Abstract: A piezoelectric element includes a piezoelectric material layer and an electrode layer, wherein the piezoelectric material layer and the electrode layer are stacked on top of each other, the piezoelectric material layer includes a barium titanate-based material, and two coercive fields Ec1 and Ec2 of the piezoelectric element have the same sign and satisfy (|Ec2|?|Ec1|)?8 kV/cm.

Abstract: A piezoelectric element, in which a piezoelectric material layer has a plurality of crystal particles and a plurality of void portions and, in at least one of two or more of the piezoelectric material layers, when the average thickness in the lamination direction of the piezoelectric material layer is defined as TP, the average circle-equivalent diameter of the plurality of crystal particles is defined as DG, the maximum length in the lamination direction of the plurality of void portions not contacting the electrode layers is defined as LV, and the average thickness of the electrode layers contacting the at least one piezoelectric material layer is defined as TE, 0.07TP?DG?0.33TP and TE?LV?0.3TP are established and the lead content is less than 1000 ppm.

Abstract: An indoor unit according to the present invention includes a securing plate provided at an upper edge of a sidewall of a drain pan that collects drain water generated from an indoor heat exchanger, and an antimicrobial-agent-containing case that contains an antimicrobial agent and includes a case frame positioned in an area where the drain water is collected, a case-attaching portion conforming to the securing plate and being detachably attached to the securing plate, and an arm connecting the case frame and the case-attaching portion. The antimicrobial-agent-containing case is attached to the securing plate from an opening of an air inlet from which air is taken into a body.

Abstract: A vibrator which is constructed by bonding a piezoelectric element and an elastic body together via a bonding layer. The piezoelectric element has a piezoelectric ceramic and electrodes. The bonding layer has an unbonded region that is located close to a nodal line of a vibration in a primary out-of-plane vibration mode when the vibration is excited in the vibrator, and in the unbonded region, the piezoelectric element and the elastic body are not bonded together.

Abstract: A vibration wave drive device includes an annular piezoelectric element including a piezoelectric material and multiple electrodes provided sandwiching the piezoelectric material, the annular piezoelectric element being configured to vibrate by a traveling wave of a wavelength ?; and a power feeding member including at least an electric wire for supplying electric power to the element, the feeding member being provided at a first surface of the element. The element includes at least two driving regions, and a non-driving region arranged between two of the at least two driving regions and having an average annular length of n?/4, n being an odd number. At least one electrode provided on the first surface is arranged across the driving region and the non-driving region, and is electrically connected to the feeding member only in the non-driving region.

Abstract: An indoor unit for an air-conditioning apparatus and an air-conditioning apparatus that include levers of a decorative panel operated through insertion hole portions, and then move vertically in the insertion hole portions by the gravity, to thereby be temporarily hung on the hooks. The levers are kept holed on hooks. The indoor unit for an air-conditioning apparatus includes a casing, a decorative panel mounted on a lower surface side of the casing and having an air inlet formed therein, the levers mounted so as to be opposed to each other on opposed two sides among four sides forming edges of the air inlet of the decorative panel, and the hooks mounted at an opening portion of the casing, to allow the levers to be hooked thereon, respectively.

Abstract: The present invention can provide a lead-free piezoelectric material having a high piezoelectric constant in the room temperature range. The present invention for this purpose is a piezoelectric material including a main component containing a perovskite metal oxide represented by following general formula (1), Baa(Ti1-xZrx)O3??(1) where 0.02?x?0.13 and 0.986?a?1.02, a first auxiliary component containing Mn, and a second auxiliary component containing trivalent Bi, wherein an amount of the contained Mn is 0.0020 moles or more and 0.0150 moles or less relative to 1 mole of the metal oxide, and an amount of the contained Bi is 0.00042 moles or more and 0.00850 moles or less relative to 1 mole of the metal oxide.

Abstract: After dot image data is created via a halftone process, dot size determination is performed in step S110, it is determined there is a smaller dot in front motion in step S112, and, when the smaller dot is to be allocated to a front nozzle line, a moving process is performed thereon in step S116. Once moved by one dot, the dot position of a smaller dot is allocated to a rear nozzle line and thus discharged from the rear nozzle line that is less affected by an air flow.

