Abstract: A fuel cell body has an anode having an anode-side separator with projections and depressions formed on its surface, a cathode, and a membrane electrode assembly disposed between the anode and the cathode, and the fuel cell body is disposed in a container for storing liquid fuel so that at least the anode side is immersed therein. Fuel passageways through which the liquid fuel flows are formed by regions surrounded by the projections and depressions on the surface of the separator and the membrane electrode assembly. By this, the downsized, simplified and lower power consuming structure of auxiliary equipment such as a fuel feed system is achieved.

Abstract: A fuel cell body has an anode having an anode-side separator with projections and depressions formed on its surface, a cathode, and a membrane electrode assembly disposed between the anode and the cathode, and the fuel cell body is disposed in a container for storing liquid fuel so that at least the anode side is immersed therein. Fuel passageways through which the liquid fuel flows are formed by regions surrounded by the projections and depressions on the surface of the separator and the membrane electrode assembly. By this, the downsized, simplified and lower power consuming structure of auxiliary equipment such as a fuel feed system is achieved.

Abstract: A drive unit includes a guide, a stage which is movable relative to the guide, an ultrasonic actuator for moving the movable body and a control unit for controlling the ultrasonic actuator. The ultrasonic actuator includes a driver element in contact with the stage and is fixed to the guide. A surface of the stage in contact with the driver element is an undulating surface. The control unit detects the position of the stage based on a change in contact pressure on the driver element due to the undulating surface.

Abstract: A vibratory actuator includes a piezoelectric element, a driver element provided on the piezoelectric element and a movable body supported by the driver element. A control unit supplies a first voltage and a second voltage at the same frequency to the piezoelectric element. By supplying the first voltage and the second voltage having a difference phase from a phase of the first voltage by 90°, the piezoelectric element is lead to composite vibration of stretching and bending, thereby causing the driver to make an elliptical motion by the vibration and move the movable body. The control unit switches, during a fine mode, a phase difference between the first voltage and the second voltage between 90° and 0°.

Abstract: An ultrasonic actuator includes: an actuator body using a piezoelectric element and generating a plurality of vibrations of different vibration directions; a driver element provided in the actuator body and operated in accordance with the vibration of the actuator body to output a driving force in a predetermined driving direction; a case containing the actuator body; at least one support rubber provided between the actuator body and the case to elastically support the actuator body along the driving direction with respect to the case; and at least one stopper provided between the actuator body and the case which comes into contact with at least one of the actuator body and the case when the actuator body is displaced in a direction opposite the driving direction such that the displacement of the actuator body in the direction opposite the driving direction is limited.

Abstract: A piezoelectric element is formed by stacking piezoelectric layers and internal electrode layers. The internal electrode layers are positive and negative electrode layers. The positive electrode layers are first and second positive electrode layers. The negative electrode layers are first and second negative electrode layers. Each of the first positive and negative electrode layers includes four divided electrodes and a connecting electrode for connecting a pair of the four divided electrodes formed on diagonally opposite two areas along a first diagonal direction on a principle surface of the associated one of the piezoelectric layers. Each of the second positive and negative electrode layers includes four divided electrodes and a connecting electrode for connecting a pair of the four divided electrodes formed on diagonally opposite two areas along a second diagonal direction on a principle surface of the associated one of the piezoelectric layers.

Abstract: A drive unit includes a control unit for controlling an ultrasonic actuator. The control unit performs switching between a normal operation mode in which the piezoelectric element unit vibrates at a frequency close to a resonance frequency of longitudinal vibration in the lengthwise direction of the piezoelectric element unit and a resonance frequency of bending vibration to let the ultrasonic actuator output a driving force and a heating mode in which the piezoelectric element unit vibrates at a frequency close to a resonance frequency of longitudinal vibration in the thickness direction of the piezoelectric element unit to heat the piezoelectric element.

Abstract: As disclosed, there is provided a small-size power system for fuel cell allowing efficient extraction of electric power-output from a fuel cell and a secondary cell, electronic equipment, and an electric power feeding method. The power system for fuel cell has a voltage conversion circuit and a rectification circuit, and is structured such that output voltage of the fuel cell is converted with a set voltage, which is an output voltage corresponding to a maximum electric power-output of the fuel cell, as a reference to produce a switch voltage, and at least either the switch voltage or an output voltage of the secondary cell is outputted through the rectification circuit. This allows parallel operation of the fuel cell and secondary cell in a state that the electric power of the fuel cell can be utilized to the full.

Abstract: A fuel tank for a fuel cell includes a fuel valve which allows a methanol water solution to pass to a fuel supply portion from a fuel injecting portion after joining a fuel cell main body and the fuel tank for the fuel cell, and shuts off the passage of the methanol water solution before the fuel supply portion and the fuel injecting portion are disconnected. Accordingly, the fuel valve is properly opened and closed, the liquid fuel does not leak out from the fuel tank for the fuel cell at a time of attaching and detaching, and it is possible to improve a safety in the fuel supply in comparison with the conventional structure.

Abstract: A radio-type transmitting device capable of transmitting information other than information in an internal memory is provided. A RFID tag includes a encoding circuit for digitalizing receiving sensitivity of a radio wave sent from an external transmitting/receiving apparatus and then sending the digitalized receiving sensitivity to the external transmitting/receiving apparatus. Thus, the external transmitting/receiving apparatus can obtain a distance between the external transmitting/receiving apparatus and the RFID tag based on received sensitivity information.

