Abstract: A spot welding method of spot welding a workpiece including a first panel, a second panel, a third panel, and a fourth panel stacked in sequence includes: conducting indirect spot welding for the first panel and the second panel to form a first weld zone where the first panel is joined to the second panel; conducting indirect spot welding for the third panel and the fourth panel to form a second weld zone where the third panel is joined to the fourth panel; and, after forming the first weld zone and the second weld zone, conducting direct spot welding for the workpiece to form a third weld zone where the second panel is joined to the third panel.

Abstract: A spot welding method for welding a first panel and a second panel by applying a current between a pair of electrodes in pairs in a state in which the first panel and the second panel overlap one another and are held by the electrodes includes: forming a protrusion on a surface facing the second panel, at a welding-target part of the first panel; forming a recess on a surface facing the protrusion, at a welding-target part of the second panel, such that the recess has a depth that allows a top of the protrusion to come into contact with a bottom of the recess; and holding the welding-target part of the first panel and the welding-target part of the second panel between the electrodes, in a state in which the protrusion is inserted in the recess and applying the current between the electrodes.

Abstract: A plate heat exchanger includes heat transfer plates having openings at four corners thereof, having outer wall portions at their edges, and stacked together. The heat transfer plates are partially brazed together such that a first flow passage for first fluid and a second flow passage for second fluid are alternately arranged, with a heat transfer plate interposed between these flow passages, the openings communicating with each other, forming a first header allowing the first fluid to flow into and out of the first flow passage and a second header allowing the second fluid to flow into and out of the second flow passage. One heat transfer plate located between the first or second flow passage is formed by stacking two metal plates. Space between the metal plates includes a fine flow passage located within a heat exchange region, and a peripheral leakage passage outward of the fine flow passage.

Abstract: A roller hemming device includes a backing metal, a guide roller, a bending roller, a pressing unit, and a swinging unit. The backing metal includes an abutment surface and a guide surface. The abutment surface is brought into abutment against a first panel member. The guide roller is moved in an extending direction of the guide surface with abutting against the guide surface. With being moved synchronously with the guide roller, the bending roller presses a bent peripheral edge portion of the first panel member via the backing metal such that the bent peripheral edge portion of the first panel member is pinched between the bending roller and the guide roller, and folds the bent peripheral edge portion of the first panel member back to a periphery edge portion of a second panel member. The pressing unit presses the bending roller toward the backing metal.

Abstract: A plate heat exchanger includes a plurality of heat transfer plates stacked together and each having openings at four corners thereof. The heat transfer plates are partially brazed together such that a first flow passage through which first fluid flows and a second flow passage through which second fluid flows are alternately arranged with one of the heat transfer plates disposed therebetween, openings at the four corners being connected forming first headers through which the first fluid enters and is discharged and second headers through which the second fluid enters and is discharged. At least one of two heat transfer plates between which the first flow passage or the second flow passage is disposed is formed by a pair of metal plates stacked together. The metal plate adjacent to the second flow passage is thinner than the metal plate adjacent to the first flow passage.

Abstract: A plate heat exchanger includes heat transfer plates each of which has openings at four corners thereof, and which are stacked together. The heat transfer plates are partially brazed together such that a first flow passage through which first fluid flows and a second flow passage through which second fluid flows are alternately arranged, with an associated heat transfer plate interposed between the first and second flow passages. The openings at each of the four corners communicate with each other, thereby forming a first header and a second header, the first header allowing the first fluid to flow into and flow out of the first flow passage, the second header allowing the second fluid to flow into and flow out of the second flow passage.

Abstract: An electrode-misalignment detection device in a resistance welder that joins members together by holding them between opposing electrodes and applying pressure and electricity thereto includes an electrode misalignment detector that simultaneously approaches outer peripheries of both electrodes to detect misalignment thereof. The electrode misalignment detector includes a clamping member, a signal generator, a non-closed-state detector, and a misalignment determiner. The clamping member is movable toward the electrodes to clamp them from opposite radially outer sides and is settable in a predetermined closed state when the electrodes are located at appropriate positions. The signal generator outputs a movement state signal according to a movement state of the clamping member. The non-closed-state detector detects that the clamping member is in a state other than the predetermined closed state based on the movement state signal.

