Abstract: A vehicle control system which controls a vehicle in accordance with the curvature of a road as determined from map information comprising a set of coordinate points which represent the course of the road. A passable vehicle speed enabling the vehicle to pass through a plurality of nodes existing at predetermined distances within an operating section established on the road ahead of a given vehicle position is calculated on the assumption that a voluntary speed reduction has been conducted. The radii of a first virtual turning locus and a second virtual turning locus produced at a predetermined lateral acceleration are calculated based on the passable vehicle speeds at the nodes. A passable zone, a warning zone and an automatic speed-reducing zone are established based on the first and second virtual turning locus radii. If any of the nodes ahead of the virtual vehicle position exists in the warning zone, a warning is provided to the driver.

Abstract: A vehicle exhaust device including a rear silencer disposed at the rear portion of a vehicle, a large-capacity silencer having a capacity larger than that of the rear silencer and disposed below a passenger compartment of the vehicle, and an intermediate silencer disposed substantially at the middle of an exhaust tube interconnecting the rear silencer and the large-capacity silencer. With the vehicle exhaust device thus arranged, exhaust noises can be attenuated at a position near an engine forming a noise source, i.e., at the early stage of transmission and with substantially reduced length-dependent resonance of the exhaust tube.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for forming a water-repellent film on the surface of a transparent substrate (e.g., sheet glass). While the film on the coated substrate is dried, the temperature is controlled to fall between 15.degree. C. and 25.degree. C., the relative humidity is controlled to be 30% or preferably from 15% to 20%, and the speed of the air stream to be applied to the coated substrate is controlled to be 0.5 m/min or lower. The water-repellent film formed by the invention has a uniform thickness and good abrasion resistance.

Abstract: A food cutting apparatus, comprising a base member having at least one slot defined substantially laterally therethrough, and an aperture defined substantially longitudinally therethrough for receiving a food article; a first cutting member, slidably engaged with the slot of the base member, for selectively cutting the food article substantially laterally therethrough, following placement of the food article in the base member; a second cutting member for cutting the food article substantially longitudinally, following placement of the food article in the aperture of the base member; wherein the second cutting member comprises a plurality of substantially circular cutting blades arranged in concentric arrangement; and wherein the second cutting member is selectively telescopically inserted within the aperture over the food article for cutting the food article substantially longitudinally.

Abstract: A vehicle position is determined and four reference coordinate points N.sub.1, N.sub.2, N.sub.3 and N.sub.4 are extracted at predetermined distances on a road output from a CD-ROM or an IC card, and an angle .theta. of turning of the vehicle from the coordinate point N.sub.2 to the coordinate point N.sub.3 is calculated according to an expression, .theta.=(.theta..sub.1 +.theta..sub.2) from an angle .theta..sub.1 formed by a vector V.sub.12 between the points N.sub.1, N.sub.2 and a vector V.sub.23 between the points N.sub.2, N.sub.3 and an angle .theta..sub.2 formed by the vector V.sub.23 between the points N.sub.2, N.sub.3 and a vector V.sub.34 between the points N.sub.3, N.sub.4. A steering angle permitting the vehicle to safely pass through a curve is calculated based on the turning angle .theta. and a vehicle speed V.sub.0, and a passable vehicle speed permitting the vehicle to safely pass through the curve is calculated based on a radius R=a/.theta. of curvature of the curve.

Abstract: A vacuum chuck and an inner cup are rotated together by a spinner for spreading and coating a coating solution uniformly on a glass substrate in the inner cup under centrifugal forces. Under the centrifugal forces, gases that are present inward of a rectangular ridge in the inner cup are forced to flow outwardly through a gap between the rectangular ridge and a flow-rectifying plate 42 and also through holes defined in the rectangular ridge. Therefore, turbulent flows and pressure fluctuations are minimized in a space defined inward of the rectangular ridge, i.e., a space which accommodates the glass substrate placed on a bottom surface of the inner cup inwardly of the rectangular ridge. The coating solution applied to the upper surface of the glass substrate is allowed to form a uniform film thereon.

Abstract: The invention discloses a front fender reinforcing structure for automobiles. A fitting part for a clip member is formed between a body work outside panel and a plate disposed outside of the outside panel, one end of the clip member for engaging a front fender with the outside panel is fitted into the fitting part, and an opposite end of the clip member is placed and disposed at a window frame section at the rear upper part of the front fender so that the window frame section of the front fender is engaged with and held by the outside panel. Thus, the clip member is positioned between the easily deformable window frame section of the front fender and the outside panel to support the back of the easily flexible window frame section of the front fender. Consequently, the window frame section of the front fender can be prevented securely and effectively from being deformed.

Abstract: An emergency breathing apparatus comprising an enclosure, a smoke detector and an alarm device operably disposed in the enclosure, and one or more emergency breathing devices having combination flashlight/beepers devices connected thereto also removably stored in the enclosure.

Abstract: A kit and method for making artwork in wax. The kit includes a plurality of thermally conductive containers; at least one substantially solid wax compound; a heating unit for heating each of the containers, having a separate temperature control for each container; an applicator for applying a heated wax compound to an article; and wherein each of the containers selectively slidably engages with the heating unit.

