Abstract: A multi-layer piezoelectric element of high durability wherein the internal electrodes and the external electrodes do not break even when operated continuously over a long period of time under high electric field and high pressure is provided. The first multi-layer piezoelectric element according to the present invention comprises a stack formed by stacking piezoelectric layers and internal electrodes alternately one on another and external electrodes formed on a first side face and on a second side face of the stack, wherein one of the adjacent internal electrodes is connected to the external electrode formed on the first side face and the other internal electrode is connected to the external electrode formed on the second side face, and the external electrodes include an electrically conductive material and glass and is formed from a porous electrically conductive material that has a three-dimensional mesh structure.

Abstract: The multi-layer piezoelectric element comprises a stack having an active portion constituted from at least one piezoelectric layer and a plurality of internal electrodes consisting of first and second internal electrodes placed one on another, the active portion being subjected to expansion and contraction in response to a voltage applied across the first internal electrode and the second internal electrode, and external electrodes formed on two side faces of the stack with one thereof being connected to the first internal electrode and the other connected to the second internal electrode, wherein each of the external electrodes is constituted from three or more layers including a first layer formed in contact with the side face of the stack and a second layer formed on the first layer, to provide a multi-layer piezoelectric element having high durability.

Abstract: In an alternating-current generator, an end wall of a frame is provided with a plurality of fin supports separately arranged on the outer surface of the end wall. The cooling fin is mounted on the plurality of fin supports. The end wall is provided with a plurality of reinforcements each arranged between a corresponding one of the plurality of fin supports and another one thereof and each configured to reinforce a rigidity of a portion of the end wall. The corresponding one of the plurality of fin supports and another one thereof are adjacent to each other in a circumferential direction of the axis of the rotor. The rigidity-reinforced portion of the end wall is located between the corresponding one of the plurality of fin supports and another one thereof.

Abstract: In a rotary electric machine, a first group of first and second sets of three-phase windings of a stator coil is disposed in part of substantially circumferentially spaced slots of a stator core, and a second group of third and fourth sets of three-phase windings of the stator coil is disposed in another part of the slots. The first to fourth sets include first to fourth three-phase windings, respectively. Output ends of the first to fourth three-phase windings and input ends of the second and fourth windings are disposed at one of opposing end surface sides of the stator core. The output ends of the first and second three-phase windings of the first and second sets included in the first group are separated from the output ends of the third and fourth three-phase windings of the third and fourth sets included in the second group.

Abstract: In a multilayer piezoelectric element comprising a plurality of piezoelectric layers and a plurality of metal layers which are alternately stacked one upon another, the metal layers includes a plurality of high resistance metal layers having a higher electrical resistance than adjacent metal layers on the both sides. The high resistance metal layers are regularly arranged so as to interpose a plurality of different metal layers other than the high resistance metal layers. In another multilayer piezoelectric element in which a plurality of piezoelectric layers and a plurality of metal layers are alternately stacked one upon another, at least one layer of the metal layers is formed by a plurality of partial metal layers disposed between the piezoelectric layers.

Abstract: A stator for an electric rotary machine which includes a stator coil which is made up of conducting wires each of which includes in-slot portions disposed one in each of slots formed in a stator core and turned portions each of which connects adjacent two of the in-slot portions outside the slots. Each of the turned portions includes steps adjacent connected through a curved bend. The curved bend of one of the conducting wires is laid to overlap one of turned portions of the other conducting wire in an axial direction of the stator core through a gap. The curved bend has walls extending toward one of the turned portions of the other conducting wire to define a chamber. The walls increase a total area of the stator coil from which thermal energy will dissipate, thus enhancing the ability of the stator coil to be cooled.

Abstract: To provide a multi-layer piezoelectric element having high strength against breakage, high insulation and excellent displacement performance, and an injection apparatus that incorporates the same. The multi-layer piezoelectric element comprising a stack 4 constituted from a plurality of piezoelectric layers 1 stacked one on another via internal electrode layers 2, wherein at least a part of peripheral areas 31, that are disposed between two piezoelectric layers 1, 1 located adjacently in the stacking direction and are located between an edge 2a of the internal electrode layer 2 and side face 4a of the stack 4, is disperse areas where a plurality of metallic regions are dispersed via voids 21.

