Abstract: A vehicle, including: a body frame; a saddle-style seat provided on the body frame; a pair of front wheels provided at a front portion of the body frame; a pair of rear wheels provided at a rear portion of the body frame; an engine provided in the body frame and including a crank shaft extending in a width direction of the vehicle; and a footrest provided at the body frame and including a first step and a second step provided behind the first step and extending diagonally rearward. The crank shaft is located between an upper end and a lower end of the second step in a height direction of the vehicle, and further rearward than the second step in a fore-aft direction of the vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a front differential, a pair of constant-velocity joints, and a steering mechanism. The steering mechanism includes a pitman arm, a pair of tie rods, a pair of first link arms each connecting the pitman arm with a corresponding one of the pair of tie rods, and a pair of second link arms each connecting a corresponding one of the pair of first link arms with a body frame. In a plan view, at least a portion of each constant-velocity joint is located between first and second straight lines extending in a fore-aft direction and through first and second connectors extending between the tie rods and the first link arms. The first connector, the second connector, and at least a portion of each constant-velocity joint are located between third and fourth straight lines extending between the first and second link arms.

Abstract: A vehicle includes upper frames, lower frames, a front frame, a rear frame, a pair of front wheels, a pair of rear wheels, a bar handle to steer the pair of front wheels, a drive motor to drive the pair of rear wheels, a battery to supply electric power to the drive motor, and a straddled seat provided at a higher position than the drive motor. The drive motor and the battery are located in a region surrounded by the upper frames, the lower frames, the front frame, and the rear frame in a side view of the vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicle includes upper frames, lower frames, a front frame, a rear frame, a pair of rear wheels, a drive motor to drive the pair of rear wheels, a battery to supply electric power to the drive motor, an endless power transmission to connect the drive motor with the pair of rear wheels, a pivot shaft attached to the rear frame, a swing arm supported pivotably by the pivot shaft and supporting the pair of rear wheels, a straddled seat at a higher position than the drive motor, and a bar handle provided at a higher position than the straddled seat. The drive motor is located farther forward than the swing arm.

Abstract: A vehicle includes an upper frame, a lower frame, a front frame, a rear frame, a pair of rear wheels, a drive motor to drive the pair of rear wheels, a battery supported by the upper frame and the lower frame to supply electric power to the drive motor, a straddled seat at a higher position than the drive motor, and a bar handle at a higher position than the straddled seat. The battery includes a battery lower portion and a battery upper portion. The battery upper portion includes a projection that overhangs in at least a horizontal direction with respect to the battery lower portion. At least a portion of the drive motor is below or directly below the projection.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a first suspension between a body and a front wheel, and a second suspension between the body and a rear wheel. An angle ?1 represents a ramp brake-over angle, and angles ?2, ?3, and ?4 respectively represent angles corresponding to the ramp brake-over angle when the first and the second suspension are fully stretched, fully compressed and fully stretched respectively, and fully stretched and fully compressed respectively. When a wheelbase is not smaller than about 1340 mm, the angle ?1 is not smaller than about 55 degrees, a value ?2/?1 is not smaller than about 1.25, a value ?3/?1 is not smaller than about 0.9, and a value ?4/?1 is not smaller than about 0.8. When the wheelbase is not smaller than about 1340 mm and not greater than about 2000 mm, a wheel travel on the rear wheel side is not smaller than about 360 mm, a ratio of a stretch-side value to a compression-side value (stretch-side/compression-side) of the wheel travel on the rear wheel side is not smaller than about 0.

Abstract: An upper arm projected line L5 is defined as a straight line formed by projecting an upper arm line L3 onto the projection line P1. a lower arm projected line L6 is defined as a straight line formed by projecting the lower arm line L4 onto the projection line P1. An intersection point Px1 between the upper arm projected line L5 and the lower arm projected line L6 is located in a region A1 defined higher than the horizontal plane P2 and defined farther outward in the right-left direction than the ski 4. The suspension enables turning performance of the straddle-type vehicle to be improved.

Abstract: An upper arm projected line L5 is defined as a straight line formed by projecting an upper arm line L3 onto the projection line P1. a lower arm projected line L6 is defined as a straight line formed by projecting the lower arm line L4 onto the projection line P1. An intersection point Px1 between the upper arm projected line L5 and the lower arm projected line L6 is located in a region A1 defined higher than the horizontal plane P2 and defined farther outward in the right-left direction than the ski 4. The suspension enables turning performance of the straddle-type vehicle to be improved.

Abstract: An easy-to handle hydrogen generating agent has been invented in which a hydrogen compound such as alkali metal hydrides, alkali earth metal hydrides and metal borohydride salts is embedded in a water-soluble solid compound such as a polyethylene glycol and organic acid. The hydrogen generating agent dissolves in water to slowly generate hydrogen gas. The oxidation-reduction potential of the water that has dissolved the hydrogen generating agent is shifted to the reducing side remarkably; therefore, the hydrogen generating agent can be used for preparation of cosmetics, beverage and bath water having reducibility. Also, the generated hydrogen can be used as a fuel for a fuel cell.

