Abstract: Provided is an inverted pendulum mobile vehicle such as a single-passenger coaxial two-wheel vehicle which is capable of turning with a small turning radius without causing discomfort to a rider or a vehicle occupant or causing a cargo or the like on the vehicle from shifting or falling off from the vehicle. The vehicle comprises a wheel supporting frame (12), a body frame (12) supported by the wheel supporting frame so as to be rotatable around a vertical axial line and carry a rider and or a cargo and a body coupler (52, 78, 70) that couples the body frame relative to the wheel supporting frame in a prescribed dynamic positional relationship.

Abstract: In an apparatus installed on a boat for identifying and controlling operation of an outboard motor selected by an operator and clamped to the boat from among outboard motors in different models prepared to be selectable by the operator, including a model having an analog device that produces analog signal and a model having a digital device that converts the analog signal produced by the analog device into a digital signal, it is discriminated whether the inputted signal is the analog signal inputted through the analog signal input/output or the digital signal inputted through the digital signal input/output, and the model of the selected outboard motor is identified based on the discriminated signal, thereby enabling to surely identify the model and control its operation.

Abstract: A stepping motor includes: a cylindrical rotor assembly disposed around the rotation axis; a stator assembly including two stator units disposed around the rotor assembly and axially coupled to each other; and a terminal structure disposed at the axial center of the outer circumference of the stator assembly. The terminal structure includes: a terminal block cluster composed of four terminal blocks; and four terminals fixed respectively to the four terminal blocks. The four terminals each include: an internal connection portion to which one of two wire ends of the winding is connected; and an external connection portion which is disposed substantially parallel to the internal connection portion and which is connected to a driving circuit disposed externally. The four terminals are arranged in a line along a direction substantially orthogonal to the rotation axis, and the internal connection portion and the external connection portion are aligned along the rotation axis.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an electrolyte for photoelectric conversion elements, and a photoelectric conversion element and a dye-sensitized solar cell using the electrolyte, wherein high energy conversion efficiency can be achieved while substantially not including iodine. The electrolyte for a photoelectric conversion element of the present invention includes an ionic liquid (A) and a carbon material (B). The carbon material (B) is a carbon material (B1) displaying a pH, measured by a pH measuring method specified in Japanese Industry Standard (JIS) Z8802, of from 2 to 6 and/or a boron-modified acetylene black (B2). A content of the carbon material (B) is from 10 to 50 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the ionic liquid (A).

Abstract: A tailgate structure having a tailgate (17) composed of an outer panel (31), a frame (32), and a lining (33); and a lock mechanism (43). The frame has an opening (61) formed between the lock mechanism and a mounting hole (35) for an externally mounted component, the hole being formed in the outer panel. The lining has a protrusion (68) that protrudes toward the exterior of the vehicle. The protrusion is positioned on a line that connects the mounting hole and the lock mechanism. When a rod-shaped member is inserted into the tailgate from the mounting hole, the rod-shaped member will come into contact with the protrusion and will not reach the lock mechanism.

Abstract: A frictional drive device comprising a pair of drive disks rotatably supported by a frame around a central axial line in a mutually opposing relationship, a pair of motors actuating the drive disks, a plurality of drive rollers arranged along an outer periphery of each drive disk at a regular interval and each having a rotational center line so as to be rotatable along a plane which is neither parallel nor perpendicular to the central axial line, and an annular main wheel comprising an annular member and a plurality of driven rollers supported along the annular member so as to be rotatable around a tangential line of the annular member, the main wheel engaging an object to the actuated, the central axial line of at least one of the drive disks is tilted in an outward direction with respect to a central axial line of the main wheel.

Abstract: A process in which a self-sealing pneumatic tire consisting of a pneumatic tire after vulcanization molding furnished with a sealant layer being uniform without thickness irregularity and a cover sheet layer therefore is produced without the use of an organic solvent and expensive apparatus; and an apparatus therefore.

Abstract: A variable damping-force damper includes a cylinder tube filled with magnetic particles (MRF), a piston that is slidably disposed within the cylinder tube, a piston rod connected with the piston and is disposed so as to protrude out of one end of the cylinder tube and a rod guide that closes one end of the cylinder tube and slidably supports the piston rod. The cylinder tube has a Ni plating film whose Vickers hardness is 800 VHN or more on its inner peripheral surface and the piston slides relative to the Ni plating film. The rod guide has a structure having a predetermined base material portion and a fluorine resin contained Ni plating film that is treated by heat and is provided on the surface of the base material portion. The piston rod slides relative to the fluorine resin contained Ni plating film.

Abstract: A photocatalyst-coated body includes a substrate with an organic material as a surface thereof, a photocatalyst layer with interstices between the particles in the layer and an intermediate layer provided between the substrate and the photocatalyst layer. The photocatalyst layer includes photocatalyst particles in a range of 1 part?x<20 parts by mass, inorganic oxide particles in a range of 70 parts?y<99 parts by mass, and a dried substance of a hydrolyzable silicone in a range of zero parts?z<10 parts by mass, provided that a total amount of the photocatalyst particles, the inorganic oxide particles, and the dried substance of the hydrolyzable silicone is 100 parts by mass in terms of silica. The intermediate layer comprising a silicone-modified resin, wherein the silicone-modified resin includes silicon atom in an amount of 0.2% by mass or more and less than 16.5% by mass.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a fabric treating agent to satisfy good sewability required to interior material fabrics for vehicles including automobiles and trains, the good sewability which arises from the trend toward ultrafiner fibers for manufacturing the fabrics, change in fabric structure from weave to knit, and increasing sewing machine speed. The present invention provides the fabric treating agent comprising at least one wax (a) selected from the group consisting of a paraffin wax having a melting point of 60° C. or higher, an oxidized paraffin wax having a melting point of 60° C. or higher, a polyethylene wax having a melting point of 100° C. or higher, and an oxidized polyethylene wax having a melting point of 100° C. or higher; and a nonionic surfactant (b). The present invention also provides a process for producing fabrics applied with the fabric treating agent, and provides vehicle interior material fabrics.

