Abstract: A vehicle side section structure includes a pair of front pillars that are respectively provided at both vehicle width direction sides of a vehicle front section so as to extend along a vehicle vertical direction, and a reinforcing member formed of wood and is provided inside a cross-section of at least one of the pair of front pillars, an axial center direction of tree rings of the reinforcing member being oriented in a direction running along a length direction of the at least one front pillar.

Abstract: A separator includes a base material made of metal plate and a first layer made of corrosion-resistant material and arranged on the entirety of one surface of the base material. The base material includes extending projections and extending recesses. The projections and the recesses are alternately arranged. The separator includes a second layer including a conductive particle and a binder that is made of plastic material, the second layer being arranged only on a part of a surface of the first layer corresponding to a top surface of the projections of the base material. The conductive particle is contained only in the second layer.

Abstract: A hole plug attachment structure includes: a first attachment-target member is formed with a first attachment hole; a second attachment-target member-is formed with a second attachment hole; and a hole plug that includes a tube-shaped outer peripheral wall, a blocking portion, a ring shaped flange jutting out toward a radial direction outer side of the outer peripheral wall from an end portion of the outer peripheral wall on an opposite side from an insertion direction so as to cover a location surrounding the second attachment hole, and a hook portion, a location of the flange that abuts an edge of the second attachment hole being thicker than a location of the flange that abuts the edge of the first attachment hole, in a state in which a back face of the flange abuts both the edge of the first attachment hole and the edge of the second attachment hole.

Abstract: A gas flow passage formation plate includes a plurality of projections arranged in a first direction and a second direction. The projections project toward a membrane electrode assembly. The gas flow passage formation plate further includes a gas flow passage, a water flow passage, and a plurality of openings. The gas flow passage is formed by a portion of the gas flow passage formation plate at a side opposing the membrane electrode assembly including regions between two adjacent projections. The water flow passage is formed by a portion of the gas flow passage formation plate at a side opposing a partition plate including the inside of the projections. The openings are each formed in a side wall of the projection connecting inside and outside of the projection. Each opening is arranged at only one location in one projection.

Abstract: A vehicle member comprises a wooden member and a resin cover member integrally covering the wooden member. The vehicle member absorbs or transmits a received load. The cover member integrally includes a load acting portion and an attaching portion. The wooden member is positioned in the vehicle member so that a shaft center direction of annual rings is aligned with an input direction of the load. The attaching portion is attachable to an attached member of a vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicle bumper may include a bumper absorber having a tube receiving groove that extends in a vehicle width direction, and an elastically deformable airtight pressure tube received in the tube receiving groove formed on the bumper absorber and in communication with a pressure sensor. The bumper absorber includes a beam-shaped absorber body portion extending in the vehicle width direction, and an elongated projecting portion extending in the vehicle width direction at a front end periphery of an upper surface of the absorber body portion. The tube receiving groove is configured to extend in the vehicle width direction on the upper surface of the absorber body portion while penetrating into a rear end portion of the elongated projecting portion, and is configured to open backward.

Abstract: In a shock-absorbing member in which a wood member is embedded in a resin covering member so as to be integrated therewith and in which the wood member is collapsed when subjected to an impact load, thereby absorbing a portion of the impact load, sealing members are disposed between both end surfaces of the wood member in an axis direction of annual rings and an inner surface of the covering member, so as to hermetically cover both end surfaces of the wood member.

Abstract: A vehicular shock-absorbing member may include a pair of upper and lower supporting wood members configured such that outer surfaces thereof function as load input surfaces in which a collision load is received and that axes of annual rings thereof extend along the load input surfaces, and shock-absorbing wood member sandwiched between the supporting wood members in such a manner that an axis of annual rings thereof extends in a direction perpendicular to the load input surfaces of the supporting wood members. The shock-absorbing wood member is configured such that a load input surface thereof in which the collision load is received is displaced inward relative to the load input surfaces of the supporting wood members.

Abstract: A step device for a vehicle includes a movable step and a coupling member. The movable step includes a guide rail. The coupling member is configured to cause the movable step to move from a deployed position to a retracted position as a engaging part comes into sliding contact with a side wall of the guide rail that is located on an inner side in a vehicle width direction and, while pressing the side wall, moves inside the guide rail in a direction of closing a sliding door. The guide rail is configured such that a terminal end region on a closing side including a terminal end position at which the engaging part is located when the sliding door is fully closed constitutes a closing-side free running zone in which the engaging part does not press either of the side walls.

Abstract: A step device for a vehicle includes a movable step supported under a door opening, and a coupling member supported by a sliding door that opens and closes in a vehicle front-rear direction with a shifting zone in a vehicle width direction. The movable step is provided with a guide rail that opens downward and extends in the vehicle front-rear direction. The coupling member includes: a fixed member fixed to the sliding door; an arm member coupled to the fixed member; a guide roller disposed inside the guide rail; and an urging member configured to apply to the arm member an urging force in a direction in which the guide roller turns upward.