Abstract: In a stator, when a number of a plurality of core segments circumferentially arranged is represented as n, a length of a maximum projecting portion of a circumferential projection of each of the plurality of core segments from one of the first and second radial sides thereof is represented as p, a radial length of a maximum projecting portion of the circumferential projection of each of the plurality of core segments from a circumferentially extended line from the bottom of the slot is represented as q, and a length of the slot with respect to the bottom thereof in a radial direction of the stator core assembly is represented as t, the number n, the length p, the length q, and the length t meet the following equation: 0 < np ? - q < t

Abstract: The electric rotating machine includes a rotor, a stator having a stator core and a stator winding wound on the stator core, and a cooling liquid feeding function of applying cooling liquid to the coil end of the stator winding. The stator winding constituted by coils wound along the circumferential direction includes crossover portions each of which electrically connects the ends of two of the coils through which currents in the same phase flow, respectively. The crossover portions are arranged so as to overlap one another only partially in the circumferential direction. The cooling liquid feeding function applies the cooling liquid to at least one of the crossover portions.

Abstract: In a multilayer piezoelectric element in which a plurality of piezoelectric layers and a plurality of metal layers are stacked alternately, the plurality of metal layers include a plurality of low-filled metal layers having a lower filling rate of metal composing the metal layers than oppositely disposed metal layers adjacent to each other in a stacking direction. In a multilayer piezoelectric element in which a plurality of piezoelectric layers and a plurality of metal layers are stacked alternately, the plurality of metal layers include a plurality of thin metal layers having a smaller thickness than oppositely disposed metal layers adjacent to each other in a stacking direction.

Abstract: In a rotary electric machine, output ends of first and second three-phase windings of first and second sets included in a first group are separated from those of third and fourth three-phase windings of third and fourth sets included in a second group. Each of the first to fourth three-phase windings is inserted in the slots while being turned at one of the first and second opposing end surface sides of a stator core. Turn portions of each of the first to fourth three-phase windings at the one of the first and second opposing end surface sides of the stator core have a substantially U shape, and are so disposed as to be nonoverlapped with each other in an axial direction of the stator core.

Abstract: An alternator for a vehicle is disclosed as having front and rear frames supporting a stator having a stator winding, a rotor fixedly carried on a rotary shaft and rotatably disposed inside the stator while having a field winding, a bush unit accommodating brushes held in sliding contact with slip rings formed on the rotary shaft, and a brush-wear particle collecting section for collecting brush-wear particles resulting from sliding contact between the brushes and the slip rings. In one embodiment, the bush unit includes a bush holder holding the bushes and a sealing plate member having the brush-wear particle collecting section. In another embodiment, the rear frame carries a protective cover formed with the brush-wear particle collecting section. In a further embodiment, the rotary shaft carries thereon brush-cooling means formed adjacent to the slip rings for creating an air stream to cool the brushes.

Abstract: An on-vehicle rotary electric machine, such as AC generator, is provided. The machine comprises a rotary shaft, a pole core, plural magnetic poles, plural permanent magnets, and plural holding members. The magnetic poles are located at intervals in a circumferential direction and passing magnetic flux between two mutually-adjacent of the magnetic poles. Each permanent magnet intervenes between the two magnetic poles and is magnetized to reduce leakage of the magnetic flux to be passed. Each holding member holds each permanent magnet between the two magnetic poles. Each holding member is secured on the two magnetic poles and has a first plate portion enclosing a radially outer surface of each permanent magnet and two second plate portions enclosing side surfaces of each permanent magnet. The two second plate portions are rigidly coupled to the first plate portion and are lower in rigidity than the first plate portion.

Abstract: An alternator of the present invention is mounted on an automotive vehicle to supply electric power to an on-board battery and electric loads. The alternator is composed of a housing, a stator fixedly held in the housing, a rotor rotatably supported in an inner bore of the stator, and other associated components. Alternating current generated in the stator is rectified into direct current and supplied to the on-board battery and electric loads. A cooling fan is connected to an axial end surface of the rotor. The cooling fan includes an annular portion extending in the axial direction to overlap with a bearing holder formed in the housing. A small annular gap is made between the annular portion and the bearing holder. Plural projections extending from the annular portion in the outer radial direction are formed integrally with the annular portion. Foreign particles are prevented from entering into the bearing by the annular portion having the projected portions.

