Abstract: A lumbar support device includes a seat-back having a first upstanding frame and a second upstanding frame spaced therefrom in the lateral direction, a bilateral asymmetrical torsion spring having a first end portion which is rotatably supported by the first upstanding frame and a second end portion, a supporting plate mounted on the bilateral asymmetrical torsion spring, and a driving device disposed between the second upstanding frame and the second end portion of the bilateral asymmetrical torsion spring for moving the bilateral asymmetrical torsion spring in the direction of the thickness of the seat-back, wherein a degree of a deformation of the first end portion of the bilateral asymmetrical torsion spring is less than that of the second end portion of the bilateral asymmetrical torsion spring.

Abstract: A winch assembly (10) includes a first transmission assembly rotatably connecting a motor (11) to a winch drum (20) comprising clutches (12, 16) adapted to rotatably engage an output shaft (13) of the motor (11) to a winch drum shaft (19) of the winch drum (20) to wind in cable (22) onto the winch drum (20) and to payout cable (22) from the winch drum (20) by disengagement of motor drive shaft (13) from winch drum shaft (19).The winch assembly (10) further includes a second transmission assembly comprising an overrun clutch (23) rotatably connecting winch drum shaft (19) to motor drive shaft (13) if and when the payout speed of cable (22) from drum (20) exceeds a predetermined value.The winch assembly (10) is particularly suited to control conveyor belt tension in relatively large conveyor belts by simple on/off control of the clutches (12, 16) in response to sensed conveyor belt tension.

Abstract: A starting device for an air bag includes a mass body, a drive shaft and an ignition pin. The mass body detects a rapid deceleration of a vehicle by inertial movement of the mass body. An end portion of the mass body in the direction of inertial movement contacts a vicinity of one end portion of the drive shaft in a longitudinal direction thereof. The drive shaft is urged by an urging member and holds the mass body at a predetermined position due to urging force of the urging member. The drive shaft has an engaging member at a portion of the drive shaft in the longitudinal direction thereof, and is provided so as to be rotatable around the engaging member by the inertial movement of the mass body. The ignition pin includes a shaft member and a stepped collar member, the stepped collar member being formed at a portion of the shaft member in the longitudinal direction thereof.

Abstract: A wiper apparatus is disclosed in which a wiper linkage includes a pivot lever connected to a pivot shaft of a wiper arm for wiping a windshield glass of a vehicle, a pivot holder for supporting a pivot shaft, a link rod rotatably connected to the pivot lever, and a crank arm rotatably connected to the link rod. A wiper motor rotates the crank arm and moves the link rod reciprocatively. An elongated supporting pipe is fixed to the vehicle and supports the wiper linkage. A holding member holds the wiper motor to the supporting pipe. The holding member includes a mounting member to which the wiper motor is mounted and a fixing member for fixing the mounting member to the supporting pipe. The fixing member has a plurality of protruding portions which are elongated in a longitudinal direction of the supporting pipe on the inner periphery of the fixing member facing the supporting pipe. Also, each of the plurality of protruding portions provides a weld portion between the fixing member and the supporting pipe.

Abstract: An interlock mechanism associated with a shift mechanism for a change-speed gearing in a power transmission, the shift mechanism including a plurality of parallel fork shafts axially slidably supported from a casing of the power transmission to be selectively shiftable toward forward speed-ratio and reverse-ratio positions, wherein the interlock mechanism comprises a single interlock plate assembled with an end wall of the casing in a plane perpendicular to each axis of the fork shafts to be movable in one direction, the interlock plate having a body portion slidable along with the end wall of the easing in the one direction and a plurality of parallel projections to be selectively engaged with respective recesses formed on the fork shafts for permitting axial movement of one of the fork shafts and restricting axial movement of the other fork shafts.

Abstract: A friction joint assembly 20 comprising a first arm 21 and a second arm 22 pivotally connected about pivot means, the pivot means including mechanical adjustment means comprising opposed frictional components adapted to be urged, one against the other, axially from a central axis region 23 about which the opposed frictional components are generally radially disposed.In a particular form, the opposed frictional components comprise a tubular member 24 on the one hand and opposed half members 26a, 26b located within the tubular member 24 on the other hand having a common frictional surface defined between them.The friction joint assembly 20 forms part of a vacuum arm assembly including at least one bendable joint supported by the friction joint assembly 20.

