Abstract: An assembly of sheet materials in which a first sheet of material and a second sheet of material are disposed in an overlapping relationship, with a plurality of joint portions being formed therebetween by drawing an overlapping part of the first and second sheets of materials at a plurality of positions. The plurality of joint portions includes at least one first joint portion in which the first sheet of material is laterally extruded into the second sheet of material and at least one second joint portion in which the first sheet of material and the second sheet of material are in contact with each other in a cup-like surface configuration.

Abstract: When coils of a vacuum pump unit are excited by energization, a piston equipped with magnets reciprocates in a cylinder. Thus, air is sucked in from an outlet passage of a diffuser of an ejector, and air discharged from the vacuum pump unit is supplied to an inlet of a nozzle of the ejector. Consequently, a fast jet occurs in a throat portion of the nozzle, and a negative pressure of higher degree of vacuum than that of the suction negative pressure of the vacuum pump unit is produced at a vacuum port of the ejector. The negative pressure is supplied from a negative pressure supply port. The ejector can supply a negative pressure of high degree of vacuum while reducing the load on the vacuum pump unit.

Abstract: After insertion of a mandrel (23) into a blank tube (20) in the form of an electric welded tube, a parallel swaging operation is carried out by moving a cylindrical die (24) to cause the end of the blank tube (20) to contact tightly with a parallel forming portion (27) of the mandrel (23). After completion of parallel swaging operation, the die (24) is withdrawn out of the blank tube (20) and a push-die (33) is caused to move to the blank tube (20) from a radially outward position while leaving the mandrel (23) inside the blank tube (20) so that a weld bead on the blank tube (20) can be flattened by cooperation with the mandrel (23).

Abstract: One of brake pads 5 is pressed against the disc rotor D by a piston of a caliper 3 which is floatably supported on the carrier 2, and in reaction thereto, the other brake pad 5 is pressed against the disc rotor D by a claw portion 14 on the caliper 3, thereby producing a braking force. During brake release, the spring force of a return spring 22 separates the brake pad 5 from the disc rotor D. A positioning convex portion 27 is provided on the carrier 2 in a standing position adjacent to the return spring 22, and serves to restrict the sideward movement of the distal end portion of the return spring 22. Thus displacement and deformation of the return spring can be prevented, and its functions can be maintained.

Abstract: In the case of a system for identifying and authenticating accessories, auxiliary substances and/or operating substances for items of equipment, the accessories or the auxiliary or operating substances or their storage containers are provided with a data carrier portion on which information that can be detected by the human eye and is distinctive to a human viewer is stored. The item of equipment is in this case provided with a reading and evaluating device for this information. The reading and evaluating device has a comparison device for comparing the read information with a stored item of information as well as an enabling controller for at least one functional component of the item of equipment.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an electric disc brake apparatus having a simple constitution in which the operating condition of a parking brake can be reliably detected. A controller detects the operating condition (steps S25, S26) of a solenoid for driving a parking brake locking mechanism (holding mechanism) by means of a motor current (step S24). As a result, a state in which thrust generated by the motor (first electric actuator) is maintained by the parking brake locking mechanism, and accordingly the operative and inoperative states of the parking brake can be understood easily. Further, detection of the motor current is performed using a current sensor that is also used to realize a function of the motor (a function for moving brake pads toward a disc rotor), and hence separate current detection means need not be provided.

Abstract: The piston 10 is constituted so as to rotate relative to the first cylinder 8 while moving relative to the first cylinder 8 in the axial direction when fluid is supplied to and discharged from the interior of the first cylinder 8, and the piston 16 is constituted to be incapable of rotation relative to the second cylinder 9, but capable of movement relative to the second cylinder 9 in the axial direction. Hence when fluid is supplied to and discharged from the interior of the first cylinder 8, the piston 10 is caused to rotate relative to the first cylinder 8 while moving relative to the first cylinder 8 in the axial direction, and the piston 16 is caused to move relative to the second cylinder 9 in the axial direction but prevented from rotating relative to the second cylinder 9. As a result, torsional elasticity is generated in shaft portions 4a and 5a.

