Abstract: Methods are disclosed for starting up a fuel cell system from starting temperatures below 0° C. The methods apply to systems comprising a solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell stack whose cathodes comprise an oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalyst and whose anodes comprise both a hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) catalyst and an oxidation evolution reaction (OER) catalyst. In the methods, from the beginning of starting up until the fuel cell temperature reaches 0° C., the fuel cell stack current is kept sufficiently low such that the current density drawn does not exceed the stack's capability for the oxidation evolution and the oxygen reduction reactions to occur at the anode and cathode respectively (i.e. current density drawn is less than the stack's maximum OER/ORR current density).

Abstract: Improved methods are disclosed for shutting down and storing a fuel cell system, particularly for below freezing temperature conditions. The methods comprise stopping power production from the fuel cell stack, monitoring its temperature, and repeatedly performing a predetermined warming operation if the stack temperature falls to a normal threshold temperature. In the improved methods, either an initial threshold temperature and/or an initial warming operation are used that differ from the respective normal threshold temperature and the predetermined warming operation.

Abstract: A fluid-filled tubular vibration-damping device including: an inner shaft member; an intermediate tube member spaced radially outward therefrom; a main rubber elastic body connecting the two members; an outer tube member fastened externally onto the intermediate tube member; a pair of fluid chambers formed between the inner shaft member and the outer tube member so as to be on opposite sides of the inner shaft member; and an orifice passage interconnecting the fluid chambers. In at least one of the fluid chambers, at least one of side walls positioned on axially opposite sides includes a thick central connector positioned in a circumferentially central portion of the side wall and extending in an axis-perpendicular direction, and thin flexible walls that are thinner than the central connector while being positioned and spreading on circumferentially opposite sides of the side wall.

Abstract: Provided is an electrode catalyst layer excellent in gas transportability by using an electrode catalyst layer for fuel cell comprising a catalyst containing a catalyst carrier and a catalytic metal carried on the catalyst carrier and an electrolyte, wherein the catalyst partially is coated with the electrolyte, and a specific surface area of the catalytic metal which gas can reach without passing through an electrolyte is 50% or more, with respect to the total specific surface area of the catalytic metal.

Abstract: A fuel cell system that generates power by supplying anode gas and cathode gas to a fuel cell has a control valve that controls pressure of the anode gas supplied to the fuel cell, a pulsation operation unit that causes pulsation of pressure of anode gas in the fuel cell in accordance with a predetermined pressure by controlling an opening degree of the control valve based on an operating condition of the fuel cell system, and a stagnation point determination unit that determines, based on a change in the pressure of the anode gas in the fuel cell, whether or not a stagnation point exists where an anode gas concentration is locally low in the fuel cell. When the stagnation determining unit determines that the stagnation point exists in the fuel cell, the pulsation operation unit increases the predetermined pressure in execution of a pulsation operation.

Abstract: An engine starting device is provided with a battery, a starter motor, an inrush current limit circuit and a control unit. The inrush current limit circuit has a resistor and a bypass relay connected in parallel. The inrush current limit circuit is interposed between the battery and the starter motor. The bypass relay has a normally open contact that is configured to be closed at a time of engine startup. The control unit is programmed to include a fault identification unit that identifies a location of fault occurrence in the inrush current limit circuit based on a minimum voltage of the battery existing while the starter motor is determined to be in operation and an amount of decrease in voltage of the battery existing while the normally open contact is determined to be actuated in a closing direction.

Abstract: A shift lever device which includes: a shift lever turnably fitted on a stationary member; an engaging member for engagement of the shift lever with the stationary member; and a knob fitted on the shift lever. The engaging member is moved toward its distal end to disengage from the stationary member. The knob includes a knob body provided with a fitting hole into which the shift lever is inserted together with a first engaging part of the engaging member, a button pivoted on the knob body, and a link lever connected to the button, having a second engaging part for engagement with the first engaging part. When the shift lever is inserted into the fitting hole and the distal end thereof reaches a predetermined position therein, the button is operated to have the second engaging part engaged with the first engaging part.

Abstract: A stator for use in an axial-gap dynamo-electric machine. The stator core may be fabricated from a plurality of stator core elements each of which may be arranged to form teeth portions on a rotor side of the stator core elements and which also form back portions on a base side of the stator core elements. The stator core elements may contact one another such that magnetic, and other losses, are reduced and overall machine efficiency is improved over conventional designs.

Abstract: A battery is provided with a support body, a surface of the support body, a plurality of unit cells located inside the support body, and an opening portion communicating between an inside and an outside of the support body. A resonance is allowed in the surface of the support body and the opening portion is provided in the surface of the support body at a region involving a loop position of the resonance.

Abstract: An aluminum alloy for die casting, contains, in terms of mass percentage: Si in the range of 1.0˜3.5%; Mg in the range of 2.5˜4.5%; Mn in the range of 0.3˜1.5%; Fe in the range equal to or less than 0.15%; Ti in the range of equal to or less than 0.20%; and the balance of aluminum and inevitable impurities. A die cast product having good strength and elongation in a high strain rate region is produced from the aluminum alloy without the need for solution heat treatment.

Abstract: A battery set and a method for producing electric power output are disclosed as including a plurality of groups (A, B) of series-connected battery cells, wherein each group produces a voltage of x [V] in a normal state and a voltage of y [V] in an overcharged state and wherein each group includes more than y/(y−x) pieces and less than 400/x pieces of battery cells (12a, 12b, 12c, 12n; 14a, 14b, 14c, 14d, 14n) which are connected in series, and the plurality of groups of the series-connected battery cells are connected in parallel. Preferably, the battery set includes plural groups of more than fourpieces of LiMn2O4 type lithium ion battery cells which are connected in series, with the plural groups being connected in parallel.

