Abstract: The article transport facility includes a plurality of article transport vehicles which can travel on a travel path defined by rails installed in the ceiling. The travel path includes a loop-shaped primary path, and secondary paths each arranged to extend along and by at least one article transport location, a first connecting path that connects the primary path and the secondary path, and a second connecting path, provided independently from the first connecting path, with one end portion connected to the secondary path located on one side of the primary path, and the other end portion connected to the secondary path located on the other side of the primary path.

Abstract: A path switching facility for crossed paths comprises: at least one article transport vehicle configured to travel along a first path and a second path that crosses the first path; a guide rail for guiding a guided roller of the article transport vehicle; a travel rail for guiding and supporting travel wheels of the article transport vehicle; a rotatable guide rail and a rotatable travel rail both located in a crossing area; a push operating portion provided to the article transport vehicle to push one of the rotatable guide rail and the rotatable travel rail; and, an operatively connecting device for coupling a rotation of the rotatable guide rail with a rotation of the rotatable travel rail.

Abstract: A path switching facility for crossed paths comprises: at least one article transport vehicle configured to travel along a first path and a second path that crosses the first path; a guide rail for guiding a guided roller of the article transport vehicle; a travel rail for guiding and supporting travel wheels of the article transport vehicle; a rotatable guide rail and a rotatable travel rail both located in a crossing area; a push operating portion provided to the article transport vehicle to push one of the rotatable guide rail and the rotatable travel rail; and, an operatively connecting device for coupling a rotation of the rotatable guide rail with a rotation of the rotatable travel rail.

Abstract: The article transport facility includes a plurality of article transport vehicles which can travel on a travel path defined by rails installed in the ceiling. The travel path includes a loop-shaped primary path, and secondary paths each arranged to extend along and by at least one article transport location, a first connecting path that connects the primary path and the secondary path, and a second connecting path, provided independently from the first connecting path, with one end portion connected to the secondary path located on one side of the primary path, and the other end portion connected to the secondary path located on the other side of the primary path.

Abstract: A polymeric actuator of simple structure, capable of being easily miniaturized, showing quick response and capable of generating large displacement. The polymeric actuator includes an ion-exchange resin product and metal electrodes. The ion-exchange resin product contains an alkylammonium. The metal electrodes are formed on the surface of the ion-exchange resin product and are insulated from each other. The polymeric actuator operates as an actuator by applying a potential difference between the metal electrodes when the ion-exchange resin product is in water-containing state to allow the ion-exchange resin product to undergo bending or deformation.

Abstract: A polymeric actuator of simple structure, capable of being easily miniaturized, showing quick response and capable of generating large displacement. The polymeric actuator includes an ion-exchange resin product and metal electrodes. The ion-exchange resin product contains an alkylammonium. The metal electrodes are formed on the surface of the ion-exchange resin product and are insulated from each other. The polymeric actuator operates as an actuator by applying a potential difference between the metal electrodes when the ion-exchange resin product is in water-containing state to allow the ion-exchange resin product to undergo bending or deformation.

Abstract: A process for producing a polymeric actuator including an ion-exchange resin product and metal electrodes which are formed on the surface of the ion-exchange resin product is provided. The process involves repeatedly conducting the following steps (i) to (iii) to form the metal electrodes ranging from the surface of the ion-exchange resin product to the inside thereof: (i) a step of allowing the ion-exchange resin product to adsorb a metal complex (adsorption step), (ii) a step of reducing the metal complex adsorbed on the ion-exchange resin product by a reducing agent to deposit a metal on the surface of the ion-exchange resin product (deposition step), and (iii) a step of washing the ion-exchange resin product having the deposited metal (washing step). Through the above steps, a polymeric actuator having simple structure, capable of being easily miniaturized, showing quick response and capable of generating large displacement can be obtained.

Abstract: A fuel cell, which has a tubular polymer electrolyte membrane, with a fuel electrode on one of inner and outer sides of the membrane, and with an air electrode on the other side of the membrane.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a plating bath of the hydrazine type for electroless plating on the surface of a plated substance with iridium. The first plating bath is an electroless plating bath of iridium which contains a hydrazine complex of iridium and has pH of 1-7. The second plating bath is an electroless plating bath of iridium which contains hydrazine hydrate and/or hydrazinium salt, and iridium halide and/or halogenoiridate in the molar ratio of 1-1.0 and has pH of lower than 3. The plating bath of this invention is used, for example, for producing of a junction of a cation exchange membrane and iridium, which is used for a water electrolytic cell of the macromolecule solid electrolyte type.

Abstract: A method for the production of a gas diffusion electrode having particles of a platinum group metal deposited on a carbon sheet is disclosed. This method comprises placing a water-repelling carbon sheet into contact with ozone, thereby oxidizing the surface of the sheet and forming a functional group on the surface, then immersing the sheet in a solution containing platinum group metal complex cations as dissolved seeds, thereby inducing ion exchange between the hydrogen ions present in the functional group and the platinum group metal complex cations and deposition of the platinum group metal complex cations on the carbon sheet, and further reducing the platinum group metal complex cations on the carbon into platinum group metal particles.

