Abstract: It is an object to make it easy to unfold a wheelchair simply by lifting a part of the wheelchair with one hand. A wheelchair includes a folding mechanism that folds a left-side support arm and a right-side support arm. The folding mechanism includes a grip part coupled to the distal end part of the left-side support arm and the distal end part of the right-side support arm. The grip part extends in the pivoting direction of the left-side support arm and the right-side support arm at a time of switching from a folded state to an unfolded state.

Abstract: A state of a user of a mobile terminal having a display for displaying an image may be estimated. A sightline detection detector detects a user's sightline of a mobile terminal that has a display for displaying an image. Processing circuitry is configured to estimate a state of the user including an attention function degraded state based on motion of the user's sightline with respect to the image displayed on the display of the mobile terminal.

Abstract: An arithmetic operation device for automobiles includes a first arithmetic operation section (301) having a common configuration for a plurality of vehicle models and a second arithmetic operation section (302) having a configuration in accordance with a vehicle model of an automobile. The first arithmetic operation section (301) includes an image processor (311) configured to perform predetermined image processing on an output of a camera installed in the automobile, and a memory (320) configured to store a generated image signal. The second arithmetic operation section (302) includes a processor (340) configured to execute an application in accordance with the vehicle model using the image signal stored in the memory (320) and to transmit an execution result to the first arithmetic operation section (301).

Abstract: A transfer cooling structure of a vehicle is provided, the vehicle including a power source, a transmission, and a transfer device provided with a torque-distribution-control friction clutch, disposed in the order from forward of the vehicle. The structure includes a floor provided to the vehicle and having a tunnel part configured to cover a transmission case of the transmission and a transfer case of the transfer device from above, an insulator attached below the tunnel part to cover the transmission case and the transfer case while having a gap with respect to the transmission case and the transfer case, and a cooling acceleration part provided to the insulator protruding toward the transfer case from the floor side.

Abstract: A powertrain system for an electric automobile outputs a desired torque from a motor with an angle of an accelerator pedal that is easy for a driver to operate, regardless of traveling environments such as the road surface gradient and the wind direction. The powertrain system includes a paddle switch and a shifter that are mounted to be operable by a driver, and are electrically connected directly or indirectly to an electronic control unit (ECU). The ECU controls, based on a torque control map defining the relationship between an accelerator pedal opening and output torque of a motor in advance, the output torque of the motor according to the accelerator pedal opening, and changes, based on an operation on the paddle switch or the shifter, the torque control map to be used for controlling the output torque of the motor.

Abstract: An in-vehicle power supply structure, in which a vehicle is divided into a plurality of zones and a power supply hub for connecting an electronic device is provided in each of the zones, includes a break detection wire routed along a power supply wire, for detecting damage to the power supply wire caused by an external force acting on the vehicle by its own damage. Both ends of the break detection wire are connected to power supply hubs placed adjacent to each other.

Abstract: A front side frame provided on each of right and left sides of the vehicle and extending in a vehicle longitudinal direction; and a bumper beam provided on a vehicle front side of each of the front side frames and having an inclined section in each end portion in a vehicle width direction, the bumper beam extending outward in the vehicle width direction and being inclined rearward in. A crash can is provided in a front end portion of each of the front side frames, extends forward, and is inclined outward in the vehicle width direction. A front end portion of each of the crash cans is coupled to the respective inclined section of the bumper beam. On an inner side in the vehicle width direction of each of the crash cans, a vulnerable portion is provided, and has low strength against a collision load input to the bumper beam.

Abstract: A vehicle control system includes a central ECU configured to calculate target outputs of actuators, and relay devices each disposed in a communication path between the central ECU and a corresponding actuator among the actuators. The plurality of relay devices includes a specific relay device configured transfer a control signal from the central ECU only to a fixed actuator that is an actuator not related to driving control, braking control, and steering control of a vehicle. The specific relay device is configured to output, to the fixed actuator coupled to the specific relay device, one of a signal for setting the fixed actuator in an operating state or a signal for setting the fixed actuator in a non-operating state, in response to detection of an abnormality in the central ECU. The specific relay device does not have a function of diagnosing an abnormality in the specific relay device.

Abstract: Provided is a measurement method for measuring a size of a damaged portion in a coated metal material that includes a metal base and surface treatment film provided on the metal base, and reaching the metal base through the surface treatment film. The measurement method includes the steps of disposing a water-containing material to be in contact with the damaged portion and an electrode to be in contact with the water-containing material, and electrically connecting between the electrode and the metal base with an external circuit; applying, with the external circuit, a constant voltage between the electrode and the metal base, as a cathode and an anode, respectively, and measuring a current value flowing therebetween; and calculating a size of the damaged portion, based on the current value measured and a correlation between the current value and the size of the damaged portion, determined on an exploratory basis in advance.

Abstract: A rear vehicle-body structure absorbs an impact while also accommodating an elongated battery installation and an increase in an amount of batteries installed. The rear vehicle-body structure includes a rear side frame which extends in a vehicle front-rear direction in a vehicle rear portion, a rear-side battery frame which extends in a vehicle width direction in vehicle rear of a battery and in vehicle front of the rear side frame and protects the battery, and a frame bracket which couples the rear side frame with the rear-side battery frame.

