Abstract: A layered inductor 10 is manufactured by layering “silver-based conductive layers” and “ferrite-based magnetic layers” and simultaneously firing these layers. The conductive layers are via-connected to form a helical coil 30. A shape of a cross sectional surface of the conductive layer, cut by a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of each of the conductive layers is a substantial trapezoid shape, having an upper base and a lower base. A base angle ? of the trapezoid shape at both ends of the lower base is equal to or greater than 50° and is smaller than or equal to 80°.

Abstract: A compact inductor comprises a coil, a coil-burying body, and a body for a closed magnetic circuit. The coil-burying body is a fired porous ceramic body having a first magnetic permeability, in which the coil is buried. In the coil-burying body, “a through-hole 12a passing through inside of the coil along an axis of the coil” is formed. The body for a closed magnetic circuit is a fired dense ceramic body having a second magnetic permeability greater than the first magnetic permeability. The body for a closed magnetic circuit is arranged closely/densely at an outer circumference portion of the coil-burying body and in the through-hole. A magnetic path is therefore formed mainly within the body for a closed magnetic circuit, and the magnetic flux density is reduced in an area close to the coil. Accordingly, an inductor having the excellent superimposed DC current characteristic is provided.

Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell has a stack structure in which sheet bodies and support members are stacked in alternating layers. A space through which a fuel gas or air flows is formed between the adjacent sheet body and support member. Partitions are provided on the support member in such a manner as to stand in the space, thereby forming a “first flow F1” of gas according to the flow control effected by the partitions. Gaps are formed at the projecting ends of the partitions, thereby forming a “second flow F2” of gas which flows over the partitions and through the gaps. The ratio “gap/space height” is set to 2% to 50% inclusive.

Abstract: An assembling method of a solid oxide fuel cell, having a stack structure in which sheet bodies and separators are stacked in alternating layers, includes a stacking step, a sealing step, and a reduction process step. In the sealing step, a laminate in which a crystallized glass material is interposed between the perimetric portions adjacent to each other is heated, so that the crystallization rate of the crystallized glass is increased to 0 to 50%. Accordingly, the perimetric portions adjacent to each other are integrated and sealed, and a room for glass softening is left. In the reduction process step, the laminate is heated, and a reduction gas is supplied into a fuel channel, whereby the reduction process is performed to the fuel electrode layer, and the crystallization rate is increased to 70 to 100%. Thus, the assembly of the fuel cell is completed.

Abstract: A reduction process is performed to each fuel electrode layer by supplying a reduction gas into each fuel channel 22 in the state in which a perimetric portion of a sheet body 11 is held to be sealed by perimetric portions of an upper support member 122 and a lower support member 121. In the case of a small-sized fuel cell in which the thickness of the sheet body 11 is 20˜500 ?m, the fuel electrode layer is greater in thickness than the solid electrolyte layer and the air electrode layer, and the area of the orthogonal projection of the plane portion 12a of each support member 12 is 1˜100 cm2, a ratio of a warpage of not more than 0.05 cm?1 on the sheet body with respect to the area of the orthogonal projection can be achieved at room temperature after the reduction process.

Abstract: A sheet body 11 includes an electrolyte layer 11a, a fuel electrode layer 11b formed on the upper surface of the electrolyte layer 11a, and an air electrode layer 11c formed on the lower surface of the electrolyte layer 11a, wherein these layers are stacked and fired in such a manner that the electrolyte layer 11a is sandwiched between the fuel electrode layer 11b and the air electrode layer 11c. The fuel electrode layer is a porous layer including a first layer 11b1 (the side close to the electrolyte layer) made of fine particles of Ni and YSZ, and a second layer 11b2 (the side apart from the electrolyte layer) made of fine particles of Ni, YSZ, and zircon (ZrSiO4). The zircon particles are uniformly distributed in the second layer in the plane direction and in the stacking direction.

Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell has a stack structure in which sheet bodies and separators for separating air and fuel gas are stacked in alternating layers. Each of the sheet bodies includes an electrolyte layer, a fuel electrode layer formed on the upper surface of the electrolyte layer, and an air electrode layer formed on the lower surface of the electrolyte layer, wherein these layers are stacked and fired in such a manner that the electrolyte layer is sandwiched between the fuel electrode layer and the air electrode layer. The thickness of the electrolyte layer is 0.3 ?m or more and 5 ?m or less, and the electrolyte layer is composed of a single particle of YSZ in the thickness direction. Thus, the electrolyte layer is extremely thin, and further, the grain boundary in the thickness direction is small. Accordingly, the IR loss (electric resistance) of the electrolyte layer can remarkably be reduced.

Abstract: A fuel cell employs a stack structure in which a plurality of sheet bodies and a plurality of separators are stacked and joined together in alternating layers. Chemical reactions occur in the sheet bodies. The separators separate, from each other, two kinds of gasses (air and fuel gas) which are necessary for the chemical reactions. The plurality of separators consist of high-rigidity separator(s), and ordinary separators, which are lower in rigidity than the high-rigidity separator. This configuration reliably suppresses the occurrence of “separation of a joint region” attributable to “stress concentration caused by increase in the number of the stacked separators.

Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell has a stack structure in which sheet bodies and support members are stacked in alternating layers. A space through which a fuel gas or air flows is formed between the adjacent sheet body and support member. Partitions are provided on the support member in such a manner as to stand in the space, thereby forming a “first flow F1” of gas according to the flow control effected by the partitions. Gaps are formed at the projecting ends of the partitions, thereby forming a “second flow F2” of gas which flows over the partitions and through the gaps. The ratio “gap/space height” is set to 2% to 50% inclusive.

Abstract: In a fuel cell, perimetric portions of each sheet body, an upper support member, and a lower support member are sealed against one another by a seal including first and second seal portions. The first seal portion is of glass having a softening point lower than a working temperature of the reactor and seals against the upper surface of the perimetric portion of the sheet body and the lower surface of the perimetric portion of the upper support member as well as the lower surface of the perimetric portion of the sheet body and the upper surface of the perimetric portion of the lower support member. The second seal portion is of glass having a softening point higher than the working temperature and seals against the lower side end and upper side end of the perimetric portions of the upper and lower support members, respectively.

Abstract: A fuel cell has a stack structure in which fired sheet bodies (laminates each including a fuel electrode layer, a solid electrolyte layer, and an air electrode layer) and support members for supporting the sheet bodies are stacked in alternating layers. Each of the sheet bodies is warped downward (toward an air-electrode-layer side). Because of a magnitude relationship of thermal expansion coefficient among the layers in the sheet body and that between the support member and the sheet body, a warp height gradually lessens in the course of temperature rise at start-up. However, even when a working temperature (800° C. or the like) is reached, the sheet bodies are still warped downward. By virtue of presence of the warp, the sheet bodies become unlikely to be deformed at the working temperature.

Abstract: A display device includes an illuminating device having an optical waveguide plate for introducing light thereinto, a drive assembly having a planar array of actuators disposed in facing relation to the optical waveguide plate, a displacement transmitter assembly disposed between the optical waveguide plate and the drive assembly, and a light scattering layer disposed on the displacement transmitter assembly. The actuators are selectively displaceable to bring the light scattering layer into and out of contact with the optical waveguide plate, for controlling light that leaks from the optical waveguide plate as emitted light. The display device also includes an optical modulator for modulating the emitted light from the illuminating device to display an image. The illuminating device has a light reflecting layer disposed on at least a portion of the displacement transmitter assembly that confronts the optical waveguide plate.

Abstract: Striped sheets each having a structure in which two types of first layers and second layers are stacked in the X direction are prepared. More specifically, first raw material sheets having the same composition as the first layers and second raw material sheets having the same composition as the second layers are regularly alternately stacked in the X direction to prepare a uniaxial stack. The uniaxial stack is then cut along the X direction to prepare the striped sheets. A large number of striped sheets and a large number of homogeneous sheets are then collected to form a sheet group. The striped sheets and the homogeneous sheets are alternately stacked in the Y direction different from the X direction to prepare a biaxial stack having two stacking axes in the X direction and the Y direction. The biaxial stack is fired to produce a ceramic structure.

