Abstract: An ultrasonic sensor is provided with an ultrasonic element that converts between an electrical signal and an ultrasonic vibration and an element accommodating case having a bottomed cylindrical shape and accommodating the ultrasonic element inside thereof. The element accommodating case includes a side plate portion formed in a cylindrical shape that surrounds a directional center axis, and a bottom plate portion that closes one end side of the side plate portion in an axial direction which is parallel to the directional center axis. The ultrasonic element is attached to the bottom plate portion. The bottom plate portion includes at least one protrusion. The protrusions vibrate together with the bottom plate portion when the bottom plate portion vibrates as an ultrasonic vibration.

Abstract: To increase thermoelectromotive voltage of a thermoelectric conversion element with a magnetization direction, a temperature gradient direction, and an electromotive force direction orthogonal to each other. A thermoelectric conversion element 1 is formed by annularly winding a thermoelectric material which is radially magnetized and circumferentially generates an electromotive force in accordance with a temperature gradient in the axial direction thereof. Thus, the thermoelectric material is wound not linearly but annularly, so that a connection line for connecting a plurality of thermoelectric materials is not necessary. In particular, when the thermoelectric material is wound in a plurality of turns, the length per unit area of the thermoelectric material in the direction of the electromotive force can be significantly increased, making it possible to significantly increase thermoelectromotive voltage while suppressing increase in the size of the element.

Abstract: A teaching device is provided with a processor. The processor generates a path image showing a moving path MP on which a laser processing device moves laser light with respect to a workpiece in laser processing, generates an input image for inputting a data set of a progress parameter indicating progress of the laser processing and a laser parameter of the laser light, and displays on the path image a position corresponding to the progress parameter on the moving path MP.

Abstract: A teaching system includes a sensor that detects the intensity of reflected light and at least one processor configured to: receive inputs and perform a generation of teaching data that enables laser machining at all machining points by using a laser beam having an angle larger than or equal to the minimum value and smaller than the maximum value; determine whether or not intensities of reflected light at all the machining points include an intensity exceeding a predetermined threshold value; increase the minimum value at a corresponding machining point by a predetermined increment if the determination result indicates that the threshold value is exceeded; and repeat the generation of the teaching data using a most-recently adjusted minimum value, the determination, and adjustment of the minimum value until it is determined that the threshold value is not exceeded.

Abstract: Provided is an obstacle search device of a robot system, capable of creating a robot operation path in which it is not necessary to input information manually, human errors are eliminated, and the robot does not interfere with an obstacle efficiently and accurately. An obstacle search device of a robot system, for automatically specifying a region where an obstacle is present so that an operation path in which a robot does not interfere with an obstacle can be generated automatically includes: a non-contact three-dimensional measuring unit attached to the robot; and an obstacle search unit that searches for an obstacle in a search space using the three-dimensional measuring unit.

Abstract: An object detection device is configured to be mounted to an own vehicle to detect an object present around the own vehicle. The object detection device includes a coordinate acquisition section and an object recognition section. The coordinate acquisition section acquires position coordinates of a detection point corresponding to the object on the basis of a plurality of images captured at different positions along with movement of the own vehicle by one imaging section mounted to the own vehicle. The object recognition section recognizes the object without using position coordinates of a movement point that is a detection point corresponding to a moving object but using position coordinates of a stop point that is a detection point different from the movement point.

Abstract: In a drive device for driving an ultrasonic transmitter, a drive signal generating unit generates a drive signal for driving the ultrasonic transmitter, based on a base signal having a plurality of unit frequency signals arranged in a time series, corresponding to respective codes forming a code sequence. When a first unit frequency signal and a second unit frequency signal chronologically adjacent to it are switched in a discontinuously switching state that is different from a continuously switching state where the first and second unit frequency signals are switched such that a target frequency for a transmission frequency changes continuously at a substantially constant rate, the drive signal generating unit shifts the frequency in at least a switching portion immediately after start of the second unit frequency signal, in a same direction as a direction of frequency change from the first unit frequency signal to the second unit frequency signal.

Abstract: An ultrasonic sensor is provided with an ultrasonic element that converts between an electrical signal and an ultrasonic vibration and an element accommodating case having a bottomed cylindrical shape and accommodating the ultrasonic element inside thereof. The element accommodating case includes a side plate portion formed in a cylindrical shape that surrounds a directional center axis, and a bottom plate portion that closes one end side of the side plate portion in an axial direction which is parallel to the directional center axis. The ultrasonic element is attached to the bottom plate portion. The bottom plate portion includes at least one protrusion. The protrusions vibrate together with the bottom plate portion when the bottom plate portion vibrates as an ultrasonic vibration.

Abstract: An ultrasonic sensor comprises: an ultrasonic element that converts between an electric signal and ultrasonic vibration; and an element housing case having a bottomed tubular shape and housing the ultrasonic element therein. The element housing case includes a side plate portion having a tubular shape surrounding a directivity central axis, and a bottom plate portion that closes one end of the side plate portion in an axial direction parallel to the directivity central axis. The ultrasonic element is attached to the bottom plate portion. A part of the bottom plate portion inside an outline of the ultrasonic element when viewed along the directivity central axis includes a space formed due to a part of the part inside the outline being separated from the ultrasonic element.

