Abstract: The occurrence of a sudden change in physical condition is detected. In a physical condition determination device 100, a heart rate-relate index calculation unit 110 specifies an appearance time of a sign of a sudden change in heart rate, from a time-series waveform of an index corresponding to a variation in the heart rate (heart rate-related index) and a blood pressure-related index calculation unit 120 specifies an appearance time of a sign of a sudden change in blood pressure, from a time-series waveform of an index corresponding to a variation in the blood pressure (blood pressure-related index). A physical condition sudden change determination unit 130 determines that a sudden change in physical condition (physical condition sudden change) has occurred in a case where these appearance times are both within a predetermined time.

Abstract: Provided is a sliding device which can avoid unintended locking release without depending on an excessive engagement force of an engagement member. The sliding device includes a lock mechanism that locks an upper rail to a lower rail. The lock mechanism includes: an engagement member that shifts in the upper rail between a locking position and a release position; a first urging member that gives an urging force to the engagement member in a direction from the release position to the locking position; and an operation member for shifting the engagement member from the locking position to the release position. The operation member comprises a shift restrictor that keeps the engagement member from shifting to the release position when the engagement member is in the locking position.

Abstract: Rattling and abnormal sound between an upper rail and a lower rail are reduced, and sliding is more smoothly performed. Sliding resistance reducing members (14, 15) include retainers (141, 151) formed each in a substantially L shape in a cross section and including first retaining wall portions (1411, 1511) and second retaining wall portions (1412, 1512) located between vertical wall portions (11b, 12d) and between bottom wall portions (11a, 12c) of a lower rail (11) and an upper rail (12). The first ball members (142, 152) are disposed in middle positions of the first retaining wall portions (1411, 1511), and the second ball members (143, 153) are disposed in positions apart from the vertical wall portions toward the center in the width direction of the lower rail (11) in the second retaining wall portions (1412, 1512).

Abstract: Provided is a seat which achieves reduction in wrinkling and looseness while maintaining flexibility of a cover made of leather. The seat includes: a cover made of leather and covering a pad; and a base fabric adhered to the cover. The base fabric is an woven fabric including a plurality of first threads running in a predetermined direction and a plurality of second threads running in a direction intersecting the predetermined direction. The first threads and the second threads are woven in a zigzag manner to planarly fill a surface of the base fabric with polygonal space parts defined by the first threads and the second threads.

Abstract: Provided is a reclining device that achieves effective prevention of abnormal sound while permitting a clearance to exist between a cam and a connecting rod. A reclining device includes: a pair of reclining mechanisms each having an internal gear and a cam; a connecting rod coaxially coupled to the cam and being rotatable together with the cam; and a resin bush having a fit hole to receive a fitting part at a portion adjacent to each end of the connecting rod. The resin bush is placed in a bush insertion hole in contact with an inner surface of the bush insertion hole of the internal gear to retain the connecting rod at such a position to the cam that a clearance exists between an inner surface of a rod insertion hole of the cam and an outer surface of the connecting rod.

Abstract: A vehicle seat includes a first hinge rotatably supporting a left seatback framework and a second hinge rotatably supporting a center seatback framework. The first hinge includes a first base bracket and a first hinge bracket continuous to the first bracket, and the second hinge includes a second base bracket and a second hinge bracket continuous to the second base bracket. Each of the first hinge and the second hinge has a frame bracket coupled to the corresponding seatback framework and a shaft about which the hinge rotates. An urging member is wound on the shaft. A joining part joins a distal end of the first hinge bracket of the first hinge to a distal end of the second hinge bracket of the second hinge.

Abstract: A seat capable of suppressing wrinkles around an opening of a curved-surface-portion of a skin. The seat comprises: a skin in which a curved opening is formed in the curved-surface-portion; an elastically deformable plate-shaped reinforcing-member that reinforces a peripheral portion of the opening, the reinforcing-member being disposed in a curved state along an inner surface of the curved-surface-portion; and a pressing-member that covers the peripheral portion of the opening in a state where the pressing-member presses the peripheral portion of the opening from an outer surface of the curved-surface-portion. The reinforcing-member has a main-body-portion overlapping with the pressing-ember, and extending-portions respectively extending from side edges of the main-body-portion to a range not overlapping with the pressing-member. A slit is formed in each of the extending-portions.

