Abstract: There are included a first heat exchanger (42) for causing heat to be exchanged between refrigerant and air in an interior of a vehicle (1), a heating circuit (36) for causing the refrigerant with a temperature higher than that of the air in the interior of the vehicle to circulate through the first heat exchanger, a secondary battery (21) where charging and discharging of power are performed, a cooling water circuit (50) for causing cooling water that exchanges heat with the secondary battery to circulate, a second heat exchanger (61) for causing heat to be exchanged between the refrigerant and the cooling water, the second heat exchanger being provided in a manner including a portion of the heating circuit downstream of the first heat exchanger and a portion of the cooling water circuit, and a case (23) for covering the secondary battery, the cooling water circuit, and the second heat exchanger.

Abstract: There are included a first heat exchanger (42) for causing heat to be exchanged between refrigerant and air in an interior of a vehicle (1), a heating circuit (36) for causing the refrigerant with a temperature higher than that of the air in the interior of the vehicle to circulate through the first heat exchanger, a secondary battery (21) where charging and discharging of power are performed, a cooling water circuit (50) for causing cooling water that exchanges heat with the secondary battery to circulate, a second heat exchanger (61) for causing heat to be exchanged between the refrigerant and the cooling water, the second heat exchanger being provided in a manner including a portion of the heating circuit downstream of the first heat exchanger and a portion of the cooling water circuit, and a case (23) for covering the secondary battery, the cooling water circuit, and the second heat exchanger.

Abstract: A field-winding type of synchronous machine comprises a stator with an armature winding wound phase by phase, a rotor having a rotor core with a field winding wound, and a circuit enabling an armature current to pass the armature winding, the armature current corresponding to a synchronous current producing a rotation field rotating at an electrical-angle rotation speed agreeing to a rotation speed of the rotor. The synchronous machine further comprises a current suppressor and a current supplier. The current suppressor is connected to the field winging and suppresses, into a unidirectional current, an induced alternating current induced through the field winding in response to the armature current passing the armature winding. The current supplier supplies, phase by phase, to the armature winding a rotor exciting current whose waveform is different from the synchronous current only during a predetermined period of time shorter than one cycle of the synchronous current.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for manufacturing a soft magnetic powder material covered by oxide layers at surfaces of the powder, by using a soft magnetic alloy powder containing a soft magnetic powder material and a second element such as Si having an oxidizing reactivity higher than iron, and heating the soft magnetic alloy powder in an atmosphere of a weak oxidizing gas by mixing a weak oxidizing gas in an inert gas, and oxidizing selectively the second element at surface layers of the powder while restraining an oxidation of iron to form thin oxide layers with high electrical resistance.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for preparing a soft magnetic material which meets demands for low iron loss, high density, high strength and high productivity. The method comprises a surface oxidation step of forming oxide films on the surfaces of a soft magnetic powder, a step of preparing a molding compound of the soft magnetic powder by mixing a soft magnetic powder and a binder with a predetermined blending ratio, a press molding step of press-molding the molding compound of the soft magnetic powder into a predetermined shape, and a sintering step of sintering the press-molded soft magnetic powder to produce a soft magnetic material, wherein a millimeter wave sintering apparatus or a discharge plasma sintering apparatus is used as a heating means in the surface oxidation step or in the sintering step.

Abstract: A field-winding type of synchronous machine comprises a stator with an armature winding wound phase by phase, a rotor having a rotor core with a field winding wound, and a circuit enabling an armature current to pass the armature winding, the armature current corresponding to a synchronous current producing a rotation field rotating at an electrical-angle rotation speed agreeing to a rotation speed of the rotor. The synchronous machine further comprises a current suppressor and a current supplier. The current suppressor is connected to the field winging and suppresses, into a unidirectional current, an induced alternating current induced through the field winding in response to the armature current passing the armature winding. The current supplier supplies, phase by phase, to the armature winding a rotor exciting current whose waveform is different from the synchronous current only during a predetermined period of time shorter than one cycle of the synchronous current.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for manufacturing a soft magnetic material, wherein an Fe—Si alloy powder is heated in a weakly oxidizing atmosphere to form a SiO2 oxide film on the surface, and the powder is then press-molded and fired in a weakly oxidizing atmosphere to obtain a sintered product. By performing the surface oxidizing step in a weakly oxidizing atmosphere such as water vapor, Si is selectively oxidized to form a thin oxide film with high electrical resistance. Furthermore, by firing the molded product in a weakly oxidizing atmosphere, the sintering can be performed while the oxide film, in which cracks and the like are generated at the press-molding, is repaired.

