Abstract: The present invention is directed to an alloy for a high-performance rare earth permanent magnet. This alloy has a metallographic structure of approximately two phases that comprises a Nd2Fe14B phase (1) consisting of hard magnetic crystal grains and an &agr;-Fe phase (2) consisting of soft magnetic crystal grains. The metallographic structure has an ultra-thin film (3) that contains a large amount of nonmagnetic metallic elements that have an atomic radius of between the atomic radius of Fe and the atomic radius of Nd at each of the crystal grain boundaries between the phases (1, 2) and that will not form solid solutions with either Fe or Nd. The nonmagnetic metallic elements consist of one or two or more elements selected from among Nb, Zr, Ta and Hf, the thickness of each ultra-thin film is 10 to 20 angstroms, and the sizes of the crystal grains in each of the phases (1, 2) are in the range 5 to 100 nm, preferably 10 to 40 nm.

Abstract: A power supply apparatus for an automotive vehicle having a storage battery and a large-capacity capacitor charged by the storage battery. When the engine is started, an engine starter is driven by the electric charge stored in the large-capacity capacitor.

Abstract: Fine powder particles of an electrically conductive or semiconductive material, which have a diameter of 10 .mu.m or less, are pressurized, and at the same time, a pulse voltage is applied between the fine powder particles to produce an electric discharge therebetween. The fine powder particles are fused together at areas where they contact each other, thereby producing a porous sintered body. The porous sintered body is made of only an electrically conductive or semiconductive material without using any particle binders whatsoever.

Abstract: An engine starter system for driving an engine starter with electric power from a battery mounted on a motor vehicle has a boost controller for boosting electric power from the battery and a large-capacitance capacitor which is charged by the electric power which is boosted by the boost controller. The engine starter is driven by the electric energy which is stored in the capacitor at a voltage higher than the voltage of the battery.

Abstract: An engine starter system for driving an engine starter with electric power from a battery mounted on a motor vehicle has a pair of large-capacitance capacitors which are selectively connected to the battery and the starter. One of the capacitors is connected to the battery and charged thereby when the detected voltage across the one capacitor is lower than a predetermined voltage, and the other capacitor which is charged sufficiently enough is connected to the starter. Electric energy whose voltage is higher than the predetermined voltage is therefore continuously supplied to the starter to start the engine.

Abstract: An engine starter system includes a switching-over circuit arrangement for selectively connecting a large-capacity capacitor parallel or in series to a battery. Normally, the capacitor is connected parallel to the battery and charged thereby. When starting an engine with a starter, the charged capacitor is connected in series to the battery, and the voltage of the capacitor and the voltage of the battery are added and applied to the starter to energize a starter motor for starting the engine.

Abstract: An electric double which utilizes the principles of an electric double layer in the interface between polarized electrodes and an electrolyte, each of the polarized electrodes being composed of minute active carbon particles of coal tar which have a specific surface area ranging from 1,000 to 4,000 m.sup.2 /gram. Many such minute active carbon particles are packed in a unit volume for an increased electrostatic capacitance.

Abstract: An electric double layer capacitor has two polarized electrodes each comprising a plurality of thin plate-like electrode elements each composed of a porous sintered body, and two current collectors bonded to surfaces of the electrode elements of the polarized electrodes.

Abstract: At least two powders of minute active carbon particles having different diameters are mixed, and the mixture is placed in a mold. While a pressure is being applied to the mixture in the mold, pulse voltages are applied between the minute active carbon particles for producing electric discharges therebetween, and the minute active carbon particles are kept at a predetermined temperature, thereby sintering the minute active carbon particles into a porous sintered body, which is used as an electrode. Two such electrodes are impregnated with an electrolyte, producing polarized electrodes. An electric double layer capacitor comprises the polarized electrodes which are sandwiched between current collectors, and separated by a separator.

Abstract: A pressure ranging from 50 Kgf/cm.sup.2 to 800 Kgf/cm.sup.2 is applied to a pwoder of fine particles of activated carbon, and while the pressure is being applied to the fine particles, pulse voltages are applied between the fine particles for producing electric discharges between the fine particles, and the fine particles are kept at a temperature ranging from 700.degree. C. to 1000.degree. C., thereby sintering the fine particles of activated carbon into an electrode of a porous sintered body. Two such electrodes are impregnated with an electrolyte to produce polarized electrodes, and a separator is sandwiched between the polarized electrodes, thus completing an electric double layer capacitor.

