Abstract: An opening/closing control apparatus includes a directional microphone having a sound collecting device disposed on a vehicle and configured to collect sound outside the vehicle. The directional microphone further has directivity upward from a horizontal plane that includes a mounting position of the sound collecting device. The opening/closing control apparatus further includes a control circuit configured to control operation of one of a door and a lock of the vehicle, based on a recognition result obtained by performing speech recognition with respect to an audio signal detected by the directional microphone.

Abstract: A toner includes a base particle; and an external additive covering the base particle. The toner includes a tetrahydrofuran (THF)-insoluble component having a glass transition temperature determined from a DSC curve when heated for the second time of from ?50° C. to 10° C. and an average circularity not greater than 0.98, and satisfies the following relation: Bt?0.025×Ct?1.80 wherein Bt represents a BET specific surface area [m2/g]; and Ct represents a coverage [%] of the external additive covering the base particle.

Abstract: A toner includes a base particle comprising a crystalline polyester resin; and an external additive which is a group of silica particles having a number-average particle diameter of from 0.01 ?m to 0.11 ?m on the surface of the toner. A number ratio of the silica particles having a circularity not less than 0.8 is 20% or more in the total number of the silica particles.

Abstract: To provide a brazing material for maintaining bonding strength between ceramic substrate and metal plate at a conventionally attainable level, while addition amount of In is reduced, and a brazing material paste using the same. A mixture powder provided by mixing alloy powder composed of Ag, In, and Cu, Ag powder, and active metal hydride powder, the mixture powder containing active metal hydride powder with a 10-to-25-?m equivalent circle average particle diameter by 0.5 to 5.0 mass %, the equivalent circle average particle diameters for the alloy powder, Ag powder, and active metal hydride powder having a relationship: alloy powder?active metal hydride powder>Ag powder, and the powder mixture having a particle size distribution of d10 of 3 to 10 ?m, d50 of 10 to 35 ?m, and d90 of 30 to 50 ?m, and in the frequency distribution, a peak of the distribution existing between d50 and d90.

Abstract: The method includes a process of (i) and a process of (ii) in this order. In the process of (i), the potential of a first anode and the potential of a first cathode are adjusted in an aqueous solution containing chloride ions so as to increase the concentration of free chlorine in the aqueous solution. In the process of (ii), the potential of a second anode and the potential of a second cathode are adjusted in the aqueous solution so as to decrease the concentration of free chlorine in the aqueous solution. The difference between the potential of the second anode and the potential of the second cathode in the process of (ii) is smaller than the difference between the potential of the first anode and the potential of the first cathode in the process of (i).

Abstract: This disclosure discloses a brake diagnosis device configured to diagnose a brake of a motor with a brake. The brake diagnosis device includes a brake control part, a diagnosis part, and a signal output part. The brake control part is configured to actuate or release the brake. The diagnosis part is configured to diagnose a presence or absence of an abnormality of the brake while the brake is actuated by the brake control part. The signal output part is configured to output a signal related to a brake abnormality after the brake is released by the brake control part in a case that the diagnosis part diagnoses the brake as having an abnormality.

Abstract: A toner includes a base particle; and an external additive covering the base particle. The toner includes a tetrahydrofuran (THF)-insoluble component having a glass transition temperature determined from a DSC curve when heated for the second time of from ?50° C. to 10° C. and an average circularity not greater than 0.98, and satisfies the following relation: Bt?0.025×Ct?1.80 wherein Bt represents a BET specific surface area [m2/g]; and Ct represents a coverage [%] of the external additive covering the base particle.

Abstract: A toner includes a base particle comprising a crystalline polyester resin; and an external additive which is a group of silica particles having a number-average particle diameter of from 0.01 ?m to 0.11 ?m on the surface of the toner. A number ratio of the silica particles having a circularity not less than 0.8 is 20% or more in the total number of the silica particles.

Abstract: An intake noise reducing apparatus connected to an intake system of an internal combustion engine includes a bellows-shaped elastic member 14 connected through a communicating tube to an intake passage. An intake-noise reducing effect associated with an expansion-and-contraction deformation of the elastic member 14 can be obtained in addition to an intake-noise reducing effect obtainable as a Helmholtz-type resonator element. A peripheral wall 14c of the elastic member 14 includes a mountain portion 31 and a valley portion 32 connected through a taper wall 33 to each other. A crest portion of each of the mountain portion 31 and the valley portion 32 is a straight-line portion 35, 36. The straight-line portion 35, 36 is in a cylindrical shape, and hence suppresses a radial displacement which is caused by a change in sound pressure, so that an axial amplitude of the elastic member 14 can be secured by that much.

Abstract: A terminal spacer having a cylindrical shape is attached to the circumference of an electric wire connected to a charge terminal. The terminal spacer includes a slit portion extending across the entire length in the axial direction of the terminal spacer. The slit portion includes an electric wire insertion slit portion into which the electric wire can be inserted, and a narrow slit portion continuously extending from the electric wire insertion slit portion and having an opening width narrower than that of the electric wire insertion slit portion.

Abstract: This disclosure discloses a brake diagnosis device configured to diagnose a brake of a motor with a brake. The brake diagnosis device includes a brake control part, a diagnosis part, and a signal output part. The brake control part is configured to actuate or release the brake. The diagnosis part is configured to diagnose a presence or absence of an abnormality of the brake while the brake is actuated by the brake control part. The signal output part is configured to output a signal related to a brake abnormality after the brake is released by the brake control part in a case that the diagnosis part diagnoses the brake as having an abnormality.

