Abstract: A spark plug includes an insulator, a center electrode, a metallic shell, and a ground electrode. The insulator contains not less than 90.0 mass % and not greater than 98.1 mass % of Al2O3 with respect to a total mass of elements, as reduced to oxides, contained in the insulator, and has a porosity not greater than 5%. Assuming that a porosity of the insulator after a heat treatment is B, a difference (B?A) of the porosities before and after the heat treatment is not greater than 3.5%. In the heat treatment, the insulator is placed in a furnace, and a temperature in the furnace is increased from a room temperature to 1400° C. at a temperature increase rate of 7° C./min and is held at 1400° C. for 30 minutes, and thereafter, the temperature is decreased from 1400° C. to 400° C. at a temperature decrease rate of 10° C. or less per 5 minutes and is decreased to the room temperature.

Abstract: A spark plug includes an insulator made of an alumina sintered body containing Al2O3 as a principal component and additional components including; an Si component, a Ba component, an Mg component, a Ca component, an Sr component, and a rare earth element component. When the additional components are expressed as oxides including RSiO2, RBaO, RMgO, RCaO, RSrO, and RRE2O3, contents (mass %) of the sub-component satisfy expressions (1) to (6) as follows: (1) 1.0?RSiO2?5.0; (2) 0.5?RBaO?5.0; (3) 0?RMgO?0.18; (4) 0?RMgO/RBaO?0.36; (5) 0.3?(RMgO+RCaO+RSiO)?1.8; and (6) 0?RRE2O3?0.1.

Abstract: A spark plug including an insulator containing an Al component, in terms of oxides, 89 mass % or more and a Ti component, in terms of oxides, more than 0 mass % and 0.2 mass % or less, characterized in that the insulator is formed of an alumina-based sintered material which contains, in a grain boundary phase present between alumina crystal grains, a first crystal phase containing at least one species selected from among an La component, an Nd component, a Pr component, a Y component, an Er component, a Yb component, and an Lu component, and a second crystal phase containing at least one species of Group 2 element components, an Al component and an Si component.

Abstract: A pressure loss reducing circuit reduces a pressure loss of oil returning from an actuator to a direction switching valve with a simple configuration while suppressing an increase in the manufacturing cost and substantially eliminating the need of an additional installation space. The pressure loss reducing circuit includes a bypass valve disposed between an actuator oil path and a tank oil path of a direction switching valve, and opened and closed according to a signal from a controller, and moreover screwed into and attached to the direction switching valve. According to an operation signal of a switching spool when oil returning from an actuator is caused to flow to the actuator oil path, the controller opens the bypass valve so that the actuator oil path and the tank oil path communicate with each other and supplies the returning oil to the switching spool and the bypass valve to reduce a pressure loss.

Abstract: An insulator for spark plug with a main constituent of alumina and containing silicon includes a grain boundary phase positioned between alumina particles. The grain boundary phase contains: a group 2A element; a rare earth element; and at least one kind of zirconium, titanium, chrome, niobium, manganese, and iron (a first element). Assuming that a total amount of the rare earth element is X (mass %), a total amount of the group 2A element is Y (mass %), and a total amount of the first element is Z (mass %), the following are met: 0.40?Y/X?2.00 0.10?Z/X?0.40.

Abstract: A vehicle approach informing device includes: an informing sound output unit mounted on a vehicle and configured to inform of approach of the vehicle by transmitting sound to the outside; a distance measurement unit to detect a current position of the vehicle and to measure a distance between the detected current position and a predetermined position; and a sound volume control unit configured to set a sound volume outputted by the informing sound output unit to a predetermined normal sound volume when the distance measured by the distance measurement unit is equal to or longer than a first distance, and to set the sound volume to a lower level than the normal sound volume when the distance measured by the distance measurement unit is shorter than the first distance.

Abstract: An onboard battery includes an accommodation case that has an upper accommodation unit and a lower accommodation unit positioned below the upper accommodation unit battery modules each having battery cells, and joints that couple the upper accommodation unit and the lower accommodation unit to each other. At least one battery module is accommodated in each of the upper accommodation unit and the lower accommodation unit. When a predetermined load or more is applied to the upper accommodation unit, a stress acts on the joints such that the upper accommodation unit and the lower accommodation unit are separated from each other, and the upper accommodation unit is moved away from the lower accommodation unit.

Abstract: An onboard battery includes an accommodation case that has a hollow cross section formed with multiple cavities 9a, and at least one battery module that has at least one battery cell and is accommodated in the accommodation case. At least one disposition depression that communicates with one of the multiple cavities and is opened upward is formed in a portion positioned below the at least one battery module in the accommodation case, and at least one heater that heats the at least one battery cell is disposed in the at least one disposition depression so as not to be in contact with the at least one battery cell.

Abstract: A spark plug including an insulator containing an Al component, in terms of oxides, 89 mass % or more and a Ti component, in terms of oxides, more than 0 mass % and 0.2 mass % or less, characterized in that the insulator is formed of an alumina-based sintered material which contains, in a grain boundary phase present between alumina crystal grains, a first crystal phase containing at least one species selected from among an La component, an Nd component, a Pr component, a Y component, an Er component, a Yb component, and an Lu component, and a second crystal phase containing at least one species of Group 2 element components, an Al component and an Si component.