Abstract: In a cylinder apparatus such as a hydraulic shock absorber, a piston to which a piston rod is connected slidably is inserted into a cylinder which contains liquid oil. A rebound spring is wound around the piston rod with one end of the piston rod fixed to the piston rod using a spring holder. The rebound spring is slidably guided along the piston rod by means of another spring holder. A rebound stopper is fixed to the piston rod at a position between the spring holders. The rebound spring exerts a spring force opposite to the extension of the piston rod, thereby to moderate shock at the end of the stroke of the piston. Because the spring holder comes into contact with the rebound stopper, contact of adjacent linear portions of the rebound spring with each other due to excessive compression of the rebound spring can be prevented, and also occurrence of strange noise and damage of the rebound spring can be prevented.

Abstract: An electromagnetic suspension system comprises a universal joint mechanism for permitting radial movement of a cylinder relative to a center yoke while preventing axial movement of the cylinder relative to the center yoke. Since the cylinder is capable of radial movement relative to the center yoke, if a lateral force acts on the cylinder, the lateral force acting on a hydraulic damper does not have any significant effect on the center yoke 17 with respect to radial movement or rocking movement thereof. Therefore, excessive sliding friction does not occur in a center-yoke dry metal and a piston-rod dry metal, thereby ensuring smooth axial relative displacement between the center yoke and an outer yoke.

Abstract: A scroll fluid machine has a low-pressure stage compression part for compressing a fluid sucked in from the outside between mutually overlapping wrap portions of two scroll members performing a relative orbiting motion and a high-pressure stage compression part for compressing the fluid sucked in from the low-pressure stage compression part between mutually overlapping wrap portions of two scroll members performing a relative orbiting motion. The scroll members in the low-pressure stage compression part have a larger radial gap between the wrap portions than that of the scroll members in the high-pressure stage compression part.

Abstract: A hydraulic shock absorber includes a cylindrical housing within which a piston assembly is slidably received. The piston assembly includes a piston element connected to a piston rod and adapted to divide an interior of the housing into compression and rebound chambers. The piston element has compression and rebound passages to provide fluid communication between the compression and rebound chambers. A valve assembly includes a first valve disc positioned on a lower side of the piston element, and a second valve disc retained on the first valve disc. The second valve disc includes apertures arranged in a circumferentially spaced relationship and are selectively openable and closeable by the first valve disc. A third valve disc is retained on the second valve disc and has notches arranged in a circumferentially spaced relationship. The notches cooperate with the apertures to collectively form ports. The ports are communicated with the compression chamber.

Abstract: A master cylinder apparatus for a BBW system is provided, which enables accurate detection of a piston stroke without substantial increase in the size of a master cylinder. A master cylinder apparatus includes a master cylinder adapted to be connected to wheel cylinders through fail-safe valves, a stroke simulator for ensuring a desired stroke of a brake pedal upon receiving a brake fluid introduced from a fluid pressure chamber in the master cylinder through a simulator passage, and an opening/closing device for opening and closing the simulator passage. A stroke sensor for detecting a stroke of a primary piston is formed by a rotation angle detector, a sensor arm having one end connected to a rotary shaft of the rotation angle detector and a sensor pin extending from the primary piston. Linear motion of the primary piston is converted to rotational motion through engagement between the sensor pin and the sensor arm and is transmitted to the rotation angle detector.

Abstract: A master cylinder apparatus for a BBW system is provided, which eliminates a risk of brake delay, even with the use of a plunger-type master cylinder, and which therefore is able to achieve a reduction in size of a master cylinder. The master cylinder apparatus comprises a tandem-type master cylinder connected to wheel cylinders through fail-safe valves and a stroke simulator for ensuring a desired stroke of a brake pedal upon receiving a brake fluid introduced from a fluid pressure chamber in the master cylinder. The master cylinder is arranged in the form of a plunger-type master cylinder in which cup seals are provided on an inner surface of a bore of the cylinder body. A spring force of a second return spring for a secondary piston is set to be larger than that of a first return spring for a primary piston. A retracted position of the secondary piston is limited by a stopper pin extending through an oblong hole formed in the secondary piston.

Abstract: In a controllable damping force shock absorber, a piston member connected to a piston rod is disposed in a cylinder in which a magnetic fluid is contained. A disc valve having an extension-stroke pressure-receiving portion and a compression-stroke pressure-receiving portion is provided in the piston member, and a pilot chamber is formed on a rear side of the disc valve. A coil is provided adjacent to passages communicated with the pilot chamber. By energizing the coil, a magnetic field that acts on the magnetic fluid flowing through the passages is generated, changing the viscosity of the magnetic fluid to control a damping force. A valve-opening pressure of the disc valve is controlled according to the pressure in the pilot chamber, such a way that the magnetic fluid exposed to the magnetic field can flow at a low flow rate, thus achieving low power consumption.

