Abstract: A moldless semiconductor device comprising a semiconductor chip held between outer-connecting terminals and connected electrically to the terminals is provided. At least one of the two terminals has, at its region contiguous to the semiconductor chip or at its region contiguous to the semiconductor chip and a region vicinal thereto, a hardness different from all other regions of the one terminal. This moldless semiconductor device can withstand significant external force and exhibits high reliability when used in photovoltaic device modules.

Abstract: Before electrically connecting at least two photovoltaic elements, a medium capable of absorbing at least 10% or more of a light having a wavelength of 0.4 &mgr;m to 2.0 &mgr;m is provided on an electric connection portion of the photovoltaic element, whereby the present invention provides a method of electrically connecting a group of photovoltaic elements to one another with a high yield and easy automatization.

Abstract: Before electrically connecting at least two photovoltaic elements, a medium capable of absorbing at least 10% or more of a light having a wavelength of 0.4 &mgr;m to 2.0 &mgr;m is provided on an electric connection portion of the photovoltaic element, whereby the present invention provides a method of electrically connecting a group of photovoltaic elements to one another with a high yield and easy automatization.

Abstract: By inspecting an electrical wiring route of a solar cell module while applying a load to the solar cell module, it is possible to more accurately judge the presence or absence of a defect in the electrical wiring route of the solar cell module.

Abstract: A process for producing a solar cell module comprising at least a photovoltaic element module is provided. The photovoltaic element module is formed by electrically connecting a plurality of photovoltaic elements with each other, after the individual photovoltaic elements are identified or classified into a plurality of groups which are different from each other in property and attribute. The photovoltaic element module is formed such that at least two kinds of photovoltaic elements having different property and attribute co-exist therein. A solar cell module having at least a photovoltaic element module comprising a plurality of photovoltaic elements electrically connected with each other is also provided; the plurality of photovoltaic elements comprises photovoltaic elements identified or classified into at least two kinds which are different in terms of property and attribute.

Abstract: A throttle valve (12) is provided in an intake air passage (11) of a throttle body (10) and serves to control the air flows rate that is supplied into a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine. A valve housing (21) is joined to the throttle body (10). A communication passage (22) is formed in the valve housing (21). A branching side passage (13a) and a joining side passage (13b) are formed in the throttle body 10 and, together with the communication passage (22) in the valve housing (21), form a bypass structure (13) that bypass the throttle valve (12). A valve seat portion (23) is formed on the valve housing (21) in the communication passage (22). A valve (25) is provided in the valve housing (21) and serves to control the opening area of the valve seat portion (23). A lattice (50) is disposed downstream of the valve seat portion (23) in the bypass structure (13).

Abstract: In a photovoltaic device module comprising a plurality of photovoltaic devices connected electrically through a metal member, an insulating member is so provided as to avoid contact between an edge portion of the photovoltaic device and the metal member. This can provide a photovoltaic device module which is inexpensive, easy to operate and highly reliable.

Abstract: A photovoltaic element with a low shadow, a high energy conversion efficiency, a high freedom in dimension and a high reliability with prolonged use is provided. The photovoltaic element comprises a photovoltaic layer having a first semiconductor junction layer for generating an electromotive force, a current collecting electrode provided at the light incident side of the photovoltaic layer, and a bypass diode connected in parallel, wherein the bypass diode is provided under the current collecting electrode as a bypass diode layer having a second semiconductor junction layer other than the first semiconductor junction layer of the photovoltaic layer.

Abstract: A solar cell module or a solar cell module which is provided with a readable and writable memory medium capable of writing in a large quantity of information of said solar cell module and capable of reading out necessary information from said memory medium. A solar cell system comprising said solar cell module or said solar cell module string. A method for supervising said solar cell module or said solar cell module string.

Abstract: A solar cell module has a very agreeable appearance and can carry a large volume of information on the light receiving surface thereof. An information carrying body storing information (including, for example, the date, the process the rated values, the destination of shipment, I-V curve data and other data) for identifying the module is invisibly arranged on the light receiving surface side of the solar cell module (e.g., on the front surface sealing member or the front surface member of the photovoltaic elements).

Abstract: A valve performance control apparatus has a low speed cam, a high speed cam, and an intermediate speed cam. A rocker arm is arranged between the cams and a valve. The rocker arm contacts the low speed cam. A pair of cam followers are reciprocally supported in the rocker arm to contact the high speed and intermediate speed cams. Lock members are slidably received in bores (or grooves) of the rocker arm. The lock members, when positioned in an unlocked position, permit the free reciprocation of the associated cam followers with respect to the rocker arm, which causes the valve to be driven by the low speed cam. When locked, the lock members abut against the associated cam followers and lock the cam followers to the rocker arm, which causes the valve to be driven by the cam with the largest profile. The lock member has an abutment surface, which contacts and is pressed by the cam follower.

Abstract: An exhaust manifold has inner and outer tubes made of stainless steel and welded to flanges provided at inlet ports of the exhaust manifold, from which exhaust gas discharged from an engine enters the exhaust manifold. The inner tube has flat portions, and shield plates disposed within the inner tube protect the flat portions from being directly vibrated by pressure waves of the exhaust gas. Accordingly, the vibration of the flat portions is lowered, so that high frequency noise from the exhaust manifold is reduced.

