Abstract: A rotary connector includes a stator housing including a bottom cover having a central hole and an outer cylindrical portion provided along the outer edge of the bottom cover; an upper rotor including an inner cylindrical portion and a top plate protruding outward from the top end thereof; a lower rotor inserted into the central hole and snap-fitted to the inner circumferential surface of the inner cylindrical portion; a holder rotatably disposed in an accommodation space defined between the upper rotor and the stator housing; a flat cable wounded and accommodated in the accommodation space with the winding direction thereof reversed at any point of the length; and a spacer fixed to the outer circumferential surface of the bottom part of the inner cylindrical portion. The spacer and the flange hold the edge of the bottom cover around the central hole.

Abstract: A tire comprising a tread, where the tread includes a vulcanized rubber, from about 5 to about 80 parts by weight of a nylon-containing block copolymer per 100 parts by weight of the vulcanized rubber, and from about 1 to about 100 parts by weight filler per 100 parts by weight of the vulcanized rubber.

Abstract: A polymer composition of low gas permeability. The composition includes an exfoliated organically-modified clay, butyl rubber, and a polymeric exfoliant. A method for producing the butyl composition by dry mixing the butyl rubber with the exfoliated clay is also provided.

Abstract: A rotary connector includes a case, a cover, a rotor having a top panel part and a first cylindrical part, a rotor snap having locking parts locked with an outer surface of the cover and a second cylindrical part snap-fitted to the first cylindrical part, flexible cables wound windably/rewindably in the case, and a ring-shaped plate part. In this case, a holding projection project outward in a radial direction from the outer circumferential surface of the second cylindrical part between a lower end of the first cylindrical part and the locking parts, and an inner rim of the cover is provided with a holding step so as to form a step. Furthermore, a wall surface forming the step of the holding step faces side surface of the holding projection, and an inner rim of the cover is rotatably interposed between lower surface of the holding projection and an upper surface of the ring-shaped plate part.

Abstract: A tire tread comprising a cured rubber, where at least a portion of the rubber derives from a functionalized polymer including an oxygen or sulfur-containing azaheterocycles, and a filler comprising oxidized carbon black.

Abstract: Vulcanizable elastomeric compositions and vulcanizates are prepared by employing a titanium compound. The titanium compound is believed to enhance the reaction between a silica particle and a silica-reactive compound.

Abstract: A rotary connector includes a stator housing including a bottom cover having a central hole and an outer cylindrical portion provided along the outer edge of the bottom cover; an upper rotor including an inner cylindrical portion and a top plate protruding outward from the top end thereof; a lower rotor inserted into the central hole and snap-fitted to the inner circumferential surface of the inner cylindrical portion; a holder rotatably disposed in an accommodation space defined between the upper rotor and the stator housing; a flat cable wounded and accommodated in the accommodation space with the winding direction thereof reversed at any point of the length; and a spacer fixed to the outer circumferential surface of the bottom part of the inner cylindrical portion. The spacer and the flange hold the edge of the bottom cover around the central hole.

Abstract: Dispersion of filler(s) in polymeric compositions are improved by the use of a polymer-filler coupling compound, Q-A-B, wherein Q comprises a dipolar nitrogen-containing moiety that can form a 1,3 dipolar addition to an unsaturated carbon-carbon bond; B is an oxazoline, thiazoline, alkoxysilane or allyltin moiety, and A is a linking atom or group that forms a bridge between Q and B.

Abstract: A rotary connector includes a case, a cover, a rotor having a top panel part and a first cylindrical part, a rotor snap having locking parts locked with an outer surface of the cover and a second cylindrical part snap-fitted to the first cylindrical part, flexible cables wound windably/rewindably in the case, and a ring-shaped plate part. In this case, a holding projection project outward in a radial direction from the outer circumferential surface of the second cylindrical part between a lower end of the first cylindrical part and the locking parts, and an inner rim of the cover is provided with a holding step so as to form a step. Furthermore, a wall surface forming the step of the holding step faces side surface of the holding projection, and an inner rim of the cover is rotatably interposed between lower surface of the holding projection and an upper surface of the ring-shaped plate part.

Abstract: A tire comprising a tread, where the tread includes a vulcanized rubber, from about 5 to about 80 parts by weight of a nylon-containing block copolymer per 100 parts by weight of the vulcanized rubber, and from about 1 to about 100 parts by weight filler per 100 parts by weight of the vulcanized rubber.

Abstract: In the rotary connector, at least one of the first and second lead blocks includes a holding member and a plurality of terminals having connection terminal portions which are projected outwardly from the holding member, respective terminal portions of the flexible cable are connected to a plurality of terminals, a plurality of terminals are formed of at least two, that is, first and second groups of terminals, and, at different positions on first and second straight lines which are placed in parallel with each other with a given distance between them, distal ends of respective connection terminal portions of the first and second groups of terminals are arranged in parallel to each other.

