Abstract: Provided are a travel control device, a vehicle, and a travel control method that realize travel at the speed desired by the driver. This travel control device is equipped with: a travel control unit that switches between and executes a constant speed travel control for causing a vehicle 1 to travel at a target speed and a coasting control for causing the vehicle to travel by inertia; and a switching control unit that, in cases in which an operation for switching the target speed has been performed while executing the constant speed travel control or the coasting control, controls the travel control unit to execute the constant speed travel control without executing the coasting control for a prescribed period of time from the point of completion of said operation.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a driving force adjusting device including a pair of electric motors (1) that drives left and right wheels (5) of a vehicle, a differential mechanism (3) that provides the left and right wheels (5) with a torque difference, and left and right drive shafts (4) that transmits driving force from the differential mechanism and to the left and right wheels (5), the driving force adjusting device having four elements and two degree of freedom. In this driving force adjusting device, inertia moments (JML,JMR) on paths from the pair of electric motors (1) to the left and right wheels (5) are set to values such that a resonance frequency (f) of the driving force adjusting device when the vehicle is turning comes to be larger than a yaw resonance frequency (fyaw) of the vehicle.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: an output transistor of a split-gate type configured to have a plurality of channel regions controlled individually according to a plurality of gate control signals; an active clamp circuit configured to limit the terminal-to-terminal voltage across the output transistor to or below a predetermined clamp voltage after a control signal turns to a logic level requesting the output transistor to be off; a delay circuit configured to generate a delayed internal signal by giving a predetermined delay to an internal signal indicating whether the terminal-to-terminal voltage across the output transistor is higher than a predetermined threshold voltage lower than the clamp voltage; and a gate control circuit configured to control the plurality of gate control signals individually so as to raise the on resistance of the output transistor according to the delayed internal signal.

Abstract: Disclosed is a carbon nanotube dispersion liquid containing carbon nanotubes, a binder, and a dispersion medium. The binder includes a polymer (A) containing an aromatic vinyl monomer unit and a linear alkylene structural unit having a carbon number of at least 4. The proportion of the binder in the carbon nanotube dispersion liquid is 30 mass % or less, and the viscosity change rate of the carbon nanotube dispersion liquid as measured under predetermined conditions before and after leaving the carbon nanotube dispersion liquid for 1 week is 50% or more and 300% or less.

Abstract: A heat-insulating sheet for a battery pack is interposed between battery cells of the battery pack in which the battery cells are connected in series or in parallel. The heat-insulating sheet for the battery pack contains a first particle made from a silica nanoparticle and a second particle made from a metal oxide. A content of the first particle is 60 mass % or more and 95 mass % or less relative to a total mass of the first particle and the second particle.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a distance histogram generator, a computation processor, an extractor, and a movement amount calculator. The distance histogram generator generates, for each horizontal angle of view of an imaging unit mounted on a vehicle, a distance histogram based on distance data of a distance image captured by the imaging unit. The distance image has a pixel value corresponding to a distance to a crossing object in captured images of the front of a vehicle. The computation processor computes edge histogram data for each distance histogram. The extractor extracts, from the edge histogram data computed in the past, any edge histogram data matching with the edge histogram data computed latest. The movement amount calculator calculates a movement amount of the object in a vehicle width direction, based on a difference between the extracted edge histogram data computed in the past and the edge histogram data computed latest.

Abstract: A left-right wheel driving device (10) includes: a casing (15) including a reservoir (18) that stores oil; a suction port (19) that is disposed on the reservoir (18) and that sucks the oil from the reservoir (18); and two gears (34) that are each having helical teeth, that are supported so as to be rotatable about a rotating shaft (13) at least in one direction (D), that are provided on a power transmission path that transmits power to left and right wheels of a vehicle, and that are spaced apart from each other. The suction port (19) is positioned between the two gears (34). Each of the gears (34) is offset from the suction port in an axial direction of the rotating shaft (13), being in a state of being partially immersed in the oil stored in the reservoir (18). The helical teeth of each of the gears (34) extend in the one direction (D) and in a direction that departs from the suction port (19).

Abstract: A battery replacement apparatus replaces a first battery attached to a vehicle body of an electrically powered vehicle with a charged second battery. The battery replacement apparatus includes: an acquisition unit that acquires, based on a fact that a size of the second battery is specified, size information indicating the specified size; a mounting table that moves relative to the vehicle body, with the second battery mounted on the mounting table, for attaching the second battery of the specified size to the vehicle body; and an adjustment unit that adjusts, based on the size information, a mount position where the second battery is mounted on the mounting table.

Abstract: A film formation method includes: providing a film formation apparatus including a substrate support, a target holder, and a magnet unit; forming a film on a substrate by a magnetron sputtering of a target; and performing a serial communication monitoring to repeatedly acquire information on power from a power supply through serial communication. The magnet unit oscillates in a predetermined direction along the target, and the serial communication is performed to switch the power supplied to the target holder when the magnet unit reaches a predetermined power switch position while oscillating, such that when the magnet unit faces the end of the target, the power increases, and when the magnet unit faces the center of the target, the power decreases. The serial communication monitoring stops at least from a predetermined time before the time point when the magnet unit reaches the power switching position until the serial communication is completed.

