Abstract: In a supporting structure for a brake pedal assembly pivotally mounted for rocking motion on the rear surface of a dash panel of an automobile through a first bracket, a front portion of the first bracket is fixed to the dash panel and the rear end thereof is coupled to a second bracket, fastened to a cowl member in a cabin, so as to be disengageable by the application of a load of automobile collision above a predetermined level. The brake pedal assembly is pivotally mounted for rocking motion to the first bracket. At the lower end of the second bracket, a pedal lever stop is provided which abuts against the rear end of the brake pedal assembly when the first and second brackets are disengaged in an automobile collision so that the brake pedal assembly moves backward. The brake pedal assembly is restrained by abutment on the pedal lever stop against backward movement.

Abstract: A foot pedal apparatus is provided with a stationary support structure and a shaft supported by the support structure. A bracket and an actuator are attachable to each other for synchronous rotation about an axis of the shaft. A rotational connector is moveable to selectively connect and disconnect the bracket and actuator to allow coordinated rotation about the axis or independent rotation about the axis, respectively. The structure of the foot pedal apparatus allows the “at rest” position of the foot pedal to be easily adjusted.

Abstract: A circular piston and a noncircular rod are separately formed as separate parts and the piston and the rod are integrally connected to each other through an adhesive in a state in which the piston is aligned to be concentric with a circular bearing hole of a first air bearing and the rod is aligned to be concentric with a noncircular bearing hole of a second air bearing.

Abstract: In the present linear guide bearing, the center of curvature O′ of a ball reversing passage 27 is shifted to a return side ball passage 25 side by a given amount m when compared with the center of curvature, O′ of a conventional guide bearing. Due to this, not only the radius of curvature of a concave-arc-shaped groove 29 formed in each end cap 9 is reduced by a given amount m but also the concave-arc-shaped groove 29 is shifted to the return side ball passage 25 side by a given amount m, when compared with the conventional guide bearing. Thus, an angle &agr; formed between a line connecting the leading end of a tongue portion 31 to the center of curvature O′ of a ball reversing passage 27 and the moving-direction end face of a bearing main body 7, can be reduced significantly when compared with the conventional bearing.

Abstract: In a brake-force splitting gear for a manually actuated parking-brake system in a motor vehicle, brake force is transmitted via cable assemblies both to a wheel brake or shaft brake on the vehicle transmission and to wheel brakes of at least one driven vehicle axle. The wheel brakes of each vehicle axle being articulated in each case via a differential element mounted in a housing or frame. The splitting gear includes a lever mechanism comprising at least two balance beams or levers which split the brake force between the transmission brake and wheel brakes.

Abstract: A pedal box for a vehicle (V), comprises a pedal (E) pivotally mounted intermediate its end on a pedal pin (PP) carried by the pedal box, so as to have, beyond each side of the pedal pivot (PP), a lower pedal part carrying a footpad (FP), and an upper pedal part; an abutment surface (S) provided in or on the upper pedal part and so located with respect to the pedal pivot axis (PP) that the abutment surface (S) is beyond a top dead center position of the pedal pivot (PP) at the driver/passenger compartment (PC) side; and an activation device (C, D) adapted, in use, to be secured between a portion (Q) of the vehicle (V) designed to deform upon frontal impact, and a portion (P) of the vehicle (V) designed for minimal deformation upon frontal impact and, upon activation, to engage the abutment surface (S) such that the upper pedal part is rotated towards the driver/passenger compartment (PC), and the lower pedal part is rotated away from the driver/passenger compartment (PC).

Abstract: A transmission for transmitting rotary power in forward and reverse directions from a programmable source of input motion such as an electric motor uses individually rotatable coaxially mounted lock plates each having a pawl receiving socket therein providing access to an arcuate slot of selected angular length permits engagement and disengagement of the transmission only when input torque is applied thereto in forward and reverse directions to rotate the transmission input gear through pre-defined angles. The pawl is part of a frictionally driven shift arm on which a driven shift gear is also mounted whereby the driven shift gear is pivotally moved into and out of engagement with the output gear or gears of the transmission when the pawl is pivotally moved out of or into the sockets in the lock plates.

