Abstract: An intermediate shaft comprising a shaft body including an axle portion and a portion having an approximately elliptic shape of cross section, both major and minor axes of the elliptical cross-section portion being longer than a diameter of the axle portion, and a ring-shaped member with a cross-sectional shape analogous to the elliptic cross-section portion. A method for assembling this shaft provides for a vibration damping member intervened between the housing member and elliptic cross-section portion for damping vibrations transmitted from the steering gear box. This method also ensures that the housing and the vibration damping members and the elliptic cross-section portion are fitted into an outer tubular envelope, and the ring-shaped member normally has a gap against the outer tubular envelope and transmits rotational torque from the outer tubular envelope to the elliptic cross-section portion when the ring-shaped member is contacted with the outer tubular envelope.

Abstract: A steering column assembly for a vehicle includes a steering column, a stationary bracket and a guide member which allows the steering column to displace horizontally in a direction along a longitudinal axis of the vehicle. A pair of universal joints with a shaft connecting them are provided forward of the steering column for allowing variation in angle between the steering column and the shaft, the angular variation being caused by the horizontal displacement of the steering column. The shaft includes an outer sleeve and an inner shaft telescopically received in the outer sleeve. The outer sleeve and the inner shaft are connected in such a fashion as to allow the inner shaft to displace along an axis of the outer sleeve in response to the horizontal displacement of the steering column.

Abstract: A structure of a pedal such as an acceleration pedal, a clutch pedal, or a brake pedal for a vehicle in provided. This structure includes generally a pedal pad detachably supported by a pedal arm, a housing integrally formed on the pedal pad, and a mass having a preselected weight for absorbing vibration transmitted through the pedal arm. The mass includes first and second sections, the first section is inserted into the housing to be retained in the pedal pad and the second section extends outside the housing. Thus, various types of masses having different widths in the exposed second section can be attached to the pedal pad to adjust the resonance frequency of the pedal arm.

Abstract: A reductive seat belt retractor for an automotive seat belt arrangement has a belt spool rotatably supported on a housing by a spool shaft which is rotatable with the belt spool in belt extracting and retracting directions. The spool shaft rigidly mounts a first gear for co-rotation therewith. A plurality of second gears are associated with the first gear for transmitting rotational torque therebetween. An internal gear is associated with the first and/or second gears for transmitting rotational torque therebetween, the internal gear being provided greater gear ratio versus the first gear. A ratchet wheel defining a spring receptacle chamber and a locking member associated with the ratchet wheel are provided for establishing and releasing locking of the ratchet wheel for preventing the ratchet wheel from rotating at least in the belt retracting direction.

Abstract: A power seat lifter arrangement has a drive mechanism for driving a seat cushion for adjustment of the height level, which drive mechanism is mounted on an upper rail of a seat slide. The drive mechanism is separated into two parts, one is for adjusting the height level at the front portion of the seat cushion, and the other is for adjusting the height level at the rear portion of the seat cushion.

Abstract: A tilting steering column employing a bolt secured to provide a force required for a clamp member fixed to the vehicle to provide frictional clamping engagement with a bracket member to which the steering column is fixed. A tilt lever is mounted on the bolt to operate a cam mechanism having first and second cam members to retain and release the frictional clamping engagement. A resilient member is provided between the first and second cam members to provide a good feel during steering column tilting operation.

Abstract: A first of two members which are joined in a manner to undergo synchronous rotation is formed with a aperture which has a flower-like shape and which has a periphery which is essentially free of sharply angled portions. A hollow projection formed on one end of a shaft is forced into the aperture and then punched to assume the shape of the aperture and to caulk the two members together.

Abstract: A power seat arrangement has concentrically arranged drives for a seat slide mechanism, a seat lifter mechanism and a reclining mechanism in a space defined in the vicinity of one rear end corner of a seat cushion.

Abstract: A structure for a shock energy absorbing type steering apparatus is disclosed in which a column jacket in which a bracket member, rotatably fixed to a clamp, is attached to a vehicle body linked to a column jacket by means of welding and an enclosing body is extended in a space between the bracket member and clamp so as to enclose an upper surface area of the bracket member, thus preventing a foreign matter from invading into the inside of the bracket member. In addition, the bracket member includes a front wall to which the column jacket is perpendicularly fixed, curling portions formed on both side ends of the front wall, rollers inserted into the corresponding curling portions, and side walls extended from the curling portions in parallel to the column jacket, and cut-out portions formed on a portion of the bracket member below the curling portions.

Abstract: An adjustable pedal for a vehicle includes a bracket for mounting the pedal on a vehicle body, a holder pivotably supported by the bracket, and a pedal member, an end of which is adjustably attached to the holder to set a position thereof of interest to a driver. The pedal member is pivotable with respect to the bracket in cooperation with the holder and is connected to an operating rod for a vehicle control component to be operated by motion of the pedal member through a linkage. This linkage is adapted for transmit a operating force created by the motion of the pedal member to the operating rod uniformly independent of the position of the pedal member relative to the holder.

