Abstract: A piezoelectric element includes a first and a second electrode, a piezoelectric layer between the first electrode and the second electrode, and an orientation control layer between the first electrode and the piezoelectric layer. The orientation control layer contains perovskite complex oxide containing potassium, sodium, calcium, and niobium and preferentially oriented in the (100) plane.

Abstract: A sheet conveying device, which is included in an image forming apparatus and an optional device attachable to the image forming apparatus, includes a sheet container, a sheet feeder, a separator, a guide, and a projection. The sheet container loads multiple sheets. The sheet feeder feeds a sheet out of the multiple sheets in the sheet container. The separator separates the sheet from another sheet fed together with the sheet. The guide having a guide surface to guide the sheet passing the separator such that the sheet is fed in a predetermined sheet conveying direction. An upstream end in the sheet conveying direction of the guide surface of the guide is located lower than a downstream end in the sheet conveying direction of the separator. The projection is disposed facing the separator at the upstream end in the sheet conveying direction of the guide surface.

Abstract: Disclosed is a control device for a multi-cylinder engine having a combustion chamber (19) to which an intake port (16) and an exhaust port (17) are connected. The control device comprises: an intake-side variable valve operating mechanism (71) for controlling a lift timing of two intake valves (21a, 21b) of the intake port (16); an exhaust-side variable valve operating mechanism (72) for controlling a lift timing of an exhaust valve (22a); and an exhaust-side valve operating mechanism (73) for driving an exhaust valve (22b) at a fixed timing. The control device is operable, when executing cylinder deactivation in a low engine load and low engine speed operating range, to cause the exhaust-side variable valve operating mechanism (72) to open the exhaust valve (22a) during downward movement of a piston (14) in a cylinder (18) being subjected to the cylinder deactivation.

Abstract: A piezoelectric element includes a first electrode, a piezoelectric layer which is formed on the first electrode by using a solution method, and is formed from compound oxide which has a perovskite structure in which potassium, sodium, and niobium are provided, and a second electrode which is provided on the piezoelectric layer. The piezoelectric layer has a peak derived from a (200) plane and a peak derived from a (002) plane in an X-ray diffraction pattern obtained by ?-2? measurement.

Abstract: A engine control device includes an variable exhaust valve mechanism 72 which varies an opening and closing timing of an exhaust valve 22, and a PCM 10 which controls the variable exhaust valve mechanism 72 such that the opening and closing timing of the exhaust valve 22 is varied, wherein the variable exhaust valve mechanism 72 is configured such that a lift amount of the exhaust valve 22 becomes smaller as a retarded degree of the valve opening timing increases, and the PCM 10 is configured to set a maximum retarded valve opening timing in an exhaust stroke based on the lift amount at an exhaust top dead center, and to control the variable exhaust valve mechanism 72 so as to open the exhaust valve 22 in advance of the maximum retarded valve opening timing.

Abstract: There is provided a piezoelectric element which includes a first electrode, a piezoelectric layer which is formed on the first electrode by using a solution method, and is formed from a compound oxide having a perovskite structure in which potassium, sodium, and niobium are provided, and a second electrode which is provided on the piezoelectric layer. A cross-sectional SEM image of the piezoelectric layer is captured at a magnification of 100,000. When evaluation is performed under a condition in which a measured value in a transverse direction is set to 1,273 nm, two or more voids are included in the piezoelectric layer, a difference between the maximum value and the minimum value among diameters of the voids to be largest in a film thickness direction is equal to or smaller than 14 nm, and the maximum value is equal to or smaller than 24 nm.

Abstract: A piezoelectric element includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a thin piezoelectric layer. The thin piezoelectric layer is provided between the first electrode and the first electrode, and is formed of a perovskite type compound oxide which contains potassium, sodium, and niobium. In the piezoelectric layer, in an X-ray diffraction pattern obtained by ??2? measurement, peaks derived from a (002) plane and a (200) plane are provided in a range in which 2? is from 45° to 47°, a peak position of the peak on a high angle side among the peaks satisfies 46.0°?2??46.5°, and a difference of 2? between the peak on the high angle side and the peak on a low angle side is greater than 0.60°.

Abstract: A sheet transfer guide, which is disposed along a sheet conveyance passage through which a sheet passes, provided to guide the sheet, and is included in an image forming apparatus and an image reading device, includes a base material, a coat layer formed on the base material and having a surface roughness smaller than a surface roughness of the base material, and a guide face to which the sheet contacts. The coat layer is formed on the guide face.

Abstract: A detector, which is included in a sheet feeding device, a sheet conveying device, an image forming apparatus and an image reading device, contacts and detects a sheet, and includes a base, a sheet contact face to which the sheet contacts, and a coat layer formed on the sheet contact face. A difference ?? of a static coefficient of friction ?s of the coat layer and a kinetic coefficient of friction ?d of the coat layer is smaller than and equal to 0.12.

Abstract: A piezoelectric element includes a substrate, a first electrode formed on the substrate, a piezoelectric layer, which is a layered structure of a plurality of piezoelectric films each containing potassium, sodium, and niobium, formed on the first electrode, and a second electrode formed on the piezoelectric layer. A sodium concentration in the piezoelectric layer has a Na local maximum value, which is a local maximum value of the sodium concentration, in a first piezoelectric film, which is among the plurality of piezoelectric films, in the vicinity of the first electrode, a sodium concentration gradient decreasing from the Na local maximum value toward the second electrode, and a Na local minimum value, which is a local minimum value of the sodium concentration, near a boundary between the first piezoelectric film and a second piezoelectric film formed immediately above the first piezoelectric film.

