Abstract: A disk brake system includes a disk, brake pads, and a linear motion actuator including an electric motor, a rotary shaft coupled to the motor through a reduction gear mechanism, planetary rollers formed with helical grooves in their outer surfaces, and an outer ring member having a helical rib engaged in the helical grooves. The outer ring is coupled to one of the brake pads. When the rotary shaft is rotated by the motor, the outer ring member is moved axially through the planetary rollers, and the brake pads are pressed against the disk. The linear motion actuator further includes a locking mechanism including engaging holes formed in an intermediate gear of the reduction gear mechanism at equal intervals, a locking pin, and a linear solenoid for moving the locking pin until the pin engages in one of the engaging holes, thus locking the motor.

Abstract: An electric brake system is proposed which includes an electric linear motion actuator and can generate the required braking force with high accuracy. A load sensor (30) is provided in a motion converting mechanism of the actuator which converts the rotary motion of a rotary shaft (4) to which the rotation of an electric motor (2) is transmitted to linear motion of an outer ring member (5) as an output member. The load sensor (30) detects the pushing force with which the outer ring member (5) linearly drives a driven member. With this arrangement, if the driven member is a braking member of an electric brake system, it is possible to directly detect the braking force applied by the driven member and thus to accurately generate the required braking force.

Abstract: The present invention is configured to: form, on a substrate, a neutral layer having an intermediate affinity to a hydrophilic polymer and a hydrophobic polymer; form a resist pattern by performing exposure processing on a resist film formed on the neutral layer and then developing the resist film after the exposure processing; perform a surface treatment on the resist pattern by supplying an organic solvent having a polarity to the resist pattern; apply the block copolymer onto the neutral layer; and phase-separate the block copolymer on the neutral layer into the hydrophilic polymer and the hydrophobic polymer.

Abstract: An electric parking brake system includes an electric motor; a linear motion mechanism that converts the rotational movement of a rotor shaft of the electric motor to a linear movement of a slide member to operate a brake; a locking mechanism that fixes a position of the slide member; a control device that controls the electric motor and the locking mechanism; a brake load estimation unit that estimates a brake force; and an electric parking brake operation instruction device that is arbitrary operable. The control device automatically executes a parking brake operation when a stop state of the vehicle is detected even if the electric parking brake operation instruction device is not operated. The automatically applied parking brake force is set to a value smaller than the normal parking brake force applied by the parking brake operation instruction device.

Abstract: The present invention is a method of treating a substrate using a block copolymer containing a first polymer and a second polymer, the method including: a block copolymer coating step of applying the block copolymer onto a substrate or a base film applied on the substrate; and a polymer separation step of phase-separating the block copolymer into the first polymer and the second polymer by thermally treating the block copolymer on the substrate in a non-oxidizing gas atmosphere.

Abstract: The electric brake actuator with a parking function is provided with: detection unit which is provided in a vehicle in which the electric brake actuator is provided and is capable of detecting movement of the vehicle from a stop state; and determination unit configured to determine whether or not a locking mechanism has shifted to a parking locking state, by using a detection signal outputted from the detection unit, when the locking mechanism is driven by an actuator so as to switch from an unlocking state to the parking locking state.

Abstract: A method is provided for forming a patterned topography on a substrate. The substrate is provided with features formed atop that constitute an existing topography, and a template for directed self-assembly (DSA) is formed surrounding the exposed topography. Further to the method, the exposed template surfaces are chemically treated. In one embodiment, the surfaces are treated with a hydrogen-containing reducing chemistry to alter the surfaces to a less oxidized state. In another embodiment, the surfaces are coated with a first phase of a block copolymer (BCP) to render the surfaces more attractive to the first phase than prior to the coating. The template is then filled with the BCP to cover the exposed topography, and then the BCP is annealed within the template to drive self-assembly in alignment with the topography. Developing the annealed BCP exposes a DSA pattern immediately overlying the topography.

Abstract: A photoresist pattern used for forming a pattern of a block copolymer is formed on a substrate, and then an acid solution is supplied and an alkaline solution is further supplied to the photoresist pattern so as to slim and smooth the photoresist pattern. A block copolymer solution is applied to the substrate on which the smoothed photoresist pattern has been formed, to form a film of the block copolymer, and the film is heated.

Abstract: The present invention is a pattern forming method of forming a pattern on a substrate using a block copolymer, the pattern forming method including the steps of: forming a film of a block copolymer containing at least two kinds of polymers on the substrate; heating the film of the block copolymer; irradiating the heated film of the block copolymer with ultraviolet light in an atmosphere of an inert gas; and supplying an organic solvent to the film of the block copolymer irradiated with the ultraviolet light.

Abstract: A parking brake is provided having the function of monitoring malfunction of the brake, thereby preventing accidents. The parking brake includes an electric motor (10) and a linear motion mechanism (11) which are connected together through a speed reduction mechanism (12). The parking brake further includes a locking pin (50) which can be brought into engagement with the speed reduction mechanism (12) by a solenoid (13). The parking brake further includes a monitoring means for detecting the change in reactance (L) of the solenoid (13). Since the change in reactance (L) as detected corresponds to the displacement of the plunger (53), it is possible to prevent accidents by monitoring deteriorated sliding properties of the locking pin (50) base on the displacement detected.

Abstract: An electric linear motion actuator capable of accurately controlling the axial position of an outer ring member is provided. A plurality of planetary rollers are kept in rolling contact with the cylindrical surface formed on the outer periphery of a rotary shaft. Helical ribs formed on the inner periphery of the outer ring member are engaged in circumferential grooves formed on the outer periphery of each of the planetary rollers. A carrier retains the plurality of planetary rollers. A revolution sensor detects the rotation angle of the carrier.

