Abstract: An alkaline battery has a positive electrode mixture containing manganese dioxide and a conductive material filling a tubular positive electrode can that is closed at one end. A negative electrode mixture containing a zinc powder filling on an inner peripheral side of a separator is disposed on an inside of the positive electrode mixture. The negative electrode mixture contains zinc particles with a granularity of 75 ?m or less at 25 to 40 mass %. The positive electrode mixture has a plurality of tubular pellets stacked inside the positive electrode can coaxially with the positive electrode can. A sum s of lengths of gaps between the pellets is set at 1 to 14% with respect to a sum d of lengths of the pellets. Thus, a sufficient amount of the electrolyte is held in the gaps and between the pellets in the positive electrode.

Abstract: A belt with built-in batteries includes: a plurality of rechargeable batteries, each having a positive terminal and a negative terminal that protrude in two opposite directions; a positive reinforcing tab that electrically connects the positive terminals of the rechargeable batteries to each other; a negative reinforcing tab that electrically connects the negative terminals of the rechargeable batteries to each other; and a sheath that seals the positive and negative terminals of the rechargeable batteries and the positive and negative reinforcing tabs.

Abstract: A separator for a battery, a battery, and a method of preparing a graft copolymer for a binder, the separator including a porous substrate; a coating layer on at least one surface of the porous substrate, the coating layer including an inorganic oxide; and a binder between the porous substrate and the inorganic oxide or between adjacent particles of the inorganic oxide, the binder including a graft copolymer, wherein the graft copolymer has a backbone of a polyvinylidene fluoride-based polymer or a polyvinylidene fluoride-based copolymer, and a pendant chain grafted to the backbone, the pendant chain including a hydrophilic repeating unit, and fluorine atoms in the backbone of the graft copolymer are partially substituted with at least one of chlorine, bromine, or iodine.

Abstract: Signals to be used for receiving a service according to position are appropriately selected from a plurality of positioning signals received by a moving device. A device capable of being used while moving and of receiving a service according to a position to which the device has moved comprises: positioning means for, based on positioning signals for location identification separately received from a plurality of positioning devices, determining their respective positional information; holding means for holding positional information determined by the positioning means for each type of the plurality of positioning devices; and notification means for, regarding positional information newly determined by the positioning means, determining with reference to the holding means whether to provide notification of the position in order to receive the service or not, and providing the notification according to the determination.

Abstract: ID transmitters, each of which can output a sound wave signal comprising sine waves of different frequencies, are installed apart from one another so that areas where each sound wave signal reaches are different. A predetermined number of frequencies, which are included in a frequency range that uses an uppermost audio frequency range, correspond to a predetermined number of bits with the value of each bit being expressed by the presence or absence of the output of the sine wave of the corresponding frequency. Information is divided into items of partial information with each item of partial information being expressed by at least part of the predetermined number of bits of the sound wave signal. An ID transmitter switches at predetermined time intervals the sound wave signal to be outputted, thereby cyclically outputting sound wave signals expressing the items of partial information in the order the information is formed.

Abstract: A force sense interface includes a tactile finger base having a plurality of tactile fingers, which are capable of tracking motions of the fingers of a hand of an operator, an arm mechanism, which allow spatial motion of the tactile finger base, and a controller, which controls the arm mechanism in accordance with the position and posture of the hand, and controls the tactile fingers in accordance with the movements of the fingers of the operator. The force sense interface further includes finger holders for attaching the tactile fingers on the fingers of the operator in a state where the tactile finger base is distanced from the back of the hand of the operator (H) so as to face the back of the hand.

Abstract: A belt with built-in batteries includes: a plurality of rechargeable batteries, each having a positive terminal and a negative terminal that protrude in two opposite directions; a positive reinforcing tab that electrically connects the positive terminals of the rechargeable batteries to each other; a negative reinforcing tab that electrically connects the negative terminals of the rechargeable batteries to each other; and a sheath that seals the positive and negative terminals of the rechargeable batteries and the positive and negative reinforcing tabs.

