Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit for forming an image on a sheet and a sheet conveying unit for conveying the sheet along a conveying path extending in a substantially horizontal direction in a lower portion of the image forming unit. The image forming apparatus includes a recovery container which is provided in front of the image forming unit and above the conveying path, and accommodates the waste toner discharged from the image forming unit. The image forming apparatus includes a waste toner conveying pipe that conveys the waste toner discharged from the image forming unit to the recovery container, without passing through the rear portion and the side portion of the image forming unit.

Abstract: Provided is a method capable of producing a plated black heart malleable cast iron member having a plating layer with excellent adhesiveness to a black heart malleable cast iron member, while having less burden on the environment, compared to conventional methods.

Abstract: A posture adjusting apparatus includes: an ink ejector that has a detachable inkjet head that ejects ink; and a posture adjuster for adjusting a posture of the ink ejector. The ink ejector includes a head fixing member to/from which the inkjet head is attached and detached, and is movable between a first position where an image is formed on a recording medium by the inkjet head and a second position where the inkjet head is attached and detached, and the posture adjuster allows adjustment of an angle of the head fixing member in the second position.

Abstract: Provided is a black heart malleable cast iron and a method for manufacturing the same which can significantly shorten the time required for graphitization, as compared with the prior art. The black heart malleable cast iron includes a matrix of ferrite and lump graphite included in the matrix, and includes at least one selected from the group consisting of (i) 0.0050% by mass or more and 0.15% by mass or less of bismuth and 0.020% by mass or more of manganese, and (ii) 0.0050% by mass or more and 1.0% by mass or less of aluminum and 0.0050% by mass or more of nitrogen. In addition, the grain size of the matrix is 8.0 or more and 10.0 or less in terms of grain size number, numerically determined by comparison between a metallographic photograph of the matrix and a standard grain size chart.

Abstract: A head unit including: an inkjet head that ejects ink; and a fixer to which the inkjet head is fixed, wherein an engaging part is provided to be fixed to one of the inkjet head and the fixer, and an engaged part is provided to be fixed to the other, the inkjet head is fixed to the fixer by engaging the engaging part and the engaged part, and in the engaging part or the engaged part, a rigidity of a portion including one part of an engagement surface on which the engaging part and the engaged part engage with each other is lower than a rigidity of the other portion.

Abstract: A power supply apparatus links to a grid, converts DC power from a distributed power source to AC power, and includes a controller that controls input voltage of the DC power in accordance with current flowing between the power supply apparatus and the grid. Based on communication with another power supply apparatus connected to the power supply apparatus, the controller also sets a standard value of controlling the input voltage.

Abstract: A driving device for a semiconductor element includes: a plurality of detection circuits that detect different types of abnormalities of the semiconductor element; a logic circuit that generates an error signal when at least one of the detection circuits detects an abnormality; an alarm signal generating circuit that receives the error signal and generates an alarm signal made of one or a plurality of pulses, the alarm signal having a different pulse width for each of the detection circuits that has detected an abnormality; and a protection operation determining circuit that determines whether or not a protection function of the semiconductor element is operating based on the error signal and the alarm signal, and shuts off input of a drive signal to the semiconductor element when it is determined that the protection function is operating.

Abstract: Power is generated efficiently using fuel. A power generation unit includes a power generation module that generates power using fuel, a supply unit that supplies fuel to the power generation module, a power converter that converts DC power supplied by the power generation module into AC power, and a controller that controls the supply unit and the power converter. The controller controls the supply unit or the power converter so that the output power supplied to a load with fluctuating power consumption becomes greater than the power consumption of the load by a predetermined margin.

