Abstract: To facilitate the assembly of wires for connecting a steering wheel and a gear box to each other, and to facilitate the regulation of neutral positions of the steering wheel and the gear box, first Bowden wires connected at one end to a steering wheel and second Bowden wires connected at one end to a gear box are connected at their other ends to each other in an intermediate interlocking device mounted between the steering wheel and the gear box. The intermediate interlocking device includes a first housing in which an intermediate follower pulley with the first Bowden wires wound therearound is accommodated, and a second housing in which an intermediate driving pulley with the second Bowden wires wound therearound is accommodated. If the housings are coupled to each other with a partition wall interposed therebetween, the pulleys are spline-coupled to each other at a predetermined phase.

Abstract: A cable-type steering device having a steering wheel 1, a gear box and Bowden wires connecting the steering wheel 1 and the gear box. Pins fixed to a tip end of inner cables of the Bowden wires are fixed to pin holes formed on end surfaces of a drive pulley. The inner cables connected to the pins are inserted and fitted into wire fixing grooves having a spiral or wavy pattern shape formed on the end surfaces of the drive pulley. The inner cables are then wound around a pulley groove formed on a peripheral surface of the drive pulley. A tensional force of the inner cables is supported by the friction force generated between the inner cables and the wire fixing grooves and the load force applied to the portion fixing the pins to the inner cables is substantially reduced.

Abstract: A steering-wheel lock mechanism is provided at a position in which a driver can easily operate the lock mechanism in a cable-type steering device, and prevents a large load from being applied to Bowden wires. Bowden wires, wound around and fixed to a driving pulley mounted in a rotary shaft of a steering wheel, are connected to a steering gear box. A cylinder lock operated by an ignition key is mounted on a driving-pulley housing having the driving pulley accommodated therein. By bringing a lock pin protruding from the cylinder lock, operated to a lock position, into engagement into a lock bore in the driving pulley, the rotation of the driving pulley is inhibited to lock the steering wheel.

Abstract: A cable-type steering device with electric power-steering assist in which the structure of the steering torque transmitting system is simplified and the loss in transmission of the steering torque is decreased. An output shaft of a motor in an electric power-steering device is rotatably carried around an outer periphery of a steering rod and connected to the steering rod through a ball screw mechanism. A follower pulley, to which a steering torque from a steering wheel is transmitted through Bowden wires, is spline-coupled to an outer periphery of the output shaft of the motor. When the output shaft of the motor is rotated by the steering torque of the steering wheel transmitted to the follower pulley or by the output torque from the motor, the steering rod is moved laterally by the ball screw mechanism to turn the steerable wheels of a vehicle.

Abstract: A cable-type steering device in which a steering wheel and a gear box are connected to each other by wires includes a relatively simple structure to effectively buffer road surface reaction torques which may be inputted from the vehicle wheels. An outer tube of a Bowden wire is slidably supported at its end in a wire penetration bore defined in a housing. The end of the outer tube is biased outwardly from the housing by a coil spring. An inner cable slidably accommodated in the outer tube is connected at its end to a pulley rotatably accommodated in the housing. If a large road surface reaction load is applied from wheels via gear box to the pulley, the outer tube is moved in unison with the inner cable, while compressing the coil spring, thereby preventing the road surface reaction load from being transmitted to a steering wheel.

Abstract: In a cable-type steering device (in which a steering torque of a steering wheel is transmitted to wheels through a driven pulley, cables, and a follower pulley, and is assisted by a motor for a power-steering operation), a rotational angle of the driven pulley and a rotational angle of the follower pulley upon operation of the steering wheel are detected by potentiometers. A deviation between both of the rotational angles is proportional to an amount of elongation of the cables, i.e., the steering torque. Hence, an electronic control unit U controls the driving of the motor for the power-steering operation based on the deviation.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing fibers with optical function includes spinning a thermoplastic polymer by a spinneret having an opening with first slits arranged parallel to each other and a second slit arranged perpendicular thereto, the spinneret being formed to satisfy a predetermined relation between the length of the first slits and the width of the second slit.

Abstract: A cable-type steering device for controlling operation of a power-steering motor in accordance with the tension on stranded metal wire cables which connect a vehicle steering wheel to a steering gearbox. Tensions of the cables are detected by contact with an arm of a potentiometer. The surfaces of the cables are smoothed by a swaging treatment or resin coating treatment to prevent undesirable vibrations of the arm of the potentiometer and improve the detection accuracy of the potentiometer. The smoothing treatment eliminates undesirable vibration which might otherwise occur due to irregularity of the surface of untreated stranded metal wire cable.

Abstract: In a fabrication machine of sea island type optical fiber having a plurality of wings by spinning, when a sea part polymer is insufficiently supplied into space between the adjacent wings to cause fusion of the adjacent wings, failing in producing an optical fiber having the desired optical characteristics. The present invention solved this problem. A guide member introduces the sea part polymer supplied from sea part polymer inlets into flow paths or slits between projection wings of a partition wall for a flow path control of an island part. A sufficient amount of sea part polymer is supplied to the space between the adjacent wings of an island part of the obtained optical fiber and an optical fiber having the desired optical characteristics can be obtained.

Abstract: The invention relates to a minute structure for showing an interference color having a certain wavelength within a visible light region, by reflection and interference of a natural light incident on the minute structure. The minute structure has: a laminated portion including a plurality of first layers having a first refractive index and a plurality of second layers having a second refractive index different from the first refractive index; and a stray-light absorbing member. The first and second layers are alternately placed on top of each other. The stray light has wavelengths other than the certain wavelength and is formed by transmittance of the natural light through the laminated portion, reflectance of the natural light by the laminated portion and/or scattering of the natural light by the laminated portion. The invention further relates to a fabric for showing the interference color.

