Abstract: There are provided a variable compression-ratio mechanism (20) capable of varying an engine compression ratio in accordance with a rotational position of a control shaft (24); a speed reducer (44) configured to reduce in speed a rotational power of an actuator and transmit the speed-reduced rotational power to the control shaft (24); and a speed-reducer accommodating case (43) accommodating the speed reducer (44). An input shaft of the speed reducer (44) which is connected to the actuator has a shaft center line extending along a horizontal direction, and at least a part of the input shaft is kept under a lubricating oil retained in the speed-reducer accommodating case (43). The input shaft of the speed reducer (44) is swung by a predetermined swing angle to avoid inadequate lubrication of the input shaft of the speed reducer (44), during an operating state where the engine compression ratio is maintained constant.

Abstract: It is an object to increase the reliability and durability by minimizing mixing/entry of foreign matter (contaminants) into a speed reducer. The speed reducer is provided for reducing rotation of an actuator of a variable compression ratio mechanism and for transmitting the reduced rotation to a control shaft of the variable compression ratio mechanism. The actuator and the speed reducer are attached to a sidewall of an engine main body with a housing therebetween. An oil filter, which removes contaminants from within lubricating oil, is attached to the housing with an oil-passage-forming body therebetween. A portion of the lubricating oil supplied from the oil filter immediately after having been filter-purified is supplied via a bypass oil passage, formed in the oil-passage-forming body and the housing, into a speed-reducer accommodation chamber of the housing.

Abstract: Provided is a novel actuator and a method for driving the same. The present invention is an actuator comprising a first laminate comprising a first (Bi, Na, Ba) TiO3 layer between first and second electrode layers, a second laminate comprising a second (Bi, Na, Ba) TiO3 layer between third and fourth electrode layers, and a tilt part provided between the first and second laminates. Both of the first and second (Bi, Na, Ba) TiO3 layers are preferentially oriented in a [011] crystalline axis direction. Voltages V5a, V9a, V5b, and V9b which satisfy Requirement A: V5a>V9a and V5b<V9b or Requirement B: V5a<V9a and V5b>V9b are applied to the first-fourth electrode layers so as to tilt the tilt part. One of the first edge and the second edge is moved in the [011] crystalline axis direction and the other is moved in the reverse direction thereof.

Abstract: A holding module includes a photoreceptor configured to hold an electrostatic latent image on a surface thereof, a charging electrode that extends in a width direction of the photoreceptor and is configured to charge the surface of the photoreceptor, the charging electrode including a base portion and a discharging portion disposed between the base portion and the photoreceptor and from which electricity is discharged towards the photoreceptor, and a holding unit that holds the charging electrode and deforms the charging electrode, such that a distance between the discharging portion and the surface of the photoreceptor is different along the width direction of the photoreceptor.

Abstract: The welding device of the present disclosure has a switching section, a setting section, an output detector, a controller, a frequency controller, and a driver. The switching section is formed of a switching element. The setting section determines setting output. The output detector detects welding output. The controller calculates an output-on period of the switching section according to the setting output and the welding output. The frequency controller determines an inverter frequency based on the output-on period. The driver controls on/off operation of a switching element of the switching section based on the inverter frequency and the output-on period. When the output-on period is calculated using a first ratio, the inverter frequency is determined to a first frequency, and when the output-on period is calculated using a second ratio smaller than the first ratio, the inverter frequency is determined to a second frequency higher than the first frequency.

Abstract: An ultrasonic flowmeter includes a plurality of ultrasonic wave elements attached to an outer wall of a pipeline through which a measurement target fluid flows, and configured to transmit and receive an ultrasonic signal, wherein at least one of the ultrasonic wave elements is an ultrasonic wave transmission element and is attached to the outer wall of the pipeline so that an ultrasonic wave transmission surface thereof is in parallel to a pipe axis direction of the pipeline, and another at least one of the ultrasonic wave elements is an ultrasonic wave reception element and is attached to the outer wall of the pipeline so that an ultrasonic wave reception surface thereof is in parallel to the pipe axis direction of the pipeline.