Abstract: A disclosed gradient function material is produced by molding and thereafter firing a slurry which contains a plurality of groups of particles having different specific gravities. The plurality of groups of particles include at least a first group of particles and a second group of particles. The first group of particles comprises a group of nonmetal particles having a specific gravity ranging from about 3 to 7 and a maximum particle diameter equal to or smaller than a deflocculation limit, said nonmetal particles being made of one or more materials selected from the group consisting of an oxide, a carbide, a nitride, and an oxynitride. The second group of particles comprises a group of metal particles having a specific gravity which is about 1.5 times the specific gravity of said first group of particles, and particle diameters distributed across the deflocculation limit.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an efficient method of applying a metallic paint using both an air atomized spray machine and a spin coating machine. In the method of painting, matching the color shade of metallic painting using an air atomized spray machine with the color shade of metallic painting using a spin coating machine is achieved in the following manner. The overall content of the metallic pigment in the metallic paint for said air atomized spray machine and for said spin coating machine is maintained almost the same, but the ratio of the brilliant pigment and the color pigment composing said metallic pigment is varied to increase the content of the brilliant pigment in the metallic paint for the spin coating machine compared with the content in the metallic paint for the air atomized spray machine.

Abstract: A drinking container having a serving counter, comprising a vessel for receiving a substantially standard serving of fluid; a serving counter mechanism comprising a ring member which is slidably engaged with the vessel and which includes a series of numbers printed thereon; and a pointing member disposed along the outer surface of the vessel substantially proximally to the ring member and having a corner which indicates a number from the number series corresponding to the number of standard sized servings of fluid which have been consumed over the course of a 24 hour period.

Abstract: An infrared human body detector has an infrared detector (PE) having at least one light-detecting surface and disposed in a plane, groups of divided infrared ray converging members (LR and LD) disposed in the plane about the infrared detector in surrounding relation thereto, a primary reflecting mirror member (M.sub.1 or M.sub.1 ') disposed inwardly of the groups of divided infrared ray converging members for reflecting, in a primary fashion, rays (B) applied inwardly through the respective groups of divided infrared ray converging members, and a secondary reflecting mirror member (M.sub.2) disposed inwardly of the groups of divided infrared ray converging members for introducing the reflected rays from the primary reflecting mirror member within a sensitive angle of the infrared detector to apply the rays to the light-detecting surfaces thereof, the secondary reflecting mirror member having a reflecting surface sufficiently small as compared with the surface areas of the infrared ray converging members.

Abstract: A tremolo arm for use in association with a guitar or other stringed musical instrument. The tremolo arm comprises a first rod member for attaching to a guitar bridge; and a decorative display member which removably attaches to a second end portion of the rod member. The decorative display member is substantially selectively fixed to the rod member by the use of a set screw, a cotter-type pin, a snap mechanism, or by being molded thereto.

Abstract: A wiper deicing device for a vehicle is disclosed which comprises a mechanism for resiliently impacting the window wiper against the window, including a reciprocatable member operatively engagable with the wiper, and a mechanism for stabilizing movement of the reciprocatable member. The impacting means includes either a manual or powered actuator for cyclically moving the reciprocatable member between extreme positions thereof, corresponding to a position in which the wiper is engaged with the window and a position in which the wiper is disengaged from the window, and will preferably include one of a cam mechanism, a gear mechanism, a crank mechanism and a lever mechanism operatively connected to or engaged with the reciprocatable member. The deicing device also preferably includes a mechanism for limiting pivoting movements of a blade portion of the wiper relative to an arm portion of the wiper for thereby distributing a lifting force of the reciprocatable member across a length of the wiper blade.

Abstract: A multi-function fluid flow monitoring apparatus capable of measuring fluid flow-related variables of fluid in a channel on the basis of signals from any one or more of a plurality of different types of flow sensors. Such different types of flow sensors may include, for example, a bubbler-type pressure sensor, a submerged pressure transducer, an ultrasonic transducer, and/or a velocity sensor forming part of an area-velocity sensor system, each of which sensors may be selectively connected to the apparatus as needed to accommodate various monitoring conditions. The apparatus is further capable of monitoring various conditions of fluid in the channel, such as pH level, ORP, temperature, solution conductivity, dissolved oxygen, and the like.

Abstract: The present invention as disclosed herein is directed to an engine with associated decompression device which is adapted to drive an onboard generator/electric motor. The present invention comprises an engine speed sensor means for detecting the speed of rotation of the engine, and a fuel injection control means for controlling the injection of a fuel in the engine. The decompression device is, for example, moved from an operative condition to an inoperative condition or vice versa in response to a sensed signal from the engine speed sensor means. The fuel injection control means is operable to initiate or stop the injection of the fuel in response to a sensed signal from the engine speed sensor means. The present invention provides an onboard electrical generating system which better controls vibration and exhaust emissions when the engine, particularly an onboard generator drive engine, is cranked and stopped.