Abstract: In a Josephson device which can be employed as a sensor including superconductor for measuring an extremely weak magnetic field, a Josephson junction consisting of superconducting material is formed, and a covering layer consisting of ordinary conducting metal or semiconductor is formed on the Josephson junction. This enables the Josephson junction to be isolated from the oxidized atmosphere. Further, the covering layer is not to present any deterioration such as cracks even upon being subjected to a thermal hysteresis from very low temperature to ordinary temperature.

Abstract: An adsorbent having high adsorption properties and a good strength, which comprises a plurality of sintered sheets of activated carbon, said sheets being those prepared by sintering activated carbon which may contain a carbonaceous binding material infusible under sintering conditions, a pulp for papers or a heat-meltable synthetic resin, and being arranged in layers so as to form a space between the adjacent sheets.

Abstract: An adsorbent having high adsorption characteristics and high heat conductivity, which comprises a heat conductive sheet and at least one adsorbing sheet provided on at least one surface of the heat conductive sheet in contact therewith and which can perform a removal or supply of a heat through the heat conductive sheet to improve the adsorption or desorption efficiency, and an assembly comprising at least two adsorbents arranged in layers so as to form spaces between the adjacent adsorbents.

Abstract: A control apparatus for maintaining constant the temperature and pressure of the vapor phase in a very low-temperature controlled liquefied gas container includes a pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, two electromagnetic valves, and a refrigerator. When operation of the refrigerator disturbs measurement at low temperature, the refrigerator is stopped. Gas vaporizes from a liquid phase, and gas is discharged from the container. In this manner, the temperature and pressure of the liquefied gas in the container can be maintained constant. After measurement, the liquid level in the container will be lowered by evaporation, so that the liquefied gas is supplied to the container. In this manner, the liquid level in the container can be maintained constant.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a three dimensional conductive organic polymer covered micro structure having improved current carrying capacity as compared to a substantially smooth surface. More specifically, it relates to a three-dimensional poly(aniline) or poly(pyrrole)-substrate micro structure for use as a battery electrode, having improved properties as compared to a substantially smooth surface, which structure comprises: a thin surface layer of poly(aniline) or poly(pyrrole) film on a substrate surface, wherein the polyaniline or poly(pyrrole) film has a thickness of between about 0.1 and 10 microns and the substrate surface is irregular or patterned having a protruding surface, wherein representative protrusions amount to between about 40 to 90 percent of the surface of the electrode. The processes to produce the three-dimensional microstructure are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention provides an improvement in the process of producing pitch-based carbon fibers comprising the steps of spinning a spinnable pitch, treating the resulting pitch fibers for rendering infusible, and carbonizing the same, the improvement comprises the step of removing the surface layer from the carbon fibers obtained in said process.

Abstract: Polymer-type fibers longitudinally shrinkable by calcination and other carbon fibers are mixed and mechanically compressed and integrated by a needle punch, and the polymer-type fibers are then shrunk when calcined. Thus, there is obtained high bulk density carbon fiber felt having average bulk density of 0.1 g/cm.sup.3 or more without the carbon fiber felt impregnated with, resin and compressingly molded. The density of carbon fiber felt may change in the thickness direction thereof. The high bulk density carbon fiber felt may be used as a thermal insulator for a high-temperature furnace, a heat-resisting cushioning material, and a material for the electrode of a secondary battery.

Abstract: The invention relates to a fuel electrode for high-temperature solid electrolyte fuel cells and a process for manufacture of the electrode. The fuel electrode of the invention is a porous element composed of a high-melting metal, such as ruthenium, osmium, rhodium or iridium, or an alloy containing the metal. The process for manufacture of the fuel electrode comprises coating an electrode material with a solution or dispersion of the high-melting metal and/or its chloride, sintering the same and finally reducing the product.

Abstract: A vehicle is provided for moving within pipes to determine the condition of the interior of the pipes. The vehicle has at least one wheel which is capable of travelling on walls of magnetic material. Each wheel comprises an outer wheel member having an annular peripheral wall with an inner wheel member including a portion of magnetically permeable material. The inner wheel member has an outside diameter smaller than the inside diameter of the outer wheel member and is rollable on the inner peripheral surface of the outer wheel member. A magnet is provided in the inner wheel member having magnetic poles in contact with the permeable portion of the inner wheel. The vehicle is capable of moving through pipes without being blocked by obstacles such as a vertical wall extending from a horizontal surface. A sensor is mounted on the vehicle and a sensor processing module receives distance and time data and processes the data to determine whether the pipe is clear or obstructed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a magnetically active organometallic Schiff base polymer having a molecular weight of between about 4,000 and 50,000 daltons. In an additional aspect, the present invention relates to a process for the preparation of magnetically active organometallic polymer having a molecular weight of between about 4,000 and 50,000 daltons, wherein the polymer comprises a multiplicity of Schiff base tridentate chelating groups having the capacity to combine with the iron (II) or iron (III) ion of an organic salt, which process comprises:(a) combining at least one organic diamine including hydrazine with at least one organic diketone or dialdehyde in an anhydrous dipolar aprotic solvent for a time sufficient to produce to polymer at a temperature of between about 50.degree. C. and 200.degree. C.

Abstract: A pipe electromagnetic field simulation apparatus used to simulate a current produced by flaw in a pipe when the flaw is subjected to the electromagnetic field of a transmitting coil. The apparatus includes a system for determining an electromagnetic field distribution of a represented pipe without a flaw, a system for determining an equivalent current source of a represented flaw in the represented pipe, and a system for determining the electromagnetic field distribution of a represented pipe with a flaw. The apparatus may also include a system for determining a signal received by a detector which indicates a flaw.

