Abstract: A walking assistance device includes: a base body; a driving unit that moves the base body; a distance detection unit that detects a distance from the base body to a user; a safety distance range setting unit that set, as a safety distance range, a distance range from the base body to the user during safe walk of the user; a walking state determination unit that determines whether or not the distance detected by the distance detection unit is out of the safety distance range; and a control unit that controls the driving unit when the walking state determination unit determines that the distance is out of the safety distance range. The walking assistance device detects that the distance is narrower than a predetermined distance, wherein the driving unit is controlled when the approach determination unit detects that the distance is narrower than the predetermined distance.

Abstract: A lithium ion secondary battery includes a flat wound electrode body including a positive electrode sheet and a negative electrode sheet that are wound while interposing therebetween separators into a flat shape, and a battery case. In the flat wound electrode body, a central portion has a more constricted shape than end portions by pressing toward a winding axis in a short-side direction and each end portion includes an end-portion positive electrode sheet, an end-portion negative electrode sheet, and end-portion separators, and a core member arranged more inward than them. With tensile forces generated by pressing of the central portion in a central-portion positive electrode sheet, central-portion negative electrode sheet, and central-portion separators, the end-portion positive electrode sheet, end-portion negative electrode sheet, and end-portion separators are in pressure contact with each other and press the outer surfaces of the core member.

Abstract: A non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery (100) includes: an electrode body (150) including a positive electrode plate (155), a negative electrode plate (156), and a separator (157); and a non-aqueous electrolyte contained inside the electrode body (150). The non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery (100) further includes a reservoir member (170) defining a reservoir space (S1, S2) located adjacent to an end face (150j, 150k) of the electrode body (150), the reservoir space being used to hold the non-aqueous electrolyte forced out of the electrode body (150) through the end face (150j, 150k) of the electrode body (150).

Abstract: An obstacle detection device (4A) which has cameras (12a, 12b) for detecting an obstacle, and notifies a user when the obstacle is detected by the cameras (12a, 12b). A reliability calculation unit (14) for calculating reliability of detection of the obstacle by the cameras (12a, 12b), a determination unit (15) for comparing the reliability which is calculated with a threshold and determining that the reliability has decreased when the reliability is less than or equal to the threshold, and a notification unit (20) for drawing attention of the user when the determination unit (15) determines that the reliability has decreased are provided therein.

Abstract: A non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery includes a positive electrode composite material layer containing first positive electrode active material particles containing a lithium nickel composite oxide, second positive electrode active material particles containing lithium iron phosphate, and a conductive material. A ratio of the second positive electrode active material particles in a total mass of the first positive electrode active material particles and the second positive electrode active material particles is not lower than 5 mass % and not higher than 20 mass %. A standard deviation ? representing distribution of an iron element satisfies a condition of 0.28???0.52 when distribution of the iron element is determined by conducting area analysis with an electron probe microanalyzer in a cross-section of the positive electrode composite material layer.

Abstract: A non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery includes: a pressure-type current interrupt device arranged in a conductive path, for interrupting the conductive path when an internal pressure exceeds a working pressure; a non-aqueous electrolyte; and a positive electrode composite material layer. The non-aqueous electrolyte contains a gas generation agent that generates a gas in an overcharge region, and the positive electrode composite material layer contains a first positive electrode active material particle including lithium iron phosphate, and a second positive electrode active material particle including lithium-nickel composite oxide. A ratio of the first positive electrode active material particle to a total mass of the first positive electrode active material particle and the second positive electrode active material particle is 5% by mass or more and 20% by mass or less.

Abstract: A cleaning tool for a collection member includes a brush unit and a mount portion. The brush unit includes a bristle and a woven portion into which a root of the bristle is woven so as to be held by the woven portion. The mount portion includes a placement surface on which the woven portion is placed and a securing portion to which the brush unit is bonded. In the cleaning tool for the collection member, the woven portion includes two first outer surfaces that are located at respective ends of the placement surface and that extend parallel to a direction in which the bristle extends. In the cleaning tool for the collection member, the brush unit is secured to the mount portion by bonding a region that includes at least part of each of the two first outer surfaces to the securing portion with an adhesive.

Abstract: Provided is a simple filtering operation method capable of conducting a filtering operation without clogging in a ceramic filter for a long period of time, in the operation of filtering fine crystals of terephthalic acid in an oxidation reaction mother liquor obtained in a process of terephthalic acid production by a cross-flow filtration using the ceramic filter. The present invention can be accomplished by conducting an operation for filtering the fine crystals and a back washing operation with a filtrate while maintaining a flowing circulation operation of the oxidation reaction mother liquor under predetermined conditions.

Abstract: A secondary battery includes an electrode body. The electrode body includes a positive electrode active material layer. The positive electrode active material layer includes a plurality of hollow positive electrode active material particles, a plurality of void supporting particles, and a plurality of conductive material particles. The void supporting particles are configured to provide voids having a pore diameter of 0.5 ?m or more in the positive electrode active material layer. The conductive material particles are configured to provide an electrical continuity of the positive electrode active material layer. A ratio of an average particle size of the void supporting particles to an average particle size of the hollow positive electrode active material particles is1/3 or more and 2 or less. The crushing strength of the void supporting particles is larger than the crushing strength of the conductive material particles.

Abstract: Provided is a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery which exhibits excellent energy density and excellent input/output density (and especially output density in low SOC regions). This invention discloses a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery that includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode and a non-aqueous electrolyte. The positive electrode includes a positive electrode current collector and a positive electrode active material layers formed on the positive electrode current collector. The positive electrode active material layer has two regions that are demarcated in a surface direction of the positive electrode current collector, which are a first region 14a containing mainly a positive active material of lithium iron phosphate, and a second region 14b containing mainly a positive active material of a lithium-transition metal composite oxide.