Abstract: A constant-temperature type crystal oscillator includes: a surface-mount crystal unit, in which a crystal element is housed in a case main body to hermetically encapsulate the crystal element with a metal cover, and which includes a crystal terminal serving as a mounting terminal that is electrically connected to at least the crystal element on an outer bottom face of the case main body; a thermistor that detects an operational temperature of the surface-mount crystal unit; and a circuit substrate, on which elements forming an oscillator circuit and elements forming a temperature control circuit along with the thermistor are installed. The thermistor includes a first and second terminal electrode and a temperature detecting electrode that is electrically independent of the first and second terminal electrode. The temperature detecting electrode is electrically connected to the crystal terminal of the surface-mount crystal unit through a circuit pattern formed on the circuit substrate.

Abstract: Disclosed is a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery which is suppressed in increase of internal resistance, while having high capacity retention rate and small battery swelling even after a long use. Specifically disclosed is a method for manufacturing a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery, which is characterized by using a positive electrode containing a positive electrode active material having an ?-NaFeO2 crystal structure and the following chemical composition: LixMnaNibCocOd (wherein 0<x<1.3, a+b+c=1, 1.7?d?2.3), while satisfying |a?b|<0.03 and 0.33?c<1, a negative electrode, and a nonaqueous electrolyte containing an unsaturated sultone and a sulfate ester compound.

Abstract: In an internal combustion engine, a variable valve-actuating mechanism includes a trigger pin operable to permit axial movement of a rocker arm concurrently with a axial movement of a rocker arm shaft. A retention member has an insertion aperture formed therein, in which the trigger pin is inserted, and which slidably supports the trigger pin in the inserting direction. The trigger pin includes upper and lower expanded portions disposed on both sides thereof in the inserting direction. The upper and lower expanded portions of the trigger pin are operable to disable sliding motion of the trigger pin, relative to the retention member, beyond a predetermined range. The upper and lower expanded portions allow the trigger pin to be integrally assembled in the insertion aperture of the retention member, so as to be selectively retained therein.

Abstract: A photocatalyst-coated body comprises a substrate and a photocatalyst layer provided on the substrate, the photocatalyst layer comprising photocatalyst particles of 1 part or more by mass and less than 20 parts by mass, inorganic oxide particles of 70 parts or more by mass and less than 99 parts by mass, and the dried substance of a hydrolyzable silicone of zero parts or more by mass and less than 10 parts by mass, provided that a total amount of the photocatalyst particles, the dried substance of the inorganic oxide particles and the hydrolyzable silicone is 100 parts by mass in terms of silica, wherein the photocatalyst layer has a film thickness of 3.0 ?m or less.

Abstract: There is provided a structure of a vibration insulating member for firmly fixing the member between a fuel tank mounted on a vehicle body by means of a tank band and the vehicle body. The vibration insulating member includes an engaging protrusion that is fixed to a fixing hole that is made through the vehicle body in a direction orthogonal to a direction in which the tank band is fastened.

Abstract: A photocatalytic coating composition comprising photocatalytic titanium oxide, silver, copper and a quaternary ammonium hydroxide. The photocatalytic coating composition may include a photocatalytic titanium oxide sol dispersed in a binder. Furthermore, a photocatalytic member includes a substrate having a surface coated with the photocatalytic coating composition. The photocatalyst coating composition can contain highly antibacterial silver by skillfully utilizing copper and a quaternary ammonium hydroxide, and accordingly can show an antibacterial effect not only in a dark place simply due to silver, but also a higher antibacterial effect in a conventional application of employing ultraviolet sterilization by concomitantly using the photocatalyst titanium oxide sol according to the present invention and an ultraviolet sterilizer.

Abstract: In an apparatus for controlling an outboard motor mounted on a stern of a boat and having an internal combustion engine to power a propeller, a drive shaft that connects the engine and the propeller, and a torque converter that is interposed between the engine and the drive shaft and is equipped with a lockup clutch, it is configured to have a planing determiner that determines whether the boat is planning and a clutch ON unit that makes the lockup clutch ON when the boat is determined to be planing. With this, it becomes possible to appropriately make the lockup clutch ON after completing acceleration, thereby improving speed performance.

Abstract: A vehicle frame structure includes a central frame member, extending in a vehicle longitudinal direction at a central portion of a body frame. The central frame member includes a front end joined to a second front cross pipe, and a rear end joined to a second lower crossmember behind the second front cross pipe. When viewed from the side, the central frame member extends in a substantially straight line along with the left and right front reinforcing pipes. The front end portion of the central frame member is joined to the second front cross pipe at a position inwardly of a joint between the left front reinforcing pipe and the second front cross pipe, and inwardly of a joint between the right front reinforcing pipe and the second front cross pipe. Such frame structure lowers level of a center of gravity of the vehicle, and enhances rigidity.

Abstract: Provided is a method of manufacturing a pneumatic tire which enables an inner liner layer made of a thermoplastic resin or a thermoplastic elastomer composition to be formed without decreasing the productivity and deterioration the working environment. Powder 8 of a thermoplastic resin or a thermoplastic elastomer composition having an average particle diameter of not more than 1 mm is sprayed and adhered onto the inner surface of an uncured tire or a cured tire. Thereafter, the inner surface of the tire is heated under pressure so as to thermally fuse the powder 8 and bond the powder 8 to the inner surface of the tire, thereby forming an inner liner layer 7.