Abstract: A method for preparing a rare earth permanent magnet material comprises the steps of: disposing a powder comprising one or more members selected from an oxide of R2, a fluoride of R3, and an oxyfluoride of R4 wherein R2, R3 and R4 each are one or more elements selected from among rare earth elements inclusive of Y and Sc on a sintered magnet form of a R1—Fe—B composition wherein R1 is one or more elements selected from among rare earth elements inclusive of Y and Sc, and then heat treating the magnet form and the powder at a temperature equal to or below the sintering temperature of the magnet in vacuum or in an inert gas. The result high performance, compact or thin permanent magnet has a high remanence and coercivity at a high productivity.

Abstract: A permanent magnet material is prepared by covering an anisotropic sintered magnet body of formula: R1x(Fe1-yCoy)100-x-z-aBzMa wherein R1 is a rare earth element, M is Al, Cu or the like, with a powder comprising an oxide of R2, a fluoride of R3 or an oxyfluoride of R4 wherein R2, R3, and R4 are rare earth elements, and having an average particle size up to 100 ?m, heat treating the powder-covered magnet body in a hydrogen gas-containing atmosphere for inducing disproportionation reaction on R12Fe14B compound, and continuing heat treatment at a reduced hydrogen gas partial pressure for inducing recombination reaction to said compound, thereby finely dividing said compound phase to a crystal grain size up to 1 ?m, and for effecting absorption treatment, thereby causing R2, R3 or R4 to be absorbed in the magnet body.

Abstract: An axial gap-type permanent magnetic rotating machine comprises a rotor comprising a rotating shaft having an axis of rotation, a rotor yoke of disc shape radially extending from the shaft, and a plurality of permanent magnet segments circumferentially arranged on a surface of the rotor yoke such that each permanent magnet segment may have a magnetization direction parallel to the axis of rotation, and a stator having a plurality of circumferentially arranged coils and disposed to define an axial gap with the rotor. In the rotor, each permanent magnet segment is an assembly of two or more divided permanent magnet pieces, and the coercive force near the surface of the magnet piece is higher than that in the interior of the magnet piece.

Abstract: An interior permanent magnet (IPM) rotary machine comprises a rotor comprising a rotor yoke having bores and a plurality of permanent magnet segments disposed in the bores of the rotor yoke, each permanent magnet segment consisting of a plurality of magnet pieces. The rotor is assembled by inserting the plurality of unbound magnet pieces in each bore for stacking the magnet pieces, and fixedly securing the stacked magnet pieces in the bore.

Abstract: A permanent magnet rotary machine comprises a rotor comprising a rotor core and a plurality of permanent magnet segments embedded in the rotor core and a stator having a plurality of coils and disposed to define a gap with the rotor, or a permanent magnet rotary machine comprises a rotor comprising a rotor core and a plurality of permanent magnet segments mounted on the surface of the rotor core and a stator having a plurality of coils and disposed to define a gap with the rotor. In the rotor, each permanent magnet segment is an assembly of divided permanent magnet pieces, the coercive force near the surface of the magnet piece is higher than that in the interior of the magnet piece, and the assembly allows for electrical conduction between the magnet pieces.

Abstract: In connection with a permanent magnet rotary machine comprising a rotor comprising a rotor core and a plurality of permanent magnet segments embedded in the rotor core and a stator comprising a stator core having a plurality of slots and windings therein, the rotor and the stator being disposed to define a gap therebetween, or a permanent magnet rotary machine comprising a rotor comprising a rotor core and a plurality of permanent magnet segments mounted on the surface of the rotor core and a stator comprising a stator core having a plurality of slots and windings therein, the rotor and the stator being disposed to define a gap therebetween, the rotor wherein each of the permanent magnet segments is an assembly of further divided permanent magnet pieces, and the coercive force near the surface of the magnet piece is higher than that in the interior of the magnet piece.

