Abstract: A kneading device uniformly kneads materials to be kneaded while efficiently and quickly kneading the materials to be kneaded. A kneading device includes a kneading chamber accommodating materials to be kneaded and a pair of rotors. The pair of rotors is rotated in the kneading chamber and kneads the materials to be kneaded by a plurality of kneading blades. The plurality of kneading blades in each rotor is composed only of inclined blades inclined to the same direction in a rotational direction of the rotor with respect to an axial direction of the rotor when the rotor is developed into a planar state. The rotor has bent blades which are bent at bent portions to change tilt angles with respect to the axial direction of the rotor in the plurality of kneading blades.

Abstract: A kneading device uniformly kneads materials to be kneaded while efficiently and quickly kneading the materials to be kneaded. A kneading device includes a kneading chamber accommodating materials to be kneaded and a pair of rotors. The pair of rotors is rotated in the kneading chamber and kneads the materials to be kneaded by a plurality of kneading blades. The plurality of kneading blades in each rotor is composed only of inclined blades inclined to the same direction in a rotational direction of the rotor with respect to an axial direction of the rotor when the rotor is developed into a planar state. The rotor has bent blades which are bent at bent portions to change tilt angles with respect to the axial direction of the rotor in the plurality of kneading blades.

Abstract: Provided are a refresh charging method and a refresh charging apparatus for an assembled battery constituted from lead-acid storage batteries, by which a necessary charging rate may be performed while shortening a charging period. In a constant voltage charging mode, n intermediate threshold values S1 to Sn which decrease stepwisely are set between a predetermined threshold value S0 and a lower-limit current value, and n additional timer periods T1 to Tn are set where n is an integer equal to or larger than one. Counting of the n additional timer periods T1 to Tn is respectively started when the charging current reaches the n intermediate threshold values S1 to Sn. A maximum timer period Tm and the n additional timer periods T1 to Tn are set to satisfy a relationship of Tm>T1> . . . >Tn. Charging is stopped when the counting of one of the maximum timer period Tm and the n additional timer periods T1 to Tn is completed before the lower-limit current value is detected.

Abstract: A control system for a vehicle, includes: a controller that is configured to obtain an index on the basis of a running condition of the vehicle, to vary a running characteristic of the vehicle on the basis of the index, and to vary details output from an effect producing device, which applies a stimulus to at least part of five senses of a driver of the vehicle, on the basis of the index, wherein when a variation in the running characteristic because of a variation in the index decreases, quickness of a behavior of the vehicle, the variation in the index in response to a variation in the running condition is relatively delayed, as compared with when the variation in the running characteristic because of the variation in the index increases quickness of the behavior of the vehicle.

Abstract: A grid plate for a lead acid storage battery including a frame section having a pair of quadrangular contour shape, and longitudinal and lateral grid strands forming a frame section grid. The longitudinal and lateral grid strands have thick strands of smaller thickness than the frame section, and thin strands of smaller width and thickness than the thick strands. Strands adjacent to the thick strands are thin strands, and space allows flow of active material to sides of the thick strands. Ends of the thick strands in the thickness direction are positioned further inward from end faces of the frame section in the thickness direction, and the end portions of one end side of the thin strands in the thickness direction are positioned offset to one end side of the thick strands in the thickness direction, and active material is packed into the reverse surface side of the grid plate.

Abstract: Provided are a refresh charging method and a refresh charging apparatus for an assembled battery constituted from lead-acid storage batteries, by which a necessary charging rate may be performed while shortening a charging period. In a constant voltage charging mode, n intermediate threshold values S1 to Sn which decrease stepwisely are set between a predetermined threshold value S0 and a lower-limit current value, and n additional timer periods T1 to Tn are set where n is an integer equal to or larger than one. Counting of the n additional timer periods T1 to Tn is respectively started when the charging current reaches the n intermediate threshold values S1 to Sn. A maximum timer period Tm and the n additional timer periods T1 to Tn are set to satisfy a relationship of Tm>T1> . . . >Tn. Charging is stopped when the counting of one of the maximum timer period Tm and the n additional timer periods T1 to Tn is completed before the lower-limit current value is detected.

Abstract: The life of a lead acid storage battery is extended by changing an over-frequency equalized charge interval performed on a lead acid storage battery, in accordance with a transition situation of a state of charge (SOC) of the lead acid storage battery. The lead acid storage battery is also made to be advantageous in terms of cost by reducing the equalized charge with a low degree of urgency to reduce the power and cost for equalized charge, and by reducing the number of stops of a natural energy storage system. A lead acid storage battery and a lead acid storage battery system whose operational management can be easily performed are achieved by a method in which the future timing when the equalized charge is performed can be grasped by people operating the lead acid storage battery.

Abstract: A lead acid storage battery composed of plates, the lead acid storage battery being obtained by packing an active material into a grid plate provided with a frame section having a quadrangular profile shape, and lateral grid strands and longitudinal grid strands that form a grid inside the frame section. The lateral grid strands are composed of thick lateral strands having a thickness equal to the thickness of the frame section, and thin lateral strands of smaller width and thickness than the thick strands, the longitudinal grid strands being composed of thick longitudinal strands that have a thickness that is less than thickness of the frame section, one end in the thickness direction being arranged in the same plane as one end of the frame section in the thickness direction, and thin longitudinal strands of smaller width and thickness than the thick longitudinal strands.

