Abstract: In a steering-without-driving state, a larger current limit value, drive limit time and steering angle deviation threshold value are set than when a low-speed driving state occurs. An automatic parking mode is held until a time period over which a state where a motor current value of an electric motor which drives a steering mechanism is equal to the current limit value reaches the drive limit time. Even though the state where the motor current value is equal to the current limit value has continued over the drive limit time, the automatic parking mode is held during the steering angle deviation not exceeding the steering angle deviation threshold value. When the state where the motor current value is equal to the current limit value has continued over the drive limit time Ta and that the steering angle deviation exceeds the threshold value, the automatic parking control is cancelled.

Abstract: A brake application speed is compared with a speed threshold value so as to judge whether or not a braking operation being performed is an emergency braking operation. If not the emergency braking operation, an automatic parking mode is held. When the emergency braking operation is in effect, control information related to a state of an automatic parking control then is stored in a control information storage section, and the automatic parking control is cancelled. Thereafter, when a steering operation or a gearshift operation is performed before a cancellation of application of the brake is detected, the process is ended, and the control mode is held in an assist mode. When the application of the brake is cancelled with neither the steering operation nor the gearshift operation performed, the control information is read in so as to resume the automatic parking control.

Abstract: A vehicle steering system includes: a steering actuator that imparts a steering force to a steering mechanism of a vehicle; an automatic steering controller that performs an automatic steering control by controlling the steering actuator; a driving state detector that detects a driving state of the vehicle during the automatic steering control; a threshold value setting unit that variably sets a threshold value for permitting an intervention in the automatic steering control; and an automatic steering intervention unit that intervenes in the automatic steering control based on a threshold value set by the threshold value setting unit.

Abstract: A vehicle steering apparatus, includes a steering member for rotational operation, a support mechanism that supports the steering member so as to be movable between a housing position where the steering member is housed in a fixed frame of an instrument panel and a projection position where the steering member projects to an outside of the fixed frame, and that regulates an attitude of the steering member located between the housing position and the projection position, and a movable frame that moves together with the steering member, and that constitutes a part of the instrument panel by covering an opening formed in the fixed frame of the instrument panel when the steering member is housed at the housing position.

Abstract: A vehicle steering apparatus includes a steering member for rotational operation, and a support mechanism that supports the steering member so as to be movable between a housing position where the steering member is housed in a fixed frame of an instrument panel and a projection position where the steering member projects to an outside of the fixed frame. The steering member includes a main body supported by the support mechanism, a pair of grip sections which are movable between the housing position and the projection position together with the main body, and which are supported so as to be movable between a nonoperating position and an operating position by the main body, and a grip section drive actuator which is supported by the main body, and drives the pair of grip sections to the nonoperating position and the operating position.

Abstract: It is an objective of the present invention to provide a decontaminant capable of efficiently and rapidly decontaminating soil, groundwater or sediment contaminated with hexavalent chromium, and a decontamination method utilizing the same. By adding at least one of iron (0) and ferrous iron, and a microbial biostimulant of at least one member selected from the group consisting of yeast extract, inactive yeast, active yeast and peptone to soil, groundwater or sediment contaminated with hexavalent chromium. Hexavalent chromium is chemically and biologically reduced efficiently, and iron reducing microorganisms are propagated and activated to sustain reducing power of the added iron over a long period of time.

Abstract: A steered shaft of a steered mechanism is rigidly fixed to a vehicle body. Steering-stiffness is reduced by a lowpass filter for filtering a steered angle detected by a steered angle sensor. A deviation between a target steered angle and the filtered steered angle detected by the steered angle sensor is input to a PID control unit. A gain setting unit sets each of gains for PID control at a low value to thereby reduce steering-stiffness. The PID control unit outputs a target current. A drive circuit performs, e.g., PID control of the steering actuator.

Abstract: In an isolation trap circuit of the present invention, a PIN diode PD and an inductor L are connected in parallel to a first terminal 61, and a capacitor C1 is connected in series to the inductor L, while the PIN diode PD and the capacitor C1 are connected in parallel to a second terminal 62. The isolation trap circuit is characterized in that a capacitor C2 is further connected and grounded between the first terminal 61 and the inductor L, or between the inductor L and the capacitor C1, or between the capacitor C1 and the second terminal 62.

Abstract: A die set for press-forming a blank of thin metallic sheet. The die set has a punch and a blank holder. The blank holder has a first bead for restraining an edge of the blank with a constant force. The first bead is disposed further to an inside than a second bead for restraining the edge of the blank with a force that varies during pressing of the blank.

Abstract: An automatic parking control is cancelled when a motor current has not yet reached a maximum current value Imax with a steering angle deviation exceeding a deviation threshold value. In addition, the automatic parking control is cancelled when a steering speed has not yet reached a maximum steering speed with a state where the motor current has reached and remains at the maximum steering speed continuing over a first time period. On the other hand, when a state where the steering speed has reached and remains at the maximum steering speed continues over a second time period, it is determined that there occurs an output shortage of a steering actuator, an automatic parking condition is recalculated, so as to allow the automatic parking continue to continue.

Abstract: There is provided a vehicle steering system which includes an electric motor for imparting a steering force to a steering mechanism of a vehicle and an automatic parking controller for executing an automatic parking control by controlling the electric motor, wherein the automatic parking controller controls an energizing voltage of the electric motor by imparting a square wave to the electric motor and increasing/decreasing a neutral point voltage of a winding of the electric motor.