Abstract: In a conventional roller connector, when a spoke member of a steering device hits against an electrical lead-through section of a movable housing, there occurs a knocking sound, which will be unpleasant to the driver. The present invention, therefore, provides a roller connector which will not produce the knocking sound. Flexible cables are connected at least at one end to the electrical lead-through section of a movable housing. An elastic member is projectingly disposed on a surface of the upper wall where the electrical lead-through section protrudes, thus being driven to turn the movable housing.

Abstract: A rubber composition and method of making a rubber composition which is improved in a dispersibility of silica into rubber, a heat generating property and an abrasion property.

Abstract: In the rotary connector, at least one of the first and second lead blocks includes a holding member and a plurality of terminals having connection terminal portions which are projected outwardly from the holding member, respective terminal portions of the flexible cable are connected to a plurality of terminals, a plurality of terminals are formed of at least two, that is, first and second groups of terminals, and, at different positions on first and second straight lines which are placed in parallel with each other with a given distance between them, distal ends of respective connection terminal portions of the first and second groups of terminals are arranged in parallel to each other.

Abstract: A flexible cable is constructed in a band-like shape by sandwiching a plurality of conductive wires with a pair of insulating films, and a lead block is constructed by fixing a plurality of joint bars to a resin body. In a connecting structure of the flexible cable and the lead block, a part of one of the insulating films is removed so that the conductive wires are exposed at an end of the flexible cable. In addition, through holes for preventing deformation are formed in the remaining insulating film at positions between the exposed parts of the conductive wires. The exposed parts of the conductive wires are connected to the joint bars at positions close to the through holes by ultrasonic welding.

Abstract: A rotary connector capable of preventing a locking key from projecting from a housing and eliminating dead space between the rotary connector and other vehicle-mounted parts. The rotary connector has a locking mechanism for a movable housing and a stationary housing, which is constituted of a guide hole bored in the movable housing, an operating part slidably stored in the guide hole, a part of which is projected from one open end of the guide hole to the outside, a locking key slidably stored in the guide hole, a part of which is projected from the other open end to the outside, a rotor snap (stopper) disposed opposite to the locking key, a first spring member set between the operating part and the locking key, a second spring member set between the locking key and the rotor snap, and a key engaging part provided on the stationary housing.

Abstract: A rotary connector capable of preventing a locking key from projecting from a housing and eliminating dead space between the rotary connector and other vehicle-mounted parts. The rotary connector has a locking mechanism for a movable housing and a stationary housing, which is constituted of a guide hole bored in the movable housing, an operating part slidably stored in the guide hole, a part of which is projected from one open end of the guide hole to the outside, a locking key slidably stored in the guide hole, a part of which is projected from the other open end to the outside, a rotor snap (stopper) disposed opposite to the locking key, a first spring member set between the operating part and the locking key, a second spring member set between the locking key and the rotor snap, and a key engaging part provided on the stationary housing.

Abstract: A flexible cable is constructed in a band-like shape by sandwiching a plurality of conductive wires with a pair of insulating films, and a lead block is constructed by fixing a plurality of joint bars to a resin body. In a connecting structure of the flexible cable and the lead block, a part of one of the insulating films is removed so that the conductive wires are exposed at an end of the flexible cable. In addition, through holes for preventing deformation are formed in the remaining insulating film at positions between the exposed parts of the conductive wires. The exposed parts of the conductive wires are connected to the joint bars at positions close to the through holes by ultrasonic welding.

Abstract: In a conventional roller connector, when a spoke member of a steering device hits against an electrical lead-through section of a movable housing, there occurs a knocking sound, which will be unpleasant to the driver. The present invention, therefore, provides a roller connector which will not produce the knocking sound. Flexible cables are connected at least at one end to the electrical lead-through section of a movable housing. An elastic member is projectingly disposed on an surface of the upper wall where the electrical lead-through section protrudes, thus being driven to turn the movable housing.

Abstract: The present invention provides a rubber composition and a pneumatic tire using the rubber composition. A rubber composition which comprises: a blend rubber of a copolymer and other diene base rubbers, the copolymer being obtained by copolymerization of 1,3-butadiene and an aromatic vinylmonomer using an organic lithium compound as an initiator, the glass transition point of the copolymer being −50° C. or more, and the blend rubber comprising the copolymer in an amount of 20 parts by weight or more and the other diene base rubbers in an amount of 80 parts by weight or less per 100 parts by weight of the blend rubber; silica filler in an amount of 10 to 80 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the blend rubber; carbon black in an amount of 20 to 80 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the blend rubber; and a specific silane coupling agent, i.e.