Abstract: An opening and closing apparatus includes: a drive unit provided in an opening and closing body which is openably and closeably attached to a main body, and opening and closing the opening and closing body with respect to the main body by driving the opening and closing body using electric power; a secondary energy storage device provided in the opening and closing body and electrically connected to the drive unit in such a manner that the secondary energy storage device can be inductively charged and can supply electric power to the drive unit; and an electric power receiving coil provided in the opening and closing body so as to be capable of facing an electric power transmitting coil which is provided on the main body, and is electrically connected to a primary energy storage device installed on the main body, and electrically connected to the secondary energy storage device.

Abstract: An opening and closing apparatus includes: a drive unit provided in an opening and closing body which is openably and closeably attached to a main body, and opening and closing the opening and closing body with respect to the main body by driving the opening and closing body using electric power; a secondary energy storage device provided in the opening and closing body and electrically connected to the drive unit in such a manner that the secondary energy storage device can be inductively charged and can supply electric power to the drive unit; and an electric power receiving coil provided in the opening and closing body so as to be capable of facing an electric power transmitting coil which is provided on the main body, and is electrically connected to a primary energy storage device installed on the main body, and electrically connected to the secondary energy storage device.

Abstract: A thin plate member is a thin plate member that is formed by sintering, contains a ceramic layer, and comprises a thin part having two or more types of layers laminated, each of which is made of a material having a different thermal expansion coefficient, and a thick part that is made by laminating plural layers including at least all of the layers constituting the thin part, and has a thickness greater than the thickness of the thin part. The thin part has a shape warping in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the thin plate member. By virtue of this configuration, the internal electrical resistance of the thin part can be reduced. Further, the thin plate member can be provided that is difficult to be deformed with respect to the internal stress caused by the difference in thermal expansion coefficient between layers.

Abstract: A thin plate member is a thin plate member that is formed by sintering, contains a ceramic layer, and comprises a thin part having two or more types of layers laminated, each of which is made of a material having a different thermal expansion coefficient, and a thick part that is made by laminating plural layers including at least all of the layers constituting the thin part, and has a thickness greater than the thickness of the thin part. The thin part has a shape warping in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the thin plate member. By virtue of this configuration, the internal electrical resistance of the thin part can be reduced. Further, the thin plate member can be provided that is difficult to be deformed with respect to the internal stress caused by the difference in thermal expansion coefficient between layers.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an enhanced porous ceramic article includes the steps of: impregnating (a) a porous ceramic body, (b) a first porous body having one or more dried layers of porous ceramic films on a surface of a porous ceramic body, or (c) a second porous body having one or more dried-fired layers of porous ceramic films on a surface of a porous ceramic body, with inorganic oxide sol; sending air to a desired portion of the porous ceramic body and/or the porous ceramic films to aggregating and drying inorganic oxide particles in the inorganic oxide sol inside a surface of the desired portion; and thereafter firing the body or the body with the film to obtain the enhanced porous ceramic article. The manufacturing method is capable of substantially uniformly aggregating and supporting inorganic oxide such as silica in a desired portion of the porous ceramic article for use in a ceramic filter or the like.

Abstract: An aggregate of silica particles, which has a primary particle size within a nanometer range, is used as a molecular mold (a dispersion medium). A noble metal compound is adsorbed to the nano-silica aggregate with nanometer order distribution and then reduced to a metallic state. Thereafter, silica particles are dissolved. A noble metal porous body produced in this way has a nano-pore structure with a large specific surface area. The nano-pore structure involves nano-pores as traces of silica particles therein, so as to effectively realize intrinsic activity of a noble metal such as Pd, Pt or Rh. The porous noble metal is useful as functional elements, e.g. catalysts, adsorbents, gas-occluding elements and permselective membranes.