Abstract: In a method for predicting deterioration of grease, the grease is applied between a semiconductor module and a cooler. The semiconductor module accommodates a semiconductor element. The method for predicting deterioration includes predicting deterioration of the grease after specified heat cycles by using: a variable G1/G2 that is acquired by dividing an initial storage modulus G1 of the grease by an initial loss modulus G2 of the grease at an expected maximum use temperature of the semiconductor element; and distortion dD of the grease at the time when the initial storage modulus G1 and the initial loss modulus G2 have the same value.

Abstract: A semiconductor device may include a stack in which a cooler and a semiconductor module are stacked, the semiconductor module housing a semiconductor element; a contact plate contacting the stack in a stacking direction of the semiconductor module and the cooler; and a spring contacting the contact plate and pressurizing the stack via the contact plate in the stacking direction, wherein the spring may contact a center portion of the contact plate in a direction perpendicular to the stacking direction, and a recess or a cavity may be provided at the center portion of the contact plate, the recess facing the stack.

Abstract: In a method for predicting deterioration of grease, the grease is applied between a semiconductor module and a cooler. The semiconductor module accommodates a semiconductor element. The method for predicting deterioration includes predicting deterioration of the grease after specified heat cycles by using: a variable G1/G2 that is acquired by dividing an initial storage modulus G1 of the grease by an initial loss modulus G2 of the grease at an expected maximum use temperature of the semiconductor element; and distortion dD of the grease at the time when the initial storage modulus G1 and the initial loss modulus G2 have the same value.

Abstract: A semiconductor device may include a stack in which a cooler and a semiconductor module are stacked, the semiconductor module housing a semiconductor element; a contact plate contacting the stack in a stacking direction of the semiconductor module and the cooler; and a spring contacting the contact plate and pressurizing the stack via the contact plate in the stacking direction, wherein the spring may contact a center portion of the contact plate in a direction perpendicular to the stacking direction, and a recess or a cavity may be provided at the center portion of the contact plate, the recess facing the stack.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor module. The semiconductor module includes a package made of resin. The package contains a semiconductor element and a heat sink. The heat sink has a thermal conductive surface exposed on a part of one surface of the package. The semiconductor device includes an insulating plate, which is a part of a cooler, facing the thermal conductive surface of the heat sink and a resin surface around the thermal conductive surface, and pressed against the semiconductor module. At least a part of the thermal conductive surface comprises a recessed region recessed with respect to the resin surface. A solid heat transfer layer is interposed between the recessed region of the thermal conductive surface and the insulating plate, and is not interposed between the resin surface and the insulating plate.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor module. The semiconductor module includes a package made of resin. The package contains a semiconductor element and a heat sink. The heat sink has a thermal conductive surface exposed on a part of one surface of the package. The semiconductor device includes an insulating plate, which is a part of a cooler, facing the thermal conductive surface of the heat sink and a resin surface around the thermal conductive surface, and pressed against the semiconductor module. At least a part of the thermal conductive surface comprises a recessed region recessed with respect to the resin surface. A solid heat transfer layer is interposed between the recessed region of the thermal conductive surface and the insulating plate, and is not interposed between the resin surface and the insulating plate.

Abstract: A gear pump apparatus is equipped with a pump and a sealing mechanism which is made up of an outer member, an inner member, and a rubber member fit between the outer and inner members. The inner member has a pressure-exerted surface to which pressure, as produced by contact of the rubber member with the inner member arising from application of discharge pressure of the pump, is applied. The pressure-exerted surface has a flange which creates thrust to move the inner member away from the gear pump, thereby bringing the inner member against an inner wall of a pump casing to develop a hermetical seal between a high-pressure region and a low-pressure region within the pump casing. This eliminates the leakage of pressure and ensures torque required for a pumping operation of the pump.

