Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a carbonaceous molded article for electrodes having high charge/discharge capacity, high initial charge/discharge efficiency, and excellent cycle life without a polymeric binder. The above object can be achieved by the carbonaceous molded article for electrodes of the present invention comprising a carbon fiber nonwoven fabric, the article having a thickness of not greater than 1 mm, an atomic ratio (H/C) of hydrogen atoms and carbon atoms according to elemental analysis of not greater than 0.1, a porosity determined from a bulk density and a butanol true density of the molded article of 25 to 80%, and a volatile content of not greater than 5.0 wt %.

Abstract: A negative electrode material for a lithium-ion secondary battery, in which the negative electrode material includes a composite particle including a spherical graphite particle and plural graphite particles that have a compressed shape and that aggregate or are combined so as to have nonparallel orientation planes, and the negative electrode material has an R-value in a Raman measurement of from 0.03 to 0.10, and has a pore volume as obtained by mercury porosimetry of from 0.2 mL/g to 1.0 mL/g in a pore diameter range of from 0.1 ?m to 8 ?m.

Abstract: A graphite-based active material including: a first composite particle including a first graphite core particle and a first non-graphite-based carbon material covering the surface of the first graphite core particle; and a second composite particle including a second graphite core particle and a second non-graphite-based carbon material covering the surface of the second graphite core particle, wherein the mass fraction of the second non-graphite-based carbon material in the second composite particle, mass fraction B, is 5% by mass or more and more than the mass fraction of the first non-graphite-based carbon material in the first composite particle, mass fraction A, and the proportion of the second composite particle to the total of the first composite particle and the second composite particle is 1% by mass or more.

Abstract: The present invention provides an olivine-type positive active material precursor for a lithium battery that includes MXO4-zBz (wherein M is one element selected from the group consisting of Fe, Ni, Co, Mn, Cr, Zr, Nb, Cu, V, Ti, Zn, Al, Ga, Mg, B, and a combination thereof, X is one element selected from the group consisting of P, As, Bi, Sb, and a combination thereof, B is one element selected from the group consisting of F, S, and a combination thereof, and 0?z?0.5) particles, and the precursor has a particle diameter of 1 to 20 ?m, a tap density of 0.8 to 2.1 g/cm3, and a specific surface area of 1 to 10 m2/g. The olivine-type positive active material prepared using the olivine-type positive active material precursor has excellent crystallinity of particles, a large particle diameter, and a high tap density, and therefore shows excellent electrochemical characteristics and capacity per unit volume.

Abstract: To provide a secondary cell including an electrode active material that is a compound represented by General Formula (1) below: where n is a natural number of from 4 through 8, a is a natural number of from 1 through 4, R1 and R2 may be identical to or different from each other and are each a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, or an aromatic hydrocarbon group that may have a substituent, Y is a substituent, and b is an integer of from 0 through 3 and a+b is 4 or less in General Formula (1).

Abstract: The present application relates to a cathode, a method of manufacturing the same, and a battery including the same. The present application may provide a cathode and a method of manufacturing the same, wherein the cathode comprises an active material layer that contains an acrylic polymer and exhibits excellent resistance to an electrolyte, excellent dispersion of its components and great adhesion to a current collector.

Abstract: Provided is a slurry for lithium ion secondary battery positive electrode-use that includes a positive electrode active material, a binding material, a conductive material, and an organic solvent. The positive electrode active material is a lithium cobalt-based composite oxide particle having an oxide of at least one metal selected from the group consisting of Mg, Ca, Al, B, Ti, and Zr on its surface. The binding material includes a polymer (P1) and a fluorine-containing polymer (P2). The polymer (P1) includes a nitrile group-containing monomer unit, a (meth)acrylic acid ester monomer unit, and an alkylene structural unit having a carbon number of at least 4, and does not substantially include a hydrophilic group-containing monomer unit.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a conductive porous material that has a large specific surface area, that is not easily damaged by pressure, and that can be applied to a variety of applications; a polymer electrolyte fuel cell, and a method of manufacturing a conductive porous material. The conductive porous material is one which is an aggregate of fibrous substances comprising first conductive materials, and second conductive materials that connect between the first conductive materials, and its specific surface area is 100 m2/g or more, and its thickness retention rate after pressing at 2 MPa is 60% or more. Such a conductive porous material can be manufactured by spinning a spinning solution containing a first conductive material and a carbonizable organic material to form a precursor fiber porous material in which precursor fibers are aggregated, and carbonizing the carbonizable organic material to convert it into a second conductive material.

