Other

Koito Manufacturing Company, Ltd.

Koito Seisakusko Co., Ltd.

Yasuaki Nakamura

Takahisa Shinoda

Hiroyuki Makita

Minoru Kanno

Hideto Usui

Osamu Endoh

A fuel-cell connector for releasable connection to a fuel cartridge has a cartridge-side connection element with a cartridge-side valve that opens or closes a fuel-supply opening. A connector-side valve opens and closes a fuel-receiving opening and moves, during the first insertion stage, with the cartridge-side valve and a resilient element for resisting movement in the insertion direction of a connector body unit into which the cartridge-side connection element is telescopically inserted. The connector body unit has on its outer periphery engagement means for engaging a cartridge-side connection element and a stationary mechanism part for attachment to the fuel-cell-using device. In the second insertion step, the connector body unit moves as a single unit with the cartridge-side connection element, while the fuel-receiving and fuel-supply openings are maintained in close proximity so the engagement means engages the cartridge-side connection element, whereby the fuel cartridge connects and is fixed in the connected position.

Fuel-cell connector

A residual liquid quantity detecting method capable of accurately detecting the residual quantity of liquid without relying upon visual observation, preventing overfill at the time of refilling. A residual liquid quantity detecting method for a liquid supply container () has a container body () having a liquid supply opening () and has a liquid storage chamber () in which liquid () is sealed, the liquid storage chamber () being formed in the container body () and communicating with the liquid supply opening (). The liquid () is supplied from the liquid supply opening () to the outside of the container by primary supply pressure generated through reduction, by pressure, in volume of the liquid storage chamber (). The residual quantity of the liquid () in the liquid storage chamber () is detected by detecting primary supply pressure of the liquid ().

Residual liquid quantity detecting method

A connector structure securely connectable in a locked state and releasable by an easy operation, comprising a supplying connection part for supplying a fluid and receiving connection part for receiving the supply of fluid. The connector structure also comprises a securing mechanism having an operating member moving according to a connecting operation between the supplying connection part to the receiving connection part, holding the connected state of the supplying part to the receiving part in a securely locked state and releasing the locked state of the supplying part to the receiving part by movement of the operating member according to the next pressing-in operation of the supplying part and an energizing mechanism energizing the supplying part in the separating direction thereof from the receiving part. When in the locked state, the pressurized fluid can be supplied from the supplying connection part to the receiving connection part.

Connector structure with lock mechanism

A main valve reduces an unregulated pressure of a high-pressure gas to a regulated pressure by being interlocked with a diaphragm, which receives the regulated pressure within a pressure regulating chamber and is displaced. A subsidiary valve is interlocked with the main valve through a plunger and reduces the unregulated pressure of the high-pressure gas to the regulated pressure. The subsidiary valve is located such that the force, which accompanies a pressure loss occurring at the subsidiary valve and which the subsidiary valve receives, cancels the force, which accompanies the pressure loss occurring at the main valve and acts upon the plunger. An adjustor adjusts a pressure loss value occurring at the subsidiary valve so as to be equal to the pressure loss value occurring at the main valve.

Pressure regulator

An optical switch system including an optical switch apparatus which includes a light source emitting light of a certain wavelength, a single optical fiber cable for transmitting the light to a terminal switch, radiating means for radiating the light transmitted over the optical fiber cable, a reflector that is provided in the optical path of the radiated light at such a position that the reflected light will reach the radiating means, a shutter adapted to be inserted into or removed from the optical path of the radiated light, and a light extractor for detecting the reflected light wave that has passed through a return path in the optical fiber cable.

Optical switch system and apparatus

A vehicle headlamp having a projector-type light source assembly capable of emitting a highly coherent light beam. In order to make the headlamp appear larger than the light source assembly, a lamp housing is provided which is much larger in size than the light source assembly mounted therein, with the consequent provision of an annular space around the light source assembly within the lamp housing. Disposed in this annular space is an outline expander plate of transparent material having a multiplicity of minute cavities of cone shape formed in its rear face. The outline expander plate transmits by internal total reflection the light incident edgewise thereon. While so traveling through the outline expander plate, the light is reflected by the surfaces of the conical cavities generally in the forward direction of the headlamp, thereby making the complete surface area of the headlamp appear glowing. The light needed for illuminating the outline expander plate may be supplied either by the projector-type light source assembly or by separate light sources.

Growing community of inventors

Shizuoka, Japan

Yasuaki Nakamura