Abstract: There is provided a prosthetic limb having a flexible knee brake function, which is designed such that it can be mechanically detected which part of the foot the load of the wearer is imposed on. In a thigh prosthetic limb (10), a joint upper member (12) including a knee plate (120) and a joint lower member (14) including a base bracket (22) integral with the frame (140) are operated to bend the knee. In the housing member (24), there are provided not only a knee axis but also a hydraulic brake circuit. There is a link mechanism (50) which allows a small relative motion between the housing member (24) and the base bracket (22) on the main body part side. The link mechanism (50) has an instantaneous center between the toe and the heel part of the prosthetic limb.

Abstract: In a gear mechanism, inner gear teeth and outer gear teeth are formed of high-tooth. An engagement ratio of the inner and outer gear teeth is configured so as to be 2.0 or more, whereby a load can be transferred between the inner and outer teeth via a continuous gear engagement of at least two pairs of gear teeth thereof. Accordingly, a contact face pressure and a bending stress occurring to inner and outer gear teeth can be reduced, the limitation of the durability of the gear mechanism due to the large difference of durability between the inner and outer gear teeth can be improved, and the necessity of increasing hardness of the inner gear teeth can be lessened.

Abstract: A radio-wave transmitter-receiver section (12) forms a radio-wave detection zone (16) for detecting an object at a location way from a door (4). A light emitter-receiver section (20) forms an optical detection zone (42) for detecting an object at a location along and closer to the door (4). The light emitter-receiver section (20) includes mirrors (28, 36) which are used to increase or decrease the depth dimension of the optical detection zone (42) in the direction perpendicular to the door (4).

Abstract: In a multiple-switching valve having a bucket-leveling function, there are provided a diverged passage, which is diverged from a merged passage and connects with an unloading passage or a tank passage, and a switching valve to disconnect and connect the diverged passage. The switching valve allows a pressured oil drained from a rod-side chamber of a boom cylinder via a directional switching valve for boom to be supplied to the merged passage flow in the diverged passage, thereby preventing the pressure oil from being supplied to a head-side chamber of the bucket cylinder. Accordingly, the bucket-leveling function can be cancelled properly, thereby improving the operation of the multiple-directional switching valve.

Abstract: There is provided a flow divider system in a hydraulic circuit for a work machine including a boom cylinder and a bucket cylinder. The flow divider system divides a pressured oil drained from a one-boom cylinder into an other-bucket cylinder and a tank via a first orifice, a second orifice and a flow dividing valve, maintaining a specified pressure difference between pressures downstream the first and second orifices. The first and second orifice are configured of a variable orifice respectively, and in the event that the oil flow from the one-boom chamber decreases, respective opening degrees of the first and second orifices are controlled so as to be reduced. Accordingly, changing of a divisional ratio of oil flow can be suppressed properly regardless of a small oil flow drained from the boom cylinder.

Abstract: In a gear mechanism, inner gear teeth and outer gear teeth are formed of high-tooth. An engagement ratio of the inner and outer gear teeth is configured so as to be 2.0 or more, whereby a load can be transferred between the inner and outer teeth via a continuous gear engagement of at least two pairs of gear teeth thereof. Accordingly, a contact face pressure and a bending stress occurring to inner and outer gear teeth can be reduced, the limitation of the durability of the gear mechanism due to the large difference of durability between the inner and outer gear teeth can be improved, and the necessity of increasing hardness of the inner gear teeth can be lessened.

Abstract: There is provided a flow divider system in a hydraulic circuit for a work machine including a boom cylinder and a bucket cylinder. The flow divider system divides a pressured oil drained from a one-boom cylinder into an other-bucket cylinder and a tank via a first orifice, a second orifice and a flow dividing valve, maintaining a specified pressure difference between pressures downstream the first and second orifices. The first and second orifice are configured of a variable orifice respectively, and in the event that the oil flow from the one-boom chamber decreases, respective opening degrees of the first and second orifices are controlled so as to be reduced. Accordingly, changing of a divisional ratio of oil flow can be suppressed properly regardless of a small oil flow drained from the boom cylinder.

