Abstract: A high resolution, wide viewing angle, low power consumption liquid crystal display device which utilizes nematic liquid crystal and which can attain both the memory effect and wide-viewing-angle display characteristic. A liquid crystal display device that utilizes nematic liquid crystal and includes a pair of transparent substrates; a group of electrodes for applying to a liquid crystal layer disposed between the pair of substrates an electric field having a component substantially parallel to the surfaces of the substrates; and an alignment layer disposed between the liquid crystal layer and at least one of the pair of substrates and having been subjected to liquid crystal anchoring treatments in plural directions. The plurality of liquid crystal anchoring directions of the alignment layer form substantially equal angles relative to one another, and a rising angle in each of the liquid crystal anchoring directions with respect to the corresponding substrate surface is substantially zero.

Abstract: A fuel cell module includes a first area where an exhaust gas combustor and a start-up combustor are provided, an annular second area around the first area where a heat exchanger is provided, an annular third area around the second area where a reformer is provided, an annular fourth area around the third area where an evaporator is provided, and a first partition member provided between the first area and the second area. The first partition member has a combustion gas hole for allowing the combustion gas to flow from the first area to the second area. A baffle circular member is provided inside the first partition member, between the exhaust gas combustor and the start-up combustor.

Abstract: The present invention provides an actuator which uses a cationically conductive polymer electrolyte and shows a large deformation response. The actuator has a pair of opposing electrodes and an intermediate layer arranged between the pair of the electrodes, which actuator being curved and displaced when voltage is applied to the electrodes, wherein the intermediate layer has at least: the cationically conductive polymer electrolyte having an ether bond site and an anion site in its molecule; and a weakly acidic material which interacts with the ether bond site.

Abstract: A driver for an electrochromic element is configured to adjust the transmittance of a solution-type electrochromic element to allow the element to display a tone. The element has a pair of electrodes and at least one organic electrochromic material mixed between the electrodes. The driver has an adjusting controller configured to adjust the transmittance of the element. The adjusting controller has controller A and controller B. Controller A is configured to saturate a change in the transmittance of the element to an initial state by applying the voltage which resets the element to the initial state. Controller B is configured to control the tone of the element by applying the voltage which adjusts the transmittance of the element following controller A.

Abstract: In a substrate processing apparatus, a storage device, an indexer block, a processing block and an interface block are arranged to line up in this order. The storage device includes a plurality of openers on which a carrier storing a plurality of substrates can be placed. The carrier is carried in the storage device. In the storage device, the carrier is transported among the plurality of openers by a transport device. The transport device includes first and second hands configured to be able to hold the carrier and move in a horizontal direction and a vertical direction. The second hand is provided below the first hand.

Abstract: A sulfonium borate complex that is capable of reducing the amount of fluorine ions generated during thermal cationic polymerization, and is capable of providing a thermal cationic polymerizable adhesive with low-temperature fast curing properties is represented by a structure represented by the formula (1). In the formula (1), R1 is an aralkyl group, R2 is a lower alkyl group, and R3 is a lower alkoxycarbonyl group. X is a halogen atom, and n is an integer of from 1 to 3.

Abstract: This invention provides an actuator which is easy to control the drive and has large generative force. The actuator is an actuator having a cylindrical outer frame body which expands in the side surface direction to bring the bottom portion and the top portion close to each other and a deformation unit which is accommodated in the outer frame body and has a plurality of deformation elements which are deformed by applying a voltage, in which, in the deformation unit, the plurality of deformation elements are mutually deformed when a voltage is applied to press and expand the outer frame body in the side surface direction.

Abstract: A pet toilet (1) includes an outer container (10) and an inner container (20). A lower outer sidewall portion (15) having a lower sidewall is provided on a sidewall (12a) of the outer container (10), and a lower inner sidewall portion (25) having a lower sidewall is provided on a sidewall (22a) of the inner container (20). The outer container (10) and the inner container (20) are relatively movable. A pet entrance (2) that is lower than an adjacent sidewall (3) is formed by arranging the inner container (20) into the outer container (10) such that the position of the lower outer sidewall portion (15) matches the position of the lower inner sidewall portion (25).

Abstract: In a substrate processing apparatus, a storage device, an indexer block, a processing block and an interface block are arranged to line up in this order. The storage device includes a plurality of openers on which a carrier storing a plurality of substrates can be placed. The carrier is carried in the storage device. In the storage device, the carrier is transported among the plurality of openers by a transport device. The transport device includes first and second hands configured to be able to hold the carrier and move in a horizontal direction and a vertical direction. The second hand is provided below the first hand.

Abstract: There is provided an actuator that can deform as an electrolyte moves, wherein at least one of a pair of electrode layers contains polymer fibers, and the polymer fibers contain an electroconductive material and are porous.

Abstract: Provided is an electrochromic element having: a pair of electrodes; an electrochromic layer which is provided between the pair of electrodes and has an electrolyte and an electrochromic material; and a spacer which surrounds a periphery of the electrochromic layer, the element having a change mechanism that changes a thickness of the electrochromic layer.

