Abstract: There is provided a pouch-type battery that includes an exterior packaging member having an accommodating space in which an electrode and an electrolyte are accommodated and which has a curved shape at least in a first direction. The exterior packaging member includes a first film member on which a cup section having the accommodating space inside is provided, a second film member disposed to face the first film member, and a sealing section around the cup section, with which the first and second film members are bonded to each other and the accommodating space is sealed. A top surface of the cup section of the first film member has a curved shape and is provided with a plurality of concave portions or convex portions, and the sealing section has a curved shape in the first direction and is configured of a flat surface on which neither concave portion nor convex portion is provided.

Abstract: Provided is a thin battery including: a sheet-like electrode assembly including a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and an electrolyte layer interposed therebetween; electrode lead terminals connected to the positive electrode and the negative electrode, respectively; and an outer packaging housing the electrode assembly, each one of the positive and negative electrodes including a current collector and an active material layer, the current collector having a main portion and an extending portion, the main portion having a formed portion with the active material layer and a non-formed portion without the active material layer, the extending portion extending from a part of the non-formed portion, a first end portion of each of the electrode lead terminals having a joining portion joined to the non-formed portion and the extending portion, and a second end portion of each of the electrode lead terminals extended out of the outer packaging.

Abstract: Disclosed is a thin battery including an electrode assembly in sheet form and a housing for accommodating the electrode assembly. The electrode assembly includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and an electrolyte layer interposed therebetween. A lubricating material with a lubricating effect is interposed between an inner surface of the housing and the electrode assembly, and is, for example, an inert gas. The inert gas includes, for example, at least one of nitrogen and argon. It is preferable that the lubricating material is present, at least, between end surfaces of the electrode assembly on both sides in the thickness direction thereof and two main flat surfaces of the inner surface of the housing which face the end surfaces, respectively.

Abstract: A method of treating a condition chosen from the group consisting of interstitial cystitis, cystitis, chronic nonbacterial prostatitis, chronic cystitis, prostatic hyperplasia, prostatitis, prostatism, bladder neck contracture, bladder inflammation, and overactive bladder by administering an amount of rebamipide or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof to a human.

Abstract: Provided is a thin battery including: an electrode assembly; and a flexible housing configured to house the electrode assembly. The electrode assembly includes: a positive electrode in sheet form; a negative electrode in sheet form; and an electrolyte layer interposed therebetween. The electrolyte layer includes: a non-aqueous electrolyte; and a non-woven fabric sheet configured to retain the non-aqueous electrolyte. The non-woven fabric sheet includes a conjugated fiber including at least two kinds of macromolecules conjugated together. The at least two kinds of macromolecules include: a first macromolecule without a cross-linked structure; and a second macromolecule with a cross-linked structure.

Abstract: Provided is a high-capacity and highly-flexible electrode group for thin batteries, a thin battery including the electrode group, and an electronic device in which the thin battery is incorporated. The electrode group for thin batteries includes: a sheet-like first electrode, a sheet-like second electrode being laminated on each of both surfaces of the first electrode, and an electrolyte layer interposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. The second electrode has a polarity opposite to that of the first electrode. The second electrode has a flexural modulus lower than that of the first electrode. The thin battery includes the electrode group, and a pouch-like housing accommodating the electrode group. The electronic device includes an electronic device main body with flexibility, and the thin battery is incorporated in the electronic device main body.

Abstract: A thermoelectric material includes a semiconductor substrate, a semiconductor oxide film formed on the substrate, and a thermoelectric layer provided on the oxide film. The semiconductor oxide film has a first nano-opening formed therein. The thermoelectric layer has such a configuration that semiconductor nanodots are piled up on or above the first nano-opening so as to form a particle packed structure. At least some of the nanodots each have a second nano-opening formed in its surface, and are connected to each other through the second nano-opening with their crystal orientation aligned. The thermoelectric material is produced through steps of oxidizing the substrate to form the semiconductor oxide film thereon, forming the first nano-opening in the oxide film, and epitaxially growing to pile up the plurality of nanodots on the first nano-opening. As a result, it is possible to provide the thermoelectric material superior in thermoelectric conversion performance.

