Abstract: A membrane-electrode assembly (MEA) 1 has a solid polymer electrolyte membrane 2. The membrane 2 has ion-conductive domains 3 and non-ion-conductive domains 4 and an electrode catalyst 5. The electrode catalyst 5 is present selectively on surface sites of the solid polymer electrolyte membrane 2 which corresponds to the ion-conductive domains 3 rather than surface sites of the membrane 2 which corresponds to the non-ion-conductive domains 4. A spray liquid containing the electrode catalyst and a solvent is applied onto a surface of the membrane 2 by electrostatic spray deposition to selectively adhere the electrode catalyst 5 on the surface sites of the membrane 2 which corresponds to the ion-conductive domains 3. The membrane 2 is preferably subjected to a hydrophilization treatment before being sprayed with the spray liquid.

Abstract: An electrocatalyst for ethanol oxidization includes an elemental mixture containing platinum and ruthenium and at least one element, wherein the foregoing at least one element is selected from the group of tungsten, tin, molybdenum, copper, gold, manganese, and vanadium.

Abstract: An electrocatalyst for ethanol oxidization includes an elemental mixture containing platinum and ruthenium and at least one element, wherein the foregoing at least one element is selected from the group of tungsten, tin, molybdenum, copper, gold, manganese, and vanadium.

Abstract: A membrane-electrode assembly (MEA) 1 has a solid polymer electrolyte membrane 2. The membrane 2 has ion-conductive domains 3 and non-ion-conductive domains 4 and an electrode catalyst 5. The electrode catalyst 5 is present selectively on surface sites of the solid polymer electrolyte membrane 2 which corresponds to the ion-conductive domains 3 rather than surface sites of the membrane 2 which corresponds to the non-ion-conductive domains 4. A spray liquid containing the electrode catalyst and a solvent is applied onto a surface of the membrane 2 by electrostatic spray deposition to selectively adhere the electrode catalyst 5 on the surface sites of the membrane 2 which corresponds to the ion-conductive domains 3. The membrane 2 is preferably subjected to a hydrophilization treatment before being sprayed with the spray liquid.

Abstract: A process for generating power includes (1) generating power from a fuel cell including a fuel electrode, an air electrode and an electrolyte membrane sandwiched therebetween wherein the fuel electrode is made of an alloy including platinum, and a fuel is a liquid including a secondary alcohol, by directly feeding the fuel to the fuel electrode; (2) contacting the air electrode in the fuel cell with an oxidizable material and applying a current from an external electric source between the fuel electrode as negative and the, air electrode as positive, after step (1); and (3) generating power from the fuel cell after step (2).

Abstract: An oxide film 2 which is so modified as to hold hydrophobic groups 3 on its surface, and further to stabilize an anionic substance 6 among those hydrophobic groups, has an electroconductive polymer layer 7 formed thereupon. The method by which to adhere the hydrophobic groups 3 and anionic substance 6 onto the surface of the oxide film comprises exposing an element upon which the oxide film has been formed, to a steam of the hydrophobic group or to a solution containing the hydrophobic group, and then exposing the same element to a steam of the anionic substance or to a solution containing the anionic substance. This method allows a hydrophobic group and anionic substance to be applied thinly and evenly on the surface of an oxide film, regardless of the kind and nature of the hydrophobic group and anionic substance.

Abstract: An analyte and a reactant 3 that reacts with the analyte either directly or indirectly are allowed to react with each other on the analytical areas A of a substrate 1 and signals originating from the reaction are detected. In at least a signal detection step, either a signal generation-related portion 4x or a detector is provided in a portion that is opposed to the substrate 1 and high and low areas are formed in either the substrate 1 or the opposed portion or both in such a manner that the distance from each analytical area A of the substrate to the opposed portion is shorter than the distance from each of the non-analytical areas B of the substrate to the opposed portion, whereby signals originating from the reaction in the analytical areas A will be detected at higher intensities than signals originating from the reaction in the non-analytical areas B.

Abstract: An oxide film 2 which is so modified as to hold hydrophobic groups 3 on its surface, and further to stabilize an anionic substance 6 among those hydrophobic groups, has an electroconductive polymer layer 7 formed thereupon. The electrolyte capacitor includes the adherence of the hydrophobic groups 3 and anionic substance 6 onto the surface of the oxide film includes exposing an element upon which the oxide film has been formed, to a steam of the hydrophobic group or to a solution containing the hydrophobic group, and then exposing the same element to a steam of the anionic substance or to a solution containing the anionic substance.

Abstract: A conjugated enzyme electrode comprising diaphorase and an amino-acid dehydrogenase immobilized on a conductive support by a polyfunctional aldehyde is disclosed, by which amino acids can be rapidly determined with high sensitivity.

