Abstract: A method of manufacturing a coil spring and a coil spring manufacturing apparatus are provided that enable precise forming of a coil spring even when various kinds of wire rods are used as a wire rod. This is based on the premise that the wire material being fed out is serially pressed against a rotating roller outer circumferential surface to form the wire rod into a coil shape. Under this premise, as the wire rod is fed out, a rotating roller is rotationally driven by a rotary drive force of a servomotor such that a portion pressed against the wire rod on the rotating roller outer circumferential surface moves toward the advancing side of the wire rod.

Abstract: A load characteristic adjustment system for use with a linear-spring forming apparatus is provided, in which the load characteristic of a conic spring can be conveniently and efficiently regulated during the formation of the spring, thereby reliving much of a physical burden of a worker to find an optimum load characteristic of a coil spring. The load characteristics adjustment system comprises: a linear material feeder for feeding a linear material; at least one spring forming tool facing the linear material feeder, adapted to abut against the linear material to coil the linear material; spiraling means for spiraling the coiled linear material; and coil-diameter varying means for varying the diameter of the coiled linear material. The load characteristic adjustment system controls the linear material feeder so as to feed the linear material at a regulated constant acceleration to adjust the load characteristic of the conical spring formed.

Abstract: An inventive linear-spring forming apparatus has: a rotatable table (10) surrounding a quill (6) for guiding a linear material; a multiplicity of slide units (15) radially arranged on, and in the circumferential direction of, the rotatable table (10) at substantially equal angular intervals, each of the slide units (15) being slidable in the radial directions of the rotatable table; and a multiplicity of slide plates (33) arranged outside, and in the circumferential direction of, the rotatable table (10) at equal angular intervals, and aligned with the respective slide units (15) in radial directions such that each slide plate (33) can be driven by a servo-motor (M3) in the radially inward and outward directions, in such a way that a selected one of the slide plates (33) advances one of the associated slide unit (15) towards the axis of the quill at a right angle thereto until the tool mounted on the slide unit abuts against the linear material (41) fed from the leading end of the quill (6) to form a linear s

Abstract: Support arms are disposed on a tilting shaft on a bracket of an outboard motor. An electric actuator is mounted between the support arms. The electric actuator includes a cover member, first and second electric motors disposed individually on the opposite ends of the cover member, a feed screw configured to be rotated by the electric motors, a nut member configured to move along an axis as the feed screw rotates, a drive arm configured to move integrally with the nut member and transversely relative to the boat body, and protective boots. The drive arm is connected to a steering arm through an engaging member. If the drive arm moves in the direction of the axis along the cover member, the steering angle of the steering arm changes depending on the degree of movement of the drive arm.

Abstract: A load characteristic adjustment system for use with a linear-spring forming apparatus is provided, in which the load characteristic of a conic spring can be conveniently and efficiently regulated during the formation of the spring, thereby reliving much of a physical burden of a worker to find an optimum load characteristic of a coil spring. The load characteristics adjustment system comprises: a linear material feeder for feeding a linear material; at least one spring forming tool facing the linear material feeder, adapted to abut against the linear material to coil the linear material; spiraling means for spiraling the coiled linear material; and coil-diameter varying means for varying the diameter of the coiled linear material. The load characteristic adjustment system controls the linear material feeder so as to feed the linear material at a regulated constant acceleration to adjust the load characteristic of the conical spring formed.

Abstract: A case of a helm device is provided with a steering shaft. A rotation of the steering shaft is detected by a helm sensor. A friction generating mechanism is disposed in the case. The friction generating mechanism includes a rotor disposed on the steering shaft, an inner disk configured to rotate together with the rotor, an outer disk opposed to the inner disk, an electromagnetic actuator, and an armature configured to be driven by the electromagnetic actuator. An assist spring is disposed in the case. The assist spring urges the armature in such a direction as to press the disks against each other.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of electrical, mechanical and thermal isolation of superconductive magnet coils includes a superconductive magnet for environments wherein large differences of electrical potential between the interior superconductive winding and the exterior of the device, on the order of 103to 106 Volts may exist. The methods and apparatus also includes insulation, cooling, and structural elements such that the interior of the device is capable of maintaining cryogenic temperatures needed for superconductivity, even in the presence of high heat flux incident on the overall winding housing. Finally, a device includes structural elements for support against gravity and other forces exerted on the assembly that include expansion jointing and stabilization to minimize warping or bending of the assembly due to temperature gradients.

Abstract: An inventive linear-spring forming apparatus has: a rotatable table (10) surrounding a quill (6) for guiding a linear material; a multiplicity of slide units (15) radially arranged on, and in the circumferential direction of, the rotatable table (10) at substantially equal angular intervals, each of the slide units (15) being slidable in the radial directions of the rotatable table; and a multiplicity of slide plates (33) arranged outside, and in the circumferential direction of, the rotatable table (10) at equal angular intervals, and aligned with the respective slide units (15) in radial directions such that each slide plate (33) can be driven by a servo-motor (M3) in the radially inward and outward directions, in such a way that a selected one of the slide plates (33) advances one of the associated slide unit (15) towards the axis of the quill at a right angle thereto until the tool mounted on the slide unit abuts against the linear material (41) fed from the leading end of the quill (6) to form a linear s

Abstract: A case of a helm device is provided with a steering shaft. A rotation of the steering shaft is detected by a helm sensor. A friction generating mechanism is disposed in the case. The friction generating mechanism includes a rotor disposed on the steering shaft, an inner disk configured to rotate together with the rotor, an outer disk opposed to the inner disk, an electromagnetic actuator, and an armature configured to be driven by the electromagnetic actuator. An assist spring is disposed in the case. The assist spring urges the armature in such a direction as to press the disks against each other.

