Abstract: Provided is a communication apparatus for making connection to a communication network, including: an optical network unit; and an external power supply input/output terminal, the communication apparatus being configured such that electrical power is fed to the optical network unit from an external terminal that is connected to the external power supply input/output terminal and functions as an auxiliary power supply.

Abstract: A power conversion device according to an embodiment may include: an output circuit configured to perform a power conversion operation of converting input power into an output power and outputting the output power; and a microcomputer configured to control the power conversion operation by the output circuit with power supplied from an internal power source of the output circuit, wherein the microcomputer outputs a status signal notifying whether the microcomputer is in a power shutdown permit period or a power shutdown inhibit period, and the output circuit includes a power supply stop circuit configured, when receiving the operation stop signal that instructs to stop the power conversion operation, to stop the power supply from the internal power source to the microcomputer on a condition where the status signal indicates that the microcomputer is in the power shutdown permit period.

Abstract: This embodiment includes an electrode assembly; a case for housing the electrode assembly; and an external terminal made of a metal and disposed on the case, in which the external terminal includes: a flange extending along an outer surface of the case; and a shaft extending from the flange to pass through the case and be conductive with the electrode assembly, the flange is made of a clad material having a plurality of metal layers layered in a passing direction of the shaft, each adjacent ones of the plurality of metal layers are made of different metals in kind, and one of the plurality of metal layers of the flange at one end in the passing direction is made of the same metal in kind as the metal of the shaft, and is welded to the shaft.

Abstract: A battery includes: an electrode body; an electrode current collector; a sealing body; an external terminal; an electrical conductor connected to the external terminal; a deforming plate sealing an opening of the electrical conductor, electrically connected to the electrical conductor and to the current collector, and deformed when an internal pressure reaches a predetermined pressure; and a first insulator between the deforming plate and the current collector. The current collector includes a base, and a lead connecting to the electrode body. First to fourth fasteners fasten the base and the first insulator. Between the first and second fasteners, the base is electrically connected to the deforming plate. The second fastener is closer to the lead than the first fastener. The second fastener is closer to a connection between the deforming plate and the electrode current collector than a position of the first insulator supported toward the sealing body.

Abstract: A battery includes: an electrode body; an electrode current collector; a sealing body; an external terminal; an electrical conductor connected to the external terminal; a deforming plate sealing an opening of the electrical conductor, electrically connected to the electrical conductor and to the current collector, and deformed when an internal pressure reaches a predetermined pressure; and a first insulator between the deforming plate and the current collector. The current collector includes a base, and a lead connecting to the electrode body. First to fourth fasteners fasten the base and the first insulator. Between the first and second fasteners, the base is electrically connected to the deforming plate. The second fastener is closer to the lead than the first fastener. The second fastener is closer to a connection between the deforming plate and the electrode current collector than a position of the first insulator supported toward the sealing body.

Abstract: A prismatic secondary battery of one configuration has a current disconnection mechanism, and a distance from a first conductive member to a second conductive member along a surface of a first insulation member and passing an outer periphery of the first insulation member is greater than or equal to 2.4 mm. At least one of the first insulation member and a second insulation member is formed from a material having a weight reduction percentage of 100% in thermo gravimetric measurement under conditions of a measurement temperature of 25° C.-600° C., a temperature increase rate of 5° C.±0.5° C./min, a measurement atmosphere of inert gas flow, and an amount of measurement sample of 10 mg±5 mg.

Abstract: Provided is a sealed battery with improved safety and reliability in which no spark discharge or voltage recovery occurs after a current interrupt mechanism has been actuated. A sealed battery 10 includes a current interrupt mechanism 40: having an inversion plate 50 and a collector 60. The collector 60 and the inversion plate 50 are electrically and mechanically joined in the easily breakable section 61 and the inversion section 51, the easily breakable section 61 is broken and displaced together with the inversion section 51 by the displacement of the inversion section 51, and the electric connection of the collector 60 and the inversion plate 50 is interrupted. The distance between the collector 60 and the easily breakable section 61 after the displacement is within a range of 0.3 mm to 1.5 mm.

