Abstract: An auxiliary power supply unit includes an auxiliary power supply device and a downstream power supply line group connecting the auxiliary power supply device to motor units. The auxiliary power supply device includes: an auxiliary power supply provided on a power supply path; and a switching circuit configured to switch the connection state of the auxiliary power supply to the power supply path. The connection state of the auxiliary power supply includes a boost state in which the auxiliary power supply is connected in series with the external power supply. The downstream power supply line group includes branch first downstream drive lines and branch second downstream drive lines. Each of the upstream ends of the branch first downstream drive lines and the branch second downstream drive lines is connected to the power supply path at a position downstream of the auxiliary power supply.

Abstract: An alkali metal ion capacitor that is capable of operating in a high-temperature environment at 85° C. The alkali metal ion capacitor is provided with: a positive electrode active material capable of adsorbing and desorbing alkali metal ions; a positive electrode binder for binding the positive electrode active material; a negative electrode active material capable of storing and releasing alkali metal ions; a negative electrode binder for binding the negative electrode active material; and an electrolytic solution that contains an organic solvent and an imide-based alkali metal salt. The negative electrode active material is predoped with alkali metal ions. The positive electrode binder has a Hansen solubility parameter-based RED value of more than 1 with respect to the electrolytic solution.

Abstract: A power supply device includes a combination of one power supply module of a plurality of power supply modules having different power supply performances and one controller of a plurality of controllers having different functions, which are selectively combined. Each of the plurality of power supply modules includes a power supply module side connection portion common to the plurality of power supply modules, and each of the plurality of controllers includes a controller side connection portion common to the plurality of controllers and connectable to the power supply module side connection portion, to allow the one power supply module and the one controller are selectively combined.

Abstract: An auxiliary power supply device includes an auxiliary power supply; and an auxiliary power supply control unit configured to switch a mode of the auxiliary power supply to an output mode or a non-output mode when electric power is output from a main power supply to a drive motor. The auxiliary power supply control unit is configured to switch the mode to the non-output mode when a required power value required by the drive motor is equal to or smaller than a predetermined power value and to switch the mode to the output mode when the required power value is larger than the predetermined power value, the predetermined power value being set to a value smaller than outputtable electric power that is electric power outputtable from the main power supply.

Abstract: An alkali metal ion capacitor that is capable of operating in a high-temperature environment at 85° C. The alkali metal ion capacitor is provided with: a positive electrode active material capable of adsorbing and desorbing alkali metal ions; a positive electrode binder for binding the positive electrode active material; a negative electrode active material capable of storing and releasing alkali metal ions; a negative electrode binder for binding the negative electrode active material; and an electrolytic solution that contains an organic solvent and an imide-based alkali metal salt. The negative electrode active material is predoped with alkali metal ions. The positive electrode binder has a Hansen solubility parameter-based RED value of more than 1 with respect to the electrolytic solution.

Abstract: A lithium ion secondary battery that can operate in a high-temperature environment of 85° C. The lithium ion secondary battery includes a positive electrode active material that can store and release lithium ions Li|, a positive electrode binder that binds the positive electrode active material, a negative electrode active material that can store and release lithium ions Li+, a negative electrode binder that binds the negative electrode active material, and an electrolytic solution containing an organic solvent and an imide-based lithium salt. The negative electrode active material is previously doped with lithium ions. The positive electrode binder has a Hansen solubility parameter-based relative energy difference (RED) value of more than 1 with respect to the electrolytic solution.

Abstract: An auxiliary power supply device includes an auxiliary power supply; and an auxiliary power supply control unit configured to switch a mode of the auxiliary power supply to an output mode or a non-output mode when electric power is output from a main power supply to a drive motor. The auxiliary power supply control unit is configured to switch the mode to the non-output mode when a required power value required by the drive motor is equal to or smaller than a predetermined power value and to switch the mode to the output mode when the required power value is larger than the predetermined power value, the predetermined power value being set to a value smaller than outputtable electric power that is electric power outputtable from the main power supply.

Abstract: A power supply device includes a combination of one power supply module of a plurality of power supply modules having different power supply performances and one controller of a plurality of controllers having different functions, which are selectively combined. Each of the plurality of power supply modules includes a power supply module side connection portion common to the plurality of power supply modules, and each of the plurality of controllers includes a controller side connection portion common to the plurality of controllers and connectable to the power supply module side connection portion, to allow the one power supply module and the one controller are selectively combined.

Abstract: A production apparatus for producing an electricity storage material is provided. The electricity storage material includes at least a thickener and an active material. The production apparatus includes a solution production device and a mixture-kneading device. The solution production device produces a surfactant-containing solution of the thickener. The mixture-kneading device kneads the solution together with a powder of the active material.

Abstract: An electric storage device has an electrode body and a housing body. The electrode body has a plurality of positive plates and a plurality of negative plates. The positive plates and the negative plates are alternately stacked on each other via separators. The housing body houses the electrode body together with an ion conductor. The electric storage device is provided with a magnetic field generating unit that generates magnetic force lines in a certain direction.

