Abstract: A bearing with an oil film thickness measuring device in which sensor portions at distal ends of four common optical fibers are connected to sensor mounting portions formed at four positions in an axial direction of a bearing body. A lubricating oil containing a fluorescent agent is supplied to a sliding surface of the bearing body. A laser beam generated from a laser beam generator is branched into four beams, which are applied to an oil film on a sliding surface through each of sensor portions. Fluorescence generated by the fluorescent agent in the oil film, passing through a return-route optical fiber, is introduced into a photomultiplier tube, and is detected. Since the fluorescence intensity detected by the photomultiplier tube is proportional to the thickness of oil film, the absolute value of oil film thickness can be measured. In this case, the oil film thickness can be measured at four positions.

Abstract: A reproduction signal evaluation method of this invention includes the step of obtaining a reproduction signal from an information recording medium on which digital information is recorded with record marks having different sizes, the step of obtaining the amplitude of a first reproduction signal, of the signals contained in the reproduction signal, which reflects digital information recorded with a record mark having the maximum size, the step of obtaining the amplitude of a second reproduction signal, of the signals contained in the reproduction signal, which reflects digital information recorded with a record mark having the second smallest size, the step of obtaining an evaluation value from the ratio of the amplitudes of the first and second reproduction signals, and the step of evaluating a characteristic of the reproduction signal on the basis of the evaluation value.

Abstract: When a small-size dummy has collided against a vehicle and once the head of the small-size dummy hits the deployed external airbag at a pre-determined velocity, the inner pressure of the deployed external airbag is set to a characteristic such that the inner pressure takes a predetermined maximum level value capable of not only preventing the dummy from bouncing off the airbag but also preventing the head of the dummy from hitting the bottom of the airbag. When a medium-size dummy has collided against the vehicle, the inner pressure of the deployed external airbag is set to a characteristic such that the inner pressure decreases away from the maximum level value at a predetermined decrease rate to prevent the medium-size dummy from bouncing off the airbag.

Abstract: The time required for the program verify and erase verify operations can be shortened. The change of threshold values of memory cells can be suppressed even if the write and erase operations are executed repetitively. After the program and erase operations, whether the operations were properly executed can be judged simultaneously for all bit lines basing upon a change, after the pre-charge, of the potential at each bit line, without changing the column address. In the data rewrite operation, the rewrite operation is not effected for a memory cell with the data once properly written, by changing the data in the data register.

Abstract: A signal can be detected based on a level slice system and detection delay time can be reduced by setting the recording density of a header field in a linear direction lower (coarse) than that of a user data recording field. Further, a signal can be detected based on the level slice system and detection delay time can be reduced by using a mark position form having a large detection margin as an information recording system of the header field. A readout error of a sector number due to a detection error is compensated for by recording address marks AM for attaining byte synchronization of the header field in both of a head portion and tail portion of information recorded in the header field.

Abstract: The present invention provides an airbag device for, upon collision of a vehicle carrying the airbag device with an obstacle, mitigating the impact of collision of the obstacle with an inflated airbag. The airbag device includes a bag housing case and a cover. A main airbag and a cover opening bag are housed in deflated, folded states within the bag housing case. First, the cover opening bag inflates by the inflow of gas, opening the cover. Gas also flows into the main airbag through the cover opening bag, thereby inflating the main airbag. If an obstacle collides with the inflated main airbag, a bag pressure release mechanism provided at the bottom of the bag housing case opens the main airbag, releasing gas within the main airbag and mitigating the impact on the obstacle.

Abstract: An airbag device has a bag housing case, an airbag housed in the bag housing case, a plate member provided within the airbag, and a bag pressure release mechanism. When the internal pressure of the airbag reaches a predetermined pressure, the bag pressure release mechanism opens the airbag to prevent an increase in the internal pressure of the airbag. The plate member covers the bag pressure release mechanism when the airbag is in a deflated state. When the airbag is inflated, the plate member is released from coverage of the bag pressure release mechanism by an inflating force.

Abstract: A signal can be detected based on a level slice system and detection delay time can be reduced by setting the recording density of a header field in a linear direction lower (coarse) than that of a user data recording field. Further, a signal can be detected based on the level slice system and detection delay time can be reduced by using a mark position form having a large detection margin as an information recording system of the header field. A readout error of a sector number due to a detection error is compensated for by recording address marks AM for attaining byte synchronization of the header field in both of a head portion and tail portion of information recorded in the header field.

Abstract: In a pedestrian protection airbag system, an airbag module extending in the lateral direction of a vehicle body is disposed between a rear edge of a hood and a front edge of a cowl top, thereby mounting the airbag module without affecting the intake of air into a vehicle compartment or the positioning of wipers; and the left and right ends of the airbag module are supported by upper parts of left and right front wheel damper housings, whereby the damper housings obtain a high rigidity to reliably bear a reaction force during deployment of an airbag without particularly enhancing the rigidity of the cowl top. Thus, it is possible to rigidly support the airbag module in the pedestrian protection airbag system while minimizing the influence on the shape or structure of the cowl top.