Abstract: Provided is a method of producing a composite having high strength and high thermal conductivity. The method includes: an alloy preparation step including preparing an alloy which is a solid solution containing ?-Fe as a solvent and at least one type of ?-phase stabilizing element as a solute; a first mixing step including mixing at least one type of ?-phase stabilizing element in powder form and SiC to prepare a first mixture; a second mixing step including mixing the alloy and the first mixture to prepare a second mixture; and a sintering step including sintering the second mixture.

Abstract: A vehicle body structure includes a dashboard extending in a vehicle width direction and defining a cabin and a power compartment in front of the cabin; a power unit arranged in the power compartment; a floor panel extending rearward in the cabin from the dashboard; and a dash crossmember projected forward from the dashboard and extending in the vehicle width direction. The dash crossmember has a first portion at least partially overlapping the power unit in a front view; and a second portion extending outward in the vehicle width direction from the first portion. A compressive strength of the first portion is lower than a compressive strength of the second portion.

Abstract: A vehicle sound generation device includes a sound control circuit that sets a plurality of frequencies according to a number of motor revolutions and sound pressures to be applied to the plurality of frequencies and generates a synthetic sound signal representing a synthetic sound, and a travel situation estimation circuit that estimates a first travel situation in which the driver accelerates or decelerates a vehicle at a first rate and a second travel situation in which the driver accelerates or decelerates the vehicle at a second rate greater than the first rate, and the sound control circuit changes the magnitudes of the sound pressures to be applied to the plurality of frequencies based on whether the first travel situation, the second travel situation or neither the first travel situation and the second travel situation is estimated.

Abstract: A vehicle control method is applied to a vehicle 1 in which a front wheel 2 is driven by an engine 4, and the method includes a basic torque setting step of setting basic torque to be generated by the engine 4, based on an operational state of the vehicle 1; a deceleration torque setting step of setting deceleration torque, based on an increase in steering angle of a steering apparatus 5 mounted on the vehicle 1; a torque generation step of controlling the engine 4 so that torque based on the basic torque and the deceleration torque is generated; and a deceleration torque changing step of changing the deceleration torque, based on a vehicle-width-direction mounting position of a steering wheel 6 and an operation direction of the steering wheel 6 when the steering angle is increased.

Abstract: A lower structure of a vehicle may include a transmission disposed in a floor tunnel, a rear propeller shaft that transmits power from the transmission to rear wheels, and left and right battery units disposed on the left and right sides of the floor tunnel, in which a rear portion (transfer 4a) of the transmission is disposed in proximity to the portions on the front side and the upper side of the battery units, and inner protectors that cover inner side surface portions in the vehicle width direction of the battery units from the inner side in the vehicle width direction may be mounted to the front end portions of the inner side surface portions.

Abstract: To simultaneously improve battery capacity and protect a battery during a lateral collision without causing a weight increase, a cost increase, and the like, an electric vehicle includes a battery system arranged below a floor panel and arranged between a tunnel side frame and a floor side frame; and an attachment bracket connecting the battery system to the tunnel side frame and the floor side frame.

Abstract: A front suspension device comprises a suspension arm, one end of which has a front-wheel support portion to support a front wheel of a vehicle and the other end of which is positioned on an inward side, in a vehicle width direction, of the front-wheel support portion and has a vehicle-body attachment portion to be attached to a vehicle-body member of the vehicle and a damper supported at a damper support portion which is provided at a portion of the suspension arm which is positioned in the vicinity of the front-wheel support portion at a lower portion thereof and connected to the vehicle-body member at an upper portion thereof. The damper support portion of the suspension arm has a breakage ease portion to cause breakage of the suspension arm.

Abstract: A vehicle battery pack capable of suppressing a variation in cooling performance for a battery module by a cooling pipe. A vehicle battery pack includes a cooling pipe in a flat plate shape that abuts a lower surface of respective one of battery modules; and an elastic urging member that urges the cooling pipe upward to make the cooling pipe abut the lower surface of respective one of the battery modules. The elastic urging member has plural elastically-deformable legs that are aligned in a longitudinal direction of the cooling pipe.

Abstract: A vehicle control system includes a central ECU configured to calculate target outputs of actuators, and relay devices each disposed in a communication path between the central ECU and a corresponding actuator among the actuators. The relay devices include a specific relay device capable of communicating with a specific actuator related to driving control, braking control, or steering control of a vehicle. The specific relay device among the relay devices includes a specific abnormality diagnosis unit configured to diagnose an abnormality in the specific relay device, and a backup calculation unit capable of calculating a control amount of the specific actuator coupled to the specific relay device. A relay device other than the specific relay device among the relay devices does not have a self-diagnosis function.

Abstract: A hot press processing device 1 includes steps of: a heating step of heating a workpiece W; a press step of press-molding the workpiece W heated in the heating step; a cooling step of cooling a part of the workpiece W press-molded in the press step and causing it to undergo martensite transformation to form a hard zone Zh in the workpiece W, and cooling another part of the workpiece W and causing it to undergo ferrite/bainite transformation to form a soft zone Zs in the workpiece W. In the cooling step, the hot press processing device 1 cools a predetermined portion Zb in the soft zone Zs after increasing rigidity and hardness of the predetermined portion Zb.