Abstract: Provided are a power generation method and a power generating element capable of obtaining an electromotive force by utilizing humidity variation in an environment and having excellent operation stability. An aqueous solution of an ionic compound having deliquescence is separated by an ion permeable membrane, electrodes are inserted into the aqueous solution on both sides of the ion permeable membrane, one is blocked from outside air and sealed, and the other is connected to the outside air, and a difference in ion concentration derived from the ionic compound in the aqueous solution is generated across the ion permeable membrane due to a change in humidity in the outside air to generate an electromotive force between the electrodes.

Abstract: A work machine includes a power source, a rotation shaft that is rotated by power of the power source, a cutter blade that is rotated by the rotation shaft to cut a plant on the ground, and a housing that houses the cutter blade and has an opening through which the cutter blade is exposed to the ground. The housing has a charging port through which an object to be cut is charged to the cutter blade.

Abstract: A mower (1) comprising: a blade (9) that mows grass; a power generation unit (5) that generates a driving force for rotating the blade (9); a housing (7) that covers the blade (9); and a milling unit (10) that subdivides grass mowed by the blade and discharged from the housing (7).

Abstract: Provided is an information providing system capable of promoting use of services relating to a lawn. An information providing system 1 includes a gardener terminal 200 and a customer terminal 300 communicably connected to the gardener terminal 200. The gardener terminal 200 includes a lawn state information generating unit 211, and the customer terminal 300 includes a lawn selecting unit 311. In a case in which a contract for a transaction relating to a lawn is concluded between a customer 30 using the customer terminal 300 and a gardener 20 using the gardener terminal 200, the lawn state information generating unit 211 generates lawn state information indicating a state of the lawn provided by the gardener 20, and transmits the lawn state information to the customer terminal 300, and the lawn selecting unit 311 selects the lawn provided by the gardener 20 based on the lawn state information.

Abstract: Provided is an information providing system capable of promoting the use of services relating to a lawn. The information providing system includes a gardener terminal and a customer terminal communicably connected to the gardener terminal. The gardener terminal includes the first fee setting unit that, in a case in which a contract for a transaction relating to a lawn is established between the customer using the customer terminal and the gardener using the gardener terminal, sets a first fee for the transaction relating to the lawn, based on an amount of the lawn produced by the transaction relating to the lawn, and the lawn state information generating unit that generates lawn state information including a use state of the lawn and the first fee, and transmits the lawn state information to the customer terminal.

Abstract: Provided is an information providing system capable of promoting use of services relating to a lawn. An information providing system 1 includes: a gardener terminal 200 that provides gardener information regarding a service relating to a lawn; a customer terminal 300 that is communicably connected to the gardener terminal 200 and provides request information relating to the lawn; and an information providing device 100 that is communicably connected to the gardener terminal 200 and the customer terminal 300.

Abstract: In a premixed compression self-ignition engine which is compact but capable of exerting a high output, an intermediate portion of a trigonal link is rotatably supported on a crankpin, a large end portion of a connecting rod is connected to one end portion of the trigonal link, and a swing link swingably supported on a fulcrum shaft is connected to another end portion of the trigonal link. The engine includes: an intake port open to a crank chamber; a reed valve mounted in the intake port; a scavenging port configured to guide fresh air from the crank chamber into a cylinder bore in a downward stroke of a piston; an exhaust port provided in a cylinder head and open to a top portion of the cylinder bore; and an exhaust valve configured to be opened before the piston opens the scavenging port in the downward stroke of the piston.

Abstract: In a premixed compression self-ignition engine which is compact but capable of exerting a high output, an intermediate portion of a trigonal link is rotatably supported on a crankpin, a large end portion of a connecting rod is connected to one end portion of the trigonal link, and a swing link swingably supported on a fulcrum shaft is connected to another end portion of the trigonal link. The engine includes: an intake port open to a crank chamber; a reed valve mounted in the intake port; a scavenging port configured to guide fresh air from the crank chamber into a cylinder bore in a downward stroke of a piston; an exhaust port provided in a cylinder head and open to a top portion of the cylinder bore; and an exhaust valve configured to be opened before the piston opens the scavenging port in the downward stroke of the piston.

