Abstract: In a compressor having a sliding member such as a portion of a vane which is disposed to be slid on an opposite member made of iron base metal, the sliding member is made of carbon fiber-reinforced aluminum having a coefficient of thermal expansion of 0.9 to 1.6+10.sup.-5 /.degree. C. in a temperature range from 0.degree. C. to 250.degree. C. and the carbon fiber-reinforced aluminum contains 15 to 40 volume % of carbon fiber which is irregularly distributed within an aluminum matrix without directional property.

Abstract: A rotary compressor formed with an unloading port maintaining a working space in communication with a suction chamber and opened and closed by a valve, to vary the capacity of the compressor. The internal pressure of the working space is sensed in a compression stroke or this pressure and the pressure of a fluid drawn by suction are both sensed, so as to open and close the valve based on the sensed internal pressure of the working space or the pressure differential between the internal pressure of the working space and the pressure of the fluid drawn by suction, to give suitable hysteresis to the operation characteristics of the on-off valve to stabilize the operation of the on-off valve.

Abstract: A worm type compressor comprises a cylindrical worm provided with a plurality of spiral-like passages in its inner periphery for forming fluid sealing chambers, a rotor slidably disposed within the worm and provided with an internal fluid outlet opening for discharging a compressed fluid and a pinion gear disposed within the rotor so as to be rotated about an axis perpendicular to and away from the rotor axis while engaged with the spiral-like passages.A worm type compressor further comprises a compressed fluid escape means which is provided in each of the finishing portions of the spiral-like passages of the worm for letting the compressed fluid escape from each of the spiral-like passages in the final stage of the fluid compressing step.

Abstract: In a safety inflatable bag apparatus for protecting occupants of a vehicle, when collision of a vehicle occurs, a blocking cock of a high pressure gas container is destroyed by explosion of ignitors, as a result of which high pressure gas is released from the container into the inflatable bag to inflate it for restraining the occupant. By-product fragments or pieces produced upon the explosion of the ignitors are collected in a collecting chamber disposed at a bent portion of a duct connecting the high pressure gas container and the inflatable bag, thereby to eliminate the need for a conventional filter or prevent the filter, if used, from being clogged.

Abstract: A high pressure gas container hermetically confining therein a high pressure gas for inflating instantaneously a safety air bag to protect occupants in a vehicle is provided with an improved discharge valve for blowing out the gas from the container. The discharge valve comprises a sealing disk disposed at a blocking cock portion, which disk has a thick center portion and thin peripheral portion so that the whole disk may be utterly ruptured upon explosion of a detonator disposed adjacent to the thicker portion of the sealing disk. Such complete destruction of the sealing disk will result in a formation of a large opening for blowing out the high pressure gas and hence allows a rapid inflation of the safety air bag due to increased flow rate of the jetted high pressure gas from the container.

Abstract: A gas column type air bag system of the type in which an air bag includes a main gas column with a relatively large volume when inflated and a plurality of auxiliary gas columns with a relatively small volume when inflated, branched from the main column and extended toward a passenger, thereby rapidly expanding the air bag to inflate in case of a collision. The ratios both in volume and length among the air bag and the main and auxiliary gas columns are so selected that the air bag may be almost instantaneously expanded to the full by the inflation of the main and auxiliary columns and may be securely maintained in the desired stable inflated shape. The inflated main column serves as a knee restraining pad. The high pressure gas requirement for inflating the air bag may be considerably reduced as compared with the conventional systems.