Abstract: The present invention provides a method for detecting a fully charged condition of a secondary battery by which the fully charged condition of a secondary battery can be detected accurately and deterioration in battery characteristic due to overcharging can be restrained irrespective of the charging mode and the surroundings, without the need for a special battery structure. In the method, pulse vibrations generated inside a secondary battery being charged are detected, and when the obtained characteristic value of the pulse vibrations, for example, incidence of generation of the vibrations reaches a predetermined value, the secondary battery is determined to be in fully charged condition.

Abstract: A positive electrode active material and a positive electrode for an alkaline storage battery are disclosed which exhibit high charge efficiency at a high temperature. The positive electrode active material comprises particles formed by agglomeration of crystals of nickel hydroxide active material, at least the surface layer of the particles containing a solid solution nickel hydroxide with manganese incorporated therein. The solid solution is present as crystals growing on the crystal surface of said nickel hydroxide active material and/or crystals independent of crystals of the nickel hydroxide active material. The content of manganese in the solid solution is at least one mole percent on the whole metal ions in the solid solution and not higher than 10 mole percent on the combined total amount of the metal ions in the nickel hydroxide active material and the solid solution.

Abstract: A casing of sealed alkaline storage battery to be stacked in plural number in one direction, each provided with a safety vent; each casing is made of a polymer alloy which mainly comprises polyphenylene ether, polystyrene and an elastomer; at least one outersurface of the casing has a plurality of vertical protrusion ribs thereby to form vertical ventilation spaces through which a cooling medium passes; the vertical ribs formed on an outer surface of the casing have a protrusion height of 1 to 2 mm, the interval between ribs of 7 to 15 mm, rib width of 3 to 10 mm; thickness of inter-rib portion of casing are 1 to 3 mm, and those at the parts of short side walls 2 to 4 mm.

Abstract: The present invention provides a high performance composite hydroxide active material which facilitates charging at high temperatures. It comprises a solid solution nickel hydroxide material having additive elements incorporated therein. The additive elements comprise at least one element selected from group A consisting of Fe, Cr, V, Ti, Y, La, Ce, Al, and Pb, and at least one element selected from group B consisting of Mn and Co.

Abstract: A cell for sealed nickel-metal hydride storage battery having a high energy density and a long cycle life is disclosed. It comprises a battery casing made of a synthetic resin which accommodates a power-generating unit including a hydrogen storage alloy negative electrode whose hydrogen equilibrium pressure is 0.01-0.1 MPa at 45.degree. C., when H/M=0.5, and a lid for sealing an open end of the casing provided with a safety vent whose operation pressure is 0.2-0.8 MPa. A pressure-resistant strength of the battery casing is in a range of 0.7-2.0 MPa and set higher than the operation pressure of the safety vent by 0.5 MPa or more.

Abstract: A nickel positive electrode for an alkaline storage battery having an improved utilization is disclosed. It comprises a nickel hydroxide powder and a cobalt hydroxide powder, wherein the cobalt hydroxide powder has a specific surface area of 10 m.sup.2 /g or larger and a particle diameter of one-half or less of that of the nickel hydroxide powder. A nickel-metal hydroxide storage battery having this nickel positive electrode is also disclosed.

Abstract: A sealed storage battery has a rectangular casing (3) and a lid (2) of synthetic resin, which are connected by welding so as to seal an opening of the rectangular casing (3), and protruded portion on the outer welded portion (5) is removed and smoothed so that air as a cooling module is smoothly flown in spaces formed by ribs (4) on the battery casing (3) and the lid (2).

Abstract: In the module battery, by disposing end plates including a flat plate portion and a rectangular frame portion at each end of a cell group and by binding the cell group by means of binding members and metal studs, the increase of the internal pressure during the charging/discharging cycles and the dimensional change of the module battery due to the expansion of the cell group can be suppressed, while the weight and volume increase caused by the binding members is minimized.

Abstract: The invention provides long life alkaline storage batteries free from short-circuiting using plates having a punching metal as a substrate. In the alkaline storage batteries of the present invention, at least one of the positive plate and the negative plate comprises a punching metal as a substrate, the size thereof is different from that of another plate, and the plates are arranged so that the cut side of the plate having the punching metal substrate at which the substrate is cut through the punched portions does not overlap the side of the adjacent plate of opposite polarity. The plates having such a construction prevents needle-shaped projections produced by cutting the substrate through the punched portions from causing the short-circuiting with the adjacent plate of opposite polarity.

Abstract: A relatively large rectangular sealed alkaline storage battery used for electric cars, etc. is disclosed. The battery has such an inner construction as to inhibit deformation of the electrode group caused by charging and discharging so as to improve the life characteristics. The electrode group comprises positive electrode plates alternating with negative electrode plates in a planar direction and separators between the adjacent electrode plates. The electrode group and an alkali electrolyte are inserted in a container, which is sealed by a cover provided with a safety vent and the position of the electrode group in the container is controlled by fixing poles to the cover. The amount of the alkali electrolyte is 1.5-2.5 cm.sup.3/ battery capacity 1 Ah. Especially, for a module battery, a given distance is provided between the shorter side face of the electrode group and the inner wall of the container, and the outer longer side faces of the container are constrained by a metallic plate.

Abstract: The present invention provides a unit battery of sealed alkaline storage battery comprising a plurality of cells each of which comprises a container in which are inserted an alkali electrolyte and an electrode group comprising a plurality of positive plates and a plurality of negative plates with separators provided between the adjacent plates and which is sealed by a cap provided with a safety valve, the adjacent cells being electrically connected, wherein at least a part of the outermost portion of the electrode group in the cell contacts with the container, the adjacent cells contact with each other at at least a part of their container and a space through which air can pass in at least one direction is provided between the adjacent cells, the unit battery being constrained by holders at a part or the whole surface of both ends in the direction of arranging of the cells.

