Abstract: An apparatus includes a proton-conducting electrolyte membrane, an anode, a cathode, a first flow path which is disposed on the anode and through which an anode fluid containing hydrogen as a constituent element flows, a second flow path which is disposed on the cathode and through which hydrogen flows, a voltage applicator, a detector which detects a hydrogen cross leak amount passing through the membrane, where the detector detects the hydrogen cross leak amount from, a natural potential of one electrode of the cathode and the anode after forming a state where hydrogen is present at the one electrode and hydrogen is not present at the other electrode of the cathode and the anode, or a current flowing between the anode and the cathode when the voltage is applied from the voltage applicator in a state where the first flow path and the second flow path are both sealed off.

Abstract: A hydrogen purifier includes an electrolyte membrane including a proton conductive polymer, an anode having an anode catalyst layer disposed on one side of the electrolyte membrane, a cathode having a cathode catalyst layer disposed on the other side of the electrolyte membrane, a separator which has a fluid channel and through which carbon monoxide, hydrogen and oxygen are supplied to the anode, and a power supply that energizes the anode and the cathode, the anode catalyst layer including Pt, the cathode catalyst layer including Pt and Ru.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a proton-conducting electrolyte membrane, an anode, a cathode, a first flow path which is disposed on the anode and through which an anode fluid containing hydrogen as a constituent element flows, a second flow path which is disposed on the cathode and through which hydrogen flows, a voltage applicator, a detector which detects a hydrogen cross leak amount passing through the membrane, where the detector detects the hydrogen cross leak amount from, a natural potential of one electrode of the cathode and the anode after forming a state where hydrogen is present at the one electrode and hydrogen is not present at the other electrode of the cathode and the anode, or a current flowing between the anode and the cathode when the voltage is applied from the voltage applicator in a state where the first flow path and the second flow path are both sealed off.

Abstract: A hydrogen purifier includes an electrolyte membrane including a proton conductive polymer, an anode having an anode catalyst layer disposed on one side of the electrolyte membrane, a cathode having a cathode catalyst layer disposed on the other side of the electrolyte membrane, a separator which has a fluid channel and through which carbon monoxide, hydrogen and oxygen are supplied to the anode, and a power supply that energizes the anode and the cathode, the anode catalyst layer including Pt, the cathode catalyst layer including Pt and Ru.

Abstract: A non-sintered nickel electrode for an alkaline storage battery, characterized in that nickel hydroxide particles as active material particles thereof contain a cobalt having a valence of 3 to 3.2 as a solid solution element. The nickel electrode has excellent charging capability.

Abstract: The nickel-metal hydride storage battery of this invention includes a nonsintered nickel electrode using, as a positive electrode active material, nickel hydroxide including, as a solid-solution element, at least one element Q selected from the group consisting of Mn, Al, Y, Yb and Co; and a pasted hydrogen-absorbing alloy electrode using, as a negative electrode active material, a hydrogen-absorbing alloy represented by a composition formula, TiaVbNicMd, in which a+b+c=100; 15≦a≦45; 35≦b≦75; 5≦c≦25; 0<d≦7; and M is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Cr, Mn, Mo, Nb, Ta, W, La, Ce, Y, Mm, Co, Fe, Cu, Si, Al, B, Zr and Hf, and the ratio in capacity between the nonsintered nickel electrode and the pasted hydrogen-absorbing alloy electrode is 1:1.1 through 1:1.8. As a result, the invention provides a nickel-metal hydride storage battery having large battery capacity and a long cycle life.

Abstract: The present invention provides a negative electrode for a lithium secondary battery and a lithium secondary battery having the negative electrode. The negative electrode includes an aluminum alloy powder as an active material, wherein the alloy is substantially amorphous, and is represented by the formula AlxSiyMz, where M is at least one transition metal selected from the group consisting of Ni, Co, Cu, Fe, Cr and Mn; x, y and z are 40≦x≦80; 10≦y≦50 and 1≦z≦20, respectively, and x+y+z=100; and average particle diameter of the alloy is not greater than 50 &mgr;m.

Abstract: The negative electrode of this invention includes, as a negative electrode active material, substantially amorphous aluminum alloy in the form of a powder with an average particle size of 50 &mgr;m or less represented by a composition formula, Al100-xMx, in which M is at least one element selected from the group consisting of La, Y, Yb, Ce, Gd, Nd, Sm, Pr, Er, Ni, Co, Cu and Fe; and 1≦x≦20. Owing to this negative electrode, a lithium secondary battery having large discharge capacity and exhibiting very good charge-discharge cycle performance can be realized.

Abstract: A positive active material for sealed alkaline storage batteries is obtainable by subjecting &bgr;-nickel hydroxide, together with at least one additive selected from yttrium, gadolinium, erbium and ytterbium, and oxides, hydroxides, fluorides and chlorides thereof, to an oxidation treatment with an oxidizing agent in an aqueous alkaline solution. The positive active material contains nickel with a valence number in a range from 2.1 to 3.4.

Abstract: In a positive electrode active material for alkaline storage batteries according to the present invention, a surface of a nickel hydroxide is coated with a mixed crystal material of at least one type of element selected from aluminum Al, manganese Mn, iron Fe, yttrium Y, ytterbium Yb, erbium Er, and gadolinium Gd and cobalt, the valence of nickel in the nickel hydroxide is in the range of 2.0 to 2.3, and the valence of cobalt in the mixed crystal material exceeds 3.0. The positive electrode active material for alkaline storage batteries is used for a positive electrode for alkaline storage batteries, and the positive electrode for alkaline storage batteries is further used for an alkaline storage battery.

