Abstract: A robot includes a tool shaft, a first supporting mechanism attached to one portion of the tool shaft and tiltably supporting the tool shaft, a second supporting mechanism attached to a different portion of the tool shaft and tiltably supporting the tool shaft, a first in-plane movement mechanism that moves the first supporting mechanism in a first plane, a second in-plane movement mechanism that moves the second supporting mechanism in a second plane, and a controller that controls an in-plane position and an inclination angle of the tool shaft to control the first in-plane movement mechanism and the second in-plane movement mechanism. The first supporting mechanism or the second supporting mechanism supports the tool shaft movably in an axial direction.

Abstract: A robot includes a tool shaft, a first supporting mechanism attached to one portion of the tool shaft and tiltably supporting the tool shaft, a second supporting mechanism attached to a different portion of the tool shaft and tiltably supporting the tool shaft, a first in-plane movement mechanism that moves the first supporting mechanism in a first plane, a second in-plane movement mechanism that moves the second supporting mechanism in a second plane, and a controller that controls an in-plane position and an inclination angle of the tool shaft to control the first in-plane movement mechanism and the second in-plane movement mechanism. The first supporting mechanism or the second supporting mechanism supports the tool shaft movably in an axial direction.

Abstract: An optical encoder including a graduation plate inscribed with a graduation line along a predetermined direction and an optical reader for optically reading the graduation line on the graduation plate in which a corresponding electric signal is outputted from the optical reader in accordance with movement of the graduation plate and the optical reader relative to each other, the optical reader includes a light projecting optical system for irradiating light from a light projecting source to the graduation plate and a light receiving optical system for focusing light from the graduation plate to a light receiving portion and the light receiving optical system is constituted by a telecentric optical system to thereby enable to be fabricated at low cost by dispensing with high integrating accuracy.

Abstract: A grommet 1 includes a corniced part 2 in a shape of a bellows, and two engaging parts 3, 4 integrally formed on opposite ends of the corniced part and adapted to be engaged with respective bodies to be fitted such as a chassis panel 5 and a door panel 6. The grommet 1 is formed in a hollow tubular shape in such a manner that the corniced part 2 is smaller in diameter than the engaging parts 3, 4. The grommet 1 can be obtained by molding thermoplastic elastomer by injection molding so that the diameter of the engaging parts is less than five times as large as the diameter of the corniced part, opening molds 17, 18 for forming an outer face thereof, and thereafter, enlarging the corniced part thereby removing the grommet from a core 19 for forming an inner face thereof.

Abstract: An optical encoder including a graduation plate inscribed with a graduation line along a predetermined direction and an optical reader for optically reading the graduation line on the graduation plate in which a corresponding electric signal is outputted from the optical reader in accordance with movement of the graduation plate and the optical reader relative to each other, the optical reader includes a light projecting optical system for irradiating light from a light projecting light source to the graduation plate and a light receiving optical system for focusing light from the graduation plate to a light receiving portion and the light receiving optical system is constituted by a telecentric optical system to thereby enable to be fabricated at low cost by dispensing with high integrating accuracy.

Abstract: A concentration controlling apparatus is provided for controlling the toner concentration of a developer contained in a developer unit. The developer contains a plurality of components including toner to be transferred to a photosensitive body for forming an electrostatic latent image. The concentration controlling apparatus includes a toner concentration detector for detecting the toner concentration of the developer, a supply determiner for determining a need for toner supply in response to detection output from the toner concentration detector, and a toner supplier for supplying a dose of the toner to the developer unit in accordance with the determination by the supply determiner. The supply determiner determines the need for toner supply at a higher toner concentration in a print-off state than in a print-on state.

Abstract: A holding recess (14) for holding the self-supporting-type cable (1) is formed between elastic holding portions (12, 13). Retaining projections (12a, 13a) are formed respectively on those side surfaces of the elastic holding portions (12, 13), exposed to the holding recess (14), in stepped relation to each other. Even when the self-supporting-type cable (1) is held in any posture, with its cable body portion (2) or its wire support portion (3) first introduced into the holding recess (14), the cable body portion (2) is engaged with the two retaining projections (12a, 13a) in a press-contacted manner to be prevented from withdrawal, or the cable body portion is engaged with the retaining projection (13a) and the bottom of the holding recess (14) in a press-contacted manner, and therefore is held in a stable manner.

Abstract: A clamp has a plate-like base 1, a connection leg 2 disposed on a back surface of the base 1 for connecting the base 1 to the panel P, an auxiliary leg 3 provided for substantially constantly maintaining a gap between the base 1 and the panel P generated by the connection leg 2, and a sandwiching portion 4 standing on a front surface of the base 1 and having one and other columns 41 and 42 from which locking projections 4a serving as pull-out preventing members for the long body (cable) c are projecting such as to be opposed to each other, wherein the back surface of the base 1 is provided at a position thereof corresponding to the sandwiching portion 4 with a rib 5 having a height abutting against the panel P.

Abstract: A hinge structure accommodates a wire harness formed by bundling a plurality of electric wires to be used in, for example, wiring in a car, including a first member having a first non-planar rigid surface, a second member, and a first hinge member contiguously connecting the first non-planar rigid surface and the second member.

