Abstract: A polymer electrolyte fuel cell stack includes cells having separators that can be supplied fuel or oxidant either in series or in parallel is disclosed. At high power loads the cells are operated in parallel, and at low power load the cells are operated in series. Advantageously, operating the cells in series at low power loading allows high gas flows thereby minimizing water condensation and improving the stability and performance of the cell stack during low load operation. Individual cells include a polymer electrolyte membrane sandwiched by a pair of electrodes, which in turn are sandwiched by a pair of electrically conductive separators. The separators have gas channels on their surfaces to supply oxidant gas and fuel gas to the cathode and anode, respectively, that can be manipulated to operate in parallel or series.

Abstract: A highly reliable polymer electrolyte fuel cell includes an anode-side separator plate and a cathode-side separator plate that are provided with an anode-side sealing member and a cathode-side sealing member, respectively. The anode-side and cathode-side sealing members seal the cell in cooperation with a polymer electrolyte membrane at sealing parts where the anode-side and cathode-side sealing members are opposed to each other, thereby preventing gas from leaking out of gas flow channels. One of the anode-side and cathode-side sealing members has a pointed rib that comes in contact with the sealing parts in a linear manner, and the other sealing member comes in contact with the sealing parts surface to surface.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes image forming device for forming an image on a first image bearing member, a transfer member, capable of contacting the first image bearing member, for transferring the image on the first image bearing member to a second image bearing member, a power supply for applying a bias to the transfer member, detection device for detecting a voltage value and a current value at the time of applying the bias to the transfer member, speed change member capable of changing a moving speed of the first image bearing member, environment detection element for detecting a temperature or a humidity, and control device for determining a transfer voltage value at the time of image transfer on the basis of an output of the detection device at the time of applying the bias to the transfer member other than the time of image transfer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electric power generator and its operation method, which electric power generator is equipped with a hydrogen generator, a polymer electrolyte fuel cell for generating electric power using hydrogen rich gas from the hydrogen generator, a burner for heating the hydrogen generator, a flow rate controller for controlling the supply amount of a burning fuel to the burner, a communicating pathway connecting the flow rate controller and the burner, a joint where at least a residual fuel gas from a fuel electrode of the fuel cell and/or an incompletely generated gas from the hydrogen generator are combined into the communicating pathway, and a pressure-transferring pipe for releasing the pressure between the joint and the flow rate controller into the flow rate controller; the flow rate controller controls the supply amount of the burning fuel on the basis of the above-mentioned pressure.

Abstract: A library is referred to and thus facilities are executed when executing an application program for receiving and transmitting radio signals. That is, the library serving as programs depending on hardware converts commands based on the application program into signal to control the hardware. As a result, the application program is describable by a program independent of an analog device for receiving and transmitting the radio signal, and a common application program can be used even in case of different hardware.

Abstract: When a hydrogen producing apparatus is stopped, the flow rates of a hydrocarbon-type fuel feedstock, water and an oxygen-containing oxidant gas are decreased respectively. A random decrease of the flow rates, however, invites a rapid increase in the temperature of a catalyst beyond the limit of thermal resistance, resulting in deactivation of the catalyst. Further, this poses a danger, for example, that the residual hydrocarbon-type fuel in the apparatus may be mixed with the oxidant gas after the stopping of the apparatus.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes image forming means for forming a toner image on an image bearing member, a transfer member for transferring the toner image from the image bearing member onto a transfer material by being supplied with a bias voltage, bias voltage application means for applying a normal bias voltage of a polarity opposite to that of toner or a reverse bias voltage opposite in polarity to the normal bias voltage, control means for controlling the bias voltage application means, and integral current detection means for detecting an integral of an amount of a current flowing from the bias voltage application means to the transfer member, wherein the integral current detection means is capable of detecting an integral current amount of the normal bias voltage at the time of applying the normal bias voltage and an integral current amount of the reverse bias voltage at the time of applying the reverse bias voltage.

Abstract: A fuel cell system comprising: a reforming section; a feedstock supply section for the reforming section; a water supply section for the reforming section; a fuel cell; a burner for the reforming section; an air supply section for the burner; a fuel supply section for the burner; a fuel supply conduit for supplying the fuel and an off-gas from the fuel cell to the burner; and a flame trap section provided to the fuel supply conduit, wherein heating means for heating the flame trap section is further provided in order to stop a backfire without clogging the fuel supply conduit.

Abstract: A library is referred to and thus facilities are executed when executing an application program for receiving and transmitting radio signals. That is, the library serving as programs depending on hardware converts commands based on the application program into signal to control the hardware. As a result, the application program is describable by a program independent of an analog device for receiving and transmitting the radio signal, and a common application program can be used even in case of different hardware.

Abstract: A charging member for being contactably disposed to an image bearing member and being supplied with a bias voltage includes a resistance layer having an ionic electrical conductivity.