Abstract: An amorphous alloy which has a composition represented by the general formula (Fe.sub.1-a Co.sub.a).sub.1-x-y-z P.sub.x W.sub.y M.sub.z (where 0.9.ltoreq.a, 0.04.ltoreq.x.ltoreq.0.16, 0.005.ltoreq.y.ltoreq.0.05, 0.ltoreq.z.ltoreq.0.2, and M is one or more transition elements other than Fe, Co, and W. In a method for producing the amorphous alloy comprising at least Fe, Co, P and W by electrodeposition, the electrodeposition is performed in an acidic electrolyte bath which employs phosphorous acid and/or a phosphite as the P source and sodium tungstate as the W source, or in an acidic electrolyte bath which employs sodium phosphotungstate as the P and W source. The amorphous alloy which contains phosphorous as the metalloid element exhibits little reduction in saturation magnetization, and the crystallization temperature may be increased to above 450.degree. C.

Abstract: A thin amorphous alloy of cobalt, iron and phosphorus having good workability and the ability to be used as a soft magnetic material is formed by electrolytic deposition. The electrolytic bath has a pH of 1.0 to 2.2 and contains at least a divalent cobalt ion, a divalent iron ion, and phosphorous acid and/or a phosphite. The amorphous alloy contains at least 69 atomic percent cobalt, 2 to 30 atomic percent phosphorus and the iron/(cobalt+iron) atomic ratio is from 0.001 to 0.1. The alloy may be deposited on a working electrode having a chrome-plated surface with a center line average roughness of less than 1 .mu.m and may be peeled from the electrode to obtain a tape-shaped or foil-shaped product.

Abstract: Metal-electroconductive polymer composite fine particles are here disclosed which comprises metal fine particles and an electroconductive polymer with which the surfaces of the metal fine particles are coated. Since the surfaces of the composite fine particles are coated with the polymer, the composite fine particles are excellent in handling properties and can be uniformly dispersed in an organic material.

Abstract: Disclosed is a membranous gas separator comprising (a) a porous substrate having an average pore diameter of not greater than 100 .ANG. and (b) a .pi.-electron conjugated conducting polymer retained within at least a part of the pores of the porous substrate in such a way that the pores are not blocked characterized in that retaining the .pi. -electron conjugated conducting polymer within the pore is carried out by a chemical oxidative polymerization.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for preparing a membranous gas separator comprising (a) a porous substrate having an average pore diameter of not greater than 100 .ANG. and (b) a .pi.-electron conjugated conducting polymer retained within at least a part of the pores of the porous substrate in such a way that the pores are not blocked, characterized in that retaining the .pi.-electron conjugated conducting polymer within the pore is carried out by a chemical oxidative polymerization.

Abstract: A regenerated cellulose hollow fiber exhibiting a good cellulose II crystalline structure and an exchanged wet strength/wet elongation ratio is prepared by a process wherein: a dope comprised of cellulose ester in a non-volatile organic solvent is extruded through a circular slit defined between inner and outer tubes of a spinning nozzle having a double tube structure, while a core liquid is forced through the inner tube of said nozzle; the hollow fibrous extrudate is coagulated in a coagulating bath; the coagulated hollow fibrous extrudate is drawn 1.05 to 2.00 times its original length; and then, the drawn hollow fiber still containing a core liquid in the hollow is treated with an aqueous caustic alkali solution containing at least 0.5% by weight of a water soluble metal salt, thereby hydrolyzing the cellulose ester into cellulose.

Abstract: A process which comprises allowing a liquid to contact with the inside of a microporous hollow fiber and a fluid to contact with the outside, thereby allowing the gaseous components contained in both fluids to transfer between said liquid and said fluid. For use in the process, the inner diameter of the hollow fiber should be 50 to 5,000.mu. and the wall membrane should have an average micropore diameter of 0.01 to 0.5.mu., a porosity of 10 vol.-% or more, a micropore surface area of 5 m.sup.2 /g or more, and an oxygen permeability of 10.sup.-6 cm.sup.3 (STP).multidot.cm/cm.sup.2 .multidot.sec.multidot.cmHg or more. In cases where the liquid is water or a liquid substance with aqueous medium, the process can be used effectively in artificial lung units or the like by using a hollow fiber of a polyolefin or a fluorinated polyolefin.

Abstract: There are disclosed porous polypropylene hollow filaments which have a surrounding wall portion of less than 60 .mu., preferably 40 .mu. in thickness which contains many fine holes communicating with each other, distribution curve of radius of said fine holes having at least one maximum points within the range of 200-1200 A. The method for producing said porous polypropylene hollow filaments is also disclosed.

Abstract: Dry semipermeable membranes of polyacrylonitrile or copolymers containing more than 65 wt. % of acrylonitrile are prepared by dissolving the polymer in a solvent in a solids concentration of 15-30% by weight; uniformly coating the solution onto a surface in a desired shape under an atmosphere whose relative humidity is 60-85% and dipping said coated surface into a non-solvent medium so as to remove the solvent which forms the membrane; heat-treating the membrane under moist conditions at 60.degree.-90.degree. C; and drying the membrane at a temperature less than the temperature of the heat treatment under conditions such that the coefficient of contraction is less than 1%, whereby a dried semi-permeable membrane having an open-celled structure with a pore size of a diameter less than 0.5 .mu. and a porosity of 0.40-0.7 is obtained.