Abstract: A fuel cell system includes fuel cells, a circulation channel of a coolant to cool the fuel cells, and an ion exchange resin provided on the circulation channel to maintain electrical conductivity of the coolant. The coolant contains an additive. The ion exchange resin is prepared so that adsorption of the additive on the ion exchange resin is in a saturated state. A fuel-cell vehicle includes the fuel cell system.

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes fuel cells, a circulation channel of a coolant to cool the fuel cells, and an ion exchange resin provided on the circulation channel to maintain electrical conductivity of the coolant. The coolant contains an additive. The ion exchange resin is prepared so that adsorption of the additive on the ion exchange resin is in a saturated state. A fuel-cell vehicle includes the fuel cell system.

Abstract: The lighting device for a discharge lamp includes a bridge type rectifying and converting circuit CR1, feedback circuits FB1, FB2, a chopper circuit CR2, a charge circuit CR3, a resonant circuit CR4 resonates with a high frequency signal and lights discharge lamp DL connected to the output end by the resonant voltage, an inverter circuit CR5 which converts the DC power stored in the charge circuit by an alternate switching action of a pair of switching elements Q1 and Q2 into high frequency AC power, and a switch device connected between a connecting point J3 of capacitors C1, C2 of the charge circuit and a connecting point J2 of a pair of rectifying elements D1, D2. The lighting device for a discharge lamp can correspond to a multiple variation of a power supply voltage by a construction which uses the same switching elements by step-up chopper circuit and by inverter circuit in common and changes duty factor of the switching elements within a predetermined range.

Abstract: An inductor for performing a chopper operation by turning on or off a first switching element MOSFET Q1 and obtaining an increased voltage is arranged on the secondary side of a transformer 112 and on the basis of the turn ratio of the transformer 112, a high voltage at the time of stable lighting can be obtained from a DC power source 111 at a low voltage Vin. Further, when the on-duties of the first and second switching elements MOSFET Q1 and Q2 constituting an inverter circuit are made almost similar, the timings of application of the power to both ends of a lamp 144 can be made similar, so that the life span of the lamp can be improved.

Abstract: An inductor for performing a chopper operation by turning on or off a first switching element MOSFET Q1 and obtaining an increased voltage is arranged on the secondary side of a transformer 112 and on the basis of the turn ratio of the transformer 112, a high voltage at the time of stable lighting can be obtained from a DC power source 111 at a low voltage Vin. Further, when the on-duties of the first and second switching elements MOSFET Q1 and Q2 constituting an inverter circuit are made almost similar, the timings of application of the power to both ends of a lamp 144 can be made similar, so that the life span of the lamp can be improved.

Abstract: A commercial power supply is connected to a rectifier DB through a low-pass filter LPF. A smoothing capacitor Cs, a series circuit consisting of voltage-dividing capacitors C1 and C2, and a series circuit consisting of switching elements Q1 and Q2 are connected in parallel to the output of the rectifier DB. Diodes D1 and D2 are connected in reverse parallel to the switching elements Q1 and Q2, respectively. A drive circuit DR is connected to the switching elements Q1 and Q2. Between a connecting point that is between the voltage-dividing capacitors C1 and C2 and a connecting point that is between the switching elements Q1 and Q2, a load circuit R consisting of a parallel circuit is connected. The parallel circuit includes an inductor Lo, a fluorescent lamp LT, and a resonance capacitor C4.

Abstract: An operation control system for automated guided vehicles conveying articles along an unmanned conveying system. This operational control system comprises a first travel path loop and a second travel path loop along which a first group and a second group of the automated guided vehicles are automatically travelled. A common travel path is provided along which the automated guided vehicles of both the first and the second group are travelled, to enable a transfer of articles between the groups of automated guided vehicles. Also a correlating unit for correlating one automated guided vehicle of the first group with another automated guided vehicle of the second group, and a transfer control unit for controlling the transfer of the articles between the automated guided vehicles are provided. The transfer control unit permits only a transfer of articles between automated guided vehicles correlated with each other by the correlating unit.

Abstract: This invention is a real-time tracking controller for a standard-path robot that detects a target point in advance, permitting higher-speed work. The robot uses both sensed data and previously taught data to accurately execute its task. Accurate control is obtained using target points corresponding to time intervals. Thus, even if the speed or path is changed during operation, accurate tracing is continuously executed.

Abstract: A tracking control robot controls its arm end, which holds a tool, to track a taught path so that a reaction force between a workpiece and the tool remains constant. An ideal state for the arm end is determined from the present state of the arm end and the difference between the actual reaction force and a predetermined target force. Then, this ideal state is compared with a reference state of the arm end on the taught path to obtain a target position and a target attitude of the arm end. Since a target position is always determined independently of the last target position, no position error due to time delay affects a new target position even when the next target position is generated before the tool reaches the last target position. Thus, the robot is quick, responsive, and accurate when tracking at a constant operation speed.

