Abstract: A vertically oriented tube bending apparatus includes a vertically oriented support frame, which takes up less floor space than the previously known tubing benders. A tube bending apparatus in accordance with the invention, generally, includes a support frame having a length, a width, and a height, wherein the greatest of these is the height. The apparatus further includes a tubing advance mechanism, attached to the support frame, for advancing a tubing workpiece along a substantially vertical path. A bend die is also provided which is rotatably attached to the support frame and pivotally movable about a pivot axis. The bend die has an outer side edge with an arcuate peripheral groove formed therein to receive a portion of a tubing workpiece. The apparatus also includes a pressure die movably attached to said support frame.

Abstract: The present invention disclosed is an aluminum alloy plate for super plastic molding capable of cold pre-molding before super plastic molding. The alloy plate comprises Mg at from 2.0 to 8.0% (weight %, the same shall apply hereinafter) Be at from 0.0001 to 0.01%, at least one of Mn at from 0.3 to 2.5%, Cr at from 0.1 to 0.5%, Zr at from 0.1 to 0.5% and V at from 0.1 to 0.5%. Additionally, the alloy plate may comprise an Fe amount and an Si amount each within a range of 0.0 to 0.2%; amounts of Na and Ca within ranges of 3 ppm or less and 5 ppm or less, respectively; while the remainder of the alloy plate consists of Al and inevitable impurities. The resulting alloy plate a crystalline structure is a non-recrystallized crystal structure; the 90° critical bending radius is 7.5 times the plate thickness or less; and the yield strength ratio before and after the final annealing is 70% or more. The invention also discloses production methods for the alloy plate.

Abstract: A plastic lamp housing for attaching to a vehicle is provided with auxiliary mounting structure to allow reattachment to a vehicle, subsequent to minor breakage of a primary mounting structure provided integrally therewith. The lamp housing includes a housing body for supportively receiving at least one bulb therein and a projecting portion, integrally provided with the housing body, for use in connecting the lamp housing to a vehicle. The projecting portion extends outwardly from a surface of the housing body and may have a groove formed therein proximate the first surface of the housing body to provide a breakaway point. The housing body further includes fastener receiving structure provided on and an auxiliary mounting bracket which may be readily secured to the fastener receiving structure, for use in reattaching the housing body to the vehicle, without affecting the structural integrity, functionality or exterior appearance of the housing body.

Abstract: Cross-flow microchannel apparatus for producing emulsions includes a pump 9 and a pump 11 which are driven to respectively supply a continuous phase to a concave portion 4 via a supply pipe 10, a supply hole 6 and a supply port 18 and a dispersed phase to a space between the outside of a base 3 and the inside of a concave portion 2 formed in a case 1 via a supply pipe 12 and a supply hole 7. Then, by applying a predetermined pressure to the dispersed phase, the dispersed phase is formed into fine particles via a microchannels 21 and mixed with the continuous phase, thereby forming emulsions. The emulsions are withdrawn to a tank and so on via a withdrawal port 19, a withdrawal hole 8, and a withdrawal pipe 13 for emulsions.

Abstract: A vehicle capable of performing automatic driving can be braked with a hydraulic braking pressure produced by a master cylinder having a vacuum booster and a hydraulic braking pressure produced by a hydraulic pressure pump provided to an ABS/B-TCS hydraulic pressure control unit. During normal braking, the vehicle performs braking with the hydraulic braking pressure produced by the master cylinder, by controlling a linear solenoid of the vacuum booster in accordance with a command from an automatic driving electronic control unit. If an insufficient braking force is obtained from the hydraulic braking pressure produced by the master cylinder or a failure occurs in the braking system of the master cylinder, the vehicle performs emergency braking with the hydraulic braking pressure produced by the hydraulic pressure pump of the ABS/B-TCS hydraulic pressure control unit HU.

Abstract: Ceramics with a glaze applied to the surface of ceramic blank, the bending strength of which ceramic blank is 100 Mpa or higher or the firing shrinkage rate is 7% or higher and the porosity is 7.5% or higher.

