Abstract: Provided are: spherical crystalline silica particles which ensure higher productivity and lower production costs than conventional ones, contain plenty of quartz having high thermal conductivity, have high fluidity, high dispersibility, high filling property, and low abrasion property, and are also applicable to semiconductor field; and a method for producing the spherical crystalline silica particles. The crystalline silica particles are characterized in that with respect to the total mass of the particles, the content of a crystal phase is at least 90 mass % and the content of a quartz crystal is at least 70 mass %. In addition, at least one kind of alkali metals may be contained in an amount of 0.4-5 mass % in terms of oxides, with respect to the total mass of the particles. Furthermore, at least one kind of alkaline earth metals may be contained in an amount of 1-5 mass % in terms of oxides, with respect to the total mass of the particles.

Abstract: A battery monitoring device includes temperature detectors that detect respective temperatures of battery elements in a battery of an electric vehicle. The temperature detectors each include first and second detection circuits, a comparator circuit, and first and second output terminals. The first detection circuit detects a temperature in a first temperature range and generates a first detection signal. The second detection circuit detects a temperature in a second temperature range and generates a second detection signal. The comparator circuit compares a detection output signal with a threshold and generates a flag signal indicative of the presence or absence of an abnormal event. The detection output signal and the flag signal are outputted through a first output terminal and a second output terminal, respectively. Each of the temperature detectors switches the detection output signal between the first detection signal and the second detection signal on the basis of the flag signal.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing device having a heater that includes a first heating element, a second heating element having a length smaller than the first heating element length, and a third heating element having a length smaller than the second heating element length. The image forming apparatus further includes a first temperature detection unit, a control unit, second temperature detection units, first and second sheet-width detection units, and a determination unit. The control unit controls a heater temperature based on the first temperature detection unit detection result. The determination unit determines a width of the recording material based on a detection result of the first sheet-width detection units, a detection result of the second sheet-width detection units, and a detection result of the second temperature detection units.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a communicator, a road-surface abnormality determiner, and a driving controller. The communicator is configured to establish communication with a following vehicle following the vehicle driving ahead in a travel road. The road-surface abnormality determiner is configured to determine whether there is an abnormality on a road surface of the travel road, based on comparison between first driving information, serving as a reference to be used when the vehicle drives on the travel road, and second driving information detected as a result of the vehicle having actually driven. When the road-surface abnormality determiner determines that there is the abnormality, the driving controller is configured to predict whether the following vehicle is able to avoid the abnormality and to send an instruction to avoid the abnormality to the following vehicle via the communicator if the driving controller predicts that the following vehicle is able to avoid the abnormality.

Abstract: The heater including a substrate, a first heat generation member, a second heat generation member having a length substantially a same in a longitudinal direction as a length of the first heat generation member, a third heat generation member having a length shorter than lengths of the first heat generation member and the second heat generation member in the longitudinal direction, and a fourth heat generation member having a length shorter than length of the third heat generation member in the longitudinal direction, wherein the first heat generation member, the second heat generation member, the third heat generation member and the fourth heat generation member are arranged on the substrate.

Abstract: A differential unit includes: a pinion gear shaft including a shaft portion and a gear portion; a ring gear meshing with the gear portion; a differential case that rotates with the ring gear; a differential gear mechanism accommodated in the differential case; a differential carrier having an accommodating space accommodating the differential case and the ring gear; and a pair of bearings supporting the pinion gear shaft such that the pinion gear shaft is rotatable with respect to the differential carrier. The differential carrier has an inner cylindrical portion, an outer cylindrical portion, and a connecting portion that are provided as a single member. The inner cylindrical portion has the pair of bearings fitted in the inner cylindrical portion. The outer cylindrical portion is provided radially outward of the inner cylindrical portion. The connecting portion connects the inner cylindrical portion and the outer cylindrical portion.

Abstract: The heater including a substrate, a first heat generation member, a second heat generation member having a length substantially a same in a longitudinal direction as a length of the first heat generation member, a third heat generation member having a length shorter than lengths of the first heat generation member and the second heat generation member in the longitudinal direction, and a fourth heat generation member having a length shorter than length of the third heat generation member in the longitudinal direction, wherein the first heat generation member, the second heat generation member, the third heat generation member and the fourth heat generation member are arranged on the substrate.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a Ni-based heat-resistant alloy including Ir: 5.0 mass % or more and 50.0 mass % or less, Al: 1.0 mass % or more and 8.0 mass % or less, W: 5.0 mass % or more and 25.0 mass % or less, and balance Ni, having an L12-structured ?? phase present in the matrix, and including at least one of Zr: 0.01 mass % or more and 3.0 mass % or less and Hf: 0.01 mass % or more and 3.0 mass % or less. This Ni-based heat-resistant alloy has improved toughness over a conventional Ni-based heat-resistant alloy based on a Ni—Ir—Al—W-based alloy, and is also excellent in ambient-temperature strength.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a Ni-based heat-resistant alloy including Ir: 5.0 mass % or more and 50.0 mass % or less, Al: 1.0 mass % or more and 8.0 mass % or less, W: 5.0 mass % or more and 25.0 mass % or less, and balance Ni, having an L12-structured ?? phase present in the matrix, and including at least one of Ru: 0.8 mass % or more and 5.0 mass % or less and Re: 0.8 mass % or more and 5.0 mass % or less. This Ni-based heat-resistant alloy has improved toughness over a conventional Ni-based heat-resistant alloy based on a Ni—Ir—Al—W-based alloy, and is also excellent in ambient-temperature strength.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprises a plurality of sheet detection units, provided at different positions along a sheet width direction, configured to detect the sheet conveyed on a conveyance path. A controller determines, by using the plurality of sheet detection units, a presence or absence of a sheet being conveyed in each of a plurality of regions sectioned in the sheet width direction, and determines, based on input image data, a presence or absence of an image to be formed in each of the plurality of regions. The controller further determines, based on the above determination results, whether or not the image to be formed on the sheet being conveyed is to be formed with a deviation from the sheet, and controls an image forming operation in accordance with this determination result.

