Abstract: A filter and a method of manufacturing the filter which is formed by spinning a fiber in a semi-molten state onto a mold such that the mold is provided as a filter structural member. The method obviates the need to remove the filter from the mold and thus simplifies the manufacture of the filter.

Abstract: A seal member is attached to a peripheral edge portion of a filter body by being fused to semi-melted fibers that form the filter body when the semi-melted fibers are layered over a forming surface. Therefore, the formation of the filter body and the attachment of the seal member can be simultaneously accomplished.

Abstract: A filter portion of a filter includes a plurality of bag-like members. The bag-like members are formed in a container shape having an opening and disposed with intervals therebetween. The periphery of the opening of each bag-like member is supported by a supporting member, and the bag-like members are mutually connected by the supporting member. Consequently, the strength of the filter portion comprising the bag-like members is improved.

Abstract: An oil pump for an internal combustion engine is provided with an intake port and a discharge port, each formed in a pump housing. The oil pump has a power pump serving as a first main pump and an electric pump serving as a second auxiliary pump, both of which may be contained in a same pump housing. The power pump is rotated by a driving force of a crankshaft, and the electric pump is rotated by the driving force of an electric motor. This makes it possible to reduce the maximum capacity of the power pump serving as the main pump. In a vehicle operating range where the oil discharging pressure generated by the power pump becomes insufficient, the electric pump serving as the auxiliary pump is operated together with the power pump such that appropriate oil discharging pressure or appropriate oil discharging quantity can be achieved. The electric pump may also be allowed to operate for a period of time after shutting off of the engine.

Abstract: A filter production method produces a filter having a shape substantially identical to the shape of a forming surface by extruding semi-molten fibers to the forming surface. When the semi-molten fibers are extruded to the forming surface, the semi-molten fibers are gathered to upstanding surface portions of the forming surface. Therefore, a sufficient amount of fibers can be layered onto the upstanding surface portions, so that the layering amount of fibers on the upstanding surface portions of the forming surface will not be considerably reduced in comparison with the layering amounts on other portions of the forming surface.

Abstract: A manufacturing device for a synthetic resin hollow molded body molds a first split assembly member, a second split assembly member, and a third split assembly member by a first injection, and joints each of contact portions of the three members with a corresponding contact portion by a second injection. The manufacturing device includes an ejecting mechanism which moves the second split assembly member in a die opening/closing direction, a rotating mechanism which rotates the third split assembly member around a shaft center in the die opening/closing direction, and a sliding mechanism which slides the second split assembly member and the third split assembly member in a direction perpendicular to the die opening/closing direction.

Abstract: A centrifugal air-oil separator for separating liquid particles from gases containing the liquid particles includes a substantially cylindrical air-oil separation chamber and a substantially conical liquid discharge chamber which are integrated with each other and are horizontally disposed, and an air-oil separation plate disposed between a gas supply port communicating with the air-oil separation chamber and a gas discharge port communicating with the liquid discharge chamber. A liquid discharge port is provided at a lowest portion between a largest-diameter portion of the liquid discharge chamber and the air-oil separation plate, and the liquid discharge port is covered thereabove with a reverse flow prevention wall. A strong swirl flow is generated in the air-oil separation chamber by the action of the air-oil separation plate to thereby enhance the liquid separation effect, and the reverse flow of liquid from the liquid discharge port to the liquid discharge chamber can be prevented.

Abstract: A first column-like portion of a hook rod, substantially oval-shape in cross section, is fitted in hooks and then turned around its longitudinal axis by about 90°. Since a diameter in the vertical direction facing to a lower surface of the hook from the center of the first column-like portion having a substantially oval-shape in cross section increases with turning, pressing force becomes larger as the turning angle increases. Therefore, based on the pressing force an upper surface at a flange is pressed toward a flange of a case by a part positioned at the lower end in an outer peripheral surface. Based on the pressing force the flanges, an element peripheral portion sandwiched therebetween is elastically pressed to shrink, whereby the case and the cap are fastened by a simple operation of only fitting and turning the first column-like portion in recesses of the hooks.

Abstract: An absorbent, such as, for example, an active carbon, is provided in an intake air passage, for example, in an air cleaner, to efficiently adsorb fuel vapor. To ensure that fuel vapor adsorbed into the intake air passage can be efficiently desorbed even when there is only a small amount of the intake air, an intake throttle valve is provided upstream of the adsorbent and an opening of the intake throttle valve is throttled so as to decompress an area near the adsorbent. Desorption of fuel vapor also can be efficiently promoted by using a heater to directly heat the adsorbent in the intake air passage or by heating the intake air to indirectly heat the adsorbent.

Abstract: An HC adsorbing sheet inside an air cleaner is disposed such that a large amount of activated carbon is contained on the side of an engine and that a small amount of activated carbon is contained on the other side of the engine. Thus, the HC adsorbing sheet can efficiently adsorb evaporative fuel. That is, by changing the amount of activated carbon contained in accordance with differences in concentration of evaporative fuel, it becomes possible to prevent the pressure loss in an intake system from increasing. On the other hand, one end of a second intake pipe extends to a region where the amount of activated carbon contained in the HC adsorbing sheet is large, whereby it becomes possible to concentratively supply activated carbon with intake air in the region where the large amount of activated carbon is contained. Therefore, the efficiency in purging evaporative fuel can be prevented from declining.

