Abstract: In a liquid-level-position control device for a condenser in a Rankine cycle apparatus, first and second reference liquid level positions are set. When a position of the fluid level is lower than the first reference liquid level position, water is replenished to a condenser by a liquid-phase working medium supply section. When the position of the fluid level is higher than the second reference liquid level position, the liquid-phase working medium is discharged from within the condenser by a liquid-phase working medium discharge section. In this way, the liquid level, which is a boundary surface between water vapor and condensed water within the condenser, can be constantly kept at an optimal position.

Abstract: Gaseous-phase portion of a condenser contains vapor and a non-condensing gas, such as air, that impedes condensation of the vapor, and a non-condensing gas discharge device of the condenser is arranged to discharge only the non-condensing gas from the condenser. The non-condensing gas discharge device includes a valve device, in the form of an air vent, for separating the non-condensing gas from the vapor and selectively discharging only the non-condensing gas from the condenser.

Abstract: When a flow of a working medium stagnates in an expander or evaporator of a Rankine cycle apparatus including a closed working medium circulation circuit, a high pressure exceeding an allowable maximum pressure level of the expander or evaporator is produced within the closed working medium circulation circuit. In such a case, the water-phase working medium is first discharged via relief valves out of the circulation circuit, so that the pressure within the circulation circuit can be lowered. Then, once vapor within the evaporator, having been lowered in temperature and pressure, flows backward within the closed working medium circulation circuit, the vapor is also discharged via the relief valves out of the circulation circuit. In this way, the pressure within the expander or evaporator can be reliably prevented from exceeding the allowable maximum pressure level.

Abstract: In a Rankine cycle system for an internal combustion engine, including an evaporator (3) for generating a vapor, an expander (4) for converting a heat energy of the vapor into a mechanical energy, a condenser (5) for cooling the vapor discharged from the expander (4) to restore it into water, a tank (6) for storage of the water from the condenser (5), and supply pumps (7, 8) for supplying the water in said tank (6) to the evaporator (3) in a pressurizing manner, the water in the tank (6) is supplied via a water jacket (105) of the internal combustion engine (1) to a dispensing valve (106) by the lower-pressure pump (7). A portion of the water dispensed by the dispensing valve (106) is further pressurized and supplied to the evaporator (3) by the higher-pressure pump (8), and another portion of the water dispensed by the dispensing valve (106) is discharged to the tank (6) after dissipating its heat in an auxiliary (110) such as a heater for heating a vehicle compartment and the like.

Abstract: A plurality of information processing terminals 100 to 130 are connected to a network. Each processing terminal parameter-manages the total of the idle time units obtained through the detection of the idle time on the network. The processing terminal acquires a transmission privilege when the parameter and its own node ID agree with each other, and sends out the transmission frame inclusive of its own node ID to the network. The reception means 105 receives, from the network, the transmission frame transmitted from the other information processing terminals. The control means 103 extracts the node ID included in the transmission frame thus received and updates the parameter to the node thus extracted, and adjusts the synchronization of the parameters commonly possessed on the same network. In accordance with such a configuration, the transmission privilege can be rounded without exchanging a token frame between specified nodes.

Abstract: An expander (M) employing steam as a working medium is formed from a first radially inner group of axial piston cylinders (49) arranged annularly on a rotor (27) so as to surround the axis (L) of an output shaft (28), and a second radially outer group of axial piston cylinders (57) arranged annularly so as to surround the first group of axial piston cylinders (49). The first and second groups of axial piston cylinders (49, 57) are driven by a common swash plate (39), and the first and second groups of axial piston cylinders (49, 57) are arranged with circumferentially displaced pitches. High-temperature, high-pressure steam firstly operates the first group of axial piston cylinders (49), then operates the second group of axial piston cylinders (57), and the outputs from the two are combined to drive the output shaft (28). This achieves a further reduction in the size and a further increase in the output of the axial type expander (M).

