Abstract: An electromagnetic switch device for a starter includes a pinion-pushing solenoid for pushing out a pinion toward a ring gear of an engine by a plunger thereof, and a motor-energizing solenoid for energizing the motor. The electromagnetic switch device is configured to detect a magnetic flux change in a magnetic circuit of the motor-energizing solenoid due to displacement or deformation of a core of the motor-energizing solenoid caused when the plunger of the pinion-pushing solenoid abuts against a stopper, to determine a timing to start current supply to the motor-energizing solenoid.

Abstract: According to an aspect of the invention, an atransmission member includes plural first surfaces disposed side by side in a width direction of an optical path from a light source to an irradiation target, the plural first surfaces refracting light from the light source entering each of the first surfaces in a direction toward the irradiation target; a second surface interposed between the first surfaces adjacent to each other to form first highs and lows together with the adjacent first surfaces; and a third surface from which light refracted on the first surfaces exits, second highs and lows having a smaller interval than an interval of the first highs and lows being provided on the third surface.

Abstract: Provided is an electronic pen including a rod-like member that includes a pen tip at a front and is supported movably in a longitudinal direction, an electronic component, at least a portion of which is provided on a rear side of the rod-like member opposite to a side on which the pen tip is included, a casing that has a tubular shape and stores the rod-like member and the electronic component, and a transmission member that is provided in a space interposed between the electronic component and an inner circumferential surface of the casing and transmits an externally received force at a rear of the rod-like member to move the rod-like member in the longitudinal direction.

Abstract: A battery unit is provided which includes a control board, a storage case, a water detector, and an electrical conductor. The storage case is made of an assembly of a first and a second casing member. The first casing member has an upright wall which extends from the bottom thereof and surrounds the battery. The second casing member also has an extension which extends toward the bottom of the first casing member. The water detector is located close to the lower end of the extension of the second casing member. The electric conductor extends upward from the upper end of the extension and are electrically joined to the water detector. The electric conductor is also mechanically and electrically joined to the control board. This structure facilitates the ease with which the water detector is installed electrically and mechanically in the battery unit.

Abstract: A battery unit is provided which includes a battery and a storage case in which the battery is mounted. The storage case is made up of a base, a cover, and an intermediate case. The cover is jointed to the base with an interspace therebetween. The intermediate case is disposed between the cover and the base and has a peripheral wall which occupies the interspace. The intermediate case is lower in stiffness than the cover and the base, thereby realizing a lightweight structure of the storage case without sacrificing the mechanical strength thereof.

Abstract: In an information processing apparatus that commands a communication device having a wireless LAN communication function to search for an access point and acquires results of the search, appropriate search results based on a sufficient search are acquired from the communication device. An information processing apparatus that controls a communication device, including: a command unit configured to command the communication device to search for an access point to which the communication device can connect; a first acquisition unit configured to acquire identification information indicating the completion of the access point search performed by the communication device; and a second acquisition unit configured to acquire results of the access point search performed by the communication device in accordance with the command issued by the command unit.

Abstract: An engine speed predicting system for a vehicle includes a first calculator, a second calculator, and a switch which may be realized by software. The first calculator calculates a predicted speed of an engine of the vehicle during forward rotation of the engine when speed of the engine is decreasing after fuel stops being burned in the engine. The second calculator calculates a predicted speed of the engine during reverse rotation of the output shaft of the engine. The switch serves to select one of the first calculator and the second calculator which is to be used in calculating the predicted speed of the engine depending upon whether the predicted speed lies during the forward rotation or during the reverse rotation of the output shaft of the engine. This ensures the accuracy in predicting the speed of the engine regardless of the direction of rotation of the engine.

Abstract: Information processing apparatuses, control methods and storage mediums are provided, which may transmit or attempt to transmit data to a target device by using network information, modify a MAC address in the network information to a MAC address of a device having same device identification information as the target device when a communication with the target device is not established, and, when the MAC address is modified, transmit the data to the device having the same device identification information as the target device. In one or more embodiments, a network port monitor may transmit an inquiry notification by way of broadcast when data is not transmitted to the target device. When a response to the inquiry notification is received from a device having same device identification information as the target device, the device having the same device identification information is set as a new connection or transmission destination.

Abstract: Information processing apparatuses, control methods and storage mediums are provided, which may transmit or attempt to transmit data to a target device by using network information, modify a MAC address in the network information to a MAC address of a device having same device identification information as the target device when a communication with the target device is not established, and, when the MAC address is modified, transmit the data to the device having the same device identification information as the target device. In one or more embodiments, a network port monitor may transmit an inquiry notification by way of broadcast when data is not transmitted to the target device. When a response to the inquiry notification is received from a device having same device identification information as the target device, the device having the same device identification information is set as a new connection or transmission destination.

Abstract: An electromagnetic switch device for a starter includes a pinion-pushing solenoid for pushing out a pinion toward a ring gear of an engine by a plunger thereof, and a motor-energizing solenoid for energizing the motor. The electromagnetic switch device is configured to detect a magnetic flux change in a magnetic circuit of the motor-energizing solenoid due to displacement or deformation of a core of the motor-energizing solenoid caused when the plunger of the pinion-pushing solenoid abuts against a stopper, to determine a timing to start current supply to the motor-energizing solenoid.

