Abstract: In a method for producing a sealed battery including irradiating a fitting portion between an outer can made of an aluminum-based metal and a sealing plate made of an aluminum-based metal and placed on a mouth portion of the outer can with a laser beam from continuous wave (CW) laser welding equipment for welding and sealing, the laser beam is output for scanning while pulse-modulating the output power of the laser beam in a welding start region, and then the laser beam is output for scanning at a constant output power. The present invention provides a method for producing a sealed battery by which welding start and stop regions are stably welded when an outer can and a sealing plate both of which are made of an aluminum-based metal are welded and sealed by a CW laser beam.

Abstract: A touch panel having high durability is provided. Either one or both of a display device and a flexible panel have island-shaped protective bodies formed on surfaces of electrode layers (upper electrode layer, lower electrode layer), and a transparent conductive film is exposed between the protective bodies. Since the protective bodies protrude highly from the surface of the transparent conductive film, when the flexible panel is pressed and the upper electrode and the lower electrode layer are brought into contact, a load to be applied to the transparent conductive film is reduced by the protective bodies, so that the transparent conductive film is not broken.

Abstract: A film forming method for an antireflection film that has a first indium oxide-based thin film and a second indium oxide-based thin film that is laminated on the first indium oxide-based thin film, including a first film forming step that forms the first indium oxide-based thin film by performing sputtering using a first indium oxide-based target in a first reactive gas that contains one, two, or three types selected from a group consisting of oxygen gas, hydrogen gas, and water vapor; and a second film forming step that forms on the first indium oxide-based thin film the second indium oxide-based thin film by performing sputtering using a second indium oxide-based target in a second reactive gas that contains one, two, or three types selected from a group consisting of oxygen gas, hydrogen gas, and water vapor, and that has a different composition from the first reactive gas.

Abstract: The automobile rear structure includes a diffuser which is arranged on a vehicle-body rear side of a muffler and is configured to interfere with exhaust gas discharged from the muffler so as to make a portion of the exhaust gas flow downwardly, and a flow rectification plate which is arranged below the muffler and guides the downwardly flowing exhaust gas in the direction along an air flow flowing below the floor of the vehicle body to merge the exhaust gas into the air flow. The exhaust gas discharged downwardly from a space defined between a front end portion of the diffuser and a body portion of the muffler is guided in the direction inclined downwardly toward the rear side of the vehicle body and, thereafter, is guided in the direction along the air flow flowing below the floor of the vehicle body, and is merged into the air flow.

Abstract: A film formation device (10) that increases the mechanical resistance of the liquid repellent film formed on the oxide film. The film formation device (10) includes an oxide film formation unit (14, 15, 16), which forms an oxidized film on a substrate by releasing grains towards the substrate that is rotated in a vacuum chamber (11), and forms an oxide film on the substrate by emitting oxygen plasma towards the oxidized film. A vapor deposition unit (17) vapor-deposits a silane coupling agent, which contains a hydrolytic polycondensation group and a liquid repellent group, on the oxide film. A polycondensation unit (20) polycondenses the silane coupling agent by supplying water towards the oxide film on the rotated substrate. The polycondensation unit supplies water to the oxide film before the vapor deposition unit vapor deposits the silane coupling agent on the oxide film.

Abstract: A vaporization source (20) that improve the usage efficiency of a film formation material (29) without adversely affecting the maintenance characteristics. The vaporization source (20) includes a single tubular peripheral wall (25) including a plurality of storage compartments (25S) and a plurality of partitions (27) partitioning the interior of the peripheral wall (25) into the plurality of storage compartments. The peripheral wall (25) includes a plurality of holes (28), with at least one hole provided for each of the storage compartments (25S). The plurality of holes (28) communicate the plurality of storage compartments with the exterior to vaporize the film formation material (29) stored in each of the plurality of storage compartments (25S) toward the exterior.