Abstract: A plate-type heat exchanger includes a plurality of heat transfer plates stacked on top of each other, a flow passage, formed by each space between the plurality of heat transfer plates, through which a fluid flows in a first direction; an inner fin disposed in the flow passage, a first projecting portion provided on an inflow side of each of the heat transfer plates and configured to prevent the fluid from flowing into gaps between both ends of the inner fin in a second direction and both ends of the heat transfer plate in the second direction, and a second projecting portion formed on an outflow side of each of the heat transfer plates and configured to perform positioning in placing the inner fin into the heat transfer plate. The first direction is a direction of flow of the fluid through the flow passage.

Abstract: A plate heat exchanger includes a plurality of heat transfer plates stacked together and each having openings at four corners thereof. The heat transfer plates are partially brazed together such that a first flow passage through which first fluid flows and a second flow passage through which second fluid flows are alternately arranged with one of the heat transfer plates disposed therebetween, openings at the four corners being connected forming first headers through which the first fluid enters and is discharged and second headers through which the second fluid enters and is discharged. At least one of two heat transfer plates between which the first flow passage or the second flow passage is disposed is formed by a pair of metal plates stacked together. The metal plate adjacent to the second flow passage is thinner than the metal plate adjacent to the first flow passage.

Abstract: A fuel injection valve is for injecting fuel to cause combustion in an internal combustion engine. An injection rate adjuster is for adjusting an injection rate of the fuel injected by the fuel injection valve. A control device for the internal combustion engine includes a signal generator, and an outputter. The signal generator generates a command signal to cause the injection rate adjuster to adjust the injection rate based on a parameter, which is to estimate an internal EGR amount in which a part of exhaust gas remains in a cylinder. The outputter outputs the command signal to the injection rate adjuster.

Abstract: A plate heat exchanger includes heat transfer plates having openings at four corners thereof, having outer wall portions at their edges, and stacked together. The heat transfer plates are partially brazed together such that a first flow passage for first fluid and a second flow passage for second fluid are alternately arranged, with a heat transfer plate interposed between these flow passages, the openings communicating with each other, forming a first header allowing the first fluid to flow into and out of the first flow passage and a second header allowing the second fluid to flow into and out of the second flow passage. One heat transfer plate located between the first or second flow passage is formed by stacking two metal plates. Space between the metal plates includes a fine flow passage located within a heat exchange region, and a peripheral leakage passage outward of the fine flow passage.

Abstract: A plate heat exchanger includes heat transfer plates each of which has openings at four corners thereof, and which are stacked together. The heat transfer plates are partially brazed together such that a first flow passage through which first fluid flows and a second flow passage through which second fluid flows are alternately arranged, with an associated heat transfer plate interposed between the first and second flow passages. The openings at each of the four corners communicate with each other, thereby forming a first header and a second header, the first header allowing the first fluid to flow into and flow out of the first flow passage, the second header allowing the second fluid to flow into and flow out of the second flow passage.

Abstract: An air-conditioning apparatus includes a housing, an evaporator, a condenser, and a water sprinkler for sprinkling condensed water to the condenser, the condensed water having been generated at the evaporator. The condenser includes a first header and a second header arranged parallel to each other, a first heat transfer tube and a second heat transfer tube that are arranged parallel to each other and are arranged between the first header and the second header, and a fin disposed between the first heat transfer tube and the second heat transfer tube.

Abstract: A roller hemming device includes a backing metal, a guide roller, a bending roller, a pressing unit, and a swinging unit. The backing metal includes an abutment surface and a guide surface. The abutment surface is brought into abutment against a first panel member. The guide roller is moved in an extending direction of the guide surface with abutting against the guide surface. With being moved synchronously with the guide roller, the bending roller presses a bent peripheral edge portion of the first panel member via the backing metal such that the bent peripheral edge portion of the first panel member is pinched between the bending roller and the guide roller, and folds the bent peripheral edge portion of the first panel member back to a periphery edge portion of a second panel member. The pressing unit presses the bending roller toward the backing metal.

