Abstract: A slide ring seal, including a slide ring and a counter-ring. The slide ring and the counter-ring sealingly contact each other at sealing surfaces so as to be relatively twistable and acted upon by spring tension under axial prestressing. The slide ring, via a first sealing ring, is sealingly connected to a first drive ring in a rotatably fixed manner and/or the counter-ring, via a second sealing ring is sealingly connected to a second drive ring in a rotatably fixed manner. The first sealing ring and/or the second sealing ring, on the side of a flange of the respective drive ring facing the medium to be sealed off, is essentially completely overlapped.

Abstract: A control device for a hybrid vehicle powered from an engine and an assist motor for supplying electric power in an amount predetermined according to running conditions of the vehicle further includes means for detecting a catalyzer temperature and correcting the predetermined assist power value according to the detected catalyzer temperature when accelerating and means for preventing the idling engine from being cut off when detected catalyzer temperature is lower than a preset temperature. This control device thus realizes rapid heating of the catalyzer device to a temperature necessary for activating the catalyzer therein by adequately correcting the assist power value of the motor according to the current catalyzer temperature when accelerating and by preventing the idling engine from being cut off while the catalyzer device has a low temperature.

Abstract: In a terminal structure wherein the led-out plate portion of a plate terminal one end plate portion of which is connected to an electrode pole jutting out of the cover of a storage battery is fixed onto the top face of the cover, when external lead wire is clamped to the plate terminal by a bolt and a nut, the plate terminal is liable to incline, turn, twist, deform or float due to a large clamping torque. A terminal structure of a storage battery as prevents such drawbacks from occurring and as is stable and stout against the clamping torque, is provided.

Abstract: Provided are SiC-C/C composite materials which have such characteristics as a suitable kinetic coefficient of friction a corrosion resistance in strongly oxidizing and corrosive environment, a creep resistance, and a spalling resistance, a high hardness, and are hardly oxidized or abraded even when exposed to high temperatures with keeping the excellent impact resistance and light weight of the C/C composites. Furthermore, molten metal pumps are provided from which components do not dissolve into the molten metal even when used in molten metal and have sufficient thermal impact resistance and oxidation resistance.

Abstract: Provided are carbon fiber composite materials which have a structure including a skeletal part and a matrix formed integrally around the skeletal part. The skeletal part is mainly composed of carbon fiber bundles and silicon carbide and metallic silicon formed in the carbon fiber bundles and/or on the outer surface of the carbon fiber bundles. The matrix is mainly composed of silicon carbide and metallic silicon. Alternatively, the carbon fiber composite materials have a structure including a skeletal part and a matrix formed integrally around the skeletal part and have a porosity of 0.5-5% and a two-peak type distribution of average pore diameter. The skeletal part is formed of carbon fibers and a carbon component other than the carbon fibers and/or silicon carbide, and the matrix being formed of silicon carbide at least 50% of which is of &bgr; type. These carbon fiber composite materials are suitable for the uses as aerospace materials.

Abstract: Disclosed is an audio and video reproduction apparatus including a head mounted display for converting a received video signal into an image to be presented to a listener/watcher; a pair of acoustic transducers each used for converting an audio signal into a sound to present to the listener/watcher; detection means for detecting an orientation of the head of the listener/watcher; image-changing means for changing the video signal supplied to the head mounted display in accordance with an orientation of the head of the listener/watcher; and sound-image localization processing means for changing an sound-image localized position of an audio signal reproduced by the acoustic transducers, in accordance with an orientation of the head of the listener/watcher.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling a hybrid vehicle having an internal combustion engine and an electric motor as driving sources for the vehicle, in which when it is detected that an air-fuel ratio of a supply air-fuel mixture to the engine changed to the lean side value (S44˜S46), the electric motor (2) is made operative as a motor in order to assist an output of the engine just after the detection (S47, S48). When it is detected that the air-fuel ratio of the supply air-fuel mixture changed to the rich side value (S44, S52, S53), the electric motor (2) is made operative as a generator for the purpose of the regeneration braking just after the detection (S54, S55). An output torque difference of the engine, therefore, when the air-fuel ratio of the supply air-fuel mixture changes can be sufficiently compensated without a time delay.