Abstract: A diaminoazothiophene compound represented by the formula (I): ##STR1## salts thereof or metal complexes thereof and a method for preparing the same.

Abstract: The present invention provides: (1) a formed tubular thermal insulator comprising a felt piece of carbon fibers spirally wound to form a laminate of felt layers integrally bonded to each other with the carbonized substance present between the felt layers with substantially no wavy deformation of spiral winding form, and (2) a process for preparing a formed thermal insulator, the process comprising spirally winding a felt piece of carbon fibers and a film and/or net with a carbonizable resin inserted therebetween while applying a tensile force on the film and/or net to form a laminate, followed by curing and carbonization.

Abstract: A toroidal chamber in a piston communicating through an orifice at a top face of the piston located in an internal combustion system, such as a spark ignition engine or a compression ignition engine. The chamber arranged to receive a fuel/air mixture so that a flame front, propagated in a main combustion chamber outside the toroidal chamber reaches the toroidal chamber, the fuel in the toroidal chamber burns. The burning creates pressure in the chamber that exceeds the pressure in the main combustion chamber. The combustion gas of high pressure is jetted out of the toroidal chamber into the main combustion chamber. The high pressure combustion gas jet generates turbulence and mixing in the main combustion chamber, contributing to an improved combustion. Accordingly, the power output and the thermal efficiency of the internal combustion system is improved.

Abstract: A vehicle is provided for moving within pipes to determine the condition of the interior of the pipes. The vehicle has at least one wheel which is capable of travelling on walls of magnetic material. Each wheel comprises an outer wheel member having an annular peripheral wall with an inner wheel member including a portion of magnetically permeable material. The inner wheel member has an outside diameter smaller than the inside diameter of the outer wheel member and is rollable on the inner peripheral surface of the outer wheel member. A magnet is provided in the inner wheel member having magnetic poles in contact with the permeable portion of the inner wheel. The vehicle is capable of moving through pipes without being blocked by obstacles such as a vertical wall extending from a horizontal surface. A sensor is mounted on the vehicle and a sensor processing module receives distance and time data and processes the data to determine whether the pipe is clear or obstructed.

Abstract: Disclosed is a vibratory sieve for separation of fibrous materials from materials containing them, the vibratory sieve comprising a sieve body and a mechanism for imparting vibration to the sieve, the sieve body including a screen to be vibrated by the mechanism, the sieve being adapted to convey a mixture of water and the materials containing the fibrous materials onto the screen through meshes of which finer particles and water are passed by the vibration of the screen, leaving the fibrous materials on the screen, the sieve being characterized in that the sieve is provided with an annular member which is movable on the screen surface by the vibration of the screen and whose movement is confined by an inlet member in such a way that the mixture of water and the materials containing the fibrous materials is placed inside the annular member.

Abstract: A solid-electrolyte fuel cell system comprising a plurality of solid-electrolyte fuel cells, a plurality of oxygen gas passage devices, and a plurality of fuel gas passage devices. Each cell includes an electrolyte layer, an oxygen electrode applied to one surface of the electrolyte layer, and a fuel electrode applied to the other surface of the electrolyte layer. Each oxygen gas passage device defines oxygen-containing gas passages opposed to the oxygen electrode, and has a conductive portion. Each fuel gas passage device defines fuel passages opposed to the fuel electrode, and have a conductive portion. Adjacent cells are laminated in a conductive state through the oxygen gas and fuel gas passage devices.

Abstract: A solid state and conductive polymer composition comprising a host copolymer shown in the general formula: ##STR1## wherein n is an integer in the range of 3 to 1.times.10.sup.-7, m is an integer in the range of 3 to 100, R is --C.sub.6 H.sub.3 (CH.sub.3)-- or --(CH.sub.2).sub.l -- (l is an integer in the range of 1 to 10), A is hydrogen atom or side chain and the mole fraction of PEO units in the host copolymer is not less than 5% and a supporting electrolyte containing at least one of salts consisting of alkali metal salt, alkaline earth metal salt, ammonium salt, transition matal salt and a solid acid, a supporting electrolyte being admixed in an amount in the range of 0.1 to 400 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the host copolymer.

Abstract: A carbon fiber reinforced carbon of the present invention is composed of a sintered body comprising precursor carbonaceous fiber and self-sintering carbonaceous powder with the precursor carbonaceous fiber buried therein. Since the precursor carbonaceous fiber working as a reinforcement and the self-sintering carbonaceous powder working as a binder come to have substantially the same physical properties (strength, shrinkage rate and the like), the boudary adhesion between them improves, thereby giving the sintered body high strength and excellent abrasion resistance. When the precursor carbonaceous fiber is subjected to a surface treatment using a viscous material, the wettability of the surface of the precursor carbonaceous fiber increases, thereby further improving the boundary adhesion between the precursor carbonaceous fiber and the self-sintering precursor carbonaceous powder.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electrically conducting polymer, the water-insoluble polymer having essentially permanent self-doping properties, and the polynmer comprises:(a) electrically polymerized polyaniline in covalent combination with(b) an organic dopant having at least one sulfonic acid functional group. The electrically conducting polymer-dopant is preferred wherein the organic dopant is selected from benzenesulfonic acid, toluenesulfonic acid, benzenesulfonyl chloride, dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid, poly(vinylsulfonic) acid, trifluoromethanesulfonic acid, 1-butanesulfonic acid, modified NAFION, 2,3,5-trichlorobenzenesulfonic acid, vinylphenylsulfonic acid, or the alkali metal salts thereof. In another aspect, the present invention discloses a method to produce a water-insoluble polyaniline in which an aromatic organic dopant is covalently bonded to the polyaniline, which method comprises (a) electropolymerizing aniline in an aqueous solvent which contains the organic dopant.