Abstract: A lithium-ion secondary battery (10) includes a wound electrode assembly (40) having a positive electrode current collector foil (51) and a negative electrode current collector foil 61). An edge portion (52) of the positive electrode current collector foil (51) is exposed in a spiral form at one end of a winding axis (WL). An edge portion (62) of the negative electrode current collector foil (61) is exposed in a spiral form at the other end of the winding axis (WL). The spirally exposed edge portion (52) of the positive electrode current collector foil (51) is divided and gathered into a plurality of parts divided at at least one of a plurality of gaps (S), excluding a central portion (WC) containing the winding axis (WL), provided between wound layers of the positive electrode current collector foil (51) stacked in a direction orthogonal to the winding axis (WL).

Abstract: A particle detection device detects a biological particle. The particle detection device includes a collection sheet, a collection unit, a heating unit, a fluorescence detection unit, and a movement mechanism. The collection unit introduces an airborne particle into the device so that the airborne particle is collected on the collection sheet. The heating unit heats the particle collected on the collection sheet so as to increase fluorescence emitted from the particle. The fluorescence detection unit detects the fluorescence emitted from the particle which is collected on the collection sheet. The movement mechanism moves the collection sheet. With the configuration as described above, the particle detection device with which a measurement time period and the cost of measurement can be reduced can be provided.

Abstract: A particle detection device detects a biological particle. The particle detection device includes a collection unit that collects a particle to a collection substrate, a fluorescence detection unit that emits excitation light toward the particle collected on the collection substrate and receives fluorescence emitted from the particle, and a cleaning unit that removes the particle from the collection substrate at a refreshing position separated from a collection/heating position and a detection position. At the collection/heating position, the particle is collected onto the collection substrate by the collection unit. At the detection position, fluorescence is received by the fluorescence detection unit. With such a structure, the particle detection device in which the particle is highly accurately detected is provided.

Abstract: In an electrode body for use in non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery, a first end of a separator is located more interiorly than one positive electrode end of a positive electrode plate in a width direction, located more exteriorly than one end of a coated positive electrode portion of the positive electrode plate, and located more exteriorly than one end of a coated negative electrode portion of a negative electrode plate. The first end of the separator is thicker than an intermediate portion. A second end of the separator is located more interiorly than an other negative electrode end of the negative electrode plate in the width direction, located more exteriorly than the other end of the coated positive electrode portion of the positive electrode plate, and located more exteriorly than an other end of the coated negative electrode portion of the negative electrode plate. The second end of the separator is thicker than the intermediate portion.

Abstract: In pretreating a pyridine ring-containing chelate resin which is used in the step for adsorption and collection of a heavy metal ion and a bromide ion derived from a catalyst from the oxidation reaction mother liquid in the process of producing an aromatic carboxylic acid, there may occur phenomena such as swelling of the resin, heat generation of the resin, and air bubbles generation, thereby causing fracture and deterioration of the resin. As a first treatment, Br? conversion, under a certain condition, of a pyridine ring-containing chelate resin with an aqueous solution of hydrobromic acid is performed, and then as a second treatment, replacement with acetic acid solvent is performed, thereby making it possible to prevent fracture and deterioration of the resin.

Abstract: There is provided a particle detector that can increase a detection sensitivity to fluorescence emitted from biogenic particles. A particle detector for detecting biogenic particles includes a substrate having a principal surface and configured to collect the biogenic particles on the principal surface, a light emitting element configured to irradiate particles collected on the principal surface with excitation light, and a light receiving element configured to receive fluorescence emitted from the particles when the particles are irradiated with the excitation light from the light emitting element. An optical axis of the Fresnel lens and a ray direction of the excitation light intersect with each other. The principal surface is a mirror surface.

Abstract: A Fresnel lens includes an incident surface that is flat, and a prism-forming surface that has a plurality of prisms, the prism-forming surface being provided on the side of the Fresnel lens opposite to the incident surface. Each of the prisms has a converging surface that is located on the side away from the optical axis of the Fresnel lens.

Abstract: There is provided a particle detector that detects biogenic particles with high sensitivity. The particle detector includes a collecting member having a principal surface and configured to electrostatically collect particles on the principal surface, an irradiation unit configured to irradiate the particles collected on the principal surface with excitation light, a light receiving unit configured to receive fluorescence emitted from the particles by irradiation of the particles with the excitation light, and a detection unit configured to detect biogenic particles from the particles collected on the principal surface on the basis of a fluorescence intensity in the light receiving unit. The particle detector further includes a filter disposed between the principal surface and the light receiving unit cut light with a wavelength emitted by irradiation of the excitation light from a substance that is generated on the principal surface when the particles are electrostatically collected.

Abstract: There is provided a particle detector that can increase a detection sensitivity to fluorescence emitted from biogenic particles. A particle detector for detecting biogenic particles includes a substrate having a principal surface and configured to collect the biogenic particles on the principal surface, a light emitting element configured to irradiate particles collected on the principal surface with excitation light, and a light receiving element configured to receive fluorescence emitted from the particles when the particles are irradiated with the excitation light from the light emitting element. An optical axis of the Fresnel lens and a ray direction of the excitation light intersect with each other. The principal surface is a mirror surface.

Abstract: A Fresnel lens includes an incident surface that is flat, and a prism-forming surface that has a plurality of prisms, the prism-forming surface being provided on the side of the Fresnel lens opposite to the incident surface. Each of the prisms has a converging surface that is located on the side away from the optical axis of the Fresnel lens.