Abstract: A battery pack includes multiple sub-modules each of which includes multiple battery cells electrically connected to each other, and an exhaust duct that is provided between and integrated with at least the two battery modules facing each other. The exhaust duct includes therein an exhaust passage that communicates with an outer surface of a safety valve provided in each battery cell in each of the facing battery modules.

Abstract: A battery pack includes: a battery assembly including a plurality of batteries; a fluid drive member driving a fluid which cools the battery assembly; a housing that houses the battery assembly and the fluid drive member; and a beam provided integrally with a bottom wall of the housing to support the battery assembly from a lower side. A circulation passage provided in the housing includes: a first fluid passage between the battery assembly and a side wall of the housing; a battery passage between the batteries; and a second fluid passage downstream of the battery passage and extending toward the fluid drive member. The second fluid passage is surrounded by at least the beams, the bottom wall, and a lower end of the battery assembly.

Abstract: To avoid applying overload on both a probe and a sample surface, and to reduce time for measuring irregular shapes on the sample surface in performing an intermittent measurement method, provided is a scanning probe microscope including: a cantilever having a probe attached thereto, the scanning probe microscope being configured to scan a sample surface by intermittently bringing the probe into contact with the sample surface; and a control device configured to perform a first operation of bringing the probe and the sample surface into contact with each other, and a second operation of separating the probe and the sample surface from each other after the first operation. The control device executes the second operation by thermally deforming the cantilever.

Abstract: A first fin is formed on a first inside wall surface to protrude therefrom. The first fin exchanges heat between fluid and the first inside wall surface. A first fluid passage is divided between a first region that is a space where the first fin is arranged, and a second region that is a space where the first fin is not arranged. Fluid flows from the second region into the first region. The first fin includes an inflow port through which fluid flows into the first region, and an outflow port through which fluid flows out of the first region. The first fin is formed to extend from the inflow port to the outflow port. An area of the inflow port is larger than a cross-sectional area of the first fluid passage when viewed in a flow direction of fluid.

Abstract: A laminate structure having an indium target with the occurrence of defects being well controlled and excellent in adhesion between the indium target and a backing tube is provided. A laminate structure of an indium target and a backing tube wherein a defect area ratio at an indium-backing tube interface is 5.0% or less.

Abstract: A scanning probe microscope has a cantilever having a probe at a tip of the cantilever, a driving unit that performs a separating operation for separating one of the sample and the probe from the other at a speed exceeding a response speed of the cantilever from a state where the probe is in contact with the surface of the sample, a determination unit that determines that the probe is separated from the surface of the sample when vibration of the cantilever at a predetermined amplitude is detected at a resonant frequency of the cantilever during the separating operation, and a driving control unit that stops the separating operation when the determination unit determines that the probe is separated from the surface of the sample and relatively moves the probe and the sample to a position where the probe is located on a next measuring point of the sample.

Abstract: Each battery module of a battery pack includes a stack of serially connected battery cells, a gas discharge duct extending in a cell arrangement direction to guide gas discharged from a relief valve of each battery cell to an outside of the battery module, the gas discharge duct having a first connection opening at one end and a second connection opening at the other end, a first connection terminal piece having an inner end portion electrically connected to an electrode of one of the battery cells at one end of the serial connection and an outer end portion disposed inside the first connection opening, and a second connection terminal piece having an inner end portion electrically connected to an electrode of another one of the battery cells at another end of the serial connection and an outer end portion disposed inside the second connection opening.

Abstract: According to this invention, a scanning probe microscope for scanning a surface of a sample with a probe by bringing the probe into contact with the surface of the sample, comprises a cantilever having the probe at its tip; a displacement detection unit to detect both a bending amount and a torsion amount of the cantilever; and a contact determination unit to determine a primary contact of the probe with the surface of the sample, based on the bending amount and the torsion amount detected by the displacement detection unit in all directions from an undeformed condition of the cantilever.

Abstract: A scanning probe microscope has a cantilever having a probe at a tip of the cantilever, a driving unit that performs a separating operation for separating one of the sample and the probe from the other at a speed exceeding a response speed of the cantilever from a state where the probe is in contact with the surface of the sample, a determination unit that determines that the probe is separated from the surface of the sample when vibration of the cantilever at a predetermined amplitude is detected at a resonant frequency of the cantilever during the separating operation, and a driving control unit that stops the separating operation when the determination unit determines that the probe is separated from the surface of the sample and relatively moves the probe and the sample to a position where the probe is located on a next measuring point of the sample.

Abstract: A battery pack includes a plurality of batteries, a housing, a circulation path, and a blower. The circulation path includes a bottom wall side path formed between lower faces of the batteries and a bottom wall which is the bottom side of the housing. The bottom wall is provided with a plurality of beams arranged in parallel for reinforcing the housing, and the batteries are arranged on the beams. The bottom wall side path is formed as a space surrounded by the lower faces of the batteries, the bottom wall, and the beam. The width of the bottom wall side path formed between adjacent beams is set to be larger than the width of one beam.

