Abstract: A front side member of an automobile has a rigid portion formed in a closed cross section by an inner panel and an outer panel and extending in the longitudinal direction of a car body, and a base portion extending inwards and downwards in the lateral direction of the car body from the rigid portion. The rigid portion is provided with a reinforcement arranged in the closed cross section and extending in the longitudinal direction of the car body. The reinforcement is shortened less than the inner panel at a top portion thereof and provided with a linear corner portion. As a result, an axis, which is one of rectangular coordinate axes as principal axes of the closed cross section and which maximizes a moment of inertia with respect to the axis, is formed so as to direct downwards from the outside to the inside in the lateral direction of the car body.

Abstract: A structure of a panel includes a peripheral portion and an intermediate portion integrally provided with the peripheral portion. At least the intermediate portion includes a curved surface having a substantially constant sum of the maximum curvature and the minimum curvature at all the points on a surface of the intermediate portion. Further, the peripheral portion is formed as the same curved surface as the curved surface of the intermediate portion, or a curved surface having a curvature different from the curvature of the curved surface of the intermediate portion so as to enhance the panel stiffness of the peripheral portion.

Abstract: A controller for a vehicle seat for optimally controlling the posture of a vehicle seat. An amount of a running condition of the vehicle is detected, and a controlled variable for a posture of the seat for appropriately holding an inertial force acting on an occupant seated in the seat is determined in correspondence with the amount of the running condition of the vehicle detected. In addition, an amount of displacement of a posture of the vehicle is detected, and the posture of the seat is controlled on the basis of the controlled variable for the posture of the seat and the amount of displacement of the posture of the vehicle. Since the posture of the seat is controlled in correspondence with not only the running condition of the vehicle but postural displacement of the vehicle, the holding characteristic of the driver's seat improves and permits driving with a comfortable and more stable posture.

Abstract: A spiral wound gasket having an annular body serving as a centering member which is integrally disposed at the inner periphery side of a gasket body formed by winding, in the form of a spiral. The gasket body comprises a metal hoop material and a filler material overlapping each other. When this gasket is disposed at fit-joint-type pipe connection portions of the exhaust pipe system in a motor vehicle, the annular body serves as a centering member to prevent the gasket body from protruding into the fit joint. This prevents the gasket body from deterioration and damage, thus assuring a high sealing property for a long period of time. Further, merely by inserting and fitting the gasket, the gasket may be automatically aligned and positioned with respect to the fit joint. Further, the inner peripheral surface of the gasket body and the annular body form an annular closed space, thus making the entire gasket into a lightweight design.

Abstract: A vehicle windshield wiper structure has a wiper arm connected to a wiper head and supports a wiper blade which is adapted to be forced onto the surface of the windshield glass. A spring is provided to force the wiper blade into engagement with the windshield glass surface. The spring is engaged at one end with an intermediate portion of the wiper arm and at the other end with an end of a swingable lever which is pivotably mounted on the wiper head. The other end of the swingable lever is provided with a cam follower roller which is adapted to be engaged under a resilient force applied by the spring with a cam provided on a stationary part of the vehicle. The cam has a profile which is slanted at the opposite end portions so that the resilient force depressing the wiper blade into engagement with the windshield glass surface is decreased at each end of the stroke of movement of the wiper to thereby decrease the noise which may otherwise be produced when the wiper movement is inverted.

Abstract: The present invention provides a heat exchanger using hollow fibers formed of an organic polymer as the heat transfer tubes; a blood oxygenating device comprising a blood oxygenator combined with the aforesaid heat exchanger; and a small-sized and lightweight blood oxygenator which comprises a blood oxygenator of the hollow-fiber membrane type having the aforesaid heat exchanger incorporated thereinto to form an integral unit, and hence has excellent gas exchange and heat exchange performance.

Abstract: The present door for a motor vehicle includes a door glass, a door glass piece and a guide groove. The door glass piece has a substantially crank shape and a forward end sliding portion offset into the vehicle and secured to an end portion of the door glass, the sliding portion of the door glass piece being slidably guided by the guide groove on a door frame aligned to enable opening and closing of the door glass, while the outer surfaces of the door glass and the door frame are substantially flush with each other. According to the present invention the sliding portion of the door glass piece and the door glass are formed such that an angle formed by a center line of the sliding portion and the outer surface of the door glass is less than 180.degree., the outer surface of the vehicle being curved and the door glass conforming to the curvature of the outer surface of a vehicle body, which is continuously formed by the outer surfaces of the door glass and the door frame.