Abstract: A spinneret for manufacturing modified cross-section fibers with optical function includes tubes arranged to a spinneret for spinning an island portion, and a partition device for enclosing the tubes for leading a melt polymer. The spinneret and the partition device cooperating with each other to define a predetermined space.

Abstract: A spinneret for manufacturing modified cross-section fibers with optical function includes a middle spinneret for spinning an island portion, which has a base and an opening for extruding a melt polymer for forming an island portion. A partition device is mounted to the middle spinneret to partition the opening thereof, the partition device having an opening communicating with the opening of the middle spinneret which protrudes-from the base thereof.

Abstract: A coloring structure for generating a color having a wave length in an area of a visible light by reflecting and interfering actions of a natural light includes first substance layers having an optical refractive index of n.sub.a and second substance layers having an optical refractive index of n.sub.b. The second layers overlie respective first layers in an alternating arrangement of the first and second layers. In order to generate a brilliant color by the reflecting and interfering actions, the optical refractive indexes n.sub.a and n.sub.b are established to satisfy both of relationships "1.3.ltoreq.n.sub.a " and "1.1.ltoreq.n.sub.b /n.sub.a .ltoreq.1.4". The coloring structure may contain a fluorescent pigment.

Abstract: A minute structure for showing colors by reflection and interference of natural light includes a plurality of fin portions and a central portion for uniting the fin portions. The fin portions are aligned in a first direction and positioned such that the adjacent fin portions are spaced from each other so as to define therebetween a void space which is filled with air. Each fin portion has a first width defined in a second direction which is perpendicular to the first direction and a second width defined in the first direction. The void space has a third width which is defined in the first direction. The central portion has a fourth width defined in the second direction. The first width of each fin portion is three times or more larger than the fourth width of the central portion. The third width of the void space ranges from 0.02 .mu.m to 0.4 .mu.m. The second width of each fin portion is not less than 0.02 .mu.m. A refractive index of each fin portion ranges from 1.2 to 1.8.

Abstract: A method for evaluating a gloss and brightness character of a coated paint film. The idea of the gloss and brightness character is classified into three feelings, i.e., a smooth feeling, a thickness feeling and a gloss feeling. Three frequency regions for the respective three feelings are selected to be in well correlation to organoleptic values which are for the respective three feelings. In the evaluating method, the degree of a surface roughness of the coated paint film is converted into frequency components. Then the frequency regions are abstracted from the frequency components. The frequency regions are numerically estimated. Finally, the gloss and brightness character of the coated paint film is evaluated in accordance with the numerically estimated frequency regions.

Abstract: An actuator for a seat belt tightening device for a vehicle using a piston received in a cylinder so as to be actuated by an explosive expansion of a propellant in a chamber defined in the cylinder behind the piston. To ensure a required strength of the coupling between the piston and a cable for transmitting the actuating force and to simplify the process of attaching the cable to the piston, the piston is cast by metal or alloy with an end of the cable embedded therein. Thus, the piston may be used as cast and no extra work is required to tie the cable to the piston. To improve the sealing capability of the piston, a skirt having a flared edge made of synthetic resin may be attached to the rear end of the piston.

Abstract: Derivatives of 3'-isopropylbenzanilide represented by the following general formula: ##STR1## wherein R stands for a trifluoromethyl or nitro group. These compounds are of remarkable utility when used in various plant protection agents for control of fungi.

Abstract: A vehicle seat belt tightening system for taking up slack from a seat belt in high acceleration or deceleration condition to positively restrain a vehicle occupant but otherwise permitting the seat belt to be paid out to accommodate a movement of the vehicle occupant, comprising: a retractor unit comprising a winding spool, a seat belt tightening unit arranged at a seat belt outlet end of the retractor unit, a drive unit for selectively activating the seat belt tightening unit, and a deceleration detection unit for acting upon the seat belt tightening unit, which are integrally mounted on a common frame. Thus, the reliability of the system is improved and the installing and the servicing of the system is simplified.

Abstract: A deceleration sensor, comprising a pair of U-shaped pendulums pivotally suspended from upper parts of a casing at their upper ends by way of pivot shafts extending in parallel with each other, one of the pendulums being received by the other in such a manner that they are permitted to pivot around their respective pivot shafts without interfering with each other, a pair of biasing springs for opposing movement of the pendulums against their inertia forces, a firing pin slidably received in the guide bore, a drive spring urging the firing pin toward a fuse which is intended to be activated by the deceleration sensor, a swing arm which is pivotally attached to the sensor casing at its one end and engaged by one of the pendulums at its other end; and a trigger arm which is pivotally attached to a middle part of the swing arm so as to be able to swing in a same plane as the swing arm, and is engaged by the other of the pendulumns at its one end and engages the firing pin against the spring force of the drive spr

Abstract: A deceleration sensor for detecting a threshold level of deceleration indicative of a vehicle collision, comprising a pair of sensor masses in the form of pendulums, a spring-loaded firing pin, a pair of trigger levers which individually hold the firing pin in a dormant state as long as they are held by the sensor masses in their neutral states but can be individually disengaged from the sensor masses by the motion of the sensor masses as a result of detecting a deceleration level greater than the threshold level. Since the firing pin is released only when both the trigger levers are released from their neutral states, the reliability of the dormant state of the firing pin is assured. To the end of improving the reliability of the activation of the firing pin, the firing pin may be spring-loaded by a pair of springs in such a manner that either spring is sufficient for the activation of the firing pin.