Abstract: A press-forming apparatus is an apparatus for producing a press-formed product having a hat-shaped cross section that has an external shape that curves in an L shape along a longitudinal direction in a planar view, and includes a punch, a first blank holder, a second blank holder, a preceding portion, a second die and a pad. When pushing the punch into a die to form a metal plate into the press-formed product, a first guide face of the preceding portion precedes a second guide face of the second die, and thereafter sliding of the first blank holder and the preceding portion relative to the punch is restricted and pushing of the punch into the die is continued in the restricted state to form the press-formed product. By this means, the press-formed product in which cracks and wrinkles are reduced is obtained.

Abstract: [Object] Provided is a structural member for an automotive body, which is excellent in load transfer capability and rigidity by effectively enhancing energy absorption efficiency provided by disposing a groove in the structural member having a substantially gutter-shaped cross section and a groove in the top plate. [Solution] The structural member for an automotive body, the structural member consisting of a press-formed product made of a steel sheet, the press-formed product extending in a predetermined direction, including a top plate, a ridge continuing to the top plate, and a vertical wall continuing to the ridge, and having a substantially gutter-shaped cross section intersecting the predetermined direction, includes at least one groove formed in the top plate, and extending in the predetermined direction, and an outward flange formed at least in a region of the ridge in an end in the predetermined direction.

Abstract: To reduce the generation of cracking in the edge of the ridge flange (7a, 7b) and wrinkling near the base of the ridge flange and can suppress an increase in the pad load, while press forming the structural member (1) that is made of a high-tensile steel sheet or a thick steel sheet and that has a substantially gutter-shaped cross section and an outward continuous flange in an end of the structural member.

Abstract: A crash box has excellent axial crushing performance and in which, even if the sheet thickness of a tubular body constituting the crash box is smaller than 1.4 mm, good welding can be performed with the tubular body butted against a set plate. The crash box (1) having a metallic longer-length tubular body and a method for producing the crash box are provided. The tubular body has a basic cross-sectional shape that is a flat polygon surrounded by a plurality of ridges (2-1 to 2-4) extending in a longitudinal direction and a plurality of side wall portions (4), includes one or more groove portions (3-1 and 3-2) on side wall portions (4) on long sides substantially parallel to the major axis direction of the cross section that extend in longitudinal direction, and includes outward flanges (5-1 to 5-4) in an end portion in the longitudinal direction.

Abstract: [Object] In forming a press-formed product (10) that is made of a high-tensile steel sheet having a tensile strength of 390 MPa or more, and has a substantially gutter-shaped cross section and an outward continuous flange (16), wrinkling in ridges (12a, 12b) and cracking in the outward continuous flange are reduced. [Solution] A method for manufacturing a press-formed product (10) that is made of a high-tensile steel sheet of 390 MPa or more, and has a substantially gutter-shaped cross section and an outward continuous flange (16) in at least one end in a predetermined direction includes a first step in which, after a first pad (34-1) restrains at least a part of a portion to be formed into a gutter bottom (11) in a forming material (33), a second pad (34-2) restrains at least a part of the end of portions to be formed into ridges (12a, 12b) and subsequently carries out press forming.

Abstract: A press forming apparatus includes: a punch (31); a blank holder (32) disposed adjacent to the punch (31); a die (41) being a counterpart of the punch (31); and a pad (42) disposed to face the punch (31), wherein the punch (31) has a tip surface (31a), an outside surface (31b), and a stepped surface (31c) having shapes corresponding to a web portion, vertical wall portions, and a flange portion of a product, respectively. As a result that the punch (31) and the die (41) are relatively moved in a pressing direction in a state where a middle portion in a width direction of a workpiece (50) is sandwiched by the pad (42) and the punch (31) and an outer peripheral portion in the width direction of the workpiece (50) is bound by the blank holder (32) and the die (41), the outer peripheral portion in the width direction of the workpiece (50) gets out from between the blank holder (32) and the die (41), and the flange portion is shaped by the die (41) and the stepped surface (31c) of the punch (31).