Abstract: Provided is a sliding device which can avoid unintended locking release without depending on an excessive engagement force of an engagement member. The sliding device includes a lock mechanism that locks an upper rail to a lower rail. The lock mechanism includes: an engagement member that shifts in the upper rail between a locking position and a release position; a first urging member that gives an urging force to the engagement member in a direction from the release position to the locking position; and an operation member for shifting the engagement member from the locking position to the release position. The operation member comprises a shift restrictor that keeps the engagement member from shifting to the release position when the engagement member is in the locking position.

Abstract: A laser welding method is a method for joining a first member in the shape of a plate and made of a metal material to a second member made of a metal material by laser welding. The laser welding method includes an arranging step and a laser beam irradiation step. In the arranging step, the second member is brought into contact with or brought close to one main surface of the first member. In the laser beam irradiation step, the other main surface of the first member is irradiated with the laser beam, the other surface being a main surface opposite to the one main surface of the first member. In the laser beam irradiation step, the first member and the second member are melted to form a weld portion having a substantially circular or oval shape in a plan view and to form a fillet on a joined portion between the first member and the second member.

Abstract: A body weight adjustment mechanism for automatic adjustment to a balanced point is provided to improve vibration absorption characteristics and impact absorption characteristics. A torsion angle of a lower frame-side torsion bar when an upper frame is at a balanced point is found in advance, a torsion angle of the lower frame-side torsion bar in a state in which a person is seated is detected, the detected torsion angle is compared with the aforesaid balanced point torsion angle, a control signal is sent to an elastic force adjusting unit, and torsion angles of upper frame-side torsion bars are adjusted so that the torsion angle of the lower frame-side torsion bar becomes equal to the balanced point torsion angle. The upper frame can be set to an appropriate position in an initial state and a static state in which a person is seated and vibration and impact absorption characteristics are improved.

Abstract: A mesh hook surface fastener does not lose engagement ability even when subjected to mold-in forming and gives only a slight feeling of something foreign. The mesh hook surface fastener contains first shape holding ribs (a21) with a relatively small protrusion height and second shape holding ribs (a22) with a relatively large protrusion height which protrude to the opposite side of hook-shaped engagement elements (B1, B2) across a base layer (A1) and are alternately arranged. The heights of the adjacent shape holding ribs (a21, a22) are different, which prevents the direct entrance of a foamable resin liquid and weakens its force. As the force weakens, foaming and curing progress more readily and, as a result, the amount of the foamable resin liquid that passes through meshes of the base layer to reach the hook-shaped engagement elements can be reduced.

Abstract: There are improved a vibration absorption characteristic and an impact absorption characteristic. A seat suspension mechanism set so that links of a first link mechanism on a base frame side and links of a second link mechanism on a seat support frame side, between which an intermediate frame is put, differ in operating angles, that is, so that the links of the second link mechanism operate in the range of an angle closer to a vertical to a front-rear direction of a vehicle body. This allows front-rear movement of the seat support frame through the second link mechanism to mainly respond to input vibrations of front-rear movement to thereby improve a vibration absorption characteristic and an impact absorption characteristic in the front-rear direction.

Abstract: A body weight adjustment mechanism for automatic adjustment to a balanced point is provided to improve vibration absorption characteristics and impact absorption characteristics. A torsion angle of a lower frame-side torsion bar when an upper frame is at a balanced point is found in advance, a torsion angle of the lower frame-side torsion bar in a state in which a person is seated is detected, the detected torsion angle is compared with the aforesaid balanced point torsion angle, a control signal is sent to an elastic force adjusting unit, and torsion angles of upper frame-side torsion bars are adjusted so that the torsion angle of the lower frame-side torsion bar becomes equal to the balanced point torsion angle. The upper frame can be set to an appropriate position in an initial state and a static state in which a person is seated and vibration and impact absorption characteristics are improved.

Abstract: In the present invention, a gap 73 is formed between an axial-direction outer end portion of an internal gear 30 and an attachment ring 70, and the gap 73 is filled with a lubricant 74. This configuration makes the rotation of the internal gear 30 relative to the attachment ring 70 smoother and also can reduce the generation of abnormal sound. Further, the thickness of second lock plates 60B, 60D between which and an inner surface of a guide bracket 20 rolling balls 65 are not interposed is equal to or more than the distance between the inner surface of the guide bracket 20 and outer surfaces of first lock plates 60A, 60C, between which the rolling balls 65 are interposed, and preferably substantially equal to the distance. This reduces the precession of the first lock plates 60A, 60C and makes it possible for a load input in an axial direction to be mainly received by the second lock plates 60B, 60D.