Abstract: A nickel positive electrode for an alkaline storage battery includes an active material mixture and a conductive support. The active material mixture, which is composed mainly of nickel hydroxide, additionally contains nickel powder, a second powder compound and at least one of cobalt, cobalt hydroxide and cobalt oxide. The nickel powder has a specific surface area of from 0.1 to 3 m.sup.2 /g and an average particle diameter of from 0.1 to 15 micrometers, and the second powder compound contains at least one element including Ca, Sr, Ba, Cu, Ag or Y. A sealed nickel-hydrogen storage battery may incorporate the nickel positive electrode.

Abstract: A safety vent body having a passage at the center of the bottom surrounded by a circular protrusion, a safety vent cover having a vent hole bonded to the safety vent body, and an elastic valve component consisting of valve seat and rubber pad bonded together into a one-piece structure and a coil spring, housed in a space provided by the safety vent body and the safety vent cover. A plastic container sealed alkaline rechargeable battery realizes a longer cycle life and high reliability by incorporating a resealable safety vent in accordance with the present invention.

Abstract: A module battery of sealed alkaline storage battery comprises a plurality of cells stacked in one direction each of which comprises a battery casing of a synthetic resin, an electrolyte and an electrode group accommodated in the battery casing and a lid with a safety bent sealingly fitted to the opening of the battery casing; wherein the cells are bound in the direction of stacking by binding members for coupling the end plates at the ends of the stacked battery assembly to each other; the cells are butted to each other by a plurality of parallel ribs formed on the outer surface of the battery casing along the direction of stacking thereby to form spaces for allowing air flow between the cells, a thickness of the side wall of the battery casing along the direction of stacking is 1 to 3 mm, a rib height 1 to 2 mm, a rib interval 10 to 15 mm, and a rib width 3 to 10 mm.

Abstract: A nickel positive electrode for use in alkaline storage batteries which is improved in the rate of utilization of the nickel hydroxide in a wide temperature range with an oxygen evolving overvoltage being increased by incorporating at least one selected from the group consisting of compounds of yttrium, indium, antimony, barium and beryllium, and at least one selected from the group consisting of compounds of cobalt and calcium into the nickel positive electrode (2), and a nickel-hydrogen storage battery using the same.

Abstract: A sealed storage battery for use in potable power supply is improved by using metal oxide-hydrogen storage alloy to have a higher capacity and a smaller weight. The battery has a structure which comprises a combination of a positive electrode having a high energy density in a wide range of temperature and consisting of a bulk high porosity body filled with an active material composed of solid solutions such as typical Co solid solution, oxide powders such as typically Ca(OH).sub.2 and ZnO, with an addition of graphite for rendering the electrode reaction effective; and a high capacity negative electrode of hydrogen storage alloy having a reduced equilibrium hydrogen pressure, and where the aforementioned characteristics at high temperatures are further enhanced by an electrolyte suitable to high temperatures, short-circuits are prevented by a chemically stable separator, and a structure sealing a container and a safety vent is excellent in air-tightness and reliability.

Abstract: A nickel positive electrode for an alkaline storage battery comprises an active material mixture mainly composed of nickel hydroxide and a conductive support. The active material mixture contains at least one member selected from the group consisting of cobalt, cobalt hydroxide and cobalt oxide, and carbon powder having a lattice constant "d" of a (002) plane such that 3.35 .ANG.<d.ltoreq.3.45 .ANG..

Abstract: A teaching playback swing-phase-controlled above-knee prosthesis comprises a thigh frame, a leg frame, an air cylinder interconnecting the thigh and leg frames and provided with adjusting means for adjusting the degree of opening the valve of the air cylinder to a plurality of degrees respectively for a plurality of walking speeds selected during trial walking, a mode selecting switch having positions respectively for setting degrees of opening of the valve of the air cylinder in a teaching mode and for a playback mode in which one of the degrees of opening is selected according to an actual walking speed, an opening detector for detecting the degree of opening of the valve of the air cylinder, an opening storage device for storing a plurality of set degrees of opening of the valve of the air cylinder, a phase detector for detecting swing phases and stance phases, walking speed detector for detecting an actual walking speed, and control unit for adjusting the degree of opening of the valve of the air cylinder

Abstract: Thermal dye transfer printing systems which are adapted For multiple-use printing modes wherein one dye transfer sheet is repeatedly used and which comprise a dye transfer sheet having, on a substrate, a dye transfer layer containing a sublimable dye and a binder resin and a dye receiving sheet having a dye receiving layer which has a diffusion rate of the dye smaller than the dye transfer layer. This is effective in suppressing a lowering of printing density owing to the increase in number of printing cycles using one dye transfer sheet. Alternatively, the dye transfer sheet is constituted such that the dye transfer layer is made of a plurality of sub-layers in which the concentration of the dye decreases from the sub-layer formed directly on the substrate toward the surface side of the dye transfer layer. The dye is invariably supplied from the higher concentration sub-layers to ensure full color printing with a remarkably increasing number of multiple-use printing cycles.

Abstract: A method of resistive sheet transfer recording is disclosed, in which the thermal diffusion coefficient of a resistive sheet (1) in the range of 1 to 100.times.10.sup.-6 m.sup.2 /s is combined with that of an electrode head (2) in the range of 0.1 to 50.times.10.sup.6 m.sup.2 /s, thereby making it possible to form a high-quality image at high sensitivity and high speed.