, and a method for causing a modified peptide to penetrate into the hair, are provided. Disclosed is a hair treatment agent at a pH of from 3.5 to 5.

Abstract: Provided is a composition in which the dispersibility of a specific modified peptide is less likely to decrease at a pH of less than 7.0. The cosmetic composition contains a modified peptide having one or more side chain groups including one or more units selected from the group consisting of a structure represented by formula (Ia): —S—S—(CH2)n—COOH, wherein n is 1 or 2, a structure represented by formula (Ib): —S—S—CH(CH3)—COOH, a structure represented by formula (Ic): —S—S—CH(COOH)—CH2—COOH, and salts of these structures; and a long-chain alkyltrimethylammonium salt or an N-long-chain alkylpyridinium salt, wherein the ratio of the total content of the long-chain alkyltrimethylammonium salt and the N-long-chain alkylpyridinium salt to the content of the modified peptide is 0.5 or more, and the cosmetic composition has a pH of less than 7.0.

Abstract: A commodity information display apparatus includes a shelf on which a commodity is displayed, and a display unit for displaying the commodity information about the commodity. The commodity information about the commodity related to an RFID tag detected by an antenna and a read device is acquired in advance from a store computer and stored in a storage unit. When the commodity information is displayed, the information is acquired from the storage unit, and displayed on the display unit.

Abstract: The present invention provides an electronic money paying-in system that can easily update information used for an electronic money paying-in process. As the present invention is provided with an electronic money management server for acquiring a paying-in amount that has been input to an electronic money charger and also sending a paying-in processing command for adding the paying-in amount to an electronic money balance on an IC card to the IC card via the electronic money charger, it needs to store information used for processing of depositing electronic money like the paying-in processing command only in the electronic money management server and it can easily update the information used for an electronic money paying-in process just by performing maintenance on the server. Therefore, as the information used for an electronic money paying-in process can be easily updated, maintenance operation can be easily performed on the electronic money charger.

Abstract: An antenna unit includes a plurality of loop antennas; an impedance matching circuit common to the loop antennas; a switching circuit that switches high frequency connection between the impedance matching circuit and the loop antenna; and an antenna control circuit that controls to connect only one loop antenna among the loop antennas in a high frequency manner on the basis of a control signal from a reader.

Abstract: An information terminal wherein a simple operation can provide appropriate contents. An information terminal (1), which provides, based on externally inputted information, predetermined contents, comprises a storage part (12) that stores a plurality of contents; a communication part (22) that receives predetermined information from an external IC chip (A); a display part (21) that displays the contents stored in the storage part (12); and a control part (11) that selects, based on the received information of the IC chip (A) received by the communication part (22), a content stored in the storage part (12), and then causes the display part (21) to display the selected content.

Abstract: The present invention provides an electronic money paying-in system that can easily update information used for an electronic money paying-in process. As the present invention is provided with an electronic money management server for acquiring a paying-in amount that has been input to an electronic money charger and also sending a paying-in processing command for adding the paying-in amount to an electronic money balance on an IC card to the IC card via the electronic money charger, it needs to store information used for processing of depositing electronic money like the paying-in processing command only in the electronic money management server and it can easily update the information used for an electronic money paying-in process just by performing maintenance on the server. Therefore, as the information used for an electronic money paying-in process can be easily updated, maintenance operation can be easily performed on the electronic money charger.

Abstract: The present invention provides an electronic money terminal which alone can handle multiple types of electronic money services. Since the electronic money terminal has a storage unit for storing a plurality of settlement processing programs each corresponding to one electronic money service, a selection unit for allowing a user to select an electronic money service that is used for settlement processing, and a control unit for causing a settlement processing program to be executed, which corresponds to the electronic money service selected by an input unit, the single electronic money terminal can perform settlement processing using the multiple types of electronic money services. As a result, since the number of the electronic money terminals in the entire system can be reduced, costs required to introduce the settlement systems corresponding to the electronic money services can be reduced.

Abstract: In the inventory management system managing the inventory status of a commodity displayed in a showcase by using a computer, the showcase is provided with an antenna for communicating with an RFID tag attached to a commodity on a commodity shelf, detecting means for detecting a unique number of the RFID tag by communicating with the RFID tag through the antenna, and transmitting means for transmitting the detected unique number of the RFID tag to the computer through a network. The computer manages the commodity inventory based on the unique number of the RFID tag, the unique number being received from the showcase.