Abstract: In a method of producing an interior trim material, a laminated structure is formed by laminating a skin material, a mat-like fiber structure, and a high-melting-point fiber sheet in this order. The mat-like fiber structure is prepared by blending thermoplastic fibers and inorganic fibers, and the high-melting-point fiber sheet is formed from fibers having a melting point higher than that of the thermoplastic fibers. At least the mat-like fiber structure is heated so that the thermoplastic fibers are melted. The laminated structure is then compressed under pressure by a hot press machine, and then expanded to restore at least part of the thickness thereof. The laminated structure thus expanded is then formed into a certain shape by a cold press machine, while the thermoplastic fibers of the mat-like fiber structure maintains plasticity.

Abstract: An intake device for an internal combustion engine has: a first intake pipe which is connected to the engine so as to conduct an intake air to the engine, and which has an opening portion that is provided in an upstream-side lower portion of the first intake pipe located at an upstream side in a flowing direction of the intake air; and a second intake pipe which has a downstream-side end portion that faces an upstream-side end portion of the first intake pipe, with a gap formed therebetween, and which conducts the intake air to the first intake pipe. An unburned gas reflux passage is provided for conducting an unburned gas from the engine to the first intake pipe. A container surrounds the gap and the opening so as to receive the unburned gas flowing from the opening portion. Thus, it becomes possible to prevent release of unburned gas into the atmosphere by performing a simple process on a conventional structure.

Abstract: A sheet-like adsorption filter formed by sandwiching particulate activated carbon with heat-resistant nets and non-woven fabric sheets that have a percentage of void of 90% or higher, is disposed at an internal combustion engine side of a filter element.

Abstract: An air bag provided with linear joined portions in the inflation section is disclosed. The linear joined portions linearly join the opposing wall portions of the inflation section. Each of the linear joined portions includes a body portion and end portions. The end portions extend from the body portion and gradually become wider than the body portion. The periphery surrounds the end portions and is provided with at least three straight portions. This air bag restrains mesh spreading and inflating gas leakage from the vicinity of any of the end portions of the linear joined portions.

Abstract: An adsorbent for adsorbing fuel vapors is disclosed. The adsorbent is to be disposed in an inlet system of an internal combustion engine. It has pores, and 50% by volume or more of the pores have a pore diameter falling in a range of from 1.4 to 2.8 nm. It exhibits a unit pore volume of 0.3 mL or more with respect to 1 mL thereof. It is formed as a particle. It exhibits high performance on adsorbing fuel vapors, and shows high durability even when it is used for long period of time.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a three-dimensional non-woven fabric according to the invention is a method in which semi-molten fibers are spun on a forming surface of a mold to form the three-dimensional non-woven fabric. The method includes a step of preparing a plurality of mold pieces, which can be mutually overlapped and a step of forming a mold including forming surfaces in a certain size by partly mutually overlapping a plurality of the mold pieces and adjusting the area in which the mold pieces are mutually overlapped. This makes it possible to form plural types of three-dimensional non-woven fabrics whose sizes are different using only one unit of mold.

Abstract: An HC adsorbing sheet inside an air cleaner is disposed such that a large amount of activated carbon is contained on the side of an engine and that a small amount of activated carbon is contained on the other side of the engine. Thus, the HC adsorbing sheet can efficiently adsorb evaporative fuel. That is, by changing the amount of activated carbon contained in accordance with differences in concentration of evaporative fuel, it becomes possible to prevent the pressure loss in an intake system from increasing. On the other hand, one end of a second intake pipe extends to a region where the amount of activated carbon contained in the HC adsorbing sheet is large, whereby it becomes possible to concentratively supply activated carbon with intake air in the region where the large amount of activated carbon is contained. Therefore, the efficiency in purging evaporative fuel can be prevented from declining.

Abstract: A filter according to the invention includes a filter body having a cylindrical element having ribs extending radially in which inner surfaces of the ribs are joined with adhesive at the vicinity of the upper edge portion and the lower edge portion a casing that stores the filter body, a relief valve and a check valve that support the filter body, and seal bodies that are formed by photo-curing resin and are provided between an upper surface portion of the element and the relief valve and between a lower surface portion of the element and the check valve. In the element, photo-curing resin is applied to an upper surface portion and a lower surface portion of a cylindrical folded body having ribs extending radially, and after that, a transparent mold is placed on the upper surface portion and the lower surface portion of the folded body, and the photo-curing resin is photo-cured in this condition and a seal body is produced.

Abstract: A relief valve is provided with a valve seat, a valve body capable of closing an open portion of the valve seat , a coiled spring for energizing the valve body in a closing direction, and a spring receiving body disposed such that the spring is interposed between the spring receiving body and the valve seat. This spring receiving body has a pair of recess portions that can be fitted in end portions of a beam portion of the valve body. According to this relief valve, in an assembled state, if the valve body and the spring receiving body are brought into proximity and then rotated relative to each other, the valve body, the spring receiving body, the spring, and the valve seat, are rapidly disassembled.

Abstract: A processed material in which a fibrous binder is mixed with chip-like solid matters such as soft urethane foam is quickly injected into a preform mold having a flat molding surface with a uniform filling density, and then fed to a main mold having a molding surface whose shape corresponds to that of a sound-proof product to be formed, so that main molding is performed under sufficient pressure and heat. With the main molding carried out after the preform molding, it is possible to manufacture sound-proof products of excellent quality.