Abstract: The present invention is provides a fuel vapor recovery apparatus for automobiles that includes a canister for cooling and condensing the fuel vapor generated in the fuel tank and a membrane separation means for separating the fuel vapor flowed from the canister. The present invention also provides for a membrane separation means for separating the fuel vapor from a canister storing fuel vapor into a fuel rich mixture and a means for liquefying and condensing this separated fuel rich mixture.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting, with a high degree of reliability and precision, a two dimensional position of any defects that might be present in a microporous hollow fiber membrane module (10) as manufactured. Detection of defects is carried out in a dark chamber (42) in which the module (10) to be tested is placed. Air carrying fine airborne particles having a particle size larger than the pore size of the micropores of the hollow fibers is forced to flow through the module. A laser beam (54) is projected closely adjacent to the end face (22) of the module to irradiate any particles that have passed the defects. Upon irradiation, the microscopic particles scatter the incident beam and are visualized by scattered light. The light intensity of the visualized scene of particles is magnified by an image intensifier (64) and a video camera (68) generates video signals of the intensified image.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting, with a high degree of reliability and precision, a two dimensional position of any defects that might be present in a microporous hollow fiber membrane module (10) as manufactured. Detection of defects is carried out in a dark chamber (42) in which the module (10) to be tested is placed. Air carrying fine airborne particles having a particle size larger than the pore size of the micropores of the hollow fibers is forced to flow through the module. A laser beam (54) is projected closely adjacent to the end face (22) of the module to irradiate any particles that have passed the defects. Upon irradiation, the microscopic particles scatter the incident beam and are visualized by scattered light. The light intensity of the visualized scene of particles is magnified by an image intensifier (64) and a video camera (68) generates video signals of the intensified image.

Abstract: A seat apparatus for a vehicle includes a seat which is composed of a seat cushion and a seat back. A plurality of actuators are provided in the seat, for altering a bearing-surface configuration of the seat. The actuators are driven by an air compressor which is controlled by a controller in a predetermined pattern. The controller judges oscillation transmitted to a passenger seated on the seat, on the basis of a signal from an acceleration sensor, and regulates the predetermined pattern of the control, in accordance with the judged oscillation. The controller may be so arranged as to judge the oscillation transmitted to the passenger, on the basis of signals from a speed sensor and a road-surface-condition detecting sensor.

Abstract: A seat comprises a plurality of air mats which are arranged inside a seat cushion and a seat back. The contour of each of the air mats is automatically variable by a pump and a valve according to an automatic mode of variation. When a manual switch is turned on to control the valve, an initial mode of variation is altered by incorporating a manual command so as to determine a second mode of variation. The seat contour is then varied according to the second mode.

Abstract: A seat having fatigue lessening device has a seat shape changer for changing an occupant holding portion of the seat. A physique judging device is employed for determining whether the occupant is overweight, middle sized or slim. The operation of the seat shape changer is controlled in accordance with information provided by the physique judging device.

Abstract: A seat comprises a plurality of air mats arranged inside a seat cushion and a seat back. The contour of each of the air mats is automatically varied by a pump and a valve. The fatigue level of a seat occupant is calculated based on a fatigue-indicative parameter weighted in accordance with the running state of a vehicle and the working state of accessories and control gear. The pump and the valves are operated to vary the contour of the air mats when the fatigue level becomes greater than a predetermined value.

Abstract: A seat having a fatigue lessening device functions to repeatedly expand and contract a given part of a seat occupant holding portion of the seat. A fatigue sensor is employed which issues an information signal representative of the fatigue of the occupant. A computer controls the operation of the device at intervals which are derived from the information signal. The fatigue sensor counts the number of movement of the seat occupant and uses the counted number as the factor for representing the degree of the occupant's fatigue.

Abstract: An infant safety seat is provided on the rear side of an automobile seat back which is pivotable about a base hinge mechanism, between a position in which it leans to the rear so as to accommodate an adult passenger on the regular seat cushion, and a positon in which it leans forward so as to allow a removable infant safety seat cushion to be attached to the seat back. A seat back stopper is formed on the front edge of the removable infant safety seat. The seat back stopper projects between the bottom of the seat back frame and the relatively stationary seat cushion frame. With this arrangement if forces acting on the seat back in the rearward direction cause the dog clutch of a reclining mechanism of the seat back to fail, the seat back is prevented from rotating backwards and crushing the infant by means of the seat back stopper. Thus, it becomes unnecessary to provide a specially reinforced reclining mechanism on seats on which a rear mounted infant seat are to be mounted.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an improved rigid structure of a cushion frame provided with a vehicle seat for a child, wherein the seat for a child is mounted at the rear side of a seat back. Further, a seat belt anchor of the seat is firmly fixed to the cushion frame.To a back frame member of a cushion frame to which a seat belt anchor for a child is fixed, a horizontal portion of a reinforcing member having a large section modulus in the longitudinal direction is firmly fixed. Further a vertical portion of the reinforcing member having a large section modulus in the vertical direction is firmly fixed to the right and left frame members of the cushion frame so as to reinforce the back frame member and the right and left frame members of the cushion frame.

