Abstract: A ring for an electrode includes three or more silicon members having an arc shape and a joining part joining the silicon members. The joining part contains boron oxide.

Abstract: In a vehicle or a lane change timing determination method, when a distance from a vehicle to a nearby vehicle is outside of a first distance threshold value, lane changing is determined to be permitted. When the distance is within the first distance threshold value, lane changing is determined not to be permitted. After determining lane changing to be not permitted, lane changing not being permitted is switched to lane change being permitted when the nearby vehicle decelerates or accelerates to move further away from the vehicle than a second distance threshold value, even if the distance is still within the first distance threshold value.

Abstract: A filter made of a sponge material having air permeability and elasticity is interposed between an exhaust port of an exhaust gas sampling unit and a sampling port to thereby close a gap between the exhaust port and the sampling port. In this state, when the exhaust gas sampling unit is suctioned at a constant flow rate, the exhaust gas and the outside air around the exhaust port are taken into the exhaust gas sampling unit from the sampling port. At this time, the flow rate of the outside air taken in through the filter is suppressed by the air-flow resistance of the filter, and therefore the total flow rate of the exhaust gas and the outside air taken into the exhaust gas sampling unit is caused to be less than the suction flow rate, thereby simply and reliably preventing the exhaust gas from leaking out.

Abstract: Exhaust gas discharged from an exhaust port is taken into an exhaust gas sampling unit together with the surrounding outside air. A leak detection mechanism, which detects the leakage of exhaust gas from a sampling port, includes a temperature sensor including an outside and an inside temperature sensors, and a temperature measuring instrument for measuring a temperature difference between inside and outside temperatures detected by the temperature sensor. A plurality of inside/outside paired temperature sensors is disposed in the circumferential direction of the sampling port. When a leak occurs, the temperature of the inside temperature sensors rises and the temperature difference between the inside and the outer and outside temperature sensors increases, and the temperature measuring instrument detects the leak. When a leak occurs in a portion of the circumferential direction, only the temperature difference of the portion where the leak occurs is increased, and the location of the leak is identified.

Abstract: A travel control device includes an acquisition section configured to acquire, as surroundings in formation while a vehicle itself is traveling, at least information regarding a first other vehicle ahead in a traveling direction and information regarding lane markings of a first lane in which the vehicle itself is traveling. The travel control unit further includes a travel control section ECU configured to compute from the information acquired by the acquisition section a separation between the first other vehicle and the lane markings, and to control travel of the vehicle itself based on the separation.

Abstract: When performing a switch between the lane change control and the lane keeping control, a switching controller of the driving control device sets a transition time-frame for performing the switch, and gradually switches between the lane change control and the lane keeping control during the transition time-frame.

Abstract: Provided is a route guidance apparatus and a route guidance method which are capable of appropriately performing route guidance on a road where a plurality of lanes exist on one side. The route guidance apparatus 12 or the route guidance method determines the timing of the automated or manual lane change based on the total required distance Dlcttl corresponding to the number of required lane changes Nlcn required for reaching the target lane 502tar from the current lane 502cur, and the remaining distance to the planned course change point Prc from the current position Pcur. When the timing of the lane change is reached, the timing of the automated lane change or the manual lane change is guided, or the automated lane change is performed.

Abstract: A lane change controller determines whether lane change is available or unavailable on the basis of a detection result of an obstacle by a radar and an obstacle recognizer in response to detection of a winker operation by an operation detection unit. A lane keep controller continues lane keep control if the operation detection unit detects the winker operation during the lane keep control and if the lane change controller determines that the lane change is unavailable.

Abstract: A technique capable of reducing a size of a substrate processing apparatus involves a configuration including: a process chamber where a substrate accommodated in a substrate retainer is processed; a preparation chamber configured to communicate with the process chamber; a transfer mechanism provided in the preparation chamber and configured to transfer the substrate retainer into the process chamber; and a transport mechanism provided in the preparation chamber and configured to transfer the substrate retainer to the transfer mechanism. The transport mechanism is configured to move the substrate retainer accommodating the substrate between a placement/detachment position outside of the preparation chamber and a delivery position inside of the preparation chamber. The substrate retainer is placed into and detached from the transport mechanism at the placement/detachment position, and the substrate retainer is transferred to the transfer mechanism at the delivery position.

