Abstract: A vehicle pedal device including a transmission member that transmits an operation force applied to a pedal, a reaction force lever that is disposed on the transmission member so that the reaction force lever pivots about a predetermined axis, and that outputs the operation force transmitted to the transmission member to a brake device against a biasing force of a load spring, and a depressing force detector that is fixedly attached to a pedal arm of the pedal or to a sub lever coupled to the pedal arm and that receives a reaction force of the reaction force lever to detect the operation force applied to the pedal, the depressing force detector being configured to have a positioning pin projecting from the depressing force detector, the pedal arm of the pedal or the sub lever coupled to the pedal arm being configured to have a positioning pin insertion hole in which the positioning pin of the depressing force detector is inserted, the depressing force detector being configured to be fixed to the pedal arm or

Abstract: Embodiments include a heating device for heating a workpiece, comprising a furnace defining a closed space insulated from exterior and surrounded by a heat insulator, a heater disposed in the furnace to heat a workpiece, at least one support element for supporting a workpiece in the furnace, and a base holding the at least one support element. The base may comprise a mounting portion, a support element retaining portion for each support element, the retaining portion horizontally offset from the mounting portion, and a reinforcement portion configured to increase the strength of the base against deformation due to a load of the workpiece and/or support element applied through the support element retaining portion.

Abstract: An apparatus for loading/unloading workpieces, including a furnace heating a workpiece, and a robot loading and/or unloading a workpiece into/from the furnace. The robot may include a manipulator linkage and a fork at an end of the manipulator linkage. The fork may have an upper side on which a workpiece is placed while being loaded into and/or unloaded from the furnace. The fork may include a parallel arrangement of fork elements, each fork element in the fork having a length and rectangular cross section perpendicular to the length. Each fork element may have a workpiece carrying surface on which a workpiece is placed and an opposite surface to the workpiece carrying surface. The fork element may include a heat insulator disposed on the workpiece carrying surface at least over an area where a workpiece is placed to equalize longitudinal thermal expansions in the workpiece carrying surface and the opposite surface.

Abstract: Embodiments include a heating device for heating a workpiece, including a furnace defining a closed space insulated from an exterior and surrounded by a heat insulator, a heater disposed in the furnace to heat a workpiece, a bar-shaped support element for supporting a workpiece in the furnace, and bases holding longitudinal ends of the support element for mounting the support element on a wall of the furnace, the support element being configured to increase the bending strength against sagging between its longitudinal ends.

Abstract: A brake pedal device includes a pedal bracket, an operation pedal, an intermediate lever, and a coupling link. The pedal bracket includes a first side plate member and a second side plate member secured to a dash panel and arranged at interval in a vehicle width direction, and is fastened and secured with respect to a vehicle body side bracket located on a vehicle rear side by a nut and a bolt at one location. The first side plate member and the second side plate member include a deformation allowing part and a deformation allowing part between a first support shaft located on a rearward side among the first support shaft and a second support shaft, and an attachment/securing part and an attachment/securing part.

Abstract: A power generation device for a mobile body includes power generating units and a holding member. Each power generating unit includes an elastically deformable base member and a piezoelectric film, which are laminated alternately. The holding member holds the power generating units. Each power generating unit has an elongated flat-plate shape. Opposite ends of the power generating unit in a longitudinal direction are held by the holding member such that the power generating unit is in an orientation in which a longitudinal axis is substantially perpendicular to the flow direction of the external fluid. A fixing member is provided at each of the opposite ends in the longitudinal direction of each power generating unit. The power generating units are arranged in the holding member via the fixing members to pivot in accordance with the flow of the external fluid.