Abstract: SiC—C/C composite materials having a suitable kinetic coefficient of friction, good corrosion resistance in strongly oxidizing and corrosive environments, good creep resistance and spalling resistance, and high hardness. The materials are hardly oxidized or abraded even when exposed to high temperatures, while maintaining the excellent impact resistance and light weight of C/C composites. Molten metal pumps using the materials are provided from which components do not dissolve into the molten metal even when used in molten metal and have sufficient thermal impact resistance and oxidation resistance.

Abstract: A mechanical seal including a slide ring and a counter-ring that are axially preloaded against each other along sealing surfaces through the application of spring tension. These surfaces contact each other in a manner that permits the sealing surfaces to rotate relative to each other. The slide ring and a housing, which is arranged in a rotatably fixed manner relative to slide ring, are each sealingly allocated to one end face of a bellows extending in the axial direction. One of the end faces of bellows is allocated nonadherently, with force-locking and/or form-locking, to slide ring, and the other end face of bellows is allocated nonadherently, with force-locking and/or form-locking, to housing.

Abstract: To provide a member made of carbon having a layer for forming a protective layer as an oxidation resistant protective layer and characterized in that a protective layer with a prescribed thickness and high wear resistance and practically resistant against oxidation even at 700° C., preferably 1000° C. or higher, in an atmosphere with a dew point as high as 30 to 70° C. or in the atmospheric air can be formed only in the surface layer part and to provide a method for producing the same member made of carbon. A member made of carbon having a layer for forming a protective layer as an oxidation resistant protective layer is made available by a method wherein carbon paper impregnated with a phenol resin is rolled on the surface of a member made of carbon and after curing the phenol resin or without curing the phenol resin, the resultant member is preferred at 500 to 600° C.

Abstract: To provide an innovative oxidation resistant carbonaceous material usable as an oxidation resistant carbonaceous material practically prevented from oxidation for a long duration even at a high temperature at lowest 800° C. in the atmospheric air at a reasonable price and satisfying the properties such as light weight property in terms of saving energy and easy workability additionally to high strength (high heat impact resistance) at a high temperature, high reliability (toughness, impact resistance, wear resistance) as a material, and durability to environments (corrosion resistance, oxidation resistance, radiation resistance) and to provide a method for producing the same oxidation resistant carbonaceous material. This oxidation resistant carbonaceous material coated with an oxidation resistant protective layer of silicon carbide practically insusceptible to oxidation even being exposed at a high temperature at lowest 800° C.

Abstract: When the shift position is an N position or a P position during deceleration of a vehicle, or when a brake pedal is depressed even if the shift position is a D position or an R position, an engine E is stopped to prohibit an unnecessary idling operation by prohibiting the restarting of the supplying of fuel subsequent to the fuel cut by a command from an electronic control unit. If the supplying of fuel is restarted when the engine is in stoppage, a starter motor is driven automatically to start the engine. Thus, in a vehicle including an automatic transmission, the time of stoppage of the engine can be prolonged as much as possible in a range in which the operability of the vehicle is injured, thereby providing a reduction in amount of fuel consumed.

Abstract: The control system of the present invention is provided for a hybrid vehicle with an engine, a motor, and a power storage unit. The control system selects one of an air intake passage pressure assist mode (PB assist mode) corresponding to a partial load range of the engine and a throttle assist mode corresponding to the opening state of a throttle.