Abstract: The upper and lower ends of plural trunnions (46) of a toroidal continuously variable transmission are joined by links (50, 52). A trunnion shaft (70) is joined to the lower end of the trunnion (46). A boss (78A) of a piston (78) is attached to the outer circumference of the trunnion shaft (70), and tightened toward the trunnion (46) by a nut (82) which screws into the trunnion shaft (70). The upper end of the boss is formed as a plane surface, and a supporting surface (76E) of a supporting member (76) which supports this plane surface on the trunnion (46) is formed as a spherical surface. When the spherical surface and plane surface under a relative displacement, a bending load which acts on the trunnion (46) is prevented from acting on the piston (78), and wear of the piston (78) is suppressed.

Abstract: In an engine whose target air-fuel ratio during the idle state is set to a leaner value than a theoretical air-fuel ratio, the target air-fuel ratio is forcibly switched to the theoretical air-fuel ratio and the learning is performed, when learning a learning correction quantity of the idle rotation speed, and the learning performed by switching to said theoretical air-fuel ratio is executed only once during an on state of an ignition switch.

Abstract: A rotation speed is feedback controlled to a target rotation speed during idle running of an engine. When an automatic transmission is in a travel range, a brake is being operated and a vehicle speed is less than a predetermined value, the target rotation speed is decreased. A required vehicle creep force is different according to whether the vehicle has substantially stopped such as when it is waiting on a crossing, or whether it is moving in the idle running state as when it is being garaged or is following a vehicle in front of it in a traffic jam. By decreasing the target rotation speed according to the vehicle speed, an optimum creep force is obtained in both cases.

Abstract: A power input flange is fixed to the tip of a power input shaft whose diameter increases in steps from a tip thereof along a main body thereof and which is supported within a casing, and a power output disk is supported upon the outer peripheral surface of the power input shaft. A power input disk is supported upon the outer peripheral surface of the power input shaft between the power input flange and the power output disk, and a power roller is provided which is contacted at a variable inclination with both the power input disk and the power output disk. A member which biases the power input disk in the direction of the power output disk is supported upon the power input flange. And the power input flange is supported via a radial bearing upon the outer peripheral surface of a tubular shaped support portion which projects inwards from the casing. By this, the diameter of the support portion is increased as compared with the case in which the power input shaft is directly supported by the casing.

Abstract: A vehicle safety system is equipped with a microcomputer for reliably detecting whether or not programs for controlling activation of passenger protection devices are being properly executed and, based on this detection, preventing problems from occurring in the control operations of the programs. According to one aspect of the invention, the system monitors a program executed on an interrupt basis at prescribed regular time intervals, a repeatedly executed program, and the operations of these programs, synchronously with the execution of the programs, and resets the microcomputer if an error is detected in the execution of either program. According to another, at the time of moving to a subroutine a code peculiar to the subroutine is saved at the entry portion and the saved code is compared with the code peculiar to the executed subroutine at the exit portion for detecting occurrence of error and if error is detected the microcomputer is reset.

Abstract: A fluid-filled cylindrical elastic mount having an inner sleeve and an outer sleeve, and an elastic body interposed therebetween. The elastic mount also has a primary fluid chamber adapted to undergo pressure changes upon application of a vibrational load to the mount, and a first and a second auxiliary fluid chamber partially defined by a first and a second flexible diaphragm, respectively. The second flexible diaphragm has a greater stiffness than the first flexible diaphragm. A non-compressible fluid flows between the primary and first auxiliary fluid chambers, through a first orifice passage tuned to a first frequency range, and a second orifice passage tuned to a second frequency range that is higher than the first frequency range. The fluid also flows between the primary and second auxiliary fluid chambers, through a third orifice passage tuned to a third frequency range that is higher than the second frequency range.

Abstract: Crystal growing cell including first and second casings. The first casing has a first solution chamber for containing a first solution therein. The first solution chamber has an opening. The second casing has a closing member placed therein for movement in a first direction and in a second direction opposite to the first direction. The second casing has a third casing placed therein. The third casing is fixed to the first casing around the opening to form a second solution chamber for containing a second solution therein. The closing member is moved in the first direction to close the opening so as to separate the first solution chamber from the second solution chamber. The closing member is moved in the second direction to open the opening so as to connect the first solution chamber to the second solution chamber.

Abstract: A system for driving an electric automotive vehicle controls a slip frequency of a motor by feeding back to a signal control part a rotational speed detected by a motor speed sensor when the motor speed is normal. When the motor speed sensor is abnormal the system controls the slip frequency by feeding back to the signal control part the rotational speed estimated in accordance with an operating condition of the vehicle.

Abstract: In an impact type clamping apparatus including a motor unit for generating a pulsatory driving torque, a main spindle driven by said pulsatory driving torque to rotate a fastening member, a detecting unit for detecting a pulsatory torque applied to the main spindle, a calculating circuit for calculating a clamping force in accordance with a peak value of the pulsatory torque, and a control unit for stopping the operation of said motor unit when the calculated clamping force exceeds a desired clamping force, said clamping force is calculated not only from the peak value of the pulsatory torque but also from an increasing coefficient which represents a relationship between the peak value of the pulsatory torque and an increment of the clamping force.