Abstract: To restrain deterioration of fuel cells while preventing a battery from being overcharged, a fuel cell vehicle includes a motor for providing torque to wheels, a battery for storing electric power to provide the stored electric power to the motor, and a FC stack for generating electric power to provide the generated electric power to the motor and the battery. A battery charge level determining module determines a battery charge level of the battery, and a FET is configured to connect or disconnect the FC stack to the motor and the battery. A controller is configured to cause the FET to disconnect the FC stack from the motor and the battery and allow power generation by the FC stack when the determined battery charge level by the battery charge level determining module is greater than or equal to a first predetermined threshold.

Abstract: A fuel cell stack 5 adapted for an electrochemical reaction of a fuel gas to generate an electric power is provided with a working point measuring section 51 for measuring a generation voltage and a generation current of the fuel cell stack 5, and connected to a controller 7 including an output characteristic map memory 72 for storing output characteristics of the fuel cell stack 5, and a potential output power estimator 71 for estimating a potential output power of the fuel cell stack 5 based on a combination of a current generation voltage VO and a current generation current IO measured by the working point measuring section 51 and pieces of information stored in the output characteristic map memory 72.

Abstract: A fuel cell stack 5 adapted for an electrochemical reaction of a fuel gas to generate an electric power is provided with a working point measuring section 51 for measuring a generation voltage and a generation current of the fuel cell stack 5, and connected to a controller 7 including an output characteristic map memory 72 for storing output characteristics of the fuel cell stack 5, and a potential output power estimator 71 for estimating a potential output power of the fuel cell stack 5 based on a combination of a current generation voltage VO and a current generation current IO measured by the working point measuring section 51 and pieces of information stored in the output characteristic map memory 72.

Abstract: The grill shutter is disposed between the front grill and the air intake duct. The grill shutter is capable of opening or closing shutter members and regulating positions of the shutter members when being opened. When a maximum supplied flow rate of air provided by the wind during running is greater than a flow rate of air required for the hydrogen fuel battery, the required flow rate of air is established only by opening/closing control of the shutter members through a grill shutter opening instruction. If this is not the case, the grill shutter members are opened fully through the grill shutter opening instruction to maximize the volume of the wind during running taken in from the front grille. Additionally, a shortfall in the required flow rate of air for the hydrogen fuel battery is compensated for by actuating the blower through a blower speed instruction.

Abstract: To restrain deterioration of fuel cells while preventing a battery from being overcharged, a fuel cell vehicle includes a motor for providing torque to wheels, a battery for storing electric power to provide the stored electric power to the motor, and a FC stack for generating electric power to provide the generated electric power to the motor and the battery. A battery charge level determining module determines a battery charge level of the battery, and a FET is configured to connect or disconnect the FC stack to the motor and the battery. A controller is configured to cause the FET to disconnect the FC stack from the motor and the battery and allow power generation by the FC stack when the determined battery charge level by the battery charge level determining module is greater than or equal to a first predetermined threshold.

Abstract: An exhaust apparatus includes a lower side exhaust duct and an upper side exhaust duct which are branched vertically, and in that the lower side exhaust duct is extended toward the lower side of the vehicle from an exhaust outlet portion of the air-cooled fuel cell stack, and the downstream end portion of the lower side exhaust duct is opened at a lower portion of the front compartment, while the upper side exhaust duct is extended toward the upper side of the vehicle from an upper portion of an outer wall of the lower side exhaust duct, the outer wall extending toward the lower side of the vehicle, and the downstream end portion of the upper side exhaust duct is opened between the rear end portion of the front hood and the front end portion of the front window.

Abstract: The grill shutter is disposed between the front grill and the air intake duct. The grill shutter is capable of opening or closing shutter members and regulating positions of the shutter members when being opened. When a maximum supplied flow rate of air provided by the wind during running is greater than a flow rate of air required for the hydrogen fuel battery, the required flow rate of air is established only by opening/closing control of the shutter members through a grill shutter opening instruction. If this is not the case, the grill shutter members are opened fully through the grill shutter opening instruction to maximize the volume of the wind during running taken in from the front grille. Additionally, a shortfall in the required flow rate of air for the hydrogen fuel battery is compensated for by actuating the blower through a blower speed instruction.

