Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.

Kyocera Corporation

Panasonic Holdings Corporation

Whirlpool Corporation

Yoshihiro Sakamoto

Atsushi Fujita

Hiroaki Kurihara

Yoshiharu Omori

Fumitaka Ogasawara

Takashi Kashimoto

Yuji Kishida

Kazuki Hayata

Hideki Sadakata

Yoshiko Oya

A dielectric constant estimation device which can estimate a dielectric constant of an object with high accuracy in a non-contact state even when a shape of the object is indefinite, and a microwave heating device equipped with the dielectric constant estimation device. The dielectric constant estimation device includes a transmitting antenna and a receiving antenna which can switch a polarized wave of an electromagnetic wave between a TE wave and a TM wave. Based on a reflected wave of the TE wave and a reflected wave of the TM wave from the object, the dielectric constant estimation device calculates a TM/TE reflection ratio, and compares the calculated TM/TE reflection ratio and dielectric constant data of theoretical values stored in a memory part in advance in the form of database with each other so that a dielectric constant of the object is estimated.

Dielectric constant estimation device and microwave heating apparatus provided with dielectric constant estimation device

A power feeder of a contactless power transmission device includes a housing base member, a primary coil provided on the housing base member and configured to generate magnetic flux, a cover attached to the housing base member and configured to cover the primary coil, a capacitance sensor including a detection electrode between the primary coil and the cover, and configured to detect foreign matter around the cover based on a change in capacitance detected using the detection electrode, and a high-dielectric member embedded in the cover and having a permittivity higher than that of a material for the cover.

Contactless power transmission device, and power feeder and power receiver for use in the same

A contactless power transmission device includes a power receiver, a power feeder configured to contactlessly feed power to the power receiver, the power feeder including a primary coil configured to generate magnetic flux by an input alternating current voltage, and a cover configured to cover the primary coil, and a capacitive sensor configured to supply an alternating current voltage to an electrode to measure a capacitance occurring between the electrode and foreign matter present around the cover and thereby detect the foreign matter. The frequency of the alternating current voltage of the capacitive sensor is set to be higher than the frequency of the magnetic flux generated by the primary coil.

Contactless power transmission device

Provided is a millimeter-wave transmitting/receiving apparatus of pulse-modulation type in which pulse-modulated millimeter-wave signals for transmission are prevented from being outputted to a reception system due to inner reflection or other causes. Included are: an NRD guide (basic structure) formed of a dielectric line sandwiched between parallel plate conductors; a millimeter-wave signal oscillator; a pulse modulator; a circulator; a transmitting/receiving antenna; and a mixer. At the output end of the mixer is disposed a switching device which interrupts intermediate-frequency signals in an opened state, and, when a millimeter-wave signal for transmission from the pulse modulator enters a non-output state and the condition is stabilized, changes into a closed state to pass intermediate-frequency signals. The intermediate-frequency signal containing noise resulting from the millimeter-wave signal for transmission entering the mixer can be prevented from leaking toward downstream side of the mixer; wherefore a desired intermediate-frequency signal can be outputted.

High-frequency transmitting/receiving apparatus, radar system having the same, and vehicle and small boat equipped with the radar system

Growing community of inventors

Kyoto, Japan

Yoshihiro Sakamoto