Abstract: A step device for a vehicle includes: a movable step supported under a door opening; a coupling member that moves the movable step in a vehicle width direction in conjunction with opening and closing of a sliding door; and a sub-step that is disposed under the door opening. The movable step moves under the sub-step toward an outer side in the vehicle width direction so as to be disposed in a deployed position in which the movable step protrudes from the sub-step toward the outer side in the vehicle width direction. The sub-step has an overlapping region that covers an upper side of the movable step in a state where the movable step is disposed in the deployed position.

Abstract: A step device for a vehicle includes: a movable step supported under a door opening; a coupling member that, in a state of being supported by a sliding door, engages with the movable step to move the movable step in a vehicle width direction in conjunction with opening and closing of the sliding door; a support arm that has a first pivot-joint point relative to a vehicle body and a second pivot-joint point relative to the movable step, and supports the movable step toward an upper side; and a cover member that is fixed to a lower surface of the vehicle body so as to define a housing space opening toward an outer side in the vehicle width direction and to cover the lower side of the support arm when the movable step is in a retracted position.

Abstract: A step device for a vehicle includes: a movable step supported under a door opening; a coupling member that, in a state of being supported by a sliding door, engages with the movable step to move the movable step in a vehicle width direction in conjunction with opening and closing of the sliding door; a support arm that has a first pivot-joint point relative to a vehicle body and a second pivot-joint point relative to the movable step, and supports the movable step toward an upper side; and a pressure bearing member that is provided at a position between the first pivot-joint point and the second pivot-joint point and bears the load of the support arm by coming into sliding contact with the support arm.

Abstract: A molded article may include a composite wall portion that is composed of a resin substrate and a wood insert embedded in the resin substrate. The wood insert is integrated with the resin substrate in a boundary portion defined as a joining portion of an end surface of the wood insert and an end surface of the resin substrate with its inner and outer surfaces substantially exposed on inner and outer surfaces of the composite wall portion.

Abstract: A separator assembly for a fuel cell includes a first separator, a second separator, and a joined portion. In the joined portion, the first separator and the second separator are joined to each other through laser welding. The first separator includes a first surface that is intended to be opposed to the membrane electrode assembly. The first surface of the first separator includes an exposed portion where the base of the first separator is exposed. The second separator includes a second surface that is intended to be opposed to the membrane electrode assembly. A film including conductive particles is arranged on the entire second surface of the second separator. The joined portion is formed by irradiating the exposed portion of the first separator with laser.

Abstract: A fuel cell stack includes a plurality of power generation cells stacked and connected in series and coolant passages configured to circulate coolant. The power generation cells each include a membrane electrode assembly and two separators sandwiching the membrane electrode assembly. The separators are each formed by a metal plate. The coolant passages include through-holes extending through the separators and aligned in a stacking direction of the power generation cells. A method for manufacturing a fuel cell stack includes forming a coating of electrodeposition paint on surfaces of ones of the separators having a high electric potential in the fuel cell stack by operating the fuel cell stack and using the coolant that contains electrodeposition paint particles.

Abstract: A fuel cell includes stacked power cells and an end cell. Each power cell includes a first plate and two first separators sandwiching the first plate. The end cell includes a second plate and two second separators sandwiching the second plate. Through holes formed in each plate and each separator form a power generating gas inlet passage extending in the power cells. The end cell has at least one of a “first structure,” in which a bottom wall of the through hole of the second plate or an upstream one of the second separators is downwardly recessed compared to corresponding portions of the power cells, and a “second structure,” in which a bottom wall of the through hole of the second plate or a downstream one of the second separators upwardly projects compared to corresponding portions of the power cells.

Abstract: A fuel cell stack includes: a plurality of power generation cells stacked on top of each other; a dummy cell provided on at least one of both ends of the plurality of power generation cells, the dummy cell being configured not to generate electric power; and a reaction gas supply manifold extending through the plurality of power generation cells and the dummy cell. The dummy cell includes one or more dummy cell reaction gas introduction channels as a reaction gas introduction channel that introduces reaction gas from the reaction gas supply manifold to a center area of the dummy cell. At least one of the dummy cell reaction gas introduction channels is provided so as to connect to a bottom face at a lower side of the reaction gas supply manifold in a direction of gravitational force.

Abstract: A molding material mixture contains cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) and at least one base material selected from the group consisting of a resin and fibers. A hydrophobic polymer is chemically bonded to at least some of the —OH groups of the cellulose nanofibers. The base material and the cellulose nanofibers are ground or pelletized.

Abstract: A shock absorbing member includes an outer member being hollow and made of a metal, and an inner member held in the outer member. The inner member includes a wood member and a bracket that is made of a solid resin or a metal and that is integral with the wood member. The inner member includes a holding structure configured to position and hold the bracket to the outer member.