Abstract: A method of renovating sewers or pipes where an elongate plastic strip (30) is spirally wound in the sewer or pipe, the strip having joint formations (32) along each side so that a joint formation (33) on one side of the strip will butt against the joint formation (34) along the other side of an adjacent strip and a joining strip ( 50 ) is spirally wound into engagement with the adjacent joint formations to lock the windings of the strip into place. Grout is injected into the spaces between the liner and the wall of the sewer or pipe to secure the liner in position.

Abstract: The invention relates to a bioreactor unit for the aerobic biological treatment of hydrocarbon contaminated waste water and off-gases. The bioreactor comprises a biotreatment chamber comprising a vertically extending housing unit forming the walls, floor and ceiling of the biotreatment chamber. The housing unit also comprises a door for accessing the biotreatment chamber. The biotreatment chamber also comprises waste water inlet means for discharging waste water under pressure from the upper portion of the biotreatment chamber, onto a plurality of superimposed water treatment trays disposed substantially horizontally inside the chamber, the water treatment trays being adapted for retrieval from the biotreatment chamber through the door of the housing unit. Each water treatment tray has at least one bottom porous section adapted to receive contact media.

Abstract: Upon a sudden deceleration of a vehicle, if an inertial body moves a predetermined amount against the urging force of a return spring, the trigger means will be released from engagement with the firing pin. Under the urging force of a spring, the firing pin is released from engagement with the trigger means, strikes and ignites a detonator so as to activate the actuator. The trigger means will not move until the inertial body has moved by the predetermined amount. Only after the inertial body has moved the predetermined amount, will the trigger means start to move suddenly and quickly. Therefore, friction at the time the inertial body engages the trigger means is kept constant. The stable operation of the sensor is thereby assured.

Abstract: An electric control system for a pulse combustion device of the type which includes a combustion chamber mounted within a liquid vessel of a liquid heating apparatus, fuel and air inlet valves arranged to supply a mixture of fuel and air into the combustion chamber, a tailpipe connected at one end thereof to an exhaust port of the combustion chamber to take place therein resonant combustion of the mixture of fuel and air and immersed in an amount of liquid stored in the vessel, and an electrically operated air intake blower arranged to supply fresh air into the combustion chamber through the air inlet valve.

Abstract: A child seat mounted on and secured to a vehicle seat. The vehicle seat is provided with a fixed member. An engaging member is provided on the child seat main body such that the engaging member is engageable with the fixed member and is able to be withdrawn from and retracted into the child seat main body.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for generating and delivering a gas that contains vapor produced by subliming a solid for use in chemical vapor deposition processes such as Metal Organic Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MOMBE) and Organometallic Vapor Phase Epitaxy (OMVPE). The method includes generating a gas saturated with the vapor and subsequently diluting the gas with an inert gas to obtain an uniform non-saturated gas. The apparatus includes a vessel for containing a sublimable solid, a heater for maintaining the vessel at a desired temperature, tubes and valves for introducing a gas into the vessel and for discharging a gas that is saturated with the vapor of the solid from the vessel, and a tube and a valve for diluting a gas discharged from the vessel.

Abstract: A uterine monitor is provided for gathering characteristic data such as maternal uterine electromyogram, uterine temperature and intra-uterine pressure so that the onset of parturition or labor may be determined. The uterine monitor comprises a remote sensing unit, the remote sensing unit containing sensors which sense uterine temperature, intra-uterine pressure and uterine electromyogram. A transceiver is housed in the remote sensing unit and outputs the sensed signals to an external antenna. A monitoring station is provided for monitoring the sampled signals. Additionally a medication dispenser is provided which may be actuated by the monitoring station upon the onset of parturition or labor.