Abstract: Provided are a thickening agent for an alkaline battery, which can satisfactorily retain long-term discharge characteristics (discharge quantity and discharge time) and provide excellent impact resistance, and an alkaline battery used therewith. In the invention, the thickening agent for an alkaline battery comprises (A) a crosslinked polymer comprising, as essential constituent units, (a1) a water-soluble vinyl monomer and/or (a2) a vinyl monomer being converted into (a1) by hydrolysis, (b) a hydrolyzable crosslinking agent undergoing alkaline hydrolysis, and (c) a non-hydrolyzable crosslinking agent not undergoing alkaline hydrolysis, wherein (b) and (c) each has a content of 0.05% to 1% by weight based on the weight of (A), and satisfies Requirements (1) and (2) described below: Requirement (1): the weight ratio (b)/(c) between (b) and (c) is from 1.0 to 5.0; Requirement (2): a specific solution (S1) has a viscosity of 25 to 100 Pa·s at 25° C.

Abstract: An air-intake apparatus for an air-cooled fuel cell according to this invention is provided with outside air temperature-detecting means; an outside air flow passage; an outside air flow rate-regulating valve; inside air temperature-detecting means; an inside air flow passage; an inside air flow rate-regulating valve; an air-conditioning air passage; an air-conditioning air flow rate-regulating valve; and air-intake control means for driving and controlling the outside air flow rate-regulating valve, the inside air flow rate-regulating valve, and the air-conditioning air flow rate-regulating valve on the basis of respective temperatures detected by the outside air temperature-detecting means and the inside air temperature-detecting means, wherein this air-intake control means generates a gas having a temperature optimized by making the gas pass through one or more of these flow passages and regulating valves, and supplies this gas to the fuel cell main unit as an oxidizing gas.

Abstract: An exhaust apparatus includes a lower side exhaust duct and an upper side exhaust duct which are branched vertically, and in that the lower side exhaust duct is extended toward the lower side of the vehicle from an exhaust outlet portion of the air-cooled fuel cell stack, and the downstream end portion of the lower side exhaust duct is opened at a lower portion of the front compartment, while the upper side exhaust duct is extended toward the upper side of the vehicle from an upper portion of an outer wall of the lower side exhaust duct, the outer wall extending toward the lower side of the vehicle, and the downstream end portion of the upper side exhaust duct is opened between the rear end portion of the front hood and the front end portion of the front window.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide absorbent resin particles for a water-stopping tape which are superior in absorption rate even when their average particle size is smaller or when their particle size distribution is wider. The present invention relates to absorbent resin particles for a water-stopping tape comprising a crosslinked polymer (A1) comprising a water-soluble vinyl monomer (a1) and/or a hydrolyzable vinyl monomer (a2) and a crosslinking agent (b) as essential constitutional units, wherein a hydrophobic substance (C) is present inside the absorbent resin particles in an amount of from 0.01 to 10.0% by weight relative to the weight of (A1) and (C) is present on the surface of the absorbent resin particles in an amount of from 0.001 to 1.0% by weight relative to the weight of (A1).

Abstract: Provided are a thickening agent for an alkaline battery, which can satisfactorily retain long-term discharge characteristics (discharge quantity and discharge time) and provide excellent impact resistance, and an alkaline battery used therewith. In the invention, the thickening agent for an alkaline battery comprises (A) a crosslinked polymer comprising, as essential constituent units, (a1) a water-soluble vinyl monomer and/or (a2) a vinyl monomer being converted into (a1) by hydrolysis, (b) a hydrolyzable crosslinking agent undergoing alkaline hydrolysis, and (c) a non-hydrolyzable crosslinking agent not undergoing alkaline hydrolysis, wherein (b) and (c) each has a content of 0.05% to 1% by weight based on the weight of (A), and satisfies Requirements (1) and (2) described below: Requirement (1): the weight ratio (b)/(c) between (b) and (c) is from 1.0 to 5.0; Requirement (2): a specific solution (S1) has a viscosity of 25 to 100 Pa·s at 25° C.

Abstract: Various arrangements are disclosed wherein biomass processing services are provided to a producer of an agricultural product. One such arrangement may include the producer paying a fee or offering biomass related products to a buyer in exchange for receiving the biomass processing services. At least a portion of the fee for providing the biomass processing services may be paid by delivery of a quantity and/or quality of agricultural products, biomass byproducts, or biomass derivative products. In certain embodiments, arrangements between the producer and the buyer may also involve establishing vendor credit accounts or providing other financing programs to the producer.

