Abstract: The present powered sliding device comprises a wire drum, a motor for rotating the drum, and a clutch means provided between the drum and the motor. The clutch means has a coupled state for rotating the drum, an uncoupled state, and a brake state. The clutch means is displaced from the coupled state to the brake state when the wire drum is rotated at an over speed. The clutch means in the brake state transmits the over speed rotation of the wire drum to the motor.

Abstract: The present vehicle door latch device comprises a latch unit for keeping a door in a closed state, and a powered closing unit for supplying the power for fully closing the door, to the latch unit. A motor of the closing unit is connected to a wire lever of the latch unit through a power wire, and an opening lever of the latch unit is connected to a canceling lever of the closing unit through a safety wire. The latch unit has a one-motion door opening mechanism. An inner lever connected to an inside opening handle is engageable with the opening lever. A switch which detects the rotational position of a latch of the latch unit is arranged in such a position as not to be overlapped onto the wire lever.

Abstract: A mechanism for stopping an object to be swung in a predetermined stop position and holding the object in that position includes a temporary stopping unit for stopping the swing of the object in a temporary stop position before the stop position, a rotation complementing unit for complementarily further rotating the object from the temporary stop position to the stop position, and a holding unit for holding the object in the stop position.

Abstract: A prober for a semiconductor wafer includes a main body having an interface section connected to probe needles, a test head detachably attached to the interface section, and a manipulator for moving the test head. The manipulator includes X-, Y-, Z-, .theta.X-, .theta.Y-, and .theta.Z-positioning mechanisms for positioning the test head in six directions. The Z-positioning mechanism consists of an elevator which is installed on a base and drives a slide frame. A fall preventing mechanism is provided adjacent to the elevator. The fall preventing mechanism includes a nut of a ball thread provided on the slide frame, and a shaft of the ball thread which is engaged with the nut. A brake shoe is provided at the lower end of the shaft. A brake seat is provided on the base and faces the lower surface of the brake shoe. A ball pushed by a spring is in point-contact with the center of the lower surface of the brake shoe, so that a small gap is formed between the brake shoe and the brake seat.