Abstract: An electric double layer capacitor has two polarized electrodes each comprising a plurality of thin plate-like electrode elements each composed of a porous sintered body, and two current collectors bonded to surfaces of the electrode elements of the polarized electrodes. The electrode elements are spaced by gaps which are filled up with paste electrodes each composed of a mixed paste of activated carbon powder and an electrolyte.

Abstract: An electric double layer capacitor has an electric double layer composed of an interface between activated carbon and electrolyte. The electric double layer capacitor includes a pair of polarized electrodes each comprising an electrode body in the form of a porous sintered body of joined active carbon particles. When the electrode body is sintered, an electrically conductive layer is formed on a surface of the electrode body. With this construction, the contact resistance between the electrode body and a current collector through the electrically conductive layer is reduced, so that the electric double layer has a reduced internal resistance.

Abstract: The electric energy generated by an electric generator driven by an engine on a motor vehicle is stored in a large-capacity capacitor when the rotational speed of the engine increases while the engine is idling, thereby imposing a load on the engine. At this time, the increase in the rotational speed of the engine is suppressed. The electric energy stored in the capacitor is supplied to a battery on the motor vehicle, charging the battery.

Abstract: An electrical double-layer capacitor cell arrangement constituted of a plural number of cells (C), and each respective upper and lower collecting electrode (1) of those cells is made as an electrode is common to all cells and has a sheet-like form. The portion of the collecting electrode sheet positioned in the boundary part between adjacent cells is made easily be cut off. In correspondence to the way of cutting off, the connecting relation between cells to each other can be made in series connection and parallel connection.

Abstract: An electric double layer capacitor has a pair of polarized electrodes in the form of electrode bodies each comprising a porous sintered body, and a pair of current collectors for collecting electric charges stored in the polarized electrodes, the current collectors being in the form of electrically conductive films. The electrically conductive films have surfaces dissolved by a solvent and joined to the electrode bodies with dissolved portions of the electrically conductive films being present in pores of the electrode bodies. The polarized electrodes and the current collectors are held in stable contact with each other, with a reduced contact resistance therebetween. The electric double layer capacitor thus has a small internal resistance.

Abstract: An electric double layer capacitor has two polarized electrodes each comprising a porous sintered body, and two current collectors each made of an electrically conductive material composed of a base and electrically conductive fine particles mixed in the base. The current collectors are held in contact with surfaces of the polarized electrodes and enter pores of the polarized electrodes.

Abstract: An electric double layer capacitor employs a paste electrode between collector electrodes. The paste electrode is compressed under small load because the collector electrodes are pressed by compression plates in only an area corresponding to the past electrode. With the paste electrode thus compressed, the internal resistance of the capacitance is reduced and the capacitance of the capacitor is stable. The electric double layer capacitor comprises a stack of basic cells of capacitor elements. The basic cells are held closely together by a bolt which extends through central holes in the basic cells and interconnects the compression plates, so that the basic cells are compressed under a uniform and appropriate pressure.

Abstract: An electrical double-layer capacitor cell wherein a sintered polarizing electrode (2) is used as a polarizing electrode, and the collecting electrode (1) and the sintered polarizing electrode (2) are contacted. Conductive metal evaporated films (5,6) are formed on the respective contact surfaces of the collecting electrode (1) and of the sintered polarizing electrode (2). When the above-described contact is carried out by the respective conductive metal evaporated films (5,6), the contact resistance becomes small.

Abstract: In producing an electrical double-layer capacitor cell, when the polarizing electrode (61,71) is formed by sintering to the collecting electrode (11,21) obtained by sintering a conductive powder into plate-like form, the contact resistance between the collecting electrode (11,21) and the polarizing electrode (61,71) becomes extremely small. Thereby, the internal resistance of the electrical double-layer capacitor cell becomes small.

Abstract: The polarizing electrode of an electrical double-layer capacitor cell is constituted with solid plate-like polarizing electrodes (61, 71) and paste-like polarizing electrodes (6, 7). The solid plate-like polarizing electrodes (61, 71) are counterposedly arranged by being separated with a separator (5). The paste-like polarizing electrodes (6, 7) are coated on the surfaces at the outside of the solid plate-like polarizing electrodes (61, 71). Since the paste-like polarizing electrodes (6, 7) contact also to the solid plate-like polarizing electrodes (61, 71) and the collecting electrodes (1, 2) well, the contact resistance becomes small.