Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.

Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.

Harmonic Ad, Inc.

Satoru Kimura

Norio Shirokoshi

Takeo Sato

Ken Takano

Noriaki Yukawa

A work device includes a base unit, a movable unit configured to have an end effector mounted thereto, linking mechanisms linking the base unit to the movable unit, actuators fixed to the base unit for driving the plurality of linking mechanisms, respectively, and a controller that moves the end effector by operating the actuators. A certain linking mechanism out of the plurality of linking mechanisms includes a joint. The controller includes a joint angle determination unit that determines whether or not a bending angle of the linking mechanism at the joint is within an operable range.

Work device

A brake-equipped retracting device () returns a liquid crystal display device () from a deployed position (B) to a stored position (A) using an elastic returning force of a spiral spring () that is wound up when the liquid crystal display device () is opened by the rotational force of a motor. A braking force for preventing the liquid crystal display device () from returning with too much force is applied to an input shaft () of a reducer by having a rope () whose tensile force increases and decreases in relation to the opening and closing of the liquid crystal display device () be wound around a slip clutch () that is connected to the input shaft (). In emergency situations such as when the rope () breaks, a centrifugal grip () of a rotation-restraining mechanism () strikes an engagement notch surface () on a fixed side, and the rotation of the input shaft () is forcibly halted. A retracting device for a liquid crystal display device comprising a braking device that has a simple structure, is reliable, is highly safe, and is low in cost can be realized.

Brake-equipped retracting device for retractable member

A latch device includes a display apparatus having a display apparatus body installed in the ceiling portion or the like of a vehicle and a display section retracted so that it can be developed from the display apparatus body. A plunger section is fixed to the display apparatus body for driving an actuator section on the basis of input signals. A pressing structure is bent by the driving of the actuator section. Movement of a sliding structure is restricted by the bending of the pressing structure. A latch section projects toward the display section retracted in the display apparatus body in accordance with the movement of the sliding structure.

Latch device

An apparatus fixture device for fixing an apparatus to a ceiling portion of a vehicle includes at least one pair of rails for carrying a load when the apparatus is installed. Each rail has a narrow opening groove and a pair of rack-shaped portions on both sides thereof. A block has loose-fitting holes and an upper width insertable into the opening groove. Bolts are loosely fitted into the holes of the block. A cylinder is loosely fitted between the bolt and the hole. Nut plates have a nut hole to be screwed with the bolt. When the bolt is turned and pushed upwardly, end portions of the nut plates extend across the opening groove and are placed on the pair of rack-shaped portions and pulled downward by a tightening force of the bolt screwed into the nut hole. A fixing member engages the apparatus to the block.

Apparatus fixture device and an installation method for fixing an apparatus

A fixture device for installing a display apparatus includes a block for installation, to be fixed to a rail provided in a ceiling portion of a vehicle. The block has an installation window in a side portion and a latch hole in the installation window. A fixture block is installed on said display apparatus body. The fixture block includes an arm having a projection section to be inserted into said installation window. A base plate is fixed to said display apparatus and rotatably connected to said arm. A release lever has a cut-and-raised portion serving as a latch that enters said latch hole in the installation window and prevents said projection section from separating from the installation window when said projection section is inserted into the installation window.

Fixture device

A jack device which does not malfunction because of overcurrent in an apparatus or a device that is connected to the jack device by preventing short-circuit between contacts in inserting a plug. The jack device, into which a single-head plug ( ) having plug poles in the direction of insertion is inserted for connection, has a contact piece ( ) that is arranged at the end of plug ( ) and brought into contact with a first plug pole (plug pole ) and contact piece ( ) that is arranged neighboring the first plug pole and brought into contact with a second plug pole (plug pole ). To widen the spacing between the two plug contact pieces ( ), ( ) in the direction of plug insertion, the spacing D between the plug connecting parts ( ), ( ) of both contact pieces ( ), ( ) is almost equal to or greater that the length L of the first plug pole (plug pole ), so that when the first plug pole (plug pole ) contact with the inside contact piece ( ), the contact piece ( ) on the inlet side contacts with the second plug pole (plug pole ).

Jack device

A focus position detecting method includes: obtaining quantized two-dimensional image data including an object to be in focus with respect to an optical system by imaging the object through the optical system, defining a specified area in the two-dimensional image data; defining a partial image in the specified area, the partial image being composed of a target pixel and peripheral pixels on a line in a specified direction in which the target pixel exists; defining a left area and a right area respectively positioned on left and right sides of the target pixel on the line in the specified direction; calculating gray-level data of each pixel in the left area; calculating gray-level data of each pixel in the right area; obtaining as a gray-level ratio a ratio of calculation result of the left area to calculation result of the right area; calculating an evaluation function by means of the gray-level ratio by repeating the gray-level ratio calculating step in the specified area; obtaining a plurality of evaluation function calculation values in a variety of optical positions by repeating the steps for calculating the gray-level data of the left and right areas, obtaining the gray-level ratio, and calculating the evaluation function through variation of the optical position of the object, and obtaining a focus position of the object with respect to the optical system based on the evaluation function calculation values.

Growing community of inventors

Osaka, Japan

Satoru Kimura