Abstract: Provided is a piezoelectric thin film including a non-lead-containing (that is, lead-free) ferroelectric material and having high piezoelectric performance comparable to that of PZT, and a method of manufacturing the piezoelectric thin film. The piezoelectric film according to the present invention comprises a laminate structure. The laminate structure comprises an electric film and a (1-x)(Na,Bi)TiO3-xBaTiO3 film. x represents a value of not less than 0.03 and not more than 0.15. The (1-x)(Na,Bi)TiO3-xBaTiO3 film has a (110) surface orientation only. The (1-x)(Na,Bi)TiO3-xBaTiO3 film has an orthorhombic crystal structure only.

Abstract: A multi-link internal combustion engine generally includes a cylinder block, an oil pan mounted to the undersurface of the cylinder block to define a crank chamber, the oil pan being formed with a shallow bottom portion and a deep bottom portion for storing oil. The multi-link internal combustion engine further includes a multi-link, piston-crank mechanism disposed in the crank chamber, a pivotal link member of the piston-crank mechanism pivotal about a pivotal fulcrum located on the side of oil pan; and an oil guide wall provided on the shallow bottom portion in the crank chamber for guiding the oil displaced due to the movement of the pivotal link member to the side of deep bottom portion.

Abstract: If arc interruption occurs during AC arc welding, a first AC frequency predetermined for normal welding is switched to a second AC frequency higher than the first AC frequency. This allows the arc to be reignited without applying a high frequency high voltage, thereby preventing the damage of the surface of the weld bead or communication failure due to the high frequency high voltage.

Abstract: Disclosed is a thin-film solar cell which has a high photoelectric conversion efficiency and is provided with a substrate (1), a backside surface electrode layer (2) formed on the substrate (1), a p-type light-absorbing layer (3) formed on the backside surface electrode layer (2), and an n-type transparent conductive film (5) formed on the p-type light-absorbing layer (3). Voids (6) are formed at the interface of the backside surface electrode layer (2) and the p-type light-absorbing layer (3).

Abstract: The present invention provides an NBT-BT film having a higher polarization-disappearance temperature. The present invention is a [(Na,Bi)1-xBax]TiO3 crystal piezoelectric film. The [(Na,Bi)1-xBax]TiO3 crystal piezoelectric film has a (001) orientation only. The [(Na,Bi)1-xBax]TiO3 crystal piezoelectric film has a-axis length of not less than 0.390 nanometers and not more than 0.395 nanometers. The [(Na,Bi)1-xBax]TiO3 crystal piezoelectric film has c-axis length of not less than 0.399 nanometers and not more than 0.423 nanometers (where x represents a value of not less than 0 and not more than 1). The [(Na,Bi)1-xBax]TiO3 crystal piezoelectric film has a polarization-disappearance temperature of not less than 389 degrees Celsius.

Abstract: There are provided a variable compression-ratio mechanism (20) capable of varying an engine compression ratio in accordance with a rotational position of a control shaft (24); a speed reducer (44) configured to reduce in speed a rotational power of an actuator and transmit the speed-reduced rotational power to the control shaft (24); and a speed-reducer accommodating case (43) accommodating the speed reducer (44). An input shaft of the speed reducer (44) which is connected to the actuator has a shaft center line extending along a horizontal direction, and at least a part of the input shaft is kept under a lubricating oil retained in the speed-reducer accommodating case (43). The input shaft of the speed reducer (44) is swung by a predetermined swing angle to avoid inadequate lubrication of the input shaft of the speed reducer (44), during an operating state where the engine compression ratio is maintained constant.

Abstract: In order to provide a non-lead piezoelectric film having high crystalline orientation, low dielectric loss, high polarization-disappear temperature, and high piezoelectric constant, the present invention is a piezoelectric film comprising: a NaxM1-x layer 13 having a (001) orientation only; and a (1-?) (Bi, Na, Ba) TiO3-?BiQO3 layer 15 having a (001) orientation only. The (1-?) (Bi, Na, Ba) TiO3-?BiQO3 layer 15 is formed on the NaxM1-x layer 13. M represents Pt, Ir, or PtIr. Q represents Fe, Co, Zn0.5Ti0.5, or Mg0.5Ti0.5. x represents a value of not less than 0.002 and not more than 0.02. ? represents a value of not less than 0.20 and not more than 0.50.

