It is an objective of the invention to provide an Al alloy conductor exhibiting mechanical properties and heat resistance that are balanced at a higher level than conventional Al alloy conductors while having an electrical conductivity comparable to that of any conventional Al-based material. There is provided an Al alloy conductor formed of an Al alloy. The Al alloy has a chemical composition including Co of 0.1 mass % or more and 1 mass % or less, at least one of Sc of 0.1 mass % or more and 0.5 mass % or less and Zr of 0.2 mass % or more and 0.5 mass % or less, and the balance made up of Al and inevitable impurities. The Al alloy conductor has a matrix containing fine particles of a compound of at least one of the Sc and the Zr with the Al. The fine particles are dispersedly precipitated in the matrix.

A nanofiber forest on a substrate can be patterned to produce a patterned assembly of nanofibers that can be drawn to form nanofiber sheets, ribbons, or yarns.

Vibration resistant cables containing a first conductor and a second conductor, each having a diameter d, are disclosed. The second conductor is twisted around the first conductor at a lay length between 3 feet and 6 feet to eliminate bagging of the vibration resistant cable during installation.

Vibration resistant cables containing a first conductor and a second conductor, each having a diameter d, are disclosed. The second conductor is twisted around the first conductor at a lay length between 3 feet and 6 feet to eliminate bagging of the vibration resistant cable during installation.

A wire conductor is made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy, and is not likely to, when it is ultrasonically welded to a connection terminal, cause a welding defect in a welded portion. A wire conductor includes: a lower strand layer in which a plurality of strands formed by twisting together a plurality of bare wires 1a made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy are bundled and twisted together; and an upper strand layer formed by twisting a plurality of strands around an outer circumference of the lower strand layer, wherein in a cross section of the wire conductor that is orthogonal to its axial direction, a proportion of an area occupied by gaps formed between the lower strand layer and the upper strand layer to an area of gaps that are not occupied by the bare wires is 63% or less.

A stranded wire conductor includes a plurality of copper-based element wires which are twisted together, and is subjected to circular compression and then heat treatment. The copper-based element wires have a Ni-based plated layer on the surface. The stranded wire conductor preferably has a conductor cross-sectional area of 0.25 mm.sup.2 or less. An insulated wire includes the stranded wire conductor, and an insulator that coats the outer circumference of the stranded wire conductor.

A stranded wire conductor includes a plurality of copper-based element wires which are twisted together, and is subjected to circular compression and then heat treatment. The copper-based element wires have a Ni-based plated layer on the surface. The stranded wire conductor preferably has a conductor cross-sectional area of 0.25 mm.sup.2 or less. An insulated wire includes the stranded wire conductor, and an insulator that coats the outer circumference of the stranded wire conductor.

A conductor line for supplying at least one electric load which can be moved on the conductor line in the longitudinal direction of the conductor line includes at least one conductor strand which runs in the longitudinal direction and which has an electrically conductive profiled conductor section for contacting a sliding contact of the load, and at least one signal transmission device which runs in the longitudinal direction. A current collector for the load has at least one sliding contact for contacting the profiled conductor section of the conductor strand of the conductor line and at least one antenna for transmitting data to a conductor line signal transmission device, which moves in the longitudinal direction. A conductor line system includes such a conductor line and current collector. An aim is to allow a compact and material-saving design as well as a good fault-tolerant transmission. This is achieved by a conductor line in which the signal transmission device and the profiled conductor section are designed as one component, by a current collector in which the sliding contact and the antenna are designed as one component, and by a conductor line system including such a conductor line and such a current collector.

A conductor line for supplying at least one electric load which can be moved on the conductor line in the longitudinal direction of the conductor line includes at least one conductor strand which runs in the longitudinal direction and which has an electrically conductive profiled conductor section for contacting a sliding contact of the load, and at least one signal transmission device which runs in the longitudinal direction. A current collector for the load has at least one sliding contact for contacting the profiled conductor section of the conductor strand of the conductor line and at least one antenna for transmitting data to a conductor line signal transmission device, which moves in the longitudinal direction. A conductor line system includes such a conductor line and current collector. An aim is to allow a compact and material-saving design as well as a good fault-tolerant transmission. This is achieved by a conductor line in which the signal transmission device and the profiled conductor section are designed as one component, by a current collector in which the sliding contact and the antenna are designed as one component, and by a conductor line system including such a conductor line and such a current collector.

An object of the present invention is to enable sufficient welding of multiple metal wires in at least a portion of a conductive member that is constituted by multiple metal wires. The conductive member includes multiple metal wires each including a metal strand and a metal covering layer formed around the metal strand, and a joined portion in which the metal wires are joined by melting of alloy portions of the metal covering layers, the alloy portions including the metal that forms the metal strands. The joined portion can be formed by joining the metal wires to each other by performing heating at a temperature higher than the melting point of the alloy portions of the metal covering layers, the alloy portions including the metal that forms the metal strands.