Abstract: An alloy for occluding hydrogen is represented by the formula TiCr.sub.x Cu.sub.y (wherein x and y stand for numerical values satisfying the expressions, 0.01.ltoreq.y.ltoreq.0.4 and 1.3.ltoreq.x+y.ltoreq.2.0) and has an ability to occlude hydrogen at a lower temperature than the temperatures required by the conventional countertypes for occluding hydrogen.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method for manufacturing a heat transfer module to improve the thermal efficiency of a hydrogen adsorption alloy. The hydrogen absorption alloy particles are coated with a metal which is different from that of the alloy, followed by the formation of a compact with the coated particles. The compact so formed has a substantially uniform specific gravity. The compact is then inserted in a pipe mode of a metal which is different from that of the alloy. The pipe has an internal diameter which is a function of the diameter of the compact and the free expansion coefficient of the compact. The method will improve the usefulness of hydrogen adsorption alloy in practical use.

Abstract: A reactor in which a compact of hydrogen adsorption alloy is incorporated, comprising a plurality of parallel-bridged thermal reaction elements, each comprising a heat transfer pipe tightly enclosing a hollow cylindrical compact of hydrogen adsorption alloy and a jacket pipe enclosing in parallel, the heat transfer pipe with a path formed therebetween. The reactor achieves a rapid heat exchanging velocity and considerable shortening of reaction time as compared with the prior art.

Abstract: This invention relates to a novel heat exchanging unit with a hydrogen adsorption alloy of which thermal conductivity is kept high over a long period of use. Particularly in order to solve problems occurring at the time of forming a heat exchanging unit, by forming a compact of a hydrogen adsorption alloy and inserting a heat transfer element in the compact, such as insufficient heat transfer due to a small spacing produced between the compact and the heat transfer element, surface irregularities, decline in function due to micronization and scattering of the compact, difficulty in built-up, etc., there is disclosed a heat exchanging unit comprising a heat transfer element and a hydrogen adsorption alloy fitted to an inner periphery of the heat transfer element and solidly molded.

Abstract: This invention relates to a novel heat exchanging unit with a hydrogen adsorption alloy of which thermal conductivity is kept high over a long period of use. Particularly in order to solve problems occurring at the time of forming a heat exchanging unit, by forming a compact of a hydrogen adsorption alloy and inserting a heat transfer element in the compact, such as insufficient heat transfer due to a small spacing produced between the compact and the heat transfer element, surface irregularities, decline in function due to micronization and scattering of the compact, difficulty in build-up, etc., there is disclosed a heat exchanging unit comprising a heat transfer element and a hydrogen adsorption alloy fitted to an outer periphery of the heat transfer element and solidly molded.

Abstract: This invention discloses a compact of hydrogen adsorption alloy principally composed of a metal hydride in which all surfaces of fine particles of hydrogen adsorption alloy are completely coated with a dissimilar metal by plating, without effecting reactivity and a porous material of high thermal conductivity is infiltrated with the fine particles of alloy to be formed into a compact by compression molding.By this construction, it is possible to improve decline in the thermal conductivity or dropping of the fine particles out of cells of the porous material caused by micronization as a result of repeated uses of the hydrogen adsorption alloy are avoided.

Abstract: This invention discloses a heat exchanger comprising a compact of hydrogen adsorption alloy formed by a process of coating surfaces of fine particles of hydrogen adsorption alloy composed principally of a metal hydride with a dissimilar metal by plating and either by a process of compression molding of the coated alloy or by a process of filling a heat-conductive porous material with the coated fine particles of hydrogen alloy followed by a process of compression molding thereof. By this arrangement, it becomes possible to improve such disadvantages of conventional heat exchanger using hydrogen adsorption alloy as a decline of heat conductivity caused by micronization of the hydrogen adsorption alloy as a result of repeated uses or a decline of filling rate of the alloy caused by collapse and dispersion of the fine particles of the alloy compact eventually bringing about a decline of the heat exchanging function.

Abstract: An alloy of the general formula:RNi.sub.5-x Cr.sub.y A.sub.z(wherein, R denotes one member selected from the group consisting of rare earth metal atoms and Misch metal, A denotes one metal atom selected from the group consisting of titanium, zirconium, hafnium, vanadium, niobium, and tantalum, x denotes a number falling in the range of 0.01 to 2.0, y denotes a number falling in the range of 0.01 to 2.0, and z denotes a number not exceeding 0.2, providing that x, y, and z have the relation, 5.0.ltoreq.5-x+y+z.ltoreq.5.2) is useful as a hydrogen-occluding metal with slight hysteresis.

Abstract: An alloy of the composition represented by the formula, Mm.sub.1-x Ca.sub.x Ni.sub.5-y A.sub.y, wherein Mm stands for Mischmetal, A for one member selected from the group consisting of Al, Co, Cr, Fe, Mn, Si and Zn, x for a number within the range of 0.01 to 0.99 and y for a number within the range of 0.05 to 3 is useful for storage of hydrogen.

Abstract: An alloy having a composition of the general formula, MmNi.sub.5-x A.sub.x-y B.sub.y, wherein Mm is misch metal, A is one member selected from the group consisting of Al, Cu, and Mn and B is one member selected from the group consisting of Al, Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Si, providing that both A and B do not represent one same compound, is useful for the occlusion of hydrogen.