Abstract: A conveyance system includes a traveling member to transport an article installed for movement along a travel guide. A drive source arranged to drive the traveling member is a linear motor including an armature, disposed along the travel guide, and a mover on the secondary side installed on the traveling member. The travel guide includes a rectilinear section and a curved section. The armatures of the linear motor are spaced at a distance from each other and arranged such that a plurality of the armatures are arranged along the rectilinear section and the curved section of the travel guide. The travel guide is arranged to accommodate a plurality of traveling members mounted thereon.

Abstract: The present invention provides a nonaqueous pigment dispersant containing a copolymer having: (a) a constituent unit derived from a nitrogen atom-containing polymerizable macromonomer having an ethylenic unsaturated double bond at one terminal, and (b) a constituent unit derived from a monomer unit having an ethylenic unsaturated double bond, being copolymerizable with the nitrogen atom-containing polymerizable macromonomer of constituent (a), and a pigment dispersion composition containing the dispersant, a pigment and a nonaqueous solvent.

Abstract: Disclosed are a silicon carbide sintered body and a sliding component using the same, and a protective body which, even when fine cracks are generated due to thermal shock or mechanical impact over prolonged use, are capable of inhibiting development of the cracks. The silicon carbide sintered body contains silicon carbide grains as a major component and has a relative density of 95% or more. On an observation surface of the silicon carbide sintered body, coarse silicon carbide grains 1b having a surface area of 170 ?m2 or more occupy 6 area % or more and 15 area % or less. The silicon carbide sintered body has excellent mechanical properties such as strength and rigidity. Even when fine cracks are generated due to thermal shock or mechanical impact, coarse silicon carbide grains 1b are capable of inhibiting development of the cracks.

Abstract: An overhead shuttle is controlled to support a bottom of an article while traveling. A transfer apparatus is controlled to hold the article from above the article, move the article between a position above the overhead shuttle and a position above stations provided on a side of a travel rail, and elevate and lower the article to transfer the article between the transfer apparatus and the station.

Abstract: A hydrogen permeation/separation thin membrane including a Ni—Ti—Nb alloy. The Ni—Ti—Nb alloy is a cast foil material obtained by roll quenching and a refining heat treatment. The membrane has a thickness of 0.07 mm or less. The Ni—Ti—Nb alloy has the following: (a) a composition consisting of 10 to 47 atomic % of Nb, 20 to 52 atomic % of Ti, and a remainder containing 20 to 48 atomic % of Ni and inevitable impurities; and (b) an alloy structure where fine particles of a Nb-based solid solution alloy, in which Nb forms a solid solution with Ni and Ti in Nb, are dispersed in a basic structure made of a Ni—Ti(Nb) intermetallic compound formed of a solid solution of a Ni—Ti intermetallic compound, in which part of Ti thereof is replaced by Nb.

Abstract: A hydrogen permeable module includes a hydrogen permeable membrane that permeates hydrogen, an outer peripheral part of the hydrogen permeable membrane being restricted, an inside of the outer peripheral part of the hydrogen permeable membrane being not restricted. The hydrogen permeable module permeates the hydrogen by constantly keeping a pressure of a primary side to a pressure that is equal to or more than a pressure of a secondary side. The inside of the outer peripheral part of the hydrogen permeable membrane is not restricted so as to be capable of expanding to the secondary side.

Abstract: To provide a power generation member having a high power generating capacity, a power generation device using the same, and a power generation system. A power generation member 1 includes: a piezoelectric element 2 in which electrodes 2a and 2c are formed on both main faces of a plate-shaped piezoelectric ceramic 2b; a pressing member to press one main face of the piezoelectric element 2; and a support member 4 to support the other main face of the piezoelectric element 2, wherein the support member 4 supports an outer rim of the piezoelectric element 2, and the pressing member 3 presses the piezoelectric element 2 at a part inside the support member 4 with a planar pressing face. It is possible to reduce cancellation of the generated charge, as well as to allow the piezoelectric ceramic 2b to deform sufficiently to produce large strain by pressure energy generated by a walking man or vibration energy generated by a running car and the like. As a result, it is possible to effectively obtain large electricity.

