Abstract: An image processing unit determines the size of a circumscribed quadrangle of the target object, and predicts the overlap of the two different objects. If overlap is predicted, the target object is divided into two divided regions L_b and R_b containing the left and right edges of the target object respectively, and by performing a correlation calculation between the left image and the right image captured by a stereo camera for each of the divided regions, the parallaxes of the respective divided regions L_b and R_b can be determined. Then, if the absolute value of the difference between the parallaxes of the respective divided regions L_b and R_b is greater than a predetermined value, a determination is made that different objects are overlapping within the target object, and the target object is divided for recognition, and the distance to the respective objects is calculated independently.

Abstract: In a structure in which a middle portion of a wiper blade is pivoted to a leading end portion of a wiper arm via a pivot substantially orthogonal to an arm length direction so as to freely oscillate, and a supporting member supporting a portion closer to a wiper shaft than the middle portion of the wiper blade is provided in the wiper arm, the structure reduces a sliding resistance which occurs due to a movement of the wiper blade toward and away from a window surface. A stabilizer has an upper piece portion and a pair of side piece portions, a supporting concave portion supporting a wiper blade in an outward fitting manner is formed, and a plurality of ribs which extend toward the window surface are formed on inner surfaces of the side piece portions, thereby being in linear contact with outer surfaces of side piece portions of a support receiving body which is fitted to a first lever terminal end portion of the wiper blade.

Abstract: An actuator has a resilient shape memory member 1 with superelasticity, a magnetic body 2, and a magnetic field generator 3. At least one of the magnetic body 2 and the magnetic field generator 3 is fixed to the resilient shape memory member 1 such that one of the magnetic body 2 and the magnetic field generator 3 is stationary while the other is movable, whereby the movable member is moved by a magnetic field provided from the magnetic field generator 3.

Abstract: A work-assembling auxiliary device for carrying out the matching of phases in the spline-coupling of a main shaft Sm of a transmission T to a crankshaft Sc of an engine E includes an output shaft 40 radially movably connected through an Oldham coupling 41 to an input shaft 30 connected to and rotated by a drive source. A chamfer 61a is provided at a tip end of a socket 61 mounted on the output shaft 40, and in inserting the socket 61 into a socket hole h in a crank pulley Pc, the output shaft 40 is smoothly aligned with the crankshaft Sc by the action of the chamfer 61a. Further, when the output shaft 40 is reciprocally rotated, the phases of the socket 61 and the socket hole h are smoothly matched with each other, whereby the engagement of the socket 61 and the socket hole h is achieved.

Abstract: A pin connection structure is used in a floating type brake disc assembly. The assembly is made up of a hub, and an annular disc which is concentrically disposed around the hub with a clearance therebetween. The hub and the disc have plural sets of semicircular connecting dents opening toward the clearance to thereby form respective inserting holes. A hollow pin is inserted into each of the inserting holes with a washer fitted on that one end of the hollow pin which is subsequently caulked radially outward for fixing the washer in position. The hollow pin is made of a metal having a surface-treated layer, and the caulked end of the hollow pin is formed into a convex shape in at least part of the end portion.

Abstract: A cell assembly is formed by stacking a first unit cell and a second unit cell to each other. The first unit cell includes a first unified body, and the second unit cell includes a second unified body. In the cell assembly, the first and second unit cells have structures different from each other.

Abstract: A process for forming a tubular member is provided which includes a pre-forming process for tube-expanding (bulge) forming and bending forming a tubular material using first and second molds and a final forming process for crush forming a preformed tube using a third mold so as to give its cross section a desired shape, the pre-forming step being carried out using the first and second molds heated at temperatures equal to or higher than the recrystallization temperature of the tubular material and the final forming step being carried out using the third mold heated at temperatures equal to or lower than the recrystallization temperature of the tubular material. The process enables a tubular material of aluminum alloy to be formed into a tubular member of high precision and high quality which has expanded portions as well as bent portions and whose cross section varies across its length.

Abstract: The present invention provides combustion catalysts that have high exhaust gas-purifying activity and are less expensive than conventional ones. The catalysts include: (1) A calcium salt, amorphous silica, and a copper compound, (2) Amorphous silica, and a copper compound, (3) (1) At least one of crystalline silica and amorphous silica, (2) a calcium salt, and (3) a copper oxide, and (4) (1) At least one of crystalline silica and amorphous silica, and (2) a copper oxide.

Abstract: There is provided a product ordering system for supplying products from a production source to a plurality of dealers, according to an order in which the orders are placed.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an order placement and acceptance management system and an order placement and acceptance management method, which is flexible and user-friendly for an order acceptant's side. The present invention comprises an order database for entirely storing the order data of an orderer in increments of order, demand processing means for receiving the attribution of the order data that is designated by the orderer via a network, retrieving means for receiving the foregoing attribution from the foregoing demand processing means and retrieving a subset of the order data having the foregoing attribution from the foregoing order database, transmission means for transmitting the subset of the foregoing retrieved order data to an order acceptant system via the network and progress managing means for managing the progress of the order in increments of order.