Abstract: The present invention provides a piezoelectric element that includes a piezoelectric material having first and second surfaces; a common electrode disposed on the first surface; and a plurality of drive phase electrodes, a detection phase electrode, and a non-drive phase electrode disposed on the second surface, the piezoelectric material being sandwiched between the common electrode and the electrodes on the second surface. An absolute value d(1) of a piezoelectric constant of the piezoelectric material (1) in portions sandwiched between the drive phase electrodes and the common electrode, an absolute value d(2) of a piezoelectric constant of the piezoelectric material (2) in a portion sandwiched between the detection phase electrode and the common electrode, and an absolute value d(3) of the piezoelectric material (3) in a portion sandwiched between the non-drive phase electrode and the common electrode satisfy d(2)<0.95d(1), d(3)<0.95d(1), and 0.9?d(3)/d(2)?1.1.

Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a carriage on which a print head is mounted and that discharges an ink from the print head while moving the carriage along a predetermined direction and further includes a space width adjustment unit that causes a width of a space above the carriage within the printing apparatus to be larger in an acceleration region in which the carriage is accelerated from a stopped state than in a constant velocity region in which the carriage is moved at a constant velocity after the acceleration region. The space width adjustment unit causes the width of the space above the carriage in the constant velocity region to be smaller than or equal to a paper gap that is a distance between the carriage and a print medium which is below the carriage and which receives the ink discharged from the print head.

Abstract: An indoor unit includes: a casing including a top plate and lateral plates; a motor mounted to a central part on an inner surface side of the top plate; a turbofan fixed to a rotary shaft of the motor and configured to rotate through drive of the motor; a drain pan received in the casing and mounted to the lateral plates of the casing; and a bellmouth mounted to the drain pan and configured to rectify a fluid flowing into the casing. The drain pan includes a positioning fitting having: a casing-fixing threaded hole for allowing the drain pan to be fixed to the casing with a screw; and a bellmouth-fixing threaded hole for allowing the bellmouth to be fixed to the drain pan with a screw.

Abstract: An oscillatory wave drive device has an oscillatory wave driving unit having an electromechanical energy conversion element having drive phases and a detection phase, a diaphragm, and a rotor, in which a traveling wave is generated on the surface of the diaphragm of the electromechanical energy conversion element to drive the rotor, and the driving speed of the rotor is controlled based on a signal of the phase difference detecting unit. In the oscillatory wave drive device, a detection phase voltage step-down unit and a drive phase voltage step-down unit each containing a resistance voltage dividing circuit having at least two resistors are provided and the voltage dividing ratio in the resistance voltage dividing circuit of the detection phase voltage step-down unit is lower than 1/1 and higher than 1/20.

Abstract: A piezoelectric material including a perovskite-type metal oxide represented by the following general formula (1); Bi; and Mn, wherein the content of Bi is 0.1-0.5 mol % with respect to 1 mol of the metal oxide, the content of Mn is 0.3-1.5 mol % with respect to 1 mol of the metal oxide, and the piezoelectric material satisfies (L4?L5)/L5?0.05 and (L8?L9)/L9?0.05 when the lengths of twelve Bi—O bonds with Bi that is located at a 12-fold site with respect to O in a perovskite-type unit cell as a starting point are taken to be L1 to L12 in length order: (Ba1-xM1x)(Ti1-yM2y)O3??(1) wherein 0?x?0.2, 0?y?0.1, and M1 and M2 are mutually different metal elements which have a total valence of +6 and are selected from other elements than Ba, Ti, Bi and Mn.

Abstract: An indoor unit includes a main unit including an air inlet through which air enters from a room and an air outlet through which air blows into the room, an electrical component box mounted on an outer surface of the main unit and accommodating an electrical device, a refrigerant pipe connection portion to which a refrigerant pipe through which refrigerant passes is connected, a drain pipe connection portion to which a drain pipe through which drain water discharged from the main unit passes is connected, and an installation bolt attachment bracket mounted on the outer surface of the main unit and fixing the main unit to an installation bolt suspended from above a ceiling. The indoor unit has the refrigerant pipe connection portion, the drain pipe connection portion, and the electrical component box on the same mounting surface.

