Abstract: A water-proof connector includes a first connector housing having a plurality of male terminals protruding from an end surface thereof; a second connector housing having an end surface provided with a plurality of cavities which correspond in number to the number of the male terminals and in each of which a female terminal is disposed; and a resilient seal member provided on the end surface of one of the first and second connector housings. The seal member has a plurality of openings so that, when the first and second connector housings are connected with each other, the male terminals are inserted through the openings into the corresponding cavities and are electrically connected with respective female terminals, with respective end surfaces thereof being in pressure engagement with each other through the seal member.

Abstract: This invention provides a waterproof connector (FIG. 2) in which water is prevented from entering an inner part of a connector housing through clearances between cavities and terminal metal fixtures. Even if inner peripheries of cavities 11 and outer peripheries of terminal metal fixtures (contact) 20 are wetted with water when the waterproof connector is detached from a mating connector not shown, a waterproof annular member 25 disposed between an inner periphery of each cavity 11 and an outer periphery of each terminal metal fixture 20 prevents water from enter a connector housing 1 through a clearance between the cavity 11 and the fixture 20.

Abstract: An image recording method for recording information in and erasing recorded information from a display medium which contains a reversible thermosensitive recording material capable of writing information therein and erasing recorded information therefrom by the application of heat thereto, by using a heat application member with round corners, and contacting the surface of the heat application member with the display medium.

Abstract: An air conditioning system suitable for use in an electric vehicle. In the air conditioning system, a refrigerant gas circulatory system of the heat pump type for selectively effecting cooling and heating is disposed inside the electric vehicle and comprises lines which interconnect three heat exchangers, a directional control valve, a compressor and an expansion valve to one another. A control device is provided so as to activate and inactivate the heat exchanger, the directional control valve and the compressor. Before the expected running of the vehicle, at least a portion of the refrigerant gas circulatory system can be operated by the control device using a drive source different from the drive source used for running the vehicle. Accordingly, a comfortable room environment can be established for the expected time on riding by activating the air conditioning system in an unmanned state.

Abstract: A method of producing a reversible thermosensitive recording material composed of a support, and a reversible thermosensitive recording layer formed thereon, which contains a matrix resin and an organic low-molecular weight material dispersed in the matrix resin, and capable of reversibly assuming a transparent state and a white opaque state depending upon the temperature thereof, is composed of the steps of applying a solution or dispersion of the matrix resin and the organic low-molecular-weight material dissolved or dispersed in a solvent to the support, and drying the applied solution or dispersion with the application of heat thereto in such a manner that when the temperature of the solution or dispersion applied side of the support it t.sub.1, and the temperature of the back side surface of the support, opposite to the solution or dispersion applied side thereof, is t.sub.2, t.sub.1 is lower than t.sub.2 (t.sub.1 <t.sub.

Abstract: An information recording medium is composed of a support; a thermosensitive recording layer provided at least on one side of the support, the thermosensitive recording layer being composed of a matrix resin and an organic low-molecular-weight material which is dispersed in the matrix resin, the transparency of the thermosensitive recording layer being reversibly changeable depending upon the temperature thereof; and a thermal transfer image receiving layer for thermal printing thereon by thermal transfer recording, which is provided at least on one side of the support, opposite to the thermosensitive recording layer. A printing method using the above information recording medium is also provided.The thermosensitive recording layer and the thermal transfer image receiving layer may be replaced by a single sublimable material receiving reversible thermosensitive recording layer which have the two functions of the thermosensitive recording layer and the thermal transfer image receiving layer.

Abstract: A method of erasing images recorded in an image recording medium capable of recording images therein and erasing the same therefrom by application of heat thereto includes the step of applying heat to both a front image bearing side and a back side of the image recording medium for erasing images.

Abstract: A connector including a locking mechanism to prevent a charge coupling from being broken when charging. A supply connector connected to a power source and a vehicle battery connector installed in an electric vehicle has a handle grip and a connector body attached to a distal end of the handle grip. The handle grip is provided in its interior with a lock mechanism which maintains and releases the coupling of the supply connector to the vehicle inlet and with a control which controls the lock mechanism. The control includes a detector for detecting a complete coupling of the supply connector to the vehicle connector. The control actuates the lock mechanism only when the detector detects the complete coupling and commencement of charging and releases the lock mechanism only when charging is stopped.

Abstract: An air conditioning system suitable for use in an electric vehicle. In the air conditioning system, a refrigerant gas circulatory system of the heat pump type for selectively effecting cooling and heating is disposed inside the electric vehicle and comprises lines which interconnect three heat exchangers, a directional control valve, a compressor and an expansion valve to one another. A control device is provided so as to activate and inactivate the heat exchanger, the directional control valve and the compressor. Before the expected running of the vehicle, at least a portion of the refrigerant gas circulatory system can be operated by the control device using a drive source different from the drive source used for running the vehicle. Accordingly, a comfortable room environment can be established for the expected time on riding by activating the air conditioning system in an unmanned state.

Abstract: A rewritable bar code display medium is disclosed, which is composed of a support and a reversible thermosensitive recording layer for reversibly forming bar codes therein formed on the support, which reversible thermosensitive recording layer varies in transparency with change in temperature, and an image display method using the rewritable bar code display medium, and an apparatus for implementing the image display method are also disclosed.

