Abstract: An inverted pendulum type vehicle includes a vehicle body frame having a footstep on which for positioning a rider's feet, a main wheel subjected to an inverted pendulum control, and stand arms pivotally mounted between a standing position and a housing position for supporting the vehicle body frame in a standing state when the inverted pendulum control is not being carried out and the stand arms is positioned at the standing position. The inverted pendulum type vehicle has housing levers that are provided on the vehicle body frame for pivoting the stand arms from the standing position to the housing position. The housing levers protrude upward from a footrest surface of the footstep when the stand arms is positioned at the standing position, and pivot the stand arms to the housing position by being pushed down to the side of the footrest surface.

Abstract: Assembling workability of driving disks to a vehicle body frame, and setting a spacing dimension of left and right driving disks in an axial direction with high accuracy to stabilize a traveling performance of an inverted pendulum type vehicle. The left and right driving disks are assembled to a hollow shaft member in a positioned state in an axial direction to form a subassembly. The hollow shaft member is fixed to a vehicle body frame by a bolt inserted in a central through-hole of the hollow shaft member.

Abstract: A friction drive device comprises a pair of drive disks rotatably supported by a frame opposite to each other in a coaxial relationship, a power source for individually rotatively actuating the drive disks, a traction wheel interposed between the drive disks and including a plurality of articulation members pivotally connected in tandem into a loop and a free roller rotatably support by each articulation member so as to be rotatable around an axial line extending along the loop, and drive rollers pivotally supported along a peripheral part of each drive disk at a regular angular interval and engaging the free rollers at an oblique angle. The articulation members allow the free rollers to be held in a loop without requiring a stiff annular member.

Abstract: An inverted pendulum type vehicle includes a vehicle body frame; a main wheel including a plurality of rotatable driven rollers arranged to form a ring, and a pair of left and right driving disks supported for rotation on the vehicle body frame. Each of the driving disks includes a plurality of rotatable driving rollers, disposed for contact in a twisted relationship with the driven rollers. The vehicle also includes a pair of left and right driven pulleys provided on outer sides of the driving disks, and a pair of left and right driving units, attached to the vehicle body frame above the main wheel, and including motors having output power shafts to which driving pulleys are attached. Endless transmission members interconnect the driving pulleys and the driven pulleys. The left and right driving units are disposed in an vertically offset relationship from each other.

Abstract: Assembling workability of driving disks to a vehicle body frame, and setting a spacing dimension of left and right driving disks in an axial direction with high accuracy to stabilize a traveling performance of an inverted pendulum type vehicle. The left and right driving disks are assembled to a hollow shaft member in a positioned state in an axial direction to form a subassembly. The hollow shaft member is fixed to a vehicle body frame by a bolt inserted in a central through-hole of the hollow shaft member.

Abstract: A frictional drive device comprises a pair of drive disks (48) each rotatably supported by a frame (2, 42) around a central axial line (A) in a mutually opposing relationship, and a pair of actuators (64) supported by the frame for individually rotatively actuating the drive disks and coaxially disposed with respect to the corresponding drive disks, a plurality of drive rollers (56) arranged along an outer periphery of each drive disk and each having a rotational center line so as to be rotatable along a plane which is neither parallel nor perpendicular to the central axial line, and an annular main wheel (85) disposed approximately coaxially with respect to the central axial line and engaged by the drive rollers of the drive disks, the main wheel comprising an annular member (86) and a plurality of driven rollers (92) supported along the annular member so as to be rotatable around a tangential line of the annular member.

Abstract: A door opening and closing mechanism for opening and closing the door from the inside of a fuselage. A door pivotally supported at an opening portion of the fuselage includes first and second position restricting links each having one end pivotally supported on the fuselage with a door driving link having one end pivotally supported on the door. The other end of the second position restricting link is pivotally supported on a middle portion of the door driving link. The door opening/closing operation lever is provided at one end with a grip with the other end pivotally supported on the other end of the door driving link. The middle portion of the door opening/closing operation lever is pivotally supported on the other end of the first position restricting link. By pulling the grip toward the inside of the fuselage and thereafter pushing downward, the door can be closed.

Abstract: A frictional drive device comprises a pair of drive disks (48) each rotatably supported by a frame (2, 42) around a central axial line (A) in a mutually opposing relationship, and a pair of actuators (64) supported by the frame for individually rotatively actuating the drive disks and coaxially disposed with respect to the corresponding drive disks, a plurality of drive rollers (56) arranged along an outer periphery of each drive disk and each having a rotational center line so as to be rotatable along a plane which is neither parallel nor perpendicular to the central axial line, and an annular main wheel (85) disposed approximately coaxially with respect to the central axial line and engaged by the drive rollers of the drive disks, the main wheel comprising an annular member (86) and a plurality of driven rollers (92) supported along the annular member so as to be rotatable around a tangential line of the annular member.

Abstract: A door opening and closing mechanism for opening and closing the door from the inside of a fuselage. A door pivotally supported at an opening portion of the fuselage includes first and second position restricting links each having one end pivotally supported on the fuselage with a door driving link having one end pivotally supported on the door. The other end of the second position restricting link is pivotally supported on a middle portion of the door driving link. The door opening/closing operation lever is provided at one end with a grip with the other end pivotally supported on the other end of the door driving link. The middle portion of the door opening/closing operation lever is pivotally supported on the other end of the first position restricting link. By pulling the grip toward the inside of the fuselage and thereafter pushing downward, the door can be closed.

