Abstract: A transducer includes: a film support portion; a vibration film that is connected to the film support portion and capable of displacing in a thickness direction; a base material having an opposed surface that is opposed to the vibration film; and a first piezoelectric element that is provided with a pair of electrodes and a piezoelectric film sandwiched between the pair of electrodes, and is arranged on the vibration film, in which the transducer maintains a pressure in a space between the base material and the vibration film so as to keep displacement of the vibration film within a certain range.

Abstract: A separator includes a separation functional layer and a support layer. The separation functional layer is configured as a denser layer with a smaller pore size and a lower porosity than the support layer. Accordingly, movement of metal foreign objects from the positive electrode plate side to the negative electrode plate side, and precipitation of metal foreign objects on the negative electrode plate side can be inhibited, thereby making it possible to ensure battery performance and safety.

Abstract: A separator includes a separation functional layer and a support layer. The separation functional layer is configured as a denser layer with a smaller pore size and a lower porosity than the support layer. Accordingly, movement of metal foreign objects from the positive electrode plate side to the negative electrode plate side, and precipitation of metal foreign objects on the negative electrode plate side can be inhibited, thereby making it possible to ensure battery performance and safety.

Abstract: An electrode active material layer containing an electrode active material and a binder. The binder is distributed in the electrode active material layer such that the amount of the binder increases continuously from an outer surface of the electrode active material layer toward the core. The amount of the binder present in the electrode active material layer per unit thickness is less than 10 in a region extending from a position 90% of the thickness of the electrode active material layer to a position 100% of the thickness of the electrode active material layer from a surface of the electrode active material layer facing the core, with 10 being assigned to the amount of the binder present in the electrode active material layer per unit thickness if the binder is uniformly distributed in the electrode active material layer.

Abstract: An electrode active material layer containing an electrode active material and a binder. The electrode active material layer includes a portion containing the smallest amount of the binder in a middle region across the thickness of the electrode active material layer. The binder is distributed in the electrode active material layer such that the amount of the binder increases continuously from the portion toward the core and an outer surface of the electrode active material layer. Preferably, the amount of the binder present in the electrode active material layer per unit thickness is limited to more than 10 in a region extending 10% of the thickness from the outer surface of the electrode active material layer, with 10 being assigned to the amount of the binder present in the electrode active material layer per unit thickness if the binder is uniformly distributed.

Abstract: An electrode active material layer containing an electrode active material and a binder. The electrode active material layer includes a portion containing the smallest amount of the binder in a middle region across the thickness of the electrode active material layer. The binder is distributed in the electrode active material layer such that the amount of the binder increases continuously from the portion toward the core and an outer surface of the electrode active material layer. Preferably, the amount of the binder present in the electrode active material layer per unit thickness is limited to more than 10 in a region extending 10% of the thickness from the outer surface of the electrode active material layer, with 10 being assigned to the amount of the binder present in the electrode active material layer per unit thickness if the binder is uniformly distributed.

Abstract: An electrode active material layer containing an electrode active material and a binder. The binder is distributed in the electrode active material layer such that the amount of the binder increases continuously from an outer surface of the electrode active material layer toward the core. The amount of the binder present in the electrode active material layer per unit thickness is less than 10 in a region extending from a position 90% of the thickness of the electrode active material layer to a position 100% of the thickness of the electrode active material layer from a surface of the electrode active material layer facing the core, with 10 being assigned to the amount of the binder present in the electrode active material layer per unit thickness if the binder is uniformly distributed in the electrode active material layer.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a plasma display panel that can suppress the generation of cracks in a dielectric layer, and also improve the yield, and a method for manufacturing such a display panel. A dielectric layer on a front panel is designed to have a two-layer structure in which a first dielectric layer and a second dielectric layer are laminated, and the first dielectric layer is formed through processes in which, after printing or applying a dielectric paste containing a glass frit onto a front substrate so as to cover display electrodes formed thereon as a stripe pattern, drying and firing the resulting substrate at a temperature not less than a softening point of the glass frit, and the second dielectric layer is formed on the first dielectric layer by using a sol-gel method.

Abstract: A method for producing a plasma display panel, a formation of the front-sided dielectric layer comprising the steps of: (i) locally supplying a low-melting point frit material onto a predetermined region of the substrate having the electrode thereon to locally form a low-melting point frit material layer; (ii) heating the low-melting point frit material layer to form a local glass layer therefrom; (iii) supplying a dielectric material over the substrate, covering the electrode and the local glass layer therewith to form a dielectric material layer; and, (iv) heating the dielectric material layer to form a dielectric layer therefrom, wherein a softening temperature of the local glass layer is lower than and equal to a softening temperature of a sealing material to be used for a panel sealing by which the front panel is sealed with a rear panel.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a plasma display panel that can suppress the generation of cracks in a dielectric layer, and also improve the yield, and a method for manufacturing such a display panel. A dielectric layer on a front panel is designed to have a two-layer structure in which a first dielectric layer and a second dielectric layer are laminated, and the first dielectric layer is formed through processes in which, after printing or applying a dielectric paste containing a glass flit onto a front substrate so as to cover display electrodes formed thereon as a stripe pattern, drying and firing the resulting substrate at a temperature not less than a softening point of the glass flit, and the second dielectric layer is formed on the first dielectric layer by using a sol-gel method.

