Abstract: A fuel gas filling system for a vehicle having a supply section and a fuel lid, which includes an opening operation section to which an opening operation for the fuel lid is applied, an operation wire, which is provided between the opening operation section and the fuel lid, for making the fuel lid respond to the opening operation applied to the opening operation section, and a locking device having a movable element, a fixed element, a lock pin, and an actuator. The actuator is adapted to make the lock pin to be engaged with the fixed element and the movable element when the vehicle is not in a stationary state.

Abstract: A method of operating a phosphoric acid fuel cell is provided, in which the phosphoric acid fuel cell effects power generation at a high output. A power-generating cell is provided with an electrolyte layer comprising a matrix composed of basic polymer impregnated with acidic liquid electrolyte such as phosphoric acid. The phosphoric acid fuel cell has a fuel cell stack comprising a single unit of the power-generating cell or a predetermined number of the power-generating cells electrically connected in series to one another. When the phosphoric acid fuel cell is operated, the supply pressures of the oxygen-containing gas and the hydrogen-containing gas are set so that the pressure on a cathode electrode of the power-generating cell is higher than that of an anode electrode.

Abstract: A droplet dispensing system for forming and dispensing droplets of a liquid sample is provided. The droplet dispensing system is fabricated on the tip of a dispensing pin. The tip of the dispensing pin includes a droplet ejection nozzle, a filling channel, a chamber and an actuator for ejecting droplets on demand. The system further includes a holder for mounting the dispensing pin. The holder also contains a control circuit for activating the actuator.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for sorting particles moving through a closed channel system of capillary size comprises a bubble valve for selectively generating a pressure pulse to separate a particle having a predetermined characteristic from a stream of particles. The particle sorting system may further include a buffer for absorbing the pressure pulse. The particle sorting system may include a plurality of closely coupled sorting modules which are combined to further increase the sorting rate. The particle sorting system may comprise a multi-stage sorting device for serially sorting streams of particles, in order to decrease the error rate.

Abstract: In a fuel cell system 4 in which electricity is generated by a fuel cell 4 supplied with the hydrogen gas created from a reforming reaction and the electricity is supplied to an external load 12, an electric buffer CAPA for storing surplus electricity or supplementing insufficient electricity is located between the fuel cell 4 and the external load 12, and a hydrogen buffer MHB for accommodating surplus hydrogen gas and supplementing insufficient hydrogen gas is located between a reforming device 2 and the fuel cell. Where electricity consumption in the load 12 increases abruptly, necessary electricity is supplied with the assistance of the electric buffer CAPA and hydrogen buffer HMB.

Abstract: A failure diagnosis apparatus for a throttle valve actuating device is disclosed. The throttle valve actuating device has an actuator for actuating a throttle valve provided in an intake system of an internal combustion engine and biasing elements for biasing the throttle valve to a predetermined retention opening. A feedback control of the throttle valve is performed so that an opening of the throttle valve coincides with a first predetermined opening. After the throttle valve is controlled to the first predetermined opening, a feedback control of the throttle valve is performed so that an opening of the throttle valve coincides with a second predetermined opening. It is determined that the throttle valve actuating device has failed when the time period during which the opening of the throttle valve remains in a predetermined determination range including the second predetermined opening, is shorter than a predetermined time period when performing the feedback control to the second predetermined opening.

Abstract: A fuel cell stack for reducing the bending of the stacked body in the stacking direction is disclosed, thereby preventing the interference between the stacked body built into a vehicle and other structures in the vehicle. The fuel cell stack comprises a stacked body having stacked unit fuel cells, each being placed between separators, wherein each unit fuel cell has an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte membrane placed therebetween; fastening plates provided at either end of the stacked body; an intermediate plate provided at an intermediate position of the stacked body; and bolt members inserted through the intermediate plate in the stacking direction in a manner such that the movement of the bolt members with respect to the intermediate plate in the direction perpendicular to the stacking direction is restricted. The stacked body is fastened together by fastening the fastening plates by using the bolt members.

Abstract: A battery pack (1) includes an outer enclosure (2) and a forked air passage (72) for introducing cooling air via the intake port (9) formed in an outer enclosure (2), sending the air between cell groups (70) and (71) which contain cells (14a-14f), and discharging it from the outer enclosure at discharge ports (11). Two metallic radiator plates (73) partially define the air passage so as to be in contact with the side cells (14a-14d), whereas a circular radiator plate (74) made of synthetic resin also partially define the air passage so as to be in contact with the center cells (14e, 14f). The contact areas of the side cells with the metallic radiator plates (73) are varied in order to achieve even cooling of the cells. The upstream portion of the synthetic resin radiator plate has a thicker wall than the downstream portion to achieve the same purpose.

Abstract: A receiver circuit that can obtain a reception signal with accuracy in high-speed communications using two-wire transmission lines. The receiver circuit receives information signals in a communication system with two-wire transmission lines for transmitting the information signals in opposite phases to each other. The receiver circuit includes an alternating-current coupling arrangement provided for each of the two-wire transmission lines and for extracting alternating-current components of the information signals inputted through the transmission lines. The receiver circuit also includes a reception signal generating arrangement for obtaining a reception signal corresponding to the information signals in accordance with output signals from each of the alternating-current coupling arrangements. Each of the alternating-current coupling arrangements include two time constant circuits having time constants different from each other and connected in parallel to each other between an input and output thereof.

