Abstract: In a vibration welding structure for fixing an attachment to an instrument panel (12), a first projection (70) resiliently deformable in a predetermined vibrating direction is provided on the instruction panel (12) so as to project from the instrument panel (12) toward an air conditioner duct (15). First fitting groove portion (72) is formed in the air conditioner duct (15) for fitting engagement with a distal end portion (70a) of the first projection (70). Further, a first positioning mechanism (74) is provided between the instrument panel (12) and the air conditioner duct (15) for positioning the air conditioner duct 15 in a direction perpendicular to the vibrating direction.

Abstract: For processing flat objects (10), in particular for packing printed products or small groups thereof, using a continuous packing material, the objects are conveyed in a conveying stream in which they are arranged in succession and essentially parallel to the conveying direction, and possibly between two layers of packing material, along a part of the periphery of a processing drum (1). The processing drum (1) has axially extending support elements (2) and tool elements (3) regularly alternating around its periphery. A radial position of the supporting and tool elements is adjustable, to accommodate varying formats of the objects to be processed. The processing drum also includes a pressing belt (4) extending from an entry point (A) to an exit point (B) on the drum periphery and holding and pressing the objects being conveyed on the drum periphery against the tool elements.

Abstract: A manual steering column stamping fixture includes a body member and a linear bearing assembly. The linear bearing assembly is secured to the body member, and includes a marking punch that is driven into engagement with a steering column so as to place an alignment mark on the steering column. Once a center or neutral position of the steering column is located using a checking fixture, the stamping fixture is mounted over the checking fixture using cooperating slots provided by the body member and arms provided by the checking fixture, and such that the marking punch is disposed within the checking fixture and adjacent the steering column. Thereafter, the marking punch is manually moved away from the steering column and against spring bias such that, upon subsequent release of the bearing assembly, the marking punch is driven into the steering column to mark the steering column.

Abstract: Provided are a measuring section (210) including a vibrating contact-type probe having a measuring force detection circuit (219) which detects a measuring force acting to the contact portion (212); a moving unit (a three-dimensional drive mechanism (300), a vertical movement drive mechanism (220)) that moves the measuring section (210) relative to a workpiece surface (S); and a drive control unit (400) that controls the moving unit based on the magnitude of the measuring force output from the measuring force detection circuit (219).

Abstract: Electrodes 2, 3 are contact with an uppermost work W1 and energized with electricity so as to thermally expand an electrode contact portion of the work W1 or alternatively so as to thermally expand the electrode contact portion of the work W1 and a heat transfer portion of an adjoining work W2 to which heat is transferred from the electrode contact portion, and then the portions are contracted so as to form a deformed portion Q and the deformed portion Q is separated from the adjoining works W1, W2 and a gap H is formed between the works W1, W2 which are overlapped, and a laser beam L is irradiated at a position where the gap H is large enough to spread the vapor generated by the vaporization of the coating heated.

Abstract: A fuel gas charging portion structure of a gas fuel vehicle includes a fuel gas charging port to which a fuel charging nozzle of an external fuel charging station is to be connected, an earthing portion to which a earth wire of the fuel gas charging station to be connected, a lid which is opened or closed selectively for covering both the earthing portion and the fuel charging port, and the earthing portion further includes a plurality of members. The fuel gas charging port is at least partially covered by bringing the earthing portion into a folded state when the lid is closed, while the earthing portion is brought into a state of being connectable with the earth wire 32 from the folded state and the fuel charging nozzle 31 is brought into a state of being chargeable to the fuel gas charging port when the lid is open.

Abstract: The invention relates to a housingless load cell whose resistance and measuring accuracy can be improved with respect to environmental influences such that at least the predominant part of the surface (12) and/or the surface (14) has a transversal path, such that water hitting the body of the load cell (1) can flow off when the load cell is in a built-in state. The angle ?1 between the transversally extending part of the surface (12) and the perpendicular peripheral surface of the body (3) and/or the angle ?2 between the transversally extending part of the surface (14) and the peripheral surface of the leg (4) is respectively greater than 90° and is, more particularly between 93°- 120°. A housingless load cell comprising a compensation electronics system is provided in one of the transversal holes (7).