Abstract: A fuel cell stack (10) includes a first sub-stack (12), a second sub-stack (14), and a third sub-stack (16) disposed in the flow direction of an oxidizing gas. An intermediate plate (18a) is interposed between the first and second sub-stacks (12, 14), and an intermediate plate (18b) is interposed between the second and third sub-stacks (14, 16). In this fuel stack (10), the flow of an oxidizing gas is set such that the oxidizing gas flows in series in the direction from the first sub-stack (12) to the third sub-stack (16). Between the sub-stacks additional oxidizing gas supplies (70,74) are provided through which oxidizing gas of lower humidity than the humidity of the oxidizing gas entering the first sub-stack is supplied. This arrangement allows an efficient management of the humidity water content of the oxidizing gas with sufficient moisturizing of the solid polymer membrane whilst avoiding excessive condensation of water vapour within the stack.

Abstract: A steel strip made of martensitic steel contains C+N at not more than 0.12 wt %, Si at not more than 1 wt %, Mn at not more than 7 wt %, Ni at 2 to 24 wt %, Cr at 2 to 16 wt %, Mo at not more than 2.5 wt %, and Ni-Bal value and Ms value defined by the following equations shown by weight percentage of each composition are respectively Ni-Bal?1.2, Ms??28. Ni-Bal=Ni+0.5Mn+30(C+N)?1.1(Cr+1.5Si)+8.

Abstract: To allow pollutants contained in atmospheric air to be treated effectively at all times during operation of a vehicle. A catalyst layer for treating atmospheric pollutants is formed on at least a surface of cooling fins provided on a cylinder portion of an engine mounted on a vehicle.

Abstract: A fine metal particle producing mechanism has a metal holder for housing a body of magnesium, a tube for supplying an argon gas to the body of magnesium, an argon gas flow rate controller for controlling a rate at which the argon gas is supplied to the tube, and an argon gas heating controller for heating the argon gas supplied to the tube to a predetermined temperature.

Abstract: A sliding material consisting of a carbon-fiber reinforced carbon composite material containing fine particles of a simple substance of any of Group IV to Group VI elements or a carbide, a nitride or an oxide thereof.

Abstract: A method for detecting an abnormality in a hybrid vehicle. The hybrid vehicle includes an engine that can run in a cylinder cut-off state where intake and exhaust valve lifts are made zero, and a motor/generator that functions as both a motor and a generator. The vehicle travels by means of the power of at least one of the engine and the motor/generator and carries out regenerative braking by the motor/generator while running the engine in a cylinder cut-off state during deceleration. When detecting an abnormality in a negative intake pressure sensor or an EGR control valve based on the negative intake pressure of the engine, the engine is prohibited from running in a cylinder cut-off state even during deceleration, thus generating a negative intake pressure and thereby enabling the abnormality detection to be carried out without any problems.

Abstract: A four-wheeled vehicle includes a steering mechanism having a bar handle, right and left front wheels, and right and left rear wheels. The vehicle includes a front cover and a windshield disposed in front of the bar handle. The vehicle includes a driver's seat, and a rear passenger seat disposed behind the driver's seat and between the rear wheels. The rear passenger seat is directed forwardly. The vehicle includes a power unit part disposed below the rear passenger seat, and a body cover disposed rearwardly of the driver's seat.

Abstract: The invention detects quickly and with high precision abnormalities in fuel cells. In a method of detecting abnormalities in a fuel cell 1 comprising a plurality of unit cells that generate power by supplying hydrogen gas to an anode and supplying air to a cathode of each unit cell, the abnormality in the fuel cell 1 is detected based on the speed of the decrease in the cell voltages after stopping the fuel cell, i.e., after stopping the supply of the reacting gases to the fuel cell.

Abstract: In an abnormality detection system of a mobile robot, it is configured such that it is self-diagnosed whether the quantity of state is an abnormal value, or whether at least one of the internal sensor, etc., is abnormal and when an abnormality is self-diagnosed, abnormality information is outputted, then the degree of abnormality is discriminated based on the outputted abnormality information and the robot is driven into a stable state in response to the discriminated degree of abnormality. With this, it becomes possible to effectively utilize the abnormality detection result. In addition, since the robot is driven into a stable state in response to the discriminated degree of abnormality, it becomes possible to render the driving appropriate.

Abstract: An electrode structure for a polymer electrolyte fuel cell comprises a pair of electrode catalyst layers and a polymer electrolyte membrane held between the electrode catalyst layers. The polymer electrolyte membrane is a sulfonation product of a polymer which comprises a main chain wherein two or more divalent aromatic residues are bound to one another directly or through oxy groups or divalent groups other than aromatic residues and side chains comprising aromatic groups to be sulfonated. The number of divalent aromatic residues comprised in the main chain of the above polymer is denoted by X, and the number of oxy groups comprised in the main chain of the above polymer is denoted by Y, and the value X/Y is within the range of from 2.0 to 9.0.