Abstract: An air bag apparatus for a vehicle according to the invention is provided with an inflator discharging gas, a folded air bag deployed by said discharged gas, a case storing the folded air bag therein, and a retainer fixing the air bag to the peripheral edge of the opening in a state of holding the end portion of the air bag therebetween. The peripheral edge of the opening forms an upward standing flange, and the flange seals off the end portion of the air bag from said discharged gas.

Abstract: A seat slide (E1) includes a first guide (1). The seat slide includes a second guide (2) configured to be guided by the first guide (1). The second guide (2) supports a seat (101). The seat slide includes a leading member (3) configured to move the second guide (2) relative to the first guide (1). The seat slide includes a cap (4) mounted to the second guide (2). The cap includes a first support (41) for supporting the leading member (3). The cap includes a second support (42) extending from the first support (42) for supporting the second guide (2).

Abstract: A door locking apparatus for a vehicle including: a first locking/unlocking mechanism driven by a first driving mechanism operable by a knob inside a car and a control switch, and switchable between an unlocked state where operations of inside and outside handles respectively provided inside and outside the car are effective, and a locked state where the operation of the outside handle is ineffective while that of the inside handle being effective; a second locking/unlocking mechanism driven by a second driving mechanism operable by the control switch, and switchable between an unlocked state where the operation of the inside handle is effective, and a locked state where the operation thereof is ineffective; and a third locking/unlocking mechanism switchable between an unlocked state for enabling a transmission of an unlocking force from the knob to the first locking/unlocking mechanism, and a locked state for disabling the transmission thereof.

Abstract: A shift lever device which includes a housing, a shift lever, a knob, a rod with a key and a locking mechanism. The shift lever has a tube and a supporting member provided with a pivot supported by the housing on the vehicle body and a base block to which the tube is connected. The knob is connected to the tube. The rod inserted through the shift lever, is movable in an axial direction by operating the knob button of the knob. The key has a detent engaging portion to engage with a detent plate of the housing. The locking mechanism has a lock lever with a locking portion at its tip. The lock lever swings so that the locking portion is interposed between the base block and the key to lock movement of the rod, thus maintaining the engagement of the detent engaging portion with the detent plate.

Abstract: A polarization maintaining optical fiber is formed by using a core in a cross sectional shape having different diameters along two orthogonal axes defined on a plane perpendicular to an optical axis, or a photonic crystal structure cladding having a diffraction grating with lattice intervals for realizing confinement of lights within the core which are different along two orthogonal axes defined on a plane perpendicular to an optical axis, or the photonic crystal structure cladding that is divided into four divided portions along a circumferential direction, where at least a part of lattice holes in a first pair of divided portions that are facing each other along one direction have a diameter larger than that of lattice holes in a second pair of divided portions that are facing each other along another direction orthogonal to the one direction.

Abstract: A plane commutator in which it is easy to integrally form carbon and segment, connecting strength between the carbon and mold resin is enhanced, and conductivity is enhanced. The plane carbon commutator comprises a plurality of metal segments fixed to a commutator body made of resin, engaging projections provided on a carbon which was previously burnt at a high temperature, the engaging projections being engaged with engaging holes provided in the segments functioning to allow insertion of the engaging projections into the engaging holes but prevent the engaging projections from being pulled out from the engaging holes are projected from peripheral edges of the engaging holes, and the cut-rising pieces are brought into contact under pressure with peripheral faces of the engaging projections. Peripheral faces of tip end side engaging projections are formed into coarse faces, and conductive paste is interposed between the segments and the carbon.

Abstract: When a trunk lid 10 is opened, even in the case that the trunk lid 10 is attached to a weather strip due to a frost of a vehicle body and the trunk lid 10 is not sufficiently opened, a lock canceling member 60 is restricted at an restriction canceling position during a period that a striker 45 is returned to a waiting position from a bring-in position. Furthermore, a latch 31 is not again engaged with the striker 45, and a drive mechanism 50 does not bring in the trunk lid 10 again.

Abstract: In a sunroof apparatus provided with a lid (3) capable of opening and closing an opening formed in a roof (1) of a vehicle body, and a slider (8) longitudinally moving on a side rail (5) connected to the lid (3) and provided in a side of the vehicle body, in which a longitudinal movement of the slider (8) is automatically obtained by an actuator and a dummy full-close position temporarily closing an opening (2) by the lid exists between a tilt-up position and a flap position, the lid is made incapable of stopping at the dummy full-close position at a time of moving in an opening direction and a closing direction.

Abstract: An optical transmitter for realizing a high tolerance with respect to the group velocity dispersion of the optical fibers, a small receiver sensitivity degradation, and an improved stability that is hardly affected by the group velocity dispersion even in the case of network scale expansion, is constructed by a light source section for generating optical clock pulses synchronized with a signal bit rate while maintaining a duty ratio of the optical clock pulses constant, which is capable of variably setting the duty ratio, and an encoding section for encoding the optical clock pulses by using electric signals synchronized with the optical clock pulses while setting a relative optical phase difference between the optical clock pulses in adjacent time-slots to be an odd integer multiple of &pgr;.