Abstract: The present invention provides a direct methanol fuel cell in which an amount of liquid fuel having methanol aqueous solution changed to acidic is manageable, a method for detecting a liquid level, and a method for detecting a methanol concentration. For the liquid fuel, the fuel in which a pH value is adjusted to about 2.5 to about 3.0 in advance in a state before start of electric power generation is used. Thus, the change in electrical conductivity of the liquid fuel immediately after the start of the electric power generating operation and during the electric power generating operation period is made small, and by measuring an impedance value of two level electrodes, the level change of the liquid fuel can be detected while suppressing influence of the impedance value caused by the change in pH value.

Abstract: As disclosed, there is provided a small-size power system for fuel cell allowing efficient extraction of electric power-output from a fuel cell and a secondary cell, electronic equipment, and an electric power feeding method. The power system for fuel cell has a voltage conversion circuit and a rectification circuit, and is structured such that output voltage of the fuel cell is converted with a set voltage, which is an output voltage corresponding to a maximum electric power-output of the fuel cell, as a reference to produce a switch voltage, and at least either the switch voltage or an output voltage of the secondary cell is outputted through the rectification circuit. This allows parallel operation of the fuel cell and secondary cell in a state that the electric power of the fuel cell can be utilized to the full.

Abstract: A fuel cell system has a controller in communication with a fuel detector for activating power supply if a detection result received from the fuel detector indicates that a level of the liquid fuel has not reached the top of an anode, and for preventing power generation in a fuel cell until the detection result indicates that the level of the liquid fuel has reached the top of the anode.

Abstract: There is included a partition plate (1350, 1450, 1550, 1650, 1750, 1850, 1950) which divides interior of one container (1151, 1241, 1340, 1440, 1540, 1640, 1648, 1649, 1740, 1840, 1940) into two spaces of a fuel accommodating space for filling (1342, 1442, 1542, 1642, 1742, 1842, 1942) for accommodating therein liquid fuel and an effluent collecting space (1341, 1441, 1541, 1641, 1741, 1841, 1941) for accommodating therein effluents derived from a fuel cell body, and which is movable along an axial direction of the container. The partition plate is moved so as to narrow the fuel accommodating space for filling due to a pressure difference between pressures of the fuel accommodating space for filling and the effluent collecting space, whereby the liquid fuel (100) is fed from the fuel accommodating space for filling to the anode side of the fuel cell body and whereby the effluent derived from the cathode side is collected into the effluent collecting space.

Abstract: A fuel cell body has an anode having an anode-side separator with projections and depressions formed on its surface, a cathode, and a membrane electrode assembly disposed between the anode and the cathode, and the fuel cell body is disposed in a container for storing liquid fuel so that at least the anode side is immersed therein. Fuel passageways through which the liquid fuel flows are formed by regions surrounded by the projections and depressions on the surface of the separator and the membrane electrode assembly. By this, the downsized, simplified and lower power consuming structure of auxiliary equipment such as fuel feed system is achieved.

Abstract: Present invention provides a fuel tank for a fuel-cell, as well as a fuel cell system, which allow stable fuel supply to be performed whichever orientation they are set up along, and further which perform the disposal of emission as well. The fuel tank and fuel cell system have a partition plate which moves inside a casing and pressurizes fuel supplied to the fuel cell main unit by the emission discharged from the fuel cell main unit. Thus, the fuel can be supplied to the fuel cell main unit stably, whichever orientation the fuel tank and the fuel cell system are set up along. Further, since the emission is used to press the partition plate, the disposal of the emission can also be performed.

Abstract: A clogging detector used for a VTR to check the recording state of a recording head without using the reproducing head. A test signal of a lower frequency than the erasing frequency is recorded before and after an information signal by means of an erasing head. Before and after recording the information signal by means of the recording head, the test signal is reproduced, the reproduction output is detected by a detecting circuit, and the level of the output is compared with a preset level by a comparing circuit. When the level is lower than the preset level, a warming is issued from a warming circuit, thus preventing a recording failure due to the clogging of the head.

Abstract: Apparatus is adapted for recording and reproducing compressed video data in a selected one of two recording formats, of which a first format is for recording the compressed video data in N (N≧3, and representing an integer) number of tracks on a magnetic tape by dividing the video data into N number of groups, and a second format is for recording data, as auxiliary data independent from the compressed video data, in two of the tracks at both ends, and the compressed video data in (N−2) number of the tracks. In the second recording format, the recording is carried out by setting a data length of an error correction code for sync blocks longer than a data length of another error correction code for sync blocks in the first recording format.

Abstract: Apparatus is adapted for recording and reproducing compressed video data in a selected one of two recording formats, of which a first format is for recording the compressed video data in N (N≧3, and representing an integer) number of tracks on a magnetic tape by dividing the video data into N number of groups, and a second format is for recording data, as auxiliary data independent from the compressed video data, in two of the tracks at both ends, and the compressed video data in (N−2) number of the tracks. In the second recording format, the recording is carried out by setting a data length of an error correction code for sync blocks longer than a data length of another error correction code for sync blocks in the first recording format.

Abstract: A head base has at least one head chip fixed thereto. A position of the head chip is adjusted to a predetermined position by applying a laser beam to the head base to cause plastic deformation of the head base. Appropriate laser radiation conditions are set depending upon a necessary amount of positional adjustment of the head chip fixed to the head base.