Abstract: A battery pack includes a plurality of battery cells, case (housing), circulation path, and blower. The circulation path includes battery paths, inflow side space, outflow side space, and a path along the housing. The battery paths are formed by gaps between adjacent battery cells. The inflow side space distributes fluid to the inlets of the battery paths. The outflow side space gathers fluid from the outlets of the battery paths. The path along the housing is a path that is different from the inflow side space and outflow side space and extends along one or more inner surfaces of the case. The circulation path is formed such that at least one of a flow velocity of the fluid in the inflow side space and a flow velocity of the fluid in the outflow side space is slower than a flow velocity of the fluid in the path along the housing.

Abstract: A Cu—Ga alloy sintered-compact sputtering target having a Ga concentration of 40 to 50 at % and Cu as the balance, wherein the sintered-compact sputtering target is characterized in that the relative density is 80% or higher, and the compositional deviation of the Ga concentration is within ±0.5 at % of the intended composition. A method of producing a Cu—Ga alloy sintered-compact sputtering target having a Ga concentration of 40 to 50 at % and Cu as the balance, wherein the method thereof is characterized in that Cu and Ga raw materials are melted and cooled/pulverized to produce a Cu—Ga alloy raw material powder, and the obtained material powder is further hot-pressed with a retention temperature being between the melting point of the mixed raw material powder and a temperature 15° C. lower than the melting point and with a pressure of 400 kgf/cm2 or more applied to the sintered mixed raw material powder.

Abstract: A battery pack includes: a battery assembly including a plurality of batteries; a fluid drive member driving a fluid which cools the battery assembly; a housing that houses the battery assembly and the fluid drive member; and a beam provided integrally with a bottom wall of the housing to support the battery assembly from a lower side. A circulation passage provided in the housing includes: a first fluid passage between the battery assembly and a side wall of the housing; a battery passage between the batteries; and a second fluid passage downstream of the battery passage and extending toward the fluid drive member. The second fluid passage is surrounded by at least the beams, the bottom wall, and a lower end of the battery assembly.

Abstract: Each battery module of a battery pack includes a stack of serially connected battery cells, a gas discharge duct extending in a cell arrangement direction to guide gas discharged from a relief valve of each battery cell to an outside of the battery module, the gas discharge duct having a first connection opening at one end and a second connection opening at the other end, a first connection terminal piece having an inner end portion electrically connected to an electrode of one of the battery cells at one end of the serial connection and an outer end portion disposed inside the first connection opening, and a second connection terminal piece having an inner end portion electrically connected to an electrode of another one of the battery cells at another end of the serial connection and an outer end portion disposed inside the second connection opening.

Abstract: A battery pack has bus bars, a battery stack which is an assembly of plural battery cells, a bus bar casing which supports a bus bar casing, and a cover member. Electrode terminals of battery cells adjacently arranged in the battery stack are connected together through the bus bars. An upstream side passage and a downstream side passage are formed between the bus bars and the cover member. Upstream side wall surfaces forming an inlet part of the upstream side passage or downstream side wall surfaces forming an outlet part of the downstream side passage is arranged at a location closer to the battery cell side than a location of a surface of the bus bar side.

Abstract: A battery pack includes multiple sub-modules each of which includes multiple battery cells electrically connected to each other, and an exhaust duct that is provided between and integrated with at least the two battery modules facing each other. The exhaust duct includes therein an exhaust passage that communicates with an outer surface of a safety valve provided in each battery cell in each of the facing battery modules.

Abstract: The battery pack includes battery cells, bus bars provided for electrical connection among the battery cells, a fluid device that passes a heat transfer medium for exchanging heat with the bus bars or the battery cells, and a control device that obtains data on the bus bars or the battery cells and controls the fluid device based on the obtained data.

Abstract: According to this invention, a scanning probe microscope for scanning a surface of a sample with a probe by bringing the probe into contact with the surface of the sample, comprises a cantilever having the probe at its tip; a displacement detection unit to detect both a bending amount and a torsion amount of the cantilever; and a contact determination unit to determine a primary contact of the probe with the surface of the sample, based on the bending amount and the torsion amount detected by the displacement detection unit in all directions from an undeformed condition of the cantilever.

Abstract: A battery cooling system has a case that forms an internal space surrounded by a plurality of walls to accommodate a plurality of battery cells, a blower accommodated in the case that circulates a fluid for cooling the plurality of battery cells inside of the case, and a passage-along-wall forming member. The passage-along-wall forming member forms passage-along-walls along with and between side walls among the plurality of walls that forms the case. The passage-along-wall forming member has an inflow part where the fluid flowing out of the blower before contacting the battery cells passes when flowing into the passage-along-wall, and an outflow part where the fluid flowed in from the inflow part into the passage-along-wall passes when flowing out from the passage-along-wall.

Abstract: In a battery pack having an improved cooling structure, unit cells, an internal cooling fan and a drive motor are arranged in an inside space of a housing. The inside space of the housing is completely sealed. The drive motor drives the internal cooling fan to supply cooling air. The cooling air circulates in the inside space of the housing to cool the unit cells. Radiation fins are formed on at least one specific exterior surface of the housing. The specific exterior surface has a superior radiation capability which is higher than that of each of the other exterior surfaces of the housing. The cooling air is supplied in turn surfaces of the unit cells and interior surface of the housing corresponding to the exterior surface on which the radiation fins are formed.