Abstract: A touch panel having high durability is provided. Either one or both of a display device and a flexible panel have island-shaped protective bodies formed on surfaces of electrode layers (upper electrode layer, lower electrode layer), and a transparent conductive film is exposed between the protective bodies. Since the protective bodies protrude highly from the surface of the transparent conductive film, when the flexible panel is pressed and the upper electrode and the lower electrode layer are brought into contact, a load to be applied to the transparent conductive film is reduced by the protective bodies, so that the transparent conductive film is not broken.

Abstract: A laser welding device for manufacturing a prismatic battery 10 of the invention has a pair of jigs 12A, 12B for securing a prismatic battery outer can B1, a gas supply section for supplying inert gas to welding points of a sealing cover B2 fitted to the prismatic battery outer can B1, and a laser unit 11 for irradiating laser beam. Each of the jigs 12A, 12B is provided with a slit-shaped blower outlet and the blower outlet is positioned below the welding points. The inert gas is supplied to the blower outlet from the gas supply section and is blown from the blower outlet to the welding points from below. The laser welding device for manufacturing a prismatic battery 10 can obtain a laser welding device that welds the sealing cover B2 fitted to the prismatic battery outer can B1 fast, preventing weld droops and allowing uniform welding.

Abstract: A highly durable touch panel is provided. A touch panel according to the present invention includes a deformable flexible panel, and a transparent electrode film containing In2O3 as a primary component and containing Ti is exposed to a surface of a lower electrode film of a display device. Since such a transparent electrode film has a high abrasion resistance as compared to a conventional one (such as, an ITO thin film), the transparent electrode film is neither clouded nor cracked even if the lower electrode film is repeatedly pressed. Therefore, the touch panel according to the present invention is highly durable.

Abstract: Evaluation of tree production capacity by a non-destructive method using a tree crown structure measurement device or using an image capture device with a fisheye lens mounted, for isolated trees or for trees existing at intervals, is enabled without requiring a large amount of time. A semi-spheroid of revolution model is established as a representation of the outer shape of a tree, an optical tree structure measurement device is placed at a position apart from the main trunk by a prescribed distance, the intensity of light passing through tree leaves and the intensity of light not passing through tree leaves are measured, the optical path length of light incident on the tree is calculated using the semi-spheroid model and the total tree leaf area is determined from the measured light intensities and optical path length.

Abstract: An attachment structure of an energy absorbing structure includes: a bumper reinforcement that includes an attachment surface, with insertion holes being formed in the attachment surface; an energy absorbing structure disposed in contact with the attachment surface; locking claws that are disposed on the energy absorbing structure and engage with the bumper reinforcement to lock the energy absorbing structure to the bumper reinforcement; and load receiving projections that are disposed on the energy absorbing structure and are inserted into the insertion holes, so that when a load in a direction along the attachment surface acts on the energy absorbing structure, the load receiving projections interfere with inner peripheral portions of the insertion holes and receive the load.

Abstract: A sealed battery terminal 18 of the present invention includes an electrically-conductive terminal cap 19, a rupture disk 25 made of flexible electrically conductive material electrically connected to the electrically-conductive terminal cap 19, and an electrically-conductive terminal plate 20 abutting the rupture disk 25. In the sealed battery terminal 18, an opening 23c is formed in the terminal plate 20, the rupture disk 25 is arranged to close the opening 23c, and an abutting part of an inner periphery of the opening of the terminal plate 20 and the rupture disk 25 is welded by a high energy beam at a plurality of places. Accordingly, a sealed battery terminal having a safety valve system in which the rupture disk placed in the cap and the terminal plate are electrically connected directly by welding with the high energy beam can be provided.

Abstract: A method for forming a feature in a substrate, where residue within the feature can be easily removed. An upper sidewall portion of the feature is formed, where the upper sidewall portion forms a void in the substrate. The upper sidewall portion has an upper sidewall angle. A lower sidewall portion of the feature is formed, where the lower sidewall portion forms a void in the substrate. The lower sidewall portion has a lower sidewall angle. The upper sidewall angle of the upper sidewall portion is shallower than the lower sidewall angle of the lower sidewall portion. By forming the feature with a shallower sidewall angle at the top of the feature, any debris within the feature is more susceptible to rinsing, etching, or other cleaning procedures, and thus the feature is more easily cleaned than standard features having relatively steeper sidewalls.