Abstract: A battery temperature control system in an electric automobile which is equipped with an air conditioner for supplying a cool or warm air into a passenger compartment and which travels by using batteries as a power source accommodated in a battery chamber. The system includes a battery temperature sensor for detecting a temperature of the battery, a control unit adapted to drive the air conditioner in an air-cooling mode when the battery temperature detected by the temperature sensor is higher than a predetermined upper limit, and in an air-heating mode when the battery temperature detected by the temperature sensor is lower than a predetermined lower limit. An air intake port is provided in the battery chamber for introducing an air supplied from the air conditioner into the battery chamber. Further, in order to obtain a sufficiently warm air even when the atmospheric temperature is low, an auxiliary heat exchanger 28 which is heated by the combustion heater 29 also is provided.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method of successively forming and/or erasing images selectively in different portions of a recording layer of a recording medium which comprises a reversible thermosensitive recording material capable of recording images and erasing the same by reversibly changing the transparency or the color tone of the portions of the recording layer with the application of heat thereto, depending upon the temperature thereof, in such a manner that the same portion of the recording layer is not continuously used for image formation and/or erasure in excess of a predetermined number of times, thereby repeating the use of the recording medium for an extended period of time.

Abstract: A card is composed of a reversible thermosensitive recording portion capable of recording information therein, and an irreversible recording portion capable of recording information therein. An information recording method uses the card in which an numerical information is recorded in the reversible thermosensitive recording portion, and an information which has substantially the same contents as those of the numerical information recorded in the reversible thermosensitive recording portion is recorded in the irreversible recording portion for preventing improper alternation of the numerical information recorded in the reversible thermosensitive recording portion. The numerical information recorded in the reversible thermosensitive recording portion and the information recorded in the irreversible recording portion are recognized by an optical device.

Abstract: An information recording medium is composed of a support; a thermosensitive recording layer provided at least on one side of the support, the thermosensitive recording layer being composed of a matrix resin and an organic low-molecular-weight material which is dispersed in the matrix resin, the transparency of the thermosensitive recording layer being reversibly changeable depending upon the temperature thereof; and a thermal transfer image receiving layer for thermal printing thereon by thermal transfer recording, which is provided at least on one side of the support, opposite to the thermosensitive recording layer. A printing method using the above information recording medium is also provided.The thermosensitive recording layer and the thermal transfer image receiving layer may be replaced by a single sublimable material receiving reversible thermosensitive recording layer which have the two functions of the thermosensitive recording layer and the thermal transfer image receiving layer.

Abstract: An image recording method of recording information in and erasing recorded information from a display medium which contains a reversible thermosensitive recording material capable of writing information therein and erasing recorded information therefrom by the application of heat thereto, by use of a heat application member with a flat portion by bringing the flat portion into contact with the display medium provided on a supporting base, at least one of the display medium or the flat portion of the heat application member having an elastically deformable portion through which one of the display medium or the flat portion of the heat application member performs elastic deformation and the display medium is capable of coming into close contact with the heat application member.

Abstract: A reversible thermosensitive recording medium includes a reversible thermosensitive recording layer which is composed of a matrix resin and an organic low-molecular material which is dispersed in the matrix resin, the transparency of the reversible thermosensitive recording layer being reversibly changeable depending upon the temperature of the reversible thermosensitive recording layer, wherein the reversible thermosensitive recording layer has a softening initiation temperature T.sub.A, the organic low-molecular-weight material has a higher crystallization temperature T.sub.B1 which is 80.degree. C. or more and a lower crystallization temperature T.sub.B2, the softening initiation temperature T.sub.A is between the higher crystallization temperature T.sub.B1 and the lower crystallization temperature T.sub.B2, and the higher crystallization temperature T.sub.B1 and the lower crystallization temperature T.sub.B2 satisfies the relationship of T.sub.B1 -T.sub.B2 .gtoreq.40.degree. C.

Abstract: A recording apparatus for recording data in a thermosensitive recording medium. The recording medium has a reversible thermosensitive recording material capable of selectively assuming one of two visible states, e.g., a cloudy state and a transparent state or a colored state and a decolored state when heated. The thermosensitive material is applied to a sheet of resin. The apparatus surely erases data written in the medium with no regard to the time elapsed and the number of times that data has been repetitively written. The cloud density or the color density is prevented from changing with no regard to the storage temperature, the time elapsed, or the number of times of writing, thereby preventing image quality from being degraded. In addition, the medium has a long service life.

Abstract: An apparatus for recording data in a thermosensitive recording medium at a first temperature after erasing data written in the medium at a second temperature. The apparatus desirably erases data stored in a recording medium with no regard to the time elapsed after writing, condition of storage, writing conditions, the number of repetitive writing and erasing operations, etc.

Abstract: An air conditioning system suitable for use in an electric vehicle for air-conditioning the driver and passenger room of the vehicle. The system basically comprises environment sensors, a warning device and a control device. The environment sensors detect the state of the environment in the vehicle room. In the control device, an air-conditioning switch is activated so that the output of the environment sensor is read. When the environment sensors produce an output indicative of an improper state of environment in the vehicle room, such an open window, an open door or an unmanned state of the vehicle room, the warning device is operated for a predetermined time period. Further, the air conditioner is deactivated when the output of any one of the environment sensors continues to indicate an improper environment condition after the predetermined period has elapsed.

Abstract: An air conditioning system suitable for use in an electric vehicle. In the system, an air conditioning mechanism for air-conditioning the driver and passenger room of the vehicle is disposed in the vehicle. A sensor is attached to at least one window or disposed in the vicinity of the window. The sensor outputs a signal for making a decision as to whether or not the window is in a clear state. A glass heating device is used to heat each such window. When it is determined based on the output signal of the sensor that a window is unclear, either iced or foggy, a control device is activated to energize the glass heating device and to output a signal for controlling the power used by the air conditioning mechanism. Thus, water or moisture condensed on the surface of each window or ice formed on the surface thereof can be quickly removed. Further, the total amount of energy to be used by the air conditioning system can be reduced.