Abstract: A handsfree-call supporting device that is used, connected to a mobile phone through any one of a wired interface and a wireless interface, includes: a casing; a speaker unit; a first microphone unit; and a second microphone unit. The speaker unit includes a speaker device and a sound output unit. The first microphone unit includes a first sound collector unit and a first microphone device. The second microphone unit includes a second sound collector unit and a second microphone device. The speaker unit, the first microphone unit, and the second microphone unit are housed in the casing. A second opening, a third opening, and a fourth opening are arranged on one surface of the casing. The third opening and the fourth opening are arranged at uniform distances from the second opening.

Abstract: A method for producing a ceramic circuit substrate comprising the steps of forming brazing regions each comprising brazing material powder and an organic binder on a ceramic substrate; setting metal plates on the ceramic substrate via the brazing regions, and heating the ceramic substrate, the brazing regions and the metal plates to bond the metal plates to the ceramic substrate via brazing layers made of the brazing material, thereby forming a bonded body; and cleaning the bonded body with a hypochlorite-containing agent.

Abstract: A terminal spacer having a cylindrical shape is attached to the circumference of an electric wire connected to a charge terminal. The terminal spacer includes a slit portion extending across the entire length in the axial direction of the terminal spacer. The slit portion includes an electric wire insertion slit portion into which the electric wire can be inserted, and a narrow slit portion continuously extending from the electric wire insertion slit portion and having an opening width narrower than that of the electric wire insertion slit portion.

Abstract: An electromagnetic relay includes a bobbin including a winding part, jaw parts extending from both ends of the winding part, and a pair of opposing side wall parts; a coil wound on the winding part; an iron core attached to the bobbin; an armature; a movable contact which contacts or is separated from a fixed contact; and a case. The jaw part is formed to extend to a part in the vicinity of a side wall of the case so as to separate a first space where the coil exists from a second space where the fixed contact and the movable contact exist. Each of the side wall parts extends from the jaw part along an axis of the bobbin in a direction toward the second space and has a distal end abutting on the case.

Abstract: A manufacturing method with which a high thermal conductivity silicon nitride substrate having excellent sintering performance can be manufactured without the occurrence of a molding crack or degreasing crack, as well as to provide a silicon nitride substrate, and a silicon nitride circuit board and a semiconductor module using the silicon nitride substrate. In the manufacturing method, in which a slurry is produced by mixing a silicon nitride powder, a sintering additive powder, and a binder in an organic solvent which is a dispersion medium, and the slurry is formed into a sheet, followed by degreasing and sintering, the oxygen content of the silicon nitride powder is 2.0 mass % or less and the specific surface area of the same is 3 to 11 m2/g, the additive ratio of the sintering additive powder is 4 to 15 mol %, and the water content ratio of the organic solvent is 0.03 to 3 mass %.

Abstract: A reactor, which heats a slurry raw material including a solid component, including a reaction tube, wherein the slurry raw material is continuously fed from an end of the reaction tube relative to the central axial direction of the reaction tube so as to be flown toward another end of the reaction tube to be heated; and plural perforated plates arranged in the reaction tube so as to separate the inside of the reaction tube into plural compartments. The reactor satisfies the relations (½)·D??D<D?, and 0.2?S/D??5.0, wherein D represents the diameter of each of the perforated plates, D? represents the inner diameter of the reaction tube, and S represents the interval between any two adjacent perforated plates in the central axial direction of the reaction tube.

Abstract: To provide a brazing material for maintaining bonding strength between ceramic substrate and metal plate at a conventionally attainable level, while addition amount of In is reduced, and a brazing material paste using the same. A mixture powder provided by mixing alloy powder composed of Ag, In, and Cu, Ag powder, and active metal hydride powder, the mixture powder containing active metal hydride powder with a 10-to-25-?m equivalent circle average particle diameter by 0.5 to 5.0 mass %, the equivalent circle average particle diameters for the alloy powder, Ag powder, and active metal hydride powder having a relationship: alloy powder?active metal hydride powder>Ag powder, and the powder mixture having a particle size distribution of d10 of 3 to 10 ?m, d50 of 10 to 35 ?m, and d90 of 30 to 50 ?m, and in the frequency distribution, a peak of the distribution existing between d50 and d90.

Abstract: An audio output device includes two digital microphone units that, upon receiving sound, convert the sound to PDM digital audio signals in which a state is represented by 1 or 0 in each predetermined period. The audio output device generates half-period digital audio signals, which are signals of a half period of the predetermined period, by using first digital audio signals and second digital audio signals that are the digital audio signals converted by the two digital microphones, where the states of the first digital audio signals are each reflected in one of two half periods corresponding to the predetermined period and states of the second audio signals are each reflected in the other half period. The audio output device then converts the half-period digital audio signals, which are generated by the generator, to analog audio signals and outputs the analog audio signals.

Abstract: A ceramic assembled board is formed by cutting continuous dividing grooves on one or both of the surfaces of a sintered ceramic board by way of laser machining to produce a large number of circuit substrates and at least one of the continuous grooves has a largest depth section and a smallest depth section with a depth difference ?d of 10 ?m??d?50 ?m. A ceramic substrate is produced by dividing the ceramic assembled board and at least one of its lateral surfaces is a surface formed by dividing the ceramic assembled board along the continuous grooves, the arithmetic mean roughness Ra2 of the machined surfaces of the continuous grooves being smaller than the arithmetic mean roughness Ra1 of the surfaces of broken sections with regard to the arithmetic mean roughness Ra of the lateral surfaces.