Abstract: In a link type variable stroke engine in which a piston, a crankshaft and an eccentric shaft are linked by a linking mechanism, a counterweight part which is provided so that in a projection view on a plane orthogonal to an axis of a rotary shaft, a center of gravity of the counterweight part is located on an opposite side of the axis of the rotary shaft from an axis of the eccentric shaft rotates together with the rotary shaft. Accordingly, it is possible to effectively suppress and lessen half-order inertial exciting force occurring at the eccentric shaft.

Abstract: In a link type variable stroke engine in which: a crankshaft and a rotary shaft having an eccentric shaft are each rotatably supported on a case main body formed integrally with a cylinder block and opened at one side to form a part of a crankcase, and a support plate fastened to an opened end of the case main body at a plurality of positions; and a piston, the crankshaft and the eccentric shaft are linked by a linking mechanism, in a projection view on a plane orthogonal to axes of the crankshaft and the rotary shaft, two of the plurality of fastening positions at which the support plate is fastened to the opened end of the case main body are disposed on a straight line passing the axes of the rotary shaft and the crankshaft. This configuration can increase the rigidity between the crankshaft and the rotary shaft enough to prevent change of the distance between the crankshaft and the rotary shaft.

Abstract: In a link type variable stroke engine in which a piston, a crankshaft and an eccentric shaft are linked by a linking mechanism, counterweights are provided on the crankshaft so that in a projection view on a plane orthogonal to a rotation axis of the crankshaft, centers of gravity of the counterweights are located on a straight line extending from the rotation axis of the crankshaft in an opposite direction to a direction of a total inertial exciting force when the total inertial exciting force becomes maximum, the total inertial exciting force being obtained by adding inertial exciting forces occurring respectively in movable components of the linking mechanism. Accordingly, it is possible to effectively suppress and lessen inertial exciting force.

Abstract: A variable stroke engine includes an end portion of a connecting rod, which is connected at one end portion thereof to a piston by a piston pin, and an end portion of a control rod, which is connected at one end portion thereof to an eccentric shaft, and which are linked to each other by a link member rotatably supported on a crankshaft. A rotative power of the crankshaft is transmitted to the camshaft. The camshaft is disposed at such a position that part of a trajectory drawn by the intake-side and exhaust-side cams overlaps a trajectory drawn by the link member in a projection on a plane perpendicular to an axis of the crankshaft, and a rotational phase of the camshaft is set so that the interference, of the intake-side and exhaust-side cams with an end portion, on the camshaft side, of the link member, is avoided.

Abstract: A variable stroke engine has a crankshaft, a camshaft, and a rotational shaft, having an eccentric shaft, which are rotatably supported in a crankcase so as to have axes parallel to one another. A connecting rod is connected, at one end portion thereof, to a piston by a piston pin, and a control rod is connected, at one end portion thereof, to the eccentric shaft. The other end portion of the connecting rod and the other end portion of the control rod are linked to each other by a link member rotatably supported on the crankshaft. A rotative power of the crankshaft is transmitted to the camshaft and the rotational shaft, respectively. A timing driving wheel transmitting the rotative power to the camshaft side is mounted on the crankshaft, and a timing driven wheel driven by the timing driving wheel is mounted on the rotational shaft.

Abstract: In a stroke-variable engine, the position of a center of gravity of a subsidiary connecting rod is determined so that a distance between the position of the center of gravity of the subsidiary connecting rod and an axis of a crankpin is smaller than a distance between a point of connection of a main connecting rod to the subsidiary connecting rod and the position of the center of gravity as well as a distance between a point of connection of a control rod to the subsidiary connecting rod and the position of the center of gravity. Thus, 0.5-order vibration generated in the subsidiary connecting rod is lowered, engine vibration is suppressed, and noise generated with the vibration is suppressed.