Abstract: A method of treating a condition chosen from the group consisting of interstitial cystitis, cystitis, chronic nonbacterial prostatitis, chronic cystitis, prostatic hyperplasia, prostatitis, prostatism, bladder neck contracture, bladder inflammation, and overactive bladder by administering an amount of rebamipide or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof to a human.

Abstract: A thermoelectric material includes a semiconductor substrate, a semiconductor oxide film formed on the substrate, and a thermoelectric layer provided on the oxide film. The semiconductor oxide film has a first nano-opening formed therein. The thermoelectric layer has such a configuration that semiconductor nanodots are piled up on or above the first nano-opening so as to form a particle packed structure. At least some of the nanodots each have a second nano-opening formed in its surface, and are connected to each other through the second nano-opening with their crystal orientation aligned. The thermoelectric material is produced through steps of oxidizing the substrate to form the semiconductor oxide film thereon, forming the first nano-opening in the oxide film, and epitaxially growing to pile up the plurality of nanodots on the first nano-opening. As a result, it is possible to provide the thermoelectric material superior in thermoelectric conversion performance.

Abstract: Disclosed is a flexible battery including a sheet-like electrode group, an electrolyte, and a housing with flexibility enclosing the electrode group and electrolyte. The housing includes a film material folded into two in which the electrode group is inserted. The film material has two facing portions respectively facing two principal surfaces of the electrode group, a fold line which is between the two facing portions and along which the film material is folded, and two bonding margins respectively set around the two facing portions. The two bonding margins are bonded to each other into a bonded portion. At least the two facing portions of the film material are formed in a corrugated shape having a plurality of ridge and valley lines arranged in parallel to each other. The ridge lines in one of the two facing portions are overlapped with the valley lines in the other. The fold line is parallel to the ridge and valley lines.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to eliminate mechanical stimulation caused by insertion and extraction of such devices as a bladder endoscope and a urethral catheter into and from a urethra. It is a further object of the present invention to make it possible to simultaneously insert such devices as a bladder endoscope and a urethral catheter into the urethra without causing pain. A urethra protection device of the present invention which can be inserted into a urethra includes a first hollow tube in which a bladder endoscope can be inserted, a second hollow tube in which a urethral catheter can be inserted, and a flange provided on an outer peripheral part of the urethra protection device at a position separated from a forward end thereof which is first inserted into the urethra.

Abstract: Provided is a high-capacity and highly-flexible electrode group for thin batteries, a thin battery including the electrode group, and an electronic device in which the thin battery is incorporated. The electrode group for thin batteries includes: a sheet-like first electrode, a sheet-like second electrode being laminated on each of both surfaces of the first electrode, and an electrolyte layer interposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. The second electrode has a polarity opposite to that of the first electrode. The second electrode has a flexural modulus lower than that of the first electrode. The thin battery includes the electrode group, and a pouch-like housing accommodating the electrode group. The electronic device includes an electronic device main body with flexibility, and the thin battery is incorporated in the electronic device main body.

Abstract: Disclosed is a thin battery including: an electrode assembly in sheet form including at least one electrode structure, the electrode structure being a laminate including a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and an electrolyte layer interposed therebetween; and a film-made housing for hermetically accommodating the electrode assembly, the electrode assembly having a bending elastic modulus of 300 MPa or less; the film-made housing being formed from a laminate film including a first resin film, and a gas barrier layer and a second resin film laminated in this order on one surface of the first resin film; the gas barrier layer including a metal material or an inorganic material; the gas barrier layer having an average thickness of 30 ?m or less; and the electrode assembly and the film-made housing, in total, having a thickness of 1 mm or less.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to eliminate mechanical stimulation caused by insertion and extraction of such devices as a bladder endoscope and a urethral catheter into and from a urethra. It is a further object of the present invention to make it possible to simultaneously insert such devices as a bladder endoscope and a urethral catheter into the urethra without causing pain. A urethra protection device of the present invention which can be inserted into a urethra includes a first hollow tube in which a bladder endoscope can be inserted, a second hollow tube in which a urethral catheter can be inserted, and a flange provided on an outer peripheral part of the urethra protection device at a position separated from a forward end thereof which is first inserted into the urethra.