Abstract: A pet excreta treating material made mainly of a ground material of plant origin and having a higher water absorbency in the third measurement than in the first measurement, a water absorbency of 3% to 30% by weight in the third measurement, and a specific gravity of 0.8 to 1.2 measured before the first water absorbency measurement. The water absorbency is measured by immersing a dried excreta treating material in 25° C. water for 3 seconds and calculating the weight increase by the equation below, which is taken as water absorbency (%). In the second and following measurements, the excreta treating material immediately after the preceding measurement is dried and immersed in 25° C. water for 3 seconds to obtain a water absorbency in the same manner. Water absorbency (%)=[(weight of excreta treating material after immersion?weight of excreta treating material before immersion)/(weight of excreta treating material before immersion)]×100.

Abstract: The present invention provides a vapor-phase growth apparatus, including: a reaction furnace in which a susceptor is removably installed, and in which vapor-phase growth is conducted; a transport robot which transports the aforementioned susceptor; a glove box which accommodates the pertinent transport robot and the aforementioned reaction furnace; an exchange table which is set up inside the pertinent glove box, and on which a susceptor is temporarily mounted during susceptor replacement; and an exchange box which is provided in a side wall of the aforementioned glove box, and in which susceptor replacement is conducted; and wherein the aforementioned exchange table comprises a positioning device which rotates upon mounting of the aforementioned susceptor, and which determines a position of the aforementioned susceptor in a rotational direction by stopping at a prescribed rotational position.

Abstract: A casing of a fuel cell system is divided into a module area, a fluid supply area, and an electric parts area. The fluid supply area is provided on a first side surface of the module area, and an electric parts area is provided on a second side surface of the module area. A fuel cell module and a combustor are provided in the module area.

Abstract: A fuel cell module includes a fuel cell stack, a heat exchanger, an evaporator, a reformer, and a combustor for at least heating any of the fuel cell stack, the heat exchanger, the evaporator, and the reformer. The fuel cell module is surrounded by an inner heat insulating layer and an outer heat insulating layer. The inner heat insulating layer is used in a high temperature area, and the outer heat insulating layer is used in a low temperature area. The inner heat insulating layer contains a large amount of metal component in comparison with the outer heat insulating layer.

Abstract: Provided are an electrode having high conductivity and high durability to driving deformation, and an actuator including the electrode, the actuator having a large amount of displacement. The actuator includes a pair of electrodes arranged oppositely and an intermediate layer arranged between the pair of electrodes, the intermediate layer containing an electrolyte, and the actuator being deformed by applying a voltage to the pair of electrodes, in which at least one of the pair of electrodes includes a porous structure containing a first conductive material and having conductivity, a second conductive material, and an electrolyte, pores of the porous structure being filled with the second conductive material and the electrolyte.

Abstract: A desulfurizer includes a filled chamber having a raw fuel passage through which a raw fuel flows, the filled chamber being filled with a desulfurizing agent, a supply chamber disposed upstream of the filled chamber, for uniformly supplying the raw fuel to the raw fuel passage, and a discharge chamber disposed downstream of the filled chamber, for uniformly discharging the raw fuel from the raw fuel passage. The raw fuel passage has first and second reversers for reversing the direction in which the raw fuel flows. The raw fuel passage has a cross-sectional area which is smaller in a downstream portion thereof than in an upstream portion thereof.

Abstract: An actuator with a sensor, including an actuator having electrodes and an ionic conduction layer, a sensor and a rigid body member provided in contact with the sensor. The actuator is connected to the sensor through the rigid body member such that the sensor is not deformed attending on deformation of the actuator.

Abstract: Provided is a method for storing a high active titanium-containing silicon oxide catalyst, characterized in that the catalyst is stored at a relative humidity of 60% or less. The method can be used for a reaction, for example, wherein an oxirane compound is prepared from hydroperoxide and olefinic compound, even after the catalyst has been stored for a long period of time. The titanium-containing silicon oxide catalyst can be suitably employed as a catalyst satisfying the following requirements: (1) an average pore diameter is 10 ? or more, (2) the pores accounting for 90% or more of the total pore volume have a pore diameter of 50 to 200 ?, and (3) a specific pore volume is 0.2 cm cm3/g or more.

Abstract: An epoxy resin composition containing an epoxy resin and a thermal cationic polymerization initiator not only can reduce the amount of fluorine ions generated during thermal cationic polymerization to improve electrolytic corrosion resistance but also is excellent in low-temperature rapid curability. The epoxy resin composition uses a sulfonium borate complex represented by the formula (1) as the thermal cationic polymerization initiator. In the formula (1), R1 is an aralkyl group, and R2 is a lower alkyl group, provided that when R2 is a methyl group, R1 is not a benzyl group. X is a halogen atom, and n is an integer of 1 to 3.