Abstract: A heat pipe comprising a container having water enclosed therein as a working fluid and made of a material reactive with water to evolve hydrogen gas. The heat pipe is characterized in that the container has placed therein a solid oxidizing agent for oxidizing the hydrogen gas to water. The hydrogen gas produced by the reaction of the working fluid, i.e. water, with the container is oxidized to water by the oxidizing agent without remaining in the form of a gas within the condensing portion of the pipe.

Abstract: An automatic money receiving and disbursing machine having the functions of receiving money from customers and disbursing money to customers from a box disposed within the machine. The machine is provided with a circulation path in communication with a transacting section to receive or disburse the notes therethrough. A portion of the circulation path is in communication with the disbursing box for receiving the notes disbursed from the disbursing box. Another portion of the circulation path is in communication with a note receiving box. A discrimination section is provided in the circulation path to discriminate the notes received or the notes disbursed. In the disbursing mode, when an abnormal note is found by discrimination, all the notes are discriminated again by passing the notes through the discrimination section via the circulation path.

Abstract: An automatic money receiving and disbursing machine has two dealing openings through one of which the notes are received in the machine or disbursed from the machine. A discriminating section is provided for discriminating the received notes or the disbursed notes. Discrimination made through the discriminating section is made in a high grade or in a low grade. Two accumulating sections are provided between two dealing openings on a delivery section. These accumulating sections are used to temporarily store the notes. A receiving and disbursing box is provided for receipt of a specific kind of note. A disbursing box and a reject box are also provided.

Abstract: A three direction changeable device comprises first forks and second forks. The first forks are disposed to selectively obstruct the movement of bank notes in a first direction. The second forks are disposed to selectively obstruct the movement of bank notes in a second direction. Each first fork is associated with a second fork and is disposed adjacent thereto to define therebetween a path for bank notes in a third direction when the first forks and second forks obstruct the movement of the bank notes in the first and second directions, respectively.

Abstract: Herein disclosed is a reception control system for use with a paper counting machine, which is intended to prevent the excessive reception of the sheets of paper due to the delay in the reception control timing.

Abstract: A camera with a voice command system includes a switch which selectively brings the voice command system to one of learning and working modes. During the learning mode, various command voices spoken into a microphone and each registered in the camera at a designated section. During the working mode, a spoken command voice is compared with each one of the registered command voices and recognized by the one that correlates mostly for generating a control signal relying on the identified section.

Abstract: A roll of coin wrapping paper includes streak portions which extend in the width direction of the paper and are arranged at a predetermined pitch in the longitudinal direction of the paper. The streak portions are formed by making such portions thicker than the other portions of the paper. The thicker portion is made by applying printing ink to the paper. Alternatively, the streak portion may be formed by making a series of perforations in the paper.

Abstract: An improved coin accumulator assembly is provided, which comprises a main accumulator tube adapted to receive and accumulate therein a pre-set number of coins and a subsidiary accumulator tube disposed upstream of the main accumulator tube and adapted to receive and accumulate temporarily the coins counted during the early stage of counting operation when the main accumulator tube is involved in the coin delivery operation and hence cannot receive any coins. The coins temporarily accumulated in the subsidiary accumulator tube are collectively passed to the main accumulator tube when the latter is released from the coin delivery operation and restored to its normal coin receiving condition.

Abstract: A camera capable of informing a photographer of conditions of a camera by means of human voice, which is adapted to arrange improper camera operating conditions in a predetermined order, and to give them as warnings in a sequential manner. Further, prior to every warning statement, precursory sounds are adapted to be given, to call attention of the photographer. In addition, a camera capable of narrating the explanation of the way to handle the camera is disclosed.

Abstract: There is provided a compact and simple dispenser for dispensing envelopes each containing a predetermined number of paper sheets such as bank notes and being positively guided by perforations formed at the marginal side or sides of the envelopes. A series of envelopes is housed and stocked in a container unit of the dispenser while being folded one on another to form a train of envelopes which are cut off along the folded lines and then dispensed individually under the control of the central control center. The dispenser of the invention comprises the container unit which has a lock, and a dispensing unit having a cavity for receiving the container unit and a locking device for releasingly locking the lock of the container unit until a signal instructing disassembly of the container unit from the dispensing unit is received.

Abstract: There is provided a register apparatus. The register apparatus includes a key input device for successively entering commodity prices and the amount of money received from a customer by a keying operation; a note identifying device for identifying the denomination of the note received from the customer; an arithmetic control device adapted to add said commodity prices and to calculate the sum of said amount of money entered through said key input device and the amount of money identified by said note identifying device, said arithmetic control device being further adapted to compare the sum of said commodity prices and said sum of money with each other to calculate the amount of change; a display device adapted to display said sum of said commodity price, said sum of money received from the customer and said amount of said change; and a memory device adapted to memorize said sum of said commodity price, said sum of money received from the customer and said amount of said change.