Abstract: A lithium secondary battery includes an anode, a cathode and a separator containing non-aqueous electrolytic solution or solid-state electrolyte, interposed between the anode and the cathode. The anode comprises, as an active material, lithium metal, lithium alloy or a material capable of absorbing and desorbing lithium ions. The cathode comprises spinel-structured lithium-manganese complex oxide as an active material. The spinel-structured lithium-manganese complex oxide is in the form of hollow spherical particles formed by sintering single crystal particles.

Abstract: The invention provides a lithium secondary battery, comprising a cathode having a spinel-structured lithium-manganese complex oxide as the active material, which is characterized in that the particles of said spinel-structured lithium-manganese complex oxide are hollow, spherical secondary particles formed by sintering of primary particles, and said secondary particles have a mean particle size of from about 1 to 5 micrometer and a specific surface area of from about 2 to 10 m2/g. The lithium secondary battery has a high capacity and excellent charge-discharge cycle characteristics.

Abstract: The invention provides a lithium secondary battery comprising a cathode having a lithium cobalt complex oxide or a lithium nickel complex oxide as a cathode active material, which is characterized in that said lithium cobalt complex oxide is in the form of hollow, spherical sinters of particles, and said sinters have a mean particle diameter of from about 1 to 5 micrometers and a specific surface area of from about 2 to 10 m2/g. The lithium secondary battery has high capacity and excellent charge-discharge cycle characteristics.

Abstract: An acceleration sensor has a ring-shaped movable electrode connected to an anchor part via beams and a fixed electrode facing the ring-shaped movable electrode defining a specific interval, which are disposed on a substrate. The movable electrode is displaced by acceleration approximately in parallel to the substrate and contacts the fixed electrode, so that the acceleration is detected. The fixed electrode is divided into a detecting fixed electrode for contacting the movable electrode and a sensitivity controlling fixed electrode insulated from the detecting fixed electrode. Accordingly, potential differences between the movable electrode and the detecting fixed electrode and between the movable electrode and the sensitivity controlling fixed electrode are independently controlled to control sensitivity of acceleration.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a lithium complex oxide involves the steps of 1) atomizing and pyrolyzing an aqueous or alcohol solution of metallic salt compounds constituting a lithium cobalt complex oxide or a lithium nickel complex oxide, and 2) annealing said lithium cobalt complex oxide or said lithium nickel complex oxide to increase the average particle diameter thereof to between about 1 and 5 micrometers and adjust the specific surface area thereof to between about 2 and 10 m2/g. The lithium complex oxide provided by this method is homogeneous and enables a long cycle life to withstand repeated charging and discharging and a high level of storage stability to be realized when used as an cathode active material of a secondary lithium battery.

Abstract: A method and system for determining the bonding quality of a bonded area of a flapped boxmaking blank in a boxmaking apparatus at an assembling station of a production line, where opposite end portions of the blank are bonded together with confronting edges of companion end flaps defining a required gap, in terms of the outline of the gap. The quality determination is accomplished by irradiating sheetlike light onto the bonded area across the gap, forming an image of the irradiated light as a light image line composed of discrete segments which are arranged along a reference line for the flap portions and include at least one line segment located off the reference line, computing a ratio of a length of the off-line segment to the entire length of the light image line to obtain a width of the gap, and comparing the width of the gap with a preset reference value.

Abstract: A method for producing a cathode active material for a lithium secondary battery having a large initial capacity and excellent in the charging-discharging cycle characteristics, while restraining the generation of NO.sub.2, is provided. In the production method of a cathode active material for a lithium secondary battery made up of a complex oxide containing at least lithium, after adding a material generating oxygen on spray pyrolysis, such as nitric acid, hydrogen peroxide, etc., to an aqueous or alcohol solution of the organic acid salts of metal elements constituting the complex oxide, the mixture is subjected to spray pyrolysis to form a complex oxide, and the complex oxide is heat-treated. As the complex oxides, there are a lithium manganese complex oxide, a lithium cobalt complex oxide, a lithium nickel complex oxide, etc.