Abstract: A webbing retractor is disclosed. One end portion of a plate is fixed to a hollow cylindrical portion of a spool. An intermediate portion of the plate is entrained around an engaging pin and the like of a gear which can rotate relatively to the spool. A pawl provided at the gear abuts the plate, and is held at a position of non-engagement with stopper teeth against urging force of a coil spring. When the spool and the gear rotate relatively, the plate, whose widthwise dimension decreases toward a final end portion thereof, is taken-up onto the hollow cylindrical portion while being rubbed by the engaging pin and the like. A force limiter load in an energy absorbing process is decreased. The pawl, whose engagement with the plate is released, meshes with the stopper teeth such that rotation of the spool is impeded.

Abstract: A belt-type one-way clutch is arranged so that a case is assembled with a flat pulley so as to rotate around the central axis of the flat pulley, and that a flat belt is looped between a working surface of a rocking member supported for rocking motion by a shaft member held at both ends in shaft bores of the case and a working surface of the flat pulley, and that the rocking plate biased from a leaf spring presses one span of the flat belt to place an initial tension on the flat belt. Both the ends of the shaft member are held in the shaft bores of the case via respective bushes to suppress stress. Accordingly, larger torque can be transmitted despite use of aluminum alloy as material of the case.

Abstract: Disclosed is a metal window filter assembly, of a millimeter wave band, using an NRD guide. The filter assembly comprises a filter housing including parallel conductive plates and a filter for filtering a certain frequency band of an electromagnetic wave traveling therethrough. The filter includes a plurality of polygonal metal windows and a single body type dielectric line made from a non-radiative dielectric. A plurality of polygonal inserting grooves spaced by the predetermined distance are formed respectively on both surfaces of the dielectric line making contact with the parallel conductive plates. The metal windows are inserted in the inserting grooves one to one to form multi-staged dielectric resonators cascaded as a single body. The filter has a filtering function selectively passing the certain frequency band determined by an impedance coupling relationship that the multi-staged dielectric resonators have with respect to the electromagnetic wave.

Abstract: A webbing take-up device and a vehicle are provided in which different force limiter loads can be selected at arbitrary times with a simple structure. A wire is inserted into a spool. One end portion of the wire is fixed to a lock base. Thus, when rotation of the lock base is impeded, a twisting load of a torsion bar and a drawing-through load of the wire are applied to a webbing as force limiter load. Further, a cutting gear is disposed between the spool and the lock base. When the cutting gear is rotated at an arbitrary time, the wire is cut. In this way, the force limiter load is reduced to only the twisting load of the torsion bar. As a result, different force limiter loads can be selected at arbitrary times with a simple structure.

Abstract: An image processing device having a plurality of cores which attains more efficient memory access than conventionally attained. In the image processing device employing pipeline processing, a memory access section 20 executes data transfer between an operation section 10 including a plurality of cores each performing operation for image processing and an external memory 2. The memory access section 20 has an access schedule storage portion 22 which stores types of data transfers per stage, and executes data transfer between the operation section 10 and the external memory 2 in accordance with the storage contents of the access schedule storage portion 22. A system control section 30 sets the types of data transfers in the access schedule storage portion 22 at a stage preceding the stage at which the data transfers are executed.

Abstract: A housing for a member disposed at a vehicle exterior is formed by assembling a plurality of parts substantially in a vehicle longitudinal direction. At a matching portion when the plurality of parts are assembled together substantially in the vehicle longitudinal direction, a housing outer side end portion of a matching surface substantially at a vehicle frontward side is displaced further outward than a housing outer side end portion of a matching surface substantially at a vehicle rearward side. Or, the housing outer side end portion of the matching surface substantially at the vehicle rearward side may have a curved surface or a flat surface.