Abstract: The present invention provides a lead-free piezoelectric material having a high piezoelectric constant and a high mechanical quality factor in a wide operating temperature range. The piezoelectric material includes a perovskite-type metal oxide represented by Formula (1): (Ba1-xCax)a(Ti1-yZry)O3 (1.00?a?1.01, 0.125?x<0.155, and 0.041?y?0.074) as a main component. The metal oxide contains Mn in a content of 0.12 parts by weight or more and 0.40 parts by weight or less based on 100 parts by weight of the metal oxide on a metal basis.

Abstract: There is provided a piezoelectric material not containing any lead component, having stable piezoelectric characteristics in an operating temperature range, a high mechanical quality factor, and satisfactory piezoelectric characteristics. The piezoelectric material includes a main component containing a perovskite-type metal oxide that can be expressed using the following general formula (1), and subcomponents containing Mn, Li, and Bi. When the metal oxide is 100 parts by weight, the content of Mn on a metal basis is not less than 0.04 parts by weight and is not greater than 0.36 parts by weight, content ? of Li on a metal basis is not less than 0.0013 parts by weight and is not greater than 0.0280 parts by weight, and content ? of Bi on a metal basis is not less than 0.042 parts by weight and is not greater than 0.850 parts by weight (Ba1-xCax)a(Ti1-y-zZrySnz)O3??(1) (in the formula (1), 0.09?x?0.30, 0.074<y?0.085, 0?z?0.02, and 0.986?a?1.02).

Abstract: A piezoelectric ceramic includes: a metal oxide represented by General Formula (1); and 0.04 parts by weight or more and 0.36 parts by weight or less of Mn and 0.042 parts by weight or more and 0.850 parts by weight or less of Bi on a metal basis relative to 100 parts by weight of the metal oxide, wherein the piezoelectric ceramic includes a plurality of first crystal grains having a perovskite structure, and a plurality of second crystal grains provided at a grain boundary between the first crystal grains and having a crystal structure different from that of the first crystal grain, and the second crystal grain mainly contains at least one metal oxide selected from Ba4Ti12O27 and Ba6Ti17O40. (Ba1-xCax)a(Ti1-yZry)O3??(1) (where 0.09?x?0.30, 0.025?y?0.085, 0.986?a?1.

Abstract: A ceramic powder contains a metal oxide represented by the following general formula (1). The ceramic powder has a single perovskite-type crystal phase. The ceramic powder is composed of particles having an average equivalent circular diameter in the range of 100 nm or more and less than 1000 nm and has a ratio c1/a1 in the range of 1.000?c1/a1?1.010, wherein c1 and a1 denote the c-axis length and a-axis length, respectively, of unit cells of the perovskite-type metal oxide, c1 being greater than or equal to a1. formula (1)(Ba1-xCax)?(Ti1-y-zZryMnz)O3(0.9900???1.0100, 0.125?x?0.300, 0.020?y?0.095, 0.003?z?0.016).

Abstract: Provided is an ultrasonic motor including an annular vibrator and an annular moving member that is brought into pressure-contact with the vibrator. The vibrator includes an annular vibrating plate and an annular piezoelectric element. The piezoelectric element includes an annular lead-free piezoelectric ceramic piece, a common electrode arranged on one surface of the piezoelectric ceramic piece, and a plurality of electrodes arranged on the other surface of the piezoelectric ceramic piece. The plurality of electrodes include two drive phase electrodes, one or more non-drive phase electrodes, and one or more detection phase electrodes. A second surface of the vibrating plate includes a plurality of groove regions extending radially, and the depths of the groove regions change in a circumferential direction along a curve obtained by superimposing one or more sine waves on one another. The ultrasonic motor exhibits a sufficient drive speed while suppressing generation of an unnecessary vibration wave.

Abstract: Provided are an ultrasonic motor and a drive control system and the like using the ultrasonic motor. The ultrasonic motor includes an annular vibrator and an annular moving member arranged so as to be brought into pressure-contact with the vibrator. The vibrator includes an annular vibrating plate and an annular piezoelectric element. The piezoelectric element includes an annular piezoelectric ceramic piece, a common electrode arranged on one surface of the piezoelectric ceramic piece, and a plurality of electrodes arranged on the other surface of the piezoelectric ceramic piece. The piezoelectric ceramic piece contains lead in a content of less than 1,000 ppm. The plurality of electrodes include two drive phase electrodes, one or more non-drive phase electrodes, and one or more detection phase electrodes.