Abstract: A rotary pump has a linear groove formed on an end surface of a second side plate of an outer rotor. Thereby, it becomes possible to generate a force for pushing back the outer rotor to a sealing member side, and thus it becomes possible to reduce load applied to the second side plate. As a result, contact resistance between the outer rotor and the second side plate becomes smaller, and smoother pumping operation becomes possible. Further, since the force for pushing back the outer rotor to the first sealing member side is generated in the linear groove, it is possible to reduce an amount of decrease in a contacting area with the outer rotor and the second side plate, thereby reducing an amount of wear of the outer rotor and the second side plate.

Abstract: A rotating pump includes an outer rotor and an inner rotor. The inner and outer rotors are rotated by a drive shaft between a first side plate and a second side plate to pump put fluid. The first side plate faces the inner and outer rotors and has a first surface and a second surface. The first surface is inclined to an axial direction of the drive shaft to create a wedge-shaped gap between itself and one of the inner and outer rotor. The second surface extends more parallel to a direction perpendicular to the axis direction of the drive shaft than the first surface does. The geometric configurations of the first and second surfaces serve to minimize the leakage of the brake fluid without sacrificing a reduction in resistance to sliding motion of the inner rotor and the outer rotor on the second side plate.

Abstract: A gear pump apparatus is equipped with a pump and a sealing mechanism which is made up of an outer member, an inner member, and a rubber member fit between the outer and inner members. The inner member has a pressure-exerted surface to which pressure, as produced by contact of the rubber member with the inner member arising from application of discharge pressure of the pump, is applied. The pressure-exerted surface has a flange which creates thrust to move the inner member away from the gear pump, thereby bringing the inner member against an inner wall of a pump casing to develop a hermetical seal between a high-pressure region and a low-pressure region within the pump casing. This eliminates the leakage of pressure and ensures torque required for a pumping operation of the pump.

Abstract: A rotor includes a rotor core and permanent magnets each of which is received in a corresponding slot of the rotor core with its magnetization direction being oblique to a radial direction of the rotor core. Each of the permanent magnets has a first corner portion positioned radially outermost and a second corner portion positioned radially innermost. For each of the permanent magnets, there are formed first and second gaps respectively between the first corner portion and the inner surface of the corresponding slot and between the second corner portion and the inner surface of the corresponding slot in a reference direction of the permanent magnet. The rotor core also has, for each of the permanent magnets, supporting portions each of which abuts and thereby supports, in the reference direction, a predetermined portion of the permanent magnet which is positioned away from both the first and second corner portions.

Abstract: A rotary pump includes a first side plate and a second side plate between which an outer rotor and an inner rotor are arranged. The second side plate has a concave portion on a surface adjacent to a maximum gap portion relative to a drive shaft. The concave portion is located in an outer teeth passing section which is defined between a line on which a teeth tip of an outer teeth part of the inner rotor passes in response to rotation of the inner rotor and a line on which a teeth bottom of the outer teeth part of the inner rotor passes in response to rotation of the inner rotor. The concave portion communicates with one of a plurality of gap portions while the inner rotor is rotated.

Abstract: A rotating pump includes an outer rotor and an inner rotor. The inner and outer rotors are rotated by a drive shaft between a first side plate and a second side plate to pump put fluid. The first side plate faces the inner and outer rotors and has a first surface and a second surface. The first surface is inclined to an axial direction of the drive shaft to create a wedge-shaped gap between itself and one of the inner and outer rotor. The second surface extends more parallel to a direction perpendicular to the axis direction of the drive shaft than the first surface does. The geometric configurations of the first and second surfaces serve to minimize the leakage of the brake fluid without sacrificing a reduction in resistance to sliding motion of the inner rotor and the outer rotor on the second side plate.

Abstract: A rotary pump has a linear groove formed on an end surface of a second side plate of an outer rotor. Thereby, it becomes possible to generate a force for pushing back the outer rotor to a sealing member side, and thus it becomes possible to reduce load applied to the second side plate. As a result, contact resistance between the outer rotor and the second side plate becomes smaller, and smoother pumping operation becomes possible. Further, since the force for pushing back the outer rotor to the first sealing member side is generated in the linear groove, it is possible to reduce an amount of decrease in a contacting area with the outer rotor and the second side plate, thereby reducing an amount of wear of the outer rotor and the second side plate.