Abstract: Disclosed is a thin battery including an electrode assembly in sheet form and a housing for accommodating the electrode assembly. The electrode assembly includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and an electrolyte layer interposed therebetween. A lubricating material with a lubricating effect is interposed between an inner surface of the housing and the electrode assembly, and is, for example, an inert gas. The inert gas includes, for example, at least one of nitrogen and argon. It is preferable that the lubricating material is present, at least, between end surfaces of the electrode assembly on both sides in the thickness direction thereof and two main flat surfaces of the inner surface of the housing which face the end surfaces, respectively.

Abstract: Disclosed is a flexible battery including a sheet-like electrode group, an electrolyte, and a housing with flexibility enclosing the electrode group and electrolyte. The housing includes a film material folded into two in which the electrode group is inserted. The film material has two facing portions respectively facing two principal surfaces of the electrode group, a fold line which is between the two facing portions and along which the film material is folded, and two bonding margins respectively set around the two facing portions. The two bonding margins are bonded to each other into a bonded portion. At least the two facing portions of the film material are formed in a corrugated shape having a plurality of ridge and valley lines arranged in parallel to each other. The ridge lines in one of the two facing portions are overlapped with the valley lines in the other. The fold line is parallel to the ridge and valley lines.

Abstract: An all solid-state polymer battery uses: 1) a lithium based negative electrode active material including crystal grains and crystal grain boundaries, wherein at least part of the crystal grain boundaries are exposed on a surface of the lithium-based negative electrode active material, and the area of the exposed surface of the crystal grain boundaries is 0.02 to 0.5 cm2 per square centimeter of surface; 2) a dry polymer electrolyte including a specific ethylene glycol ether, a polymer containing electron-donating oxygen atoms in the skeleton, and a lithium salt; or 3) an amorphous lithium nitride layer formed between the negative electrode and the polymer electrolyte. This reduces the resistance at the interface between the negative electrode and the polymer electrolyte, thereby providing an all solid-state polymer battery with high capacity and excellent cycle characteristics.

Abstract: Disclosed is a thin flexible battery including: an electrode group which includes a positive electrode including a sheet-like positive electrode current collector with a positive electrode active material layer adhering to one surface thereof, a negative electrode including a sheet-like negative electrode current collector with a negative electrode active material layer adhering to one surface thereof, and an electrolyte layer interposed between the positive electrode active material layer and a lithium metal or lithium alloy; and a housing accommodating the electrode group. The housing includes a barrier layer, and resin layers formed on both surfaces thereof. The other surface of the positive electrode current collector and the other surface of the negative electrode current collector are in contact with the resin layer at an inner side of the housing, and have a surface roughness Rz1 of 0.05 to 0.3 ?m.

Abstract: A wound electrode assembly 12 includes a columnar conductive winding core 14, a negative electrode sheet 15, a positive electrode sheet 16, a separator 17 interposed between the negative electrode sheet 15 and the positive electrode sheet 16, and a conductive winding core 14 having a first flat portion 20 to which an exposed portion 26 of the negative electrode sheet 15 is joined. An edge 28 of the conductive winding core 14 is not positioned on the surface of a curved portion 18, but is positioned inside a circle 23 with a predetermined radius in the radial direction of the conductive winding core 14. Joints 27 of the first flat portion 20 and the exposed portion 26 are positioned inside the circle 23 with the predetermined radius in the radial direction of the conductive winding core 14.

Abstract: A method for sensitively diagnosing lower urinary tract disorders, particularly interstitial cystitis, is provided. The method can visually, simply, and clearly diagnose bladder ulcer without requirement of bladder hydrodistention under anesthesia. In the method, lower urinary tract disorders are diagnosed by observing an abnormality of a blood vessel and/or a newly formed blood vessel in a surface of bladder mucous membrane among abnormalities in blood vessels and/or newly formed blood vessels by visually comparing an image of the surface of the bladder mucous membrane and an image of a deep portion of the bladder mucous membrane obtained using a bladder endoscope system having a narrow band imaging device.