Abstract: Provided is a health monitoring device that extracts, in particular, an apical beat component from a trunk acoustic pulse wave and thus is also usable in the medical field. The health monitoring device (1000) of the present invention analyzes a trunk acoustic pulse wave to estimate the health condition of a person using a correlation of an indicator relating to a left ventricular pressure waveform which indicates the behavior of the heart, with a vibration frequency of a frequency component stemming from an apical beat, a diastolic time interval in a cardiac cycle, or blood pressure. The former is input information and the latter is output information of the heart through which blood circulates, and thus comparing these two pieces of information makes it possible to know a health condition relating to the function of the heart more accurately than conventionally.

Abstract: A seat capable of creating a shape conforming to a curved surface of a pad. The seat includes: a pad having a curved first surface and a second surface; an outer cover covering the pad, the outer cover having an inward-suspending portion inwardly suspended in the pad; and a holding member having bending-allowing elasticity, the holding member holding a shape of the inward-suspending portion. The inward-suspending portion extends continuously from the first surface to the second surface of the pad. The holding member is fixed to a part of the inward-suspending portion, the part extending continuously from the first surface to the second surface of the pad. The inward-suspending portion is fastened only to the second surface of the pad, and is disposed on the first surface in a state of the inward-suspending portion being bent together with the holding member along the curved surface of the first surface.

Abstract: To reduce a whirling movement and abnormal noise of an output gear part. An input-side shaft part 132 and an output gear part 131 which compose a rotating operation member 130 are integrally formed. Owing to this configuration, a bearing of a feed mechanism is integrated with the output gear part, leading to a reduction in a whirling movement of the output gear part due to axial misalignment. A stepped surface 131a formed on an outer periphery of the rotating operation member 130 is stacked on an outer surface 212a of a peripheral edge part of a gear-part through-hole 212 of an attachment bracket 210, and an elastic member 230 is provided between an inner surface 212b of the peripheral edge part of the gear-part through-hole 212 and a brake mechanism 120. This also reduces a whirling movement of the output gear part 131.

Abstract: A seat capable of suppressing wrinkles around an opening of a curved-surface-portion of a skin. The seat comprises: a skin in which a curved opening is formed in the curved-surface-portion; an elastically deformable plate-shaped reinforcing-member that reinforces a peripheral portion of the opening, the reinforcing-member being disposed in a curved state along an inner surface of the curved-surface-portion; and a pressing-member that covers the peripheral portion of the opening in a state where the pressing-member presses the peripheral portion of the opening from an outer surface of the curved-surface-portion. The reinforcing-member has a main-body-portion overlapping with the pressing-ember, and extending-portions respectively extending from side edges of the main-body-portion to a range not overlapping with the pressing-member. A slit is formed in each of the extending-portions.

Abstract: There are improved a vibration absorption characteristic and an impact absorption characteristic. In a suspension mechanism 1 of the present invention, first and second dampers (150, 160) are suspended in parallel between an upper frame (120) and a lower frame (110) with mounting angles different from each other. For this reason, the smaller mounting angle the damper has, the smaller a vertical component of damping force becomes, and the damping force which acts on the upper frame (120) and the lower frame (110) which move up and down relatively is moderate in effectiveness as compared with a case of disposing all the dampers at the same mounting angle. Thus, a sense of incongruity in which strong damping force acts abruptly is suppressed and the vibration absorption characteristic and the impact absorption characteristic are improved, which leads to improvement in ride comfort.

Abstract: Rattling and abnormal sound between an upper rail and a lower rail are reduced, and sliding is more smoothly performed. Sliding resistance reducing members (14, 15) include retainers (141, 151) formed each in a substantially L shape in a cross section and including first retaining wall portions (1411, 1511) and second retaining wall portions (1412, 1512) located between vertical wall portions (11b, 12d) and between bottom wall portions (11a, 12c) of a lower rail (11) and an upper rail (12). The first ball members (142, 152) are disposed in middle positions of the first retaining wall portions (1411, 1511), and the second ball members (143, 153) are disposed in positions apart from the vertical wall portions toward the center in the width direction of the lower rail (11) in the second retaining wall portions (1412, 1512).