Abstract: A rare earth permanent magnet is prepared by providing a sintered magnet body consisting of 12-17 at % of rare earth, 3-15 at % of B, 0.01-11 at % of metal element, 0.1-4 at % of O, 0.05-3 at % of C, 0.01-1 at % of N, and the balance of Fe, disposing on a surface of the magnet body a powder comprising an oxide, fluoride and/or oxyfluoride of another rare earth, and heat treating the powder-covered magnet body at a temperature below the sintering temperature in vacuum or in an inert gas, for causing the other rare earth to be absorbed in the magnet body.

Abstract: A head rest rear portion is supported to a seat back. A head rest front portion is movable forward and backward between a full-close position that is brought into contact with or close to the head rest rear portion and a full-open position that is a predetermined distance away from the head rest rear portion. A drive mechanism moves the head rest front portion. A detection sensor provided in the head rest front portion includes an electrode having a head portion detecting antenna electrode for detecting a head portion of an occupant at a time when the head rest front portion moves in the full-open position direction, and a finger detecting antenna electrode for detecting a finger of the occupant in a rear seat or the like at a time when the head rest front portion moves in the full-close position direction.

Abstract: An opening-and-closing member drive control apparatus for a vehicle for driving the opening-and-closing member so as to be opened or closed by means of a driving force of a motor after an idling period or an idling section of the motor includes a moving speed detecting member, calculating means for calculating a moving speed changing value, a determining means for determining a sandwiching of an object on the basis of a relationship between the calculated moving speed changing value and a threshold value, a temperature estimating means for estimating a temperature of the motor on the basis of a rotational speed of the motor, detected in the idling period or the idling section, and correcting means for correcting the threshold value so that a determination sensitivity of the sandwiching of the object becomes greater when the estimated temperature of the motor is low than when the estimated temperature of the motor is high.

Abstract: A head rest device that improves reliability of detecting a head on the basis of a change in capacitance without complicating a wiring structure. A head rest device is provided with a head rest rear portion configured to be supported to a seat back, and a head rest front portion freely moving forward and backward between a fully-closed position coming close to the head rest rear portion and a fully-open position separated from the head rest rear portion. The head rest front portion is moved by an actuator. The head rest front portion has a sensor electrode structured such that its capacitance is changed as a head of an occupant approaches, and an ECU controlling the actuator so as to move the head rest front portion and detecting the approach of the head of the occupant on the basis of a change of the capacitance of the sensor electrode thereon.

Abstract: Devices, methods, and programs control a seat drive mechanism that drives side support parts of a seat. The devices, methods, and programs detect a first curve ahead of a vehicle and a second curve located ahead of the first curve with respect to a travel direction. The devices, methods, and programs predict a between-curves time required to travel between the first curve and the second curve and determine whether the between-curves time is less than a predetermined time, the predetermined time being no less than a time necessary for the side support parts to operate. The devices, methods, and programs control the seat drive mechanism to arrange the side support parts at an action position to support a body of an occupant for the first curve. If the between-curves time is less than the predetermined time, the devices, methods, and programs maintain the side support parts at the action position while traveling the second curve.

Abstract: A seat for a vehicle includes: a detecting sensor detecting an occupant having a planar antenna electrode, at which electric filed is generated, and a ground electrode arranged with a clearance along an outer periphery of the antenna electrode. The antenna electrode can be provided with a hole at the center of the antenna electrode.

Abstract: A face image obtained by imaging a vehicle occupant by a CCD camera (10) is recorded in an image memory (140). A CPU (170) detects the position and the direction of a face of the occupant according to the face image recorded in the recording memory (140). The CPU (170) is triggered by an input from an obstacle detection sensor (60) to calculate a displacement amount and a rotation amount of a headrest (200) according to the face and the direction of the face of the occupant against the headrest (200) and the direction and the speed of the obstacle against the vehicle and adjust the position and angle of the headrest (200) by driving a motor (211).