Abstract: Abstract Provided is an oil-based cosmetic preparation which retains a smooth feel. Provided is an oil-based cosmetic preparation containing the following components (A), (B), and (C): (A) a cellulose derivative having a cellulose skeleton in a main chain, in which 67 mol % or more in total hydroxyl groups are substituted with a group —O-M-R, wherein M represents CH2 or a carbonyl group C?O, and R represents a straight or branched alkyl or alkenyl group having 3 to 40 carbon atoms; (B) an ester oil which is liquid at 25° C.; and (C) a hydrocarbon oil which is liquid at 25° C., in which a weight ratio (B)/(C) of the component (B) to the component (C) is 8/1 to 1/4.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for readily producing a toner for electrophotography which contains toner particles having a small particle size and a narrow particle size distribution, and a toner for electrophotography having a small particle size and a narrow particle size distribution which is produced by the above process.

Abstract: The present invention relates to [1] a non-aqueous pigment dispersion composition including (A) a pigment, (B) a non-aqueous solvent and (C) a polymer obtained by reacting a copolymer (component (c1)) containing a constitutional unit derived from (c1a) a vinyl monomer containing a reactive functional group and a constitutional unit derived from (c1b) a vinyl monomer containing a nitrogen atom with a poly(alkyl(meth)acrylate) and/or a polystyrene (component (c2)) containing a functional group capable of reacting with the reactive functional group in the component (c1) at one terminal end thereof; and [2] a process for producing a polymer for non-aqueous pigment dispersion, including the steps of (I) reacting the vinyl monomer (c1b) with the vinyl monomer (c1a) to produce a copolymer containing constitutional units derived from the respective vinyl monomers; and (II) reacting the resulting copolymer with the component (c2) to produce a graft copolymer formed by grafting the component (c2) to the copolymer.

Abstract: An overhead shuttle is controlled to support a bottom of an article while traveling. A transfer apparatus is controlled to hold the article from above the article, move the article between a position above the overhead shuttle and a position above stations provided on a side of a travel rail, and elevate and lower the article to transfer the article between the transfer apparatus and the station.

Abstract: A hydrogen permeable module includes a hydrogen permeable membrane that permeates hydrogen, an outer peripheral part of the hydrogen permeable membrane being restricted, an inside of the outer peripheral part of the hydrogen permeable membrane being not restricted. The hydrogen permeable module permeates the hydrogen by constantly keeping a pressure of a primary side to a pressure that is equal to or more than a pressure of a secondary side. The inside of the outer peripheral part of the hydrogen permeable membrane is not restricted so as to be capable of expanding to the secondary side.

Abstract: In a camera module (1) of the present invention, a lens member (20) is attached to a semiconductor package (10). The semiconductor package (10) includes: an image sensor (11) mounted on a wiring board (13); and a wire 15 through which the wiring board (13) is electrically connected to the image sensor (11). The image sensor (11) and the wire 15 are sealed with mold resin (14). A step (18) is formed around the perimeter of the surface of the mold resin (14), and the semiconductor package (10) and the lens member (20) are joined by fitting the step (18) and a projection (23) of a lens holder (22). With this arrangement, it is possible to realize a small semiconductor module that allows for highly precise alignment between the semiconductor package and a mounting component to which the semiconductor package is joined.

Abstract: The present invention provides a nonaqueous pigment dispersant containing a copolymer having the following constituent units (a) and (b): (a) a constituent unit derived from a nitrogen atom-containing polymerizable macromonomer having an ethylenic unsaturated double bond at one terminal, and (b) a constituent unit derived from a monomer unit having an ethylenic unsaturated double bond, being copolymerizable with the nitrogen atom-containing polymerizable macromonomer of constituent (a), and a pigment dispersion composition containing the dispersant, a pigment and a nonaqueous solvent.