Abstract: The present invention discloses to a processing method for a shaft for a hub unit comprising a shaft body portion 2 and a radial outward flange 3 provided on one end thereof. The processing method comprises the steps of: machining, on a root portion 5 of the flange 3, an internal diameter surface 7 and a side 8 of an annular portion 6 extending in a direction of axis X--X of the shaft body portion 2 and in a direction opposite to the shaft body portion 2; and clamping the internal diameter surface 7 with the side 8 of the annular portion 6 being a reference, in which clamped state a flange side 9 on the annular portion 5 side and an outer peripheral surface 10 of the shaft body portion are machine-finished.

Abstract: An engine has a crankshaft, a combustion chamber and a valve that selectively opens and closes the combustion chamber. The valve has a timing relationship to the crankshaft and lift characteristic. A control device hydraulically alters at least one of the timing relationship and the lift characteristic. A lubricant passage is connected with the control device to supply oil to a mechanism that is formed by engine parts slidably contacting one another within the engine. An auxiliary passage is provided for supplying the oil to the mechanism. Oil supplied from an oil pump to said auxiliary passage is restricted by an electromagnetic valve that is actuated based on the instruction from an electric controller when engine speed is lower than a predetermined value.

Abstract: An engine has a crankshaft, a combustion chamber and a valve. The valve opens and closes the combustion chamber. The valve has a lift characteristic that is altered by a control device according to a change of hydraulic pressure therein. The engine has a lubricant passage that is connected with an oil pump and supplies oil to a mechanism formed by parts slidably connecting one another within the engine. A hydraulic pressure passage extends into an interior of the control device to exchange the hydraulic pressure with the control device, thereby the control device is actuated to alter the lift characteristic. The oil pump supplies the oil to the pressure passage when connected with the pressure passage. The oil pan supplies the oil to the pressure passage when connected with the pressure passage. A switching valve selects one of the oil pump and the oil pan to connect the selected one with the control device based on the engine speed.

Abstract: In an automotive upholstery component including a trim main body and an ornamental sheet mounted on a selected part of the surface of the trim main body, the ornamental sheet is attached to the trim main body without using a bonding agent so that the fabrication steps may be reduced in number, the working environment may be improved, and the design characteristics of the product may be enhanced. A door trim main body is placed on an upper die for pressing which is equipped with a welder upper electrode, and the ornamental sheet is placed on the lower die for pressing which is equipped with a welder lower electrode. High frequency electric current of a prescribed voltage is applied across the upper and lower electrodes so that the ornamental sheet may be attached to a prescribed part of the surface of the door trim main body 20 over the entire area of the ornamental sheet, and the use of a bonding agent may be thereby abolished.

Abstract: A strip of webbing for seat belts includes webbing woven from multi-filament threads made from synthetic fiber, and a mixture of acrylic resin and silicone impregnated into and fixed on the surface of the webbing. The webbing is deteriorated less in the anti-wear property and the smoothness because the acrylic resin is dissociated less by light so that it can hold the silicone on the surface of the webbing for a longer period of time. Thus, the webbing can produce a seat belt exhibiting an excellent accommodatability.

Abstract: There is provided an apparatus for receiving nuclear magnetic resonance signals by applying high frequency energy to a living body placed in a static magnetic field. The distal end portion of the insertion section of the endoscope has a rigid distal end portion and a bendable portion. A housing portion for housing a high frequency coil is provided between the rigid distance portion and the bendable portion. This structure makes it possible to assemble the high frequency coil into the endoscope in a compact manner and can reduce a patient's burden when the insertion section is inserted in the body cavity of the patient.

Abstract: A diagnostic system using a nuclear magnetic resonance phenomenon comprises an external magnetic field generator, provided externally, for generating a magnetic field in a living body, a thin diameter member capable of being inserted into a body cavity and having flexibility, a high frequency coil, provided at a top end of the thin diameter member, for transmitting and receiving a high frequency, a nuclear magnetic resonance signal measuring device for receiving a nuclear magnetic resonance signal from the living body, and a transformer, provided between the high frequency coil and the nuclear magnetic resonance signal measuring device, for electrically isolating and separating the high frequency coil from the nuclear magnetic resonance signal measuring device in a manner such that the nuclear magnetic resonance signal is transmittable between the high frequency coil and the nuclear magnetic resonance signal measuring device.

Abstract: In the method and apparatus for inhibiting a scattered component in a light having passed through the interior of an examined object, a light is radiated to the examined object, the sum of a straight advancing light component and scattered light component of the light having passed through the interior of the examined object is detected, only the scattered light component of the light having passed through the interior of the examined object is detected and the straight advancing light component is detected by an operation using the two detected outputs. In the scattered component inhibiting method and apparatus, a light modulated with a period larger than the delay of the propagating time by the scatter in the examined object is radiated to the examined object, the light having passed through the interior of the examined object is detected and the straight advancing light component is extracted by extracting a predetermined phase of the detected output.