Abstract: A three-dimensional data creation method for use in a vehicle including a sensor and a data receiver that transmits and receives three-dimensional data to and from an external device. The three-dimensional data creation method includes: creating second three-dimensional data based on information detected by the sensor and first three-dimensional data received by the data receiver; and transmitting, to the external device, third three-dimensional data that is part of the second three-dimensional data.

Abstract: A damper includes: first and second rotating elements rotatable around a rotation center; an elastic element elastically expanding and contracting in response to relative rotation of the first and second rotating elements; and a limiter provided in the first rotating element. The limiter includes a lining plate having a first sliding surface, a first cover plate having a second sliding surface and a first abutting surface, a second cover plate having an outer edge part and an inner edge part, and a biasing member. When a difference in torque between the lining plate and the first cover plate is a predetermined value or more, the first sliding surface slides with the second sliding surface, and the second sliding surface is inclined with respect to the first abutting surface so as to face the second direction as going radially inward in a free state of the first cover plate.

Abstract: A damper includes: first and second rotating elements rotatable around a rotation center; an elastic element elastically expanding and contracting in response to relative rotation of the first and second rotating elements; and a limiter provided in the first rotating element. The limiter includes a lining plate having a first sliding surface, a first cover plate having a second sliding surface and a first abutting surface, a second cover plate having an outer edge part and an inner edge part, and a biasing member. When a difference in torque between the lining plate and the first cover plate is a predetermined value or more, the first sliding surface slides with the second sliding surface, and the second sliding surface is inclined with respect to the first abutting surface so as to face the second direction as going radially inward in a free state of the first cover plate.

Abstract: In a knee protecting airbag device (M1), an airbag (26) folded and housed below a steering column (3) is expanded and inflated while rising from the lower side of the steering column (3) along a column cover lower surface (9a) during an inflation process. The shape of the airbag having completed the inflation is in a generally plate shape capable of covering at least the lower surface of the column cover. Even if the knee of the driver comes close to the column cover when the driver depressing a brake pedal, therefore, the airbag being expanded and inflated goes smoothly into the clearance between the knee of the driver and the column cover lower surface. The airbag having completed the expansion and inflation protects the knee of the driver properly so that the knee may not interfere with the column cover.

Abstract: An airbag system includes an airbag, and the airbag includes an airbag body having a passenger-side wall portion that is arranged at a passenger side when having completed deploying and inflating, and a slip cloth that is disposed at an outer surface side of the passenger-side wall portion. The slip cloth formed in a loop shape an axial direction of which is in a left and right direction includes: a front panel portion arranged at a passenger side; an upper back panel portion extending downward from an upper end of the front panel portion; and a lower back panel portion extending upward from a lower end of the front panel portion, and a lower end of the upper back panel portion and an upper end of the lower back panel portion are mutually approximated, and joined to the passenger-side wall portion.

Abstract: In a knee protecting airbag device (M1), an airbag (26) folded and housed below a steering column (3) is expanded and inflated while rising from the lower side of the steering column (3) along a column cover lower surface (9a) during an inflation process. The shape of the airbag having completed the inflation is in a generally plate shape capable of covering at least the lower surface of the column cover. Even if the knee of the driver comes close to the column cover when the driver depressing a brake pedal, therefore, the airbag being expanded and inflated goes smoothly into the clearance between the knee of the driver and the column cover lower surface. The airbag having completed the expansion and inflation protects the knee of the driver properly so that the knee may not interfere with the column cover.

Abstract: In a knee protecting airbag device (M1), an airbag (26) folded and housed below a steering column (3) is expanded and inflated while rising from the lower side of the steering column (3) along a column cover lower surface (9a) during an inflation process. The shape of the airbag having completed the inflation is in a generally plate shape capable of covering at least the lower surface of the column cover. Even if the knee of the driver comes close to the column cover when the driver depressing a brake pedal, therefore, the airbag being expanded and inflated goes smoothly into the clearance between the knee of the driver and the column cover lower surface. The airbag having completed the expansion and inflation protects the knee of the driver properly so that the knee may not interfere with the column cover.

Abstract: Provided is a fuel cell having a membrane electrode assembly for generating power by oxidizing fuel at an anode electrode and reducing oxygen at a cathode electrode, an anode diffusion layer for allowing fuel to pass therethrough to the outside of the anode electrode of the membrane electrode assembly and transferring electrons generated by the oxidation, a cathode diffusion layer for removing water thus generated and transferring electrons to be used for the reduction to the outside of the cathode electrode, an anode current collector and anode endplate for transferring electrons generated by the oxidation to the outside of the anode diffusion layer, and a cathode current collector and a cathode endplate for transferring electrons to be used for the reduction to the outside of the cathode diffusion layer. The anode endplate or anode current collecting layer is hydrophilic or the end plate on the anode side has a constitution promoting discharge of a gas generated by the reaction.

Abstract: A side airbag apparatus for vehicle has an airbag and an inflator. An upper chamber, a lower chamber, and an intermediate chamber are defined by a seam in the airbag. When the airbag is deployed, the upper chamber corresponds to a shoulder of an occupant, the lower chamber corresponds to a lumbar region of the occupant, and the intermediate chamber corresponds to a thorax of the occupant. The seam guides gas from the inflator to the upper and lower chambers such that the upper and lower chambers are substantially simultaneously inflated, and the intermediate chamber is inflated after a delay. The thickness of the intermediate chamber is less than the thicknesses of the upper and lower chambers. As a result, the occupant of the vehicle is effectively protected.

