Abstract: A magnet for a dynamo-electric machine has a plurality of magnetic poles disposed substantially in a circular shape and opposite a plurality of teeth disposed substantially in a circular shape, the magnetic poles and teeth separated by a gap in an axial direction of a revolving shaft. A plurality of inter-pole sections extend circumferentially between adjacent magnetic poles out of the plurality of magnetic poles. The inter-pole sections have tooth-opposed surfaces that are recessed relative to the surfaces of the magnetic poles opposite the teeth in the direction of the revolving shaft. The plurality of magnetic poles and the plurality of inter-pole sections are integrally formed.

Abstract: This invention provides a rotary electric machine with a high productivity/maintainability. Since the shaft portion 43 or the stepwise drawn portion is formed with a flat face 47 perpendicular to the rotational axis, when the magnetic poles 42 are bonded to the rotor 40, an accurate gap control can be achieved by applying a certain pressure to the magnetic poles with a jig or the like using the perpendicular flat face 47 as reference, or by controlling the distance from the perpendicular flat face 47.

Abstract: An electric motor-operated vehicle includes a vehicle body, an electric motor for driving the rear wheel, a motor control unit provided with a motor driving circuit for driving the electric motor and a rear arm having a front end pivoted to swing on the vehicle body and having a rear end supporting the rear wheel, wherein the electric motor and the motor control unit are located within a contour of the rear wheel of the rear arm viewed from either side of the vehicle.

Abstract: A motor driven vehicle includes an electric motor that drives wheels through a power source and an electric motor control unit that drives the electric motor. When a voltage of the power source is a predetermined value or greater, the electric motor control unit controls the electric motor such that rotational speed-torque characteristics that the electric motor has are maintained when the voltage of the power source is at the predetermined value.

Abstract: A method for carrying out a boosting operation includes detecting that a boosting operation has been carried out for making a current value of an electric motor larger than a current value at a normal throttle time and an electric motor has not rotated, detecting that a predetermined time period has elapsed since the detection and after the detection, controlling the current value of the electric motor to be equal to or smaller than a current value determined to be smaller than the current value at the normal full throttle time.

Abstract: An electric vehicle includes a motor, a first controller that controls the motor, a chargeable battery supplying electric power to the motor, a second controller connected to the battery that controls electric charge for the battery and electric discharge from the battery and a first communication path that communicates between the first controller and the second controller. The first and the second controllers each includes a mutual actuating unit for actuating the other controller via the first communication path in response to actuation of the first or second controller.

Abstract: An electrically-powered scooter including a front wheel, a rear wheel and a frame assembly. A handlebar assembly and a seat assembly are supported by the frame assembly. The frame assembly includes a left frame rail and a right frame rail spaced laterally from one another and extending between the handle bar assembly and the seat assembly. A battery support extends between the left and the right frame rails at a position intermediate the handle bar assembly and the seat assembly. A battery is supported by the battery support. In one arrangement, the battery support includes an enclosure defining a battery storage chamber. The enclosure includes a guide member configured to engage a guide recess of the battery to guide the battery into the battery storage chamber. In another arrangement, the battery may include a recharging port, an axis of which defines an oblique angle with an axis of the battery.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a micro-structure having a plurality of step-like elements, includes the steps of etching a first region of a substrate, corresponding to a lowest step of the step-like element, with an appropriate depth, whereby a surface of the lowest step of the step-like element is defined, and etching, subsequently, a second region of the substrate, corresponding to another step of the step-like element, with an appropriate depth, whereby a surface of that step of the step-like element is defined.

Abstract: A motor scooter embodying an improved electric motor driven wheel. The electric motor for driving the wheel is quite compact and is designed so as to be nested within the disk of the wheel. The motor controller is mounted adjacent the wheel in a protected area but is cooled by airflow across it and by heat transfer to the motor housing. Oil in the motor assembly also will cool the controller. A two speed planetary gear transmission is employed that also is compact and can be nested easily within portions of the electric motor. In addition, an improved brake assembly is also mounted integrally within the motor driving mechanism.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a micro-structure having a plurality of step-like elements, includes the steps of etching a first region of a substrate, corresponding to a lowest step of the step-like element, with an appropriate depth, whereby a surface of the lowest step of the step-like element is defined, and etching, subsequently, a second region of the substrate, corresponding to another step of the step-like element, with an appropriate depth, whereby a surface of that step of the step-like element is defined.

Abstract: In a motorized vehicle power system 403 provided with a rechargeable battery 400, a battery control unit 401 for executing control of battery conditions including the remaining capacity of the rechargeable battery 400 and a charging unit 402 for charging the rechargeable battery 400, the charging unit 402 is provided with a discharging device 404 for executing refreshing discharge of the rechargeable battery 400 and a discharge control device 405 for controlling the refreshing discharge by the charging device 404 on the basis of a refreshing discharge requirement signal sent from the battery control unit 401.