Abstract: In a supporting structure for a brake pedal assembly pivotally mounted for rocking motion on the rear surface of a dash panel of an automobile through a first bracket, a front portion of the first bracket is fixed to the dash panel and a rear-end upper portion thereof is coupled to a second bracket fastened to an instrument panel member as a car body member in a cabin so as to be disengageable by the application of a load of automobile collision above a predetermined level. The brake pedal assembly is pivotally mounted for rocking motion to the first bracket. On the underside of the second bracket, an inclined guide surface is provided which abuts against the upper end of the brake pedal assembly when the coupling between the first and second brackets is disengaged in an automobile collision so that the first bracket moves backward together with the brake pedal assembly. The inclined guide surface guides the brake pedal assembly in its downward movement through its abutment against the inclined guide surface.

Abstract: Gear shift mechanism for a vehicle gearbox, comprising a gear lever (1, 7) pivotable between forward and rear end positions via an intermediate neutral position. A pivot element (22) is pivotable about an axis (c), which is located between and fixed relative to the pivot axis (a) of the gear lever and the lower end of the gear lever. A pair of springs (29) are set between the pivot element and said end of the gear lever so as to make up together with the pivot element an over center mechanism, which forces the gear lever towards either of the end positions.

Abstract: In the ball bearing, the ratio of the radius of curvature of an inner race raceway 4 to the outside diameter of balls 8, 8 is set in the range of 0.51 to 0.54. Also, the ratio of the radius of curvature of an outer race raceway 6 to the outside diameter of balls 8, 8 is set in the range of 0.54 to 0.56. Further, an interior geometric clearance c is set at 13 &mgr;m or less. Thanks to these specifications, the balls 8, 8 can be prevented from running up onto the edge of the outer race raceway 6.

Abstract: In an accelerator, an acceleration rotor made of resin is rotatably supported in a support shaft, one end portion of a pedal arm is connected to an acceleration pedal, and the other end portion of the pedal arm is attached to attachment portions of the acceleration rotor. The attachment portions are provided in the acceleration rotor to be separated in a rotation direction of the acceleration rotor. For example, the attachment portions are a press-fitting portion, into which a top end part of the other end portion of the pedal arm is press-fitted, and an insertion portion, into which a bending part of the other end portion of the pedal arm is inserted. Thus, the pedal arm can be accurately readily attached to the resinous acceleration rotor to be only rotated around the support shaft of the acceleration rotor.

Abstract: The present invention is a bi-directional tapered roller bearing having a first cone rib ring thrust face “C” adjacent and facing the small diameter end faces of the roller elements, a second cone rib ring thrust face “B” adjacent and facing the large diameter end faces of the roller elements, and a cup rib ring thrust face “A” adjacent and facing the large diameter end faces of the roller elements. The bearing components are arranged such that, during primary thrust load operation, there is a gap between thrust face C and the small diameter end faces of the roller elements, a gap between thrust face A and the large diameter end faces of the roller elements, and contact between thrust face B and the large diameter end faces of the roller elements. With this arrangement, bearing roller element centrifugal loads act to reduce the contact forces between the roller elements and the bearing races.

Abstract: The control lever equipment for a bar handle vehicle enables smooth pivoting of a grip allowance adjusting mechanism for a control lever with respect to a grip. In this equipment, the control lever is composed essentially of two pieces, i.e., a lever piece and an operating piece, which pivot coaxially independent of each other on a support shaft attached to a holder fixed to the handle bar. An adjusting pin for widening and narrowing the grip allowance between the control lever and the grip of the handle bar is attached either to the lever piece or to the operating piece pivotally on an axis parallel to the support shaft. A resilient piece is interposed between the adjusting pin and a bearing for bearing the shaft end of the adjusting pin, formed either on the lever piece or the operating piece, to be coaxial with the adjusting pin.

Abstract: A steering wheel includes a ring, a plurality of spokes extending from the ring toward the middle of the steering wheel, and a pad encompassed by the ring. An accessory panel having a switch is secured to the spokes. A support member supports the accessory panel with respect to the spokes. A fastening member fastens the accessory panel to the spokes. The support member is located separately from the fastening member.