Abstract: An air-controlled lumbar support apparatus for a vehicle seat having a base member and a backrest is provided and includes an inflatable chamber, a valve mechanism, and a pneumatic tube. The inflatable chamber is mounted within the backrest and includes at least one partition disposed across a substantial portion of the at least one inflatable chamber. The valve mechanism receives and discharges a flow of pressurized fluid. The pneumatic tube interconnects the valve mechanism and the inflatable chamber for transferring the flow of pressurized fluid. A pump is attached to the valve mechanism for injecting fluid through the valve mechanism and the pneumatic tube to inflate the inflatable chamber. A switching mechanism allows for the release of fluid out of the valve mechanism, thereby deflating the inflatable chamber, as desired.

Abstract: A spring coupler including a drive member, a driven member, a pair of coil springs interconnecting the drive and driven members, and a cylindrical housing providing a unidirectional drive either clockwise or counter-clockwise. The drive member has a pair of recesses in its outer surface and the driven member has a pair of substantially complementary projections, the projections and recesses interacting upon the assembly of the members to form a substantially cylindrical surface. The coil springs are coiled serially about the assembled members and the outer surfaces of the springs are frictionally engaged with the inner surface of the housing in the relaxed condition of the springs. Tangs on one end of each of the springs are inserted into individual ones of clearances between the projections and an edge of the recesses and the tangs on the other ends of the springs are inserted into slots in the projections.

Abstract: Spring coupler apparatus including a driving member and a driven member coaxially mounted in a case, the driving member including a substantially circular annular body having a pair of fan-shaped flanges extending diametrically therefrom with upstanding portions at the end of the flanges forming recesses therebetween, and the driven member also including a pair of diametrically opposed fan-shaped flanges with projections extending upwardly from the ends thereof into the recesses. A relatively larger diameter spring is wrapped around the upstanding portions and projections and is in frictional engagement of the outer wall of the case in the free state of the spring, one tang end of the spring being engaged in a slit in one of the projections, and a tang on the free end of the spring being engageable with one of the upstanding portions of the driving member.

Abstract: A structure for adjusting the height of the seat of an automotive vehicle including a handle-operated coupler for pivoting supporting members at the four corners of the cushion, the supporting members being mechanically coupled together for raising or lowering the cushion vertically upon the pivoting of an activator supporting member adjacent the handle. The coupler includes a driving device and a coaxial driven device operatively interconnected by a spring coiled about at least a portion of the driving device and driven device, and a housing including a shell closely fitted about the coiled spring. A driven pin is securely fitted to the actuator supporting member for pivoting the actuator supporting member upon the application of lateral force to the driven pin. The driven device includes a driving pin linked to the driven pin for pivoting the actuator supporting member upon the rotation of the handle.

Abstract: A system is provided for establishing and controlling the attitude of a driver's seat and providing a door lock/unlock control of a vehicle. The vehicle carries an electronic control unit in which driver's identification codes and attitude data for establishing a driver's seat and mirrors are previously stored. A code signal is transmitted from a radio emitter, and is received by a radio receiver mounted on the vehicle. The control unit decodes the received code, and upon finding that it corresponds to one of the codes stored, unlocks the door of the vehicle and automatically establishes the attitude of the seat and the mirrors in accordance with data which is stored in correspondance to the code.

Abstract: An attitude control system for driving and controlling an attitude controlling mechanism associated with a driver's seat. A semiconductor read-only memory stores attitude establishing standard data corresponding to values of a physical stature and an input/output controlling program data associated with a microcomputer. When a value of the stature is inputted into the microcomputer from a keyboard, the microcomputer reads attitude establishing standard data which corresponds to the stature value inputted from the semiconductor read-only memory, and controls the energization of the attitude controlling mechanism until an attitude indicated by such data is reached. An adjustment of the attitude is possible by a key operation. Data representing the prevailing attitude of the attitude controlling mechanism can be stored in a non-volatile semiconductor memory in association with a driver identification code.

Abstract: Method for making a thermoplastic resin handle for vehicle door and the resultant handle. The handle includes a handle body of the thermoplastic resin and a sheet metal covering the body. The metal sheet is secured to the face of the handle body by means of a plurality of projections in the back face of the sheet metal. Each projection is embedded in the layer of the resin of the handle body throughout its entire length to provide a better grip thereby. In the steps for embedding the projection in the resin body, supersonic waves are applied to the sheet metal to cause frictional vibrational movement relative to the handle body and to, in turn, cause heat sufficient to melt a zone of the body necessary to plunge each projection into the handle body.

Abstract: A handle of a window regulator for vehicles includes a main body having a cylindrical projecting portion vertically extended from one end thereof and an opened shoulder portion formed on an inner end of the cylindrical projecting portion, and a knob member including a main body operatively attached to the one end of the main body of the handle, an annular groove formed in the main body of the knob member for inserting the cylindrical projecting portion of the main body of the handle thereinto, an extending portion vertically extended from the main body of the knob member for supporting the cylindrical portion of the main body of the handle, a bearing portion formed in an inner surface of the annular groove for bearing an outer surface of the projecting portion of the main body of the handle, a flange portion formed on one end of the extending portion for joining with the shoulder portion of the main body of the handle, and an axial slot formed in the extending portion and being capable of inwardly and elastic