Abstract: A column-shift type, shift lever arrangement for operating an automatic power transmission includes a shift locking mechanism which prevents a vehicle's driver from changing the position of a transmission shift lever. The shift locking mechanism engages an annular groove formed in a compression rod at a location neighboring one end thereof so as to mechanically lock the movement of the shift lever arrangement, until the vehicular driver depresses a brake pedal once, after engine starting is performed when the shift lever arrangement is positioned in a parking-range position.

Abstract: A structure of a tiltable steering column applicable to a steering column of a vehicular steering system having a jump-up mechanism is disclosed in which a substantially flat rod member serving as a lock plate is formed with a plurality of parallel lock grooves aligned on at least one surface of the lock plate, i.e., a pair of lock pins are extended in a space between walls of a link member for engaging and disengaging with and from the lock grooves to adjustably lock and unlock a tilt angle of a related steering shaft according to a pivotal movement of a release lever, and a shoe portion formed on the other end of the lock plate is grasped by means of a pair of rollers provided on the link member(s).

Abstract: A structure of a telescopic steering apparatus for a vehicle, in which a pair of clamping numbers and a guide member for guiding the pair of clamping members to an inner tube are provided for fixing and unfixing the inner tube constituting a telescopically movable portion of a column jacket to an upper jacket constituting a fixed portion so that a rigidity of a steering shaft is improved when the telescopically movable portion of the column jacket is extended to a maximum position. In addition, a guide member and alleviator are fitted around inner and outer peripheral surfaces of the upper jacket and inner tube so that when the inner tube is drawn into the upper jacket, a shock upon collision of the inner tube and upper jacket is damped.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a poly-V pulley includes a process for slitting and compressing the peripheral edge portion of an essentially flat blank for forming a widened and thickened flange wall. A series of relatively narrow, deep, V-shaped grooves are cold rolled. The poly-V pulley thus produced has the flange wall with poly-V grooves, from the intermediate portion of which a web extends radially inward. This structure provides good dynamic balance of rotation for the pulley and thus prolongs the life not only of the pulleys per se but also the belt to be put around the pulley. Further, the manufacturing method allows the manufacture of relatively small diameter poly-V pulleys.

Abstract: A swivel seat for a vehicle is provided with latch means which prevents the front and rear edges of the seat from being raised so as to prevent distortion of the pivot axle, the locking means and/or roller or rollers. The latch means can be actuated to its effective position, in which it prevents lift of the front or rear edge of the seat when the seat is in its normal position. Preferably, the seat also has means cooperating with rollers and a pivot axle for supporting components rotatable relative to the stationary component. The supporting means serves to hold the movable component essentially parallel to the stationary component so as to reduce the load on the rollers and the pivot axle while allowing smooth pivotal movement of the movable component relative to the stationary component.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a poly-V pulley includes a process for slitting and compressing the peripheral edge portion of an essentially flat blank for forming a widened and thickened flange wall. A series of relatively narrow, deep, V-shaped grooves are cold rolled. The poly-V pulley thus produced has the flange wall with poly-V grooves, from the intermediate portion of which a web extends radially inward. This structure provides good dynamic balance of rotation for the pulley and thus prolongs the life not only of the pulleys per se but also the belt to be put around the pulley. Further, the manufacturing method allows the manufacture of relatively small diameter poly-V pulleys.

Abstract: A powered tilt steering arrangement for a vehicle using a motor which rotates unidirectionally. The powered tilt steering arrangement basically comprises: a steering column having an upper shaft and a steering wheel assembly; a tilt bracket pivotally mounted on a mounting bracket fixed to a vehicle body and on which the steering wheel assembly is mounted; a drive source such as the motor; an actuator in response to a rotational force of the motor for actuating the tilt bracket to pivot through a predetermined angular width with respect to the mounting bracket in a reciprocatory motion; and a lock mechanism for locking the steering assembly when the actuator is stopped so that the steering wheel assembly is placed and held at a desired optimum driving position within the predetermined angular width.

Abstract: A universal joint yoke is obtained from a flat blank of sheet metal whose general shape is that of a cruciate form having a circular base and two diametrically opposing small semielliptical extensions. The blank of sheet metal is pressed in a forming apparatus so that the two extensions are bent perpendicularly to the circular base in the same direction with a given angle with respect to the circular base and two ribs or contiguous rib are formed along axes of bending to prevent a springback action of the two extensions which constitute two ear portions of the finished yoke. In addition, recesses are extended along a rear surface(s) of the rib(s) so that fasteners such as bolts and nuts for fastening a rubber coupling constituting a lower joint to a lower shaft of a steering system is nestled into the respective recesses. Both ends of the circular base have holes through which the fasteners for fastening the universal joint yoke to the rubber coupling is inserted.

Abstract: A seat slider device for an automotive seat is specially configured to minimize its height. An upper rail fixed to the bottom of the seat slidably engages a lower rail fixed to the floor. The rails have flanges along one edge which engage via a bearing. A plurality of regularly spaced holes are formed in the other edge of the lower rail. A lock lever mounted on the upper rail is manually actuable into and out of engagement with the holes in the lower rail, in which former case, the upper rail and the seat are held securely in place relative to the lower rail and the floor. Since the bearing and the locking holes are on opposite sides of the lower rail, they are free to lie in the same horizontal plane.