Abstract: A surface texture measuring instrument provided with a near-field measuring unit (30) including a near-field probe (33) that forms a near-field light at a tip end thereof when a laser beam is irradiated, a laser source (35) that generates the laser beam to be irradiated on the near-field probe (33), a detection element (38) that detects scattering effect of the near-field light generated when the near-field probe (33) is moved close to a workpiece (1), and an actuator (32) that displaces the near-field probe (33) and the workpiece (1) in a direction moving close to/away from each other, includes: a laser length-measuring unit (20) that measures a relative distance between a reference position and the workpiece (1) in the vicinity of the tip end of the near-field probe (33) or a relative distance between the reference position and the near-field probe (33).

Abstract: A gait generation device for generating a desired gait which includes floating periods in which all the legs 2, 2 of a legged mobile robot 1 float in the air and landing periods in which at least one leg 2 is in contact with a floor which appear alternately generates the desired gait in such a manner that, at least when shifting from the floating period to the landing period, the velocity of an end portion 22 of a landing leg with respect to the floor and the acceleration thereof with respect to the floor is substantially 0 at the instant of landing. After both the velocity of the end portion of the leg with respect to the floor and the acceleration thereof with respect to the floor are determined to be substantially 0, a movement of the body of the robot with the desired gait is determined in such a manner that the horizontal component of a moment produced about the desired ZMP by the resultant force of gravity and an inertial force applied to the robot 1 is substantially 0.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for precise modulation of signal phase and signal delay, respectively, and signal amplitude, comprising a first fixed-delay device having its input coupled to an input signal, a first variable delay device having its input coupled to said input signal and having a control input for delay adjustment, a first amplitude control device in series with the first variable delay device, providing at its output an amplitude controlled signal and having a control input for adjusting the output amplitude, a phase detector with linear characteristic having its two inputs connected to the output of the fixed-delay device and the output of the first amplitude control device, an error measurement device having its negative input connected to the output of the phase detector and its positive input connected to a control signal, an amplifier with low-pass characteristic having its input connected to the output of the error measurement device and its output to the control input of the firs

Abstract: A rolled steel plate 1 wound in a roll shape is unrolled and is cut in given dimensions to form a blank 2. In this case, a cut surface 2a is caused to incline at 1 to 3 degrees relative to the thickness direction of the blank 2, wherein the inclination direction of the cut surfaces 2a, 2a on each side is reversed. The blank 2 cut in this manner is roll-formed to cause the cut surfaces 2a, 2a to confront each other. Since the cut surfaces 2a, 2a on each side incline at 1 to 3 degrees in the opposite direction as described above, the cut surfaces 2a, 2a are caused to be parallel. Then, the confronting sections are laser-welded to form a cylindrical body 3.

Abstract: In a quadruple loop position control device (1) including: a drive controller (5) having a current control loop that controls motor current (I) and a motor speed control loop that controls a motor speed (Vm); a speed control loop (3) that controls a speed (Vd) of a driven body (2); and a position control loop (4) that controls a position (Pd) of the driven body (2), an adder (6) that adds an output value from the position control loop (4) and an output value from the speed control loop (3) and inputs an addition result to the motor speed control loop is provided. By providing the adder (6), the position control device (1) functions as a control device of a first-order system, so that occurrence of an overshoot may securely be avoided even when respective transfer functions of the position control device (1) are set for purpose of suppressing a vibrating behavior of the driven body (2).

Abstract: A landing position/orientation of a foot (22) to be landed in a landing action of a robot (1) such as a biped mobile robot or the like is estimated, and a desired footstep path for the robot (1) is set up. Based on the estimated landing position/orientation and the desired footstep path, a future desired landing position/orientation is determined in order to cause actual footsteps of the robot (1) (a sequence of landing positions/orientations of the foot (22)) to approach desired footsteps. Using at least the determined desired landing position/orientation, a desired gait for the robot (1) is determined, and the robot (1) is controlled in operation depending on the desired gait. For determining the desired landing position/orientation, mechanism-dependent limitations of the robot (1) such as an interference between the legs thereof, etc., and limiting conditions of an allowable range in which a desired ZMP can exist are taken into consideration.

