Abstract: A device capable of improving quality of welding by improving estimation precision of coating removal completion of a conductor which is an ultrasonic welding target is provided. An ultrasonic vibration energy (E) of a horn (11) is adjusted based on magnitude of a displacement amount (a reference displacement amount (?Z)) of the horn (11) during at least a partial period of a period from a state in which an FFC and a PCB are interposed by the horn (11) and an anvil (12), through a “first stable state” in which a displacement speed (v) of the horn (11) is stable in a first speed zone in a course in which the displacement speed (v) of the horn (11) increases, until a “second stable state” in which the displacement speed (v) is stable in a second speed zone of a higher speed zone than the first speed zone.

Abstract: A PCB (1) has a reinforcing member (12) composed of a material having a higher melting point than a synthetic resin constituting a substrate (10). A first reinforcing member (121) constituting the reinforcing member (12) is composed of a substantially tabular or belt-shaped metal buried in the substrate (10), the metal being at least partially overlapped with an upper surface wire (11). A second reinforcing member (122) constituting the reinforcing member (12) is composed of a substantially columnar metal which is connected to the lower surface of the upper surface wire (11) and physically, chemically or mechanically connected to the first reinforcing member (121), and which vertically extends, in the same manner as a via (111).

Abstract: A device capable of improving estimation precision of coating removal completion of a conductor which is an ultrasonic welding target is provided. A displacement speed v of the horn (11) is chronologically measured. A progress situation of the melting and removal of an insulating coating C0 (a synthetic resin included in the insulating coating C0) between both conductors C1 and C2 which are welding targets is estimated based on a transition form from a “first stable state” in which the displacement speed v is stable in a first speed zone to a “second stable state” in which the displacement speed v is stable in a second speed zone of a higher speed zone than the first speed zone in a course in which the displacement speed v of the horn (11) increases.

Abstract: An electronic circuit board provided with a substrate, including a synthetic resin and having a conductor bonded to the upper surface, and an ultrasonic bonding method, the electronic circuit board and the ultrasonic bonding method enabling improved quality of bonding of another conductor to the conductor on the upper surface of the electronic circuit board. PCB (1) (an electronic circuit board) has a substrate (10) including first synthetic resin and a plurality of first conductors (11) bonded or attached to the upper surface of the substrate (10). The peripheral edge portion of the upper surface of each first conductor (11) is at least partly covered by a partial cover (12) (or an overlay) composed of second synthetic resin. The outer edge portion of the second synthetic resin constituting the partial cover (12) is integrally bonded to or in close contact with the first synthetic resin constituting the substrate (10).

Abstract: In an FBG (Fiber Bragg Grating) sensor, a stress direction converter includes a flat portion to which stresses are applied from the exterior, and stress transmitting sections that are bridged from the flat portion to an optical fiber cable. An inclined portion of the optical fiber cable, through which reflected light reflected by gratings is transmitted, is disposed along an inclined section that makes up one of the stress transmitting sections.

Abstract: An FBG (Fiber Bragg Grating) sensor is equipped with a plurality of stress detection sensors made up from optical fibers in which gratings that reflect light of a specified wavelength are arrayed, and a stress direction converter that converts stresses applied from the exterior into stresses of a direction in which the gratings are arrayed, and which transmits the stresses to each of the gratings. Consequently, the stress direction converter can transmit stresses, which are applied from a body, to a plurality of gratings.

Abstract: In an FBG (Fiber Bragg Grating) sensor, a stress direction converter includes a flat portion to which stresses are applied from the exterior, and stress transmitting sections that are bridged from the flat portion to an optical fiber cable. An inclined portion of the optical fiber cable, through which reflected light reflected by gratings is transmitted, is disposed along an inclined section that makes up one of the stress transmitting sections.

Abstract: An FBG (Fiber Bragg Grating) sensor is equipped with a plurality of stress detection sensors made up from optical fibers in which gratings that reflect light of a specified wavelength are arrayed, and a stress direction converter that converts stresses applied from the exterior into stresses of a direction in which the gratings are arrayed, and which transmits the stresses to each of the gratings. Consequently, the stress direction converter can transmit stresses, which are applied from a body, to a plurality of gratings.

Abstract: An optical fiber sensor which functions as a tactile sensor includes a plurality of shearing stress sensor sections including respective optical fibers and a plurality of gratings for reflecting light beams having predetermined wavelengths. The gratings are disposed in the optical fibers and arrayed along a plane parallel to the direction in which a shearing stress is applied from an object to the shearing stress sensor sections. The sensor also includes a perpendicular stress sensor section including an optical fiber and a plurality of gratings for reflecting a light beam having a predetermined wavelength. The gratings are disposed in the optical fiber and arrayed along a plane parallel to the direction in which a perpendicular stress is applied from the object to the perpendicular stress sensor section. Preferably, stress direction converting means such as elastic members for converting the direction of an applied stress are mounted on the optical fibers.

Abstract: A welding condition monitoring device for monitoring the welding state of a welding work portion by taking an image thereof by an image sensor having a wide dynamic range and capable of taking an image covering a very bright welding portion and relatively dark portion. The monitoring device selectively emphasizes the outputs of the image sensor for any of luminance areas of the image taken by the image sensor using a sensor output characteristic table and can provide an image clearly showing both the very bright welding portion and the dark bead portion with a sufficient contrast allowing an observer to reliably recognize the objects in the image.