Abstract: A prismatic secondary battery of one configuration has a current disconnection mechanism, and a distance from a first conductive member to a second conductive member along a surface of a first insulation member and passing an outer periphery of the first insulation member is greater than or equal to 2.4 mm. At least one of the first insulation member and a second insulation member is formed from a material having a weight reduction percentage of 100% in thermo gravimetric measurement under conditions of a measurement temperature of 25° C.-600° C., a temperature increase rate of 5° C.±0.5° C./min, a measurement atmosphere of inert gas flow, and an amount of measurement sample of 10 mg±5 mg.

Abstract: Provided is a sealed secondary battery having a current interrupt mechanism with a high heat resistance that prevents fusion of the current collecting plate by the Joule heat generated during high-rate charge and discharged. A current interrupt mechanism 80 of a sealed secondary battery 10 provided in accordance with the present invention is configured such that when the internal pressure inside a battery case 12 rises above the predetermined level, a current interrupt valve 30 is deformed by the internal pressure in a direction of separating from a rectangular plate-shaped current collecting plate 72 and the current collecting plate breaks in the portion of an annular groove 79 of a central thin section 74 of the current collecting plate.

Abstract: A sealed battery includes a battery case, an external terminal, a collector terminal, a protruding member, and a pressure type current interrupting mechanism. The pressure type current interrupting mechanism electrically disconnects the external terminal from the collector terminal by an inverted plate deforming according to an increase in pressure inside the battery case. The protruding member has a through-hole that is communicated with a hollow portion of the external terminal. When the pressure type current interrupting mechanism is activated, the protruding member pierces the inverted plate, such that the hollow portion of the external terminal is communicated with the inside of the battery case further inside the battery case than the collector terminal of the battery case, via the through-hole of the protruding member.

Abstract: A current interruption mechanism for prismatic secondary battery includes a tubular conductive member electrically connected to a positive electrode external terminal, an inversion plate, and a positive electrode collector connected to the inversion plate. The positive electrode collector has a first region that is parallel to a sealing body and a second region that is connected to a positive electrode plate. The boundaries between the first and second regions are disposed further outward than the inner surface of the tubular conductive member, and at least one of the edge portions, other than the boundaries between the first region and second region, is located further outward than the inner surface of the tubular portion of the conductive member. The current interruption mechanism is unlikely to be damaged even if the battery is subjected to shock due to vibration, falling, etc.

Abstract: A high-reliability prismatic secondary battery with a current interruption mechanism that is unlikely to be damaged even if the battery is subjected to shock is provided. The prismatic secondary battery includes a second insulating member having a first through-hole, the second insulating member being arranged between a first region of a positive electrode collector and an inversion plate. The first region of the positive electrode collector and the inversion plate are electrically connected to each other through the first through-hole. The second insulating member has a plurality of fixing pawl portions. The fixing pawl portions are hooked and fixed to a fixing portion formed on the outer surface side of the conductive member.

Abstract: A crimped portion of a positive electrode external terminal is crimped on its upper end side to be electrically connected to a positive electrode terminal plate. This crimped portion is welded to the positive electrode terminal plate by applying high energy beams. The negative electrode side has a configuration similar to that of the positive electrode side. The contact area between the positive electrode terminal plate and the crimped portion of the positive electrode external terminal is set smaller than the corresponding contact area on the negative electrode side, and the volume of the crimped portion of the positive electrode external terminal is set larger than that of the corresponding crimped portion on the negative electrode side. Thus, a prismatic secondary battery is provided that shows strong joining strength between the external terminal and the terminal plate, suppressed internal resistance variations, and improved reliability.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery including a current interruption mechanism that interrupts electric current includes disposing, in the outer body, an electrode assembly and a nonaqueous electrolyte containing a compound having at least one of a cyclohexyl group and a phenyl group, adjusting the nonaqueous electrolyte to contain the compound having at least one of a cyclohexyl group and a phenyl group in an amount of from 2.5 g/m2 to 5.0 g/m2 with respect to a formation area of a positive electrode active material layer on a positive electrode substrate surface, and thereafter performing aging treatment at 60° C. or more at a state of charge of 60% or more. This battery exhibits excellent output characteristics in a low temperature condition and can sufficiently ensure reliability even when the battery is overcharged through two-step charging in a low temperature condition.