Abstract: A fastening portion structure of a resin part including a tubular member integrally embedded therein by insert molding, and an insertion hole formed inside the tubular member, in which a screw member is inserted through the insertion hole, and the tubular member is compressed in an axial direction by the screw member, so that the resin part is fixed to a predetermined member. An inner peripheral surface of the tubular member is exposed in a region from one end to an intermediate position in the axial direction of the tubular member, but is covered by a resin in a region from the intermediate position to the other end, and the insertion hole is formed in a resin covering the inner peripheral surface of the tubular member.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing a bumper reinforcement having a length, wherein the bumper reinforcement is disposed in front or rear of an automobile body with the length directed in transverse direction of the automobile body. The process includes joining a central part and lateral parts of unequal thicknesses to form a planar tailored blank. The process further includes press forming the tailored blank by hot pressing to produce a bumper reinforcement having a length and an M-shaped open cross section, the bumper reinforcement being curved at end portions of the length toward the open side of the cross section relative to a central portion.

Abstract: A vehicle operation pedal device including a pedal bracket attached to a vehicle, a pedal arm swingably supported by the pedal bracket about a substantially horizontal support axis, extending downward from the pedal bracket, and having at its lower end a pedal that is operated by being depressed with a foot, and an operation amount sensor disposed on the pedal bracket to detect a pedal arm operation amount, the vehicle operation pedal device having: a cover member including at least a lower wall portion extending from below the operation amount sensor toward a driver's seat and fixedly attached to the pedal bracket; and a reinforcing member made of a metal and fixedly attached to the pedal arm so as to be interposed between the lower wall portion and the operation amount sensor when in an initial state where the pedal arm is not operated by being depressed with the foot.

Abstract: A workpiece transfer apparatus for a furnace includes a carrier having access to a furnace and carrying a workpiece placed thereon, a controller for controlling movement of the carrier, the controller for determining an amount of deformation of the carrier by heat of the furnace, and the controller for determining an adjustment to the attitude of the carrier on the basis of the amount of deformation of the carrier, wherein when handing over the workpiece for a next process tool, the carrier is moved into an adjusted attitude.

Abstract: Embodiments include a vehicle body front structure including a front side member, a radiator support, a front bumper reinforcement, and a shock absorber attached to the front bumper reinforcement. The front side member includes a unitary width extender extending laterally outward in the vehicle. The vehicle body front structure further include a replaceable bracket disposed between the shock absorber and the front side member, the replaceable bracket being a separate part from the radiator support and being detachably secured to the vertical pillar of the radiator support. The replaceable bracket is secured to the vertical pillar of the radiator support and to the width extender of the front side member.

Abstract: A vehicle interior panel in which a surface layer member including an upholstery portion and a cushioning portion covers a front surface of a base material such that the upholstery portion faces an interior side of a vehicle, in the vehicle interior panel, a terminal portion of the base material includes in an inward flange portion projecting toward the interior side of the vehicle, and the upholstery portion includes a fold-back terminal portion that is formed by folding back a terminal portion of the upholstery portion toward an exterior side of the vehicle so as to tuck in the terminal portion of the upholstery portion around the terminal portion of the base material which includes the inward flange portion, and the vehicle interior panel is configured to have a clearance between a terminal of the inward flange portion and the upholstery portion.

Abstract: A brake pedal device 1 has: a pedal bracket 5 having a first side plate member 10 and a second side plate member 20; and an operating pedal 30 supported pivotally by a first support shaft 6 comprising a caulking pin 50. The caulking pin 50 has a large-diameter section 51 and a pair of caulked portions 52. A load receiving part 13, etc. have a predetermined load receiving part thickness T at the opening peripheral of an insertion hole 12, etc. irrespective of a side plate thickness t of the first side plate member 10 etc. The caulked portions 52 protrude axially from each of end surfaces of the large diameter section 51 by a second axial length LB larger than the load receiving part thickness T. The caulked portions 52 are compressed and deformed axially by a work load of a caulking.

Abstract: A laminated composite interior component includes a first member that has a predetermined mating surface; and a second member made of an elastically deformable resin material. The second member has a plate-shaped portion that is substantially parallel to the mating surface and that has multiple protrusions which are formed integrally with the plate-shaped portion and which protrude toward the mating surface such that a space is formed between the mating surface and the plate-shaped portion. The second member is arranged so as to be laminated on the first member with the protrusions in contact with the mating surface.

