Abstract: A seat cushion for a vehicle, which includes one seat cushion portion and another seat cushion portion, such that one or both of those one and another seat cushion portions may be displaced via side rails. A storage space is defined in a forwardly-facing region of one of those two seat cushion portions. An opening region is provided to that storage space and constitutes an ingress/egress opening of the storage space for allowing an article(s) to be entered thereinto and taken out therefrom. This opening region is defined in a lateral surface of a selected one of the two seat cushion portions. Thus, when the selected one of the two seat cushion portions is displaced in a forward direction to protrude from the other of the two seat cushion portions, the lateral surface is exposed outwardly on a side facing a center of the vehicle.

Abstract: A seat cushion for a vehicle, which includes one seat cushion portion and another seat cushion portion, such that one or both of those one and another seat cushion portions may be displaced via side rails. A storage space is defined in a forwardly-facing region of one of those two seat cushion portions. An opening region is provided to that storage space and constitutes an ingress/egress opening of the storage space for allowing an article(s) to be entered thereinto and taken out therefrom. This opening region is defined in a lateral surface of a selected one of the two seat cushion portions. Thus, when the selected one of the two seat cushion portions is displaced in a forward direction to protrude from the other of the two seat cushion portions, the lateral surface is exposed outwardly on a side facing a center of the vehicle.

Abstract: Structure of seat back is provided, which comprises: a seat back frame; and an upholstery cover assembly including a forward upholster cover element and a backward upholstery cover element. Those two upholstery cover elements cover respective forward and backward sides of the seat back frame, with an upper region thereof secured on top portion of the seat back frame by a headrest stay holder element. Outer peripheral ends of those two upholstery cover elements are engaged together by an engagement element, so that substantially a whole of the seat back frame is covered with the upholstery cover assembly, thus forming a seat back.

Abstract: Structure of seat back is provided, which comprises: a seat back frame; and an upholstery cover assembly including a forward upholster cover element and a backward upholstery cover element. Those two upholstery cover elements cover respective forward and backward sides of the seat back frame, with an upper region thereof secured on top portion of the seat back frame by a headrest stay holder element. Outer peripheral ends of those two upholstery cover elements are engaged together by an engagement element, so that substantially a whole of the seat back frame is covered with the upholstery cover assembly, thus forming a seat back.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention allow relatively simple circuits to provide a coding device capable of coding longer bit-length data suitably for disk apparatus and a decoding device capable of decoding the data coded by the coding device. In one embodiment, a coding device comprises: a coder which, based on an M bits code string, produces an (M+1) bits coded string where each of the plural bits which may appear in the M bits code string is limited in run length; a preprocessor which produces an M bits code string by removing (N?M) bits respectively from predefined (N?M) positions of an incoming N bits code string and outputs the M bits code string to the coder; and a postprocessor which produces and outputs an (N+1) bits code string by inserting the (N?M) bits, which are removed by the preprocessor, into predefined (N?M) respective insertion positions of the (M+1) bits coded string output from the coder.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention a signal processing method capable of realizing low decoding error ratio by using a simple configuration free from unnecessary redundant bits. In one embodiment, user data (512 bytes+additional data) input to an input terminal is RLL-encoded by a RLL encoder 1. The data from the RLL encoder—1 is entered into a symbol error correction encoder where 9-bit symbol encoding is done. Its RS code portion is RLL-encoded by a RLL encoder—2. Signal read from a magnetic disk is entered into a RLL decoder—2 where the RS code portion is RLL-decoded. The signal from the RLL decoder—2 is then entered into a symbol error correction decoder where random read/write errors, burst errors attributable to defects and other errors are corrected to produce a (user data+RLL) signal. This data is output to an output terminal after being decoded by a RLL decoder—1.