Abstract: A welding condition monitoring device for monitoring the welding state of a welding work portion by taking an image thereof by an image sensor having a wide dynamic range and capable of taking an image covering a very bright welding portion and relatively dark portion. The monitoring device selectively emphasizes the outputs of the image sensor for any of luminance areas of the image taken by the image sensor using a sensor output characteristic table and can provide an image clearly showing both the very bright welding portion and the dark bead portion with a sufficient contrast allowing an observer to reliably recognize the objects in the image.

Abstract: Disclosed is an image sensor consisting of light sensor circuits arranged to form an array of pixels, each of which produces in a photoelectric converting element a sensor current proportional to the quantity of light falling thereon and converts the sensor current into a voltage signal by a MOS type transistor with a logarithmic output characteristic in a weak inverse state, wherein a means for changing over a drain voltage of the transistor for each light sensor circuit to a value lower than a normal value for a specified time to remove a charge accumulated in a parasitic capacity of the photoelectric converting element to initialize the circuit before detecting a light signal. The image sensor can obtain a voltage signal corresponding to the quantity of incident light even if the sensor current was rapidly changed, thereby eliminating the possibility of occurrence of afterglow of each pixel even at a small quantity of incident light.

Abstract: A photosensor circuit comprises a photodiode PD, which converts a light signal into electricity, an n-channel MOS transistor QD1 which has a logarithmic characteristic in its weakly reversed condition and converts a sensor current generated by the photodiode PD into a detection voltage which has a logarithmic characteristic, and a capacitor which is connected to a detection terminal of this transistor QD1. A resetting voltage VG=VS is applied to the gate G of the transistor QD1 to lower the impedance between the drain and the source of the transistor for resetting the transistor to an initial condition. As the n-channel MOS transistor QD1 is a depletion type n-channel MOS transistor, when this transistor QD1 does not receive any gate voltage, the transistor stays in a weakly reversed condition and has a logarithmic characteristic. This photosensor circuit has a high SN ratio and is capable of detecting minute light signals in high precision.

Abstract: A welding condition monitoring device for monitoring the welding state of a welding work portion by taking an image thereof by an image sensor having a wide dynamic range and capable of taking an image covering a very bright welding portion and relatively dark portion. The monitoring device selectively emphasizes the outputs of the image sensor for any of luminance areas of the image taken by the image sensor using a sensor output characteristic table and can provide an image clearly showing both the very bright welding portion and the dark bead portion with a sufficient contrast allowing an observer to reliably recognize the objects in the image.

Abstract: Disclosed is an image sensor consisting of light sensor circuits arranged to form an array of pixels, each of which produces in a photoelectric converting element a sensor current proportional to the quantity of light falling thereon and converts the sensor current into a voltage signal by a MOS type transistor with a logarithmic output characteristic in a weak inverse state, wherein a means for changing over a drain voltage of the transistor for each light sensor circuit to a value lower than a normal value for a specified time to remove a charge accumulated in a parasitic capacity of the photoelectric converting element to initialize the circuit before detecting a light signal. The image sensor can obtain a voltage signal corresponding to the quantity of incident light even if the sensor current was rapidly changed, thereby eliminating the possibility of occurrence of afterglow of each pixel even at a small quantity of incident light.

Abstract: A very small and economical acceleration sensor which can detect acting acceleration with high sensitivity and high accuracy by precisely processing a semiconductor substrate and the like by using the photoengraving technique in a semiconductor manufacturing process to accurately form the elements themselves such as a sensor case, a cavity, a heater, a temperature-sensing resistor element, and a heat-type temperature-sensing resistor element, and the relative placement of each element. One embodiment of the acceleration sensor can detect acceleration acting from any of the three-dimensional directions.

Abstract: A hybrid sensor which is comprised of an acceleration sensor for detecting acceleration based on a temperature distribution of a predetermined gas hermetically enclosed within a fluid-tight space, and an angular velocity sensor for detecting angular velocity based on a deviation of a flow of a predetermined gas. The acceleration sensor and the angular velocity sensor are formed in one piece by the use of semiconductor processing technology in such a manner that the acceleration sensor and the angular velocity sensor are formed on a plurality of semiconductor substrates, and then the plurality of semiconductor substrates are superposed one upon another and united into a laminate.

Abstract: A very small and economical acceleration sensor which can detect acting acceleration with high sensitivity and high accuracy by precisely processing a semiconductor substrate and the like by using the photoengraving technique in a semiconductor manufacturing process to accurately form the elements themselves such as a sensor case, a cavity, a heater, a temperature-sensing resistor element, and a heat-type temperature-sensing resistor element, and the relative placement of each element. One embodiment of the acceleration sensor can detect acceleration acting from any of the three-dimensional directions.

Abstract: A multiple-axis gas flow type angular velocity sensor which can accurately and stably detect the magnitude and direction of angular velocities acting in any direction on the sensor main body is provided by performing precision processing on semiconductor substrates using a photo engraving process, which is a process for producing semiconductors, and forming a plurality of pairs of thermosensitive resistor elements, a gas passage and a sensor case by laminating a plurality of semiconductor substrates.

Abstract: A gas flow type angular velocity sensor which is capable of reliably sensing an angular velocity while accurately controlling the working gas flow with temperature compensation by using a pair of heat wires as a gas flow sensor without providing any additional gas flow sensor in the sensor body wherein an angular velocity sensing bridge circuit is provided at its current supply source with a temperature compensating circuit connected in series which temperature compensating circuit is composed of a pair of series or parallel connected resistance elements, one of which is a thermosensitive resistance element disposed in a gas path and the other of which is a reference resistance element disposed outside the gas path.