Abstract: An optically scanning displacement sensor is arranged to compute by means of a triangulation an inverse function from a first measured distance signal proportional to output position signals from a position detecting means which receiving reflected light from an object to be detected, and the first measured distance signal is multiplied at a linearity correcting means by a signal of a sum of the inverse function and a constant so as to compute a second measured distance signal, whereby a two-dimensional position detection can be realized with the least required memory capacity and the minimum adjusting process.

Abstract: A control system for an industrial robot having a hand which traces a pre-stored standard course defining its position and posture and which has a foresight function. The hand is provided with a tool and a work shape sensor, where the tool and the work shape sensor have a known spatial relationship. The foresight function is realized by a control system comprising temporary storing means for temporarily storing a future position and/or posture data of the tool calculated from a sensed position and/or posture data of the present sensor position. The stored data is output after a delayed time interval when it is compared with a pre-stored standard data. When the difference is small, the data is used to control the future position and/or posture of the hand. When the difference is great, an abnormality process is started.

Abstract: A positioning control device wherein an abnormality in a position detector is judged only by use of two position signals having differing phases emitted from the position detector for effecting position detection of a movable article without using the data of movement of the movable article to be controlled. For this purpose, direction determining means are provided which are responsive to the position signals to provide normal or reverse direction signals. A logical circuit for effecting abnormality judging of the position detector is provided in a controller for emitting a position control signal corresponding to the position signal to a control circuit for effecting position control of the movable article. When an abnormal condition occurs in the position detector, the signal aspect of the position signal emitted from the position detector is varied from that during the normal operation.

Abstract: An automatic painting system including a non-explosion-proof automatic painting machine which has an arm having a spray gun and an arm housing, the arm and the arm housing being inserted through an opening defined in a side wall of a closed painting booth into the interior of the painting booth. A hermetically sealing bellows is mounted on and extends between a distal end of the arm and an inner surface of the side wall around the opening therein for protecting a portion of the arm which is slidable with respect to the arm housing from the atmosphere in the painting booth. The interior of the bellows is kept in communication with the atmosphere through the opening in the side wall.

Abstract: An automatic painting system has a painting booth composed of a partition having side walls, a ceiling, and a floor which jointly define a working space isolated by the partition from exterior space for accommodating a workpiece to be painted in a position therein. The partition has air inlet and outlet ports opening into the working space. A movable painting mechanism such as a robot paint spray gun is disposed adjacent to the workpiece position and controlled by a control unit disposed outside of the painting booth and including a robot drive source. The control unit and the movable painting mechanism are interconnected by an arm accommodated in an arm housing extending through the partition with a sealing member hermetically sealing a gap between the arm housing and the partition. A door is mounted on the partition in the vicinity of the workpiece position for transfer of the workpiece into and out of the painting booth.

Abstract: Pulses indicating movement distance are frequency divided to a desired resolution and then counted in a microprocessor in accordance with the direction of movement. The position count value addresses a data memory storing switch output data corresponding to desired detection positions.

Abstract: A length measuring device has a magnetic scale body including at least one origin signal magnetic section and a measurement signal magnetic section forming a magnetic grating, the magnetic scale body having a uniform frictional surface formed over the entire effective length of the scale body, and a detecting head body including an origin detecting head for detecting an origin signal and a measurement detecting head for detecting a measurement signal and provided with a scraper in elastic contact with the frictional surface of the magnetic scale body, the detecting head body moving relative to the magnetic scale of the body along the length of the latter.

Abstract: The present invention relates to improvements in a method of sensing a position of a movable body by directly or indirectly converting a unit movement of the movable body into digital pulse signals and an apparatus therefor. A reference position is selected at a point, at which said movable body abuts against and presses a stopper provided at a specific position within the moving range thereof. The pulse signals are counted as the movable body moves from the stopper using the reference position as a reference number. The coincidence of the number of the pulse signals counted with a first predetermined pulse number corresponding to a predetermined position is sensed so as to sense the fact that the movable body has reached a predetermined position and position sensing signals are emitted.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling a DC motor driven screw feed which moves the table of a machine tool into prescribed positions including a plurality of limit switches which detect the position of the table, a rate change control circuit which receives signals from the limit switches and changes the rate of revolution of the DC motor when the table has reached prescribed rate change positions and a current limiting circuit which supplies the DC motor with a prescribed constant current and keeps the output torque of the DC motor at a prescribed level when the table has reached a prescribed dwell position.

Abstract: An improved feed for a D.C. motor driven feed including a feed screw and nut which moves the table of a machine tool through predetermined positions in accordance with orders to change the rate of feed. The improved feed includes a power damping circuit, a switching circuit for electrically coupling the power damping circuit for a predetermined length of time to the D.C. motor whenever there is an order to change the rate of feed, thrust bearings provided in the D.C. motor whereby loads applied to the table are borne by the thrust bears and a cylindrical protective cover coupled to the nut and covering the feed screw such that the bottom inside surface of the cover is in relative near proximity to the feed screw and the top inside surface of the cover is in relative far proximity to the feed screw.

Abstract: A protective means for a feeder of machinery having means for transmitting control signal formed from the differential between a predetermined revolution speed and an actual revolution speed of a DC-motor for driving the feeder, and a means to control current in the DC-motor according to said control signal, thereby protecting the motor against excessive current.