Abstract: In a valve lift control system for engine intake valves which selectively changes an intake valve lift of an engine, and a phase angle relationship of a timing of opening the engine valve in relation with a crankshaft angle depending on the operating condition of the engine, an arrangement is made to limit the advancing of the opening timing of the engine valve when a large valve lift is selected. It is thus possible to limit the advancing of the timing of opening the engine intake valve only when the valve lift is increased, and the advancing of the timing of opening the engine intake valve may cause an interference between the engine intake valve and the corresponding engine piston. The valve opening timing is otherwise optimized, and the maximum performance of the engine can be attained under all possible circumstances.

Abstract: A stabilized cephalic medical apparatus includes an annular band for placement around a patient's head, and a pivotally adjustable bridge member for holding and supporting a medical instrument. The bridge member according to the invention is attachable to the annular band, and is preferably removable therefrom for cleaning and sterilization thereof. The bridge member is preferred to include a mounting member for supporting a medical instrument thereon, and a connector for connecting the mounting member to the annular band. The apparatus may further include a medical instrument attachable to the bridge member. The design of the apparatus according to the invention allows a medical instrument, such as a nasal speculum or retractor, to be operatively attached to, and to move concurrently with the patient.

Abstract: Provided is a rear wheel steering device which includes a rotary shaft having a pair of threaded sections of mutually opposite senses, and a pair of slide members supported in a rotationally fast manner, and having threaded sections which engage the corresponding threaded sections of the rotary shaft so as to be moveable in mutually opposite axial directions as the rotary shaft is turned in either direction, and a pair of clutch units each interposed between a corresponding one of the slide members and the slide shaft for selectively coupling them in an axially fast manner. Thus, the steering direction can be determined by selectively engaging either one of the clutch units, and the magnitude of the steering angle can be determined by turning the rotary shaft with an electric motor in either direction.

Abstract: An active actuator is interposed between the unsprung mass and the sprung mass of a vehicle, and a controller selectively extends and retracts the actuator at a prescribed acceleration so as to selectively apply an additional contact load to the wheel by making use of the inertial force of the sprung mass and/or the unsprung mass of the vehicle. A particularly advantageous result can be achieved by increasing the tire contact load when the wheel is about to lock up when braking. The present invention can thus reduce the braking distance for the given road condition.

Abstract: A battery box is detachably supported below a floor panel at a central portion of an electric vehicle. Batteries are mounted in a rear portion of the battery box, and a control unit and a PDU are mounted in a front portion of the battery box. As a result, the positions of the control unit and the PDU are lowered, which can contribute to the lowering of the center of gravity of a vehicle, and power lines extending from the batteries via the control unit and the PDU to a road wheel driving motor can be disposed at shortest distances, whereby the lengths of the power lines can be suppressed to the minimum.

Abstract: A washing apparatus for golfers, comprises: a flexible container for containing washing liquid and for receiving objects to be washed therein, a handle connected to the container for manipulating same; and a support mechanism for suspending the container and the handle from a golf bag and for restricting movement of the container relative to the golf bag when suspended therefrom. The container includes an access opening defined therein through which objects such as golf club heads may be inserted, a closure for selectively sealing the opening, at least one flap extending away from the closure, a brush disposed within said container for scrubbing against objects inserted into the container during a washing operation, and (optionally) a baffle for baffling movement of the washing liquid toward the opening after the liquid is placed in the container. The handle is operatively connected to the container flap.

Abstract: A sensor element includes a light detecting section (2), a wiring section and a microlens section (7, 8). The light detecting section (2) is formed to be spaced from a substrate (1) to detect an incident light. The wiring section is composed of leg sections (3, 4) and outputting sections (11, 12) formed to be spaced from the substrate in a peripheral portion of the light detecting section. The wiring section connects the detecting result of the light detecting section to patterns on the substrate. The microlens section is formed to be spaced from the light detecting section to collect and output the incident light to the light detecting section. An area of the light detecting section is equal to or smaller than ¼ of an area of the sensor element. The sensor element may further include a reflecting film formed under the light detecting section to reflect the incident light which passes through the light detecting section.