Abstract: In a multiple-switching valve having a bucket-leveling function, there are provided a diverged passage, which is diverged from a merged passage and connects with an unloading passage or a tank passage, and a switching valve to disconnect and connect the diverged passage. The switching valve allows a pressured oil drained from a rod-side chamber of a boom cylinder via a directional switching valve for boom to be supplied to the merged passage flow in the diverged passage, thereby preventing the pressure oil from being supplied to a head-side chamber of the bucket cylinder. Accordingly, the bucket-leveling function can be cancelled properly, thereby improving the operation of the multiple-directional switching valve.

Abstract: An object sensor for use with an automatic swing door includes a light emitter, which is mounted on a door surface of the automatic swing door. The light emitter emits a light beam toward a floor. A distance detector is mounted on the door surface. The distance detector receives the light beam reflected from an object and develops an output signal having a value representing the distance of the object from the distance detector. A control unit makes a judgment based on the value of the output signal of the distance detector as to whether the object is approaching the door surface. The control unit stores the value of the distance detector output signal representing the distance between the distance detector and the floor, as a reference value. A dead zone is defined for the reference value to extend from the floor to a predetermined distance above the floor. When the value of the distance detector output signal is outside the dead zone, the control units judges the object to be approaching the door surface.

Abstract: There is provided an air-cylinder apparatus for use in a prosthetic limb capable of effectively adjusting the pressure characteristics over a wide range of walking speed. A second chamber 82 defined by a piston 113 is increased in pressure by air confined therein in accordance with the bending motion of the knee. Air is restricted from flowing out of the second chamber 82 by a constant throttle valve 140. In addition, the second chamber 82 is divided into plural chambers 821, 822 in accordance with increase in bending angle of the knee and air is restricted from flowing out of the newly divided chambers 821, 822 by throttle valves corresponding thereto. The division of the second chamber 82 is achieved by mutual engagement between a projection 1140b on the piston side and a recess 1127 on the bottom part of a cylinder body.

Abstract: A revolving door system includes outer walls (2) disposed in parallel with a doorway in a building. A hollow center core (3) having a racetrack-shaped cross-section is disposed between the outer walls, whereby passageways are defined by the lower surface (4a) of a ceiling (4), the floor, the center core and the outer walls. Upper and lower rails (10) and (11) are secured within the center core, and with which plural sets of upper and lower suspension devices (13) and (14) are movable engaged. A plurality of doors (12) are supported by the upper and lower suspension devices. A pulling bar (56) is linked to the upper suspension device for each door. The pulling bars are connected to a driving chain (75) driven to move by a door driving arrangement. A carrier bar (15) is connected to each upper suspension device, for rotatably supporting the upper portion of each door at a location near the center core. The lower portion of each door is rotatably supported by one of the lower suspension devices.

Abstract: A maintenance station monitors and maintains a plurality of automatic door systems at remote locations. Each door system includes a control unit for controlling the operation of an automatic door, and a self-diagnosing arrangement which operates in conjunction with the control operation of the control unit, to inspect the automatic door system for malfunctioning or broken part of the door system. When a failure is found in the automatic door system, the self-diagnosing arrangement of that door system sends information identifying that door system and information identifying the malfunctioning or broken part to the maintenance station via modems and telephones.

Abstract: There is provided a prosthetic leg with an extension auxiliary mechanism 1100 capable of generating an extension torque only when an angle of bending of the knee is small. A knee joint 80 of a thigh prosthesis 170 is of a multi-axis structure, and a front and a rear link 130, 150 together with an upper thigh member 110 and a lower thigh member 120 constitutes a constrained chain. An extension auxiliary mechanism 1100 having a compression spring is supported between the lower thigh member 120 and the rear link 150. An extension torque generated by the extension auxiliary mechanism 1100 is determined by a product of a force caused by biasing of the compression spring and a distance from a line of action of the force to the center of rotation of the rear link 150. Here, at a stage where the bending angle of the knee exceeds, for example, 15 degrees, an axis of the compression spring is brought generally into alignment with a connecting portion 170O between the rear link 150 and the lower thigh member 120.