Abstract: An energy storage device before pre-doping includes positive electrodes, negative electrodes, separators, a cover, an electrolyte solution, a positive terminal, a negative terminal, and pre-doping metal foil. Each of the positive electrodes and the negative electrodes respectively include: positive collector foil and negative collector foil each having holes; and a positive active-material layer and a negative active-material layer arranged on at least one side of the collector foil. Either one or both of the positive electrodes and the negative electrodes include a pre-doping-targeted electrode, in which the pre-doping metal foil is arranged in direct contact with the surface of the active-material layer, and a non-arrangement part, in which the pre-doping metal foil is not arranged, is formed in at least part of the outer periphery of the active-material layer.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for manufacturing an electricity storage material are provided which can avoid defective coating of the electricity storage material. An apparatus for manufacturing an electricity storage material includes: a dissolving device that dissolves a thickener in a solvent; a viscosity adjusting device that adjusts viscosity of a solution produced by the dissolving device; a first filtering device that filters the solution having the viscosity adjusted by the viscosity adjusting device; and a kneading device that kneads the solution filtered by the first filtering device and an active material. Since the apparatus can remove almost all microgels of the thickener by the first filtering device, defective coating can be prevented in the coating of the electricity storage material, and satisfactory electrodes can be manufactured.

Abstract: Provided is a lithium ion capacitor that can retain a capacity under a high temperature environment and has small increase in internal resistance while using an aqueous binder for a positive electrode. A lithium ion capacitor includes: a positive electrode; a negative electrode; and an electrolytic solution contacting the positive electrode and the negative electrode. The electrolytic solution includes an organic solvent and a lithium salt electrolyte having an imide structure; the positive electrode includes a collector foil and a positive electrode active material; and the positive electrode active material is held onto the collector foil through a binder including a polymer having a RED value to the electrolytic solution of more than 1, the RED value representing a relative energy difference with respect to the electrolytic solution based on Hansen solubility parameters.

Abstract: A valve device includes: a poppet that is formed in a hollow shaft shape except for a leading end, has a tapered closure part at the leading end and a side hole passing through a wall of the hollow shaft-shaped part, and rotates around a shaft center thereof during opening and closing actions; and a valve seat having a sloped seat surface with which the closure part of the poppet comes into contact when closing the valve device. The closure part of the poppet or the seat surface of the valve seat, whichever has a higher hardness, has a cut mark of the opposite direction from a direction of rotation of the poppet around the shaft center that occurs during the valve closing action.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for manufacturing an electricity storage material are provided which allow easily measuring the dissolution rate to solubility of a solution of a powder thickener dissolved in a liquid solvent. An apparatus for manufacturing an electricity storage material includes: a dissolving device that dissolves in a liquid solvent a thickener as powder that is ionized when dissolved; and a dissolution-rate-to-solubility determining device that measures conductivity of the solution produced by the dissolving device and determines a dissolution rate to solubility of the solution based on the measured conductivity. The dissolution rate to solubility can thus be determined without the need to stop the dissolving device during dissolution of the thickener in the liquid solvent. This can significantly improve production efficiency. Since excessive operation of the dissolving device can be prevented, energy saving can be achieved.

Abstract: An energy storage device before pre-doping includes positive electrodes, negative electrodes, separators, a cover, an electrolyte solution, a positive terminal, a negative terminal, and pre-doping metal foil. Each of the positive electrodes and the negative electrodes respectively include: positive collector foil and negative collector foil each having holes; and a positive active-material layer and a negative active-material layer arranged on at least one side of the collector foil. Either one or both of the positive electrodes and the negative electrodes include a pre-doping-targeted electrode, in which the pre-doping metal foil is arranged in direct contact with the surface of the active-material layer, and a non-arrangement part, in which the pre-doping metal foil is not arranged, is formed in at least part of the outer periphery of the active-material layer.

Abstract: A kneading device includes: a preliminary kneading device that produces a preslurry by agitating a powder and a liquid introduced and transferring them while wetting the powder with the liquid; and a main kneading device that causes the powder to be uniformly dispersed in the preslurry supplied from the preliminary kneading device to produce a slurry. The main kneading device includes a gap defined by two conical surfaces that face each other with a predetermined distance therebetween and rotate relative to each other about their central axes. The slurry is produced by passing the preslurry through the gap. With the preliminary kneading device, the powder is dispersed in the liquid after conforming to the liquid, which suppress damage to the powder. The conditions of main kneading can be changed only by adjusting the gap, which facilitates the operation of changing the conditions of the main kneading.

Abstract: An electric storage device has an electrode body and a housing body. The electrode body has a plurality of positive plates and a plurality of negative plates. The positive plates and the negative plates are alternately stacked on each other via separators. The housing body houses the electrode body together with an ion conductor. The electric storage device is provided with a magnetic field generating unit that generates magnetic force lines in a certain direction.

Abstract: A web coating apparatus applies a coating material to surfaces of a web being transferred. The web coating apparatus includes: a cutting apparatus that makes cuts in the web being transferred so that the cuts extend through the web; an extending apparatus that extends the web in the lateral direction of the web and widens the cuts in the lateral direction of the web; and coating material discharging apparatuses that apply the coating material to the surfaces of the web extended in the lateral direction of the web.

Abstract: A manufacturing method for a magnet includes performing pressure molding in which mixed powder of magnetic powder and a lubricant is molded under pressure so as to promote cracking of the magnetic powder and rearrangement of particles to obtain a molding of the magnetic powder. The pressure molding includes high-temperature pressure molding in which the mixed powder is pressurized and decompressed at a high elevated temperature equal to or higher than a melting point of the lubricant and equal to or lower than a decomposition temperature of the magnetic powder, and low-temperature pressure molding in which the mixed powder is pressurized and decompressed at a relatively low temperature lower than the melting point of the lubricant.