Abstract: In a knee protecting airbag device of the present invention, an airbag is folded and housed on the front side of the knees of a seated passenger. The airbag is protruded rearward of a vehicle from a protruding opening and expanded and inflated upward, when an inflating gas flows in. And, the airbag is arranged on the front side of the knees of the passenger between a member on the body side and the knees of the passenger thereby to protect the knees of the passenger. The protruding opening has a transverse width size set within a range of ? to ? of the transverse width size of the airbag having completed its expansion and inflation.

Abstract: An airbag system includes an airbag, and the airbag includes an airbag body having a passenger-side wall portion that is arranged at a passenger side when having completed deploying and inflating, and a slip cloth that is disposed at an outer surface side of the passenger-side wall portion. The slip cloth formed in a loop shape an axial direction of which is in a left and right direction includes: a front panel portion arranged at a passenger side; an upper back panel portion extending downward from an upper end of the front panel portion; and a lower back panel portion extending upward from a lower end of the front panel portion, and a lower end of the upper back panel portion and an upper end of the lower back panel portion are mutually approximated, and joined to the passenger-side wall portion.

Abstract: In a knee protecting airbag device of the present invention, an airbag is folded and housed on the front side of the knees of a seated passenger. The airbag is protruded rearward of a vehicle from a protruding opening and expanded and inflated upward, when an inflating gas flows in. And, the airbag is arranged on the front side of the knees of the passenger between a member on the body side and the knees of the passenger thereby to protect the knees of the passenger. The protruding opening has a transverse width size set within a range of ? to ? of the transverse width size of the airbag having completed its expansion and inflation.

Abstract: A solid polymer electrolyte is made up of a polymer compound having a hydrocarbon aromatic group in the backbone thereof and including a side chain expressed by FORMULA 1: wherein “n” is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6. The solid polymer electrolyte may be incorporated into a membrane and may be used in a solution for covering an electrode catalyst.

Abstract: A solid polymer electrolyte is made up of a polymer compound having a hydrocarbon aromatic group in the backbone thereof and including a side chain expressed by FORMULA 1: CH2nSO3H??FORMULA 1 wherein “n” is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6. The solid polymer electrolyte may be incorporated into a membrane and may be used in a solution for covering an electrode catalyst.

Abstract: In a knee protecting airbag device (M1), an airbag (26) folded and housed below a steering column (3) is expanded and inflated while rising from the lower side of the steering column (3) along a column cover lower surface (9a) during an inflation process. The shape of the airbag having completed the inflation is in a generally plate shape capable of covering at least the lower surface of the column cover. Even if the knee of the driver comes close to the column cover when the driver depressing a brake pedal, therefore, the airbag being expanded and inflated goes smoothly into the clearance between the knee of the driver and the column cover lower surface. The airbag having completed the expansion and inflation protects the knee of the driver properly so that the knee may not interfere with the column cover.

Abstract: In a knee protecting airbag device of the present invention, an airbag is folded and housed on the front side of the knees of a seated passenger. The airbag is protruded rearward of a vehicle from a protruding opening and expanded and inflated upward, when an inflating gas flows in. And, the airbag is arranged on the front side of the knees of the passenger between a member on the body side and the knees of the passenger thereby to protect the knees of the passenger. The protruding opening has a transverse width size set within a range of ? to ? of the transverse width size of the airbag having completed its expansion and inflation.

Abstract: In a knee protecting airbag device (M1), an airbag (26) folded and housed below a steering column (3) is expanded and inflated while rising from the lower side of the steering column (3) along a column cover lower surface (9a) during an inflation process. The shape of the airbag having completed the inflation is in a generally plate shape capable of covering at least the lower surface of the column cover. Even if the knee of the driver comes close to the column cover when the driver depressing a brake pedal, therefore, the airbag being expanded and inflated goes smoothly into the clearance between the knee of the driver and the column cover lower surface. The airbag having completed the expansion and inflation protects the knee of the driver properly so that the knee may not interfere with the column cover.

Abstract: An alkylenesulfonic group and/or an alkylenesulfo-ether group is introduced as an ionic conductivity-imparting group into a polyazole such as a polyimidazole, a polyoxazole, or a polythiazole each having good resistance to oxidation. The resulting polymer yields an electrolyte, an electrolyte membrane, and a membrane electrode assembly which are available at low cost, contains ionic conductivity-imparting groups stable over extended periods of time and satisfactorily resistant to oxidative degradation. This enables long-term continuous use of mobile cell power sources, dispersed cell power sources, and cell power sources for mobile units.

Abstract: Sulfoalkyl groups or sulfonic groups as proton-conductive groups, and a phosphoalkyl group as oxidation-resistance imparting groups are introduced into a hydrocarbon electrolyte membrane. A fuel cell is provided wherein the membrane is insoluble in an aqueous methanol solution as a fuel and can stably generate electricity over extended periods of time. Sulfoalkyl groups or sulfonic groups as proton-conductive groups, and phosphoalkyl groups as oxidation-resistance imparting groups are introduced into a hydrocarbon electrolyte, and the resulting hydrocarbon electrolyte is used as an electrolyte of an electrode. A direct-methanol fuel cell (DMFC) is provided wherein the fuel cell is inexpensive and can operate stably over extended periods of time.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to allow a membrane electrode assembly for fuel cell to stably work for extended periods. A highly electron-conductive carbon supporting a catalyst is incorporated with a proton-conductivity providing group, e.g., sulfonic acid group or sulfoalkyl group, and hydrogen peroxide decomposing group, e.g., phosphonic acid group or phosphoalkyl group.