Abstract: A battery system for a vehicle. The battery system includes: a battery module; a junction box which connects the battery module to other electronic components; and a case which includes the battery module and the junction box. The junction box is integrally mounted on a side surface of the battery module which is fixed to the case, and at least the junction box is non-contact with an inner surface of the case.

Abstract: An insulator for spark plug with a main constituent of alumina and containing silicon includes a grain boundary phase positioned between alumina particles. The grain boundary phase contains: a group 2A element; a rare earth element; and at least one kind of zirconium, titanium, chrome, niobium, manganese, and iron (a first element). Assuming that a total amount of the rare earth element is X (mass %), a total amount of the group 2A element is Y (mass %), and a total amount of the first element is Z (mass %), the following are met: 0.40?Y/X?2.00 0.10?Z/X?0.40.

Abstract: A vehicle approach informing device includes: an informing sound output unit mounted on a vehicle and configured to inform of approach of the vehicle by transmitting sound to the outside; a distance measurement unit to detect a current position of the vehicle and to measure a distance between the detected current position and a predetermined position; and a sound volume control unit configured to set a sound volume outputted by the informing sound output unit to a predetermined normal sound volume when the distance measured by the distance measurement unit is equal to or longer than a first distance, and to set the sound volume to a lower level than the normal sound volume when the distance measured by the distance measurement unit is shorter than the first distance.

Abstract: In a mounting structure for a vehicle battery box, a battery box is supported in a suspended manner between left and right rear side frames at the rear of a vehicle with first and second cross members that are installed between the left and right rear side frames. The first cross member is fixed at a substantially front end of a rear deformation zone that is set at the left and right rear side frames. High-voltage equipment is fixed between the first and second cross members on the top surface of the right rear side frame. The battery box is electrically connected to the high-voltage equipment with a connecting member.

Abstract: There is provided a battery system for a vehicle. The battery system includes: a battery module; a junction box which connects the battery module to other electronic components; and a case which includes the battery module and the junction box. The junction box is integrally mounted on a side surface of the battery module which is fixed to the case, and at least the junction box is non-contact with an inner surface of the case.

Abstract: A hydraulic control circuit includes a hydraulic cylinder, a control valve, a recovery oil passage, a hydraulic pump, an engine rotation speed setting unit, a recovery control valve, and a controller that reduces an engine rotation speed to not more than a preset reduction control engine rotation speed when the load is lowered; and adjusts an increase or decrease in an opening amount of the recovery control valve in accordance with a level of the target rotation speed set by the engine rotation speed setting unit.

Abstract: Disclosed is a ceramic heater capable of preventing failures due to the thermal stress, such as cracks, and corrosion by a calcium component. The ceramic heater has a heating element including at least one substance selected from silicides, nitrides and carbides of molybdenum and silicides, nitrides and carbides of tungsten as a main component, and a base mainly containing silicon nitride in which the heating element is embedded, wherein the base includes: a rare earth element component in an amount from 4 to 25% by mass in terms of an oxide thereof; a silicide of chromium in an amount from 1 to 8% by mass in terms of chromium silicide; and an aluminum component in an amount from 0.02 to 1.0% by mass in terms of aluminum nitride.

Abstract: The present invention is intended to provide a technology that can utilize the advantages of both a load sensing control and a regeneration circuit without causing any problem. A regeneration circuit is added to a hydraulic circuit provided with a hydraulic pressure signal line for detecting a hydraulic pressure value of a circuit and controlling a volume of hydraulic fluid to a cylinder 1 with reference to the detected value. A pressure reducing valve 6 that outputs a reduced pressure as an operating signal to a pump 2, and subsequently the controlling means 5 causes the pressure reducing valve 6 to output a pressure reduction command to a pump 2 and thus to reduce a discharge rate from the pump 2, when the regeneration circuit is in a regeneration state.

Abstract: In a mounting structure for a vehicle battery box, a battery box is supported in a suspended manner between left and right rear side frames at the rear of a vehicle with first and second cross members that are installed between the left and right rear side frames. The first cross member is fixed at a substantially front end of a rear deformation zone that is set at the left and right rear side frames. High-voltage equipment is fixed between the first and second cross members on the top surface of the right rear side frame. The battery box is electrically connected to the high-voltage equipment with a connecting member.

Abstract: A hydraulic control circuit includes a hydraulic cylinder, a control valve, a recovery oil passage, a hydraulic pump, an engine rotation speed setting unit, a recovery control valve, and a controller that reduces an engine rotation speed to not more than a preset reduction control engine rotation speed when the load is lowered; and adjusts an increase or decrease in an opening amount of the recovery control valve in accordance with a level of the target rotation speed set by the engine rotation speed setting unit.

Abstract: The invention provides a slide fastener with a top end stop, wherein a linear fastener element row is sewed on the fastener tape, the top end stop is formed by burying linear fastener elements facing a space portion with synthetic resin, a projecting portion 11 to be in contact with a slider is formed on a side surface of the top end stop for preventing the slider from slipping out, a protrusion protruded upward along the sewing thread is formed on a front surface of the top end stop, a groove is carved in a center longitudinal direction of the protrusion, and the sewing thread is prevented from being deflected and exposed on the front surface of the top end stop by being pressed by a projecting ridge provided in a molding die for forming the groove toward the linear fastener elements.