Abstract: Support arms are disposed on a tilting shaft on a bracket of an outboard motor. An electric actuator is mounted between the support arms. The electric actuator includes a cover member, first and second electric motors disposed individually on the opposite ends of the cover member, a feed screw configured to be rotated by the electric motors, a nut member configured to move along an axis as the feed screw rotates, a drive arm configured to move integrally with the nut member and transversely relative to the boat body, and protective boots. The drive arm is connected to a steering arm through an engaging member. If the drive arm moves in the direction of the axis along the cover member, the steering angle of the steering arm changes depending on the degree of movement of the drive arm.

Abstract: A high-speed wire spring forming apparatus capable of easily adjusting a coil diameter is provided that includes: a wire feeder having a pair of feeding rollers for feeding a wire to a spring forming stage via a quill serving as a wire guide; a revolving mechanism for revolving the feeding rollers about the axis of the wire to twist the wire fed out of the leading end of the quill to change the circumferential position, or angular position, of the wire; and a multiplicity of spring forming tools arranged radially on a spring forming stage, each of the spring forming tools movable in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axis of the wire.

Abstract: A high-speed wire spring forming apparatus capable of easily adjusting a coil diameter is provided that includes: a wire feeder having a pair of feeding rollers (22) for feeding a wire (1) to a spring forming stage (100) via a quill (10) serving as a wire guide; a revolving mechanism (30) for revolving the feeding rollers (22) about the axis (X1) of the wire (1) to twist the wire (1) fed out of the leading end of the quill (10) to change the circumferential position, or angular position, of the wire (1); and a multiplicity of spring forming tools (120) arranged radially on a spring forming stage (100), each of the spring forming tools (100) movable in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axis (X1) of the wire (1).

Abstract: In a thin substrate transferring apparatus of this invention, the transfer stroke of a hand of a robot is lengthened and the swivel radius is made small resulting in a more compact apparatus. The apparatus has cassettes, housing a substrate, a robot transferring the substrate, and at least one processing unit. The robot has a vertical swivel arm body swiveling in the vertical direction on a machine bed, and a horizontal swivel arm body having two arm sets swiveling in the horizontal direction on a movable machine bed. The vertical swivel arm body has a first arm and a second arm respectively joined rotatable in the vertical direction and a hand is moved substantially in parallel in the vicinity of the cassettes, or the processing unit, and the horizontal swivel arm body has a first link and a second link and the hand is moved into the cassettes, or the processing unit.

Abstract: The method and apparatus for positioning a semiconductor wafer incorporates an X.Y axis drive mechanism for moving a mounting bed with a rotary part mounted on the mounting bed for supporting a wafer horizontally and rotating around the vertical axis. An edge portion distance measuring device optically measures a distance from the center position of the rotary part to the edge portion of the wafer along intervals of a definite angle. A distance and angle calculating device calculates a distance between the center position of the wafer and the rotational center of the rotary part relative to a reference line, and an angle of a line connecting the center position of the wafer and the rotational center of the rotary part with respect to the reference line. A notched portion calculating device calculates a deflection angle of the notched portion of the wafer with respect to the reference line, and a deflection amount calculating device calculates the X.

Abstract: The wafer positioning apparatus has an X.multidot.Y axis drive mechanism for moving a mounting stock in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction in the X.multidot.Y coordinates on the horizontal plane; a wafer inserting section is fixed on the mounting stock and has a space for inserting a wafer horizontally; photosensors are installed at the wafer inserting section and arranged at regular intervals on positions corresponding to peripheral portions of the wafer so as to detect edge portions of the inserted wafer; and a rotary section is arranged at the center of the wafer inserting section to be attached to the center of the rear surface of the inserted wafer by suction. The wafer is held on a hand plate or the like of a separate carrier system and inserted horizontally into the center of the space within the wafer inserting section, and the photosensors act in this state and detect peripheral portions of the wafer, and at the same time the X.multidot.

Abstract: There is disclosed a carrier system for carrying a silicon wafer or a cassette accommodating the wafers to arbitrary positions by loading an arm with them.

Abstract: There is disclosed an apparatus for positioning a silicon wafer which comprises: two pieces of supporting boards, fixed to an upper plate, for supporting both side portions of the silicon wafer; an adsorbing disk, disposed in a vertically movable and rotatable manner between the supporting boards, for supporting the silicon wafer in its central position, this adsorbing disk having its upper surface formed with adsorbing holes; a holding member disposed in a vertically movable manner on the circumference of the adsorbing disk between the supporting boards, this holding member having a movable holder which moves inwards by pushing the edge of the silicon wafer when going up while raising the silicon wafer supported on the adsorbing disk; and a photoelectric detector, fitted to a part of the supporting boards, for detecting the edge of an orientation flat of the silicon wafer. The silicon wafer loaded on the supporting boards is raised while being adsorbed by the adsorbing disk.

Abstract: A carrier system which carries electronic parts mounted on an arm to arbitrary positions within a clean room is disclosed.