Abstract: A passenger compartment sealing structure for an automobile includes a rear seat selectively movable between a seating position and non-seating, erected position, and a partition such as a window glass provided with the rear seat, the partition being movable relative to the rear seat when in its erected position so as to sealingly abut with a lower surface of the roof of the automobile. When the rear seat 3 is folded down to a position where it overlaps the back of front seats 2L, 2R, a large volume of luggage receiving space 6 is formed rearward of the rear seat 3 so folded down.

Abstract: A tonneau cover for covering a truck box of a pickup type vehicle, comprises a rigid center panel, two rigid side panels, each adapted to be fixed along a top edge of one longitudinal side wall of a truck box, the center panel engaging the side panels in a closed position of the center panel; and mechanisms for supporting the center panel on the truck box such that the center panel may be vertically moved relative to the truck box, between the closed position and an open position in which the center panel is entirely disposed above the side panels.

Abstract: A substrate onto which a coating solution is dropped is rotated at a low speed in a first rotational mode and then after an interval of time at a high speed in a second rotational mode. At the end of the first rotational mode, the coating solution is coated to a thickness larger than a given thickness on irregularities on the substrate such as twin patterns and a global pattern, with the coating solution being coated to a thickness smaller than the given thickness between the twin patterns. Subsequently, at the start of the second rotational mode, the coating solution coated on the twin patterns and the global pattern flows into spaces between these patterns. At the end of the second rotational mode, the thickness of the coating solution on the twin patterns is almost nil, and the thickness of the coating solution on the global pattern is small in its entirety though it is somewhat large in the central area of the global pattern.

Abstract: Multi-functional materials which have a photocatalytic layer with a photocatalytic function disposed on the surface of a base through an amorphous binder layer 6 interposed therebetween. Photocatalytic particles of the photocatalytic layer are joined together by a surface energy or solid-state sintering. The photocatalytic layer may have a structure in which fine particles fill interstices defined between photocatalytic particles or a structure in which no fine particles fill interstices defined between photocatalytic particles. A metal such as Ag, Pt, or the like may be fixed or not fixed to surfaces of the photocatalytic particles. A lower layer of the photocatalytic layer is embedded in the binder layer such that an intermediate layer is formed between the binder layer and the photocatalytic layer, the intermediate layer including components of the binder and photocatalytic layers in varying concentrations therethrough.

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for interconnecting a plurality of storage containers of a type having rectangularly shaped recesses formed therein. In one embodiment hereof, the present invention provides a support block which includes four integral side walls which are connected to one another to define a substantially rectangular block shape. The side walls of the block are preferably made to taper, so as to be progressively thinner as they extend further away from a center line which bisects the block. The block also includes a support boss, which is located in between all four side walls and which is connected to at least two side walls. The support boss is connected to the walls of the block by an integral connector, which may take different forms. The support boss has a central bore formed therethrough to receive and support a shaft of a fastener therein.

Abstract: A combined doorstop and switch assembly for a vehicle includes two primary components, which are a bumper body for attaching to a vehicle body panel, and a switch which is attachable to the bumper body. The bumper body is formed of a flexibly resilient material, which may be rubber or a suitable elastomer. The bumper body has a hollow chamber formed centrally therein for receiving and holding the switch. The switch is housed within the hollow chamber of the bumper body and includes a case having a first contact disposed therein, and a push rod member slidably disposed in the case for movement therein. A spring, or other means for biasing the push rod member outwardly in the case is provided attached to the push rod member, and the switch also includes a connector for connecting to an electrical circuit, the connector being in electrical communication with the first contact.

Abstract: In a method for controlling a powered sliding door system, a standard time period for the sliding door to pass a calibration interval defined near a fully closed position under a standard duty ratio condition is measured, and the duty ratio of the drive pulse signal for the motor in the remaining interval of operation is determined from this standard time period so that the sliding door may move at a prescribed speed irrespective of the load acting on the door. This control method can be favorably used in combination with the process of detecting an obstacle in the path of the sliding door, which is based on the detection in the reduction in the speed of the sliding door, without any interference between them.