Abstract: A voltage measurement apparatus is provided for measuring a voltage of each of N power sources connected in series. The apparatus includes N capacitance elements provided respectively corresponding to the N power sources, and connected in series, a first switching section for simultaneously applying a voltage of each power source to one of the N capacitance elements corresponding to said power source, a voltage measurement section for measuring a voltage of each capacitance element, and a second switching section for sequentially connecting each capacitance element to the voltage measurement section.

Abstract: A SAW element (13) is formed of a piezoelectric substrate (14), on which are provided IDT electrodes (15), connection electrodes (16), underlying metal layers (17), and acoustic materials (18) placed on the underlying metal layers (17) and having surfaces parallel to the main surface of the piezoelectric substrate (14). The SAW element is mounted in a package (10), which is provided with external terminals (11) connected with the connection electrodes (16), and the package is hermetically scaled with a lid (20) to form a SAW device. When such a SAW element (13) is mounted faceup in a package (10) using a vacuum chuck (30), its piezoelectric substrate (14) can be protected against damage. When a SAW element (13) provided with bumps (23) on its connection electrodes (16) is mounted facedown in a package (10), the failure of electrical connections can be prevented.

Abstract: A SAW element (13) is formed of a piezoelectric substrate (14), on which are provided IDT electrodes (15), connection electrodes (16), underlying metal layers (17), and acoustic materials (18) placed on the underlying metal layers (17) and having surfaces parallel to the main surface of the piezoelectric substrate (14). The SAW element is mounted in a package (10), which is provided with external terminals (11) connected with the connection electrodes (16), and the package is hermetically sealed with a lid (20) to form a SAW device. When such a SAW element (13) is mounted faceup in a package (10) using a vacuum chuck (30), its piezoelectric substrate (14) can be protected against damage. When a SAW element (13) provided with bumps (23) on its connection electrodes (16) is mounted facedown in a package (10), the failure of electrical connections can be prevented.

Abstract: A battery pack controlling apparatus for controlling input to or output from a battery pack is provided. The battery pack includes a plurality of blocks in series connection. Each of the plurality of blocks includes a plurality of batteries in series connection. The battery pack controlling apparatus includes: a battery power input/output section for controlling input and output of battery power to and from the battery pack; a block voltage detection section for detecting a block voltage of each of the plurality of blocks; a battery current detection section for detecting a battery current of the battery pack; an unusual heating detection section for detecting unusual heating of at least one of the plurality of batteries based on the block voltage and the battery current; and a vehicle controlling section for controlling the battery power input/output section based on results of unusual heating detection by the unusual heating detection section.

Abstract: A battery power source device is composed of a plurality of battery modules, in which each battery module includes a number of serially connected cells. A voltage detection circuit is associated with each battery module. Each voltage detection circuit includes a differential amplifier that detects a voltage across end terminals of the associated battery module, and the detected voltage is digitized and output through a photo-coupler to a controller. The differential amplifier is connected to the battery module through photo-relays, which are closed in response to an open/close control signal only during a voltage detection operation, so that leak currents are eliminated. The differential amplifier and an associated A/D converter are provided with operating power obtained by transforming the voltage of the battery module with regulators, whereby noise effects are eliminated.

Abstract: A voltage measurement apparatus is provided for measuring a voltage of each of N power sources connected in series. The apparatus includes N capacitance elements provided respectively corresponding to the N power sources, and connected in series, a first switching section for simultaneously applying a voltage of each power source to one of the N capacitance elements corresponding to said power source, a voltage measurement section for measuring a voltage of each capacitance element, and a second switching section for sequentially connecting each capacitance element to the voltage measurement section.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a yoke includes a step of cutting a steel plate into a rectangular sheet having a plurality of first dovetail convexities at one end thereof and a plurality of second dovetail convexities at the other end, a step of rolling the rectangular sheet into a cylinder to fit the first dove tails and the second dove tails to each other and a step of punching border portions of the first dove tails and the second dove tails. The second dovetail convexities are formed to be the same in shape as the first dovetail convexities so that they can fit to the first dovetail convexities. A smooth-faced yoke can be manufacture without using an expensive welder.

Abstract: A signal correction apparatus includes: a measurement signal generator for generating a measurement signal; a reference signal generator for generating a reference signal; a signal processing section for processing the measurement signal and the reference signal; a signal measurement section for measuring at a first time the reference signal having been processed by the signal processing section, measuring at a second time the reference signal having been processed by the signal processing section, and thereafter measuring the measurement signal having been processed by the signal processing section; and a correction section for performing a correction on the measurement signal having been processed by the signal processing section and measured by the signal measurement section, based on a change from the reference signal having been processed by the signal processing section and measured at the first time to the reference signal having been processed by the signal processing section and measured at the secon

Abstract: An electric leak detecting apparatus used for an electric motorcar includes a source for generating an AC signal, which supplies a sine wave detecting signal S1 of a single frequency fl Hz to between a vehicle body and a low potential side or a high potential side of a battery pack, a condenser having capacitance Cd for insulating the AC source from the low potential side or high potential side of the battery pack with respect to direct currents and for connecting the AC source to the low or high potential side of the battery pack with respect to alternating currents.

Abstract: A method for detecting an abnormal cell in a battery system, wherein: the battery system includes a plurality of blocks serially connected together; each of the plurality of blocks includes a plurality of cells serially connected together and the method includes: a first step of detecting a block voltage for each of the plurality of blocks and detecting a current of the battery system; a second step of calculating a charge/discharge electric power for each of the plurality of blocks based on the block voltage and the current; a third step of determining whether or not a value of the current is equal to or greater than a first predetermined value; a fourth step of determining whether or not a difference of the charge/discharge electric power between at least any two of the plurality of blocks is equal to or greater than a second predetermined value; and a fifth step of detecting a block including an abnormal cell based on determination results from the third step and the fourth step.