Abstract: A cable protector that includes a main portion for holding a first cable having a relatively large diameter size and an auxiliary portion formed adjacently to the main portion for holding a plurality of second cables each having a relatively small diameter size side by side in the vertical direction. The auxiliary portion is composed of a plurality of hold stays each having an L-shaped section and formed at proper intervals on the outer surface of the side wall forming the main portion in such a manner that the hold stays extend along the longitudinal direction of the protector main body. In the auxiliary portion, on the outer surface of the side wall, a plurality of removal preventive projections are arranged at a cross-stitch stage pitch between the plurality of hold stays. One second cable can be held in a three-point-support manner or a in a bolt manner, which can prevent the only one second cable from trashing in the protector main body due to vibrations.

Abstract: The fit portions 10 of the right and left grommets 6 are structured such that each of the fit portions 10 extends across a portion of the wire harness covering cylindrical body 7 of the grommet 6 in the peripheral direction of the wire harness covering cylindrical body 7, the two side portions of such extending-across fit portion with the wire harness covering cylindrical body 7 as the boundary thereof are formed asymmetric in shape, and, when the right and left grommets 6 are positioned in the same direction, the fit portion 10 of the right grommet 6b is set so as to be rotated 180° with respect to the fit portion 10 of the left grommet 6a; in each of the right and left grommets 6, there is formed a display portion 12 which can be used to indicate the position and direction of the grommet 6 when assembling the same or can distinguish the assembling sides of the right and left grommets 6 from each other when assembling the same.

Abstract: A grommet 1 includes a corniced part 2 in a shape of a bellows, and two engaging parts 3, 4 integrally formed on opposite ends of the corniced part and adapted to be engaged with respective bodies to be fitted such as a chassis panel 5 and a door panel 6. The grommet 1 is formed in a hollow tubular shape in such a manner that the corniced part 2 is smaller in diameter than the engaging parts 3, 4. The grommet 1 can be obtained by molding thermoplastic elastomer by injection molding so that the diameter of the engaging parts is less than five times as large as the diameter of the corniced part, opening molds 17, 18 for forming an outer face thereof, and thereafter, enlarging the corniced part thereby removing the grommet from a core 19 for forming an inner face thereof.

Abstract: A clamp has a plate-like base 1, a connection leg 2 disposed on a back surface of the base 1 for connecting the base 1 to the panel P, an auxiliary leg 3 provided for substantially constantly maintaining a gap between the base 1 and the panel P generated by the connection leg 2, and a sandwiching portion 4 standing on a front surface of the base 1 and having one and other columns 41 and 42 from which locking projections 4a serving as pull-out preventing members for the long body (cable) c are projecting such as to be opposed to each other, wherein the back surface of the base 1 is provided at a position thereof corresponding to the sandwiching portion 4 with a rib 5 having a height abutting against the panel P.

Abstract: A protector for fixing a wire harness comprises a protector body having a chamber for accommodating the wire harness, a flexible band member one end of which is supported by one side wall of the protector body as a base end and the other end of which is a free end drawable inside the chamber, the flexible band including a first engaging member on the free end thereof, and a locking member provided on an inner face of the chamber, the locking member arranged so as to be able to lock the first engaging member of the band member which is wound on an outer periphery of the wire harness accommodated within the chamber.

Abstract: A hinge structure includes a first member (10), a second member (14), a first hinge member (15) which joins the first member and second member, and at least one curved surface member (26, 28) provided at least one of the first member and second member.

Abstract: A printer is provided which includes an image forming section for forming an toner image on a surface of a photosensitive drum, a paper feeding unit for feeding continuous paper along a feeding path to the surface of the photosensitive drum, and a cutting unit for cutting the continuous paper to provide cut sheets. The cutting unit is arranged to cut the continuous paper after the leading portion of the continuous paper reaches the surface of the photosensitive drum.

Abstract: A developing apparatus is provided for incorporation into an image forming machine. The developing apparatus includes a developer accommodating space for containing a developer composition, a series of developing rollers disposed in the developer accommodating space adjacent to each other and in facing relationship to an electrostatic latent image carrier for supplying the developer composition to the image carrier while transferring the developer composition from one developing roller to another, and a developer feed regulator for regulating the transfer of the developer composition between adjacent two of the developing rollers.

Abstract: There is provided a harness-fixing construction of a grommet in which an upwardly-extending wire assembly portion can be positively fixed to a tubular portion of the grommet, and the efficiency of a wire harness-installing operation is enhanced. The grommet includes a proximal portion for fitting watertight in a panel hole, the tubular portion of a generally L-shape extending downwardly from the proximal portion, and a protuberance portion which is formed integrally with the proximal portion and the tubular portion, and has a concave surface. The grommet has a passage hole for passing a fastening band (fixing member) therethrough. A holding mechanism for stably holding the upwardly-extending wire assembly portion in a desired position is formed by the passage hole for passing the fastening band therethrough, and the protuberance portion having the concavely-curved surface for holding the upwardly-extending wire assembly portion in a generally embracing manner.

Abstract: A wire harness protector includes a protector body having a wire harness accommodating groove which is extended along a wire harness laying line to fixedly accommodate a wire harness; and a protector cover which is engaged with the protector body in such a manner as to cover the opening of the wire harness accommodating groove. In the protector, a wire-like part accommodating groove is formed outside a side wall of the protector body which defines the wire harness accommodating groove, in such a manner that the wire-like part accommodating groove is opened towards the mounting surface of the wire harness protector to accommodate a wire-like part which is laid along the wire harness laying line.