Abstract: A battery replacement apparatus includes a detection device (detector) that detects position and orientation of a battery (first battery), a battery mount where the battery that is removed from an electric vehicle is placed, the battery mount being driven below the electric vehicle, and a processor (controller) that controls driving of the battery mount. The processor controls position and orientation of the battery mount based on the position and the orientation of the battery detected by the detection device. Furthermore, the processor performs control of removing the battery from the electric vehicle, in a state where the position and the orientation of the battery mount are controlled.

Abstract: A battery replacement apparatus includes: a battery replacement station where removal of a first battery from the electrically powered vehicle and attachment of a second battery to the electrically powered vehicle are performed; a storage that stores the second battery, and a storage space that is provided at a position separate from the storage and stores the first battery.

Abstract: A battery replacement apparatus includes a detection device that detects position and orientation of a battery (first battery), a battery mount where a battery (second battery) is placed, the battery mount being capable of being raised, and an adjuster that adjusts position and orientation of the battery that is placed on the battery mount. The battery mount allows the battery to be attached to a vehicle body from below the vehicle body, by being raised below the vehicle body in a state where the battery is placed on the battery mount. The adjuster adjusts the position and the orientation of the battery placed on the battery mount, based on the position and the orientation of the battery detected by the detection device.

Abstract: A vehicle drive device includes a rotating electric machine disposed on a first axis, an output gear mechanism and an output member disposed on a second axis, and a case that houses these elements. The second axis is disposed below the first axis, a suction port of an oil pump is disposed below the first axis and the second axis and between the first axis and the second axis in a width direction, an outermost gear is disposed so that a direction of rotation at a lower end portion of the outermost gear during forward movement of a vehicle points toward the suction port, and a part of a peripheral wall section of the case that faces a lower surface of the rotating electric machine is inclined downward toward the suction port.

Abstract: A first rotating electric machine and a second rotating electric machine are spaced apart from each other in an axial direction. An inverter unit is disposed between the first rotating electric machine and the second rotating electric machine in the axial direction in such a manner as to overlap the first rotating electric machine and the second rotating electric machine as viewed in the axial direction. A case includes a case body member that has, in an integrated manner: a partition wall section; a section being other than the partition wall section and serving as at least a portion of a first containment chamber; and a second containment chamber section being a section other than the partition wall section and serving as at least a portion of the second containment chamber.

Abstract: A battery replacement apparatus includes: a battery replacement station including a floor on which an electrically powered vehicle can be stopped; a battery mounting table on which the first battery and the second battery can be mounted and which is movable below the electrically powered vehicle in a vertical direction; and a raising and lowering unit movable below the electrically powered vehicle in the vertical direction independently of the battery mounting table. The raising and lowering unit is movable between a raised position to which at least a part of the electrically powered vehicle has been moved upward from the floor, and a separated position separated downward from the electrically powered vehicle. The battery mounting table is capable of moving up to a position where the battery mounting table contacts a bottom surface of the first battery when the raising and lowering unit is located at the raised position.

Abstract: An electrically powered vehicle includes: a vehicle body including a power converter that operates a motor; and a first battery that is attached in a replaceable manner to the vehicle body and supplies electric power to the power converter. The vehicle body includes a first connector for connecting to the first battery. The first battery includes a second connector to be connected to the first connector. The electrically powered vehicle further includes a lock mechanism that locks connection between the first connector and the second connector when the connection between the first connector and the second connector is completed.

Abstract: A battery replacement apparatus includes a drive device (drive unit), a processor (controller) that controls the drive device, and a communication unit that acquires, through communication, information about an electric vehicle and a battery (first battery). The processor adjusts a position of the drive device based on the information that is acquired through the communication unit, and performs control of replacing the battery with a battery (second battery) by controlling the drive device whose position is adjusted.

Abstract: An electrically powered vehicle includes: an accessory device capable of communicating with an external device; a power converter that operates a motor; a first relay and a second relay; a control device that controls operation of the first relay and the second relay; a first battery that supplies electric power to the accessory device when the first relay is in ON state; and a second battery that supplies electric power to the power converter when the second relay is in ON state. When the second relay is in ON state and the electrically powered vehicle receives a battery replacement instruction to replace the second battery with a charged battery, the control device controls the first relay into ON state and controls the second relay into OFF state.

Abstract: A first transmission system includes at least one gear disposed on a second axis, the at least one gear including a first outer gear disposed on an outermost side in a radial direction, and a second transmission system includes at least one gear disposed on the second axis, the at least one gear including a second outer gear disposed on an outermost side in the radial direction. The first outer gear and the second outer gear are spaced apart from each other in an axial direction. An oil cooler is disposed between the first outer gear and the second outer gear in the axial direction in such a manner as to overlap at least either the first outer gear or the second outer gear as viewed in the axial direction.

Abstract: A plasma generating device includes: a chamber which is equipped with a dielectric wall structure and into which sample gas to be measured flows; an RF supplying mechanism that generates plasma inside the chamber using an electric field and/or a magnetic field through the dielectric wall structure; and a floating potential supplying mechanism that includes a first electrode disposed along an inner surface of the chamber. The RF supplying mechanism may include an RF field forming unit disposed in a first direction with respect to the chamber and the first electrode may include an electrode disposed in a second direction with respect to the chamber.