Abstract: The battery system is a combined system of a first battery and a second battery. The discharging curve (discharging characteristic) (311) of the first battery has a stable region (B1). The discharging curve (discharging characteristic) (321) of the second battery has a stable region (B2) in the range of voltage lower than the voltage in the stable region (B1) of the first battery and also has an unstable region (A2) in the range of voltage overlapping the voltage in the stable region (B1) of the first battery. The first battery and the second battery are connected in parallel so that, in a discharging process, the discharging state of the entire battery shifts from the stable region (B1) of the first battery to the stable region (B2) of the second battery.

Abstract: The battery system is a combined system of a first battery and a second battery. The discharging curve (discharging characteristic) (311) of the first battery has a stable region (B1). The discharging curve (discharging characteristic) (321) of the second battery has a stable region (B2) in the range of voltage lower than the voltage in the stable region (B1) of the first battery and also has an unstable region (A2) in the range of voltage overlapping the voltage in the stable region (B1) of the first battery. The first battery and the second battery are connected in parallel so that, in a discharging process, the discharging state of the entire battery shifts from the stable region (B1) of the first battery to the stable region (B2) of the second battery.

Abstract: A storage battery management device can efficiently charge a group of storage batteries connected in series. A storage battery management device (100) discharges or charges a plurality of storage batteries while switching the number of the storage batteries used or the number of the storage batteries connected in series or parallel as a connection mode. A chargeable electricity amount management unit (120) manages the storage batteries by calculating a chargeable electricity amount which is the amount of electricity that can be charged in each of the batteries from the current charge state to a full charge state. A chargeable electricity amount adjustment unit (130) controls the discharging or charging of the storage batteries such that the chargeable electricity amount of some or all of the storage batteries can reach a common target electricity amount.

Abstract: A printing apparatus has a conveyance path configured to convey a printing medium toward a print position, a feeder for feeding the print media into the conveyance path and a control unit for controlling the printing apparatus selectively in a first mode and a second mode. In a first mode, the control unit controls the printing apparatus such that a printing medium fed from the feeder is firstly conveyed up to a position where a rear end of the printing medium gets out of the feeder, after the first conveyance, the printing medium is conveyed reversely in the conveyance path, and after that, after the reverse conveyance, the printing medium is conveyed to the print position and then the printing medium is printed by the printing unit. In the second mode, the control unit controls the printing apparatus such that the printing medium fed from the feeder is printed by the printing unit without being conveyed reversely.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a printing unit which is disposed in a housing and configured to form an image on a sheet, an lid attached to the housing by a hinge mechanism, and a camera which is attached to the lid and configured to read an image on a document while the lid is open, wherein the sheet having the image formed by the printing unit is discharged on the lid, and when the lid is opened, the camera can read the document which is placed at a reading position below the camera.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a printing section, a flatbed scanner section configured to read an original on a reading surface, and a moving mechanism configured to change the angle of the reading surface relative to an installation plane on which the apparatus is installed. The scanner section is capable of performing reading in each of a first mode where the angle of the reading surface is a first angle (vertical) and a second mode where the angle of the reading surface is a second angle (horizontal) different from the first angle.

Abstract: A display unit includes a slide mechanism slidable in a lateral or vertical direction to a housing. A maintenance opening formed in the housing can be covered and uncovered. When the opening is uncovered, a user can access at least apart of a print section in the housing from the opening and perform maintenance.

Abstract: There are provided at least one aqueous secondary battery and at least one nonaqueous secondary battery having a smaller capacity than that of the aqueous secondary battery. The aqueous secondary battery and the nonaqueous secondary battery are connected in series to constitute a battery pack.

Abstract: A power supply system has at least one forced discharge section, which includes at least one aqueous solution secondary battery and at least one nonaqueous solution secondary battery having a smaller unit battery capacity as compared with the aqueous solution secondary battery and makes each nonaqueous secondary battery forcibly discharge electricity. The power supply system also has a control section, which measures the voltage of the nonaqueous solution secondary battery individually and makes each nonaqueous solution secondary battery forcibly discharge electricity by using the forced discharge section until the forced discharge end voltage is reached when the voltage of the nonaqueous solution secondary battery reaches a forced discharge start voltage Va.

Abstract: A power supply system comprises: an assembled battery in which a plurality of cells are connected in series and which supplies power from a series circuit of the cells to a device; a power generator that parallely supplies generated power to the assembled battery and the device connected in parallel; a plurality of forced discharge units that cause the plurality of cells to forcibly discharge individually; a cell state detector that detects a state of each cell; and a controller which, when the cell state detector detects that at least one of the plurality of cells is in a first state showing that the cell is not fully charged, causes the cell detected to be in the first state to discharge by means of the forced discharge units until the cell state detector detects that the cell enters a second state having a lower state of charge than the first state.