Abstract: A power source system 402 for electric motor-operated vehicles adapted to determine an actual capacity of a chargeable battery 400, namely the maximum capacity learning value at the current time point after it is used in cycles, comprises; a discharge means 403 for performing refreshment discharge of the chargeable battery 400, a charge control means 404 for controlling the discharge means 403 to perform the refreshment discharge with a discharge current including a pulse waveform portion, and an actual capacity learning means 405 for learning the actual capacity of the chargeable battery 400 on the basis of discharge capacity including the discharge capacity at the time of refreshment with the pulse waveform current.

Abstract: A motor scooter embodying an improved electric motor driven wheel. The electric motor for driving the wheel is quite compact and is designed so as to be nested within the disk of the wheel. The motor controller is mounted adjacent the wheel in a protected area but is cooled by airflow across it and by heat transfer to the motor housing. Oil in the motor assembly also will cool the controller. A two speed planetary gear transmission is employed that also is compact and can be nested easily within portions of the electric motor. In addition, an improved brake assembly is also mounted integrally within the motor driving mechanism.

Abstract: A diffractive optical element having plural diffraction grating surfaces accumulated, wherein a pair of diffraction grating surfaces are positioned so that a protrusion and/or a recess formed on an outside of one diffraction grating surface engages with a recess and/or a protrusion formed on an outside of the other diffraction grating surface, and wherein the pair of diffraction grating surfaces are defined on materials having different refractive indices and different dispersions and being formed into a kinoform, or a shape and a height of blazed or binary, close to it, such that a largest optical path difference to be applied to light rays passing through the diffraction grating surfaces with respect to plural wavelengths becomes equal to a multiple, by an integral number, of the wavelength.

Abstract: This invention relates to an electric motor operated wheelchair comprising right and left wheels (2) each provided with an electric motor unit with electric power supplied from a battery (46) disposed on one side wheel (2) through a wiring harness (electric cables) (45), (51) and a main switch (28) to each of the electric motor units, wherein the main switch (28) and a switch lever (29) for driving the switch (28) are integrated at least with the electric motor unit on the side where the battery (46) is located.Therefore, according to the invention, the wiring harness (45) for interconnecting the main switch (28) and the electric motor unit do not appear outside the vehicle body frame (3), the number of electric cables and associated components is reduced to a minimum, the structure is simplified, and ease of attaching and removing the wheels (2) is improved.

Abstract: An electrochromic device and a method for manufacturing the same, which device at least comprises a pair of opposed transparent substrates provided with a pair of opposed transparent electrodes therebetween; and an oxidative coloring electrochromic layer, a layer comprising an oxidative coloring electrochromic material and a metal oxide, a transparent ion conductive layer, and a reductive coloring electrochromic layer provided between the pair of transparent electrodes. Thereby, an electrochromic device can be provided, which device exhibits high optical transmittance during discoloring and shows excellent response speed and repeated-durability when being driven at high contrast ratio.

Abstract: There is provided an electrochromic device comprising a pair of transparent substrates facing each other, a pair of transparent electrodes facing each other between the pair of transparent substrates, and an electrochromic layer and a transparent ion conductive layer sandwiched by the pair of transparent electrodes, wherein at least the electrochromic layer and the transparent ion conductive layer are coated with a resin in a state that carrier precursor in the electrochromic layer and in the transparent ion conductive layer is ionized. As a result, film breakage of the electrochromic device and peeling off of the sealing resin and the sealing substrate are prevented, thus improving the durability of the electrochromic device.

Abstract: An electrochromic device and a method for manufacturing same, which device has at least a pair of opposed transparent electroconductive layers, a first transparent ion conductive layer provided between the pair of opposed electroconductive layers, a second transparent ion conductive layer adjacent to the first ion conductive layer, a reductive coloring electrochromic layer adjacent to the second ion conductive layer, wherein the first transparent ion conductive layer is formed in an atmosphere containing water vapor and the second transparent ion conductive layer is formed in an atmosphere containing oxygen. Thereby an electrochromic device can be provided, which device exhibits excellent durability when being driven at a high contrast ratio and high resistance to such environments as high temperature and humidity.

Abstract: An antireflection film is procided on a plastic optical element as follows. An undercoat composed principally of unsaturated silicon exide SiO.sub.x (2>x>1) with a thickness within a range of 200 to 300 nm is formed on the optical element. A multi-layered film of a repeating structure is formed on the undercoat. The multi-layerd film has antireflective characteristics. The undercoat has a refractive index within a range of 1.49 to 1.59. The multi-layered film is composed of alternate lamination of a layer of a material which has a high refractive index and which is composed principally of TiO.sub.2, ZrO.sub.2 or a mixture thereof, and a layer of a material which has a low refractive index and which is composed principally of SiO.sub.x (2.gtoreq.x.gtoreq.1).

Abstract: An evaporation material is employed to form an optical thin film which is adapted to be formed on an optical element such as a lens or the like. The evaporation material is provided such that zirconium oxide (ZrO.sub.2) is mixed with a titanium oxide (TiO.sub.A) having a molar ratio A(O/Ti) of oxygen to titanium in a range of 1.0 to 1.75 so that the mixture assumes a molar ratio (Ti/Zr) of titanium to zirconium in a range of 1.0 to 4.0. The mixture is sintered or fused and solidified.