Abstract: A mirror assembly particularly adopted as a side view mirror for a vehicle, the assembly being provided a mirror, a mounting plate for supporting the mirror, a light assembly having a lens at one end, a visor for accommodating the mirror and the light assembly. A joint element pivotally mounts a side of the light assembly to the mounting plate. The visor has a visor opening into which the lens is fitted, and a connection element for movably connecting an end of the visor opening and an end of the lens. A bias element in the form of a spring pivotally biases the end of the light assembly having the lens such that the connection element substantially closes any gap between the visor opening and the lens.

Abstract: A seat belt buckle is provided which can prevent ejection of a tongue plate caused by so-called reverse G without increasing release force for releasing a lock state. The seat belt buckle comprises a latch including a latch swinging end portion, a lock member including a lock swinging end portion, which is made to swing between a lock position, at which at the time of latching, the lock swinging end portion swings on the latch swinging end portion and engage to stop the latch swinging end portion in a state of pressing the latch swinging end portion toward engagement holes of a tongue plate and a base while pressing the same in a tongue plate insertion direction, thereby locking the latching, and a lock release position, a lock operation end portion for releasing the locking and a weight portion formed at the side of the lock swinging end portion.

Abstract: A video coding method according to the present invention is adapted to predictively code each target block within a target frame relative to a reference frame. The method includes the steps of: a) calculating an estimate of the target block based on pixel values within the target block; b) calculating respective correction values for the target block and a predicted block associated with the target block, the predicted block being generated from the reference frame by motion compensation; c) correcting the pixel values within the target and predicted blocks using the respective correction values, and calculating a predicted error based on a difference between each said pixel value within the corrected target block and an associated one of the pixel values within the corrected predicted block; d) determining a coding mode based on the estimate of the target block and the predicted error; and e) coding the target block in accordance with the coding mode determined.

Abstract: An eyeglass frame particularly adapted for mounting a safety lens having a straight outer wall circumscribed by a groove is provided. The eyeglass frame includes a T-wire having a centrally disposed rib portion receivable in the lens groove, and a pair of oppositely extending rims flexibly cantilevered from the rib portion. Each of the rims includes a retaining wall that engages opposite ends of the outer wall of the lens in line contact. Each of the retaining walls is tapered relative to the outer wall of the lens so that the retaining walls can flex toward greater surface contact with the outer lens wall in response to hoop stresses generated by a shock to the lens, thereby increasing the amount of shock that the lens can absorb before becoming broken or dislodged from the T-wire of the frame.

Abstract: A shift lever device having a shift lever which allows selection of an arbitrary shift range by shift operation and includes a support which rotatably supports the shift lever and includes breakable portions which break when an impact force above a preselected magnitude is applied to the shift lever. Accordingly, when an axial impact force indicative of a sudden deceleration is applied to the shift lever, the support is broken. The breakage of the support allows safer absorption of the impact force applied to the shift lever. The breakable portions may take the form of a frangible pin or bracket that pivotally supports the shift lever.

Abstract: An integrated semi-independent suspension and drivetrain system for a vehicle including a swing arm with a swing mount for pivotally mounting the swing arm to the vehicle, an axle carrier for mounting an axle assembly, the axle carrier being rotatably mounted to the swing arm to allow the axle assembly to roll about a suspension roll axis, a driven sprocket substantially centrally attached to the axle assembly for rotating the axle assembly, a drive sprocket for transferring rotational power to the driven sprocket, a flexible coupling mechanically linking the driven sprocket to the drive sprocket to allow transfer of rotational power from the drive sprocket to the driven sprocket, a constant velocity joint centrally disposed on the drive sprocket axle to allow alignment of the drive sprocket relative to the driven sprocket, and a CV guide for aligning the drive sprocket with the driven sprocket.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a buckle device in which usability and seating comfort of a vehicle occupant on a seat are improved, and which can correspond to seat movements. In the buckle device, due to a torsion coil spring applying urging force to a buckle member, the buckle member is disposed at a swiveling position at which the buckle member stands. In this way, when a tongue plate is inserted into a buckle, there is no need for a vehicle occupant to hold the buckle with his/her hand. Moreover, when a vehicle occupant sits down on a rear seat, the buckle is pushed downward against the urging force and is accommodated in the rear seat. Further, when a seat movement is carried out on the rear seat, the buckle member swivels against the urging force so as to be able to correspond to the seat movement.

