Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.

Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.

Hideaki Aoki

Kazushige Kakutani

Keiji Kishimoto

Kenji Taguchi

Seiji Murakami

Kazunobu Yokotani

Kazufumi Ushijima

Fumitake Kondo

Minoru Nakanishi

Takeshi Fukunaga

Yoshio Tomigashi

Naoto Tojo

Hiroshi Takao

Makoto Yamada

Takao Kuraseko

Koichi Yoshizaki

Masahiro Maekawa

Kazuya Hiyamizu

Hideo Kawakami

Shinya Kataoka

Hiroshi Kutsuyama

Tomoyoshi Tokumaru

Hiroshi Horiuchi

Shin Miyaji

Shigeki Yoshida

Yuka Yoshida

Seigou Torita

A battery charger in a power supply apparatus is mechanically and electrically connectable to and disconnectable from a battery that is for supplying electric power to a power-assisted bicycle, and includes an AC outlet and a USB connecting terminal that are electrically connected with the other apparatus and supply the electric power from the battery to the other apparatus.

Power supply apparatus

The invention provides a load detecting system comprising a core () of magnetostrictive material, a coil () disposed in the vicinity of the core, and a load detecting circuit () connected to the coil () for detecting the magnitude of a load acting on the core (). The load detecting circuit () comprises an exciting circuit () for passing an a.c. detecting current through the coil (), a pulse current generating circuit () for passing through the coil a detection preparing current having a current value greater than the maximum value of the detecting current, a change-over circuit () for effecting a change-over between the exciting circuit () and the pulse current generating circuit () to pass the detecting current through the coil after passing the detection preparing current therethrough, and a microcomputer () for deriving the magnitude of the load acting on the magnetostrictive element based on an impedance variation produced in the coil during the period of passage of the detecting current through the coil.

Load detecting system and automatic washing machine equipped with the system

A user communicates with a companion with his or her portable telephone attached to a telephone attachment pocket of a robot. The robot acts in accordance with a voice signal which is outputted from the portable telephone, thereby behaving as if it were speaking to the user. The robot outputs a voice in response to the user's voice which is picked up by a microphone, thereby behaving as if it were listening to the user. Owing to this robot or a robot system using the same, the user feels less odd in his or her communication using the portable telephone.

Robot controlled by wireless signals

Load detecting system and automatic washing machine equipped with a system for detecting the magnitude of the load acting on a magnetostrictive element

An electrically assisted bicycle includes a human power drive mechanism for transmitting human power from a pedal to a rear wheel, a motor drive mechanism for auxiliarily driving a front wheel or the rear wheel by a motor, a battery for supplying the motor with electric power, a brake lever operated by a driver, a brake mechanism for braking the front or rear wheel that is not driven by the motor drive mechanism, by human power transmitted from the brake lever, and a motor control circuit for controlling the motor so that the motor is regeneratively braked to act as a power generator when the brake lever is operated.

Electrically assisted bicycle

The invention provides a light admitting device of the sun tracking type which has a solar cell as mounted on light reflecting means for tracking the sun. This arrangement assures the solar cell of an improved power generation efficiency without making the device greater in size and more complex. The device comprises a dome ( ) made of a light transmitting material, light reflecting means ( ) covered with the dome ( ) and rotatably supported within the dome ( ), drive means ( ) coupled to the light reflecting means ( ) for rotating the light reflecting means ( ) to orient this means ( ) toward the direction of the sun, rechargeable power source means ( ) electrically connected to the drive means ( ) for supplying electric power to the drive means ( ), and a solar cell panel ( ) electrically connected to the power source means ( ) for charging the power source means ( ). The solar cell panel ( ) is disposed within the dome ( ) so as to be rotatable with the light reflecting means ( ).

Sun tracking lighting device

A solar lighting apparatus includes a transparent dome. The transparent dome is provided, at its ceiling center, with a control box accommodating a stepping motor, a controller for controlling the motor and a secondary battery. The stepping motor has a motor shaft coupled with a rotary shaft. On the rotary shaft is coupled a support frame member through a universal joint. The rotary shaft is driven by the motor to turn a reflection mirror held on the support frame member over a predetermined angle while tracking the sun.