Abstract: A honeycomb-shaped substrate for catalyst is made from ceramic, has a straight-flow structure, and includes cellular walls exhibiting pore volumes, which differ partially, and a large number of cellular passages demarcated by the cellular walls. A catalyst for purifying exhaust gases is produced by providing the cellular walls of the honeycomb-shaped substrate with a catalytic coating layer.

Abstract: A honeycomb-shaped substrate for catalyst is made from ceramic, has a straight-flow structure, and includes cellular walls exhibiting pore volumes, which differ partially, and a large number of cellular passages demarcated by the cellular walls. A catalyst for purifying exhaust gases is produced by providing the cellular walls of the honeycomb-shaped substrate with a catalytic coating layer.

Abstract: An exhaust-gas-purifying catalyst wherein a first zeolite loaded with a catalyst metal and a second zeolite unloaded with a catalyst metal are mixed. By actively adsorbing HC onto the second zeolite, it is possible to inhibit the catalyst metal loaded on the first zeolite from being poisoned by HC, and to sufficiently adsorb HC. Accordingly, since the HC adsorbing capability is improved, and since the HC poisoning of the catalyst metal is suppressed, the NOx purifying capability is enhanced and the durability is also upgraded.

Abstract: In an exhaust gas in an oxygen-rich atmosphere, a method of purifying an exhaust gas and a catalyst for purifying an exhaust gas, which can exhibit a high NOx conversion securely, are provided. Disclosed is a method of purifying an exhaust gas that reduces and purifies NOx in an exhaust gas in an oxygen-rich atmosphere. Here, as a catalyst for purifying an exhaust gas, a loading layer comprising zeolite is loaded with alumina sulfate and cerium sulfate-zirconium composite oxide, and Pt is loaded on these. And, in a temperature range where HC are not oxidized, the HC are adsorbed and held by the zeolite, the HC, which the zeolite releases at the temperature increment, are subjected to cracking by the zeolite, the alumina sulfate and the cerium sulfate-zirconium composite oxide, and the thus produced low-grade HC are turned into reducing agents, thereby reducing and purifying the NOx in the exhaust gas.

Abstract: A metallic support catalyst includes a honeycomb body, an outer cylinder and a catalyst ingredient loading layer, and has a geometric surface area of 40 cm.sup.2 /g or more with respect to its unit weight. The honeycomb body is formed of a flat metallic foil and a corrugated metallic foil, which are laminated and formed as a roll so as to form a plurality of honeycomb-shaped cells in the honeycomb body. The outer cylinder holds the honeycomb body therein. The catalyst ingredient loading layer is coated on the honeycomb-shaped cells of the honeycomb body. The honeycomb body can be formed of a flat metallic foil and a corrugated metallic foil, which have a thickness of from 0.02 to 0.04 mm. The catalyst ingredient loading layer can have a weight of from 60 to 150 g/liter with respect to a unit volume of said honeycomb body.

Abstract: A catalyst for purifying an exhaust gas includes a substrate, a catalyst carrier layer, a catalyst ingredient and a hydrocarbons supplier. The catalyst carrier layer is formed on the substrate. The catalyst ingredient is loaded on the catalyst carrier layer. The hydrocarbons supplier is disposed in the substrate, and supplies supplementary hydrocarbons into the catalyst carrier layer so as to securely react the supplementary hydrocarbons with NO.sub.x included in an exhaust gas. Hence, the catalyst can purify not only CO but also NO.sub.x over a wide temperature range.