Abstract: A plate heat exchanger has first heat transfer plates and second heat transfer plates laminated atop one another, and each including a plate portion in which an inflow/outflow hole is formed, a first outer circumferential wall portion or second outer circumferential wall portion that extends on one surface side of the plate portion and that defines a channel together with a plate portion adjacent to the one surface side, and a first inner fin or a second inner fin that is attached to an inside portion of the channel. The first inner fin is mounted at a position, spaced part from a first fluid inflow/outflow hole, inside the channel, on the one surface of the plate portion and the second inner fin is mounted at a position, spaced apart from a second fluid inflow/outflow hole inside the channel, on the one surface of the plate portion.

Abstract: A fuel injection valve is for injecting fuel to cause combustion in an internal combustion engine. An injection rate adjuster is for adjusting an injection rate of the fuel injected by the fuel injection valve. A control device for the internal combustion engine includes a signal generator, and an outputter. The signal generator generates a command signal to cause the injection rate adjuster to adjust the injection rate based on a parameter, which is to estimate an internal EGR amount in which a part of exhaust gas remains in a cylinder. The outputter outputs the command signal to the injection rate adjuster.

Abstract: An engine (10) is a cylinder injection engine, and includes an injector (21) that directly injects a fuel into a combustion chamber (23), and an ignition plug (34) that generates an ignition spark in the combustion chamber (23). An ECU (40) performs multiple first injections to each produce an air-fuel mixture of a lean air-fuel ratio in the combustion chamber (23) before an ignition in one combustion cycle of the engine, and performs a second injection to produce an air-fuel mixture of a rich air-fuel ratio in the combustion chamber (23) before the ignition and after the first injection. In particular, the ECU implements the multiple first injections in such a manner that the first injection implemented early among the multiple first injections produces an air-fuel mixture leaner than that of the first injection implemented subsequently. The ECU implements the second injection only once immediately before an ignition timing.

Abstract: An engine (10) is a cylinder injection engine, and includes an injector (21) that directly injects a fuel into a combustion chamber (23), and an ignition plug (34) that generates an ignition spark in the combustion chamber (23). An ECU (40) performs multiple first injections to each produce an air-fuel mixture of a lean air-fuel ratio in the combustion chamber (23) before an ignition in one combustion cycle of the engine, and performs a second injection to produce an air-fuel mixture of a rich air-fuel ratio in the combustion chamber (23) before the ignition and after the first injection. In particular, the ECU implements the multiple first injections in such a manner that the first injection implemented early among the multiple first injections produces an air-fuel mixture leaner than that of the first injection implemented subsequently. The ECU implements the second injection only once immediately before an ignition timing.

Abstract: A cooling apparatus has: an opening formed in a cooling plate for cooling an electronic component; and an electronic component accommodating section formed in the opening. A cooling pipeline is disposed in a manner to surround an outer side surface section of the electronic component accommodating section, whereby the electronic component and the cooling pipeline are arranged at substantially the same height as a top of the cooling plate to realize a low profile. In addition, the electronic component accommodating section, which is joined to the cooling plate, is configured that a side surface section thereof is in contact with a side surface section of the electronic component via a potting material. In this way, an area that contributes to heat radiation is increased.

Abstract: An engine (10) is a cylinder injection engine, and includes an injector (21) that directly injects a fuel into a combustion chamber (23), and an ignition plug (34) that generates an ignition spark in the combustion chamber (23). An ECU (40) performs multiple first injections to each produce an air-fuel mixture of a lean air-fuel ratio in the combustion chamber (23) before an ignition in one combustion cycle of the engine, and performs a second injection to produce an air-fuel mixture of a rich air-fuel ratio in the combustion chamber (23) before the ignition and after the first injection. In particular, the ECU implements the multiple first injections in such a manner that the first injection implemented early among the multiple first injections produces an air-fuel mixture leaner than that of the first injection implemented subsequently. The ECU implements the second injection only once immediately before an ignition timing.