Abstract: Curtain-shaped bag bodies 26, 27 are expanded and developed inside a vehicle room on windows of a vehicle. The bag bodies 26, 27 are expanded and developed by a plurality of inflaters 26, 27, and the plurality of inflaters 26, 27 are arranged in the same interior material being well organized.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of removing spectator ions and contaminants from aqueous suspensions of solid particles. In accordance with the method of the invention, the solid particles are transported across a phase boundary into a non-polar organic solvent, leaving the spectator ions and contaminants in the aqueous phase. To facilitate the efficient transportation of the solid particles across the phase boundary, the surface of the solid particles is coated with an amphiphilic polyelectrolyte. If desired, the solid particles can be recovered from the organic phase by evaporating the organic solvent.

Abstract: A gait generating system for a mobile robot has n dynamic models and determines a first gait parameter defining a desired gait such that the boundary condition of a gait on a first dynamic model is satisfied. The first gait parameter is corrected step by step by using an m-th dynamic model (m: integer satisfying 2?m?n), which is each dynamic model other than the first dynamic model, and an m-th gait parameter that satisfies the boundary condition on the m-th dynamic model is determined. The m-th gait parameter is determined by correcting an object of an (m?1)th gait parameter to be corrected on the basis of the degree of deviation of the gait generated on the m-th dynamic model by using the (m?1)th gait parameter from the boundary condition. A final determined n-th gait parameter and an n-th dynamic model are used to generate a desired gait.

Abstract: A gait generation device for setting a translation floor reaction force's horizontal component (component concerning a friction force) applied to a robot 1, a limitation-target quantity, such as a ZMP, and an allowable range, for determining at least a provisional instantaneous value of a desired floor reaction force and a provisional instantaneous value for a desired movement of the robot 1, that receives at least the provisional instantaneous value for the desired movement and determines a model floor reaction force instantaneous value with the aid of a dynamics model.

Abstract: The present invention is directed toward an vehicle airbag construction that reduces the incidence of an unrestrained passenger engaging the A-pillar during a high-speed crash. The present invention is also directed toward an airbag structure that reduces the risk of a restrained passenger's hands contacting the instrument panel. In accordance with the present invention, an airbag is formed so as to take on a generally hourglass shape when inflated. Thus, the inflated airbag of the present invention has a greater width dimension at the upper and lower ends thereof than at the middle. The enlarged width dimension at the airbag upper end prevents or minimizes contact between the passenger's head and the vehicle A-pillar. The enlarged width at the airbag lower end prevents or minimizes contact between the passenger's hands and the vehicle instrument panel.

Abstract: A measurement system for determining six degrees of freedom (?, ?, d, ?, ?, ?) of a reflector (2) or of an object (3) on which the reflector is arranged, comprises an angle- and distance measurement apparatus (1), e.g. a laser tracker, operating with a laser beam as a measurement beam (4). The reflector (2) is designed for a parallel reflection of the measurement beam (4) and has an apical opening or surface (6), in a manner such that a part of the measurement beam (4) directed onto the reflector (2), passes through the apical opening or surface (6), and is incident on a light-sensitive surface (7) arranged behind the reflector apex. Five degrees of freedom (?, ?, d, ?, ?) of the reflector (2) or the object (3) are computed from measurement data produced by the angle- and distance measurement apparatus (1) and by the light-sensitive surface (7).

Abstract: A vehicle tire pressure monitoring system and method is provided, the system including a tire pressure transducer affixed to either the tire or wheel of a vehicle. An electromagnet system is in electrical communication with the tire pressure transducer, the electromagnet system configured to generate pulses and transfer a single bit of data to a sensor system on the vehicle body upon each revolution of the tire or wheel. The sensor system in turn transfers the received bits to an electronic control unit wherein the code is converted into a read out for the vehicle operator. One or more bits within the code may be redundant checking bits or bits representing the status of the pressure transducer or electromagnet system.