Abstract: This internal combustion engine is provided with a variable compression ratio mechanism capable of changing a mechanical compression ratio by changing the volume of the combustion chamber at the top dead center. The pressure and temperature of remaining combusted gas within the combustion chamber at the time when the exhaust valve is closed in the intake stroke is measured or estimated, the pressure and temperature of intake air supplied into the combustion chamber after the exhaust valve is closed in the intake stroke is measured or estimated, and based on the assumption that the pressure and temperature of the remaining combusted gas which saturates the volume of the combustion chamber at the time when the exhaust valve is closed in the air intake stroke become, when the intake air is supplied to the combustion chamber, equal to the pressure and temperature of the intake air, the volume of the remaining combusted gas after the change is calculated.

Abstract: Provided are an acrylic elastomer superior in adhesiveness to a fluorine-based elastomer, an acrylic elastomer composition containing the same, its laminate, and its crosslinked product and a molded article therefrom. Iodine groups are introduced as crosslinking groups into an acrylic elastomer to an iodine content of 0.1 to 2 mass % with respect to the total mass of the elastomer. In addition, 1 to 7 parts by mass of an organic peroxide and 1 to 5 parts by mass of an onium salt were blended with 100 parts by mass of the acrylic elastomer, to give an acrylic elastomer composition. Further, an acrylic elastomer layer of the acrylic elastomer composition is laminated with a fluorine-based elastomer layer of a fluorine-based elastomer composition mainly containing of a fluorine-based elastomer having iodine groups as crosslinking groups, to give a laminate. The laminate is then crosslinked to give a crosslinked product and a molded article.

Abstract: A boron nitride fine particle has low major diameter/thickness (aspect) ratio, high purity and high crystallinity, and also has an average particle diameter of 0.05 to 2.0 ?m, a graphitization index of 3 or less, and a total oxygen content of 0.20% by mass or less, with an average value of a major diameter/thickness ratio of scaly particles being 6.0 or less. A method of producing a boron nitride fine particle includes introducing ammonia and an alkoxide borate at an ammonia/alkoxide borate molar ratio of 1 to 5 in a reaction vessel in an inert gas atmosphere for heating at 800 to 1,350° C. within 30 seconds thereby obtaining a boron nitride precursor, and then heating the boron nitride precursor at 1,650 to 2,200° C. for at least 0.5 hour in an inert gas atmosphere.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a positive electrode mixture capable of conducting stable charging and discharging with a less amount of gasses generated which has an operating voltage or an initial crystal phase transition voltage of not less than 4.5 V on the basis of lithium. The present invention relates to a positive electrode mixture comprising carbon black having a bulk density of not more than 0.1 g/cm3, a crystallite size of 10 to 40 ?, an iodine adsorption of 1 to 150 mg/g, a volatile content of not more than 0.1% and a metal impurity content of not more than 20 ppm, and a positive electrode active substance having an operating voltage or an initial crystal phase transition voltage of not less than 4.5 V on the basis of lithium.

Abstract: A spherical boron nitride fine particle suited for use as a highly thermoconductive filler or the like has an average particle diameter of 0.01 to 1.0 ?m, an orientation index of 1 to 15, a boron nitride purity of 98.0% by mass or greater, and an average circularity of 0.80 or greater. A method of producing a spherical boron nitride fine particle includes reacting ammonia with an alkoxide borate at an ammonia/alkoxide borate molar ratio of 1 to 10 in an inert gas stream at 750° C. or higher within 30 seconds, then applying heat treatment to a reaction product in an atmosphere of ammonia gas or a mixed gas of ammonia gas and an inert gas at 1,000 to 1,600° C. for at least 1 hour, and further firing the reaction product in an inert gas atmosphere at 1,800 to 2,200° C. for at least 0.5 hour.

Abstract: The present invention provides a negative-electrode material for a lithium secondary battery which has a very low resistance, allows the lithium secondary battery to be charged and discharged (high output) at a high current and have a high capacity, and achieve a cycle life to such an extent that the lithium secondary battery can be mounted on a vehicle. The electrode material is composed of (a) at least one active substance (4) selected from among a metal oxide containing metal therein and an alloy material each of which is coated with a carbon material and has a graphene phase or an amorphous phase (8) on at least a surface thereof, (b) a graphite-based carbon material (5) having the graphene phase or the amorphous phase on at least a surface thereof; and (c) carbon material (6) other than the graphite-based carbon material and having the graphene phase or the amorphous phase on at least a surface thereof.