Abstract: A hydrogen generating apparatus having a fuel feeding part, a water feeding part for fuel reforming, an oxidant gas feeding part, a reforming catalyst body, a heating part for the reforming catalyst, a CO shifting catalyst body and a CO purification catalyst body is provided wherein the reforming catalyst body, the CO shifting catalyst body and the CO purification catalyst body are sequentially ordered from the fuel feeding part toward the downstream side, and wherein a shifting catalyst of the shifting catalyst body contains as one component at least a platinum group-type catalyst.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has an image bearing member, a movable recording material carrying member and a transfer means for transferring the image from the image bearing member onto the recording material being carried by application of a transfer output having a predetermined level, the predetermined level being changeable, and a control for controlling start timing of a change of the transfer output in accordance with the predetermined level so that the transfer output reaches the predetermined level before the leading edge of the image formation area reaches the transfer position. The control is capable of controlling the start timing of the change of the transfer output before the leading edge of the recording material until the leading edge of the image formation area reaches the transfer position.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has an image bearing member, a movable recording material carrying member, transferring means for transferring the image from image bearing member to the carrying member and a fixing unit. A control starts timing of application of a transfer output of the transfer means so that the output reaches a level effective to transfer the image before a leading edge of an image formation area of the recording material reaches the transfer position and the transfer means is effective to transfer the image on a second side of the recording material with a transfer output that is higher than that which was used to transfer the image onto the first side of the recording material.

Abstract: An electrostatic image forming apparatus has an image bearing member, a movable recording material carrying member and a transfer unit for effecting electrostatic transfer of an image from the image bearing member onto a recording material being carried. A control is provided for controlling start timing of a change of a transfer output of the transferring mechanism in accordance with the humidity so that the output reaches a level effective to transfer the image. The control controls the start timing from before a leading edge of the recording material carried on a movable recording material carrying member reaches a transfer position until a leading edge of an image formation area of the recording material reaches that transfer position.

Abstract: An image formation apparatus comprises an image formation unit, a primary transfer unit for transferring toner images formed on an image holding member onto an intermediate transfer member; a secondary transfer unit for transferring toner images on the intermediate transfer member onto a recording medium; and an electrically-grounded contact member which contacts the intermediate transfer member downstream of a primary transfer position; wherein the following relation is satisfied:

Abstract: A wireless communication terminal, comprising: a software defined radio having a first wireless unit which transfers a wireless signal, a signal processor including a reconfigurable unit which can change signal processing contents of the wireless signal transferred by the first wireless unit, a signal processing controller which controls reconfiguration of the signal processing contents for the reconfigurable unit, and a first controller which controls the signal processor and the signal processing controller; a cellular type wireless equipment having a second wireless unit which transfers the wireless signal by a cellular method, and a second controller which controls the second wireless unit; and a control signal line which transfers a control signal necessary for establishment of communication between the first and second controllers.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a charging portion for charging an image bearing member, an exposure portion for exposing the image bearing member that has been charged to form an electrostatic latent image, a developing portion for developing the electrostatic latent image with developer, a transferring portion to which a transferring bias under constant voltage control is applied to transfer a developer image on the image bearing member onto other member, a test pattern forming portion for forming a test pattern for image control on the image bearing member by supplying developer by the developing portion to an area on the image bearing member in which charging by the charging portion is effected and exposure by said exposure portion is not effected, and a test pattern detection portion for detecting the test pattern that has been transferred to the other member by the transferring portion, wherein the value of the transferring bias upon transferring of the test pattern onto the other member is set in a

Abstract: An approval test apparatus according to the present invention that perform an approval test for a software-defined radio terminal based on approval information for a representative terminal as a database. The radio terminal outputs a request signal of adding the wireless functions and identification information of the radio terminal. The approval test apparatus determines whether or not the approval is given to the radio terminal that has outputted the request signal and the identification signal.

Abstract: A clarifying catalyst body in an apparatus of hydrogen purification is such that a first catalyst containing at least one kind selected from the group consisting of Pt, Pd, Ru and Rh and a second catalyst containing at least one kind selected from the group consisting of Pd, Ru, Rh and Ni are mixed or integrated, The purifying catalyst body in the apparatus of hydrogen purification consists of (1) an oxide containing at least either Al or Si, (2) at least one kind of transition metal and/or a transition metal oxide and (3) at least one kind of noble metal and/or noble metal oxide selected from the group consisting of Pt, Ru, Pd and Rh.

Abstract: A hydrogen generating part is provided for reacting water and a raw material composed of carbon and hydrogen atoms to generate hydrogen gas, a raw material supply part is provided for supplying a raw material to the hydrogen generating part, a water supply part is provided for supplying water to the hydrogen generating part, a catalyst combustion part is provided, an air supply part is provided for supplying air to the catalyst combustion part, a path switching part is provided for switching raw material supply paths between the raw material supply part and the hydrogen generating part, a bypass path is provided for supplying a raw material to the catalyst combustion part from the path switching part, and a combustion gas path is provided for supplying combustion gas after the catalyst combustion part to the hydrogen generating part. The control part switches the path switching part, and the inside of the hydrogen generating part is replaced with combustion gas after the catalyst combustion part.