Abstract: A blood oxygenator comprising a housing generally in the form of a box and bundles of hollow fibers of semipermeable membrane set therein for effecting gas exchange therethrough. In this blood oxygenator, each end of each bundle of hollow fibers of semipermeable membrane is secured together by potting material in such a way as to allow their open ends to communicate separately with a gas inlet and a gas outlet; the space around the bundles of hollow fibers of semipermeable membrane communicates with a blood inlet and a blood outlet; the blood-gas contact chamber within the housing is divided into a plurality of compartments with the interposition of blood flow channels narrowed by baffles; and the bundle of hollow fibers of semipermeable membrane is disposed in the contact chamber so as to be substantially parallel to the baffles.

Abstract: A blood oxygenator of the outside perfusion type using hollow fibers as the gas exchange membrane. In this blood oxygenator, a plurality of contact chambers each containing a bundle or bundles of hollow fibers for gas exchange use and communicating with a blood inlet and a blood outlet are disposed to make blood flow in multiple paths within a housing, and each bundle of hollow fibers is arranged so as to be substantially perpendicular to the direction of blood flow. In spite of its compact construction, this blood oxygenator has high oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange rates per unit of membrane even when used in the gas exchange of blood having high flow rate, exhibits only a small pressure loss, and causes little channeling of the blood and gas. Moreover, it is easy to manufacture because of its relatively simple structure.

Abstract: A vehicle door comprising a door section having a door panel and a window frame, wherein the door panel includes an inner housing extending between an exterior and an interior of the vehicle. A door glass is slidably mounted between the window frame and the inner housing. The door glass has an arcuate configuration when viewed in cross section in the direction of the length of the vehicle and defines a projected normal arc of curvature corresponding to the arcuate configuration of the door glass when the door glass is in a closed position. The projected normal arc of curvature extends downward from a closed position of the door glass. A guide channel is provided for guiding the door between the closed position and an open position. The guide channel defines an actual arc of curvature when viewed in cross section in the direction of the length of the vehicle, which is displaced radially inwardly from the normal arc of curvature.

Abstract: A vehicle door comprising a door section having a door panel and a window frame, wherein the door panel includes an inner housing extending between an exterior and an interior of the vehicle. Forward and rearward guide channels are secured to the door panel and extend within the inner housing and the window section of the door. Guide members connected to a door glass ride within the forward and rearward channels and include attachment members secured to the door glass for positioning the door glass in response to movement of the guide members within the forward and rearward channels. Forward and rearward brackets are attached to the window frame and include weather seals extending between the bracket and the door glass. A housing supporting a mirror is mounted on the vehicle door and extends along the forward bracket. The housing is mounted so that the forward guide channels are positioned between the forward bracket and the mirror, in order to prevent an obstructed view of the mirror by a vehicle occupant.

Abstract: A door construction in a motor vehicle, wherein there is provided a door outer panel, which has the upper portion being first inwardly bent in the direction of the door thickness and then upwardly bent in a substantial crank shape, to thereby constitute a ledge portion and an upper end welded flange upwardly extending from the inner end of the ledge portion, the upper end welded flange of the door outer panel is welded to another upper end welded flange of a reinforcing panel, and a belt molding, the width thereof is made smaller at the top portion than at the other portions, covering the outer surface, top end face and inner surface of the welded flanges is solidly secured to the reinforcing panel, the lengths of the upper end welded flanges, which are projected from the ledge portion, of the door outer panel and the reinforcing panel are reduced to the minimum lengths required for welding, and the width in the direction of the door thickness of a belt line portion at the top end of the belt molding is made

Abstract: A locking device comprising a handle rotatably supported on a body through a support shaft, a catch hook rotatably supported by said handle through a rotary shaft, and a hook secured to a counterpart member to be fastened to or detached from said body and engageable with said catch hook at the time of locking, said rotary shaft for rotatably supporting the catch hook on the handle being provided at a position closer to the body than a straight line passing through the support shaft and a portion of engagement between the catch hook and the hook when the handle approaches the body to take a locking position, and the counterpart member being locked against the body through the catch hook through a turnover action of the catch hook, said action occurring when the handle rotates, wherein there is provided a retainer to be projected to a position close to an opposite side portion of the handle during locking, said opposite side portion being substantially opposite to the rotary shaft with the support shaft interpo

Abstract: A device for preventing a tubular bushing assembly from slipping out of a hole in a bushing receiving portion, wherein the tubular bushing assembly is incorporated in a pivot coupling portion between two members, and includes an inner sleeve, a resilient member and an outer sleeve, the tubular bushing assembly being fitted under pressure into a hole provided in the bushing receiving portion provided in the other member of the aforesaid two members, so as to receive in the inner sleeve a pivot extending from one of the aforesaid two members. A flange extends from one end of the outer sleeve radially outward of the sleeve along the opening edge of the bushing receiving portion, and the flange is held between the opening edge portion and a holder member removably joined to a support member provided in the bushing receiving portion.