Abstract: Provided is a walking assist device including a load transmit portion, a ground contacting portion capable of using a commercially available shoe, and a leg link disposed therebetween. The ground contacting portion is composed of a footboard for supporting the shoe thereon. The footboard is provided with a connection member connected to the leg link and a front holding member and a rear holding member for stably holding a front vamp portion and a rear vamp portion, respectively, of the shoe in an anteroposterior direction. When a pressure sensor for detecting a stepping force from a user is provided in the footboard, the front holding member is located ahead of the pressure sensor.

Abstract: A walk assistance device capable of transmitting a force generated by a leg link to a user's trunk via a load transfer portion, wherein the leg link includes an upper first link portion connected to the load transfer portion via a first joint portion, a lower second link portion connected to a foot attachment portion via a second joint portion, a middle third joint portion connecting the first link portion to the second link portion such that a distance between the first joint portion and the second joint portion is variable, and a driving source that drives the third joint portion. The moment of inertia around the first joint portion of the leg link is reduced to decrease a load on the user's leg in walking. The driving source is disposed above the third joint portion of the first link portion so that the center-of-gravity of the entire leg link is located above the third joint portion.

Abstract: A walking assistance device having a leg link connected to a load transfer portion via a first joint and to a foot attachment portion via a second joint, and having an intermediate third joint moving such that a distance between the first joint and the second joint is variable; a drive source for the third joint; and a battery for the drive source. When in an upstanding position, force in the forward-backward direction is prevented from acting on the load transfer portion to enhance stability. Also, a moment of inertia of the leg link is decreased to curtail a load applied to the leg of the user. The drive source and the battery are located at positions higher than the third joint, and when the user is in an upstanding position, a plane passing through the second joint lies between the drive source and the battery.

Abstract: A reduction gear (49) for a walking assistance system is provided that includes first to third planetary gear mechanisms (P1 to P3) between an input shaft (Si) connected to a motor (48) and an output shaft (So), the second planetary gear mechanism (P2) being disposed radially outside the first planetary gear mechanism (P1) connected to the input shaft (Si), and the third planetary gear mechanism (P3) being disposed outside, in the direction of an axis L, the first planetary gear mechanism (P1). It is therefore possible, while reducing the speed of rotation of the input shaft (Si) in three stages by the first to the third planetary gear mechanisms (P1 to P3) and transmitting the rotation to the output shaft (So), to reduce the thickness of the reduction gear (49) compared with a case in which the first to the third planetary gear mechanisms (P1 to P3) are disposed so as to be stacked in the direction of the axis (L), thereby improving the appearance when a user is fitted with the walking assistance system.

Abstract: A reduction gear (49) for a walking assistance system is provided that includes first to third planetary gear mechanisms (P1 to P3) between an input shaft (Si) connected to a motor (48) and an output shaft (So), the second planetary gear mechanism (P2) being disposed radially outside the first planetary gear mechanism (P1) connected to the input shaft (Si), and the third planetary gear mechanism (P3) being disposed outside, in the direction of an axis L, the first planetary gear mechanism (P1). It is therefore possible, while reducing the speed of rotation of the input shaft (Si) in three stages by the first to the third planetary gear mechanisms (P1 to P3) and transmitting the rotation to the output shaft (So), to reduce the thickness of the reduction gear (49) compared with a case in which the first to the third planetary gear mechanisms (P1 to P3) are disposed so as to be stacked in the direction of the axis (L), thereby improving the appearance when a user is fitted with the walking assistance system.

Abstract: This invention relates to an object recognition apparatus. This apparatus comprises an antenna which emits transmission beams toward a plurality of directions; a receiving circuit which receives reflected signals of the transmission beams from predetermined directions; a distance and direction calculation circuit which calculates distance and direction to objects reflecting the transmission beams based on the transmission beams and the reflected signals; an object pattern storage unit which stores range direction patterns of reflected signals obtained in advance with respect to predetermined objects; an object recognition circuit which compares range direction patterns of the reflected signals received by the receiving circuit with respect to the predetermined directions, with the range direction patterns stored in the object pattern storage unit, and which recognize that a pair of reflected signals from two neighboring directions are signals reflected by the same object.

Abstract: There is provided a blower unit for a range hood which is in compliance with the provision of UL Standards in which a connecting work for a power supply cord or the like suspended from a ceiling or the like of a building and an inner cord or the like and a maintenance work for the connected section can be carried out easily from outside.

Abstract: A radar module includes an antenna assembly, a plurality of transmitting and receiving assemblies, a plurality of circulators, a common signal generator circuit, and a signal distributor all mounted on a dielectric substrate. The transmitting and receiving assemblies may be housed in respective monolithic microwave integrated circuit packages each comprising a metal substrate, a high-frequency integrated circuit mounted on one surface of the metal substrate, and a low-frequency integrated circuit mounted on an opposite surface of the metal substrate and electrically connected to the high-frequency integrated circuit.

