Abstract: Rotation of an input shaft is directly transmitted to a front carrier of a planetary gear mechanism, and rotation, which is speed-changed and reversed by a toroidal-type continuously variable speed change unit, is transmitted to a first sun gear. When a Low clutch is applied, rotation of an output carrier of a simple planetary gear unit is transitted to a counter gear mechanism via a common carrier, and then output at an output shaft. When a High clutch H is applied, rotation of a second sun gear is transmitted to the output shaft. Thus, the pinion shaft is shortened and the service life span of a supporting bearing is increased as compared with a planetary gear mechanism that has a three-step pinion.

Abstract: An active portion of a nano-size element is selectively destroyed by applying an electric potential to the nano-size element having a carbon network structure of carbon as an outer shell while immersed in an electrolytic solution. For example, an electric potential of 1.20 to 1.60 V (RHE) is applied to the carbon nanotubes in electrolytic solution so as to oxidize the active portion in each carbon nanotube and to thereby selectively remove the ends. Consequently, an open end is created in the carbon nanotube.

Abstract: In starting power generation under low temperature conditions, an antifreeze liquid being coolant of a cooling system in a fuel cell stack is once recovered in a tank to reduce heat capacity of the fuel cell stack, and thereafter the power generation is started. Heat of reaction caused by the power generation restores the temperature to temperature under normal operation, and then the antifreeze liquid is again filled to drive the cooling system, so as to make it function as a cooler.

Abstract: A wheel supporting and driving device, comprising a motor (20) fixed to a vehicle body (12), a drive gear (24) coaxially rotated by the motor (20), and a driven gear (30) coaxially and integrally rotated with a wheel (14) which are installed in a vehicle. The drive gear (24) is rotated by the motor (20) around a rotating center decentered from the rotating center of the wheel (14) in a direction crossing perpendicularly to the vertical direction. Also, the device comprises a suspension arm (40) connecting the drive gear (24) to the driven gear (30) in the state of the driven gear (30) reciprocatingly swingable around the rotating center of the drive gear (24) and a suspension spring (50) elastically connecting the wheel (14) to the vehicle body (12).

Abstract: A separator unit is inserted between adjacent stacked fuel cells, in each of which an electrolyte layer is sandwiched between a fuel electrode and an oxygen electrode. The separator unit includes a sheet-shaped gas barrier member, which blocks a gas, and a collector, which is inserted between the gas barrier member and the fuel electrode or the oxygen electrode and which is provided with a plurality of openings that diffuse the gas. The collector is provided with an electrode contact portion, which is made up of a flat, porous panel that is in contact with the fuel electrode or the oxygen electrode and collects power, and a gas barrier member contact portion, which is made up of a linear piece that forms a gas flow route by being in contact with the gas barrier member and supports the electrode contact portion. A height dimension of the gas barrier member contact portion is smaller than an equivalent diameter of an opening in the electrode contact portion.

Abstract: In a fuel cell stack that is made by stacking unit cells in alternation with separators, lower edges of collector members that are in contact with oxygen electrodes of the unit cells project downward, providing projecting portions that project below lower edges of frames. Water-repellent regions are provided on lower edges of the projecting portions, facilitating shedding of water from the projecting portions.

Abstract: A hybrid-vehicle power train connected to an engine comprises a motor, a CVT unit, a planetary gear unit having at least two input elements, namely, first and second input elements and an output element, a first clutch for engaging/disengaging the first input element with/from a final shaft of the power train, and a second clutch for engaging/disengaging the output element with/from the final shaft of the power train. An input shaft of the CVT unit is connected to the engine and is drivingly connected to the second input element. An output shaft of the CVT unit is connected to the first input element. The motor is connected to the output shaft of the CVT unit. According this configuration, motor torque is amplified and transmitted to the final shaft when the first clutch is engaged, while motor torque is transmit directly to the final shaft when the second clutch is engaged.

Abstract: A camera for imaging the periphery of a vehicle is provided, images imaged by the camera are stored, and a processed image obtained by processing a past image which has been imaged before reaching a current position is overlaid on a part of a current image, which is currently imaged, being a blind spot region by being hidden by a car body or the like so that a combination image is created. A contour line symbolizing the car body is combined with the combination image and the image is displayed.

Abstract: An axial gap rotating electrical machine is provided with permanent magnets and cores in a rotor. The permanent magnets are oriented such that magnetization surfaces face in the circumferential direction of the rotor. The cores are arranged alternately with the permanent magnets in the circumferential direction of the rotor. The amount of magnetic flux on the outside in the radial direction of the rotor is made greater than the amount of magnetic flux on the inside in the radial direction of the rotor. As a result, the magnetic flux density at the rotor cores can be made substantially constant in the radial direction of the rotor and torque output with respect to the size of the permanent magnets is improved by preventing magnetic saturation of the cores.

Abstract: The mixed conductor of the invention includes an electron conductor made of a carbon-based inorganic material with a main chain having a ? bond for conduction of electrons, and a proton conductor made of an inorganic material, wherein the electron conductor and the proton conductor are attached to each other by at least one of covalent bonding, intercalation, and inclusion.

Abstract: A fuel cell wherein efficient cooling is achieved by supplying air and cooling water simultaneously while maintaining cooling and wetting of a membrane without increasing the size of the fuel cell. The fuel cell includes a separator sandwiched between unit cells. The separator includes an air passage on a front surface side abutting at least on a cathode of the unit cell and cooling passages supplied with air and water on the rear side thereof to cool the unit cell with latent heat of evaporation of water by heat of the unit cell transmitted to the cooling space. Thereby, the unit cell is cooled via the separator and clogging of the air passages by water is prevented.