Abstract: In a link type variable stroke engine in which a piston, a crankshaft and an eccentric shaft are linked by a linking mechanism, a counterweight part which is provided so that in a projection view on a plane orthogonal to an axis of a rotary shaft, a center of gravity of the counterweight part is located on an opposite side of the axis of the rotary shaft from an axis of the eccentric shaft rotates together with the rotary shaft. Accordingly, it is possible to effectively suppress and lessen half-order inertial exciting force occurring at the eccentric shaft.

Abstract: In a link type variable stroke engine in which: a crankshaft and a rotary shaft having an eccentric shaft are each rotatably supported on a case main body formed integrally with a cylinder block and opened at one side to form a part of a crankcase, and a support plate fastened to an opened end of the case main body at a plurality of positions; and a piston, the crankshaft and the eccentric shaft are linked by a linking mechanism, in a projection view on a plane orthogonal to axes of the crankshaft and the rotary shaft, two of the plurality of fastening positions at which the support plate is fastened to the opened end of the case main body are disposed on a straight line passing the axes of the rotary shaft and the crankshaft. This configuration can increase the rigidity between the crankshaft and the rotary shaft enough to prevent change of the distance between the crankshaft and the rotary shaft.

Abstract: In a link type variable stroke engine in which a piston, a crankshaft and an eccentric shaft are linked by a linking mechanism, counterweights are provided on the crankshaft so that in a projection view on a plane orthogonal to a rotation axis of the crankshaft, centers of gravity of the counterweights are located on a straight line extending from the rotation axis of the crankshaft in an opposite direction to a direction of a total inertial exciting force when the total inertial exciting force becomes maximum, the total inertial exciting force being obtained by adding inertial exciting forces occurring respectively in movable components of the linking mechanism. Accordingly, it is possible to effectively suppress and lessen inertial exciting force.

Abstract: A variable stroke engine includes an end portion of a connecting rod, which is connected at one end portion thereof to a piston by a piston pin, and an end portion of a control rod, which is connected at one end portion thereof to an eccentric shaft, and which are linked to each other by a link member rotatably supported on a crankshaft. A rotative power of the crankshaft is transmitted to the camshaft. The camshaft is disposed at such a position that part of a trajectory drawn by the intake-side and exhaust-side cams overlaps a trajectory drawn by the link member in a projection on a plane perpendicular to an axis of the crankshaft, and a rotational phase of the camshaft is set so that the interference, of the intake-side and exhaust-side cams with an end portion, on the camshaft side, of the link member, is avoided.

Abstract: A variable stroke engine has a crankshaft, a camshaft, and a rotational shaft, having an eccentric shaft, which are rotatably supported in a crankcase so as to have axes parallel to one another. A connecting rod is connected, at one end portion thereof, to a piston by a piston pin, and a control rod is connected, at one end portion thereof, to the eccentric shaft. The other end portion of the connecting rod and the other end portion of the control rod are linked to each other by a link member rotatably supported on the crankshaft. A rotative power of the crankshaft is transmitted to the camshaft and the rotational shaft, respectively. A timing driving wheel transmitting the rotative power to the camshaft side is mounted on the crankshaft, and a timing driven wheel driven by the timing driving wheel is mounted on the rotational shaft.

Abstract: A stroke-variable engine includes a pivot shaft which is rotatably supported in a crankcase so as to be rotatable about an eccentric axis parallel to a crankshaft and which is connected to a control rod so that a rotational power reduced at a reduction ratio of 1/2 is transmitted from the crankshaft to the pivot shaft. A camshaft of a valve-operating mechanism mounted at an upper portion of an engine body and the pivot shaft are operatively connected to each other. Thus, it is possible to decrease the number of parts of the valve-operating mechanism, increase a rotational speed, and further reduce mechanical noise.