Abstract: A method for forming a feature in a substrate, where residue within the feature can be easily removed. An upper sidewall portion of the feature is formed, where the upper sidewall portion forms a void in the substrate. The upper sidewall portion has an upper sidewall angle. A lower sidewall portion of the feature is formed, where the lower sidewall portion forms a void in the substrate. The lower sidewall portion has a lower sidewall angle. The upper sidewall angle of the upper sidewall portion is shallower than the lower sidewall angle of the lower sidewall portion. By forming the feature with a shallower sidewall angle at the top of the feature, any debris within the feature is more susceptible to rinsing, etching, or other cleaning procedures, and thus the feature is more easily cleaned than standard features having relatively steeper sidewalls.

Abstract: The automobile rear structure includes a diffuser which is arranged on a vehicle-body rear side of a muffler and is configured to interfere with exhaust gas discharged from the muffler so as to make a portion of the exhaust gas flow downwardly, and a flow rectification plate which is arranged below the muffler and guides the downwardly flowing exhaust gas in the direction along an air flow flowing below the floor of the vehicle body to merge the exhaust gas into the air flow. The exhaust gas discharged downwardly from a space defined between a front end portion of the diffuser and a body portion of the muffler is guided in the direction inclined downwardly toward the rear side of the vehicle body and, thereafter, is guided in the direction along the air flow flowing below the floor of the vehicle body, and is merged into the air flow.

Abstract: An attachment structure of an energy absorbing structure includes: a bumper reinforcement that includes an attachment surface, with insertion holes being formed in the attachment surface; an energy absorbing structure disposed in contact with the attachment surface; locking claws that are disposed on the energy absorbing structure and engage with the bumper reinforcement to lock the energy absorbing structure to the bumper reinforcement; and load receiving projections that are disposed on the energy absorbing structure and are inserted into the insertion holes, so that when a load in a direction along the attachment surface acts on the energy absorbing structure, the load receiving projections interfere with inner peripheral portions of the insertion holes and receive the load.

Abstract: A woven fabric for a toothed belt prepared by using stretchable aligned and twisted yarns as warp yarns and/or weft yarns, in which an elastic fiber and a non-elastic fiber textured yarn are twisted or mixed together, the twist multiplier of the stretchable aligned and twisted yarn is in a range from 1000 to 16000, and a breaking elongation of the woven fabric in the stretchable direction thereof is in a range from 50 to 200%. The toothed belt obtained from this woven fabric is excellent in noise-elimination ability and durability, and allows a reduction in the size of a device and a reduction in the weight thereof.

Abstract: A multichip module is provided. The multichip module comprises a rigid substrate including a core material and having an opening, a thin film fixed on an upper surface of the rigid substrate so as to be electrically connected to the rigid substrate and to close the opening, a first chip mounted on the upper surface of the thin film, and a second chip mounted on the under surface of the thin film so as to be located in the opening of the rigid substrate. The rigid substrate and the thin film form a wiring substrate having a composite structure.

Abstract: An electronic apparatus including a motherboard, a plurality of multi-chip modules mounted to the motherboard and cooling members for cooling the multi-chip modules. A refrigeration unit is arranged to deliver cooling water to the cooling members. A connection structure is provided for each multi-chip module for thermally and mechanically releasably coupling each multi-chip module to the refrigeration unit.

Abstract: To prevent an operator from being hurt by a hot outside panel of an electronic device when he touches the outside panel with his hand or a portion of his body, the outside panel is improved and an electronic device safe for the operator is provided. There are provided spaces for heat insulation in an outside panel and, by the action of the spaces, the apparent temperature of the outside panel is decreased. Also, ducts are provided in the outside panel, and the temperature of the outside panel itself is decreased by the action of the ducts. Further, a large number of protrusions are provided on the surface of the outside panel, and a heat insulating section is formed at the forward end of each protrusion, so that the apparent temperature is decreased.