Abstract: A teaching device for a laser machining system which performs laser machining on a workpiece while moving an irradiation position of laser light using a robot includes a graphical user interface processing unit which displays machining periods, in each of which machining is performed by irradiating a corresponding one of a plurality of machining points set for the workpiece with the laser light while the robot moves along a machining path, and non-machining intervals between the machining periods of the machining points arranged in time series in a band-like region in a distinguishable manner.

Abstract: Provided is an obstacle search device of a robot system, capable of creating a robot operation path in which it is not necessary to input information manually, human errors are eliminated, and the robot does not interfere with an obstacle efficiently and accurately. An obstacle search device of a robot system, for automatically specifying a region where an obstacle is present so that an operation path in which a robot does not interfere with an obstacle can be generated automatically includes: a non-contact three-dimensional measuring unit attached to the robot; and an obstacle search unit that searches for an obstacle in a search space using the three-dimensional measuring unit.

Abstract: A teaching device for a laser machining system which performs laser machining on a workpiece while moving an irradiation position of laser light using a robot includes a graphical user interface processing unit which displays machining periods, in each of which machining is performed by irradiating a corresponding one of a plurality of machining points set for the workpiece with the laser light while the robot moves along a machining path, and non-machining intervals between the machining periods of the machining points arranged in time series in a band-like region in a distinguishable manner.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sheet feed unit which feeds a sheet to an image forming unit forming an image on the sheet, a re-transport roller which reverses the sheet with a toner image fixed on the sheet and re-transports the sheet to the image forming unit, and a control unit which controls a sheet feed operation of the sheet feed unit for feeding the sheet. As the temperature of the re-transport roller sensed by the temperature sensing unit is decreased, the control unit retards the timing at which the sheet feed unit starts the sheet feed operation when a duplex image formation in which the image is formed on both sides of the sheet is performed after a one-side image formation is completed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sheet feed unit which feeds a sheet to an image forming unit forming an image on the sheet, a re-transport roller which reverses the sheet with a toner image fixed on the sheet and re-transports the sheet to the image forming unit, and a control unit which controls a sheet feed operation of the sheet feed unit for feeding the sheet. As the temperature of the re-transport roller sensed by the temperature sensing unit is decreased, the control unit retards the timing at which the sheet feed unit starts the sheet feed operation when a duplex image formation in which the image is formed on both sides of the sheet is performed after a one-side image formation is completed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a sheet feed unit that feeds a sheet to an image forming unit forming a toner image on the sheet; a fixing unit that fixes the toner image formed in the image forming unit to the sheet; and a control unit that controls the sheet feed unit, when starting duplex image formation for forming both sides of the sheet after an one-side image formation, the control unit retards a timing to cause the sheet feed unit to start the sheet feed operation as the number of sheet with an image formed on one side thereof in the one-side image formation is greater.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sheet feed unit which feeds a sheet to an image forming unit forming an image on the sheet, a re-transport roller which reverses the sheet with a toner image fixed on the sheet and re-transports the sheet to the image forming unit, and a control unit which controls a sheet feed operation of the sheet feed unit for feeding the sheet. As the temperature of the re-transport roller sensed by the temperature sensing unit is decreased, the control unit retards the timing at which the sheet feed unit starts the sheet feed operation when a duplex image formation in which the image is formed on both sides of the sheet is performed after a one-side image formation is completed.

Abstract: The speed at which transfer-material enters a transfer region is controlled to prevent a phenomenon in which a toner image on an intermediate transfer belt is scraped by the leading edge of the transfer-material when the toner image is transferred onto the transfer-material. While the conveying speed of the transfer-material in a transfer nip coincides with the speed of the intermediate transfer belt, the transfer-material is conveyed at a speed lower than the peripheral speed of the intermediate transfer belt when the leading edge of the transfer-material comes into contact with the intermediate transfer belt, and the conveying speed of the transfer-material is increased by the time when the transfer-material enters the transfer nip.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a sheet feed unit that feeds a sheet to an image forming unit forming a toner image on the sheet; a fixing unit that fixes the toner image formed in the image forming unit to the sheet; and a control unit that controls the sheet feed unit, when starting duplex image formation for forming both sides of the sheet after an one-side image formation, the control unit retards a timing to cause the sheet feed unit to start the sheet feed operation as the number of sheet with an image formed on one side thereof in the one-side image formation is greater.

Abstract: A compact image forming apparatus is provided in which stains on the back of a transfer material can be prevented. In particular, in a marginless print mode in which a toner image can be formed to the edge of a transfer material, a large amount of toner adheres to a transfer-material bearing member. The image forming apparatus includes a collecting member that can temporarily collect the toner adhering to the transfer-material bearing member. The toner that is temporarily collected by the collecting member is transferred to an intermediate transfer member and is cleaned by a cleaning unit.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus has a discharge device, an air blow device and a detection device, wherein an amount of blown air by the air blow device when the height of the recording materials detected by the detection device is higher than a preset first detection position is smaller than an amount of blown air by the air blow device when the detected height of the recording materials is lower than the first detection position. Thereby, there is provided an image forming apparatus which is improved in the alignment of the recording materials on the stacking portion.