Abstract: Provided is a porous electrode substrate having excellent thickness precision, gas permeability and conductivity, handling efficiency, low production costs and a high carbonization rate during carbonization. Also provided are a method for manufacturing such a substrate, a precursor sheet and fibrillar fiber used for forming such a substrate, along with a membrane electrode assembly and a polymer electrolyte fuel cell that contain such a substrate. The method for manufacturing a porous electrode substrate includes step (1) for manufacturing a precursor sheet in which short carbon fibers (A) and carbon fiber precursor (b) are dispersed, and step (2) for carbonizing the precursor sheet, and the volume contraction rate of carbon fiber precursor (b) in step (2) is 83% or lower.

Abstract: Some embodiments are directed to a dual activation mode thermal battery for powering a load. The thermal battery can include a first power source activable upon receiving mechanical energy. The thermal battery can also include a second power source activable through one of the electrical power produced by the first power source and external electrical stimuli, the second power source is configured to, upon activation provide a voltage for powering the load, wherein the first power source and the second power source are thermally and electrically isolated and the initiator thermal energy output from one initiator is prevented from initiating the other power source directly.

Abstract: The present specification relates to a vanadium solution, an electrolyte including the same, a secondary battery including the same, and a method for preparing the same.

Abstract: A bipolar plate for a fuel cell, including a profiled anode plate and a profiled cathode plate, each having an active region and two distribution regions for feeding and discharging operating media to and from the active region, and each distribution region having a main anode-gas port for supplying and evacuating fuel, a main cathode-gas port for supplying and evacuating oxidant and a main coolant port for supplying and evacuating coolant, the ports being arranged along a lateral edge of the bipolar plate. The plates are stacked so that the bipolar plate has channels interconnecting the main operating media ports of both distribution regions, and the distribution regions have at least one overlapping section, in which the channels overlap such that they do not form fluidic connections. A fuel cell is also provided.

Abstract: A separator plate in an air-cooled fuel cell comprises a series of airflow channels, each channel extending longitudinally between first and second opposing edges of the separator plate. Each channel has a cross-sectional profile defining an airflow cross-section at points along the length of the channel, and at least selected ones of the channels each have a thermally conductive structure extending into the channel cross-section at selected intermediate longitudinal positions of the channel. The positions are disposed over an active area of the fuel cell, to locally enhance heat transfer from the active area via the plate to airflow moving through the channel.

Abstract: A cell frame for a redox flow battery comprises: a bipolar plate; and a frame body provided at an outer periphery of the bipolar plate, the frame body including a manifold which penetrates through front and back surfaces of the frame body and through which an electrolyte flows, and at least one slit being formed on the front surface of the frame body and forming a channel of the electrolyte between the manifold and the bipolar plate, a cross sectional shape of the slit, in a longitudinal direction of the slit, having a width w and a depth h, the width w and the depth h satisfying (A) w?3 mm and (B) 1/8<h/w<1.

Abstract: Disclosed is a reinforced membrane-seal assembly, the reinforced membrane-seal assembly including: an inner region and a border region and wherein the inner region includes ion-conducting component and the border region includes seal component; wherein first and second planar porous reinforcing components each extend across the inner region into the border region and wherein the pores of each of the first and second planar porous reinforcing components in the inner region are impregnated with ion-conducting component and the pores of each of the first and second planar porous reinforcing components in the border region are impregnated with seal component is disclosed. Also disclosed is a catalyst-coated reinforced membrane-seal assembly, a reinforced membrane-seal electrode assembly and an electrochemical device including the reinforced membrane-seal assembly.

Abstract: A fuel cell stack includes a stacked body, a first insulator and a second insulator. The stacked body includes power generation cells. The power generation cells are stacked in a stacking direction. The power generation cells include a first end power generation cell a second end power generation cell. Each of the power generation cells includes a membrane electrode assembly, a cathode separator and an anode separator. The first end power generation cell has an outermost cathode separator. The second end power generation cell has an outermost anode separator. The first insulator has a first recess in which a first heat-insulating body and a first terminal plate are accommodated. The second insulator has a second recess in which a second heat-insulating body and a second terminal plate are accommodated. A first number of first stacked heat-insulating layers is larger than a second number of second stacked heat-insulating layers.