Abstract: A thermoelectric module 2 constituting an exhaust heat recovery system has p-type semiconductors 3p and n-type semiconductors 3n which both constitute thermoelements 3 for converting a difference in temperature between high temperature side end portions 21 and low temperature side end portions 22 into electricity. The thermoelectric module 2 is constructed such that the n-type semiconductors 3n and the p-type semiconductors 3p are stacked alternately along a longitudinal direction of an exhaust pipe portion 20 with heat insulating support portions 41, 42 being interposed therebetween, and the n-type semiconductors 3n and the p-type semiconductors 3p are electrically connected to each other via electrode members at the high temperature side end portions 21 and the low temperature side end portions 22.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for manufacturing a soft magnetic powder material covered by oxide layers at surfaces of the powder, by using a soft magnetic alloy powder containing a soft magnetic powder material and a second element such as Si having an oxidizing reactivity higher than iron, and heating the soft magnetic alloy powder in an atmosphere of a weak oxidizing gas by mixing a weak oxidizing gas in an inert gas, and oxidizing selectively the second element at surface layers of the powder while restraining an oxidation of iron to form thin oxide layers with high electrical resistance.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for preparing a soft magnetic material which meets demands for low iron loss, high density, high strength and high productivity. The method comprises a surface oxidation step of forming oxide films on the surfaces of a soft magnetic powder, a step of preparing a molding compound of the soft magnetic powder by mixing a soft magnetic powder and a binder with a predetermined blending ratio, a press molding step of press-molding the molding compound of the soft magnetic powder into a predetermined shape, and a sintering step of sintering the press-molded soft magnetic powder to produce a soft magnetic material, wherein a millimeter wave sintering apparatus or a discharge plasma sintering apparatus is used as a heating means in the surface oxidation step or in the sintering step.

Abstract: A first core is formed by stacking a plurality of magnetic plates of a soft magnetic material, such as iron, in a direction perpendicular to a plane of each magnetic plate. A bonding thin layer made of iron oxide having a thickness of approximately a few nanometers to a few hundred micrometers is formed between adjacent ones of the magnetic plates. The adjacent magnetic plates are bonded to each other by diffusion bonding in such a manner that the bonding thin layer is interposed between the adjacent magnetic plates to electrically insulate between the adjacent magnetic plate.

Abstract: A first core is formed by stacking a plurality of magnetic plates of a soft magnetic material, such as iron, in a direction perpendicular to a plane of each magnetic plate. A bonding thin layer made of iron oxide having a thickness of approximately a few nanometers to a few hundred micrometers is formed between adjacent ones of the magnetic plates. The adjacent magnetic plates are bonded to each other by diffusion bonding in such a manner that the bonding thin layer is interposed between the adjacent magnetic plates to electrically insulate between the adjacent magnetic plate.

Abstract: An air-supply module including an air cleaner case, a throttle body, a surge tank, manifold pipes and other components is integrated into one single unit. The module is mounted as a whole on an internal combustion engine by simply connecting a flange formed at an eigne side end of the manifold pipes to intake ports of the engine. Bolts sticking out of the intake ports are inserted into mounting holes formed on the flange, and nuts are screwed onto the bolts by a nut runner. The mounting holes on the flange are located between the manifold pipes so that the nut runner can reach the nuts directly from the outside of the module without disassembling any components already assembled into the module. Other components including the air cleaner case are disposed in the module to secure a tool space and not to interfere with the mounting operation.

Abstract: An air induction unit is composed of an air filter, a resinous intake manifold for inducting air filtered by the air filter into intake ports of the engine, a resinous case and a resinous cap. The air filter, intake manifold and fuel injectors are disposed inside the resinous case and the resinous cap. The resinous case and the resinous cap have respectively double-wall structure composed of inside walls and outside walls and noise-and-heat-insulation members between the inside walls and the outside walls.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting the concentration of particles in a liquid includes a light-emitting portion for emitting examination light which is totally reflected-by a boundary surface contiguous to the liquid to be examined, a photosensor for receiving the totally-reflected light, a reference sensor for directly receiving the examination light, and a judgment portion for finding the reflectance from outputs of the two sensors to compute the particle concentration. In case that the liquid to be examined is lubricating oil of an engine, the concentration of carbon particles is calculated, thereby judging the deterioration of the lubricating oil.

Abstract: The present invention provides an intake control valve which is able to reduce intake air leakage, control the amount of intake air with high accuracy, and to allow easy installation to an intake manifold. The intake control valve of an intake control device according to the present invention has a valve body, a case, and an actuator. The valve body is rotatably installed in the case, opening and closing an openingclosing passage formed in the case. The case is fitted with the actuator, which functions to rotate the valve body. In the meantime, the intake manifold is provided for a mounting bore formed for insertion of the case. On the outer side of the case are installed sealing members, which contact the wall surface of the mounting bore to prevent air leakage. The intake control valve is installed in the mounting bore formed in the intake manifold after assembling the valve body, the case and the actuator into one unit.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine has a plurality of cylinders and intake passages leading to the cylinders respectively. A plurality of intake control valves block and unblock the intake passages respectively. Drive devices open and close the intake control valves mutually-independently. A detecting device serves to detect a predetermined condition of the engine under which a speed of the engine is required to vary. A control device performs a control of closing the intake control valves mutually-independently by use of the drive devices after the detecting device detects the predetermined condition of the engine.