Abstract: A device includes a ceramic thin plate member including a fired ceramic sheet; and a metal thin plate member having an outer shape larger than that of the ceramic thin plate member. An outer circumferential portion of the ceramic thin plate member is joined to the metal thin plate member. The ceramic thin plate member has through holes and a plurality of crease portions. Each crease portion has a ridge portion whose crest continuously extends from a joint portion between the ceramic thin plate member and the metal thin plate member toward an outer circumferential portion of the metal thin plate member. Since thermal stress due to a difference in thermal expansion between the metal thin plate member and the ceramic thin plate member can be relaxed through expansion of the crease portions, the ceramic thin plate member does not deform.

Abstract: A thin plate member 10 includes an electrolyte layer 11, a fuel electrode layer 12 laminated and formed on the upper surface of the electrolyte layer 11 and having a thermal expansion coefficient greater than that of the electrolyte layer 11, and an air electrode layer 13 laminated and formed on the lower surface of the electrolyte layer 11. Further, a porous layer 14 made of a porous insulating member having a thermal expansion coefficient smaller than that of the fuel electrode layer 12 and a terminal 15 for taking generated power to the outside are laminated and formed extremely uniformly on the upper surface of the fuel electrode layer 12 in plan view. As a result, the warp of the whole thin plate member 10 with respect to the internal stress caused by the difference in the thermal expansion coefficient between layers can be suppressed.

Abstract: A thin plate member 10 has a uniform thickness of not less than 5 ?m and not more than 100 ?m, includes at least a ceramic sheet, and is formed by sintering. The thin plate member 10 has plural convex portions 11 protruding from one plane P of the thin plate member 10, and plural concave portions 12 caved in from the plane P. Accordingly, the deflection amount obtained when the thin plate member 10 is supported at a predetermined support section of the thin plate member 10 and a load is applied to a load applying section, which is other than the support section, of the thin plate member 10 in a direction orthogonal to the plane P is smaller than the deflection amount of a thin plate member that is flat without having the convex portion 11 and the concave portion 12. That is, the thin plate member 10 which is difficult to be deformed can be provided.

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: An actuator device has a drive section including a plurality of actuators arranged in a plane on a substrate, and a single first plate member to which drive forces from the actuators of the drive section are transmitted. A plurality of spacers are disposed between the first plate member and the substrate, forming m cells. Each of the actuators has a cavity, a vibrating section and a fixed section formed on the substrate. The rigidity of the first plate member is greater than the rigidity of the vibrating section of the actuator.

Abstract: An actuator element has a plate member, a piezoelectric/electrostrictive body disposed in facing relation to the plate member, and a beam disposed between the plate member and the piezoelectric/electrostrictive body and fixing the piezoelectric/electrostrictive body to the plate member. The piezoelectric/electrostrictive body has a piezoelectric/electrostrictive layer, an upper electrode formed on a surface of the piezoelectric/electrostrictive layer which faces the plate member, and a lower electrode formed on a surface of the piezoelectric/electrostrictive layer which is opposite to the surface thereof facing the plate member. When an electric field is applied to the upper electrode and the lower electrode, a portion of the piezoelectric/electrostrictive body is displaced toward or away from the plate member.

Abstract: A light source has a transparent substrate, a fixed substrate disposed in facing relation to the transparent substrate, at least one electron emitter disposed on the fixed substrate, a phosphor layer disposed on a surface of the transparent substrate which confronts the fixed substrate, and a trajectory deflector for deflecting the trajectory of a pulsed electron flow intermittently emitted from the electron emitter. The pulsed electron flow is deflected by the trajectory deflector to two-dimensionally scan a position of the phosphor layer which is irradiated with the pulsed electron flow for thereby spreading the pulsed electron flow.