Abstract: A control apparatus for a motor-driven vehicle driven by a motor brakes the vehicle without giving shock to the vehicle. The control apparatus includes a vehicle maneuvering section for sensing a manual driving force as applied to it. The control apparatus also includes a control circuit which, when a manual driving force for driving the vehicle is applied to the maneuvering section, causes the motor to provide a mechanical driving force for the vehicle in accordance with the sensed manual driving force. The control circuit includes a braking force providing device which gradually increases a braking force for braking the vehicle from zero when manual driving force has been removed from the maneuvering section.

Abstract: Motors drive drive wheels of a motor-driven vehicle. A manual-driving-force sensing unit senses manual driving forces for driving the drive wheels and develops manual-driving-force representative signals. A control unit computes, from the manual-driving-force representative signals, preliminary motor driving signals which, when applied to the respective motors, would make the motors produce mechanical driving forces. The control unit also computes, from the preliminary motor driving signals, compensate motor driving signals to be applied to the respective motors, when the direction of rotation of the motors are the same. Each of the compensated motor driving signals is prepared from the corresponding one of the preliminary motor driving signal with the other of the preliminary motor driving signals taken into account.

Abstract: Manual driving force applied by a wheelchair driver to a motor-driven wheelchair is sensed by a manual-driving-force sensing unit. When the manual driving force reaches a preset value, a control unit makes a motor generate a mechanical driving force supplementary to the manual driving force. The control unit subtracts the preset value from the manual driving force to determine an amount of change by which the current mechanical driving force should be changed, and adds the amount of change to the current mechanical driving force to develop a new mechanical driving force.

Abstract: A main object of the present invention is to provide a technique capable of improving the assembling performance of a double seal ring. According to the first embodiment of the invention, on the piston 31 side to which a seal ring is attached, there are provided a ring retaining portion 300 having an outside diameter L0 and for retaining a double seal ring 51, a first land portion 310 adjacent to the ring retaining portion 300 and having an outside diameter L1 (where L1>L0), and a second land portion 320 adjacent to an opposite side of the ring retaining portion 300 to the first land portion 310 and having an outside diameter L2 (where L2<L1). The outside diameter L2 of the second land portion 320 is set to be equal to or smaller than an inside diameter of the outer peripheral resin ring 55, and one side surface of the outer peripheral resin ring 55 on the side of the second land portion 320 is supported by a retainer ring 80 retained by the piston 31.

Abstract: A object sensor system for a swing door includes swing-side and approach-side sensors. Each of the sensors includes light-emitters and light-receivers which are mounted on a swing door. The light-emitters emit light toward a floor, and the light-receivers receive the light as reflected from the floor. The light emitted and received provides an object sensing zone which has a rectangular shape on the floor having a width equal to or larger than the width of the door. The sensing zone includes a main sensing area closer to the door and an auxiliary sensing area extending along the main sensing area. The auxiliary sensing area is disabled when the door moves.

Abstract: Paying attention to the mechanical play between the first and second support members for supporting opposite end portions of a knee axis and a brake block located between the support members, the present invention chiefly aims at removing the play in the direction of an axis of the knee axis in an effective and a reliable manner. In order to achieve this object, according to the present invention, a plurality of spacer members are inserted between each support member and the brake block such that the spacer members may slide on the mutual abutment surface. Each spacer member is of a ring type. The spacer members are fitted to and supported by the knee axis in a state that the spacer members are overlaid one upon another in the axial direction of the knee axis. In order to enhance the smooth sliding on the abutment surface, the spacer members are preferably made of resin material.

Abstract: An artificial limb provides for positional relation between a first pin for rotatably connecting one end of an air cylinder device to a lower member and a second pin for rotatably connecting the other end of the air cylinder device to an upper member. The attaching position of the second pin is set to satisfy certain predetermined conditions when an artificial limb is in a completely extended state. The position of an air cylinder device (particularly, the attaching position of the second pin) is changed in conformity with a walking speed which is variable in phase such as normal walking, quick walking, and running with small steps. The artificial limb further comprises a pin position change capable of changing the position of a second pin rotatably connected to an upper member in conformity with variation of walking speed.