Abstract: An automotive outboard air bag system (30) is provided in which a belt-like strap (34) is provided at substantially a center within an air bag (33) to extend from an upper end portion (33a) to a lower end portion (33b) of the air bag (33) with sides of the strap (34) being made to extend in a longitudinal direction of a vehicle body, front and rear side edges (34a, 34b) of the strap (34) are connected to an inner circumference (33c) of the air bag (33) to thereby form front and rear constricted portions (35) on front and rear central portions of the air bag (33), and left and right convexly curved portions (36) which can come into contact with an outer surface (12b) of a windshield (12) and a garnish (18b) of a front pillar (18), respectively, are provided on both sides of the rear constricted portion (35).

Abstract: In a cylindrical sliding bearing, a radial rigidity of an inner circumferential surface of a sliding layer against a radial compression force applied to the inner circumferential surface by a shaft varies in a circumferential direction so that the inner circumferential surface includes a relatively-high radial rigidity bearing area and a relatively-low radial rigidity bearing area.

Abstract: A disk drive includes a controller into which a function of constructing a RAID system in collaboration with other disk drives is incorporated. The controller is also singularly operated. The controller is operated as a RAID controller based on a command from a host system.

Abstract: The time required for the program verify and erase verify operations can be shortened. The change of threshold values of memory cells can be suppressed even if the write and erase operations are executed repetitively. After the program and erase operations, whether the operations were properly executed can be judged simultaneously for all bit lines basing upon a change, after the pre-charge, of the potential at each bit line, without changing the column address. In the data rewrite oepration, the rewrite operation is not effected for a memory cell with the data once properly written, by changing the data in the data register.

Abstract: A laminated glass for a vehicle window, comprises a plurality of glass sheets and an interlayer interposed between adjacent glass sheets to bond the adjacent glass sheets, wherein the interlayer satisfies the following conditions: 1) when a specimen of dumbbell No. 7 prescribed in JIS K6251 is employed to conduct a high speed tensile test at 23° C. and at 1 m/sec, a load for an extension of 15 mm is 10 N or below; or when a specimen of dumbbell No. 7 prescribed in JIS K6251 is employed to conduct a high speed tensile test at 23° C. and at 1 m/sec, an extension amount, which is obtained when work required for extension is 0.3 J, is 30 mm or above; and 2) when the interlayer is sandwiched between two glass sheets having a thickness of 2 mm to form a laminated glass having dimensions of 100 mm×300 mm, and when the laminated glass is left for 300 hrs under an atmosphere of 80° C.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a digital data play back apparatus for converting a digital data a signal read from a recording medium by sampling in a clock cycle, equalizing this digital data to a waveform which agrees with a partial response class on the basis of the clock, and detecting data on the basis of the clock with respect to the equalized signal waveform. Then, this apparatus detects a timing phase gradient between the equalized signal waveform and the clock, and controls a clock frequency on the basis of the detected timing phase gradient.

Abstract: A signal can be detected based on a level slice system and detection delay time can be reduced by setting the recording density of a header field in a linear direction lower (coarse) than that of a user data recording field. Further, a signal can be detected based on the level slice system and detection delay time can be reduced by using a mark position form having a large detection margin as an information recording system of the header field. A readout error of a sector number due to a detection error is compensated for by recording address marks AM for attaining byte synchronization of the header field in both of a head portion and tail portion of information recorded in the header field.

Abstract: An automotive outboard air bag system (30) is provided in which an elongate tubular air bag (33) is inflated to deploy upwardly from the vicinity of a front pillar lower end portion (18a), the air bag so inflated to deploy is made to extend along an outer surface (18b) of a front pillar (18), and a strap (35) which is shorter than the overall length (L2) of the air bag (33) is allowed to extend from an upper end (33b) to a lower end (33a) of the air bag (33) so as to face the outer surface (18b) of the front pillar (18).

Abstract: A signal can be detected based on a level slice system and detection delay time can be reduced by setting the recording density of a header field in a linear direction lower (coarse) than that of a user data recording field. Further, a signal can be detected based on the level slice system and detection delay time can be reduced by using a mark position form having a large detection margin as an information recording system of the header field. A readout error of a sector number due to a detection error is compensated for by recording address marks AM for attaining byte synchronization of the header field in both of a head portion and tail portion of information recorded in the header field.

Abstract: A windshield mounting structure includes A-pillars for mounting a windshield and cracking inducers provided at the A-pillars. The cracking inducers cause cracking in the windshield when an external force greater than a given force acts on the windshield from the vehicle outside. The cracking in the windshield allows the windshield to move in its entirety or in part toward a passenger compartment, absorbing impact in collision.

Abstract: An estimation method produces a reproduction signal while reading from an information recording medium such as an optical disk, and uses an equalizer to produce an equalization signal. The method then synthesizes distribution levels of the equalization signal that range over distributions of (n+1) levels L0, L1, . . . , Ln (in which L0<L1 . . . <Ln and n>2), thereby creating a new distribution. The method then uses the standard deviation of the new distribution as an estimation reference value to estimate the quality of an information reproduction apparatus or the quality of the information recording medium. The quality estimate may be used to adjust a circuit in an information reproduction apparatus that reads the information recording medium.