Abstract: A residual gas volume measuring device for measuring volume of residual gas in a container filled with liquid. The device includes: a puncture member having a first communication path and a second communication path formed therein and connecting a penetrating portion and a coupling portion together, the penetrating portion being located inside the container and the coupling portion being located outside the container when the puncture member is in a penetrating position where an end of the puncture member penetrates into the container; an injection section coupled to the first communication path at the coupling portion and configured to inject a liquid into the container; a discharging section coupled to the second communication path at the coupling portion and configured to discharge the residual gas purged by the injected liquid; and a measurement section configured to measure the volume of the residual gas discharged by the discharging section.

Abstract: A control apparatus of an electric vehicle including a motor capable of outputting a vehicle driving force that is a driving force acting on the electric vehicle, and a brake device configured to generate a vehicle braking force that is a braking force acting on the electric vehicle in accordance with a brake operation performed by a driver, includes: a controller. The controller is configured to start a first hill-hold control for maintaining the electric vehicle in a stopped state by using the vehicle driving force generated by the motor as a stopping force for stopping the electric vehicle when the brake operation is interrupted.

Abstract: A differential electrical protection device D including N?1 phase conductors, each phase conductor including, between an input, or upper, connection land and an output, or lower, connection land, a portion able to pass through a torus and a portion able to pass through a current measurement and supply sensor, the input connection lands being situated in a first plane P1, and the output connection lands extending in a second plane P2, in that the supply and measurement sensors of the N?1 phase conductors are each positioned in the space situated between the two planes P1,P2, and wherein it includes an additional phase conductor including an input connection land and an output connection land, a portion able to pass through the torus and a portion able to pass through an additional measurement sensor only measuring the current, this additional measurement sensor being of small size and being positioned directly above the torus in such a way that the assembly formed by the torus and the additional sensor is situ

Abstract: In a case where fixing processing is performed continuously on sheets having a width that is shorter than a length of a heat generation member in a longitudinal direction and longer than a length of another heat generation member in the longitudinal directions, the CPU determines a timing to switch between the heat generation member and the another heat generation member by a heat generation member switching device based on information relating to a size of the sheet.

Abstract: An electric power supply system of an electrical vehicle includes a first battery, a battery controller managing the first battery, a second battery supplying second power having a voltage lower than a voltage of the first power, and a control electric power supply management device including a joining line that is able to draw a current from each of a first and a second power supply lines. The control electric power supply management device transmits, depending on a magnitude in voltage level between first and second voltages, one of the first and second powers to the battery controller from one of the first and second power supply lines via the joining line. The first and second voltages are respectively applied to the joining line from the first and second power supply lines when the currents are to be drawn from the first and second power supply lines, respectively.

Abstract: Provided is a composite ceramic layered body, including: a substrate; and a composite ceramic that coats the substrate, the composite ceramic including a nitride phase and an oxide phase having an elastic modulus that differs from an elastic modulus of the nitride phase by 10% or more. The composite ceramic includes, among the nitride phase and the oxide phase, a first phase that occupies a largest area ratio, and a toughening phase that occupies an area ratio of 1% or more and has a largest difference in elastic modulus from an elastic modulus of the first phase. In a case in which the first phase is the nitride phase, the toughening phase is the oxide phase, and in a case in which the first phase is the oxide phase, the toughening phase is the nitride phase.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing device having a heater that includes a first heating element, a second heating element having a length smaller than the first heating element length, and a third heating element having a length smaller than the second heating element length. The image forming apparatus further includes a first temperature detection unit, a control unit, second temperature detection units, first and second sheet-width detection units, and a determination unit. The control unit controls a heater temperature based on the first temperature detection unit detection result. The determination unit determines a width of the recording material based on a detection result of the first sheet-width detection units, a detection result of the second sheet-width detection units, and a detection result of the second temperature detection units.

Abstract: In a case where fixing processing is performed continuously on sheets having a width that is shorter than a length of a heat generation member in a longitudinal direction and longer than a length of another heat generation member in the longitudinal directions, the CPU determines a timing to switch between the heat generation member and the another heat generation member by a heat generation member switching device based on information relating to a size of the sheet.

Abstract: The present invention provides a ceramic laminate having excellent mechanical properties, heat dissipation property, insulating property, heat resistance and anti-reactivity, and particularly an insulative heat dissipating body having an excellent thermal cycle reliability and a high withstand voltage. The ceramic laminate 1 according to the present invention is a ceramic laminate in which a ceramic film 3 is formed on a metal layer 2, wherein the ceramic film 3 has a minimum film thickness of 1 ?m or more, contains silicon nitride and inevitable impurities, and has silicon nitride crystal grains having an average grain size of 300 nm or less in the film thickness direction and an average grain size of 500 nm or less in the in-plane direction.

Abstract: A ceramic laminate improving the mechanical characteristics of a composite ceramic layer which has excellent thermal fatigue resistance, thermal conductivity, and insulation ability and having excellent durability and heat dissipation and insulation ability and a ceramic insulating substrate and a method of production of a ceramic laminate are provided. In a cross-section perpendicular to the bonding interfaces, the average size of the second phase particles 3 is 0.02 ?m to 0.3 ?m and the average value of the ratio of the long axis and short axis of an equivalent ellipse when viewing a second phase particle 3 as an ellipse is 2 to 10. Further, 60% or more of the number of the second phase particles 3 has an orientation angle of 30° or less while the average orientation angle is 5° to 35°.