Abstract: A PCM (100) selects one of a CI mode or an SI mode based on the operating conditions of the engine (1). In the CI mode, the engine (1) is operated by compression ignition combustion. In the SI mode, the engine (1) is operated by spark ignition combustion. if, while the engine (1) is being operated in the CI mode, a determination is made that an estimated value (Tc) of the catalyst temperature is lower than or equal to a warming start temperature (Ts), the PCM (100) further performs first warming control to assign four cylinders (18) as CI and SI cylinders, which perform the compression ignition combustion and the spark ignition combustion, respectively, such that the four cylinders (18) alternately perform the compression ignition combustion and the spark ignition combustion in accordance with the order of combustion of the cylinders.

Abstract: A piezoelectric element includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a thin piezoelectric layer. The thin piezoelectric layer is provided between the first electrode and the first electrode, and is formed of a perovskite type compound oxide which contains potassium, sodium, and niobium. In the piezoelectric layer, in an X-ray diffraction pattern obtained by ??2? measurement, peaks derived from a (002) plane and a (200) plane are provided in a range in which 2? is from 45° to 47°, a peak position of the peak on a high angle side among the peaks satisfies 46.0°?2??46.5°, and a difference of 2? between the peak on the high angle side and the peak on a low angle side is greater than 0.60°.

Abstract: When a paper feeding ray is set, an arm of a one-armed pinion makes a contact with an abutting member formed in a main unit to which the paper feeding tray is attached. When the paper feeding tray is pushed in, the arm is pushed by the abutting member, the one-armed pinion rotates as the rack member moves, and the one-armed pinion moves in a direction into the paper feeding tray. When a spring is stretched, a bottom plate push-up member rotates up on its rotation center and rises by a predetermined angle to press a bundle of stacked paper sheets against a feed roller, so that the paper sheets can be fed.

Abstract: A piezoelectric element includes a first electrode formed on a substrate, a piezoelectric layer formed on the first electrode and composed of a complex oxide having a perovskite structure containing potassium (K), sodium (Na), niobium (Nb), and manganese (Mn), and a second electrode formed on the piezoelectric layer. The manganese includes divalent manganese (Mn2+), trivalent manganese (Mn3+), and tetravalent manganese (Mn4+), a molar ratio of the divalent manganese to a sum of the trivalent manganese and the tetravalent manganese ((Mn2+/(Mn3++Mn4+)) is 1 or more and 10 or less, and a molar ratio of the potassium to the sodium (K/Na) is 1.1 or less.

Abstract: A piezoelectric element includes a first and a second electrode, a piezoelectric layer between the first electrode and the second electrode, and an orientation control layer between the first electrode and the piezoelectric layer. The orientation control layer contains perovskite complex oxide containing potassium, sodium, calcium, and niobium and preferentially oriented in the (100) plane.

Abstract: A sheet conveying device, which is included in an image forming apparatus and an optional device attachable to the image forming apparatus, includes a sheet container, a sheet feeder, a separator, a guide, and a projection. The sheet container loads multiple sheets. The sheet feeder feeds a sheet out of the multiple sheets in the sheet container. The separator separates the sheet from another sheet fed together with the sheet. The guide having a guide surface to guide the sheet passing the separator such that the sheet is fed in a predetermined sheet conveying direction. An upstream end in the sheet conveying direction of the guide surface of the guide is located lower than a downstream end in the sheet conveying direction of the separator. The projection is disposed facing the separator at the upstream end in the sheet conveying direction of the guide surface.

Abstract: A sheet conveying device, which is included in an image forming apparatus and an optional device attachable to the image forming apparatus, includes a sheet container, a sheet feeder, a separator, a guide, and a projection. The sheet container loads multiple sheets. The sheet feeder feeds a sheet out of the multiple sheets in the sheet container. The separator separates the sheet from another sheet fed together with the sheet. The guide having a guide surface to guide the sheet passing the separator such that the sheet is fed in a predetermined sheet conveying direction. An upstream end in the sheet conveying direction of the guide surface of the guide is located lower than a downstream end in the sheet conveying direction of the separator. The projection is disposed facing the separator at the upstream end in the sheet conveying direction of the guide surface.

Abstract: A sheet transfer guide, which is disposed along a sheet conveyance passage through which a sheet passes, provided to guide the sheet, and is included in an image forming apparatus and an image reading device, includes a base material, a coat layer formed on the base material and having a surface roughness smaller than a surface roughness of the base material, and a guide face to which the sheet contacts. The coat layer is formed on the guide face.

Abstract: A control device of a spark-ignition engine is provided. The control device includes a main body of the engine, a fuel injection valve, an ignition plug, and a controller. According to an operating state of the engine, the controller switches an ignition mode between a compression-ignition mode in which compression-ignition combustion is performed by causing the mixture gas to self-ignite and combust, and a spark-ignition mode in which spark-ignition combustion is performed by igniting the mixture gas with the ignition plug to combust. The controller switches the ignition mode from the spark-ignition mode to the compression-ignition mode by performing a transition mode in which a temperature inside the cylinder is forcibly decreased and combustion is performed.

Abstract: Provided are a method of manufacturing, and a working tool for, a member having a closed-bottom hole portion that can achieve a good yield of the material, can improve the durability of the cutting blade, and can reduce the force required for the work, by forming a hollowed-out bottom portion using a cutting wire having a two-point support.