Abstract: In a steering apparatus for a vehicle which has a steering mechanism for steering steerable road wheels by means of a steering wheel operated by a driver and an electrically controllable auxiliary steering angle superposition mechanism, and in which a target auxiliary steering angle is set in accordance with a steering wheel angle, and an electric motor of the auxiliary steering angle superposition mechanism is driven and controlled according to the target auxiliary steering angle, the rotation of the electric motor 212 is inhibited without regard to the state of the driving control. A short-circuit relay 13 is provided for short-circuiting opposite terminals of the electric motor 212, and the short-circuit relay 13 is operated so as to short-circuit the opposite terminals of the electric motor 212 through a short-circuit relay driving unit 14 in accordance with the kind of a failure detected by a failure detection unit 18, whereby the rotation of the electric motor 212 is inhibited.

Abstract: The present invention provides a DC-DC converter including a first series circuit connected to both ends of a first switch and formed of a winding of a first transformer, a first reactor, a first diode, and a smoothing capacitor, a second diode connected to a connection point of a primary winding of the first transformer, the winding of the first transformer and the first switch, and to one end of the smoothing capacitor, a second series circuit connected to both ends of a second switch and formed of a winding of a second transformer, a second reactor, a third diode, and the smoothing capacitor, a fourth diode connected to a connection point of a primary winding of the second transformer, the winding of the second transformer and the second switch, and to the one end of the smoothing capacitor, a third reactor connected to both ends of a series circuit of a secondary winding of the first transformer and a secondary winding of the second transformer, and a control circuit which alternately turns on the first s

Abstract: A bi-directional DC-DC converter includes a first series circuit connected to ends of a first DC power source and including a first winding of a first reactor and a first switch; a second series circuit connected to ends of the first switch and including a second winding of the first reactor, a second reactor, a second switch, a third switch, and a second DC power source; a third series circuit connected to the ends of the first switch and including a fourth switch and the second DC power source; and a control circuit configured to turn on/off the switches and thereby carry out step-up and step-down operations between the first and second DC power sources.

Abstract: A current-mode controlled DC-DC converter includes a comparator comparing a first or second current detection signal with a first or second reference current that is based on an error voltage of a voltage detection signal, a pulse generator generating a first pulse signal whose ON time is longer than an interval between when the second current detection signal reaches a minimum value and when the second current detection signal reaches the second reference current, a pulse generator generating a second pulse signal whose ON time is longer than an interval between when the first current detection signal reaches a minimum value and when the first current detection signal reaches the first reference current, the second pulse signal being behind the first pulse signal by a half period, and a PWM circuit generating a first or second PWM signal according to the pulse signal and an output signal from the comparator, thereby turning on/off a switch.

Abstract: A bi-directional DC-DC converter includes a first series circuit connected to ends of a first DC power source and including a first winding of a first reactor and a first switch; a second series circuit connected to ends of the first switch and including a second winding of the first reactor, a second reactor, a second switch, a third switch, and a second DC power source; a third series circuit connected to the ends of the first switch and including a fourth switch and the second DC power source; and a control circuit configured to turn on/off the switches and thereby carry out step-up and step-down operations between the first and second DC power sources.

Abstract: An electric power steering apparatus includes; a DC brush motor, and a boss arranged between an output shaft of the motor and an input shaft driven by the motor, for transmitting a rotational force of the motor from the output shaft to the input shaft by the boss per se. A weight of the boss is equal to or larger than 10% of a weight of a rotor of the motor. An electric power steering apparatus includes; a DC brush motor and a boss arranged between the output shaft of the motor and the input shaft driven by the motor, for transmitting the rotational force of the motor from the output shaft to the input shaft by the boss per se. A moment of inertia of the boss is equal to or larger than 10% of a moment of inertia of the rotor of the motor.

Abstract: A vehicular steering system can suppress steering of steerable road wheels in a direction not intended by a driver. A steering mechanism steers the steerable road wheels in accordance with a steering wheel and an auxiliary steering angle superposition mechanism. A calculation section calculates a target auxiliary steering angle corresponding to a steering wheel angle of the steering wheel. A detection section accurately detects the auxiliary steering angle based on detection signals of a rotation angle sensor that detects a rotation angle of a rotational member. A driving section controls the auxiliary steering angle superposition mechanism so as to make the auxiliary steering angle coincide with the target auxiliary steering angle. An auxiliary steering angle detection abnormality monitoring section detects abnormality of the auxiliary steering angle detection section.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for simultaneously carrying out the detection or measurement of a substance interacting with a physiologically active substance immobilized on a biosensor and the analysis of the effects of the above substance on the biological activity of the physiologically active substance. The present invention provides a method using a biosensor formed by immobilizing a physiologically active substance on a substrate, wherein the detection and measurement of a substance interacting with said physiologically active substance and the measurement of the biological activity of said physiologically active substance are carried out on said single biosensor.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provides a method for detecting a hydrophobic region of a target substance that is capable of forming a hydrophobic region, such as a protein, which can detect a fluorescent analyte with high sensitivity with the use of a simple detection apparatus. The present invention provides a method for detecting a hydrophobic region of a target substance which comprises steps of allowing a target substance capable of forming a hydrophobic region to come into contact with a chemiluminescent substance, and assaying chemiluminescence.

Abstract: A vehicular steering system can suppress steering of steerable road wheels in a direction not intended by a driver. A steering mechanism steers the steerable road wheels in accordance with a steering wheel and an auxiliary steering angle superposition mechanism. A calculation section calculates a target auxiliary steering angle corresponding to a steering wheel angle of the steering wheel. A detection section accurately detects the auxiliary steering angle based on detection signals of a rotation angle sensor that detects a rotation angle of a rotational member. A driving section controls the auxiliary steering angle superposition mechanism so as to make the auxiliary steering angle coincide with the target auxiliary steering angle. An auxiliary steering angle detection abnormality monitoring section detects abnormality of the auxiliary steering angle detection section.