Abstract: A back pressure control apparatus used in a fuel cell system, which can normally operate even when the system starts in a low-temperature environment. The valve has a simple structure realized at low cost. The valve comprises a pipe member which functions as a portion of an oxidizing gas passage and is arranged along an approximately horizontal direction, where a predetermined area of the inner surface of the pipe member is subjected to a hydrophilic process in advance; and a valve element which is provided in the pipe member and is rotatable around a shaft, where the shaft is arranged in a cross-sectional direction of the pipe member. The pipe member may be arranged along an approximately vertical direction. In this case, a predetermined area of the inner surface of the pipe member is subjected to a water repellent process.

Abstract: A fuel cell system comprises a condenser for separating discharged components discharged from a fuel cell into gas components and water and recovering the water, and a flow rate control unit for controlling a flow rate of a cooling medium supplied to the condenser for performing heat exchange with the discharged components, depending on an operation condition of the fuel cell. Accordingly, the flow rate of the cooling medium can be smoothly controlled depending on the operation condition of the fuel cell.

Abstract: There is provided a power output control system for an internal combustion engine, which enables the vehicle to smoothly perform refuge travel to find a place to park when an electric throttle control device becomes incapable of controlling a throttle valve, while ensuring adequate traveling performance. An ECU determines whether or not the electric throttle control device is incapable of controlling the throttle valve, and interrupts energization of the electric throttle control device when it is determined that the electric throttle control device is incapable of controlling the throttle valve. At this time, the opening of the throttle valve is held at the default opening degree by a spring. Further, basic ignition timing is calculated according to the engine rotational speed and load on the engine, and ignition timing of the engine is determined by correcting the calculated basic ignition timing according to the amount of operation of the accelerator pedal.

Abstract: A proton conducting polymer obtained by blending an organic phosphoric acid compound solution with a meta type polyaniline solution; a solid polymer electrolyte for a fuel cell comprising the proton conducting polymer, which is excellent in proton conductivity, methanol barrier property and dopant stability in an aqueous solution of methanol; and an electrode comprising the proton conducting and fine catalyst particles carried on porous particles.

Abstract: A cell voltage measuring device for a fuel cell includes a terminal member to be connected to a separator of the fuel cell, the terminal member including a first end and a second end, and a voltage measuring unit which measures cell voltage of the fuel cell through the terminal member. The first end of the terminal member is fixed to the voltage measuring unit, and the second end of the terminal member makes contact with the separator, and an elastic portion is provided between the first end and the second end of the terminal member. The cell voltage measuring device may further includes a holder member which is capable of maintaining a state in which the second end of the terminal member is separated from each other, and the holder member is movably attached in a stacking direction of the separator with respect to the voltage measuring unit.

Abstract: A fuel cell system comprises a medium-circulating passage for supplying, in a circulating manner, a temperature-adjusting medium to a fuel cell stack, and first and second temperature sensors for detecting medium temperatures at a temperature-adjusting medium inlet and a temperature-adjusting medium outlet. The medium-circulating passage is provided with a pump for circulating the medium, a heater for heating the medium, a radiator for cooling the medium, a bypass passage for bypassing the radiator, and first through third opening/closing valves for selectively supplying the temperature-adjusting medium to the radiator and the bypass passage.

Abstract: An automatic transmission comprises a metal V-belt mechanism 10, which changes the speed ratio of the rotational output from an engine ENG, a forward/reverse direction change mechanism 20, which switches the rotational direction of the ratio-change mechanism, and a forward clutch 30, which actuates the switching operation of the rotational direction performed by the forward/reverse direction-change mechanism. A control system for this transmission comprises a regulator valve 50, which generates a line pressure, a manual valve 80, which is operated in correspondence to the shift lever and switches the supply of the line pressure to the forward clutch, and a drive-range sensor 105, which detects the operation of the manual valve. When the movement of the manual valve to a position where the line pressure is to be supplied to the forward clutch is detected by the drive-range sensor 105, the line pressure, which is adjusted by the regulator valve, is lowered for a predetermined time period.

Abstract: A proton conducting polymer obtained by blending an organic phosphoric acid compound solution with a meta type polyaniline solution; a solid polymer electrolyte for a fuel cell comprising the proton conducting polymer, which is excellent in proton conductivity, methanol barrier property and dopant stability in an aqueous solution of methanol; and an electrode comprising the proton conducting and fine catalyst particles carried on porous particles.

Abstract: A failure determination system and method for an internal combustion engine and an engine control unit are provided which are capable of properly determining a failure of a variable valve mechanism for inactivating a valve system associated with at least one of cylinders during a predetermined operation of the engine, by discriminating a misfire caused by the failure of the mechanism from a normal misfire. Fuel injection valves inject fuel for each cylinder and oxygen concentration of exhaust gases is detected. A misfire condition is detected on a cylinder-by-cylinder basis. Fuel injection to a misfiring cylinder is stopped. A failure of the mechanism is determined, when a parameter based on the oxygen concentration detection indicates a richer value of an actual air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gases than a predetermined reference value does, under a condition of the fuel injection being stopped.

Abstract: A connection of the exhaust emission control device, to which a collecting portion of an exhaust manifold extending rearwards and downwards from a rear face of a cylinder block is connected, is eccentric toward an engine block by a distance with respect to an axis of a cylindrical main casing. Therefore, the exhaust manifold can be located as close as possible to a rear face of the engine block to ensure that travel wind is difficult to collide with the exhaust manifold, thereby preventing a drop in temperature of an exhaust gas to early raise the temperature of the exhaust emission control device. Moreover, since the exhaust manifold is disposed closer to the rear face of the engine block, a collision stroke permitting the retraction of the engine upon frontal collision can be expanded.