Solar lighting apparatus

A washing machine according to the present invention includes a pressure sensor provided at a rod holding plate holding a suspension rod with which an outer tub is suspended. The pressure sensor is constructed so that a coil is wound around a magnetostrictive element whose magnetic characteristic changes when it is expanded, compressed or twisted by an external force. The change in the magnetic characteristic is converted to the change in the inductance of the coil, and an oscillating signal of a frequency corresponding to the inductance generated. Based on the frequency of the signal, the load on the pressure sensor is detected. Before supplying water, the amount of the laundry contained in a wash-and-extraction tub is detected based on the output of the pressure sensor, and an object water level corresponding to the amount is determined. After that, a water supply valve is opened to start supplying water into the wash-and-extraction tub. The weight of water supplied is monitored based on the output of the pressure sensor, and the weight is converted to a water level. When the monitored water level has attained the object water level, the water supply is stopped. Thus, the pressure sensor functions not only as a load detector but also as a level sensor.

Washing machine or an apparatus having a rotatable container

A magnetostriction detection type sensor includes a substrate. This substrate is bonded, through an adhesive or the like, with a magnetostrictive element of a circular columnar form and a cylindrical magnetostriction detecting coil coaxially receiving magnetostrictive element. The substrate is also mounted with a housing case formed by a magnetic member, to accommodate a magnetostrictive element and magnetostriction detecting coil nearly in a shield state. The housing case is formed with a projection that is in surface contact with a tip surface of the magnetostrictive element, and a spherically formed tip for contacting an object to be measured.

Magnetostriction detection type sensor

A manually operated travelling vehicle with an auxiliary power device, which can detect a rotating torque applied to a rotating crank shaft (,) in non-contact manner. Supported on a body (,) is a manually operated prime mover wheel (,). A rotating coil (,) is provided coaxially on the prime mover wheel (,). A variable impedance device (,) is electrically connected to the rotating coil (,) such that impedance changes depending upon a load applied to the prime mover wheel (,). A stationary coil (,) is fixed to the body (,) to be coaxial with and spaced from the rotating coil (,) with a predetermined interval therebetween and is electromagnetically connected to the rotating coil (,). A detection circuit (,) is connected to the stationary coil (,) to detect a change in current or voltage applied to the stationary coil (,) from the rotating coil (,) in accordance with an impedance change in the variable impedance device (,). A control unit (,) controls a power source for the auxiliary power device on the basis of an output value issued from the detection circuit (,).

Manually operated travelling vehicle with auxiliary power

Charging system for motor-driven vehicle

The invention provides an electric bicycle comprising an electric motor mounted on the body of the bicycle between the saddle and the outer periphery of the rear wheel, and a belt transmission mechanism for transmitting the rotation of the motor to the rear wheel on speed reduction. The belt transmission mechanism comprises a drive pulley provided between the saddle and the outer periphery of the rear wheel for receiving the power of the motor, a driven pulley having the same diameter as the rim of the rear wheel and rotatable with the rear wheel alongside the rim, and a belt reeved around the drive pulley and the driven pulley. These components realize a simple construction wherein the rotation of the motor can be transmitted to the rear wheel as reduced to the desired speed in a smaller number of stages.

Electric bicycle

A front loading apparatus adapted for use in a disc drive unit comprises an outer holder movable to approach or to depart from a central spindle and an inner holder contained in the outer holder and allowed to move toward up and down in the outer holder by a gap formed between the holders, so that a disc cartridge is accurately set by a setting device at a location for storing and reproducing signals in the apparatus. The setting device comprises push pin for pressing the center hub of the disc cartridge toward the central spindle at the stage when the outer holder approaches to the nearest with respect to the central spindle and for releasing the pressing force from the center hub when the outer holder departs substantially from the central spindle.

Growing community of inventors

Kyoto, Japan

Hideaki Aoki