Abstract: An air intake structure for a fuel cell vehicle includes an air inlet port, an air passage, and a water separation passage. The air inlet port is provided in a front space of the fuel cell vehicle in which a fuel cell is accommodated. The air passage is connected to the air inlet port such that air flows from the air inlet port to the fuel cell through the air passage. The air passage has a branch point and a first minimum passage sectional area located downstream with respect to the branch point. The water separation passage has a downstream opening in the front space and extending from the branch point to the downstream opening below the air passage to separate water from the air. The water separation passage has a second minimum passage sectional area which is smaller than the first minimum passage sectional area.

Abstract: A fuel cell includes a first separator including a reactant gas buffer portion which includes a first buffer region and a second buffer region. The first buffer region has a first depth in the stacking direction. First embossed portions are formed in the first buffer region. Each of the first embossed portions has a first diameter and a first radius of a corner at a distal end of each of the first embossed portions. The second buffer region has a second depth in the stacking direction larger than the first depth. Second embossed portions are formed in the second buffer region. Each of the second embossed portions has a second diameter and a second radius of a corner at a distal end of each of the second embossed portions. The second diameter is smaller than the first diameter or the second radius is smaller than the second diameter.

Abstract: Systems and methods for testing a fuel cell stack include a vacuum source, a test head including at least one isolated vacuum plenum configured to be positioned in fluid communication with a first portion of the fuel cell stack, the isolated vacuum plenum in fluid communication with the vacuum source, and a detector in fluid communication with the at least one isolated vacuum plenum for detecting the presence of a particular constituent of a fluid provided in a second portion of the fuel cell stack, where the second portion of the fuel cell stack is separated from the first portion of the fuel cell stack by at least one of an electrolyte and a fuel cell seal.

Abstract: A cooling system of a fuel cell vehicle is provided. The cooling system includes a stack in which a plurality of fuel cells are laminated and a manifold in which the stack is disposed, and inside of which cooling water flows to exchange heat with the stack. Additionally, a flow control valve is installed in the manifold, and is opened and closed to exchange heat of cooling water with the stack based on a temperature of the stack. A cooling water flow channel then guides the cooling water into the inside of the manifold, and is dually arranged to exchange heat with the stack.

Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) system includes inner and outer enclosure walls each formed as an independent thermally conductive path. Each thermally conductive path comprises materials having a coefficient of thermal conductivity of greater than 100 W/m° K. The inner and outer enclosure walls are each thermally conductively coupled with an annular enclosure formed to enclose a fuel reformer module. The annular enclosure provides a fourth thermally conductive path disposed between the inner and outer enclosure walls having a coefficient of thermal conductivity of 50 W/m° K or less. A temperature sensor and thermal fuse are mounted to an outside surface of the outer enclosure. An active sensor and a passive fuse are provided to interrupt a flow of fuel into the fuel reformer when a temperature of the outer enclosure walls equal or exceed a failsafe operating temperature.

Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus for fuel cell utilizing hydrogen from reforming propane fuel include a propane fuel reformer, controlling operating parameters of O2/C ratio, pressure, and catalyst temperature, and a high temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cell (HT-PEMFC) controlling operating parameters of pressure and temperature. For mobile application, the system includes a 3D printed reformer for generation of hydrogen rich gas.

Abstract: A direct isopropanol fuel cell adapted for use in ambient conditions and utilizing as fuel isopropanol and water preferably with isopropanol at relatively high concentrations representing 30% to 90% isopropanol.

Abstract: In one aspect, a system for converting a feedstock into a specialized carbon fuel for energy conversion includes a re actor to receive a feedstock substance and dissociate the feedstock substance to carbon constituents and hydrogen by applying one or both of heat and electric current, the carbon constituents including hot carbon having a temperature state in a range of 700° C. to 1500° C. and having an increased chemical potential energy capable of storing external energy; and a fuel cell structured to include a chamber to receive the hot carbon, the fuel cell operable to receive and use the hot carbon as a fuel and air as an oxidant to (i) produce one or more oxides of carbon and one or more nitrogenous substances, or (ii) extract electrical energy from the hot carbon.