Abstract: In a press forming step of obtaining, from a blank (300) of high-tensile strength steel sheet of 390 MPa or more, a press-formed product with a shape of cross section having at least a groove bottom part (101), ridge line parts (102), and vertical wall parts (103), and in which an outward flange (106) including parts (106a) along the ridge line parts (102) is formed at an end part in a longitudinal direction, forming of parts to be formed to the ridge line parts (102) is started by creating a state where a region (300a) positioned at least at an end portion in a longitudinal direction of a part to be formed to the groove bottom part (101) of the blank (300) is separated from a punch top part (201b), and at that time or thereafter, the region (300a) is made to approach the punch top part (201b).

Abstract: In a floor cross member configured by a web surface (4a) as the top surface, a ridge part (4b) contiguous to the web surface (4a), and a vertical wall surface (4c) contiguous to the ridge part (4b), having a tensile strength of 440 MPa or larger, flanges (4e) are formed at both longitudinal ends continuously around at least the web surface (4a), the ridge part (4b) and the vertical wall surface (4c), and the floor cross member (4) is connected through the flanges (4e) to a tunnel part (2a) and to a side sill (3). The flange (4e) has a flange width lfc, at the center in the perimeter direction of the curved part (4e-2), not smaller than the minimum flange width lfs of the curved part (4e-2). Accordingly, a vehicle body, which is suppressed in deformation of the floor cross member (4) and improved in the torsional rigidity, is successfully provided.

Abstract: A press-formed body (15) made of a high-tensile strength steel sheet of 390 MPa or more including a groove bottom part (15a), ridge line parts (15b, 15b) continuous to the groove bottom part (15a), and side wall parts (15c, 15c) continuous to the ridge line parts (15b, 15b), and in which an outward flange (16) is formed at an end part in a longitudinal direction is manufactured by a press-forming apparatus including a punch (11), a die (12), and a pad (14) which presses and binds a press-forming material (13) to the punch (11). At a press-forming time, the pad (14) binds a part to be formed into the groove bottom part (15a) and a part having a length of one-third or more of a cross-sectional peripheral length of the ridge line part (15b) starting from a connecting part with the groove bottom part (15a) from among a part to be formed into the ridge line part (15b) in a vicinity of the outward flange (16) at the press-forming material (13).

Abstract: In a floor cross member configured by a web surface (4a) as the top surface, a ridge part (4b) contiguous to the web surface (4a), and a vertical wall surface (4c) contiguous to the ridge part (4b), having a tensile strength of 440 MPa or larger, flanges (4e) are formed at both longitudinal ends continuously around at least the web surface (4a), the ridge part (4b) and the vertical wall surface (4c), and the floor cross member (4) is connected through the flanges (4e) to a tunnel part (2a) and to a side sill (3). The flange (4e) has a flange width lfc, at the center in the perimeter direction of the curved part (4e-2), not smaller than the minimum flange width lfs of the curved part (4e-2). Accordingly, a vehicle body, which is suppressed in deformation of the floor cross member (4) and improved in the torsional rigidity, is successfully provided.

Abstract: A pattern reading apparatus for reading a pattern from an object. The pattern reading apparatus includes a minute-area light source, an objective lens system, an imaging lens, and an imaging element. The objective lens system causes an illumination light beam from the light source to be incident on the object and converges the light beam reflected from the object. The imaging lens forms an image of the object using only a scattered component of light which has been reflected from the object. The imaging element is disposed at a position where the image of the pattern is imaged for reading the pattern.

Abstract: A pattern reading apparatus for reading a pattern from a reflective object or a transparent object. The pattern reading apparatus includes a minute-area light source, an objective lens system, an imaging lens, and an imaging element. The objective lens system causes the illumination light beam from the light source to be incident on the object and converges the light beam reflected from or transmitted through the object. The imaging lens forms an image of the object using only a scattered component of light which has been reflected from or which has passed through the object. The imaging element is disposed at a position where the image of the pattern is imaged for reading the pattern. In particular, light that forms an image of the light source is prevented from reaching the imaging element. In the case of a reflective object, ghosting light due to a reflection from a surface of the objective lens is prevented from reaching the imaging element.