Abstract: The present invention provides an alkali metal and/or alkali earth metal extraction method that has excellent extraction efficiency and allows repeated use of an aqueous solution that extracts an alkali metal and/or alkali earth metal from a solid. The alkali metal and/or alkali earth metal extraction method is a method for extracting an alkali metal and/or alkali earth metal from a solid containing the alkali metal and/or alkali earth metal, the method including an elution step in which the solid is added to a neutral amino acid-containing aqueous solution or an amino acid-containing mixed aqueous solution produced by mixing a pH adjusting agent with an aqueous solution containing at least one of a neutral amino acid, an acidic amino acid and a basic amino acid so as to elute the alkali metal and/or alkali earth metal in the neutral amino acid-containing aqueous solution or the amino acid-containing mixed aqueous solution.

Abstract: Provided is a relay unit that can sufficiently suppress defects that are caused by an insulation failure of insulating member that insulates and separates a load power supply from a device power supply, and a method for controlling a relay circuit. A control unit includes an insulating member diagnosis unit that performs diagnosis of an insulation failure of the capacitor.

Abstract: A surrounding information acquisition section and a recognition unit (a surrounding detection unit) detect a first position (a change position) at which the type of a lane mark is switched. A lane change determination unit outputs a determination result whether lane change is available or unavailable on the basis of the type of the lane mark ahead of the first position to a notification mechanism (a notification unit) at a time point at which a vehicle has reached a predetermined range including the first position. The notification mechanism makes notification of the determination result.

Abstract: The reliability of testing a normally closed contact in a relay unit may involve the following. While the load is de-energized, sending a test signal to a normally closed contact (b1, b2) and detecting the state of the returning test signal sent. Resending a test signal when a detection result does not satisfy a predetermined criteria, and re-detecting the state of the returning test signal resent. The state of the returning test signal resent may be assessed as normal when the re-detection result satisfies the predetermined criteria.

Abstract: A waste toner container provided for use in an image forming apparatus includes: a body receiving, through an inlet, waste toner discharged from the image forming apparatus, and contains the waste toner; a conveyance member conveying the waste toner, which has been received through the inlet; a waste toner deposition chamber disposed downstream of the inlet in a waste toner conveyance direction such that the waste toner that has been conveyed is increasingly deposited therein, the chamber having a light-transmissive window through which amount of the deposited waste toner is optically monitorable from outside of the body; a conductive member disposed on an inner surface of the body so as to come into contact with the waste toner being conveyed; and a connection unit disposed between the conductive member and an earth member provided in the image forming apparatus to electrically connect between the conductive member and the earth member.

Abstract: The reliability of testing a normally closed contact in a relay unit may involve the following. While the load is de-energized, sending a test signal to a normally closed contact (b1, b2) and detecting the state of the returning test signal sent. Resending a test signal when a detection result does not satisfy a predetermined criteria, and re-detecting the state of the returning test signal resent. The state of the returning test signal resent may be assessed as normal when the re-detection result satisfies the predetermined criteria.

Abstract: The reliability of testing a normally closed contact in a relay unit may involve the following. Sending a first test signal to the first normally closed contact and detecting a return state of the first test signal sent, sending a second test signal different from the first test signal to the second normally closed contact and detecting a return state of the second test signal sent; and assessing an abnormality when at least one of the detection result for the return state of the first test signal does not satisfy a first predetermined criteria, and the detection result of the return state of the second test signal does not satisfy a second predetermined criteria different from the first predetermined criteria.

Abstract: An interconnection substrate includes a first insulating layer, and an interconnection structure formed on the first insulating layer, wherein the interconnection structure includes an interconnection pattern having a first metal layer, a second metal layer formed on the first metal layer, and a third metal layer formed on the second metal layer, and a fourth metal layer covering an upper surface and side surface of the interconnection pattern, wherein an outer perimeter of the second metal layer protrudes at the side surface of the interconnection pattern to form a first protrusion, and the fourth metal layer has a second protrusion that protrudes at a side surface of the interconnection structure at a position corresponding to the first protrusion.

Abstract: An interconnection substrate includes a first insulating layer, and an interconnection structure formed on the first insulating layer, wherein the interconnection structure includes an interconnection pattern having a first metal layer, a second metal layer formed on the first metal layer, and a third metal layer formed on the second metal layer, and a fourth metal layer covering an upper surface and side surface of the interconnection pattern, wherein an outer perimeter of the second metal layer protrudes at the side surface of the interconnection pattern to form a first protrusion, and the fourth metal layer has a second protrusion that protrudes at a side surface of the interconnection structure at a position corresponding to the first protrusion.