Abstract: A microbial fuel cell includes a container unit and an electrode unit. The container unit includes an electrolytic cell and a communication port. The electrode unit includes a gas-phase chamber, a positive electrode, a negative electrode that is configured to hold microbes, an ion transfer layer that is interposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, a first vent port, and a second vent port. The gas-phase chamber is communicated with the communication port through the second vent port.

Abstract: A device for preventing deformation of a fuel cell stack module includes vertical plates and a horizontal plate, The vertical plates and the horizontal plate are combined to form a deformation prevention frame and disposed between a plurality of fuel cell stack modules, which is vertically stacked, and on both surfaces of the respective fuel cell stack modules which are perpendicular to an end plate. Each of the plurality of fuel cell stacks includes an end plate disposed perpendicular to the vertical plates.

Abstract: A fuel cell stack includes a stack body, an end plate, an end stack member, a terminal plate, and a fixing member. The stack body has an end portion in a stacking direction. The stack body includes power generating cells stacked in the stacking direction. The end stack member is provided between the end plate and the end portion of the stack body in the stacking direction. The terminal plate is provided between the end stack member and the end portion of the stack body in the stacking direction to be in contact with the end portion of the stack body. The terminal plate includes a terminal bar which passes through the end stack member and the end plate and which has a projecting portion projecting from the end plate to be connected to a cable connecter. The fixing member connects the cable connecter to the end stack member.

Abstract: A fuel cell stack includes a stacked body including a plurality of power generation cells stacked in a stacking direction. Insulation members and end plates are provided to sandwich the stacked body therebetween in the stacking direction. A coolant passage is provided between each of the insulation members and each of the end plates. The coolant passage includes a first coolant passage and a second coolant passage. A surface area of a region in which the first coolant passage is provided is larger than a surface area of a region in which the second coolant passage is provided. A flow rate of the coolant flowing through the first coolant passage is larger than a flow rate of the coolant flowing through the second coolant passage.

Abstract: A sodium ion secondary battery includes a positive electrode containing a positive electrode active material, a negative electrode containing a negative electrode active material, a separator provided between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, and an electrolyte, the positive electrode active material containing a sodium-containing transition metal oxide that reversibly intercalates and deintercalates sodium ions, in the sodium-containing transition metal oxide in a fully charged state, the ratio of sodium atoms to transition metal atoms, i.e., Na/MT, satisfying Na/MT?0.3, and the ratio of the total Cnt of the reversible capacity and the irreversible capacity of the negative electrode to the total Cpt of the reversible capacity and the irreversible capacity of the positive electrode, i.e., Cnt/Cpt, satisfying 1?Cnt/Cpt.

Abstract: Apparatus for transporting used, damaged or defective electrochemical cells while preventing and controlling safety-critical states of the electrochemical cells, such as lithium ion-based cells and/or lithium ion polymer cells, having an outer surrounding wall, a base and a cover which can be closed, which surrounding wall, base and cover define a chamber between them. An intermediate chamber is filled with a fire-retardant material which is composed of only inert, non-conductive and non-combustible and absorbent hollow glass granules as bulk material, and a basket which is permeable to the fire-retardant material is arranged in the chamber for receiving an electrochemical cell.

Abstract: Provided are a manufacturing method for an amino-substituted phosphazene compound including reacting a fluorinated phosphazene compound and an amine compound in presence of a compound having a fluorine trapping function; and synthesizing a compound obtained by substituting the amine compound for the fluorinated phosphazene compound, a manufacturing method for an electrolyte solution for a nonaqueous secondary battery using this, and a manufacturing method for a nonaqueous secondary battery.

Abstract: A solid phase electrolyte composition containing at least one conducting salt and at least one random copolymer, wherein the random copolymer comprises 5 to 95 wt.-% polymerized units of monomers (a) and 95 to 5 wt.-% polymerized units of monomers (b), based on the total weight of the copolymer, wherein (a) is at least one functionalized polyether containing at least one polymerizable C—C double bond per molecule in average, and (b) is at least one ethylenically unsaturated monomer (b1) or a mixture of at least one ethylenically unsaturated monomer (b1) and at least one ethylenically unsaturated monomer (b2) wherein (b1) is selected from the group consisting of styrene, alpha-methyl styrene, maleic anhydride, N-phenylmaleimide, C1-C4 alkyl methacrylates, C1-C22 alkyl acrylates, acrylic acid, salts of acrylic acid, C1-C4 alkylacrylic acids, salts of C1-C4 alkylacrylic acids, acrylic amides, and vinyl alcohol derivates, and (b2) is selected from the group consisting of acrylonitrile and methacrylonitrile.

