Abstract: A drum brake apparatus is provided with a backing plate, a brake shoe, a shoe guide portion formed integrally with a backing plate by cutting-up, a guide surface on a rear surface of the shoe guide portion, an engagement projection that is formed on the brake shoe and slidably engages with the guide surface, and end portions that is formed on the shoe guide portion at both ends of the shoe guide portion in a circumferential direction of the drum brake apparatus and is continuous to the backing plate. Uplift of the brake shoe from the backing plate is prevented by engagement between the guide surface and the engagement projection.

Abstract: A friction material contains substantially no material whose Mohs hardness is higher than 6. In addition, the friction material contains a layered clay mineral, in which titania particles are inserted into layers, at a rate of 0.5%-by-mass to 20%-by-mass.

Abstract: A friction modifier is provided with a titania particle-layered clay mineral complex in which titania particles are contained in a layered clay mineral. An average particle diameter of the titania particles is 3 to 100 nm. A ratio of the titania particles to the titania particle-layered clay mineral complex is 0.1 to 0.8 on the mass basis.

Abstract: By forging a metal material, there is formed a dustproof boot 20 in which a side of an opening end portion 20b formed with a groove 34 for a dustproof boot is provided with a diameter smaller than that of a side of a piston main body 20a, and a total thereof is provided with a substantially uniform wall thickness, thereafter, by carrying out ironing from a front end of the opening end portion 20b to the piston main body side, the recess groove 34 for the dustproof boot can be formed by providing a build-up portion 20c at the opening end portion.

Abstract: The present invention provides a binder resin for a friction material, which enables high-temperature short-time thermoforming and can omit a post-curing step and suppress the generation of a pyrolysis component at molding; a friction material using the binder resin; and a binder resin composition for a friction material, which is enhanced in the heat resistance and can suppress a rapid increase of the wear amount, and in addition to these properties, which has good dynamic property and enables high-temperature short-time thermoforming.

Abstract: The present invention provides a thermosetting resin composite material excellent in mechanical strength and wear resistance at high temperature, which is achieved by converting graphite into thin-layered one and dispersing it in a thermosetting resin homogeneously. A thermosetting resin composite material, wherein an organically modified graphite having an organic compound molecule inserted between graphite layers is mixed with a thermosetting resin, the organically modified graphite being prepared by subjecting graphite to a chemical treatment to form a graphite interlayer compound having a low-molecular substance inserted between graphite layers and subsequently immersing the resultant product in a solution of an organically modifying agent, as well as a process for producing the same. Preferably, the organically modified graphite is mixed with a thermosetting resin to be converted into thin-layered one having a layer thickness of 0.

Abstract: The present invention provides a battery-free electronic key used in motorcycles and improves security. A communication circuit (44) is actuated when an electronic key is inserted into a keyhole. An electromotive force generated in a coil L2 is rectified by a power circuit (74) and supplied to the components of an electronic key-side circuit (40) as a source of power, in accordance with the variations of an electromagnetic field having a frequency of f0 generated by the communication circuit (44). The electronic key-side circuit (40) reads identification information from a storage unit (72), and the information is converted to ternary value data in a binary value/ternary value conversion circuit (70). Transistors Tr1 and Tr2 are switched on and off in accordance with the bit values of 2-bit data that expresses ternary value data, which generates three-stage variations in the electromagnetic field between coils L1 and L2.

Abstract: Electromagnetic field transmissions between a sensor unit mounted on the inside surface of a tire and a sensor control unit mounted on the vehicle body are attenuated by the wall surface of a tire disposed between the units, and sensitivity is reduced. A booster antenna (18) is embedded in the tire wall surface between the sensor unit (6) and the sensor control unit (10). The booster antenna (18) is a coil antenna, and is configured so that the resonance frequency, which corresponds to the impedance and capacitance component of the booster antenna coil, corresponds to the frequency f0 of the transmission electromagnetic field of the sensor control unit (10). The booster antenna (18) is disposed in a position in which a magnetic coupling is formed with the coil antenna of the sensor unit (6), and transmissions via the electromagnetic field between the sensor unit (6) and the sensor control unit (10) are carried out through the booster antenna (18).

Abstract: The present invention is predicated upon a brake caliper assembly, comprising a finger portion including a first end that is free and a second end, an inner surface and an outer surface, a cylinder portion including a first end that is free and a second end, an inner surface and an outer surface, and a bridge portion, including an inner surface and an outer surface, for connecting with the second end of the finger portion at a finger corner region having an inner surface and an outer surface, and for connecting with the second end of the cylinder portion at a cylinder corner region having an inner surface and an outer surface, and for defining a continuous surface that includes the inner surfaces of each of the finger portion, the cylinder portion, the finger corner region, the cylinder corner region and the bridge portion, wherein the inner surface of at least one of the finger or cylinder corner regions includes an inclined surface that is generally flat for a span of at least about 2 mm.

Abstract: A parking-brake operating mechanism is provided with an adjusting spindle, a cam shaft to which a parking lever is connected, and a thrust transmitting assembly disposed between the cam shaft and the adjusting spindle. The thrust transmitting assembly includes a rolling roller which can roll between the cam shaft and the adjusting spindle. Rolling curved surfaces are provided respectively at the cam shaft and the adjusting spindle. The rolling roller is disposed in contact with the rolling curved surfaces.

