Abstract: A teaching apparatus for robot includes a force sensor disposed between an arm of a robot and an end effector, and a guide part attached to the end effector. An object includes a recessed part. The recessed part has a reference surface, with which target surface of the end part of the guide part are brought into surface-contact so as to determine a position and a posture of the robot. A robot control device performs a control for bringing the target surface of the guide part into surface-contact with the reference surface of the recessed part so as to determine a teaching position of the robot, based on the direction of a force applied to the end effector.

Abstract: A scale includes a scale grating formed with a period P. A light source grating includes a grating formed with a period 2P, the light source grating being disposed between a light source and the scale. Interference fringe detection means is configured to be able to detect a bright part of an interference fringe with the period P, the interference fringe being generated by the light source grating and the scale. The interference fringe detection means detects a first interference fringe formed by light coming from the scale and a second interference fringe formed by light coming from the scale, a position of a bright part of the second interference fringe being shifted from a position of a bright part of the first interference fringe by a half of the period P (i.e., P/2).

Abstract: In a scale, a reference detection pattern and a displacement detection pattern are formed. A detection head outputs a reference detection signal, a phase compensation signal, and a displacement detection signal. A signal processing unit generates a reference signal by amplifying one or both of the phase compensation signal and the reference detection signal and adding up them, and detects a position of the detection head relative to the scale. A combined light receiving grating includes a reference detection light receiving grating and a phase compensation light receiving grating disposed so as to be shifted from the reference detection light receiving grating in the measurement direction. A combined light receiving element includes a reference detection light receiving element configured to output the reference detection signal and a phase compensation light receiving element configured to output the phase compensation signal.

Abstract: A photoelectric encoder includes an absolute scale provided with an absolute pattern based on pseudo-random data, and a detection head including a light source that emits light to the absolute pattern of the absolute scale, and a light receiving unit that receives light from the absolute pattern, and it detects an absolute position of the detection head with respect to the absolute scale. In the photoelectric encoder, the absolute pattern is composed of a grating part and a dark part arranged in a repetitive manner. The photoelectric encoder further includes an interference pattern generation means that generates an interference pattern in combination with the grating part, and an interference pattern signal processing unit that detects the pseudo-random data of the absolute pattern based on the interference pattern received by the light receiving unit.

Abstract: A tool adapter configured to mount a tool on a robot wrist including a first rotary member rotatable about a first axis and a second rotary member rotatable about a second axis orthogonal to the first axis. The tool adapter includes a first section configured to be attached to the second rotary member at a first attaching portion; and a second section extending from the first section and configured to be attached to the tool at a second attaching portion. The first attaching portion and the second attaching portion are respectively disposed at positions where a direction of a reaction force applied to the second section through the tool from an object, during an operation performed to the object with use of the tool, is defined to intersect with both of the first axis and the second axis.

Abstract: A target supply device may include: a tank including a cylindrical main body, a first end portion blocking an axial first end of the main body, and a second end portion blocking an axial second end of the main body; a nozzle provided to the first end portion of the tank and configured to output a target material contained inside the tank; and an inert gas supply unit configured to supply inert gas into the tank, in which the inert gas supply unit includes a gas flow path penetrating the second end portion of the tank and configured to guide the inert gas in a direction toward an inner wall of the main body.

Abstract: An optical encoder includes an origin point detection scale having an origin point detection pattern and an inverse origin point detection pattern that is the inverse of the origin point detection pattern; a light source emitting light at the origin point detection scale; a light source grid that is inserted on the light source side of the origin point detection scale, the light source grid having two first light source grid patterns corresponding to the origin point detection pattern and the inverse origin point detection pattern, respectively; a photoreceiver detecting a signal from light that has passed through the origin point detection scale; and a photoreceiver grid inserted on the photoreceiver side of the origin point detection scale, the photoreceiver grid having two first photoreceiver grid patterns that are a pattern either identical to or the inverse of the first light source grid pattern.

Abstract: During engine startup and engagement of a transmission clutch in response to an EV?HEV mode-switch demand, the transmission clutch is engaged, which precedes initiation of self-sustaining running by the engine. During the clutch engagement, high engine torque is not input to the transmission clutch, and no large torque differential arises in relation to the torque at the output side of the transmission clutch, which during EV operation is a low value about equal to the low motor torque of an electric motor. Additionally, due to cranking during engine startup, the input/output rotation difference of the transmission clutch is small, and when the transmission clutch is engaged, engagement of the transmission clutch may be carried out with reduced shock, as the input/output torque differential and the input/output rotation difference are small.

Abstract: An encoder includes a light receiving part and a computing part. The light receiving part receives reflected light from a scale and outputs N-phase sinusoidal signals in which respective phases of fundamental waves differ by 2?/N (N is an integer more than or equal to 5). The computing part outputs a two-phase sinusoidal signal including an A phase and a B phase according to each of the N-phase sinusoidal signals. The A phase is expressed by a real part of sum of multiplier of N-phase sinusoidal waves and a member including the N. The B phase is expressed by an imaginary part of the sum of the multiplier of the N-phase sinusoidal waves and a member including the N.

Abstract: A scale and an optical encoder capable of maintaining an accuracy of a reference position irrespective of an error in attaching a detection head are provided. The scale according to the present invention is a scale including main-signal scale gratings having grating patterns of a predetermined pitch, and a reference-signal pattern, in which the main-signal scale gratings are arranged in parallel in a direction perpendicular to a length measurement axis of the main-signal scale gratings and are different from each other in phase by ½, and the reference-signal pattern is formed on the length measurement axis of the main-signal scale gratings. The optical encoder according to the present invention includes a light source, main-signal light source gratings, reference-signal light source gratings, main-signal receiver gratings, and a reference-signal receiver element.