Abstract: A method for detecting a minor short in at least one of a plurality of cells of a battery pack includes: a first step of measuring a voltage of at least one of the plurality of cells in a process of charging the battery pack; a second step of measuring a voltage of the at least one of the plurality of cells in a process of discharging the battery pack; and a third step of detecting the minor short in the at least one of the plurality of cells based on measurement results from the first step and the second step.

Abstract: In an ultrasonic transmitter-receiver for an apparatus for measuring the position or distance of an object, a composite vibrating unit is constructed with a piezoelectric vibrator and a cone, wherein a substantial conical vertex of the cone is connected to a center of vibration of the piezoelectric vibrator, and a node of vibration is generated on the cone at positions symmetrical about its center axis when the piezoelectric vibrator vibrates with deflection.

Abstract: An armature for an electric rotating machine has a plurality of outer coil elements and a plurality of inner coil elements. Each of the coil elements has end protrusions extending axially outwardly from an axial side of an armature. The end protrusions facing each other in a radial direction is joined by an arc welding. In one method, the end protrusion of the outer coil element is formed a projection at an axially inside of an axial end of the protrusion. The end protrusions are held spaced apart from each other in the radial direction while contacting only through the projection. The axial ends of the protrusions are welded by swinging the welding arc. In another method, a ring-shaped brazing material is interposed between the end protrusions. The brazing material is melted by the welding arc to weld the end protrusions, while cutting out the brazing material existing between two adjacent pairs of the end protrusions.

Abstract: A rotor for an electric rotary machine having an armature core, upper layer coil elements and lower layer coil elements is provided. Each coil element has a straight coil side and a pair of coil ends extending radially at a right angle from the coil side. Each coil end is inclined by a predetermined angle with respect to the coil side in a circumferential direction of the armature core. The lower layer coil side and the upper layer coil side are inserted into corresponding slots in a radial direction. A connector comprising a tip of the coil end of the upper layer coil element and a connector comprising a tip of the coil end of the lower layer coil element are welded together.

Abstract: A constant travel speed control apparatus is for use in a vehicle and utilizes time delay control which is a kind of adaptive control for estimating an unknown term. A plurality of targeted paths, each having a certain waveform, for causing the actual speed of the vehicle to converge on a target speed are provided and an error vector is defined on the basis of the paths. The actual speed of the vehicle can be made to converge on the target speed thereof with a constant convergence performance along a target path in spite of the fluctuation of vehicle dynamic characteristics.

Abstract: A constant speed maintaining apparatus for use in a vehicle includes a vehicle speed detector for detecting a present speed V(t) of the vehicle, a cruise control device for producing a control value U(t), a target speed setting device for setting a target speed Vd(t), and an actuator for changing the opening degree of a throttle valve of a vehicle engine based on the control value U(t) to maintain the present speed V(t) substantially equal to the target speed Vd(t). The cruise control device includes a differentiation device for calculating a differentiated present speed V(t), a parameter estimation device for calculating an estimated parameter b.sub.est based on the present speed V(t), differentiated present speed V(t), and control value U(t), and a control value calculation device for calculating the control value based on the target speed Vd(t), present speed V(t), differentiated present speed V(t), and estimated parameter b.sub.est.

Abstract: An adaptive control system for vehicles using a time delay control method which applies a reference model for giving desired response characteristics, assumes that terms of an unknown section such as for variations of plant dynamics are constant for a minute time period, and estimates this variation of the unknown section to calculate a control input that follows said reference model.

Abstract: A coated ubidecarenone-containing liposome which comprises the ubidecarenone-containing liposome and a polysaccharide fatty acid ester applied on the surface of the membrane of said liposome, whereby the ubidecarenone can be selectively transferred in high concentrations to the lungs, spleen and kidneys.

Abstract: A catalytic vapor phase oxidation reactor which comprises a fixed-bed shell and tube heat exchange apparatus in which a bundle of a multiplicity of tubes filled with at least one type of oxidizing catalyst are disposed in a shell and these tubes are passed through the apertures formed in at least one perforated shield plate to partition the inside of the shell into at least two heat transfer medium feed zones and in such a manner that each of the tubes passing through the perforated shield plate is not in direct contaction with the shield plate but the outer surface of the tube and the inner surface of the aperture are spaced apart by a distance of between 0.2-5 mm, supplying feed gas to the tubes of the reactor, and conducting exothermic catalytic vapor phase oxidation while controlling the temperatures for the heat transfer medium in each of the zones so that the temperature difference between each of the zones can be maintained between 0.degree.-100.degree. C.

Abstract: A process for catalytic vapor phase oxidation which comprises using a fixed-bed shell and tube heat exchange type reactor in which a bundle of a multiplicity of tubes filled with at least one type of oxidizing catalyst are disposed in a shell and these tubes are passed through the apertures formed in at least one perforated shield plate to partition the inside of the shell into at least two heat transfer medium feed zones and in such a manner that each of the tubes passing through the perforated shield plate is not in direct contaction with the shield plate but the outer surface of the tube and the inner surface of the aperture are spaced apart by a distance of between 0.2-5 mm, supplying feed gas to the tubes of the reactor, and conducting exothermic catalytic vapor phase oxidation while controlling the temperatures for the heat transfer medium in each of the zones so that the temperature difference between each of the zones can be maintained between 0.degree.-100.degree. C.