Abstract: A vehicle steering system includes: a steering actuator that imparts a steering force to a steering mechanism of a vehicle; an automatic steering controller that performs an automatic steering control by controlling the steering actuator; a driving state detector that detects a driving state of the vehicle during the automatic steering control; a threshold value setting unit that variably sets a threshold value for permitting an intervention in the automatic steering control; and an automatic steering intervention unit that intervenes in the automatic steering control based on a threshold value set by the threshold value setting unit.

Abstract: A brake application speed is compared with a speed threshold value so as to judge whether or not a braking operation being performed is an emergency braking operation. If not the emergency braking operation, an automatic parking mode is held. When the emergency braking operation is in effect, control information related to a state of an automatic parking control then is stored in a control information storage section, and the automatic parking control is cancelled. Thereafter, when a steering operation or a gearshift operation is performed before a cancellation of application of the brake is detected, the process is ended, and the control mode is held in an assist mode. When the application of the brake is cancelled with neither the steering operation nor the gearshift operation performed, the control information is read in so as to resume the automatic parking control.

Abstract: An automatic parking control is cancelled when a motor current has not yet reached a maximum current value Imax with a steering angle deviation exceeding a deviation threshold value. In addition, the automatic parking control is cancelled when a steering speed has not yet reached a maximum steering speed with a state where the motor current has reached and remains at the maximum steering speed continuing over a first time period. On the other hand, when a state where the steering speed has reached and remains at the maximum steering speed continues over a second time period, it is determined that there occurs an output shortage of a steering actuator, an automatic parking condition is recalculated, so as to allow the automatic parking continue to continue.

Abstract: In a steering-without-driving state, a larger current limit value, drive limit time and steering angle deviation threshold value are set than when a low-speed driving state occurs. An automatic parking mode is held until a time period over which a state where a motor current value of an electric motor which drives a steering mechanism is equal to the current limit value reaches the drive limit time. Even though the state where the motor current value is equal to the current limit value has continued over the drive limit time, the automatic parking mode is held during the steering angle deviation not exceeding the steering angle deviation threshold value. When the state where the motor current value is equal to the current limit value has continued over the drive limit time Ta and that the steering angle deviation exceeds the threshold value, the automatic parking control is cancelled.

Abstract: A vehicle steering system includes: a control member that is manipulated by a driver for controlling a direction of a vehicle; a steering mechanism that turns steered road wheels in response to manipulation of the control member; an automatic driving mode setting unit that enables an automatic driving control for an automatic driving mode; a plurality of vehicle sensors for detecting various kinds of information which represent behaviors of the vehicle; an output gain switch that switches an output gain for a predetermined vehicle sensor of the plurality of vehicle sensors so as to output an appropriate output for the automatic driving mode in response to setting of the automatic driving mode by the automatic driving mode setting unit; and an automatic steering controller that automatically controls the steering mechanism while referring to outputs of the plurality of vehicle sensors in the automatic driving mode.

Abstract: In an automatic parking mode, a target path is obtained, and a vehicle is automatically controlled to follow the target path. When a driver intervenes steering of the vehicle, an anticipated course to be taken by the vehicle to follow after the intervention to the steering is calculated as a revised path. When the vehicle follows the revised path, if the vehicle is expected to be brought into contact with an obstacle, firstly, an alarm is raised. When an avoidance operation is performed after the alarm, an anticipated course to be taken by the vehicle to follow after the avoidance operation is re-calculated as a revised path. If no avoidance operation is performed or if the vehicle is expected to be brought into contact with the obstacle even when the vehicle follows the revised path, forced brakes are applied to the vehicle, and the automatic parking control is halted.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide an excellent enhancer for an osteogenesis accelerator that can enhance the activity of BMP as an osteogenesis accelerator. Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of screening for a novel enhancer for an osteogenesis accelerator. The present invention relates to an enhancer for an osteogenesis accelerator, which comprises a compound having a TGF-? selective inhibitory activity as an active ingredient, the enhancer being administered with an osteogenesis accelerator containing BMP as an active ingredient either simultaneously or sequentially, and to a method of screening for an enhancer for an osteogenesis accelerator, comprising using a TGF-? inhibition as a measure for discovering the enhancer.

Abstract: It is an objective of the present invention to provide a decontaminant capable of efficiently and rapidly decontaminating soil, groundwater or sediment contaminated with hexavalent chromium, and a decontamination method utilizing the same. By adding at least one of iron (0) and ferrous iron, and a microbial biostimulant of at least one member selected from the group consisting of yeast extract, inactive yeast, active yeast and peptone to soil, groundwater or sediment contaminated with hexavalent chromium. Hexavalent chromium is chemically and biologically reduced efficiently, and iron reducing microorganisms are propagated and activated to sustain reducing power of the added iron over a long period of time.

Abstract: The steering device is constructed by supporting a center portion of a rectangle-plate-shaped operation plate at one end of a supporting shaft projected from the front face of a dashboard so as to freely swing in right and left directions. A steering apparatus for a vehicle having the steering device detects the swing direction and the swing angle of the operation plate with a steering angle sensor provided at a support portion and moves a steering mechanism in the detected direction in accordance with the detected angle so as to steer the vehicle. With this structure, a load in steering can be decreased and tiredness in driving can be reduced. Furthermore, such a steering apparatus can realize a steering device which physically handicapped drivers can operate easily.