Abstract: Imaging lens including four lenses capable of widening an angle of view and reducing height compared to a conventional imaging lens while reducing cost and securing optical performance. The lens includes a first lens, a second lens, a third lens, and a fourth lens in order from an object side. The first lens and the second lens have negative refractive power. An object-side surface of the first lens has an aspherical shape. Moreover, the imaging lens satisfies the following conditional expressions: ?2.8<f2/f<?0.5??(1) 0.0<(r1+r2)/(r1?r2)<2.3??(2) where f2 represents a focal length (mm) of the second lens, f represents a focal length (mm) of an entire system, r1 represents a radius of curvature (mm) of the object-side surface of the first lens, and r2 represents a radius of curvature (mm) of an image-side surface of the first lens.

Abstract: A gland packing having required characteristics is obtained by finding relationships between required characteristics and the value of the limiting oxygen index, and adequately defining the level of the required characteristics. The gland packing is configured by twisting or braiding a single or plurality of yarns that are formed by twisting fibers having a limiting oxygen index (LOI) of 21 to 30, preferably 22 to 26. The fibers contain fibers in which a flat ratio is defined as 1.1 to 4, the flat ratio being a value which is obtained by dividing the maximum value of an interval between two parallel straight lines in a state where a section of each of the fibers is interposed between the straight lines, by the minimum value. The fibers contain fibers in each of which a sectional shape has one or more recesses having a depth of 0.4 ?m or more.

Abstract: A gland packing having required characteristics is obtained by finding relationships between required characteristics and the value of the limiting oxygen index, and adequately defining the level of the required characteristics. The gland packing is configured by twisting or braiding a single or plurality of yarns that are formed by twisting fibers having a limiting oxygen index (LOI) of 21 to 30, preferably 22 to 26. The fibers contain fibers in which a flat ratio is defined as 1.1 to 2, the flat ratio being a value obtained by dividing the maximum value of an interval between two parallel straight line in a state where a section of each of the fibers is interposed between the straight lines, by the minimum value. The fibers contain fibers in each of which a sectional shape has one or more recesses 1 having a depth h of 0.4 ?m or more.

Abstract: In a drive force transmission apparatus, when an input shaft is rotated in a normal rotational direction, a rotational force of the input shaft is transmitted to an output shaft through a one-way clutch to rotate the output shaft at a rotational speed, which is the same as a rotational speed of the input shaft. At this time, an input side sub-shaft is freed from an output side sub-shaft. In contrast, when the input shaft is rotated in a reverse rotational direction, the rotational force of the input shaft is transmitted to the output shaft through an input gear, a first gear, the input side sub-shaft, a two-way clutch, the output side sub-shaft, a second gear and an output gear. At this time, the output shaft is freed from an intermediate shaft.

Abstract: Imaging lens comprises, in order from the object side, a first lens block having a convex and concave surfaces oriented toward the object and image side respectively, and having a positive power, and a second lens. An aperture stop can be located on the object side of the first lens block, a peripheral portion of the image side surface of the second lens has a positive power where: 0.62<fla/f<0.82 (1) ?4.00<flb/f<?1.11 (2) 0.70<D4/f<1.00 (3) with, fla: focal distance of object side lens portion of the first lens block; flb: focal distance of an image side lens portion of the first lens block; D4: distance on the optical axis from the object side surface of the first lens block to the image side surface of the second lens; f: focal distance of the imaging lens total system.

Abstract: Provided is a compound optical system that can obtain high-resolution images by solving the problem of aberration in a field-of-view separation-type optical system, and that enables a super thin image pickup device to be achieved. Also provided is an image pickup device using the compound optical system. With respect to the image pickup range of a central individual-eye lens, by narrowing the image pickup range of a peripheral individual-eye lens, the field curvature amount at the image pickup region can be reduced, and therefore, the eccentricity amount of the lens surface (or the lens group) can be reduced. As a result, an individual-eye lens with little defocus and good image forming characteristics can be obtained, and a compound optical system with favorable image forming characteristics can be configured.

Abstract: Provided is a laminate having elastomer layers tightly bonded to each other. The laminate according to the present invention 1 has an acrylic elastomer layer 11 and a fluorine elastomer layer 12 that are bonded to each other. The acrylic elastomer layer 11 is made of an acrylic elastomer composition having an epoxy group-containing acrylic elastomer and an onium salt added and the fluorine elastomer layer 12 is made of a fluorine elastomer composition having a fluorine elastomer and a polyol crosslinking agent added. In the laminate 1, the elastomer layers are bonded tightly to each other even without any surface treatment.

