Abstract: A method and system for steering a wheeled vehicle having a pair of rear steering road wheels, a pair of front steering road wheels, and a steering wheel for controlling a steering force applied to the pair of front steering wheels, wherein the pair of rear steering wheels is steered through an angle .delta.r proportioned at a ratio k to the angle .delta.f through which the pair of front steerable road wheels is steered and wherein the ratio k is given by(A-B.multidot.V.sup.2)/(C-D.multidot.V.sup.2)wherein V is a detected vehicle speed and A, B, C and D are predetermined parameters, and .delta.f is given bye.multidot..delta.f.sub.D /(1+k)when .delta.f.sub.D is the angle through which the steering wheel is turned and e is a constant.

Abstract: A stationary guide rail has "V" shaped sides which partially enclose a slotted tube and which have a section which endows on the rail a high "second moment of inertia". A slide member has a pair of arms which embrace the external surfaces of the "V" shaped sides and an extension which passes through the slot in the tube in which an axially movable cable is disposed. The extension has a loop at the end thereof which tightly grips the cable. A handle is connected to a gear wheel meshing with a helical ridge formed on the cable so that winding of the handle very smoothly raises and lowers the window glass.

Abstract: A four-wheel drive system for a vehicle, comprising a power unit having an output shaft in a lateral direction of the vehicle, a power transmission gear unit including transmission input and output shafts each having an axis of rotation parallel with an extension of the axis of rotation of the output shaft of the power unit; an intermediate drive gear parallel with the axes of rotation of the transmission input and output shafts, the transmission output shaft being held in driving engagement with the intermediate drive gear, a first wheel drive unit comprising differential-action power splitting means operative to split driving power from the drive gear into two power components and a differential gear assembly operative to transmit one of the two power components to a first pair of road wheels, a second wheel drive unit comprising right-angle power transfer gear means engaging the differential-action power splitting means and operative to transmit therethrough the other of the two driving power components in

Abstract: Herein disclosed is an automatic vehicle-body assembling system for welding together an engine compartment assembly, a front floor assembly and a rear floor assembly to form a floor structure of an automotive vehicle, wherein the component members to constitute each of the engine compartment and front and rear floor assemblies and the individual assemblies to constitute a vehicle floor structure are first provisionally or tack welded together in a primary assembling stage and are thereafter completely welded together in a series of secondary assembling stages.

Abstract: An air conditioner for an automotive vehicle having (1) a duct having at its one end an air inlet, at the upper part of its other end a ventilation outlet, and at the lower part of its other end a floor outlet linked to a defroster outlet; (2) a blower disposed at the air inlet for introducing air into the duct; (3) an evaporator disposed downstream of the duct for cooling the air introduced by the blower; (4) a heater core disposed downstream of the evaporator whose upper side is provided with a first bypass for bypassing the cooled air from the evaporator; (5) an air mixing door disposed upstream of the heater core for adjusting the amount of air passing through the heater core; (6) an air mixing chamber disposed downstream of the heater core and first bypass for mixing the air from the first bypass and heater core, the ratio of the air depending on the angle of the air mixing door; (7) a second bypass disposed between the heater core and the floor outlet for introducing part of the heated air from the heat

Abstract: A moving toy having a front wheel and a rear wheel supported on a body and capable of operating in a normal mode with the front and rear wheels engaging the ground, and in a wheelie mode with the front wheels raised, having a battery in a battery receptacle for providing electric power to operate the toy. The center of gravity of the battery receptacle is located forward of the axle for the rear wheel when the toy is operating in the normal mode and rearward of the rear wheel when the toy is operating in the wheelie mode. The battery receptacle includes a spring biased stopper on a stop lever for engaging grooves on a surface of the vehicle body to retain the battery receptacle in a fore or an aft position, or in intermediate positions therebetween.

Abstract: A method of producing a plurality of identical ring-shaped metal parts from a single blank in the form of solid rod without forming any hole in the blank and without cross-sectionally cutting the blank. The outer periphery of the blank corresponds to the inner periphery of the metal parts to be produced. First the blank is longitudinally compressed such that an end portion of the blank undergoes upsetting and provides a laterally expanded portion having a side periphery corresponding to the outer periphery of the metal parts and a length corresonding to the thickness of the metal parts. Then the laterally expanded portion is subjected to shearing along a plane defining the outer periphery of the blank to part its peripheral region as one of the ring-shaped metal parts. The blank remains in the solid rod form, though somewhat shortened, and therefore can be used to produce additional metal parts by repeating the same procedure until it becomes very short.

Abstract: In a motor vehicle having a hatchback door of glass which is hinged at its upper portion to the vehicle body to be swingable upwardly and downwardly to open and close a door opening formed in the vehicle body, the hatchback door is equipped at its lower end portion with an elongate strip of flexible elastic material which extends along the entire of the lower portion in a manner to cover at least the extreme edge of the lower portion.

Abstract: A vehicle level detector has a pair of switching elements respectively secured to a vehicle body and a suspension member for displacement with respect to one another corresponding to the displacement of the vehicle body and the suspension member. The switching elements are arranged to detect relative distance between the vehicle body and the suspension member and to produce signals when the detected distance is smaller or greater than predetermined minimum or maximum values. A fail-safe mechanism is provided to urge one of the switching elements to a position normally placing the switching element in relation to the other switching element such that the relative distance between the vehicle body and the suspension member is maintained within a range between the minimum and maximum predetermined values.