Abstract: A testing device can perform a test on an arbitrary one of a plurality of semiconductor devices by pressing the semiconductor devices onto a contactor from a back side of the semiconductor device. A test circuit board has a contactor provided with contact pieces corresponding to external connection terminals of semiconductor devices to be tested. A support board is capable of mounting the semiconductor devices thereon in an aligned state. A stage supports the support board. A press head presses the semiconductor devices to be tested mounted on the support board so as to cause external connection terminals of the semiconductor devices to be tested to contact with the contact pieces of the contactor. The stage is movable to a position at which at least one of the semiconductor devices to be tested, which are mounted on the support board, faces the contactor.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention allow relatively simple circuits to provide a coding device capable of coding longer bit-length data suitably for disk apparatus and a decoding device capable of decoding the data coded by the coding device. In one embodiment, a coding device comprises: a coder which, based on an M bits code string, produces an (M+1) bits coded string where each of the plural bits which may appear in the M bits code string is limited in run length; a preprocessor which produces an M bits code string by removing (N-M) bits respectively from predefined (N-M) positions of an incoming N bits code string and outputs the M bits code string to the coder; and a postprocessor which produces and outputs an (N+1) bits code string by inserting the (N-M) bits, which are removed by the preprocessor, into predefined (N-M) respective insertion positions of the (M+1) bits coded string output from the coder.

Abstract: A testing device can perform a test on an arbitrary one of a plurality of semiconductor devices by pressing the semiconductor devices onto a contactor from a back side of the semiconductor device. A test circuit board has a contactor provided with contact pieces corresponding to external connection terminals of semiconductor devices to be tested. A support board is capable of mounting the semiconductor devices thereon in an aligned state. A stage supports the support board. A press head presses the semiconductor devices to be tested mounted on the support board so as to cause external connection terminals of the semiconductor devices to be tested to contact with the contact pieces of the contactor. The stage is movable to a position at which at least one of the semiconductor devices to be tested, which are mounted on the support board, faces the contactor.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention a signal processing method capable of realizing low decoding error ratio by using a simple configuration free from unnecessary redundant bits. In one embodiment, user data (512 bytes+additional data) input to an input terminal is RLL-encoded by a RLL encoder 1. The data from the RLL encoder—1 is entered into a symbol error correction encoder where 9-bit symbol encoding is done. Its RS code portion is RLL-encoded by a RLL encoder—2. Signal read from a magnetic disk is entered into a RLL decoder—2 where the RS code portion is RLL-decoded. The signal from the RLL decoder—2 is then entered into a symbol error correction decoder where random read/write errors, burst errors attributable to defects and other errors are corrected to produce a (user data+RLL) signal. This data is output to an output terminal after being decoded by a RLL decoder—1.

Abstract: An electric motor (5) and an accessory circuit (7, 8) are connected in parallel to an output terminal (1A) of a fuel cell power plant (2). A secondary battery (3) is connected to the output terminal (1A) through a DC/DC converter (6) which controls an output voltage in both directions. The accessories (7, 8) are directly driven by the output of the fuel cell power plant (2). A reduction in the output voltage of the fuel cell power plant (2) resulting from an increase in the load of the electric motor (5) is prevented by discharging power from the secondary battery (3) via the DC/DC converter (6). By directly supplying electric current output from the fuel cell plant to the accessory circuit (7, 8) without passing through the DC/DC converter (6), the power loss due to the DC/DC converter (6) is reduced.

Abstract: The fuel cell system has: a fuel cell stack having a fuel electrode and an oxidant electrode that face each other with a electrolyte membrane interposed between the fuel electrode and the oxidant electrode; a gas supply unit configured to supply a fuel gas to the fuel electrode and an oxidant gas to the oxidant electrode; a fuel gas circulation unit configured to return a fuel gas discharged from an outlet of the fuel electrode to an inlet of the fuel electrode; a purge valve configured to discharge a gas outside from a circulation path connected between the outlet and the inlet of the fuel electrode; a temperature measuring unit configured to measure a temperature of the fuel gas; and a control unit configured to control, according to the temperature of the fuel gas and a variation in the fuel gas temperature, a flow rate of the gas to be discharged from the purge valve.