Abstract: In a lithium secondary battery of this invention, the negative electrode uses, as an active material, an alloy including an A phase of a first intermetallic compound (A), and a B phase of a second intermetallic compound (B) having the same constituent elements as and a different composition from the first intermetallic compound (A) and/or a C phase consisting of one of the constituent elements of the first intermetallic compound (A), and at least one of the A phase, the B phase and the C phase is capable of electrochemically absorbing and discharging lithium ions. Thus, the lithium secondary battery can exhibit good charge-discharge cycle performance.

Abstract: The sealed alkaline storage battery of this invention includes a nonsintered nickel positive electrode using, as an active material, manganese-containing &agr;-nickel hydroxide including, as a solid-solution element, 15 through 50 wt % of manganese on the basis of a total amount of nickel and manganese; a negative electrode; and an alkaline electrolyte including 0.55 through 0.80 g of water per gram of the manganese-containing &agr;-nickel hydroxide. In this manner, the invention provides an alkaline storage battery exhibiting high positive electrode active material utilization for a large number of charge-discharge cycles.

Abstract: A hydrogen storage alloy electrode containing, as a principal active material, a powder of hydrogen storage alloy having a CaCu5 crystal structure and represented by the formula MmNixCoyMnzMw where M is at least one element selected from aluminum (Al) and copper (Cu), x is between 3.0 and 5.2, y is between 0 and 1.2, z is between 0.1 and 0.9, w is between 0.1 and 0.9, and the sum of x, y, z and w is between 4.4 and 5.4. The hydrogen storage alloy powder particles have a surface region and a bulk region enclosed within the surface region and have a higher nickel content in the surface region than in the bulk region. The hydrogen storage alloy electrode further contains an oxide and/or hydroxide of at least one rare-earth element selected from ytterbium (Yb), samarium (Sm), erbium (Er) and gadolinium (Gd).

Abstract: The present invention provides a negative electrode for a lithium secondary battery and a lithium secondary battery having the negative electrode.

Abstract: The positive electrode active material powder of this invention includes &bgr;-nickel hydroxide particles containing aluminum in a ratio of 0.5 through 9 atom % based on the total amount of nickel and aluminum and having a half-width of a peak in a plane (101) in the X-ray powder diffraction pattern of 0.8°/2 &thgr; or more. Owing to this positive electrode active material powder, a nonsintered nickel electrode having high active material utilization and large discharge capacity can be realized.

Abstract: The nickel-metal hydride storage battery of this invention includes a nonsintered nickel electrode using, as a positive electrode active material, nickel hydroxide including, as a solid-solution element, at least one element Q selected from the group consisting of Mn, Al, Y, Yb and Co; and a pasted hydrogen-absorbing alloy electrode using, as a negative electrode active material, a hydrogen-absorbing alloy represented by a composition formula, TiaVbNicMd, in which a+b+c=100; 15≦a≦45; 35≦b≦75; 5≦c≦25; 0<d≦7; and M is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Cr, Mn, Mo, Nb, Ta, W, La, Ce, Y, Mm, Co, Fe, Cu, Si, Al, B, Zr and Hf, and the ratio in capacity between the nonsintered nickel electrode and the pasted hydrogen-absorbing alloy electrode is 1:1.1 through 1:1.8. As a result, the invention provides a nickel-metal hydride storage battery having large battery capacity and a long cycle life.

Abstract: The negative electrode of this invention includes, as a negative electrode active material, substantially amorphous aluminum alloy in the form of a powder with an average particle size of 50 &mgr;m or less represented by a composition formula, Al100-xMx, in which M is at least one element selected from the group consisting of La, Y, Yb, Ce, Gd, Nd, Sm, Pr, Er, Ni, Co, Cu and Fe; and 1≦x≦20. Owing to this negative electrode, a lithium secondary battery having large discharge capacity and exhibiting very good charge-discharge cycle performance can be realized.

Abstract: In a pasted hydrogen-absorbing alloy electrode of this invention, an active material layer made from a mixture of a hydrogen-absorbing alloy powder, a composite particle powder including carbon particles and a rare earth compound for partially coating surfaces of the carbon particles, and a binder is formed on a current collector. When this pasted hydrogen-absorbing alloy electrode is used in an alkaline storage battery, the alkaline storage battery can attain small increase of the internal pressure during charge, large discharge capacity in high rate discharge and good charge-discharge cycle performance.

Abstract: In a positive electrode active material for alkaline storage batteries according to the present invention, a surface of a nickel hydroxide is coated with a mixed crystal material of at least one type of element selected from aluminum Al, manganese Mn, iron Fe, yttrium Y, ytterbium Yb, erbium Er, and gadolinium Gd and cobalt, the valence of nickel in the nickel hydroxide is in the range of 2.0 to 2.3, and the valence of cobalt in the mixed crystal material exceeds 3.0. The positive electrode active material for alkaline storage batteries is used for a positive electrode for alkaline storage batteries, and the positive electrode for alkaline storage batteries is further used for an alkaline storage battery.

Abstract: A shift lever device is provided that includes a shift lever, an interlocking member movable from a first position to a second position, a detent member that abuts the interlocking member at the first position and restricts the shifting operation if the shift lever is shifted from the parking range position to another range position, a restricting member movable between a shift-lock state and a shift-lock released state for allowing or preventing the interlocking member to move from the first position to the second position; a manual operation mechanism which allows the restricting member to be manually moved from the shift-locked state to the shift-lock released state, and an actuator connecting member that moves integrally with the restricting member due to the operation of an actuator. When the restricting member is placed in a shift-locked state, it can be moved by the manual operation mechanism into the shift-lock released state.