Abstract: An information processing apparatus controls a vehicle having a service power supply used to provide a service and a driving power supply used for traveling. The information processing apparatus has a storage unit configured to store service-related information concerning the service provided by the vehicle, and a controller configured to select any of a first mode, in which the service power supply and the driving power supply are independently used, and a second mode, in which the service power supply and the driving power supply are shared, based on the service-related information.

Abstract: The safety management apparatus comprises a protective shield with automatic opening and closing, a sensor configured to obtain physical information related to an occupant boarded an autonomous traveling cart, and a controller configured to control the opening and closing of the protective shield. The protective shield is configured to be normally open and, when closed, shield an occupant space of the cart from the outside. The controller includes at least one memory including at least one program, and at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory. The at least one processor executes a first process and a second process upon execution of the at least one program. The first process is to determine whether the occupant is an infant based on the physical information. The second process, which is executed when the occupant is determined to be an infant, is to close the protective shield.

Abstract: A motion conversion mechanism includes a shaft having an external thread and a cylinder having an internal thread that is screwed with the external thread. The motion conversion mechanism converts rotating motion of one of the shaft and the cylinder into linear motion of the other of the shaft and the cylinder. The cylinder is provided with two internal thread portions, each having the internal thread, such that a threadless portion is interposed between the two internal thread portions in an axial direction.

Abstract: A brake actuator includes: a housing; an electric motor with a hollow motor shaft rotating; a rotating shaft disposed inside the motor shaft to be coaxial therewith; a piston with a rear end disposed inside the motor shaft and a front end engaged with the friction member; a speed reduction mechanism decelerating rotation transmitted from the motor shaft and transmitting the rotation to the rotating shaft; and a motion conversion mechanism converting a rotating motion of the rotating shaft into an advancing/retracting motion of the piston. The motor shaft is rotatably supported by the housing at an outer peripheral surface thereof, and the rotating shaft is rotatably supported by an inner peripheral surface of the motor shaft via rollers at an outer peripheral surface thereof as well as by the housing via a thrust bearing at a rear end of the rotating shaft.

Abstract: A boarding and alighting support structure is applied to vehicle having a deck capable of boarding in a wheelchair. The boarding and alighting support structure includes a slope plate which projects obliquely from the boarding entrance end of the deck toward the ground, and a mounting member for installing the base portion of the slope plate at the boarding entrance end of the deck. The mounting member is configured to so that one end side is fixed to the base portion, other end is fixed to the entrance port end, and the one end side is flexibly configured with respect to the other end side.

Abstract: A handrail disinfection system for vehicle with handrail is mounted on a vehicle having handrail for grasping by an occupant. The handrail disinfection system includes a tank to store disinfectant solution, an exudation part provided on the handrail, an actuator for exuding the disinfectant solution stored in the tank from the exudation part, and a controller for controlling the actuator. At least one processor included in the controller executes upon execution of at least one program, performing a disinfecting process in which the actuator is controlled to exude the disinfectant solution from the exudation part to a surface of the handrail when a predetermined execution condition is satisfied.

Abstract: A vehicle equipped with a plurality of omni-directional wheels includes a grounding part that supports the vehicle by grounding to a ground surface, a moving mechanism to protrude the grounding part from the bottom of the vehicle toward the ground surface, and a controller for controlling the moving mechanism so as to ground said grounding part to the ground surface. The controller is configured to control the moving mechanism so as to ground the grounding part to the ground surface when the vehicle is detected to have stopped.

Abstract: The autonomous traveling cart according to the present disclosure, which includes a person, an object, or both as a transport target, comprises a deck on which the transport target is placed and a sensing device configured to detect a disappearance of the transport target from the deck. At least a part of a periphery of the deck is opened for better accessibility to the deck for the transport target. The autonomous traveling cart according to the present disclosure also comprises a controller configured to stop traveling control for transporting the transport target in response to detection of the disappearance of the transport target by the sensing device.

Abstract: A vehicle safety apparatus mounted on a vehicle includes one or more cameras to detect passenger state information relating to a riding state of a passenger on the vehicle, a memory to store the passenger state information detected by the one or more cameras, and a processor to execute motion control of the vehicle based on the passenger state information stored in the memory. The processor is configured to execute posture determination processing to determine whether the passenger is riding in a stable posture based on the passenger state information, and safety securing processing to secure safety of the passenger by executing the motion control, when the passenger is not riding in the stable posture in the posture determination processing.

Abstract: The safety management apparatus comprises a protective shield with automatic opening and closing, a sensor configured to obtain physical information related to an occupant boarded an autonomous traveling cart, and a controller configured to control the opening and closing of the protective shield. The protective shield is configured to be normally open and, when closed, shield an occupant space of the cart from the outside. The controller includes at least one memory including at least one program, and at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory. The at least one processor executes a first process and a second process upon execution of the at least one program. The first process is to determine whether the occupant is an infant based on the physical information. The second process, which is executed when the occupant is determined to be an infant, is to close the protective shield.