Abstract: A single dielectric substrate having formed thereon a plurality of planar antenna elements, and a ferrite substrate provided with a circulator are joined together to form a planar antenna module of an integral construction. The planar antenna elements are each composed of a patch formed by a thick or a thin film deposition technique. In one preferred form of joining, the dielectric substrate and the ferrite substrate are joined together at one side. In another preferred form of the joining, the ferrite substrate is fitted or assembled in an opening or window formed in the dielectric substrate.

Abstract: A radar apparatus installed on a vehicle includes a transmission section and a reception section. The transmission section has at least a transmission antenna, and emits a transmission wave toward a detection area in a front of the vehicle. The transmission wave may be reflected by a reflector such as a preceding vehicle to produce reflection wave, and the detection area includes a plurality of sub-areas. The reception section has at least a reception antenna, and receives and detects the reflection wave. A detecting unit detects a reflector indication data indicative of a reflector attribute for every sub-area for a current detection cycle based on the detecting result by the reception section. Also, the detecting unit determines whether the detected reflector indication data are correct, by use of the detected reflector indication data, to determine that the detected reflector indication data are final reflector indication data when it is determined that the detected reflector indication data is correct.

Abstract: An array antenna includes a plurality of patches arrayed on a first surface of a base board and a plurality of feeders connected to the respective patches so as to radiate or receive an electromagnetic wave via the patches. The patches include a plurality of first patches and a plurality of second patches. The feeders connected to the first patches are formed on the first surface of the base board, while the feeders connected to the second patches are formed on a second surface of the base board. Further, first and second transmitting and receiving circuits are provided on the first and second surfaces, respectively, of the base board, so as to provide an antenna device. The first transmitting and receiving circuit feeds or receives electrical signals to or from the first patches, while the second transmitting and receiving circuit feeds or receives electrical signals to or from the second patches.

Abstract: An antenna device comprises an array antenna having a plurality of transmitting planar antenna elements and a plurality of receiving planar antenna elements, a transmission selecting circuit for selecting at least one of the transmitting planar antenna elements, a transmitting circuit for transmitting a signal to the selected at least one transmitting planar antenna element, a reception selecting circuit for selecting at least one of the receiving planar antenna elements, and a receiving circuit for receiving a signal from the selected at least one receiving antenna element. By selecting the planar antenna elements exclusively for transmission or reception, it becomes possible to radiate or absorb (receive) a main beam in or from a direction corresponding to the respective planar antenna element, thereby enabling more minute switching of the main beam directions and improving the directional resolution of the antenna device.

Abstract: A radar apparatus installed on a vehicle includes a transmission section, a reception section and a processing section. The transmission section includes at least a transmission antenna, and emits a transmission wave toward a detection area in front of the vehicle. The transmission wave is reflected by a reflector to produce a reflection wave, and the detection area includes a plurality of sub-areas. The reception section includes at least a reception antenna, and receives and detects the reflection wave. The processing section detects a reflector indication data indicative of a reflector attribute based on the detecting result by the reception section, and then determines whether there is the reflector in the detection area, based on the reflector indication data. Also, the processing section manages the reflector indication data over a management area which is wider than the detection area.

Abstract: A single dielectric substrate having formed thereon a plurality of planar antenna elements, and a ferrite substrate provided with a circulator are joined together to form a planar antenna module of an integral construction. The planar antenna elements are each composed of a patch formed by a thick or a thin film deposition technique. In one preferred form of joining, the dielectric substrate and the ferrite substrate are joined together at one side. In another preferred form of the joining, the ferrite substrate is fitted or assembled in an opening or window formed in the dielectric substrate.

Abstract: An antenna device of the type including an array antenna comprised of a plurality of planar antenna elements, wherein the planar antenna elements are arranged in a staggered pattern such that two adjacent ones of the antenna elements are disposed diagonally with each other. With this staggered arrangement, the spacing between the adjacent antenna element becomes larger than that in a conventional matrix arrangement, whereby the interference between the adjacent planar antenna elements is considerably reduced, while the antenna efficiency of the planar antenna elements is improved.

Abstract: A microwave circuit package includes a metallic base plate on which are mounted a plurality of monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs) and a spacer, made of a dielectric material, separating the MMICs from each other, and the MMICs and spacer are sealed in the package. The provision of the spacer substantially reduces the volume of the interior space of the package. A dielectric substrate having generally the same height as substrates of the MMICs may also be mounted on the metallic base plate, and a strip conductor may be provided on the dielectric substrate so as to form a microstrip line thereon.

Abstract: An antenna device has a plurality of radar modules having respective integrated circuit boards of transmitter and receiver circuits for transmitting and receiving electromagnetic waves and a common case or respective case members accommodating the integrated circuit boards. The common case or case members have respective primary radiators integrally formed therein. The primary radiators are positioned at the focal point of an offset reflector which is fixedly supported by a holder 10 that also supports the radar modules.