Abstract: A compressor which adjusts the pressure of an oxygen-containing gas supplied to a fuel cell system, a throttle valve which controls the flowpath surface area of part of the oxygen-containing gas, and shutoff valves which divide the oxygen-containing gas downstream of the compressor between a fuel cell and reformer, are provided. When fuel vapor absorbed by the canister is purged, the opening of the throttle valve is reduced, and the canister is made to communicate with the upstream side of the compressor. Due to the negative pressure upstream of the compressor, fuel vapor absorbed by the canister is divided between the reformer or a burner, and processed.

Abstract: A fuel cell system is provided with a fuel cell, a fuel gas supply line supplying fuel gas to the fuel cell, an oxidizing gas supply line supplying oxidizing gas to the fuel cell, a circulation line circulating fluid through at least one of the fuel cell, the fuel gas supply line and the oxidizing gas supply line, and a microorganism inhibiting unit located in the circulation line to execute sterilization so as to sterilize microorganisms present in the fluid. The microorganism inhibiting method is utilized in the fuel cell system of such a structure to sterilize the microorganisms present in the fluid in the midway of the circulation line.

Abstract: An electric motor (5) and an accessory circuit (7, 8) are connected in parallel to an output terminal (1A) of a fuel cell power plant (2). A secondary battery (3) is connected to the output terminal (1A) through a DC/DC converter (6) which controls an output voltage in both directions. The accessories (7, 8) are directly driven by the output of the fuel cell power plant (2). A reduction in the output voltage of the fuel cell power plant (2) resulting from an increase in the load of the electric motor (5) is prevented by discharging power from the secondary battery (3) via the DC/DC converter (6). By directly supplying electric current output from the fuel cell plant to the accessory circuit (7, 8) without passing through the DC/DC converter (6), the power loss due to the DC/DC converter (6) is reduced.

Abstract: A fuel cell vehicle comprises a fuel cell system (50), a fuel tank (12) which stores fuel supplied to the fuel cell system (50), and a sensor (22) which detects a remaining fuel amount in the fuel tank (12). A controller (23) of the fuel cell system (50) predicts a possible running distance of the vehicle based on an energy amount obtained by subtracting the energy required to start the fuel cell system (50) from the energy amount corresponding to the detected remaining fuel amount.

Abstract: A compressor 5 which adjusts the pressure of an oxygen-containing gas supplied to a fuel cell system, a throttle valve 4 which controls the flowpath surface area of part of the oxygen-containing gas, and shutoff valves 7, 8 which divide the oxygen-containing gas downstream of the compressor 5 between a fuel cell 1 and reformer 12, are provided. When fuel vapor absorbed by the canister 11 is purged, the opening of the throttle valve 4 is reduced, and the canister 11 is made to communicate with the upstream side of the compressor 5. Due to the negative pressure upstream of the compressor 5, fuel vapor absorbed by the canister 11 is divided between the reformer 12 or a burner 13, and processed.

Abstract: A fuel cell vehicle comprises a fuel cell system (50), a fuel tank (12) which stores fuel supplied to the fuel cell system (50), and a sensor (22) which detects a remaining fuel amount in the fuel tank (12). A controller (23) of the fuel cell system (50) predicts a possible running distance of the vehicle based on an energy amount obtained by subtracting the energy required to start the fuel cell system (50) from the energy amount corresponding to the detected remaining fuel amount.

Abstract: A fuel cell system is provided with a fuel cell, a fuel gas supply line supplying fuel gas to the fuel cell, an oxidizing gas supply line supplying oxidizing gas to the fuel cell, a circulation line circulating fluid through at least one of the fuel cell, the fuel gas supply line and the oxidizing gas supply line, and a microorganism inhibiting unit located in the circulation line to execute sterilization so as to sterilize microorganisms present in the fluid. The microorganism inhibiting method is utilized in the fuel cell system of such a structure to sterilize the microorganisms present in the fluid in the midway of the circulation line.