Abstract: Provided is a bladder for tire vulcanization superior in heat resistance and having a service time longer than before. A bladder for tire vulcanization prepared from an acrylic rubber composition at least comprising 100 parts by mass of an acrylic rubber containing structural units derived from (meth)acrylic acid alkyl ester in an amount of 94.5 to 99.5 mass % and structural units derived from (meth)acrylic acid alkyl ether in an amount of 0.5 to 5 mass %, 30 to 200 parts by mass of a carbon black having an arithmetical mean particle diameter, as determined according to JIS Z8901, of 20 to 30 nm and a DBP oil absorption of 70 to 130 ml/100 g, and 0.1 to 5 parts by mass of an imidazole compound as crosslinking agent.

Abstract: A gland packing is braided in a state where, in crossing angles of yarns which are exposed on four side surfaces of a string-like member, crossing angles in adjacent side surfaces of the four side surfaces are different from ch other. The string-like member is looped so that the crossing angle on the side surface in the four side surfaces, the side surface being to function as an inner circumferential surface, is larger than the crossing angles on side surfaces which are to function as side circumferential surfaces adjacent to the inner circumferential surface.

Abstract: Provided are an acrylic elastomer superior in adhesiveness to a fluorine-based elastomer, an acrylic elastomer composition containing the same, its laminate, and its crosslinked product and a molded article therefrom. Iodine groups are introduced as crosslinking groups into an acrylic elastomer to an iodine content of 0.1 to 2 mass % with respect to the total mass of the elastomer. In addition, 1 to 7 parts by mass of an organic peroxide and 1 to 5 parts by mass of an onium salt were blended with 100 parts by mass of the acrylic elastomer, to give an acrylic elastomer composition. Further, an acrylic elastomer layer of the acrylic elastomer composition is laminated with a fluorine-based elastomer layer of a fluorine-based elastomer composition mainly containing of a fluorine-based elastomer having iodine groups as crosslinking groups, to give a laminate. The laminate is then crosslinked to give a crosslinked product and a molded article.

Abstract: A gland packing is braided in a state where, in crossing angles of yarns which are exposed on four side surfaces of a string-like member, crossing angles in adjacent side surfaces of the four side surfaces are different from ch other. The string-like member is looped so that the crossing angle on the side surface in the four side surfaces, the side surface being to function as an inner circumferential surface, is larger than the crossing angles on side surfaces which are to function as side circumferential surfaces adjacent to the inner circumferential surface.

Abstract: This internal combustion engine is provided with a variable compression ratio mechanism capable of changing a mechanical compression ratio by changing the volume of the combustion chamber at the top dead center. The pressure and temperature of remaining combusted gas within the combustion chamber at the time when the exhaust valve is closed in the intake stroke is measured or estimated, the pressure and temperature of intake air supplied into the combustion chamber after the exhaust valve is closed in the intake stroke is measured or estimated, and based on the assumption that the pressure and temperature of the remaining combusted gas which saturates the volume of the combustion chamber at the time when the exhaust valve is closed in the air intake stroke become, when the intake air is supplied to the combustion chamber, equal to the pressure and temperature of the intake air, the volume of the remaining combusted gas after the change is calculated.

Abstract: A gland packing having required characteristics is obtained by finding relationships between required characteristics and the value of the limiting oxygen index, and adequately defining the level of the required characteristics. The gland packing is configured by twisting or braiding a single or plurality of yarns that are formed by twisting fibers having a limiting oxygen index (LOI) of 21 to 30, preferably 22 to 26. The fibers contain fibers in which a flat ratio is defined as 1.1 to 2, the flat ratio being a value obtained by dividing the maximum value of an interval between two parallel straight line in a state where a section of each of the fibers is interposed between the straight lines, by the minimum value. The fibers contain fibers in each of which a sectional shape has one or more recesses 1 having a depth h of 0.4 ?m or more.

Abstract: A yarn having characteristics required in a gland packing is obtained by, when the yarn is to be constructed by fibers such as organic fibers, finding relationships between the required characteristics and the value of the limiting oxygen index (LOI), and adequately defining the level of the required characteristics. A yarn is formed by twisting fibers having a limiting oxygen index of 21 to 30, preferably 22 to 26. The fibers contain fibers in which a flat ratio is defined as 1.1 to 2, the flat ratio being a value obtained by dividing the maximum value of an interval between two parallel straight lines in a state where a section of each of the fibers is interposed between the straight lines, by the minimum value. The fibers contain fibers in each of which a sectional shape has one or more recesses having a depth of 0.4 ?m or more.