Abstract: A magnetic load sensor unit for use in a linear motion actuator is provided which is less likely to suffer from hysteresis errors during use while being mounted in the linear motion actuator, and which can reduce the axial length of the linear motion actuator. The magnetic load sensor unit is configured to detect the magnitude of an axial load applied to an object from the linear motion actuator. The sensor unit includes a flange member configured to be deflected when a reaction force to the axial load is received through a thrust bearing, a magnetic target which generates magnetic fields; and a magnetic sensor arranged such that its position relative to the magnetic target changes when the flange member is deflected. The flange member has an axial end surface in which a groove is formed with which rolling elements of the thrust bearing are in rolling contact.

Abstract: An electric linear motion actuator is provided which can set the clearance during normal braking operation of an electric brake system. The linear motion actuator includes a load sensor for detecting the magnitude of the load with which a friction pad is pressed against the brake disk, a temperature sensor for compensating for the influence of temperature on the load sensor, and an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is adapted to calculate a target rotational angle from the position of the electric motor corresponding to the magnitude of the load detected by the load sensor to the position of the electric motor where the clearance is at a predetermined value, and control the electric motor to rotate the electric motor by the target rotational angle.

Abstract: To provide an electric brake device in an automotive vehicle, which a freezing that takes place while the automotive vehicle is parked can be assuredly avoided with a simplified mechanism. The electric brake device includes an electric motor (2), a braking force application mechanism (4), a lock mechanism (5), a temperature sensor (6) for measuring an ambient temperature of the automotive vehicle, and a freezing preventive power supply unit (7). The freezing preventive power supply unit (7) initiates the supply of an electric power to the electric motor (2) or a drive source (30) of the lock mechanism (5) in the event that while the braking force application mechanism (4) applies a braking force and the lock mechanism (5) is held in a locked condition the temperature sensor (6) detects a preset temperature of the electric brake device immediately before freezing.

Abstract: A linear motion actuator includes an outer ring member mounted in a housing, a rotary shaft rotated by a motor, planetary rollers mounted between the outer ring member and the shaft and supported by a carrier rotatable about the shaft. A helical rib is formed on the inner surface of the outer ring member which is engaged in helical grooves formed in outer surfaces of the planetary rollers. When the shaft rotates, the planetary rollers rotate and revolve, thereby axially moving the outer ring member. Uneven axial loads applied to the planetary rollers from the outer ring member are supported by thrust bearings disposed between the planetary rollers and an inner disk of the carrier. Aligning seats are provided between each opposed pair of the planetary rollers and the thrust bearings such that the contact surfaces of the aligning seats shift relative to each other under the uneven axial loads.

Abstract: A disk brake system includes a disk, brake pads, and a linear motion actuator including an electric motor, a rotary shaft coupled to the motor through a reduction gear mechanism, planetary rollers formed with helical grooves in their outer surfaces, and an outer ring member having a helical rib engages in the helical grooves. The outer ring is coupled to one of the brake pads. When the rotary shaft is rotated by the motor, the outer ring member is moved axially through the planetary rollers, and the brake pads are pressed against the disk. The linear motion actuator further includes a locking mechanism including engaging holes formed in an intermediate gear of the reduction gear mechanism at equal intervals, a locking pin, and a linear solenoid for moving the locking pin until the pin engages in one of the engaging holes, thus locking the motor.

Abstract: An electric linear motion actuator is proposed which includes planetary rollers mounted between the radially inner surface of an outer ring member and the radially outer surface of a rotary shaft, and a carrier rotatable about the rotary shaft and including radially movable roller shafts rotatably supporting the respective planetary rollers. Elastic rings each having circumferentially separate ends are each wrapped around the roller shafts to radially inwardly bias the roller shafts, thereby bringing the respective planetary rollers into elastic contact with the radially outer surface of the rotary shaft. Each elastic ring is prevented from rotating relative to the roller shafts, thereby preventing one of the roller shafts from being axially aligned with the gap between the circumferential separate ends, causing the elastic ring to be radially compressed and thus making it impossible for the elastic rings to radially bias the roller shafts.

Abstract: An electric brake system is proposed which includes an electric linear motion actuator and can generate the required braking force with high accuracy. A load sensor (30) is provided in a motion converting mechanism of the actuator which converts the rotary motion of a rotary shaft (4) to which the rotation of an electric motor (2) is transmitted to linear motion of an outer ring member (5) as an output member. The load sensor (30) detects the pushing force with which the outer ring member (5) linearly drives a driven member. With this arrangement, if the driven member is a braking member of an electric brake system, it is possible to directly detect the braking force applied by the driven member and thus to accurately generate the required braking force.

Abstract: Disclosed is a thermal processing apparatus and method that can acquire a high throughput and reduce the occupation area of the thermal processing apparatus. A wafer is heated by an LED module that irradiates infrared light corresponding to the absorption wavelength of the wafer, and therefore, the wafer can be rapidly heated. Since an LED is used as a heat source and a temperature rise of LED is small, a cooling process after the heating process can be performed in the same process area as the heating process area. As a result, an installation area of the thermal processing apparatus can be reduced. Since the time for moving between a heating process area and a cooling process area can be saved, a time required for a series of processes including the heating process and the subsequent cooling process can be shortened, thereby improving a throughput.

Abstract: A pattern forming method includes: forming a layer of a block copolymer, including at least two kinds of polymers, on a substrate; heating the block copolymer layer; irradiating UV light on the heated block copolymer layer; and supplying a developing solution to the UV light-irradiated block copolymer layer.