Abstract: A force sensing means comprising capacitor plates in the form of metallic cloth bonded to a compressible dielectric made from a foamed elastomeric material. An incompressible layer of insulating material may be formed over one or both of the capacitor plates and additional capacitor plate or plates may be provided bonded to the insulating layer to shield the capacitor plates bonded to the compressible dielectric. The metallic cloth strips forming the capacitor plates may be formed in the form of strips running crosswise on opposite sides of the dielectric to provide a matrix of force sensing means. The warp and weft threads of the metallic cloth are arranged so that neither is perpendicular or parallel to the longitudinal direction of the strip.

Abstract: A support mechanism of a swivel seat structure having a seat cushion turnable over a floor surface, wherein the seat cushion is horizontally turnable with respect to the floor surface about the center axis of a pivot element located closer to the rear end of the seat cushion than to the front end of the seat cushion and wherein the seat cushion is retained to the floor surface between the pivot element and guide rails provided in front of the pivot element.

Abstract: A knitting needle assembly suitable for use with a heavy yarn knitting apparatus. The assembly comprises an attachment of a suitable plastics material removably attached to a butt of a conventional knitting needle of a steel material. The attachment has a generally cylindrical configuration and preferably includes an inner member and a cylindrical outer member rotatably mounted on the inner member. Thus, the knitting needle presents a reduced friction against cams on a carriage of the machine.

Abstract: A window structure of a vehicle body comprises a wall portion forming part of the vehicle body and defining an opening therein; a window panel closing the opening and having at least one edge portion extending along and spaced apart inwardly from the wall portion for forming a gap between the wall portion and the edge portion; a resilient molding having a decorative trim portion bridging the window panel and the vehicle body for covering the gap, a stem portion integral with the decorative trim portion and extending in the gap, and a plurality of retrorse fins extending outwardly from both sides of the stem portion and angled toward the decorative trim portion for engagement with the edge portion of the window panel and the wall portion of the vehicle body; and retaining means for retaining the retrorse fins in engagement with the edge portion of the window panel and the wall portion of the vehicle body.

Abstract: A heat-shielding plate is placed on a surface of automotive exhaust means. The heat-shielding plate has a fitting portion to be fixed to a portion of said exhaust means by bolt means, a heat-shielding plate body for covering the portion of the exhaust means, and a mesh portion disposed between the fitting portion and the heat-shielding plate body.

Abstract: An electron microscope comprises an objective lens, at least an intermediate lens and a projector lens arrayed in this order on an optical axis. A movable aperture element is disposed between the objective lens and the intermediate lens whose disposition and magnetic excitation are so selected that electron beam diverging from a crossover produced at a back focal plane of the objective lens is focused on a plane of the movable aperture element. In the case of an electron microscope comprising an objective lens, an objective aperture element, a selected area aperture element, at least an intermediate lens and a projector lens arrayed in this order along an optical axis, an additional lens is disposed between the objective aperture element and the selected area aperture element. Disposition and magnetic excitation of the additional lens are so selected that electron beam diverging from a crossover produced at a back focal plane of the objective lens is focused at a plane of the selected area aperture element.

Abstract: A novel photosensitive composition including a photoconductive cadmium sulfide-group compound and a water-soluble prepolymer capable of forming a network structure by cross-linking, the composition being applied as a photosensitive layer of a photosensitive article for electrophotography having a conductive substrate.

Abstract: A stretch drawing apparatus comprising a constraining die having an inner die portion and an outer wall portion spaced apart from the die portion, a drawing punch positioned in conjunction with the die portion, a blank-holding block positioned in conjunction with the outer wall portion of the constraining die, the constraining die and each of the drawing punch and the blank-holding block being movable relative to each other in a predetermined direction so that the die portion and each of the drawing punch and the blank-holding block are movable toward and away from each other, and at least one wedge member having a blank-holding surface and movable in a direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction, wherein the wedge member engages the constraining die and the blank-holding block and has a thickness which increases away from the die portion toward the outer wall portion of the constraining die.

Abstract: A corner cover for a window unit having a window frame which forms an opening with a corner, includes a panel and an outer member. The panel is attached to the window frame in such a manner as to cover the corner of the opening. The panel and the window frame form a recess. An outer member extends over the panel to cover one surface of the latter. A flange is formed on the outer member and fits into the recess. A hooked portion is formed on the outer member and clamps part of the panel. The recess, the flange and the hooked portion are designed so that the outer member can be attached to the panel by moving the outer member along the panel in one direction only. The panel and the outer member include a mechanism which limits movement of the outer member from its attached position in the direction opposite that of movement of attaching the outer member to the panel in order to prevent detachment of the outer member from the panel.

Abstract: An air-conditioning system for use in a motor vehicle having a vehicle body including a seat structure mounted on the floor panel and a side wall member such as a center pillar located on one side of the seat structure, the air-conditioning system comprising an air-conditioner assembly which is positioned on one side of the seat structure and adjacent one of the wheel housings and which includes at least one heat exchanger unit and a covering member having the heat exchanger unit covered between the covering member and the vehicle body, the covering member having a substantially horizontal upper panel portion located sidewise inwardly of the center pillar so as to serve not only to cover the heat exchanger unit but as an armrest for an occupant of the seat structure.

Abstract: A four-wheel vehicle drive system comprising a power unit having an output shaft in a lateral direction of the vehicle; a transmission gear unit having input and output shafts parallel with an extension of the axis of rotation of the output shaft of the power unit; a power transfer gear rotatable about an axis parallel with the transmission input and output shafts and driven by the transmission output shaft; a first wheel drive unit comprising a differential gear assembly for one first pair of road wheels and a planetary gear assembly having a first rotary member driven by the transfer gear, a second rotary member driving the differential gear assembly and a third rotary member; low-and-high speed shifting clutch means to provide coupling selectively between the power transfer gear and the third rotary member and between the third rotary member and a stationary member fixed in the vehicle; a second wheel drive unit wherein the driving power transmitted to the second rotary member is split into two components,