Abstract: A control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle having a dynamotor which operates as a motor for assisting the output of an internal combustion engine and which operates as a generator for regenerating the running energy of the vehicle. The control apparatus, in accordance with operating conditions of the vehicle, controls an assist operation for supplying electric power from a storage device to the dynamotor and a regenerative operation for charging the storage device by the generated power of the dynamotor, and determines an acceleration mode for performing an assist operation or a cruising mode for selectively performing the assist operation and a regenerative operation, in accordance with an engine rotational speed and a throttle valve opening degree, or a vehicle speed of the vehicle and the throttle valve opening degree.

Abstract: A sound reproducing system in which virtual image orientation processing of audio signals for at least two rear speakers disposed in directions from a listener close to the right-back direction from the listener is performed by a virtual sound orientation processor so that the listener can have a sound image at a position different from each of real speaker positions at which the rear speakers are placed, and/or so that the listener is unconscious that sounds are radiated from the rear speakers placed at real speaker positions. This virtual image orientation processing is performed according to acoustic transfer coefficients of transfer of sounds from the rear speakers to the listener's ears when the rear speakers are placed at virtual speaker positions different from the real speaker positions.

Abstract: When the shift position is an N position or a P position during deceleration of a vehicle, or when a brake pedal is depressed even if the shift position is a D position or an R position, an engine E is stopped to prohibit an unnecessary idling operation by prohibiting the restarting of the supplying of fuel subsequent to the fuel cut by a command from an electronic control unit. If the supplying of fuel is restarted when the engine is in stoppage, a starter motor is driven automatically to start the engine. Thus, in a vehicle including an automatic transmission, the time of stoppage of the engine can be prolonged as much as possible in a range in which the operability of the vehicle is injured, thereby providing a reduction in amount of fuel consumed.

Abstract: A hybrid vehicle has a transmission coupled to the output shaft of an engine for transmitting an output power of the engine to drive wheels of the hybrid vehicle. A generator motor is coupled to the transmission for transmitting an assistive output power for assisting the output power of the engine through the transmission to the drive wheels. A battery stores electric energy regenerated by the generator motor, operating as an electric motor, from kinetic energy of the hybrid vehicle transmitted from the drive wheels through the transmission when the hybrid vehicle is decelerated. A transmission control unit establishes a speed reduction ratio for the transmission to achieve a predetermined regeneration efficiency for the generator motor when the hybrid vehicle is decelerated, and controls the transmission at the established speed reduction ratio.

Abstract: A regeneration control device for a hybrid vehicle includes an internal combustion engine, driving wheels drivable by the internal combustion engine, a motor for additionally supplying electric power for driving the driving wheels, a transmission between the engine, motor and driving wheels and an accumulator for supplying electric power to the motor, which causes the motor to work, while braking the vehicle, as a generator whose output is returned to the accumulator which in turn stores electric energy regenerated depending upon the deceleration degree.

Abstract: A low pressure mercury vapor discharge lamp comprising a fluorescent tube having an amalgam container containing amalgam to control mercury vapor pressure at a steady lighting, a holder holding both ends of the fluorescent tube, a lighting circuit to light the fluorescent tube, a case accommodating the lighting circuit, and a base provided to the case, wherein the amalgam container and the base are connected with each other by a heat conductive component, so that the amalgam temperature is controlled at a proper value and the luminous efficiency is improved.

Abstract: A hybrid vehicle has an engine for propelling the hybrid vehicle, a power transfer mechanism for transferring an output power of the engine from an output shaft thereof to drive wheels of the hybrid vehicle, an electric motor for supplying an assistive output power to assist the output power of the engine through the power transfer mechanism to the drive wheels, and an electric energy storage unit for storing electric energy for energizing the electric motor. The hybrid vehicle also has a controller for controlling operation of the hybrid vehicle with the engine and the electric motor. If the amount of electric energy stored in the electric energy storage unit is greater than a predetermined quantity, the controller controls the electric motor to generate the assistive output power to start the hybrid vehicle with the electric energy supplied from the electric energy storage unit to the electric motor while the engine is idling or stopped.