Abstract: The present invention provides a piezoelectric film having a higher polarization-disappearance temperature Td and the usage thereof. The piezoelectric film of the present invention comprising an interface layer of (Nax1, Biy1)TiO0.5x1+1.5y1+2-BaTiO3 layer having a (001) orientation only and a piezoelectric layer of a (Nax2, Biy2)TiO0.5x2+1.5y2+2-BaTiO3 layer having a (001) orientation only, where x1 is 0.28-0.43, y1 is 0.49-0.60, x2 is 0.30-0.46, and y2 is 0.51-0.63. The piezoelectric layer is formed on the interface layer. The interface layer contains nickel. The interface layer has a Ni/Ti molar ratio of not less than 0.02.

Abstract: An actuator mounting structure of a variable compression ratio internal combustion engine includes: a variable compression ratio mechanism arranged to vary an engine compression ratio in accordance with a rotational position of a control shaft; an actuator arranged to drivingly rotate the control shaft, the actuator being fixed on an actuator mounting portion provided to a side wall of a main body of the engine by using a plurality of fixing bolts, and a rigidity improvement section arranged to improve a mounting rigidity of the actuator to the actuator mounting portion, and which is provided within an inter-bolt distance between two bolts of the plurality of the fixing bolts, which are located on the both sides in a direction of a crank shaft.

Abstract: The present invention provides a non-lead piezoelectric film having high crystalline orientation, the low dielectric loss, the high polarization-disappear temperature, the high piezoelectric constant, and the high linearity between an applied electric field and an amount of displacement. The present invention is a piezoelectric film comprising: a NaxLa1-x+yNi1-yO3-x layer having only an (001) orientation and a (1-?) (Bi, Na, Ba) TiO3-?BiQO3 layer having only an (001) orientation. The (1-?) (Bi, Na, Ba) TiO3-?BiQO3 layer is formed on the NaxLa1-x+yNi1-yO3-x layer. The character of Q represents Fe, Co, Zn0.5Ti0.5, or Mg0.5Ti0.5 The character of x represents a value of not less than 0.01 and not more than 0.05. The character of y represents a value of not less than 0.05 and not more than 0.20. The character of ? represents a value of not less than 0.20 and not more than 0.50.

Abstract: Provided is an NBT-BT lead-free piezoelectric film having a high crystalline orientation and a high piezoelectric constant. The present invention is a piezoelectric film comprising a NaxM1-x layer and a (Bi, Na)TiO3—BaTiO3 layer. The (Bi, Na) TiO3—BaTiO3 layer is formed on the NaxM1-x layer, where M represents Pt, Ir, or PtIr and x represents a value of not less than 0.002 and not more than 0.02. Both of the NaxM1-x layer and the (Bi, Na) TiO3—BaTiO3 layer have a (001) orientation only, a (110) orientation only, or a (111) orientation only.

Abstract: An ultrasonic pipe measurement apparatus includes: a plurality of ultrasonic transceivers discretely disposed on a pipe wall of a pipe; and a control unit configured to control the plurality of ultrasonic transceivers and detect a generation point of damage caused in the pipe based on an ultrasonic signal exchanged between the ultrasonic transceivers.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a toner cartridge includes a toner container to be attached to and detached from an image forming apparatus body, a shutter to open and close a toner supply port of the toner container, and a key that indicates a type of the toner cartridge and allows the shutter to slide if the key coincides with a release part of the image forming apparatus body.

Abstract: A piezoelectric film comprising comprises a (NaxBiy)TiO0.5x+1.5y+2—BaTiO3 layer with a (110) orientation, where 0.30?x?0.46 and 0.51?y?0.62, and the (NaxBiy)TiO0.5x+1.5y+2—BaTiO3 layer has composition around a Morphotropic Phase Boundary.