Abstract: A memory contains data which permits a vehicle seat to be moved between any one of a plurality of preferred driving positions and a position in which ingress and egress is facilitated. A seat belt retractor is operated in conjunction with the seat servo so as to control the tension in the seat belt as the seat is moved from the ingress/egress position to a selected one of the preferred driving positions so as to avoid any discomfort to the belt wearer.

Abstract: In a seat belt retractor including a housing, a take-up shaft rotatably mounted in the housing, a spring for biasing the take-up shaft in a belt retracting direction, a gear mechanism operatively connected to the belt take-up shaft, a tensionless mechanism operatively connected to the gear mechanism and selectively operable to prevent the spring from rotating the take-up shaft in the belt retracting direction, and a motor actuated slack control mechanism operatively connected to the gear mechanism and operable to rotate the belt take-up shaft, there is provided a control unit comprising a computer which suppresses an automatic belt slack feeding operation when the vehicle speed is at or above a predetermined value, for example, 60 km/h.

Abstract: In a seat belt retractor including a housing, a take-up shaft rotatably mounted to the housing, a spring for biasing the take-up shaft in a belt retracting direction, a gear mechanism operatively connected to the belt take-up shaft, a tensionless mechanism operatively connected to the gear mechanism and operable to prevent the take-up shaft from rotating in the belt retracting direction and a motor actuated slack control mechanism operatively connected to the gear mechanism and operable to rotate the belt take-up shaft, there is provided a control unit constructed of a computer in which under normal driving posture of a driver (or belt wearer), an appropriate belt slack is automatically provided depending upon a vehicle speed, and upon posture change of the driver for reverse driving of the vehicle, a tensionless state is established in the retractor with the seat belt which has been drawn out by a certain amount due to the posture change of the driver.

Abstract: A stationary rail of generally channel-shaped construction is secured to the vehicle floor so as to have an elongate opening thereof oriented to the direction of movement of a seat mounted thereover. The stationary rail has a coaxially extending main portion or section and coaxially extending guided and guiding portions or members. A movable rail connected to the seat has throughout the length thereof the same cross section as the stationary rail. The movable rail is slidably engaged with the stationary rail in such a manner that the guided and guiding portions thereof are engaged with the corresponding guided and guiding portions of the movable rail in a mutually inverted relationship, having the main portion thereof and the corresponding truck portion of the movable rail spaced. Rollers are embraced by the stationary and movable rails in such a manner that the cylindrical outer surface of each roller engages with both the main portions of the stationary and movable rails.

Abstract: In order to support an annular member, to which the non-rotatable center hub is connected, on a tubular holder without permitting an axial play of the annular member relative to the tubular holder, an improved measure is disclosed which comprises an annular groove formed about the tubular holder, the rounded bottom surface of the annular groove being tapered toward the major portion of the tubular holder, and a snap ring coaxially disposed in the annular groove with its inner wall contacting with the tapered bottom surface of the annular groove and its inboard side surface slidably contacting with an axial end surface of the annular member.

Abstract: In a seat sliding device of a motor vehicle having a stationary rail secured to the vehicle floor with an elongate clearance defined between the stationary rail and the vehicle floor and a movable rail to which a seat is securely mounted, the movable rail being axially slidably engaged with the stationary rail so that movement of the movable rail relative to the stationary rail induces movement of the seat relative to the vehicle floor, there is provided at least one rigid frame member which is secured to the movable rail to move therewith and has an extension which embraces the stationary rail by having at least a portion thereof passed through the elongate clearance.

Abstract: A belt guide comprises a root portion secured on a base plate and an arm portion extending from the root portion to form a guide space between the arm portion and the base plate for receiving a safety belt. The arm portion has at its free end an inturned tongue turning toward the root portion. The inturned tongue is maintained in contact with the base plate. The belt guide permits entrance of the safety belt into the guide space under a force to cause the inturned tongue to lift off the base plate but prevents the safety belt from lifting the inturned tongue off the base plate to escape from the guide space.

Abstract: An automatic seat positioning device for a vehicle driver's seat wherein a reversible motor is engaged with one of electromagnetic clutches and rotates so that an associated seat member actuating mechanism moves one of the seat members to a desired position for a specific driver from an initial position upto a maximum movable end.

Abstract: A seat position automatic adjusting device used for an automotive vehicle motor-powered front seat comprises a single reversible motor for actuating the adjusting mechanism to adjust each seat member to a desired position. A control circuit counts and stores the number of rotations of the reversible motor and outputs a control signal by calculating the difference between the current seat position data from the stored value and the original seat position data. A drive circuit drives the reversible motor to automatically return the current seat position to the original seat position to the original seat position in response to the control signal from said control circuit.

Abstract: A seat reclining device of a vehicle is provided with a position memory function. The device includes a position memory wheel having an integrally formed reset cam and a reset lever engaging therewith. The reset lever is urged onto the periphery of the reset cam of the position memory wheel by spring force and normally contacts therewith at least two points.