Abstract: A control unit of a reader superimposes a control signal for antenna switching on a high frequency signal outputted into an antenna unit from a high frequency circuit. The antenna unit includes: separators for separating the superimposed signals into high frequency signals and control signals; a switch circuit for switching loop antennas; and a control circuit for controlling the switch circuit based on the control signal separated by the separator.

Abstract: An RFID tag reader having an antenna for communication with an RFID tag, a high frequency circuit for processing a communication signal with the RFID tag, a signal line for connecting the antenna with the high frequency circuit, and an impedance matching circuit for impedance matching between the antenna and the signal line includes: a detection unit for detecting a calibration RFID tag provided in a predetermined reading range; and a calibration unit for calibrating the high frequency circuit or matching circuit so that the calibration RFID tag can be detected by the detection unit.

Abstract: A control unit of a reader superimposes a control signal for impedance adjustment on a high-frequency signal outputted from a high-frequency circuit to an antenna unit to output a superimposed signal. The antenna unit includes a separating unit that separates the superimposed signal into the high-frequency signal and the control signal, a matching circuit that subjects the high-frequency signal separated by the separating unit to impedance matching and input the high-frequency signal to an antenna, and an adjusting unit that controls a circuit constant of the matching circuit on the basis of the control signal separated by the separating unit.

Abstract: In a contactless IC chip reader/writer including communication units for performing data communication with a contactless IC chip and a main control unit for controlling communication with a contactless IC chip via the communication unit in response to a request from an external apparatus, a plurality of communication units are provided for one main control unit. The main control unit and each communication unit are provided with a communication controller for performing data communication between each communication unit and the main control unit.

Abstract: A pair of engagement members to be detachably engaged with a bill recognition device is provided on a unit body of a reader-writer unit, and the bill recognition device is attached to the unit body by engagement with the engagement members. Therefore, the bill recognition device can be attached/detached without using any screws. For example, when the bill recognition device is replaced, operations for detaching and attaching the bill recognition device can be performed advantageously easily. In the replacement process, the bill recognition device can be attached or detached while the unit body is in the state of being mounted on an outer door. Thus, the drawback of the unit body being dismounted from the outer door when the screws are removed as in the conventional art is eliminated and the attachment/detachment operations are not complicated.

Abstract: The present invention provides a vending machine control program rewriting system that facilitates the rewriting of a control program in the vending machine. The vending machine comprises a communication controller which receives a new control program sent from a host computer 200 at a remote location. The memory storing the control program is a rewritable memory. The current control program in the rewritable memory is easily rewritten to the new one of the control program sent from the host computer. The control program rewrite is readily performed, making it possible to greatly reduce the time and trouble required for updating the control program in the vending machine.

Abstract: A vending machine is configured in such a way that, the speeds of a bucket and an elevator that, upon origin detection, move to respective origin detection positions are reduced at the timing when the bucket and the elevator reach respective speed-reduction positions that are located before the respective origin detection positions, and the bucket and the elevator whose speeds have been reduced activate respective sensors. With the foregoing configuration, compared to the case where the bucket and the elevator whose speeds are not reduced activate the sensors, the respective variation ranges of the activation timings when the sensors are activated are reduced, whereby the respective deviations in the origin detection positions detected by the sensors are reduced.

Abstract: This invention includes an IC card reader/writer (50) which reads and writes data from and to an IC card (100), an input unit (20) for inputting the amount or the number of points to be converted, and a conversion processing unit (40) which subtracts the amount or the number to be converted input by the input unit (20) from the total amount of electronic money or the total number of points pertaining to the first service in the IC card (100), converts the amount or the number to be converted into an equivalent amount of electronic money or an equivalent number of points pertaining to the second service, and adds the equivalent amount or the equivalent number to the total amount of electronic money or the total number of points pertaining to the second service in the IC card (100).

Abstract: In a control system for an automatic vending machine with a controlled device, a terminal control unit controls the controlled device in accordance with a control program. A main control unit is connected to the terminal control unit through a transmission path and controls the terminal control unit through communication with the terminal control unit. The main control unit is provided with a transfer arrangement for transferring a new control program to the terminal control unit through the transmission path. The terminal control unit is provided with a memory and a rewriting arrangement connected to the memory. The memory is for memorizing the first-mentioned control program as a memorized control program. The rewriting arrangement is for rewriting the memorized control program into the new control program at need.