Abstract: A method for producing a plasma display panel, a formation of the front-sided dielectric layer comprising the steps of: (i) locally supplying a low-melting point frit material onto a predetermined region of the substrate having the electrode thereon to locally form a low-melting point frit material layer; (ii) heating the low-melting point frit material layer to form a local glass layer therefrom; (iii) supplying a dielectric material over the substrate, covering the electrode and the local glass layer therewith to form a dielectric material layer; and, (iv) heating the dielectric material layer to form a dielectric layer therefrom, wherein a softening temperature of the local glass layer is lower than and equal to a softening temperature of a sealing material to be used for a panel sealing by which the front panel is sealed with a rear panel.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a porous liquid absorbing-and-holding member having a high absorbing capacity for a liquid owing to capillarity and having in itself a structure capable of holding a large amount of the liquid, a process for producing this member, and a member for absorbing and holding an alcohol used as a fuel for a fuel cell. The porous liquid absorbing-and-holding member provided by the present invention is that including a porous sintered product having a skeleton formed by sintering of metal powder around voids and subjected to hydrophilicity-imparting treatment. The hydrophilicity-imparting treatment is preferably the formation of one or more substances selected from the group consisting of silicon oxides, titanium oxides, chromium oxides and aluminum oxide on the skeleton.

Abstract: The injector includes a nozzle, a needle, a control chamber, a working fluid supply passage, an electric switching valve, a high-pressure gaseous fuel supply passage and a lubrication liquid fuel supply passage. The nozzle has an injection hole, through which high-pressure gaseous fuel is injected. The needle is axially reciprocably received in the nozzle to open and close the injection hole. The needle includes a sliding portion and a valve portion. The control chamber applies a pressure to the needle. The working fluid supply passage supplies liquid fuel to the control chamber. The electric switching valve controls an inflow/outflow of the liquid fuel to/from the control chamber. The high-pressure gaseous fuel supply passage supplies the high-pressure gaseous fuel to the injection hole. The lubrication liquid fuel supply passage supplies the liquid fuel from the working fluid supply passage to the sliding portion and the valve portion.

Abstract: A valve back pressure chamber is provided to exert a back pressure of a first valve needle. Furthermore, a hydraulic pressure passage is provided to extend through the valve back pressure chamber. A valve body is provided to a second valve needle and is driven to connect and disconnect between the hydraulic pressure passage and a fuel tank and thereby to drive the first valve needle. The second valve needle is driven by hydraulic pressure induced by an actuator.

Abstract: In a gas fuel engine, a first air-fuel mixture having a local excess air factor ? not less than 2 is combusted (a first combustion). When a target torque is not sufficiently obtained by the first combustion, a fuel is directly injected into a combustion chamber to form a second air-fuel mixture having a local excess air factor ? less than 1.1, so that a second combustion is performed. The combustion of the air-fuel mixture is switched from the first combustion to the second combustion in one combustion stroke.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of manufacturing plasma display panels for carrying out aging with high productivity. In an aging process for applying a predetermined voltage and driving plasma display panels 21 for display operation, each plasma display panel is set into an aging unit provided with cooling means, and the aging is carried out on the plasma display panel while cooling the plasma display panel by the cooling means provided in the aging unit. This method can thus reduce temperature rise of the panel and prevent the panel from being cracked during the aging process.

Abstract: A porous sintered metal comprising voids at least partially communicating with each other, and pores provided in walls of the voids, the porous sintered metal having a BET surface area of 700 cm2/cm3 or more, and an average diameter of the pores being 1 ?m or more when measured by a mercury press-in method. The porous sintered metal is produced by blending a metal powder, a binder and resin particles to prepare a mixture in which the resin particles are dispersed; molding the mixture to provide a green body; selectively extracting the resin particles from the green body with a solvent; debinding the extracted green body by heating; and sintering the debound green body.

Abstract: A fuel cell that uses a liquid fuel and comprises an anode for oxidizing the fuel, a cathode for deoxidizing oxygen, and a proton-conductive solid polymer membrane interposed between the anode and the cathode. Further the fuel sell comprises a fuel carrier which has a flow path for transporting the fuel to the anode and another flow path for allowing the passage of gas. The fuel carrier is arranged on one side of the anode, said one side being opposite to another side provided with the proton-conductive solid polymer membrane.

Abstract: a fuel cell uses a liquid fuel and comprises an anode for oxidizing the fuel, a cathode for deoxidizing oxygen, and a proton-conductive solid polymer membrane interposed between the anode and the cathode. a fuel carrier is arranged so as to be in contact with one side of the anode; the one side is opposite to another side being in contact with the proton-conductive solid polymer membrane; the fuel carrier is configured to transport the fuel to the anode, allow the passage of carbon dioxide gas produced at the anode, and have a current-collecting function; and the fuel carrier is provided with an electrode terminal connector part.

Abstract: A fuel injection valve has a sac chamber filled with high-pressure gaseous fuel, an injection hole communicated with the sac chamber, and a nozzle needle that slidably moves to allow and interrupt a supply of the high-pressure gaseous fuel into the sac chamber. The fuel injection valve performs an injection of the high-pressure gaseous fuel directly into a combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine in accordance with a movement of the nozzle needle. The injection hole has an outlet portion with a divergently formed inner surface as coming toward an outlet end of the injection hole. The driving portion controls the movement of the nozzle needle to change a sac chamber pressure of the high-pressure gaseous fuel in the sac chamber so as to switch a jet flow speed of the high-pressure gaseous fuel injected through the injection hole between a subsonic speed and a supersonic speed.