Abstract: The present invention relates to a nonaqueous electrolyte for electrochemical devices, and to electric double-layer capacitor and secondary battery using the said nonaqueous electrolyte. The nonaqueous electrolyte according to the present invention comprises a room temperature molten salt and a fluorohydrocarbon. The nonaqueous electrolyte is flame resistant and can suppress the rise in its viscosity. Therefore, high quality electrochemical devices can be obtained by using the nonaqueous electrolyte. The electric double-layer capacitor according to the present invention comprises a pair of polarizable electrode plates, a separator interposed between the pair of electrode plates, and the inventive nonaqueous electrolyte.

Abstract: As an alternative technique to lead-acid batteries, the present invention provides an inexpensive 2 V non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery having excellent cycle life at a high rate by preventing volume change during charge and discharge. The non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery uses: a positive electrode active material having a layered structure, being represented by chemical formula Li1±?[Me]O2, where 0??<0.2, and Me is a transition metal including Ni and at least one selected from the group consisting of Mn, Fe, Co, Ti and Cu, and including elemental nickel and elemental cobalt in substantially the same ratio; and a negative electrode active material including Li4Ti5O12(Li[Li1/3Ti5/3]O4).

Abstract: In a lithium polymer battery of the present invention, a positive electrode, an negative electrode and a separator respectively contain a vinylidene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene copolymer, an electrolyte contains a solvent comprising diethyl carbonate and a solute dissolved in the solvent, and the electrolyte further contains diphenyl ether as an additive. With the use of the above electrolyte, it is possible to improve the thermal stability of the battery containing P(VDF-HFP) in the positive electrode, the negative electrode and the separator and to operate the shutdown function surely, thereby ensuring the excellent safety of the battery.

Abstract: A nonaqueous electrolytic secondary cell produced at low cost and having a large capacity comprises a negative electrode having an active material mainly composed of a material that at least absorbs and releases lithium ions or metallic lithium, a positive electrode, and an electrolyte. The active material of the positive electrode is an oxide containing nickel, manganese, and cobalt, and the contents of the elements are substantial the same.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member having a photosensitive surface and an optical writing apparatus generating a laser beam modulated according to image data. The optical writing apparatus includes a housing, an optical deflector, an f-theta lens and a separator. The optical deflector is configured to rotate to deflect the laser beam. The f-theta lens is configured to correct the laser beam deflected by the optical deflector and to transmit a corrected laser beam towards the image bearing member. The separator is configured to separate an inside space of the housing into at least two sections including a first section in which the optical deflector is mounted and a second section in which the f-theta lens is mounted. The separator includes a heat resistant transparent plate disposed at a position of crossing passage of the laser beam between the optical deflector and the f-theta lens.

Abstract: A non-aqueous electrolyte battery excellent in high-temperature storage characteristics is provided by adding to the non-aqueous electrolye a compound represented by the following formula: in the above formula, R1, R2 and R3 independently represent a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom or a straight chain or branched chain alkyl group.

Abstract: An optical scanner for an image forming apparatus of the present invention includes a polygonal mirror for steering a scanning beam incident thereto and an optical device located in the vicinity of the polygonal mirror. The polygonal mirror and optical device are supported by a housing. A heat radiation guide adjoins the polygonal mirror and is formed integrally with or separately from the housing. The heat radiation guide has a guide surface inclined relative to the axis of rotation of the polygonal mirror and intersecting a plane virtually formed by a scanning beam.

Abstract: An optical scanner for an image forming apparatus of the present invention includes a polygonal mirror for steering a scanning beam incident thereto and an optical device located in the vicinity of the polygonal mirror. The polygonal mirror and optical device are supported by a housing. A heat radiation guide adjoins the polygonal mirror and is formed integrally with or separately from the housing. The heat radiation guide has a guide surface inclined relative to the axis of rotation of the polygonal mirror and intersecting a plane virtually formed by a scanning beam.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a battery electrode plate includes the steps of mixing a solvent (3) with a polyolefin resin (1); preparing a gel-like solution (5), a gelled solution as a whole having a high viscosity, by heating the mixture of the polyolefin and the solvent at a temperature at which a part or the whole of the polyolefin resin melts; forming an insulation layer (8) by coating the gel-like solution on the surface of the positive electrode plate or negative electrode plate (7); and heating the positive electrode plate or negative electrode plate formed with the insulation layer.

Abstract: Each CAM of a retrieving device according to the present invention has one output terminal and four input terminals. One of the four input terminals is pulled down to input a logical value 0 at all times. The other three of the input terminals are connected to output terminals of other CAMs. Prior to starting auto-store processing, each CAM recognizes a terminal that inputs an output from a CAM having a higher priority than the CAM itself on the basis of an input signal [ABCD] including initial signals and the logical value 0 from the input terminals. On the basis of a result of the recognition, each CAM performs auto-store processing. Thereby auto-store processing can be readily performed by a plurality of CAMs.