Abstract: A battery includes a positive electrode formed with a positive electrode active material layer containing a positive electrode active material at least on one side of a positive electrode current collector, a negative electrode formed with a negative electrode active material layer containing a negative electrode active material at least on one side of a negative electrode current collector, a separator, and an electrolyte containing solid particles. The capacity area density (mAh/cm2) of the negative electrode active material layer is equal to or higher than 2.2 mAh/cm2 and equal to or lower than 10 mAh/cm2, and the capacity area density (mAh/cm2) of a gap in the negative electrode active material layer is equal to or higher than 5.9 mAh/cm2 and equal to or lower than 67 mAh/cm2.

Abstract: An ion transporting solvent for use with batteries can be improved by simultaneously shortening a phosphazene compound's pendent groups, eliminating most or all of the distal ion carriers, and randomizing the solvent molecules so as to intentionally disrupt symmetry to the maximum degree possible. The combination of these strategies dramatically improves battery performance to the point where the performance recorded is comparable to batteries using conventional organic solvents.

Abstract: Provided is a manufacturing method for an amino-substituted phosphazene compound, including: reacting a fluorinated phosphazene compound and an amine compound in presence of a catalyst consisting of a compound consisting of a specific element M below and an oxygen atom as constituent elements; and obtaining an amino-substituted phosphazene compound by substitution reaction between a fluorine atom of the fluorinated phosphazene compound and an amino group of the amine compound. Specific element M: At least one selected from magnesium, titanium, zirconium, vanadium, lithium, calcium, aluminum, manganese, molybdenum, silicon, or boron.

Abstract: A rechargeable battery includes an electrode assembly including a first electrode, a separator, and a second electrode, a case that accommodates the electrode assembly, a first lead terminal and a second lead terminal that are respectively connected to the first electrode and the second electrode of the electrode assembly, the first and second lead terminals being drawn out of the case, and a fixing member that surrounds the first lead terminal and the second lead terminal, wherein each of the first lead terminal and the second lead terminal includes a first region and a second region on opposite sides of the fixing member, a width of the first region and a width of the second region being different.

Abstract: A nickel hydrogen secondary battery accommodates an electrode group including a positive electrode and a negative electrode which are stacked one on top of another through a separator, together with an alkaline electrolyte. The battery contains Li, with a total amount of Li in the battery 2 of 15 to 50 mg/Ah, as determined as the mass in terms of LiOH per Ah of the positive electrode capacity. The negative electrode includes particles of rare earth-Mg—Ni-based hydrogen storage alloy which contains a rare earth element, Mg and Ni. The hydrogen storage alloy particles 44 includes, on the surface thereof, a rare earth hydroxide which is the hydroxide of a rare earth element and has a specific surface area of 0.1 to 0.5 m2/g.

Abstract: A secondary alkaline battery using manganese dioxide is described. The battery includes a mixed cathode material with birnessite-phase manganese dioxide or electrolytic manganese dioxide (EMD), a bismuth compound and a copper compound selected from the group consisting of elemental copper and a copper salt. In some embodiments, a conductive carbon and/or a binder may also be included.

Abstract: Apparatus for increasing the efficiency of a starter battery for a starter motor of an internal combustion engine in a battery pack arrangement with one or more lithium based cells. The invention includes a solid state switching configuration for high powered battery systems for protecting against over-charging, over-discharging and short circuiting of batteries, especially starter batteries for internal combustion engines.