Abstract: An aspect of the invention provides a solar cell that comprises a semiconductor substrate having a light-receiving surface and a rear surface; a first semiconductor layer having a first conductivity type; a second semiconductor layer having a second conductivity type, the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer being formed on the rear surface, and a trench formed in the rear surface, wherein the first semiconductor layer is formed on the rear surface in which the trench is not formed, and the second semiconductor layer is formed on a side surface of the trench in an arrangement direction in which the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer are alternately arranged and on a bottom surface of the trench.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a solar cell includes: forming a solar cell substrate having one main surface and the other main surface and having a p-type surface and an n-type surface which are exposed on one region and another region in the one main surface, respectively; forming seed layers in an electrically separated state on the p-type surface and the n-type surface, respectively; and forming a plated film on the seed layer on each of the p-type surface and the n-type surface by an electrolytic plating method.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit for forming an image on a sheet and a sheet conveying unit for conveying the sheet along a conveying path extending in a substantially horizontal direction in a lower portion of the image forming unit. The image forming apparatus includes a recovery container which is provided in front of the image forming unit and above the conveying path, and accommodates the waste toner discharged from the image forming unit. The image forming apparatus includes a waste toner conveying pipe that conveys the waste toner discharged from the image forming unit to the recovery container, without passing through the rear portion and the side portion of the image forming unit.

Abstract: A black heart malleable cast iron including carbon of not lower than 2.0% and not higher than 3.4%; silicon of not lower than 0% and not higher than 1.4%; aluminum of not lower than 2.0% and not higher than 6.0%, which are all expressed by percent by mass; and balance iron and inevitable impurities, wherein a value of a carbon equivalent CE expressed by Equation (1) is not lower than 3.0% and not higher than 4.2%, where C denotes a content of the carbon expressed by percent by mass, Si denotes a content of the silicon expressed by percent by mass and Al denotes a content of the aluminum expressed by percent by mass: CE=C+Si/3+Al/8 (1).

Abstract: This solar cell apparatus is provided with: a long mounting frame having a guide rail section in an upper portion; and a fixing member, which is provided by being slid and moved in the longitudinal direction of the mounting frame, and which is fixed at a predetermined position of the mounting frame. The fixing member has: a base section that engages with the guide rail section; an upright wall section that is provided to stand on the base section; and insertion sections that extend from the upright wall section such that the insertion sections are inserted into a module frame of an eave-side solar cell module and a module frame of a ridge-side solar cell module.

Abstract: A power supply apparatus links to a grid, converts DC power from a distributed power source to AC power, and includes a controller that controls input voltage of the DC power in accordance with current flowing between the power supply apparatus and the grid. Based on communication with another power supply apparatus connected to the power supply apparatus, the controller also sets a standard value of controlling the input voltage.

Abstract: A solar cell includes a solar cell substrate including a principal surface on which a p-type surface and an n-type surface are exposed, a p-side electrode formed on the p-type surface and including a first linear portion linearly extending in a first direction, and an n-side electrode formed on the n-type surface and including a second linear portion linearly extending in the first direction and arranged next to the first linear portion in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. Corners of a tip end of at least one of the first and second linear portions are formed in a chamfered shape.

Abstract: It is an object to provide a power semiconductor module having a case shared for base plates of different sizes and having a high-stability base plate. The power semiconductor module according to the present invention includes: a base plate; an insulating substrate disposed on a first main surface of the base plate; a semiconductor chip disposed on an insulating substrate; a case for enclosing the base plate except a second main surface of the base plate facing the first main surface, the insulating substrate, and the semiconductor chip; and a spacer provided between the outer periphery of the base plate and the inner periphery of the case and in contact with both. The spacer has a bonding surface with a side surface of the base plate and the first main surface in the contact with the outer periphery of the base plate.

Abstract: A power generation control apparatus (14) includes a solar cell controller (18) and a range determinator (20). The solar cell controller (18), while changing at least one of an operation current and an operation voltage serving as driving variables within a first range, calculates actual power generated by a solar cell (13). The solar cell controller (18) controls the solar cell (13) to generate power by using a driving variable that maximizes the generated power within the first range. The range determinator (20), based on maximum generated power and at least one of a rated PV curve or an approximation line of the rated PV curve and a rated PI curve or an approximation line of the rated PI curve, updates the first range.

Abstract: This solar cell apparatus is provided with: a long mounting frame having a guide rail section in an upper portion; and a fixing member, which is provided by being slid and moved in the longitudinal direction of the mounting frame, and which is fixed at a predetermined position of the mounting frame. The fixing member has: a base section that engages with the guide rail section; an upright wall section that is provided to stand on the base section; and insertion sections that extend from the upright wall section such that the insertion sections are inserted into a module frame of an eave-side solar cell module and a module frame of a ridge-side solar cell module.