Abstract: A separator unit inserted into a fuel cell having an electrolyte layer interposed between a fuel electrode and an oxygen electrode is provided with a plate like separator that separates fuel gas supplied to the fuel electrode from oxidizing gas supplied to the oxygen electrode, and a mesh like collector having an opening that forms one of a passage through which the fuel gas flows and a passage through which the oxidizing gas flows. The collector is provided to at least one side of the separator base in abutment against one of the fuel electrode and the oxygen electrode. The separator base has a coolant passage formed therein, through which a coolant is allowed to flow, and an electrode abutment portion of the collector, which abuts against one of the fuel electrode and the oxygen electrode, has an aperture ratio higher than those of other portions of the collector.

Abstract: A separator unit inserted into a fuel cell having an electrolyte layer interposed between a fuel electrode and an oxygen electrode is provided with a plate like separator that separates fuel gas supplied to the fuel electrode from oxidizing gas supplied to the oxygen electrode, and a mesh like collector having an opening that forms one of a passage through which the fuel gas flows and a passage through which the oxidizing gas flows. The collector is provided to at least one side of the separator base in abutment against one of the fuel electrode and the oxygen electrode. The separator base has a coolant passage formed therein, through which a coolant is allowed to flow, and an electrode abutment portion of the collector, which abuts against one of the fuel electrode and the oxygen electrode, has an aperture ratio higher than those of other portions of the collector.

Abstract: Rotation of an input shaft is directly transmitted to a front carrier of a planetary gear mechanism, and rotation, which is speed-changed and reversed by a toroidal-type continuously variable speed change unit, is transmitted to a first sun gear. When a Low clutch is applied, rotation of an output carrier of a simple planetary gear unit is transitted to a counter gear mechanism via a common carrier, and then output at an output shaft. When a High clutch H is applied, rotation of a second sun gear is transmitted to the output shaft. Thus, the pinion shaft is shortened and the service life span of a supporting bearing is increased as compared with a planetary gear mechanism that has a three-step pinion.

Abstract: Apparatus for collecting information pertaining to a driver of the vehicle includes a unit for determining if the current load on the driver is a “low-load” in terms of satisfaction of one or more specific conditions. Driver information is stored and supplemented by answers to question scenarios communicated to the driver only when a “low-load” state is determined. A question information storage unit contains various question scenarios correlated with different items of driver information and from which a question scenario, corresponding to driver information not yet obtained, is retrieved for output when a “low load” is determined.

Abstract: An emergency reporting apparatus is provided which is capable of easily acquiring passenger information necessary at the time of an emergency report and reporting as deputy for a passenger in the case of an emergency. The emergency reporting apparatus, in a training mode, simulates questions from an emergency rescue facility which will be addressed when an emergency situation occurs, and learns and stores the reply contents and response procedures. From the questions and replies, the emergency reporting apparatus automatically acquires the necessary passenger information. Then, the emergency reporting apparatus reports, as a deputy for the user, the passenger information acquired in the training mode when there is no reaction from the user at the time of an actual emergency.

Abstract: A fuel cell power generating apparatus (1) using a fuel cell (10) having a cathode (11) and an anode (13) disposed on opposite sides of an electrolyte membrane (12) has an air supply passage (31) through which atmospheric air is supplied to the cathode. A fuel gas supply passage (22) supplies a fuel gas such as hydrogen gas is supplied to the anode. A water spray nozzle (41) ejects liquid water onto the surface of the cathode and the sprayed water takes heat from the air around the cathode as latent heat of evaporation, which is effective to prevent dehydration of the electrolyte membrane, as well as to cool the cathode which would otherwise become overheated when the fuel cell operates continuously over a long period of time. When starting operation of the apparatus, the nozzle is made operative to eject water onto the cathode before the fuel gas is first supplied to the anode to prevent the supplied fuel gas from reacting with oxygen in air which might remain around the cathode.

Abstract: An endless transmission belt is provided with a link plate, and a pair of joint pins that are retained by the link plate. Through the rolling of mutually contacting faces of the joint pins, link plates are mutually and rotatably connected into an endless chain. One joint pin of the pair is a pin with a large sectional area that transmits driving force from a pulley and the link plate, whereas the other joint pin of the pair is a pin with a small sectional area that transmits the driving force from the driving pin to the link plate. In order to reduce the concentration of stress on the side retaining the pin with a small sectional area, a peripheral width of the link plate on that side is made wider than the peripheral width on the side retaining the pin with a large sectional area.

Abstract: A fuel cell apparatus includes a fuel cell connected directly to a load. An electricity accumulation circuit including an electricity accumulator is connected in parallel to the fuel cell. The electricity accumulator supplies electric power to the load when electric power supplied by the fuel cell is less than electric power that the load requires. The electricity accumulator is charged by regenerative power generated at the load and electric power output from the fuel cell. The fuel cell outputs electric power within a predetermined range.

Abstract: In an air-electrode-side catalyst layer of a fuel cell, the invention proposes a new method of preventing a polyelectrolyte material from being decomposed by radicals resulting from hydrogen that has penetrated an electrolyte membrane. According to the invention, the air-electrode-side catalyst layer is composed of a first catalyst layer on the side of the electrolyte membrane and a second catalyst layer on the side of a gas diffusion layer, and the first catalyst layer is higher in gas flow resistance than the second catalyst layer.