Abstract: Provided is a developing device including a container that contains developer; a developing roller that transports the developer within the container to a photoconductor side; a trimmer having a tip brought close to the developing roller, and provided upstream of the photoconductor in a transporting direction by the developing roller; and a detector provided in the trimmer or in the vicinity of the trimmer of the inner surface of the container to detect the pressure caused by the developer.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a heater, an irradiation unit, and a contact unit. The irradiation unit irradiates a sheet with heat rays from the heater to heat the sheet by radiant heat. The contact unit includes a member that heats a region of the sheet by coming into contact with the radiant heated sheet on a downstream side of the irradiation unit. A part of the heat rays output from the heater is radiated onto a part of a structure constituting the contact unit to raise a temperature of the member.

Abstract: A battery unit is provided which includes a battery made of a stack of a plurality of cells each of which is equipped with electrode tabs serving as a positive terminal and a negative terminal. The electrode tabs are broken down into first electrode tabs and second electrode tabs. The first electrode tabs are the electrode tabs of every adjacent two of the cells which are joined together through a weld. The second electrode tabs are the electrode tabs of the cells each of which is joined to a bus bar through a weld without being connected to any of the electrode tabs. The first and second electrode tabs each have a bent portion which lies between a body of the cell and the weld and works as a vibration absorber to ensure the stability in forming the weld during a welding operation.

Abstract: A battery unit is provided which includes a storage case, a battery, a control board, and a pressing mechanism. The battery is disposed in the storage case and pressed by the pressing mechanism against the bottom of the storage case. The control board has mounted thereon electronic components to control charging or discharging of the battery and is located above the battery within the storage case. The pressing mechanism is disposed next to the control board without any physical interference with each other. Such a layout of the pressing mechanism and the control board permits the battery unit to be reduced in size thereof.

Abstract: A battery unit is provided which includes a battery and a storage case in which the battery is mounted. The storage case is made up of a base, a cover, and an intermediate case. The cover is jointed to the base with an interspace therebetween. The intermediate case is disposed between the cover and the base and has a peripheral wall which occupies the interspace. The intermediate case is lower in stiffness than the cover and the base, thereby realizing a lightweight structure of the storage case without sacrificing the mechanical strength thereof.

Abstract: A battery unit is provided which includes a control board, a storage case, a water detector, and an electrical conductor. The storage case is made of an assembly of a first and a second casing member. The first casing member has an upright wall which extends from the bottom thereof and surrounds the battery. The second casing member also has an extension which extends toward the bottom of the first casing member. The water detector is located close to the lower end of the extension of the second casing member. The electric conductor extends upward from the upper end of the extension and are electrically joined to the water detector. The electric conductor is also mechanically and electrically joined to the control board. This structure facilitates the ease with which the water detector is installed electrically and mechanically in the battery unit.

Abstract: A control device performs fuel injection without cranking when engine-speed Ne is within a first-range (Ne>N1) and an engine-restart request occurs. The device performs the cranking after the synchronization in rotation-speed between pinion and ring gears, and the gear meshing operation between them when the engine-speed Ne is within a second range (N1?Ne>N2) and the engine-restart request occurs. The device performs the cranking after the gear meshing operation and drives a starter to rotate the pinion gear when the engine-speed Ne is within a third-range (N3?Ne) and the above request occurs. When the above request occurs in an engine restart ready-range (N2?Ne>N3), the control device performs the cranking after the engine-speed Ne is decreased to a value within the third-range (N3?Ne) and after the completion of the gear meshing operation.

Abstract: The invention provides an exposure head including: a light emitting unit; an imaging unit that allows light from the light emitting unit to enter through an incidence plane and exit from an exit surface so as to form an image at a predetermined position; and a transparent layer provided between the light emitting unit and the imaging unit, while contacting each of the light emitting unit and the imaging unit; the transparent layer having a thickness such that an optical distance between the light emitting unit and the incidence plane of the imaging unit becomes a working distance of the imaging unit.

Abstract: An engine speed predicting system for a vehicle includes a first calculator, a second calculator, and a switch which may be realized by software. The first calculator calculates a predicted speed of an engine of the vehicle during forward rotation of the engine when speed of the engine is decreasing after fuel stops being burned in the engine. The second calculator calculates a predicted speed of the engine during reverse rotation of the output shaft of the engine. The switch serves to select one of the first calculator and the second calculator which is to be used in calculating the predicted speed of the engine depending upon whether the predicted speed lies during the forward rotation or during the reverse rotation of the output shaft of the engine. This ensures the accuracy in predicting the speed of the engine regardless of the direction of rotation of the engine.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus that emits light toward a latent-image bearing member configured to bear a latent image, the latent image formed on the latent-image bearing member being used in a developing process performed by a developing device. The exposure apparatus includes a first light-emitting unit including an organic electroluminescence element disposed along a main scanning direction of the latent-image bearing member, the first light-emitting unit emitting light toward the latent-image bearing member, and a second light-emitting unit disposed along the main scanning direction, the second light-emitting unit correcting an amount of light to which the latent-image bearing member is exposed in cooperation with the first light-emitting unit.