Abstract: A method of assembling a vehicle is disclosed, comprising the steps of (in sequence) providing a chassis structure, affixing a door inner panel to the chassis structure via a hinged attachment, at a location adjacent to a door opening defined by the chassis structure, attaching at least one external body panel to the chassis structure, attaching a door outer panel to the door inner panel via an adhesive fixing. In this way, the door inner panel can be attached in place during the build, at a position tailored to the needs of the seals provided between the door and the chassis structure. Production of the vehicle can continue, and in due course the exterior body panels can be fitted to the chassis structure. The door outer panel can then be attached to the door inner panel, using the tolerance in the adhesive attachment to adjust for panel gap and flushness of fit. The application also relates to a vehicle made in this way.

Abstract: A method of assembling a vehicle is disclosed, comprising the steps of (in sequence) providing a chassis structure, affixing a door inner panel to the chassis structure via a hinged attachment, at a location adjacent to a door opening defined by the chassis structure, attaching at least one external body panel to the chassis structure, attaching a door outer panel to the door inner panel via an adhesive fixing. In this way, the door inner panel can be attached in place during the build, at a position tailored to the needs of the seals provided between the door and the chassis structure. Production of the vehicle can continue, and in due course the exterior body panels can be fitted to the chassis structure. The door outer panel can then be attached to the door inner panel, using the tolerance in the adhesive attachment to adjust for panel gap and flushness of fit. The application also relates to a vehicle made in this way.

Abstract: An optical plate for an imaging camera is proposed that is used for further deepening the depth of field. The optical plate is orthogonal to the optical axis, that, in shape, (1) is an optical plate that has the same effective aperture diameter as the imaging camera and is attached in front thereof to deepen the depth of field, and on the incidence plane or exit plane, is equipped with first and second regions in the effective aperture, the first region being on the inside (or is an outside region), with a surface shape curvature that increases going from optical axis to periphery, and a thickness that becomes thicker going from the center to the periphery, that delays the phase of transmitted light more at the periphery than the center, the second region being on the outside (or is an inside region) which has a plane parallel plate shape.

Abstract: An optical plate for an imaging camera is proposed that is used for further deepening the depth of field. The optical plate is orthogonal to the optical axis, that, in shape, (1) is an optical plate that has the same effective aperture diameter as the imaging camera and is attached in front thereof to deepen the depth of field, and on the incidence plane or exit plane, is equipped with first and second regions in the effective aperture, the first region being on the inside (or is an outside region), with a surface shape curvature that increases going from optical axis to periphery, and a thickness that becomes thicker going from the center to the periphery, that delays the phase of transmitted light more at the periphery than the center, the second region being on the outside (or is an inside region) which has a plane parallel plate shape.

Abstract: An impact energy absorbing member in which a plurality of impact absorbing plates are arranged with predetermined intervals along a direction in which a collapse stroke progresses is provided on either one of a vehicle side bracket or a column side bracket slidably fitted to the vehicle side bracket. On the other bracket, there is provided a breaking member for sequentially breaking said plurality of impact absorbing plates as the collapse stroke progresses. With this structure, the impact energy absorbing member is sequentially broken by the breaking member as the collapse stroke progresses upon secondary collision, so that impact energy is absorbed.

Abstract: In a steering apparatus for a car which presses and retains a steering column upon a fixing bracket to car body to be telescopically adjustable, the steering column is molded from a tubular material by a hydroforming process to have a swelled portion as a unitary structure thereof. There is formed on each side surface of this swelled portion an elongated hole for telescopic adjustment through which a fastening bolt of a clamp mechanism provided on a fixed bracket to steering column is inserted.

Abstract: In a steering apparatus for a car which presses and retains a steering column upon a fixing bracket to car body to be telescopically adjustable, the steering column is molded from a tubular material by a hydroforming process to have a swelled portion as a unitary structure thereof. There is formed on each side surface of this swelled portion an elongated hole for telescopic adjustment through which a fastening bolt of a clamp mechanism provided on a fixed bracket to steering column is inserted.

Abstract: An impact energy absorbing member in which a plurality of impact absorbing plates are arranged with predetermined intervals along a direction in which a collapse stroke progresses is provided on either one of a vehicle side bracket or a column side bracket slidably fitted to the vehicle side bracket. On the other bracket, there is provided a breaking member for sequentially breaking said plurality of impact absorbing plates as the collapse stroke progresses. With this structure, the impact energy absorbing member is sequentially broken by the breaking member as the collapse stroke progresses upon secondary collision, so that impact energy is absorbed.

Abstract: In a steering apparatus for a car which presses and retains a steering column upon a fixing bracket to car body to be telescopically adjustable, the steering column is molded from a tubular material by a hydroforming process to have a swelled portion as a unitary structure thereof. There is formed on each side surface of this swelled portion an elongated hole for telescopic adjustment through which a fastening bolt of a clamp mechanism provided on a fixed bracket to steering column is inserted.

Abstract: A steering column holding device for a car for firmly holding a column side member mounted on a tiltable and telescopically adjustable steering column to a fixing member to car body mounted on a car body by means of a clamp mechanism, comprises at least a high friction material member for clamping the column side member to the fixing member to car body at the time of fastening the steering column by means of the clamp mechanism.

Abstract: There are provided carrying device and method capable of high-speed pick-up and travelling operation of a carrier. The carrier is provided with a holder bracket movable back and forth, in which claw members for grasping a material are held, and a driver mechanism for stroking g the holder bracket and a driver mechanism for opening and closing the claw members are attached to the carrier body. A movable portion in the carrier can be made lighter in weight. An electric wiring cord to be connected to the movable portion can be eliminated or made thin and light enough. This allows the carrier to move at a high speed. The carrier is held at the intersection of a pair of crossing moving bars and moved to a target position by moving both the moving bars. No motor needs to be provided in the carrier for driving the carrier, so that the movable portion moving together with the carrier can be made lighter in weight, thereby speeding up the movement of the carrier.

Abstract: A method for coating a web with a coating liquid wherein heavy coating of the web at the coating start position with the coating liquid is prevented. While a thin layer of pretreatment liquid having a low viscosity and consisting of water and/or organic solvent is applied at the coating start position and the region around the coating start position on the web, the web is fed into a coating section where the web is coated with the coating liquid with the coating liquid applied over the thin layer of pretreatment liquid on the web. With the coating operation carried out with a hopper-type coating device, a method is preferably employed in which the amount of pressure reduction of a bead stabilizing suction chamber is set at value higher than that used for steady-state operation.