Abstract: A lead acid storage battery composed of plates, the lead acid storage battery being obtained by packing an active material into a grid plate provided with a frame section having a quadrangular profile shape, and lateral grid strands and longitudinal grid strands that form a grid inside the frame section. The lateral grid strands are composed of thick lateral strands having a thickness equal to the thickness of the frame section, and thin lateral strands of smaller width and thickness than the thick strands, the longitudinal grid strands being composed of thick longitudinal strands that have a thickness that is less than thickness of the frame section, one end in the thickness direction being arranged in the same plane as one end of the frame section in the thickness direction, and thin longitudinal strands of smaller width and thickness than the thick longitudinal strands.

Abstract: A lead acid storage battery composed of plates, the lead acid storage battery being obtained by packing an active material into a grid plate provided with a frame section having a quadrangular profile shape, and lateral grid strands and longitudinal grid strands that form a grid inside the frame section.

Abstract: There is provided a method for operating a lead acid storage battery in order to compensate for fluctuations in the amount of power generated by a solar power generation apparatus, a wind power generation apparatus, or another natural energy power generation device, the lead acid storage battery being charged by a power generation device and discharged to a load. The state of charge of the lead acid storage battery is maintained in a range of 30 to 90% where the fully charged state of the lead acid storage battery is 100%; and the lead acid storage battery is charged and discharged while the battery voltage is kept in a specified range of 1.80 to 2.42 V per cell to extend the service life of the battery. A reference temperature of 25° C. is established, and when the ambient temperature has risen above or fallen below the reference temperature, the upper and lower limit values of a specified range are corrected within a range of ?4 mV/° C. to ?6 mV/° C.

Abstract: A lead acid storage battery composed of plates, the lead acid storage battery being obtained by packing an active material into a grid plate provided with a frame section having a quadrangular profile shape, and lateral grid strands and longitudinal grid strands that form a grid inside the frame section.

Abstract: A control system for a vehicle, includes: a controller that is configured to obtain an index on the basis of a running condition of the vehicle, to vary a running characteristic of the vehicle on the basis of the index, and to vary details output from an effect producing device, which applies a stimulus to at least part of five senses of a driver of the vehicle, on the basis of the index, wherein when a variation in the running characteristic because of a variation in the index decreases, quickness of a behavior of the vehicle, the variation in the index in response to a variation in the running condition is relatively delayed, as compared with when the variation in the running characteristic because of the variation in the index increases quickness of the behavior of the vehicle.

Abstract: The life of a lead acid storage batttery is extended by changing an over-frequency equalized charge interval performed on a lead acid storage batttery, in accordance with a transition situation of a state of charge (SOC) of the lead acid storage batttery. The lead acid storage batttery is also made to be advantageous in terms of cost by reducing the equalized charge with a low degree of urgency to reduce the power and cost for equalized charge, and by reducing the number of stops of a natural energy storage system. A lead acid storage batttery and a lead acid storage batttery system whose operational management can be easily performed are achieved by a method in which the future timing when the equalized charge is performed can be grasped by people operating the lead acid storage batttery.

Abstract: A grid plate for a lead acid storage battery comprising a frame section having a pair of quadrangular contour shape, and longitudinal grid strands and lateral grid strands that form a grid inside the frame section. The longitudinal grid strands and lateral grid strands are composed of thick strands of smaller thickness than the frame section, and thin strands of smaller width and thickness than the thick strands. The thick strands and thin strands are arranged so that the strands adjacent to the thick strands are thin strands, and space is reliably provided for facilitating the flow of active material to the sides of the thick strands.

Abstract: There is provided a method for operating a lead acid storage battery in order to compensate for fluctuations in the amount of power generated by a solar power generation apparatus, a wind power generation apparatus, or another natural energy power generation device, the lead acid storage battery being charged by a power generation device and discharged to a load. The state of charge of the lead acid storage battery is maintained in a range of 30 to 90% where the fully charged state of the lead acid storage battery is 100%; and the lead acid storage battery is charged and discharged while the battery voltage is kept in a specified range of 1.80 to 2.42 V per cell to extend the service life of the battery. A reference temperature of 25° C. is established, and when the ambient temperature has risen above or fallen below the reference temperature, the upper and lower limit values of a specified range are corrected within a range of ?4 mV/° C. to ?6 mV/° C.

Abstract: In a vehicle diagnosis information communication system, electric power is supplied from a battery to a vehicle control computer mounted on the vehicle during a period of vehicle operation, while the electric power is supplied to a radio communication unit mounted on the vehicle irrespective of the vehicle operation. The computer transmits a vehicle information such as engine diagnosis result to the radio communication unit through a communication line. The radio communication unit communicates the received vehicle information to an external site of communication in response to a request of the information form the external site of communication irrespective of the supply of the electric power to the computer. Preferably, the supply of the electric power from the battery to the computer is maintained for a predetermined period after the vehicle operation.