Abstract: An actuator has a resilient shape memory member 1 with superelasticity, a magnetic body 2, and a magnetic field generator 3. At least one of the magnetic body 2 and the magnetic field generator 3 is fixed to the resilient shape memory member 1 such that one of the magnetic body 2 and the magnetic field generator 3 is stationary while the other is movable, whereby the movable member is moved by a magnetic field provided from the magnetic field generator 3.

Abstract: A valve operation controller for an internal combustion engine is provided for optimally setting a valve opening timing and a valve closing timing for an intake valve in accordance with an operating state of the internal combustion engine to improve the fuel efficiency and power of the internal combustion engine, eliminate fuel stagnation in the intake valve and sticking of the intake valve with its valve seat, and reduce the cost and weight. The valve operation controller controls open/close operations of exhaust valves (EV1, EV2) and first and second intake valves (IV1, IV2) arranged in one cylinder (4). An electromagnetic valve operating mechanism (5) electromagnetically opens/closes the first intake valve (IV1). A cam type valve operating mechanism (6) opens/closes the second intake valve (IV2) with an intake cam (11) arranged on a cam shaft (10) driven in synchronism with rotation of the internal combustion engine (3).

Abstract: The rewriting device for rewriting data stored in a memory of a vehicle controller with new data is provided. The rewriting device is capable of communicating with the vehicle controller. When deleting or writing operation on the memory is not being performed, the rewriting device determines that communication between the rewriting device and the vehicle controller is offline if no response from the vehicle controller within a first determination time. When deleting operation or writing operation on the memory is being performed, the determination of offline is prohibited until a second determination time has elapsed. The second determination time is greater than the first determination time. It is preferable that the second determination time for deleting operation is the time necessary to delete the data stored in the memory, and that the second determination time for writing operation is the time necessary to write the new data into the memory.

Abstract: A thermostat 1 which placed in a cooling fluid channel of an internal combustion engine and which controls the flow of a cooling fluid within the cooling fluid channel depending upon a change in the temperature is disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed is an off-line teaching method for correcting a robot model to be used in an off-line teaching system. Multi-point multi-attitude teaching capable of obtaining the best correcting calculation result of those obtained with a logical robot model as a correction objective is performed by using an off-line teaching apparatus (steps S1 to S5). Teaching data obtained in the steps S1 to S5 is downloaded from the off-line teaching apparatus to an actual robot as a correction objective (step S6). Subsequently, the teaching data is revised on the basis of a difference between an actual target point and an operation point of the actual robot based on the teaching data (step S7). After that, teaching data obtained after the revision is uploaded to the off-line teaching apparatus (step S8) to estimate and calculate a correction amount by using the uploaded data (step S9).

Abstract: An integral cast-iron connecting rod blank having a smaller-diameter end, a shank, and a larger-diameter end with a crank opening is set on an inclined base, and the tip end of a laser beam applying device is positioned in the larger-diameter end. While a YAG laser beam from the laser beam applying device is being applied to diametrically opposite inner central wall regions of the larger-diameter end, the laser beam applying device is moved to form notches transversely in the respective inner central wall regions. Two spreading elements are placed in the crank opening, and then a tapered wedge is inserted downwardly between the spreading elements. A downward impact point load is applied to a load bearing surface of the wedge thereby to apply spreading forces to the larger-diameter end. A crack starting radially outwardly from the notches is developed in the larger-diameter end, dividing the larger-diameter end into a saddle and a cap.