Abstract: A roller bearing 5 is provided with an elastic member 27 that is fitted to an annular groove 28 that is formed in the outer circumference of an outer ring 21. A chamfered portion 29, formed on one side face of the groove 28, is made larger than a chambered portion 30 formed on the other side face, and has a distance from the bottom face of the groove 28 that is set to ½ or more of the thickness of the elastic member 27.

Abstract: An electric power steering apparatus includes; a DC brush motor, and a boss arranged between an output shaft of the motor and an input shaft driven by the motor, for transmitting a rotational force of the motor from the output shaft to the input shaft by the boss per se. A weight of the boss is equal to or larger than 10% of a weight of a rotor of the motor. An electric power steering apparatus includes; a DC brush motor and a boss arranged between the output shaft of the motor and the input shaft driven by the motor, for transmitting the rotational force of the motor from the output shaft to the input shaft by the boss per se. A moment of inertia of the boss is equal to or larger than 10% of a moment of inertia of the rotor of the motor.

Abstract: A thin membrane for measuring protease activity, which is formed on a support and, which comprises one or more kinds of substances selected from the group consisting of a transferrin derivative and an albumin derivative and is crosslinked and/or substantially water-insoluble. The membrane enables selective measurement of protease activity of a particular class of protease such as matrix metalloproteinase 7.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for simultaneously carrying out the detection or measurement of a substance interacting with a physiologically active substance immobilized on a biosensor and the analysis of the effects of the above substance on the biological activity of the physiologically active substance. The present invention provides a measurement method using a biosensor formed by immobilizing a physiologically active substance on a substrate, wherein the detection and measurement of a substance interacting with said physiologically active substance and the measurement of the biological activity of said physiologically active substance are carried out on said single biosensor.

Abstract: A commutator assembly for a motor has a recessed portion formed to each commutator segment so that coils, which are pressed and deformed by bending the hooks of commutator segments, can be accommodated in the recessed portion. With this arrangement, the commutator assembly can improve the reliability of electric connection of the hook of the commutator segments with a conductive wire.

Abstract: A brush motor for an electric power steering system comprises a four-pole field portion 3, an armature 4 having windings 9 wound around a core 5 with 22 slots 8 to constitute a lap winding, hooks 12 which are formed on one ends of 22 commutator segments 10 respectively and on which the windings 9 are hooked, and a cylindrical commutator 7 constructed by molding integrally the commutator segments 10 with a resin, and four brushes 18 which contact slidably to outer peripheral surfaces of the commutator segments 10, wherein, when the commutator 7 to which a sliding contact portion of the brush 18 contacts is sectioned perpendicularly to an axial direction, a relationship of 0.18≦(A×N)/(D×D)≦0.23 is satisfied, where A is a sectional area of one commutator segment, N is a number of the commutator segments, and D is a diameter of outer peripheral surfaces of the commutator segments.

Abstract: A wafer retainer includes: a foam layer capable of adsorbing a wafer on a surface thereof in a detachable manner; a first pressure-sensitive adhesive layer formed on a back face of the foam layer; a support formed on a back face of the first pressure-sensitive adhesive layer; a second pressure-sensitive adhesive layer formed on a back face of the support for adhering to a base plate of a polishing machine; and a release sheet releasably attached to the second pressure-sensitive adhesive layer. The second pressure-sensitive adhesive layer includes an adhesive composition. The adhesive composition contains a pressure-sensitive adhesive and a side-chain crystallizable polymer so that the side-chain crystallizable polymer is present in an amount of about 1% to about 30% by weight based on the adhesive composition.

Abstract: An adhesive tape for temporary attachment of green sheets for a ceramic electronic device includes a substrate film and an adhesive layer provided on at least one face of the substrate film. The adhesive layer is composed of an adhesive composition, the adhesive composition containing a side-chain crystallizable polymer, wherein the side-chain crystallizable polymer contains as a component an acrylic acid alkyl ester and/or a methacrylic acid alkyl ester which has a straight-chain alkyl group including 16 or more carbon atoms as a side chain, the side-chain crystallizable polymer having a first-order melting transition occurring in a temperature range narrower than about 35° C., and wherein the adhesive layer has a modulus of elasticity of about 5×104 Pa to about 1×108 Pa.

Abstract: A polishing cloth includes: a polishing cloth substrate; a first-pressure adhesive layer formed on a back face of the polishing cloth substrate; as support formed on a back face of the first pressure-sensitive adhesive layer; a second pressure-sensitive adhesive layer formed on a back face of the support; and a release sheet releasably attached to the second pressure-sensitive adhesive layer. The second pressure-sensitive adhesive layer includes an adhesive composition. The adhesive composition contains a pressure-sensitive adhesive and a side-chain crystallizable polymer so that the side-china crystallizable polymer is present in an amount of about 1% to about 30% by weight based on the adhesive composition. The side-chain crystallizable polymer includes as a main component thereof an acrylic acid ester and/or methacrylic acid ester which has a straight-chain alkyl group including 16 or more carbon atoms as a side chain.

Abstract: A thin membrane for measuring protease activity, which is formed on a support and, which comprises one or more kinds of substances selected from the group consisting of a transferrin derivative and an albumin derivative and is crosslinked and/or substantially water-insoluble. The membrane enables selective measurement of protease activity of a particular class of protease such as matrix metalloproteinase 7.