Abstract: A method for preparing a rare earth permanent magnet material is characterized by comprising the steps of disposing a powder mixture on a surface of a sintered magnet body of R1—Fe—B composition wherein R1 is at least one element selected from rare earth elements inclusive of Sc and Y, the powder mixture comprising a powder containing at least 0.5% by weight of M which is at least one element selected from Al, Cu, and Zn and having an average particle size equal to or less than 300 ?m and a powder containing at least 30% by weight of a fluoride of R2 which is at least one element selected from rare earth elements inclusive of Sc and Y and having an average particle size equal to or less than 100 ?m, and heat treating the magnet body having the powder disposed on its surface at a temperature equal to or below the sintering temperature of the magnet body in vacuum or in an inert gas, for causing at least one of M and R2 in the powder mixture to be absorbed in the magnet body.

Abstract: An occupant protection device for vehicle includes an impact-predicting unit that predicts an impact of a vehicle, a controlling unit that controls activation of plural actuators mounted on the vehicle. The controlling unit sequentially drives, on a basis of at least an output from the impact-predicting unit, the plural actuators in accordance with a predetermined operating order.

Abstract: A rare earth permanent magnet is prepared from a sintered magnet body of a R1—Fe—B composition wherein R1 is a rare earth element inclusive of Y and Sc, by forming a plurality of slits in a surface of the magnet body, disposing a powder on the magnet body surface, the powder comprising an oxide of R2, a fluoride of R3, or an oxyfluoride of R4 wherein each of R2, R3, and R4 is a rare earth element, and heat treating the magnet body and the powder below the sintering temperature in vacuum or in an inert gas.

Abstract: A head rest device that improves reliability of detecting a head on the basis of a change in capacitance without complicating a wiring structure. A head rest device is provided with a head rest rear portion configured to be supported to a seat back, and a head rest front portion freely moving forward and backward between a fully-closed position coming close to the head rest rear portion and a fully-open position separated from the head rest rear portion. The head rest front portion is moved by an actuator. The head rest front portion has a sensor electrode structured such that its capacitance is changed as a head of an occupant approaches, and an ECU controlling the actuator so as to move the head rest front portion and detecting the approach of the head of the occupant on the basis of a change of the capacitance of the sensor electrode thereon.

Abstract: In a rotating machine comprising a rotor including a rotor core and a plurality of permanent magnet segments, and a stator including a stator core and windings, the permanent magnet segment is obtained by disposing a powder comprising an R2 oxide, R3 fluoride or R4 oxyfluoride on a sintered magnet body of R1—Fe—B composition, wherein R1 to R4 are rare earth elements, and heat treating the powder-covered magnet body. The permanent magnet segment of a cross-sectional shape which is tapered from the center toward opposed ends has a higher coercive force at the ends than at the center.

Abstract: A functionally graded rare earth permanent magnet is in the form of a sintered magnet body having a composition R1aR2bTcAdFeOfMg wherein the concentration of R2/(R1+R2) contained in grain boundaries surrounding primary phase grains of (R1,R2)2T14A tetragonal system within the sintered magnet body is on the average higher than the concentration of R2/(R1+R2) contained in the primary phase grains, R2 is distributed such that its concentration increases on the average from the center toward the surface of the magnet body, the oxyfluoride of (R1,R2) is present at grain boundaries in a grain boundary region that extends from the magnet body surface to a depth of at least 20 ?m, and the magnet body includes a surface layer having a higher coercive force than in the interior. The invention provides permanent magnets having improved heat resistance.

Abstract: A method for preparing a rare earth permanent magnet material comprises the steps of disposing a powder on a surface of a sintered magnet body of R1aTbAcMd composition wherein R1 is a rare earth element inclusive of Sc and Y, T is Fe and/or Co, A is boron (B) and/or carbon (C), M is Al, Cu, Zn, In, Si, P, S, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Ni, Ga, Ge, Zr, Nb, Mo, Pd, Ag, Cd, Sn, Sb, Hf, Ta, or W, said powder comprising an oxide of R2, a fluoride of R3 or an oxyfluoride of R4 wherein R2, R3, and R4 are rare earth elements inclusive of Sc and Y and having an average particle size equal to or less than 100 ?m, heat treating the magnet body and the powder at a temperature equal to or below the sintering temperature of the magnet body for absorption treatment for causing R2, R3, and R4 in the powder to be absorbed in the magnet body, and repeating the absorption treatment at least two times.