Abstract: An elastic member is interposed between a reaction disk and a plunger. By moving the plunger to open a poppet seal such that atmospheric air is introduced into the variable pressure chambers, a pressure differential is created between the variable pressure chambers and constant pressure chambers (negative pressure). As a result, servo power is applied to an output rod, and a resulting reaction force is partly transmitted back to an input rod through the reaction disk. During a rapid braking operation, a piston is caused to retract by a pin, thus pushing the elastic member into an outer peripheral groove formed on the piston so that the elastic member is axially compressed. As a result, the movement amount of the plunger can be increased without receiving a reaction force, enabling the rapid development of servo power.

Abstract: An ejector having an ejector body integrally formed with a nozzle having inlet and outlet ends, a diffuser having inlet and outlet ends and a suction passage defining a suction port between the outlet end of the nozzle and the inlet end of the diffuser. The nozzle and diffuser define fluid passages having a rectangular cross section or a circular cross section in which the narrowest portion of the fluid passage of the nozzle defines a throat. The diffuser has a diverging portion which diverges to have a divergence angle of 5–10 degrees in case of a two dimensional ejector or 3.5–6.5 degrees in case of a three dimensional ejector.

Abstract: A motor-driven disk brake having a caliper containing a piston for pressing a brake pad, a rotary actuator and a rotary-to-rectilinear motion converting mechanism for transmitting rotation of the rotary actuator to the piston after converting it into rectilinear motion. The piston is driven in response to rotation of the rotary actuator to press the brake pad against a disk rotor, thereby generating braking force. A brake releasing mechanism for returning the rotary-to-rectilinear motion converting mechanism to its initial position in the event of a failure in the rotary actuator is interposed between a rotating member and a rectilinearly moving member that constitute the rotary-to-rectilinear motion converting mechanism. The brake releasing mechanism has an urging device for generating a torque in the direction for returning the piston in response to the rotation of the rotating member in the direction for advancing the piston.

Abstract: A master cylinder comprises a cylinder body in a cylindrical form having one end closed and including a discharge passage and a supply passage for a brake fluid, the supply passage being communicated with a reservoir. A piston is slidably disposed in the cylinder body, so as to form a pressure chamber for supplying a fluid pressure to the discharge passage. A piston seal is provided in a circumferential groove formed in the cylinder body, which has an inner circumferential surface thereof in slidable contact with the piston and is capable of sealingly disconnecting the supply passage and the pressure chamber. The cylinder body includes a communication groove which opens into the circumferential groove and extends from the circumferential groove toward the closed end of the cylinder body to thereby connect the circumferential groove and the discharge passage. The communication groove is formed outwardly beyond a bottom surface of the circumferential groove relative to a radial direction of the cylinder body.

Abstract: An electric braking apparatus is disclosed in which a rotational movement from a motor is converted into linear movement that moves a brake piston to generate braking force. The electric brake apparatus can perform full parking brake function without sacrificing its original braking function. In operation, immediately after generation of braking force caused by rotation of the rotor (26) supply of electricity to the motor is turned off. After supply of electricity is turned off, however, the rotor (26) is restricted from returning to its original position due to an engagement with an engaging claw (54) via a claw wheel (50), thereby keeping the barking brake remain effective. When electricity is thereafter supplied to the motor, the rotor (26) generates rotational torque sufficiently strong to push down the engaging claw (54) for disengagement, thereby releasing the parking brake.

Abstract: A master cylinder of the invention supplies a brake fluid from a large diameter pressurizing chamber 56 to a small diameter hydraulic chamber 49 by opening a reverse flow checking opening and closing portion 61 by sliding movement of a stepped piston 16 forwardly, that is, fast fill and when the hydraulic pressure of the large diameter pressurizing chamber 56 rises, a control valve 86 escapes the hydraulic pressure of the large diameter pressurizing chamber 56 to a reservoir 12 to gradually lower in accordance with rise of the hydraulic pressure of the small diameter hydraulic chamber 49, thereby capable of reducing a strange feeling in a pedal feeling caused by sudden pressure release of the large diameter pressurizing chamber 56.