Abstract: A first gear pair includes a first pinion on an input shaft and a first ring gear on an intermediate shaft. A second gear pair includes a second pinion on the intermediate shaft and a second ring gear on an output shaft. A first case that stores the first gear pair is coupled to a base member in a rotatable manner around an input shaft rotational axis. A second case is coupled to the first case in a rotatable manner around an intermediate shaft rotational axis.

Abstract: An electricity storage device 20 includes a positive electrode 22, a negative electrode 23 containing a layered structure of an aromatic dicarboxylic acid metal salt as an electrode active material, and an ion conducting medium 27 capable of conducting carrier ions. The layered structure is formed by spray-drying a solution prepared by containing aromatic dicarboxylic acid anions and alkali metal cations by using a spray-drying apparatus.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes a spark plug which protrudes into a combustion chamber. The spark plug has a central electrode and a ground electrode, and is configured such that a spark is generated between the central electrode and the ground electrode by electrical discharge. The spark plug has a vortex generator that separates an air flow near the ground electrode from the ground electrode and generates a vortex at a downstream side. The central electrode and the ground electrode are placed in a manner such that a spark or a flame deformed by an air flow flowing between the central electrode and the ground electrode enters the trailing vortex, or the spark penetrates through the inside of the trailing vortex.

Abstract: A dog clutch includes a rotating member including first dog teeth, an annular dog ring including second dog teeth, and an annular dog sleeve. The rotating member includes first protrusions protruding radially outwardly from the outer circumferences of crests or troughs of the first dog teeth, the dog sleeve includes second protrusions that are configured to come into contact with the first protrusions in a circumferential direction when the dog sleeve moves toward the rotating member in an axial direction, and the first dog teeth and the second dog teeth are disposed at positions at which the first dog teeth and the second dog teeth are able to be engaged with each other in the circumferential direction in a state in which the first protrusions and the second protrusions are in contact with each other.

Abstract: A secondary battery includes a first electrode which is a columnar body having a first active material; a first current collecting unit connected to the first electrode; a second electrode having a second active material; a second current collecting unit connected to the second electrode; and a separation membrane that has ion conductivity and insulates between the first electrode and the second electrode. The secondary battery has a structure in which a plurality of the first electrodes are bound together while being adjacent to the second electrode with the separation membrane therebetween. A first connecting unit that is connected to the first electrode and melts when short-circuiting occurs may be connected to the first current collecting unit.

Abstract: A eukaryotic cell having xylose utilization ability. Provided is a protein that has xylose isomerase activity and has an amino acid sequence including, when aligned with an amino acid sequence expressed by SEQ ID NO:1, the 1st to 6th motifs expressed respectively by SEQ ID NOs:2 to 7 from the N-terminus side in the order described, and having, in place of asparagine (N) in an amino acid sequence of the 6th motif, another amino acid.

Abstract: An all-solid-state lithium secondary battery includes a positive electrode; a negative electrode; and a solid electrolyte arranged between the positive and negative electrodes, to conduct lithium ions. In the all-solid-state lithium secondary battery, a mixed layer is in close contact with a surface of the solid electrolyte adjacent to the positive electrode, the mixed layer containing the positive-electrode active material and (Lix(1??), Mx?/?)?+(B1?y, Ay)z+O2?? (wherein in the formula, M and A each represent at least one or more elements selected from C, Al, Si, Ga, Ge, In, and Sn, ? satisfies 0??<1, ? represents the valence of M, ? represents the average valence of (Li+x(1??), M?), y satisfies 0?y<1, z represents the average valence of (B1?y, Ay) and x, ?, ?, ?, z, and ? satisfy the relational expression (x(1??)+x?/?)?+z=2?) serving as a matrix.

Abstract: A method for producing a nanoheterostructured permanent magnet includes a first step of preparing a raw material solution by dissolving, in a solvent, (1) a block copolymer comprising polymer block components that are immiscible but linked to each other, (2) a first inorganic precursor which is one of a hard magnetic material precursor and a soft magnetic material precursor, and (3) a second inorganic precursor which is the other of the hard magnetic material precursor and the soft magnetic material precursor, and a second step including a phase-separation treatment for forming a nanophase-separated, a conversion treatment for converting the hard magnetic material precursor and the soft magnetic material precursor to a hard magnetic material and a soft magnetic material, respectively, and a removal treatment for removing the block copolymer from the nanophase-separated structure.

Abstract: An apparatus for thermally-stabilizing a carbon material precursor comprises: a heating apparatus which thermally-stabilizes a carbon material precursor; a temperature measuring means for measuring a temperature in the heating apparatus; a water vapor concentration measuring means for measuring a concentration of water vapor in the heating apparatus; and a temperature control means for feedback-controlling the temperature in the heating apparatus by using the concentration of water vapor as an index such that generation of water vapor in a thermal-stabilization reaction of the carbon material precursor is completed and generation of water vapor in a partial oxidation reaction of the carbon material precursor is suppressed in a temperature range between a temperature range where the generation of water vapor is accelerated in the thermal-stabilization reaction and a temperature range where the generation of water vapor is accelerated in the partial oxidation reaction.

Abstract: A sliding system includes a pair of sliding members having sliding surfaces that can relatively move while facing each other and a lubricant oil interposed between the sliding surfaces facing each other. At least one of the sliding surfaces includes a coating surface of a crystalline Cr plating film. The lubricant oil contains an oil-soluble molybdenum compound comprising a trinuclear Mo structure. In particular, considerably low friction properties can be developed by a combination of the Cr plating film, in which at least one of three types of peak area intensity ratios (P1 to P3) as obtained by X-ray diffraction falls within a predetermined range (P1?0.015, P2?0.02, P3?0.03), and the lubrication oil which contains the trinuclear Mo structure.