Abstract: In a rotary electric machine, a stator coil includes in-slot portions each contained in a corresponding one of slots of a stator core. The stator coil includes turn portions each connecting one end of a corresponding one of the in-slot portions projecting from one axial end of the stator core with one end of a corresponding alternative one of the in-slot portions projecting the one axial end of the stator core. The turn portions provide an end portion of the stator coil. A coolant guide is placed to cover a circumferential outer part of the end portion of the stator coil from radially outside thereof and provided with holes therethrough. The coolant guide guides a coolant therealong in a circumferential direction of the end portion of the stator coil while guiding, through the holes, a part of the coolant to the end portion of the stator coil.

Abstract: In an inner wall surface of a casing, grooves are formed that correspond to end faces of an outer rotor and an inner rotor, and seal members are disposed within the grooves, the seal members presses against the end faces of the outer rotor and the inner rotor. Inclined portions are provided in sealing portions of resin members of seal members, the sealing portions covering a closed portion. With this configuration, an internal pressure in the closed portion causes the inclined portions to separate from an outer rotor and an inner rotor when a brake fluid pressure within the closed portion increases to the point that the brake fluid is excessively compressed, releasing the brake fluid that is inside the closed portion. It is therefore possible to prevent the brake fluid pressure from increasing excessively within the closed portion.

Abstract: A hybrid vehicle includes an engine that is an internal combustion engine, a motor generator that is a rotating electric machine used together with the engine for driving the vehicle, an output shaft transmitting power to a wheel, a transmission member coupled to the output shaft, a power split device splitting the output from the engine to the motor generator and transmission member, a detection device detecting irregularities on a road, and a control unit reducing, when the detected result by the detection device indicates generation of periodic torque variation at the output shaft, the output from the engine based on the detected result. Accordingly, a hybrid vehicle that does not require a torque limiter is provided.

Abstract: A rotor includes a rotor core and permanent magnets each of which is received in a corresponding slot of the rotor core with its magnetization direction being oblique to a radial direction of the rotor core. Each of the permanent magnets has a first corner portion positioned radially outermost and a second corner portion positioned radially innermost. For each of the permanent magnets, there are formed first and second gaps respectively between the first corner portion and the inner surface of the corresponding slot and between the second corner portion and the inner surface of the corresponding slot in a reference direction of the permanent magnet. The rotor core also has, for each of the permanent magnets, supporting portions each of which abuts and thereby supports, in the reference direction, a predetermined portion of the permanent magnet which is positioned away from both the first and second corner portions.

Abstract: A management computer (21) is placed in a home country, and an instructor terminal (31) and a driver terminal (32) are placed in a delivery area overseas. The management computer (21) generates screen information, displayed in a domestic language and including a delivery instruction for a package, and transmits the screen information toward the instructor terminal (31) and the driver terminal (32). The instructor terminal (31) or the like, specifies a language, to be used in an area to which a delivery destination belongs, from the address of the delivery destination included in the delivery instruction in the received screen information, and translates the screen information in the specified language, then displays it. When a display language is designated, the instructor terminal (31) or the like translates the screen information in the designated language and displays it.

Abstract: In a rotary electric machine, a stator coil includes in-slot portions each contained in a corresponding one of slots of a stator core. The stator coil includes turn portions each connecting one end of a corresponding one of the in-slot portions projecting from one axial end of the stator core with one end of a corresponding alternative one of the in-slot portions projecting the one axial end of the stator core. The turn portions provide an end portion of the stator coil. A coolant guide is placed to cover a circumferential outer part of the end portion of the stator coil from radially outside thereof and provided with holes therethrough. The coolant guide guides a coolant therealong in a circumferential direction of the end portion of the stator coil while guiding, through the holes, a part of the coolant to the end portion of the stator coil.