Abstract: The power supply system of this invention includes a cell assembly in which a first assembled battery, made up of a plurality of first cells connected in series, and a second assembled battery, made up of a plurality of second cells connected in series, are connected in parallel, and a generator that charges the cell assembly. The cell assembly is configured such that an average charging voltage V1 as a terminal voltage when the first assembled battery reaches a charging capacity that is half of a full charge capacity is set to be a voltage that is smaller than an average charging voltage V2 as a terminal voltage when the second assembled battery reaches a charging capacity that is half of a full charge capacity. In addition, a resistor is connected in series to the first assembled battery.

Abstract: An assembled battery according to the present invention has an aqueous secondary battery and non-aqueous secondary batteries having an individual battery capacity smaller than that of the aqueous secondary battery. The non-aqueous secondary batteries and the aqueous secondary battery are connected in series such that the polarities thereof are reversed, and charging and discharging are carried out based on the polarities of the non-aqueous secondary batteries.

Abstract: The power supply system of the present invention includes: a cell assembly in which a first assembled battery, formed from a plurality of first cells connected in series, and a second assembled battery, formed from a plurality of second cells connected in series, are connected in parallel; and a generator for charging the cell assembly. The cell assembly is configured such that an average charging voltage V1 as a terminal voltage when the first assembled battery reaches a charging capacity that is half of a full charge capacity is set to be a voltage that is smaller than an average charging voltage V2 as a terminal voltage when the second assembled battery reaches a charging capacity that is half of a full charge capacity.

Abstract: The power supply system of this invention includes a cell assembly in which a first assembled battery, formed from a plurality of first cells connected in series, and a second assembled battery, formed from a plurality of second cells connected in series, are connected in parallel, and a generator. An average charging voltage V1 of a first assembled battery is smaller than an average charging voltage V2 of a second assembled battery. The power supply system further has a forced discharge unit capable of forcibly discharging the first assembled battery, and a control unit for measuring a voltage of the first assembled battery, and forcibly discharging the first assembled battery when the foregoing voltage reaches a forced discharge start voltage Va using the forced discharge unit until reaching a forced discharge end voltage Vb.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a printing section, a flatbed scanner section configured to read an original on a reading surface, and a moving mechanism configured to change the angle of the reading surface relative to an installation plane on which the apparatus is installed. The scanner section is capable of performing reading in each of a first mode where the angle of the reading surface is a first angle (vertical) and a second mode where the angle of the reading surface is a second angle (horizontal) different from the first angle.

Abstract: A display unit includes a slide mechanism slidable in a lateral or vertical direction to a housing. A maintenance opening formed in the housing can be covered and uncovered. When the opening is uncovered, a user can access at least apart of a print section in the housing from the opening and perform maintenance.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a printing unit which is disposed in a housing and configured to form an image on a sheet, an lid attached to the housing by a hinge mechanism, and a camera which is attached to the lid and configured to read an image on a document while the lid is open, wherein the sheet having the image formed by the printing unit is discharged on the lid, and when the lid is opened, the camera can read the document which is placed at a reading position below the camera.

Abstract: This invention relates to a power system comprising secondary batteries and a method of charging a set battery, and more specifically relates to technology which prevents degradation of a set battery which is a power source, even when using a simple constant-voltage charger. An object of this invention is to provide a power system and a charging method which, when using a constant voltage to charge secondary batteries having a higher energy density per unit weight than lead storage batteries, can reduce concerns of deformation of the secondary batteries due to overcharging, and improve safety.

Abstract: Even when a printing medium is fed from a curving sheet feeding path on which a plurality of printing media are stackable, high quality printing is performed without bothering a user at all. To this end, the printing is performed after the printing medium is entirely conveyed to a flat conveyance path. More specifically, the printing medium fed from the curving sheet feeding path is conveyed, without being printed, to a position where the rear end of the printing medium gets out of the sheet feeding path, and then is reversely conveyed to a flat conveyance path. After that, the printing is performed while the printing medium is conveyed on the flat conveyance path.

Abstract: An image reading device includes a memory unit for storing positional information of a sensor for moving by a drive unit to read an image of a document and a control unit for controlling the drive unit to move the sensor based on the positional information stored in the memory unit. The control unit drives the drive unit by an amount of driving sufficient for an image reading unit to move in a predetermined direction to abut the stop members, controls the drive unit to move the sensor so as to detect the position mark, and updates the positional information of the memory unit to a predetermined initial value based on the detection of the position mark by the sensor. The image reading device can store data of a reference position promptly even if a photo-interrupter is not provided when the data of the reference position is not stored in a memory unit.