Abstract: There is provided a method for evaluating an insulating film entirely provided on a conductor layer for the characteristics or dimensions thereof. A measuring member having conductor bumps arranged thereon to be connected to wires is disposed above the insulating film on the conductor layer. Then, the conductor bumps are pressed against the insulating film with a given pressing force. By applying a voltage (electric stress) between the conductor bumps and the conductor layer, the characteristics including I-V characteristic, gate leakage current, and TDDB or the dimensions including thickness are evaluated.

Abstract: An electrochromic anti-glare mirror is provided in which incorrect assembly can be prevented, assemblability can be improved, a number of work processes can be reduced, and costs can be reduced. The electrochromic anti-glare mirror includes an electrochromic layer which is provided at a rear surface side of a substrate glass, and in which an electrochromic film is nipped between a transparent conductive film and a reflective conductive film. By energizing the electrochromic film between the transparent conductive film and reflective conductive film, the electrochromic film is electrically made to color. Wires for electrochromic anti-glare for energizing the electrochromic film between the transparent conductive film and the reflective conductive film are printed on the printed circuit board. As a result, there is no need for complex work for installing and connecting cords as in conventional structures in which wires are cords.

Abstract: A simulated wood tone member having good gradation (shading) of a wood grain pattern, and a method of manufacturing the simulated wood tone member are provided. Recesses 11 of different depths (h1, h2, h3) are formed in a surface of a urethane based base member 16 which is molded in a mold 30 in which a wood grain pattern is formed by etching in plural stages. As a result, gradation of a pattern can be expressed by the recesses 11 in the surface of the urethane based base member 16. Then, by filling a wood filler 21, which is transparent and contains a coloring agent, into the recesses 11, the gradation can be varied in accordance with the depths of the recesses 11. A wood grain pattern having an attractive wood appearance can be obtained.

Abstract: In order to provide a steering wheel that can prevent chattering of a wooden member with respect to a metal core, a steering wheel comprising: an annular metal core, the metal core connecting to a vehicle; and a wooden member, the wooden member curving in a substantial arc corresponding to the metal core and having a passing hole formed therein, with the metal core passing through the passing hole; wherein a space is formed at, at least a portion of boundary between the metal core and an inner wall, forming the passing hole, of the wooden member, the space being for absorbing relative movement of the metal core and the wooden member, is provided.

Abstract: A power charging device is provided in which different power sources 12 are used, and if the generating capacity of each of the power sources varies without correlation, the voltage thereof is constantly controlled to be a voltage determined by a charging unit 48, whereby the charging unit 48 can receive uniform voltages. Also, the uniform voltage value is determined based on the difference between the present charging state and the full-charge. Accordingly, charging with an overcurrent and charging beyond capacity can be prevented, thus realizing steady charging.

Abstract: A shift lever device in which a shift lever lock mechanism is not released inadvertently, and improper operation is prevented. In the shift lever device, a lock plate, which impedes movement of a detent rod, is covered by a cavity portion of a shift lever. These internal devices are covered by a cover box and a detent plate. In a P shift position, a gap formed by, on the one hand, the cover box and the detent plate, and, on the other hand, the shift lever and the cavity portion thereof, is a labyrinthine structure which is stepped along a horizontal direction. Accordingly, improper operation can be further prevented.

Abstract: In a webbing retractor, when a vehicle is in an emergency, a pretensioner mechanism supplies gas in a cylinder. A slider substantially closes a gas passing portion, and a piston thereby starts to move upward. A fitting portion pushes the slider upward so as to maintain the closure of the gas passing portion, and a webbing is taken up. When an energy absorbing member in a force limiter mechanism is deformed such that the webbing is pulled out, the piston is moved downward, the gas passing portion is opened by the slider so as to discharge the gas in the cylinder from the gas passing portion.