Abstract: An electric brake actuator including a retracting torque applying mechanism that applies a retracting torque to a rotational shaft and including: a torsion spring; a stator including a first retaining portion retaining one end portion of the torsion spring; a rotor including a second retaining portion retaining the other end portion of the torsion spring and configured to be rotated relative to the stator so as to twist the torsion spring; and a clutch mechanism configured to selectively establish a clutch ON state and a clutch OFF state, wherein a first retaining portion prohibits the one end portion from being displaced in a forward rotational direction and includes a biasing member that biases the one end portion in the forward rotational direction, the first retaining portion being configured to allow the one end portion to be displaced in a reverse rotational direction against a biasing force of the biasing member.

Abstract: An electric brake actuator configured to push a friction member onto a rotary body by advancing a piston by rotating an input shaft by an electric motor, including: a torque imparting device configured to impart, to an input shaft, a torque in a direction to retract a piston based on an elastic torque of a torsion spring and including a mechanism configured to allow a first retained portion provided at one end portion of the torsion spring to be retained by another one of a plurality of first retaining portions of a stator when the elastic torque exceeds a set upper-limit torque to decrease the elastic torque; and a mechanism configured to permit a second retained portion of a rotor to be retained by a second retaining portion provided at the other end portion of the spring to prohibit the elastic torque from becoming smaller than a set lower-limit torque.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a controller that acquires delivery information including information concerning one or more packages transported by a vehicle or a recipient of the one or more packages, and selects, based on the delivery information, one or more service units to be loaded on the vehicle from among a plurality of service units having different capabilities that provides a service associated with the one or more packages.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus controls a vehicle having a service power supply used to provide a service and a driving power supply used for traveling. The information processing apparatus has a storage unit configured to store service-related information concerning the service provided by the vehicle, and a controller configured to select any of a first mode, in which the service power supply and the driving power supply are independently used, and a second mode, in which the service power supply and the driving power supply are shared, based on the service-related information.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a controller configured to acquire package information, which is information on a size of one or more packages to be transported, select, based on the package information, a storage apparatus to be loaded on a vehicle from among a plurality of storage apparatuses having different characteristics that is capable of containing the one or more packages in a plurality of compartments that is capable of being independently locked, and generate a command to load the selected storage apparatus on the vehicle.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus comprises a controller configured to determine a combination of two or more units having different functions to be loaded on a vehicle platform, and generate a command to assemble a vehicle used for a predetermined application from the determined units.

Abstract: A motion conversion mechanism includes a shaft having an external thread and a cylinder having an internal thread that is screwed with the external thread. The motion conversion mechanism converts rotating motion of one of the shaft and the cylinder into linear motion of the other of the shaft and the cylinder. The cylinder is provided with two internal thread portions, each having the internal thread, such that a threadless portion is interposed between the two internal thread portions in an axial direction.

Abstract: An electric brake actuator including a retracting torque applying mechanism that applies a retracting torque to a rotational shaft and including: a torsion spring; a stator including a first retaining portion retaining one end portion of the torsion spring; a rotor including a second retaining portion retaining the other end portion of the torsion spring and configured to be rotated relative to the stator so as to twist the torsion spring; and a clutch mechanism configured to selectively establish a clutch ON state and a clutch OFF state, wherein a first retaining portion prohibits the one end portion from being displaced in a forward rotational direction and includes a biasing member that biases the one end portion in the forward rotational direction, the first retaining portion being configured to allow the one end portion to be displaced in a reverse rotational direction against a biasing force of the biasing member.

Abstract: A brake actuator includes: a housing; an electric motor with a hollow motor shaft rotating; a rotating shaft disposed inside the motor shaft to be coaxial therewith; a piston with a rear end disposed inside the motor shaft and a front end engaged with the friction member; a speed reduction mechanism decelerating rotation transmitted from the motor shaft and transmitting the rotation to the rotating shaft; and a motion conversion mechanism converting a rotating motion of the rotating shaft into an advancing/retracting motion of the piston. The motor shaft is rotatably supported by the housing at an outer peripheral surface thereof, and the rotating shaft is rotatably supported by an inner peripheral surface of the motor shaft via rollers at an outer peripheral surface thereof as well as by the housing via a thrust bearing at a rear end of the rotating shaft.

Abstract: An electric brake actuator configured to push a friction member onto a rotary body by advancing a piston by rotating an input shaft by an electric motor, including: a torque imparting device configured to impart, to an input shaft, a torque in a direction to retract a piston based on an elastic torque of a torsion spring and including a mechanism configured to allow a first retained portion provided at one end portion of the torsion spring to be retained by another one of a plurality of first retaining portions of a stator when the elastic torque exceeds a set upper-limit torque to decrease the elastic torque; and a mechanism configured to permit a second retained portion of a rotor to be retained by a second retaining portion provided at the other end portion of the spring to prohibit the elastic torque from becoming smaller than a set lower-limit torque.