Abstract: An Nb—Ti—Co alloy having both good hydrogen permeability and good hydrogen embrittlement resistance comprises one of Fe, Cu or Mn as a fourth element, incorporating from 1 to 14 mol %. The content of Mn, if any, is preferably from 1 to 9 mol %. The desired hydrogen permeability can be attained by the (Nb, Ti) phase and the desired hydrogen embrittlement resistance can be attained by the CoTi phase, making is possible to obtain excellent hydrogen permeability and excellent hydrogen embrittlement resistance. None of Fe, Cu or Mn can impair these properties. Fe, Cu or Mn can replace some of the Co elements. Fe, Cu or Mn enhances the workability of the alloy.

Abstract: A (Nb, Ti) phase in an Nb—Ti—Co alloy is composed of a granular structure. The Nb—Ti—Co alloy is preferably subjected to heat treatment at 800° C. or more so that the eutectic structure in the casted state can be changed to a granular structure. The Nb—Ti—Co alloy used there is preferably NbxTi(100-x-y)Coy, (x?70, 20?y?50 (mol %)). By properly predetermining the heating temperature and time, the resulting alloy exhibits improved hydrogen permeability in combination with a good hydrogen embrittlement resistance characteristic in the CoTi phase, making it possible to provide a practical hydrogen permeable membrane having an advantageously high performance.

Abstract: A hydrogen permeation/separation thin membrane including an Ni—Ti—Nb alloy, the Ni—Ti—Nb alloy being a cast foil material obtained by roll quenching and having a thickness of 0.07 mm or less, which has been subjected to a refining heat treatment, and the Ni—Ti—Nb alloy having the following composition (a) and alloy structure (b): (a) a composition consisting of 10 to 47 atomic % of Nb, 20 to 52 atomic % of Ti, and a remainder containing 20 to 48 atomic % of Ni and inevitable impurities; and (b) an alloy structure where fine particles of an Nb-based solid solution alloy formed of a solid solution of Ni and Ti in Nb are dispersed in a microstructure made of an Ni—Ti(Nb) intermetallic compound formed of a solid solution of an Ni—Ti intermetallic compound, in which part of Ti thereof is replaced by Nb; and a hydrogen permeation/separation thin membrane including an Nb—Ti—Ni alloy, the Nb—Ti—Ni alloy being a cast foil material obtained by roll quenching and having a thickness of 0.

Abstract: An Ni—Ti—Nb based multiple phase alloy consists of a combined phase which comprises a phase for the hydrogen permeability and a phase for the resistance to hydrogen embrittlement. The alloy has a composition satisfying the formula: NixTiyNb(100-x-y) in which x=25˜45 mol % and y=25˜55 mol %. A metal membrane for hydrogen separation-purification is prepared using the alloy material. The alloy material is prepared by blending Ni, Ti and Nb and melting the blend. The metal membrane permits the hydrogen separation-purification and thus the resulting purified hydrogen gas can be used as a fuel and can be applied to fields of production of semiconductors.

Abstract: In a multiphase hydrogen permeation alloy comprising a phase in charge of hydrogen permeation and a phase in charge of hydrogen embrittlement resistance, a structure in which the phase in charge of hydrogen permeability is continuously interconnected and in which more preferably the growth direction of the aforementioned phase in charge of hydrogen permeation lies aligned in the thickness direction of the permeation membrane. As the hydrogen permeation alloy, an Nb—Ti—Co alloy is exemplified, wherein the phase in charge of hydrogen permeability is made of an (Nb, Ti) phase and the aforementioned phase in charge of hydrogen embrittlement resistance is made of a CoTi phase. By virtue of the fact that the growth direction of the phase in charge of hydrogen permeation lies aligned in the thickness direction of the permeation membrane, the hydrogen permeation pass length becomes short to give further improved hydrogen permeation property.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for readily producing a toner for electrophotography which contains toner particles having a small particle size and a narrow particle size distribution, and a toner for electrophotography having a small particle size and a narrow particle size distribution which is produced by the above process.