Abstract: When a single door for opening and closing an opening in a body is opened outward with its lower part as a fulcrum, a plurality of plate-shaped steps of a foldable boarding ramp provided on an inner face of the door are swung in association with one another from a stored position along the inner face of the door to a deployed position to be used for ingress and egress of the passengers. Since the boarding ramp is folded into the stored position, it does not impair the space of a passenger compartment. Further, since the steps are folded into a position so as not to interfere with a window provided in an upper part of the door, they do not give an oppressed feeling to the passengers in the passenger compartment. The step is deployed to cover the window provided in the upper part of the door during use.

Abstract: A foldable boarding ramp is operatively connected to a door opening provided in a body and is selectively extendable to the ground. The foldable boarding ramp is stored in a folded state inside a fairing covering a connecting portion between the body and a main wing. Thus, a reduction in the space of a passenger compartment and a cargo compartment due to the storage of the folded boarding ramp is prevented. In addition, an increase in air resistance can be suppressed without providing a dedicated fairing for covering the boarding ramp. Further, an interlocking member connects together a door for opening and closing the door opening and the boarding ramp when the door is opened. The boarding ramp may be automatically deployed to improve convenience.

Abstract: When a single door for opening and closing an opening in a body is opened outward with its lower part as a fulcrum, a plurality of plate-shaped steps of a foldable boarding ramp provided on an inner face of the door are swung in association with one another from a stored position along the inner face of the door to a deployed position to be used for ingress and egress of the passengers. Since the boarding ramp is folded into the stored position, it does not impair the space of a passenger compartment. Further, since the steps are folded into a position so as not to interfere with a window provided in an upper part of the door, they do not give an oppressed feeling to the passengers in the passenger compartment. The step is deployed to cover the window provided in the upper part of the door during use.

Abstract: A foldable boarding ramp is operatively connected to a door opening provided in a body and is selectively extendable to the ground. The foldable boarding ramp is stored in a folded state inside a fairing covering a connecting portion between the body and a main wing. Thus, a reduction in the space of a passenger compartment and a cargo compartment due to the storage of the folded boarding ramp is prevented. In addition, an increase in air resistance can be suppressed without providing a dedicated fairing for covering the boarding ramp. Further, an interlocking member connects together a door for opening and closing the door opening and the boarding ramp when the door is opened. The boarding ramp may be automatically deployed to improve convenience.

Abstract: A first cylinder drives a flap to a predetermined down position. Strain gages detect strains at each part of the flap while a load that corresponds to the down position is applied to the flap by a second cylinder that has been moved by an XY table so as to track the down position. Accordingly, actual aerodynamic forces are precisely reproduced by applying a load having a size and a direction that correspond to the down position of the flap. Thus, a stationary load test, a dynamic load test, and a durability test of the flap can be carried out automatically with a small effort and in a short time.

Abstract: A flap mounted on a tapered main wing of an aircraft, is supported by at least two link units. The link units are formed into analogous shapes with an analogous size ratio equal to the ratio between corresponding chord lengths of the main wing. As a result, the amounts of protrusion of the flap are varied in the span direction in accordance with the analogous size ratio, and the flap performs a three-dimensional motion such that it is moved in the span direction while being retracted and lowered. Thus, the flap can be moved to protrude to an optimal position and through an optimal angle according to the chord lengths of the main wing. When the flap is a slotted flap, an appropriate slot width can be ensured at each of the portions in the span direction, whereby the aerodynamic characteristic of the flap mounted on the tapered main wing can be uniform in the span direction.

Abstract: A flaperon operating device having a center pulley and a slider supported on a center shaft. When the center pulley and the slider are rotated about the center shaft, left and right driving pulleys are rotated in the same direction, whereby left and right flaperons are operated in opposite directions to provide aileron functions. When the slider is slid rearwards on the center shaft by an actuator, the left and right driving pulleys are rotated in opposite directions, whereby both the left and right flaperons are lowered to provide flap functions. If the left and right flaperons are lifted or lowered by a very small angle in the same phase by the actuator, boundary layers on main wings can be controlled to reduce the drag.

Abstract: A first cylinder drives a flap to a predetermined down position. Strain gages detect strains at each part of the flap while a load that corresponds to the down position is applied to the flap by means of a second cylinder that has been moved by an XY table so as to track the down position. Accordingly, actual aerodynamic forces are precisely reproduced by applying a load having a size and a direction that correspond to the down position of the flap. Thus, a stationary load test, a dynamic load test, and a durability test of the flap can be carried out automatically with a small effort and in a short time.

Abstract: A flap mounted on a tapered main wing of an aircraft, is supported by at least two link units. The link units are formed into analogous shapes with an analogous size ratio equal to the ratio between corresponding chord lengths of the main wing. As a result, the amounts of protrusion of the flap are varied in the span direction in accordance with the analogous size ratio, and the flap performs a three-dimensional motion such that it is moved in the span direction while being retracted and lowered. Thus, the flap can be moved to protrude to an optimal position and through an optimal angle according to the chord lengths of the main wing. When the flap is a slotted flap, an appropriate slot width can be ensured at each of the portions in the span direction, whereby the aerodynamic characteristic of the flap mounted on the tapered main wing can be uniform in the span direction.

Abstract: A flaperon operating device having a center pulley and a slider supported on a center shaft. When the center pulley and the slider are rotated about the center shaft, left and right driving pulleys are rotated in the same direction, whereby left and right flaperons are operated in opposite directions to provide aileron functions. When the slider is slid rearwards on the center shaft by an actuator, the left and right driving pulleys are rotated in opposite directions, whereby both the left and right flaperons are lowered to provide flap functions. If the left and right flaperons are lifted or lowered by a very small angle in the same phase by the actuator, boundary layers on main wings can be controlled to reduce the drag.