Abstract: The position of the rotation of a tire complicates the establishing of a wireless connection between a sensor unit attached to the tire and a sensor control unit attached to a vehicle body. A reflection plate (20) is attached to an inner surface of a wheel housing (16) at a position different from that of a sensor control unit (10). A transmission electromagnetic field from the sensor control unit (10) is reflected by the metal reflection plate (20) and transmitted to a sensor unit (6) rotated to a position to which the field does not readily reach directly from the sensor control unit (10). The sensor unit (6) varies an impedance of a coil antenna in accordance with transmission data, and generates a variation in the transmission electromagnetic field. The variation is detected via the reflection plate (20) as a variation in a transmission load of the sensor control unit (10), and the transmission data from the sensor unit (6) is detected in the sensor control unit (10).

Abstract: First to third inner locking pieces 12 to 14 are provided at both ends of an inner shim plate 2a in a radial direction of a rotor so as to be bent toward the pad, respectively. First to third outer locking pieces 15, 17 and 18 are provided at both ends of an outer shim plate 1a in the radial direction of the rotor so as to be bent in the same direction as the locking pieces 12 to 14. An inner shim plate 2a is mounted on a pressure plate 10, and the first to third outer locking pieces 15, 17 and 18 are superimposed on the first to third inner locking pieces 12 to 14 such that main body parts 7 and 8 of the respective shim plates 2a and 1a are locked in the pad in the axial direction of the rotor.

Abstract: A tire inflation pressure determining system is provided in which measurement results are transmitted to the exterior without providing a high precision oscillation circuit to a tire-mounted air pressure determining system. An LC resonance circuit is composed of a coil Ls and an inflation pressure sensor in which the electric capacitance varies in accordance with tire air pressure. The fluctuations of the electromagnetic field having a frequency f0 generated by a sensor control unit are sensed in a coil L2, a clock is generated based on the sensed fluctuations, the clock is inputted to a coil Le that is transformer coupled to the coil Ls, and the LC resonance circuit is excited.

Abstract: A disc brake return spring comprises a V-shaped spring having two spring members, with each member ending in an engagement leg. Each engagement leg is angled with respect to the spring legs in a fashion so that the spring applies a moment to the friction pad to counteract rotation that occurs about the backing plate supports. The return spring is employed in a disc brake assembly having friction pads with backing plates that are disposed on either side of a rotor for braking purposes.

Abstract: A caliper 2a is disposed between rotation input side and rotation output side engagement portions 8, 9 of a support member 3a so as to restrict the movement of the caliper 2a in a circumferential direction of a rotor 1. A guide pin 26 which supports the caliper 2a is passed through guide holes 22 formed in pressure plates 11 which make up respective pads 10b in such a manner as to be capable of sliding in an axial direction of the rotor 1, whereby the caliper 2a is supported on the respective pads 10b attachably and detachably to the support member 3a while being allowed to move in the axial direction of the rotor 1 relative to the respective pads 10b.

Abstract: In a brake member having a brake lining bonded to a brake shoe, the brake shoe has a chemical conversion coating provided on the surface thereof and a ceramics coating layer provided on the chemical conversion coating which has been formed by dipping in a ceramics precursor solution. The brake lining is bonded to the ceramics coating layer by heating under pressure. A method for bonding a brake lining and a brake shoe is provided with a step of degreasing, cleaning and acid-washing the surface of a brake shoe and then forming a chemical conversion coating thereon, a step of dipping the brake shoe having a chemical conversion coating formed thereon in a ceramics precursor solution to effect ceramics coating and a step of bonding a dried brake lining to the brake shoe under heating and pressure.

Abstract: A tire inflation pressure determining system is provided in which measurement results are transmitted to the exterior without providing a high precision oscillation circuit to a tire-mounted air pressure determining system. An LC resonance circuit is composed of a coil Ls and an inflation pressure sensor in which the electric capacitance varies in accordance with tire air pressure. The fluctuations of the electromagnetic field having a frequency f0 generated by a sensor control unit are sensed in a coil L2, a clock is generated based on the sensed fluctuations, the clock is inputted to a coil Le that is transformer coupled to the coil Ls, and the LC resonance circuit is excited.

Abstract: An actuator 23d for pushing a plurality of friction plates 44, 44 to a plurality of plates 37, 37 to be braked is composed of members including electroactive polymer, the shape of the elastomer of which is changed by electric energy.

Abstract: By rotating a regulating bolt about an axis thereof to move forward/backward with respect to a protrusion portion, a lever is rotated about a shaft portion of an adjusting member. Therefore, the shaft portion of an adjusting member is rotated together with the lever to adjust a gap formed between a disk and a piston. After the gap is adjusted, the regulating bolt is fastened owing to a lock nut and a screw hole of the protrusion portion to thereby fix an forward/backward position of the regulating bolt with respect to the protrusion portion. In addition, a fixing bolt is screwed into a screw hole of a second housing portion to thereby fix a rotational position of the lever. Accordingly, the rotational position of the lever is double-locked.

Abstract: In a friction material, columnar or scaly non-whisker-like alkali metal titanate or non-whisker-like alkali metal•alkaline-earth metal titanate having an average particle diameter in the range of 0.1 to 100 ?m and an aspect ratio of 3 or less and an inorganic porous filler are compounded, and a friction material in which non-whisker-like lithium.potassium titanate having an average particle diameter in the range of 0.1 to 100 ?m and an aspect ratio of 3 or less is compounded.