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes: a plurality of reactor vessels containing a hydrogen storage material; a hydrogen tank storing a hydrogen gas; a fuel cell; a cooling device to dissipate exhaust heat from the reactor vessels or the fuel cell to the outside; a hydrogen gas line that can switch supply routes of the hydrogen gas among the reactor vessels, the hydrogen tank, and the fuel cell; a heat exchange line that can switch circulation routes of a heat exchange medium among the reactor vessels, the fuel cell, and the cooling device; and a control mechanism to switch the supply routes of the hydrogen gas and the circulation routes of the heat exchange medium.

Abstract: A bipolar plate includes a substrate and a coating film that is formed at least on a part of a surface of the substrate. The coating film includes a phosphide having a composition represented by M2-xTixP, where M is any one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Ni, Co, Fe, Mn and Cr, and 0.1?x?1.9. The coating film preferably includes two kinds or more of the metal elements M, and preferably has a thickness ranging from 0.05 ?m or greater to 100 ?m or less.

Abstract: A vehicle driving apparatus includes a first motor, a second motor, and a planetary mechanism, and obtains a driving force by combining motive forces obtained from the first motor and the second motor by a planetary gear of the planetary mechanism. The vehicle driving apparatus includes at least one of a design value and a control quantity in which a frequency ratio between a sound generated by a rotation of the first motor and a sound generated by a rotation of the second motor satisfies a reduction condition of dissonance.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing compound single crystal includes a crystal growth section to hold a seed crystal, a gas supply section to supply a metal-contained gas and a reactant gas toward the seed crystal, and a heating section to heat the seed crystal and a metal source. The gas supply section includes a crucible holding the metal source, a carrier gas supply unit, and a reactant gas supply unit. A porous baffle plate is provided in an opening of the crucible. The porous baffle plate satisfies a relationship of 80%?(1?VH/VB)×100<100% and a relationship of 0.0003<a2/L<1.1. VB is an apparent volume of the porous baffle plate, VH is a total volume of the through-holes contained in the porous baffle plate, “a” is a diameter of the through-hole, and L is a length of the through-hole.

Abstract: A shift mechanism switches power transmission paths among a first transmission shaft, a second transmission shaft, and a third transmission shaft that are concentrically arranged on a rotational axis. The shift mechanism has a drive drum that is provided so as to be coaxial with the rotational axis and pivotable about the rotational axis, and a first driven drum and a second driven drum that are arranged on the rotational axis so as to be concentric with the drive drum and move along the rotational axis as the drive drum pivots. As the first driven drum moves, a first shift sleeve advances and retreats, and the first transmission shaft and the second transmission shaft are connected and disconnected. In addition, as the second driven drum moves, a second shift sleeve advances and retreats, and the second transmission shaft and the third transmission shaft are connected and disconnected.

Abstract: A sliding member has a sliding surface sliding under a wet condition in which a lubricant oil exists. The sliding surface is coated with a laminate film comprising an upper layer and a lower layer. The lower layer comprises hydrogen-free amorphous carbon (hydrogen-free DLC) and carbon particles dispersed on or in the hydrogen-free DLC. The hydrogen-free DLC has a hydrogen content of 5 atom % or less when the lower layer as a whole is 100 atom %. The upper layer comprises boron-containing amorphous carbon (B-DLC) and has protrusions on a surface side of the upper layer along the carbon particles of the lower layer. The B-DLC has a boron content of 1-40 atom % when the upper layer as a whole is 100 atom %. The protrusions have a particle diameter of 0.5-5 ?m and exist with a density of 20 protrusions/100 ?m2 or more.

Abstract: An antireflection member, including a resin base member; and a particle layer having mesoporous-silica nanoparticles directly fixed to a surface of the resin base member, wherein the nanoparticles are at least partially embedded in the surface of the resin base member, and the nanoparticles are arranged in a mono-particle layer to form the particle layer.

Abstract: A planetary gear mechanism has a first planetary gear train that includes a ring gear to which power from a main power source is input, a planetary carrier that is connected to a first output shaft, a first planetary pinion that is turnably supported by the planetary carrier, and a first sun gear that is connected to a distribution electric motor. The planetary gear mechanism also has a second planetary gear train that includes the ring gear, the planetary carrier, the first planetary pinion, a second planetary pinion that is turnably supported by the planetary carrier, and a second sun gear that is connected to a second output shaft.

Abstract: A honeycomb-shaped reaction vessel, comprising: a honeycomb-shaped substrate; and a reaction layer arranged in at least a portion of an inner wall of a cell of the honeycomb-shaped substrate dividedly in a direction along an inner circumference of the cell and dividedly in a longitudinal direction of the cell.

Abstract: To realize a compact device that detects phase or controls phase or an amplitude with high sensitivity, a signal controller includes: a linear conductor having a first end fixed to a negative electrode and a second end serving as a free end; a positive electrode facing the free end with a small gap therebetween; a first signal source that applies a voltage between the negative electrode and the positive electrode, the voltage applied being variable; a driving electrode that applies an electric field to a space around the conductor, the electric field having a component perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of the conductor; and a second signal source that applies an AC signal to the driving electrode. The signal processor can be a device for controlling or modulating phase or amplitude.