Abstract: A separator for a battery, a battery, and a method of preparing a graft copolymer for a binder, the separator including a porous substrate; a coating layer on at least one surface of the porous substrate, the coating layer including an inorganic oxide; and a binder between the porous substrate and the inorganic oxide or between adjacent particles of the inorganic oxide, the binder including a graft copolymer, wherein the graft copolymer has a backbone of a polyvinylidene fluoride-based polymer or a polyvinylidene fluoride-based copolymer, and a pendant chain grafted to the backbone, the pendant chain including a hydrophilic repeating unit, and fluorine atoms in the backbone of the graft copolymer are partially substituted with at least one of chlorine, bromine, or iodine.

Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus including: a print unit; an instruction unit for giving an instruction to start a printing operation; and a print control unit for controlling the printing operation according to the instruction to start the printing operation from the instruction unit, in which, when there is no instruction to start a subsequent printing operation after the executing of the printing operation to the recording medium according to the instruction to start the printing operation from the instruction unit, the print control unit executes a first post-processing operation for completing the printing operation, and the print control unit determines an operation to be performed after the executing of the first post-processing operation based on whether or not the instruction to start the subsequent printing operation is received during the executing of the first post-processing operation.

Abstract: A negative electrode for a nickel-hydrogen rechargeable battery is a strip-shaped negative electrode, the negative electrode being formed of a core body and a negative mixture layer covering the core body and containing hydrogen-storage alloy particles, including a main section, both sides of which face the positive electrode with the separator intervening therebetween as viewed in a rolled state where the negative electrode forms the electrode group with the positive electrode and the separator, and an outermost circumferential portion and an innermost circumferential portion that are protruding from ends of the main section in a rolling direction and facing the positive electrode with the separator intervening therebetween only with one side, wherein the hydrogen-storage alloy particles contained in the outermost circumferential portion and the innermost circumferential portion have an average diameter larger than an average diameter of the hydrogen-storage alloy particles contained in the main section.

Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus including: a print unit; an instruction unit for giving an instruction to start a printing operation; and a print control unit for controlling the printing operation according to the instruction to start the printing operation from the instruction unit, in which, when there is no instruction to start a subsequent printing operation after the executing of the printing operation to the recording medium according to the instruction to start the printing operation from the instruction unit, the print control unit executes a first post-processing operation for completing the printing operation, and the print control unit determines an operation to be performed after the executing of the first post-processing operation based on whether or not the instruction to start the subsequent printing operation is received during the executing of the first post-processing operation.

Abstract: An alkaline secondary cell has an electrode assembly including a positive electrode, a negative electrode and a separator, and alkaline electrolyte. The negative electrode includes hydrogen-storage alloy and an oxidation inhibitor that inhibits the hydrogen-storage alloy from being oxidized. The oxidation inhibitor contains a chemical compound, and the chemical compound includes a chemical-bond-formation end that is chemically bonded to the surface of the hydrogen-storage alloy and a water-repellent end having water repellency.

Abstract: A force sense interface includes a tactile finger base having a plurality of tactile fingers, which are capable of tracking motions of the fingers of a hand of an operator, an arm mechanism, which allow spatial motion of the tactile finger base, and a controller, which controls the arm mechanism in accordance with the position and posture of the hand, and controls the tactile fingers in accordance with the movements of the fingers of the operator. The force sense interface further includes finger holders for attaching the tactile fingers on the fingers of the operator in a state where the tactile finger base is distanced from the back of the hand of the operator (H) so as to face the back of the hand.

Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus including: a print unit; an instruction unit for giving an instruction to start a printing operation; and a print control unit for controlling the printing operation according to the instruction to start the printing operation from the instruction unit, in which, when there is no instruction to start a subsequent printing operation after the executing of the printing operation to the recording medium according to the instruction to start the printing operation from the instruction unit, the print control unit executes a first post-processing operation for completing the printing operation, and the print control unit determines an operation to be performed after the executing of the first post-processing operation based on whether or not the instruction to start the subsequent printing operation is received during the executing of the first post-processing operation.

Abstract: A humidity-conditioning sheet 10 excellent in reversibility and responsiveness of a moisture adsorbing/desorbing ability of rapidly adsorbing moisture at high ambient humidity and conversely rapidly desorbing adsorbed moisture at low ambient humidity includes a sheet-shaped humidity-conditioning layer 7 formed by bonding together, with a thermoplastic resin powder 4, humidity-conditioning particles 3 which reversibly adsorb and desorb water vapor. The void ratio of the humidity-conditioning layer 7 is 5% or more.

Abstract: A negative electrode for a nickel-hydrogen rechargeable battery is a strip-shaped negative electrode, the negative electrode being formed of a core body and a negative mixture layer covering the core body and containing hydrogen-storage alloy particles, including a main section, both sides of which face the positive electrode with the separator intervening therebetween as viewed in a rolled state where the negative electrode forms the electrode group with the positive electrode and the separator, and an outermost circumferential portion and an innermost circumferential portion that are protruding from ends of the main section in a rolling direction and facing the positive electrode with the separator intervening therebetween only with one side, wherein the hydrogen-storage alloy particles contained in the outermost circumferential portion and the innermost circumferential portion have an average diameter larger than an average diameter of the hydrogen-storage alloy particles contained in the main section.

Abstract: A polymer electrolyte capable of obtaining superior discharge characteristics and a battery using it are provided. A cathode (21) and an anode (22) are wound with a separator (24) in between. After that, the wound body is contained inside a package member. Then, an electrolytic composition containing a solvent, polyvinyl acetal or the derivative thereof, and lithium hexafluorophosphate is added thereto. Polyvinyl acetal or the derivative thereof is polymerized by using lithium hexafluorophosphate as a catalyst. Thereby, a polymer electrolyte (23) is formed, and the discharge characteristics are improved.

Abstract: An alkaline secondary cell has an electrode assembly including a positive electrode, a negative electrode and a separator, and alkaline electrolyte. The negative electrode includes hydrogen-storage alloy and an oxidation inhibitor that inhibits the hydrogen-storage alloy from being oxidized. The oxidation inhibitor contains a chemical compound, and the chemical compound includes a chemical-bond-formation end that is chemically bonded to the surface of the hydrogen-storage alloy and a water-repellent end having water repellency.

Abstract: A nonaqueous electrolyte secondary cell includes an electrode body including a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator, the positive electrode and the negative electrode being arranged to oppose each other with the separator therebetween, and being rolled or stacked; a nonaqueous electrolyte solution; and an exterior package for accommodating the electrode body and the nonaqueous electrolyte solution. A polymeric support is provided between the separator and at least one of the positive electrode and the negative electrode, and the ratio (MO/MA) of the amount (MO) of the nonaqueous electrolyte solution present between the electrode body and the exterior package to the amount (MA) of the nonaqueous electrolyte solution present in the exterior package is 0.04 or less.

Abstract: A battery capable of obtaining a high capacity and reducing its expansion is provided. A spirally wound electrode body formed through laminating a cathode and an anode with a separator and an electrolyte in between to form a laminate and spirally winding the laminate is included in a package member made of an aluminum laminate film. An anode active material layer includes an agglomerated graphite material in which a plurality of primary particles made of graphite having fine pores are agglomerated so that the orientation planes thereof are not parallel to each other, at least in part, to form secondary particles. In the agglomerated graphite material, the total volume of fine pores with a diameter from 10 nm to 1×105 nm inclusive estimated by mercury porosimetry ranges from 0.5 cm3/g to 1.5 cm3/g inclusive per unit weight.