Abstract: The vehicle-use generator includes a rotor rotatably mounted on a shaft and having a field coil wound therearound, a stator having stator winding wound therearound and fixedly disposed so as to form a gap with the rotor, a cooling fan mounted to the rotor, a pulley belt-driven by a vehicle engine and coupled to the shaft through an overrunning clutch provided therein, and a power generation control device controlling an excitation current flowing into the field coil. The overrunning clutch is configured to idle when a rotational speed of the pulley is lower than a rotational speed of the rotor to inhibit torque transmission from the pulley to the rotor, and the power generation control device is configured to forcibly increase the excitation current on a temporary basis when an upshift operation of a transmission of the vehicle is performed.

Abstract: A ceramic member in which the metal layers with high void ratio are sufficiently sintered to lower a residue of resin is produced. The method for manufacturing a ceramic member which comprises a step of forming a stacked compact from a plurality of metallic paste layers containing a metal component M1 that are stacked one on another via ceramic green sheets, and a step of firing the stacked compact, wherein at least one of plural metallic paste layers is formed as a second metallic paste layer that has the mass percentage X higher than that of the metallic paste layer that adjoin therewith in the stacking direction and a ceramic powder is contained in the second metallic paste layer in the step of forming the stacked compact, the mass percentage X being the proportion of the metal component M1 to the total metal content in the metallic paste layer.

Abstract: A rotor for a vehicular electric rotary machine, a vehicular electric rotary machine using such a rotor, a method of manufacturing a rotor of a vehicular electric rotary machine and a method of manufacturing a vehicular electric rotary machine are disclosed. The rotor includes front and rear pole cores having disc portions, radially extending from boss portions supported with a rotary shaft and carrying thereon a field coil, which have claw-shaped poles which are circumferentially spaced from each other at equidistant intervals. The claw-shaped poles have flange portions circumferentially facing with each other for retaining permanent magnets and magnet holding members in circumferentially and equidistantly spaced positions. Each disc portion has a pair of stepped portions formed to be contiguous with the flange portions to restrict axial end faces of the permanent magnet and the magnet holding member in circumferential, radial and axial directions.

Abstract: A ceramic member in which the metal layers with high void ratio are sufficiently sintered to lower a residue of resin is produced. The method for manufacturing a ceramic member which comprises a step of forming a stacked compact from a plurality of metallic paste layers containing a metal component M1 that are stacked one on another via ceramic green sheets, and a step of firing the stacked compact, wherein at least one of plural metallic paste layers is formed as a second metallic paste layer that has the mass percentage X higher than that of the metallic paste layer that adjoin therewith in the stacking direction, the mass percentage X being the proportion of the metal component M1 to the total metal content in the metallic paste layer.

Abstract: In a rectifier, a high-side heatsink in which high-side rectifying elements are mounted provides a common positive terminal attached to the high-side heatsink. A low-side heatsink in which the low-side rectifying elements are mounted provides a common negative terminal. A terminal block assembly includes a plurality of terminal blocks integrated with each other. The plurality of terminal blocks hold the conductive members. A fixing mechanism directly fixes one of the plurality of terminal blocks to the high-side heatsink. The one of the plurality of terminal blocks holds at least one of the conductive members. The at least one of the conductive members is connected to one of the high-side rectifying elements. The one of the high-side rectifying elements is located closest to the output terminal in all of the high-side rectifying elements.

Abstract: A multi-layer piezoelectric element having high durability wherein the internal electrodes and the external electrodes do not break even when operated continuously over a long time under high electric field and high pressure is provided. The multi-layer piezoelectric element comprises a stack formed by stacking at least one piezoelectric layer and internal electrodes consisting of first and second internal electrodes one on another, and external electrodes formed on two side faces of the stack with one of which being connected to the first internal electrode and the other external electrode being connected to the second internal electrode, wherein the external electrodes contain a conductive material and glass, the side whereon the external electrode is formed has cleft which has a wedge which contains glass formed therein, and the cleft is filled with the glass contained in the wedge and glass contained in the external electrode.