Abstract: A pattern reading apparatus for reading a pattern from an object. The pattern reading apparatus includes a minute-area light source, an objective lens system, an imaging lens, and an imaging element. The objective lens system causes an illumination light beam from the light source to be incident on the object and converges the light beam reflected from the object. The imaging lens forms an image of the object using only a scattered component of light which has been reflected from the object. The imaging element is disposed at a position where the image of the pattern is imaged for reading the pattern.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical connector and assembly method thereof to provide easier, faster and more stable coupling characteristics without fusion connection nor end-face polishing procedures at job sites. The optical connector includes a ferrule formed of a cylindrical body having a channel along a center axis thereof, the ferrule intermediate section having a cut-away portion, the ferrule with a built-in optical fiber projecting into the cut-away portion; a support member existing within the cut-away portion for maintaining a contact section between the built-in optical fiber and the optical fiber inserted from the backward section; and a locking member for holding together the intermediate section and the support member from the outer periphery of the intermediate section.

Abstract: A sheet guide mechanism is provided with a guide path along which a sheet-like member is guided and which is defined between one and the other guide surfaces. A stationary guide member has a first surface defining the one guide surface, and a movable guide member having a second surface defines the other guide surface, which is shiftable relative to the stationary guide member. Protrusions are formed on one of the first and second surfaces, protruding toward the other of the first and second surfaces by a predetermined distance. A shiftable member is shiftable relative to the stationary guide member between a guide position and a remote position. A spring is provided between the shiftable member and the movable guide member allowing the elastic contact between the protrusions and the other of the first and second surfaces, when the shiftable member is located in the guide position.

Abstract: A color printer includes a single laser scanning unit which is controlled to emit a scanning laser in accordance with color image data on each of a plurality of separated colors to be printed. A plurality of photosensitive drums, whose number corresponds to the number of colors to be printed, a laser scanning unit driver which moves the laser scanning unit to transfer positions corresponding to the photosensitive drums, and a plurality of developing units corresponding to the photosensitive drums are provided, to develop latent images drawn on the photosensitive drums by the laser emitted from the laser scanning unit, using a toner of each color. An endless transfer belt has a transfer surface which is successively moved to the transfer positions, and a transfer device which successively transfers the toner images developed by the developing units on the photosensitive drums, onto the same transfer surface of the transfer belt are also provided.

Abstract: An electrophotographic apparatus is provided with an original separation mechanism which is disposed on a lower side of the inlet port of a feeding path. The original separation mechanism is pressed to an original pick-up roller, and is provided for separating one original, which contacts the original pick-up roller, from at least one following original. The original separation mechanism includes a unit body, and a friction member attached to the upper surface of a unit body, extending toward a downstream side of the feeding direction of the original so as to intersect the feed path at a predetermined angle, and having an upper surface with a prescribed friction coefficient. The original separation mechanism further includes a pair of supporting members attached to both sides of the unit body with respect to the friction member, and each formed of a spring material having an upper surface which extends so as to intersect the upper surface of the lower original guide member at a predetermined angle.

Abstract: An electrophotographic apparatus is provided with a photoconductive drum including an outer peripheral surface on which a latent image corresponding to an image to be transferred is formed, and a developing device for developing the latent image by a toner. The electrophotographic apparatus further includes a housing for rotatably supporting the photoconductive drum therein and having an opening on one side, a cover member for releasably closing the opening of the housing, and a transfer charger which is attached to one surface of the cover member opposing to the photoconductive drum, and which is provided for transferring the developed image onto a sheet-like member. A pre-roller is attached to an upstream end of a housing which houses the transfer charger. The pre-roller and the photoconductive drum are positioned relative to each other so that a gap of predetermined dimension is defined therebetween.

Abstract: An electrophotographic apparatus is provided with a control device for controlling the heating temperature of the fixing unit in accordance with the detected result by use of a condition detection mechanism. The control device controls the fixing unit: (a) to set the heating temperature thereof to a fixing possible temperature when the condition detection device detects that the imaging operation of the imaging device is initiated or has been continuing, (b) to set the heating temperature to a stand-by temperature lower than the fixing possible temperature when the condition detection device detects that a stand-by condition, in which the imaging operation is interrupted, continues for a first predetermined time, and (c) to set the heating temperature to a save-energy temperature, lower that the stand-by temperature, when the condition detection device detects that the stand-by condition has been continuing for a second predetermined time.