Abstract: Disclosed is a die for compacting a powdered material. The die has a die body having a penetrating die cavity to which a couple of punches are adapted to apply for pressing the powdered material to be supplied to form a compact, and a die holder having a bore into which the die body is shrink fitted. The die cavity is provided with a coating composed of a material which is selected from the group consisting of titanium carbide, titanium nitride, alumina, titanium cyanide, hafnium nitride, chromium nitride, tungsten carbide and DLC, and the die holder is composed of a steel material which is prepared by tempering at a temperature higher than a treatment temperature at which the coating is provided on the die cavity. The die cavity is tapered at a ratio within a range of 1/5,000 to 1/1,000.

Abstract: First characteristic values (SS, FF) which fluctuate most of the characteristic of a device composing a semiconductor device are obtained according to a fluctuation of manufacturing process for the semiconductor device. Next, the width (optimized K value) of a fluctuation width of manufacturing process which matches second characteristic values (C1, C16) of the worst cases of the characteristic of this device with the first characteristic values (SS, FF) is determined. Finally, a third characteristic value of the worst case of the circuit characteristic of the semiconductor device is determined based on this fluctuation width (optimized K value).

Abstract: The lateral pnp transistor encompasses a p-type semiconductor substrate, an n-type first buried region disposed on the semiconductor substrate, an n-type uniform base region disposed on the first buried region, an n-type first plug region disposed in the uniform base region, a p-type first emitter region and a first collector region disposed in and at the top surface of the uniform base region, a graded base region disposed in the uniform base region and a first base contact region disposed in the first plug region. The graded base region encloses the bottom and the side of the first main electrode region. The doping profile in the graded base region intervening between the first emitter region and the first collector region is such that the impurity concentration is gradually decreases towards the second main electrode region from the first main electrode region.

Abstract: A DC—DC converter is composed of an overcurrent cut-off means connected in series to a direct power source, primary windings of a plurality of transformers connected in series to the overcurrent cut-off means, a switching element connected in series to the overcurrent cut-off means and secondary windings of a plurality of transformers connected in parallel with each other. According to the DC—DC converter, a voltage induced on the secondary windings are rectified and smoothed by a first rectifying and smoothing circuit to output the smooth direct voltage to a load. When a short-circuit test is carried out for one of the primary windings, the overcurrent cut-off means cuts off an overcurrent flow.

Abstract: A lever (60) is for operation via a grip (40). Lever (60) has a transmission member (61) incorporated therein. A mechanism (M1) is for the operation of transmission member (61) via grip (40). A connecting member (10) is assembled with mechanism (M1). Connecting member (10) is fixed to lever (60), having transmission member (61) incorporated therein. Connecting member (10) is mounted to grip (40).

Abstract: A fingerprint image judgment apparatus is capable of judging whether or not fingerprint image data has been correctly read when a CPU having a small utilizable memory space is used. A first count unit counts the number of ridges or valleys in one direction of an X-axis direction or a Y-axis direction based on the pixel values stored in the first memory 141. A second count unit counts the number of ridges or valleys in the other direction of the X-axis direction or the Y-axis direction based on a judgment result h_flg [i] stored in a second memory 142 and the pixel values stored in the first memory 141. The judgment result h_flg [i] indicates whether or not the pixel values form ridges or valleys in the one direction. A correctibility judgment unit judges whether or not the fingerprint image data has been correctly read by the fingerprint sensor 15 based on the number of ridges or the valleys counted by the first and second count units.

Abstract: In the disclosed invention, the influence of the dispersions of the gate lengths and the gate widths is prevented from adversely affecting circuit parameters except for the specific circuit parameter. According to this invention, the circuit parameters can be correctly extracted, and circuit characteristics can be accurately predicted.

Abstract: A system and method are described for providing interactive television services and for switching between television programs, such as to an interactive program session from another program. An interactive server, capable of providing requested interactive video services to a set of subscribers in a given geographic area, is coupled to a network to which subscriber set top boxes are also coupled. Television programming, which may be furnished by any number of sources, is accompanied by a signal that indicates the availability of other programming, such as interactive television service related to the program being viewed, as well as information to be used in requesting such service. The user, when notified by this signal, may input to the set top box a request for a second program, such as an interactive program or application. The identity of the original program channel is stored, and a session with the video service provider is established over the network.

Abstract: A system and method downloads data and reconfigures the data into a database. A telephone user purchases a specific number of lines and specific services (i.e., call waiting) from a telephone company. The telephone company then programs a switch associated with that user so that the user receives the services purchased. The telephone company also inserts the user's purchases into a database used for generating the user's bills. Discrepancies can occur between the data in the switch and the data in the billing database. Billing correction is performed by downloading all of the data within a switch, reconfiguring the data into a database and then comparing the switch database against the billing database to detect billing errors. To facilitate ease of this billing correction process, the switch database is transmitted to the billing correction center via a network instead of the traditional method of using direct tape copies of the switch being physically transported to the billing correction center.