Abstract: A shift lever assembly adapted for use in a power transmission of an automotive vehicle, composed of a shift lever having a tubular body portion formed therein with an axial bore and provided at its lower end with a support portion to be mounted on a vehicle body structure and arranged perpendicularly to the tubular body portion and a connecting arm extending forwardly from the lower end of the tubular body portion, an operation rod slidably disposed within the axial bore of the tubular body portion and provided at its lower end with a detent mechanism for retaining the shift lever in a shifted position, and an operation knob having a grip portion connected to the upper end of the tubular body portion and an operation button assembled within the grip portion and maintained in engagement with the upper end of the operation rod.

Abstract: Paper having a relatively high rigidity including Japanese paper and fibrous sheet such as vegetable fibrous sheet and nonwoven fabric are used as base materials for finishing without subjected to any processing while fibrous sheets including some sorts of Japanese paper and spunbonded nonwoven fabric being high in softness and flexibility and bulky, and machine-made paper being lightweight and thin, and moreover having a relatively high rigidity are incapable of or nondurable to physical processing such as beating, bending and crumpling, so that the pretreatment or preliminary processing (primary processing) is applied to these sheets for use as base materials in such a manner that they are resin-treated or have plastic material, elastomer film, woven cloth or one selected from a group of fibrous sheets similar to the above attached thereto so as to convert them into composite sheets.

Abstract: A needle safety device is provided which allows a health care professional to dispose of a needle quickly and safely while also only using only one hand. The safety device comprises a housing having an orifice therethrough; a puncture detection system in the housing and comprising a first membrane secured over the orifice, a pH sensitive dye, and a gas for raising the pH above normal atmospheric conditions; and a securing system in the housing and comprising a curable adhesive, a curing agent, and a membrane for temporally separating said adhesive from said curing agent.

Abstract: A riding lawn mower having a mower unit suspended from a chassis frame through a link mechanism. A driver's seat supporting auxiliary frame is provided, which includes a foot rest, a seat mount and right and left rear wheel fenders formed integral with one another. The auxiliary frame has a forward end portion thereof supported by the chassis frame to be pivotable about a cross pin, and a rear end portion supported by the chassis frame through a suspension mechanism. The cross pin is disposed adjacent a shift pedal and a brake pedal, while the suspension mechanism is disposed below the driver's seat.

Abstract: A germfree drinking water dispenser includes a reservoir for receiving and reserving drinking water such as mineral water and an ozone injecting device. The ozone injecting device includes a compact ozone generator and an injection opening which is opened into the reservoir. Ozone generated by the ozone generator is injected, by e.g. a blower, through the injection opening into the drinking water at the reservoir. The ozone injecting device is activated only for a short necessary period of time when the dispenser is out of service. So that, after the drinking water in the reservoir is fully sterilized, a sufficient period of time is allowed to lapse for any ozone remaining in the water to dissolve until the next first use of the dispenser.

Abstract: A portable bedpan operated by pump comprising a body including a water box, a remnant box, two filth boxes, and a vacuum pump, a pan engagable with the body, a pushing cylinder located in the body for pushing the bedpan and the front end of cylinder being detachably connected with the bedpan, a plurality of hoses contractibly connected between the first filth box and the bedpan, the first filth box sucking filth of the bedpan, the second filth box being interconnected with the first filth box so as to receive overflowing filth from the first filth box, a remnant box for accumulating remnant filth of the pan bottom, and plurality of valves installed at each connecting hose for regulating the fluid flow in connection with the pumping operation.

Abstract: A support mechanism for supporting thereon a set of upper and lower forming dies to be opened and closed in a forming process. The support mechanism includes a base structure of mounting thereon the lower forming die, a pair of opposed upright side plates fixedly mounted on the base structure in parallel to one another, a pair of guide tracks provided on the respective inside faces of the side plates, a pair of actuators mounted on the base structure at a position adjacent the respective side plates, a movable support frame arranged between the side plates and located above the lower forming die on the base structure for supporting the upper forming die thereon, the support frame having a pair of support shafts secured to its opposite sides and slidably engaged with the guide tracks, and a pair of link mechanisms arranged to support thereon the support shafts of the support frame and to transmit the motion of the actuators to the support shafts to move the support frame along the guide tracks.