Abstract: A non-aqueous electrolyte rechargeable battery is provided with a switch element in a circuit for connecting the battery to an external power source, the switch element being operable in response to a change in temperature of the battery, thereby disconnecting the battery from the circuit and establishing a short circuit across the positive electrode and the negative electrode, the switch element being capable of restoring to its initial state in response to a change in temperature of the battery.

Abstract: A scanning lens for an optical scanner includes a specific adjusting axis and a curved surface. The specific adjusting axis makes a rotating center of the scanning lens and center of the curved surface. The scanning lens is disposed on a holding member having a receiving surface, so that the curved surface is in contact with the receiving surface. A position of the scanning lens is adjusted by a rotating mechanism that rotates the scanning lens.

Abstract: The open end of a battery case (1) that houses an electrode assembly (14) is sealed with a sealing plate (3), the top of the sealing plate (3) is closed off with an insulating plate (11), and inside a concave section formed in the sealing plate (3), a positive electrode lead (12) that extends from a positive electrode plate of the electrode assembly (14) is connected in series to a thermal fuse (8) and a PTC element (9) and then to a positive electrode terminal (+). A two fold safety function is provided so that in the case of an external short-circuit across the positive and negative electrodes, excessive current is regulated by a rapid increase in the resistance of the PTC element (9) accompanying the temperature increase, whereas if a temperature increase occurs that cannot be regulated in this manner, the thermal fuse (8) fuses, breaking the circuit.

Abstract: A charge control means (10) provided for a battery charging apparatus (1) conducts protection control for a battery pack (2) by transmitting a signal to an output control switch (14) for turning off an output when a rise rate of the temperature of the battery pack (2) detected based on information from a temperature detection terminal (8) is equal to or more than a predetermined value, or a rise rate of the voltage of the battery pack (2) detected based on information from a voltage detection terminal (9) is equal to or less than a predetermined value.

Abstract: A battery pack comprising a lithium ion secondary battery and a current interrupting device for protecting the secondary battery, the secondary battery comprising positive and negative electrodes, a separator interposed between the positive and negative electrodes and a non-aqueous electrolyte, the current interrupting device comprising a recoverable device and a non-recoverable device, the recoverable and non-recoverable devices being connected in series with each other, and the non-recoverable device having an operating temperature of not less than 90° C. and less than 150° C.

Abstract: A positive electrode active material for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery, comprising a lithium-containing composite oxide, wherein the composite oxide is represented by the general formula: LizCo1-x-yMgxMyO2, the element M included in the general formula is at least one selected from the group consisting of Al, Ti, Sr, Mn, Ni and Ca, the values x, y and z included in the general formula satisfy: (i) 0≦z≦1.03; (ii) 0.005≦x≦0.1; and (iii) 0.001≦y≦0.03, the composite oxide has a crystal structure attributed to a hexagonal system in an overcharged state having a potential over 4.25 V relative to metallic Li, and a maximum value of an oxygen generation peak in a gas chromatograph mass spectrometry measurement of the composite oxide in the overcharged state is in the range of 330 to 370° C.

Abstract: A method of producing a positive electrode active material for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery, comprising the steps of: (a) preparing a raw material mixture, comprising “nx” mol of magnesium, “ny” mol of an element M where the element M is at least one selected from the group consisting of Al, Ti, Sr, Mn, Ni and Ca, “n(1−x−y)” mol of cobalt and “nz” mol of lithium, such that the values n, x, y and z satisfy 0<n, 0.97≦(1/z)≦1, 0.005≦x≦0.1, and 0.001≦y≦0.03; and (b) baking the raw material mixture in an oxidization atmosphere at 1000 to 1100° C.

Abstract: In a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery comprising: a negative electrode containing, as a negative electrode active material, at least a material capable of absorbing and desorbing lithium ions or metal lithium; a positive electrode; and an electrolyte, an oxide containing nickel and manganese elements, the material comprising primary particles of the oxide having a twining portion and a superlattice arrangement of a [{square root}{square root over ( )}3×{square root}{square root over ( )}3] R30° when assigned as R3-m is used as a positive electrode active material.

Abstract: A non-aqueous electrolyte rechargeable battery including: (a) a positive electrode capable of charging and discharging lithium; (b) a negative electrode capable of charging and discharging lithium; (c) a separator or a lithium ion conductive layer interposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode; and (d) a lithium ion conductive non-aqueous electrolyte, wherein the positive electrode contains a mixture of a first positive electrode active material and a second positive electrode active material, the first positive electrode active material includes lithium oxide containing manganese, the lithium oxide further contains aluminum and/or magnesium, and the second positive electrode active material includes LixCo1−y−zMgyAlzO2 where 1≦x≦1.03, 0.005≦y≦0.1 and 0.001≦z<0.02.

Abstract: An optical scanner for an image forming apparatus of the present invention includes a polygonal mirror for steering a scanning beam incident thereto and an optical device located in the vicinity of the polygonal mirror. The polygonal mirror and optical device are supported by a housing. A heat radiation guide adjoins the polygonal mirror and is formed integrally with or separately from the housing. The heat radiation guide has a guide surface inclined relative to the axis of rotation of the polygonal mirror and intersecting a plane virtually formed by a scanning beam.