Abstract: In a Rankine cycle system for an internal combustion engine, including an evaporator (3) for generating a vapor, an expander (4) for converting a heat energy of the vapor into a mechanical energy, a condenser (5) for cooling the vapor discharged from the expander (4) to restore it into water, a tank (6) for storage of the water from the condenser (5), and supply pumps (7, 8) for supplying the water in said tank (6) to the evaporator (3) in a pressurizing manner, the water in the tank (6) is supplied via a water jacket (105) of the internal combustion engine (1) to a dispensing valve (106) by the lower-pressure pump (7). A portion of the water dispensed by the dispensing valve (106) is further pressurized and supplied to the evaporator (3) by the higher-pressure pump (8), and another portion of the water dispensed by the dispensing valve (106) is discharged to the tank (6) after dissipating its heat in an auxiliary (110) such as a heater for heating a vehicle compartment and the like.

Abstract: When a voltage larger than a voltage from a 12-V power supply (11) and capable of on/off controlling an n-channel MOSFET (15) is supplied to a simple ON/OFF circuit (19), the simple ON/OFF circuit (19) outputs to the gate G a control signal that on/off controls the n-channel MOSFET (15) by the supplied voltage, thereby performing on/off control of the n-channel MOSFET (15), and enabling control of electrical power supplied to a load (13) from the 12-V power supply (11). The 36-V power supply (17) is used for on/off control of the n-channel MOSFET (15), so as to supply the output voltage from the 12-V power supply (11) to the load (13).

Abstract: A multiplex communications system includes a plurality of master-slave sub-systems which include master nodes (10, 20) connected to a multiplex communications line (BL) and slave nodes (30, 40, 50) connected to the same. Each master node transmits a signal to the slave node of the same sub-system at a first given cycle, and in response the slave node transmits a signal, thereby establishing communication between the master node and the slave node. If periodic transmission of a signal at the first given cycle is not correctly carried out, the master node, which correctly performs periodic transmission of a signal, periodically transmits a signal to both the slave nodes at a second given cycle which is slightly longer than the first given cycle.

Abstract: A vehicle communication multiplex system comprises: a bus; and a plurality of nodes connected to the bus, wherein transmission right circulates to the nodes in a predetermined order and send a predetermined number of data to the bus from the node which gets the transmission right. Each of the nodes includes, a block division section for dividing the data into blocks to prepare data blocks, a change-block-determination section for determining whether or not each of the data blocks prepared by the block division section changes as an event occurs, and a data transmission section, if the change-block-determination section determines that a data block changes, for extracting the data block from the block division section and sending the extracted data block to the bus.

Abstract: A magnetic element switch is provided which can reduce the number of parts and the cost of the switch as well as improve the reliability thereof. The magnetic element switch includes an operation part oscillatable about a neutral position when operated by an operator, a magnet oscillatable about a neutral position directly or indirectly due to the oscillation of the operation part, and a magnetic element fixedly disposed adjacent to the magnet for generating an electromotive voltage proportional to the density of a magnetic flux incident thereon. The magnetic element is positioned such that a magnetic force line generated by the magnet at the neutral position is allowed to pass through the magnetic element parallel to an electric field formed with the magnetic element and also such that, when the magnet is oscillated, the magnetic force line is allowed to pass therethrough not parallel to the electric field within the magnetic element.

Abstract: A multiplex transmission system in a vehicle, for transmitting data indicating an on/off state of an ignition switch, includes first and second power distributing units receiving first and second signals over first and second signal lines, respectively, indicating the on/off state of the switch. The first power distributing unit controls a first load in accordance with the on/off state of the switch indicated by the first signal. The first power distributing unit provides a third signal to the second power distributing unit over a multiplex transmission line indicating the on/off state of the switch. When either the second signal or the third signal indicates that the switch is in an on state, the second power distributing unit controls the second load in accordance with the on state of the switch. When the second power distributing unit fails to receive the third signal, the second power distributing unit controls the second load in accordance with the on/off state indicated by the second signal.