Abstract: A pedal operation amount detection apparatus comprising: a transmitting member that transmits a pedal operation force; a movement lever disposed so as to be movable with respect to the transmitting member; a sensor rod disposed so as to be connected to the transmitting member and the movement lever; and a deformable body that is disposed on the transmitting member and is deformed when the pedal operation force or a reaction force corresponding to the pedal operation force is transmitted from the movement lever to the deformable body, the pedal operation amount detection apparatus electrically detecting a pedal operation amount based on deformation of the deformable body, the sensor rod extending through both the movement lever and the deformable body, the pedal operation amount detection apparatus further comprising: a first locking portion provided at an end portion of the sensor rod on a side where the sensor rod protrudes from the deformable body; a second locking portion provided at an intermediate portio

Abstract: A manual unlocking device for a parking lock mechanism includes an operation lever that rotates when the parking lock mechanism is switched from a locked state to an unlocked state. The operation lever is arranged outside an occupant space of a vehicle cabin and is configured that a tool can be coupled to a rotation center thereof from the occupant space. The manual unlocking device for the parking lock mechanism is configured to switch the parking lock mechanism from the locked state to the unlocked state by integral rotation of the operation lever with the tool when the tool, which is coupled to the operation lever, rotates in a state where the tool is arranged on the rotation center of the operation lever.

Abstract: Embodiments include a bumper reinforcement having a length including a first section and a second section. The reinforcement includes a reinforcement body made of a steel sheet and having a cross section that is open on one side and uniform along the length of the bumper reinforcement, the cross section of the body in at least the first section of the reinforcement including a high-strength portion and a low-strength portion, the high-strength portion having a first tensile strength, and the low-strength portion having a second tensile strength that is less than the first tensile strength. In an embodiment, the reinforcement further includes a closure closing the open side of the body within the first section of the reinforcement and joined to the body at the low-strength portion in the first section.

Abstract: A bearing member for a pedal arm, which is a tubular bearing member which is disposed so as to connect a first mounting hole and a second mounting hole formed respectively in a pair of plate members constituting right and left side walls of the pedal arm and through which a connecting shaft is passed so as to be rotatable relative to the bearing member, the bearing member includes: a large-diameter tubular portion configured to have an external diameter larger than a diameter of the first mounting hole and to be located between the pair of plate members; a first connecting portion configured to have an external diameter smaller than the diameter of the first mounting hole, to be formed so as to project from one end face of the large-diameter tubular portion coaxially with the large-diameter tubular portion, to be passed through the first mounting hole, and to be fixedly fitted to the first mounting hole by being compressed in an axial direction to be swaged so that a peripheral portion of the first mounting h

Abstract: An operation device for a vehicle parking brake, which includes: support bracket fixed to vehicle body and having a pair of first and second side plates, which face each other with predetermined interval therebetween; operation pedal supported between first and second side plates of support bracket so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis; and return spring having one end portion hooked on operation pedal and other end portion hooked on first side plate and winding portion located between ends portions and wound about pivot axis and that biases operation pedal toward original position, and which operation pedal is operated to pivot about pivot axis, so a parking brake cable is subjected to tensile force, thereby operating parking brake, one of end portions of return spring being bent and formed so as to bias a pedal pad of operation pedal toward first or second side plate.

Abstract: A battery mounting frame for mounting a battery on a vehicle, including a hollow frame having a pair of first frame members, positioned in the vehicle on front and rear sides of the battery, extending in a lateral direction of the vehicle, and a pair of second frame members positioned in the vehicle on laterally outward sides of the battery, the second frame members connecting ends of the first, wherein the battery mounting frame is supported by a vehicle body so the battery is located inside the frame. Each first frame member has a length equal to or larger than that of the second frame member, and each first frame member has, in each lateral end portion, a first bend of a first angle so the first frame member is positioned more toward the outside of the frame as it goes from the first bend laterally outward in the vehicle.