Abstract: An optical pick-up device having cheap and simple structure capable of precisely positioning members assembled upon an actuator base makes use of respective flush screw members for a magnet holder and for a printed-circuit board eccentrically positioned between an actuator base and a magnet holder, together with between the printed-circuit board and the support member. The flush screw member is inserted through the holder hole, firmly secured into the screw hole, and thereby prevents the pick-up device from being loosened, because of being provided with a predetermined eccentric distance between center axles of the screw hole and the holder hole. Likewise, a triangle-shape opening of the printed-circuit board is adapted to receive the board flush screw, so that a slant tapered surface of a board flush head of the board flush screw acts as an eccentrically fastener for fixture and positioning of the support member and the printed-circuit board.

Abstract: A method and device for manufacturing UOE steel pipes, wherein, when an opening width of the U-can obtained by U-ing press is larger than the die-diameter in an O-press of later step, while said opening is narrowed from the front end by the closing rolls disposed before said O-press and/or at least at the entrance portion of the O-press to be smaller than the die-diameter of said O-press, the U-can is simultaneously conveyed into the O-press, and then, after charging into the O-press, undergoes O-ing press to yield an O-can. The device is preferably configured to have the closing rolls disposed in a roll stand and consisted of multiple pairs, to have a mechanism to prevent the U-can from moving upward during narrowing the opening width, and to have the function of conveying the U-can. Thus, UOE steel pipes for high-strength application corresponding to X80 grade can be efficiently manufactured.

Abstract: Each pivot shaft of a drive chassis has hooks to allow the drive chassis to be held by a main chassis. Preferably, each bearing portion of the main chassis corresponding to each of the pivot shafts has an engagement groove, while the main chassis has stoppers for preventing positional slippage of the pivot shafts. Thus, in case a force is applied to the drive chassis in a direction perpendicular to an optical disc insertion direction, the hooks of the each shaft of the drive chassis are stopped by an inner wall of the engagement groove and the stopper, respectively, of the main chassis. Thereby, the drive chassis is prevented from falling off the main chassis.

Abstract: A method and device for manufacturing UOE steel pipes, wherein, when an opening width of the U-can obtained by U-ing press is larger than the die-diameter in an O-press of later step, while said opening is narrowed from the front end by the closing rolls disposed before said O-press and/or at least at the entrance portion of the O-press to be smaller than the die-diameter of said O-press, the U-can is simultaneously conveyed into the O-press, and then, after charging into the O-press, undergoes O-ing press to yield an O-can. The device is preferably configured to have the closing rolls disposed in a roll stand and consisted of multiple pairs, to have a mechanism to prevent the U-can from moving upward during narrowing the opening width, and to have the function of conveying the U-can. Thus, UOE steel pipes for high-strength application corresponding to X80 grade can be efficiently manufactured.

Abstract: In order to achieve an object of making an optical pick-up have a cheap and simple structure capable of precisely positioning members assembled upon an actuator base 1, the optical pick-up device make a use of respective flush screw members 19, 20 for a magnet holder 11 and for a printed-circuit board 15 eccentrically positioned between an actuator base 1 and a magnet holder 11, together with between the printed-circuit board 15 and the support member 2. The flush screw member 19 serves to be inserted through the holder hole 11a, to be firmly secured into the screw hole 1a, and to thereby prevent the pick-up device from being loosened, because of being provided with a predetermined eccentric distance t1 between a center of axle O1 of the screw hole 1a and a center of axle O2 of the holder hole 11a.

Abstract: Each pivot shaft of a drive chassis has hooks to allow the drive chassis to be held by a main chassis. Preferably, each bearing portion of the main chassis corresponding to each of the pivot shafts has an engagement groove, while the main chassis has stoppers for preventing positional slippage of the pivot shafts. Thus, in case a force is applied to the drive chassis in a direction perpendicular to an optical disc insertion direction, the hooks of the each shaft of the drive chassis are stopped by an inner wall of the engagement groove and the stopper, respectively, of the main chassis. Thereby, the drive chassis is prevented from falling off the main chassis.