Abstract: An image processing device includes: a calculator that calculates a gray scale histogram for each color component of an image signal; a calculator that calculates, for each color component, a maximum and a minimum of classes having a frequency greater than zero in the gray scale histogram; a determiner that generates, for each color component, a histogram having classes each having an absolute difference value between the frequencies of adjacent classes in the gray scale histogram, and compares the absolute difference values in the histograms with a value to determine, from the presence or absence of an absolute difference value exceeding the value, an image type of the image; a generator that generates a gray scale correction curve from the calculated maximum and minimum for each color component; and a corrector that performs gray scale correction on the image signal using the gray scale correction curve.

Abstract: During engine startup and engagement of a transmission clutch in response to an EV?HEV mode-switch demand, the transmission clutch is engaged, which precedes initiation of self-sustaining running by the engine. During the clutch engagement, high engine torque is not input to the transmission clutch, and no large torque differential arises in relation to the torque at the output side of the transmission clutch, which during EV operation is a low value about equal to the low motor torque of an electric motor. Additionally, due to cranking during engine startup, the input/output rotation difference of the transmission clutch is small, and when the transmission clutch is engaged, engagement of the transmission clutch may be carried out with reduced shock, as the input/output torque differential and the input/output rotation difference are small.

Abstract: In a separate linear encoder, a scale is further provided with an ABS track that is arranged in parallel with an INC track and a detection head includes an ABS detection portion that reads the ABS track. The separate linear encoder includes a calculation portion that obtains a yaw angle of the detection head with respect to a scale based on a gap between an INC detection portion and an ABS detection portion and a difference amount between a position value of the INC track, which is detected by the INC detection portion, and a position of the ABS track, which is detected by the ABS detection portion. The calculation portion also obtains a signal strength based on two-phase sine wave signals that are output from the INC detection portion. The separate linear encoder further includes a display device that displays a plurality of yaw angles and the signal strengths corresponding to the respective yaw angles.

Abstract: An image encoding device include a predicting unit for adaptively determining the size of each motion prediction unit block according to color component signals, and for dividing each motion prediction unit block into motion vector allocation regions to search for a motion vector, and a variable length encoding unit for, when a motion vector is allocated to the whole of each motion prediction unit block, performing encoding in mc_skip mode if the motion vector is equal to an estimated vector and a prediction error signal does not exist, and for, when each motion vector allocation region has a size equal to or larger than a predetermined size and a motion vector is allocated to the whole of each motion vector allocation region, performing encoding in sub_mc_skip mode if the motion vector is equal to an estimated vector and a prediction error signal does not exist.

Abstract: A workpiece conveyor system comprising: a conveyance apparatus which conveys workpieces in one direction, a stopper which is mounted on the conveyance apparatus so as to stop workpieces which are conveyed by the conveyance apparatus at a predetermined position, and a takeout apparatus which takes out workpieces which have been stopped by the stopper from the conveyance apparatus. An outer edge of the stopper in an opposite direction to a conveyance direction of workpieces extends in a curved shape in a transverse direction of the conveyance apparatus.

Abstract: There is provided a microchip including a plurality of substrate layers, and bonding layers provided at boundary surfaces between the substrate layers and configured to include a silicon compound. At least one of the bonding layers is configured to include an organic silicon compound.

Abstract: An image encoding device include a predicting unit for adaptively determining the size of each motion prediction unit block according to color component signals, and for dividing each motion prediction unit block into motion vector allocation regions to search for a motion vector, and a variable length encoding unit for, when a motion vector is allocated to the whole of each motion prediction unit block, performing encoding in mc_skip mode if the motion vector is equal to an estimated vector and a prediction error signal does not exist, and for, when each motion vector allocation region has a size equal to or larger than a predetermined size and a motion vector is allocated to the whole of each motion vector allocation region, performing encoding in sub_mc_skip mode if the motion vector is equal to an estimated vector and a prediction error signal does not exist.

Abstract: An image encoding device include a predicting unit for adaptively determining the size of each motion prediction unit block according to color component signals, and for dividing each motion prediction unit block into motion vector allocation regions to search for a motion vector, and a variable length encoding unit for, when a motion vector is allocated to the whole of each motion prediction unit block, performing encoding in mc_skip mode if the motion vector is equal to an estimated vector and a prediction error signal does not exist, and for, when each motion vector allocation region has a size equal to or larger than a predetermined size and a motion vector is allocated to the whole of each motion vector allocation region, performing encoding in sub_mc_skip mode if the motion vector is equal to an estimated vector and a prediction error signal does not exist.

Abstract: An optical encoder according to the present invention includes a light source that emits light; a scale including scale gratings each having a predetermined pitch; a light source grating disposed between the light source and the scale and having a predetermined pitch; and an interference fringe detector that detects an interference fringe generated by the light source grating and the scale. The scale gratings are disposed side by side, and the adjacent scale gratings are displaced from each other by a ½ period.

Abstract: A position detection encoder includes a scale and a detection head and has position detection circuits which are capable of outputting respective pieces of position information on Xf, Xs two tracks. The displacement detection encoder includes: a speed detection circuit which is provided in the detection head and detects a relative speed Xf, Xs relative to the scale; and a delay generation circuit which provides a time difference between two output request signals, the time difference being provided on the basis of a fine adjustment time tadj based on the relative speed Xf, Xs and the respective pieces of position information Xf, Xs on the two tracks, the output request signals St1, St2 urging the first and second position detection circuits to output the pieces of position information on Xf, Xs the two tracks.