Abstract: A halogen incandescent lamp comprises a light-transmitting envelope filled with a gas including a halogen gas and an inert gas. A pair of inner conductive wires is arranged in the envelope. A triple-coiled filament, which has a first coiling, a second coiling, and a third coiling having about 1.5 to about 4 turns, is re-crystallized, is arranged in the envelope, and is connected between ends of the inner conductive wires. The triple-coiled filament is held by a support member. The halogen incandescent lamp may be utilized to a lighting apparatus.

Abstract: A tire pressure monitoring system having a monitoring unit that receives the output of a transmitted pressure sensor through a receiving antenna, and compares the output with a predetermined value to determine whether the tire pressure is proper, and informs a result of the determination to an operator by an indicator or alarm section connected to an onboard battery through an ignition switch. In the system, an operating switch is installed in a vehicle compartment to be operable by the operator for supplying the operating power to the indicator by connecting it to the battery, while bypassing the ignition switch. Alternatively, a portable terminal device to be carried by the operator is connected to the monitoring unit in such a manner that the monitoring unit transmits the result of the determination to the portable terminal device to inform the result of the determination to the operator by a second indicator provided at the portable terminal device.

Abstract: If a service brake fails while a vehicle is running, when the driver depresses an operation switch to issue an operation command to a parking brake to brake the vehicle, the parking brake is controlled such that the vehicle is decelerated at a target deceleration of a predetermined magnitude set on the basis of the number of times of depressing the operation switch. Consequently, even if the temperature and degree of wear of a friction material of the parking brake vary, the vehicle can be decelerated at the target deceleration at all times, whereby a stable braking effect which is not affected by the conditions of the friction material of the parking brake can be obtained. Moreover, since the magnitude of the target deceleration is set according to the number of times of depressing the operation switch, a deceleration required by the driver can be generated in an ensured fashion.

Abstract: A tire pressure monitoring system for monitoring pressure of tires mounted on a vehicle by comparing a detected tire pressure, detected by a pressure sensor installed at each of the tires, with a predetermined value to determine whether the detected tire pressure is proper. The system includes a first temperature sensor that detects internal temperature of the tire, a second temperature sensor that detects ambient temperature at a place where the vehicle locates, and the predetermined value is corrected based on a difference between the detected tire internal temperature and ambient temperature, when the tire pressure is to be adjusted. With this, even if the tire pressure is adjusted when the tire internal temperature is higher than the ambient temperature, the tire pressure can be prevented from falling below the proper pressure when the internal temperature falls to the ambient temperature.

Abstract: When a shift position is shifted from an R range to a D range and when the shift position is shifted from the D range to the R range, an electrically-operated parking brake device is automatically cancelled. In this manner, the electrically-operated parking brake device is cancelled without waiting for the depression of an accelerator pedal with a driver's intention to start a vehicle taken into consideration. Therefore, it is possible not only to alleviate a burden on the driver in canceling the electrically-operated parking brake device, but also to prevent an abrupt starting of the vehicle due to the cancellation of the electrically-operated parking brake device while the accelerator pedal is being depressed to transmit a large driving force to driven wheels.

Abstract: A vehicle brake control system includes an improved ACC system for controlling the operation of a brake actuator and a throttle actuator, based on a signal from a preceding vehicle detector such as a radar device, so that a subject vehicle tracks a preceding vehicle. After a regular brake device is actuated to stop the subject vehicle, an EPB ECU disengages the regular braking device and, instead, actuates an electrically initiated and mechanically maintained parking brake device, so as to temporarily maintain the subject vehicle in a stationary state. Once the electric parking brake device is initiated, its braking state is mechanically maintained even if the flow of current is cut off. Therefore, neither the regular brake device nor the electric parking device consume power while the vehicle is in a stationary state, thereby saving power and minimizing electrical heat generation.

Abstract: A halogen incandescent lamp comprises a light-transmitting envelope filled with a gas including a halogen gas and an inert gas. A pair of inner conductive wires is arranged in the envelope. A triple-coiled filament, which has a first coiling, a second coiling, and a third coiling having about 1.5 to about 4 turns, is re-crystallized, is arranged in the envelope, and is connected between ends of the inner conductive wires. The triple-coiled filament is held by a support member. The halogen incandescent lamp may be utilized to a lighting apparatus.

Abstract: An incandescent lamp has an envelope having a bulbous portion including a wall defining a space, a thin tube extending outwardly along a central axis of the bulbous portion so as to communicate with the space, and a sealed portion located on an opposite end of the bulbous portion from the thin tube. The wall has a slope inclined toward the thin tube. A filament is provided along the central axis of the bulbous portion. An optical interference layer is arranged on a surface of the wall for reflecting infrared rays toward the filament. A first lead wire has a first end portion fixed in the sealed portion of the envelope, a second end portion coupled to one end of the filament and an intermediate U-shaped portion inserted into the thin tube for regulating a position of the filament. A second lead wire has a first end portion fixed in the sealed portion of the envelope and a second end portion coupled to another end of the filament.

Abstract: A pitted light diffusive coating having an excellent light diffusion effect and a method of forming the coating and a halogen lamp with the coating are disclosed. The light diffusive coating includes pits on the surface of a continuous coating consisting of a metal oxide formed on a base, and the coating is substantially free of bubbles. The pitted light diffusive coating is formed by coating a base with an organometallic compound and a high boiling-point organic solvent and baking the coating at about 400.degree. C. to 500.degree. C. The halogen lamp has a pitted light diffusive coating formed on an infrared reflective coating on the surface of the outer vessel. Strain, caused by the difference in the thermal expansion coefficient of the structural material of the outer vessel and the structural material of the light diffusive layer occurring when the outer vessel is at a high temperature, is absorbed by the pitted structure, and peeling is prevented.