Abstract: An electrode comprising an electrode material of the same type as electrode materials used in Li-ion batteries and a dye is provided. The electrode may further comprise a semiconductor material. The electrode is used in the manufacture of a battery that is rechargeable using light.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for operating an energy storage unit having a plurality of battery cells (1) electrically connected to one another, each battery cell comprising an over-voltage protection device and a cell protection, wherein an adjacent battery cell voltage (14) on each battery cell (1) of the energy storage unit is monitored to determine whether said battery cell voltage is larger than a predetermined cell voltage minimum value (16), wherein the energy storage unit is switched off when the battery cell voltage (14) drops below the cell voltage minimum value (16). Thereby the battery cells (1) are monitored with respect to a triggering of the respective over-voltage protection devices, wherein the energy storage unit is further operated if a battery cell voltage (14) of a battery cell (1) of the energy storage unit exceeds the cell voltage minimum value (16) and the triggering of the over-voltage protection device of this battery cell (1) is thereby detected.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for recovering a metal salt of an electrolyte dissolved in a matrix, said process consisting in subjecting the electrolyte to a liquid extraction with water.

Abstract: A battery thermal management system includes an inner housing containing a plurality of battery cells, and an outer housing enclosing the inner housing. A fluid channel is defined between an exterior surface of the inner housing and an interior surface of outer housing. The thermal management system also includes a fluid circulator in fluid flow communication with the fluid channel to selectively circulate one of a first thermal fluid and a second thermal fluid through the fluid channel.

Abstract: This electrically drivers vehicle is configured so that a first liquid cooling medium having a relatively high specific gravity and a second liquid cooling medium having a relatively low specific gravity exchange heat in a heat exchanger disposed closer to the rear of the vehicle than a radiator disposed at the front of the vehicle. As a result, the second liquid cooling medium having a relatively low specific gravity flows between the radiator and the heat exchanger, and consequently, an increase in the weight of a cooling mechanism for a battery can be minimized.

Abstract: A battery assembly may include an array of battery cells, a conduit system, and an emitter. The conduit system delivers coolant for thermally communicating with the array and defines a channel with a flexible wall having dielectric particles. The emitter is located proximate the wall and programmed to selectively output a voltage or electric field to impart a dielectrically driven compression force on the particles to adjust a cross-sectional area of the channel to control a flow of the coolant therethrough. The channel may be a flexible resin-based tube including piezoelectric materials. The emitter may output a voltage to move the piezoelectric materials. The channel may be a flexible resin-based tube including materials having electrostriction properties. The emitter may output an electric field to move the materials having electrostriction properties.

Abstract: A battery module includes a plurality of secondary battery cells; one or more cooling tubes formed of a metal material; and a cooling plate formed of casted aluminum, the cooling plate being cast around the one or more cooling tubes, the one or more cooling tubes being molded within the cooling plate.

Abstract: A lower battery module includes lower batteries and lower cooling air passages. An upper battery module is provided at an downstream of the lower battery module in a flow direction of the cooling air. The upper battery module includes upper batteries and upper cooling air passages. An intermediate duct is provided between the upper battery module and the lower battery module to prevent leakage of the cooling air. The intermediate duct includes a cutwater portion. The cutwater portion is provided along an inner circumference of the intermediate duct to cut a continuous flow of water from an inside of the upper battery module to an inside of the lower battery module.

Abstract: An exemplary electrified vehicle assembly includes a first coolant loop extending from a battery pack to a radiator, and a second coolant loop extending from the battery pack to a thermoelectric device. At least one valve is configured to permit flow through the first coolant loop to cool the battery pack under a first operating condition, and configured to permit flow within the second coolant loop to cool the battery under a second operating condition.

Abstract: A coaxial filter is provided. The coaxial filter comprises a first port, a second port, at least two capacitor segments each having two metal layers and a dielectric layer between them, and at least one grounded inductor stub connected to a metal layer of the at least two capacitor segments. The at least two capacitor segments are coaxially connected in series between the first port and the second port. An axis of the at least one grounded inductor stub is vertical to an axis of the at least two capacitor segments.

Abstract: A flat cable high-frequency filter includes a dielectric substrate extending in a transmission direction of a high-frequency signal. The dielectric substrate includes dielectric layers stacked on each other. Elongated conductor patterns are provided on a flat surface of one dielectric layer which faces another dielectric layer. The conductor patterns are as wide as possible in the dielectric substrate in accordance with a desired inductance. A capacitive coupling conductor pattern opposes one conductor pattern by a predetermined area with a dielectric layer therebetween. By using a connecting conductor, the capacitive coupling conductor pattern is connected to the conductor pattern which does not oppose the capacitive coupling conductor pattern.