Abstract: A vehicle object detection system configured to generate a judgement on whether a target object which has been detected to enter the detection area is an alert object, and to output the judgement to a warning which is configured to warn a driver of the subject vehicle that a target object is present in the detection area behind the subject vehicle based on the judgement indicating that the target object is an alert object, wherein the system is configured to delay generating the judgement until a specified period of time has elapsed from a point in time when the target object entered the detection area from an adjacent area located lateral to the detection area and/or is configured to generate the judgement based on a change in distance between the target object and the subject vehicle during said specified period of time.

Abstract: A method for joining different kinds of metal materials includes: preparing a rivet, a plurality of metal members, and a first electrode and a second electrode, each having shanks and electrode portions provided at the tips of the shanks; sandwiching the rivet and the plurality of metal members between a first electrode and a second electrode; and embedding the rivet into the metal member by pressurization and energization using the first electrode and the second electrode. The preparation step includes preparing, as the first electrode and the second electrode, two electrodes that satisfy a condition in which each of electrical resistance values of the first and second electrodes is lower than or equal to a sum of an electrical resistance value of the plurality of metal members to be joined and an electrical resistance value of the rivet.

Abstract: Resistance spot welding includes a first process of performing energization by pressurizing two or more metal plates superposed by sandwiching a pair of electrode tips, and a second process of stopping energization in the first process and pressurizing two or more metal plates by a pair of electrode tips. The estimation method for the nugget diameter includes: a thickness estimation process of estimating the nugget thickness using the amount of expansion in the thickness direction of two or more metal plates in the first process and the electric resistance value between the pair of electrode tips in the first process; and a diameter estimation process of estimating the nugget diameter using the expansion amount and the electric resistance value when the nugget is estimated to have reached the interface between two adjacent metal plates using the respective thicknesses of the two or more metal plates and the estimated nugget thickness.

Abstract: A spot welding method including: a main energization step of energizing a pair of opposing electrodes in pressure contact with both outer surfaces of a set of sheets where multiple sheet materials are stacked, thereby to cause melting between facing surfaces of the sheet materials; and a pressing variation step of, prior to the main energization step, causing a pulsation of pressing force applied to the set of sheets from the electrodes. A resin material such as an adhesive or a sealant may be interposed between the facing surfaces of at least a pair of the sheet materials. The period of the pulsation is 0.01 to 0.7 seconds. The amplitude of the pulsation is 10% to 90% with respect to a reference value of the pressing force. The set of sheets may include a first and a second steel sheet, and an aluminum alloy sheet that are stacked in order.

Abstract: A novel spot welding method for steel sheets and an aluminum alloy sheet, includes stacked sheet materials from a pair of opposing electrodes to join the sheet materials by resistance heating. The pair of opposing electrodes are in pressure contact with both outer surfaces of the sheet sets. The sheet sets include at least a first and second steel sheet, and an aluminum alloy sheet stacked in this order. A first energization step forms a molten pool between facing surfaces of the first and second steel sheets without melting the aluminum alloy sheet. A second energization step causes a melting reaction between facing surfaces of the second steel sheet and the aluminum alloy sheet. The first and second steel sheets are joined via a first nugget. The second steel sheet and the aluminum alloy sheet are joined via a second nugget including an intermetallic compound generated by the melting reaction.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a member for fastening by joining a nut with a tubular joint portion extending from a main body formed with an internal thread to a panel with a mounting hole for the nut on an aluminum base material. The joint portion has a rotation-preventing portion with a concave and convex shaped outer peripheral surface and a guide portion extending from the rotation-preventing portion to one side. After the guide portion is inserted into the mounting hole, the nut is energized by electrodes in contact with both nut end surface sides. The nut then generates heat, and the periphery of the mounting hole is heated and softened. When the nut is pressurized with the electrodes, the rotation-preventing portion bites into the mounting hole, and the one end portion of the guide portion is swaged to become a retaining portion on one surface side of the panel.

Abstract: A metal joined body has an iron base body and an aluminum base body that are joined together via a joint layer. The joint layer has a first layer composed of a first intermetallic compound formed on the iron base body side and a second layer composed of a second intermetallic compound formed on the aluminum base body side. The first layer has one or more first protrusions that merge integrally into the iron base body and extend in a pile shape into the first intermetallic compound. The second layer may have one or more second protrusions that are composed of a second intermetallic compound and extend in a columnar shape into the aluminum base body. The first intermetallic compound may contain Al5Fe2, and the second intermetallic compound may contain Al3Fe. The total thickness of the first layer and the second layer is, for example, 2 to 15 ?m.

Abstract: A high viscosity material is discharged in the form of a continuous thread from an application nozzle toward an end of a workpiece and a space S on the side of the workpiece so that the high viscosity material in the form of the thread adheres to a front surface of the workpiece and the high viscosity material discharged in the form of the thread into the space on the side of the workpiece pivots around an edge of the workpiece to a back surface of the workpiece and adheres to the back surface of the workpiece. The high viscosity material can thus be applied to both the front and back surfaces of the workpiece in one step of discharging the high viscosity material only from the front surface side of the workpiece.

Abstract: A welding determination method is provided, which determines whether a spot welding part is joined to an electrode without using resistance generated when separating the electrode from a workpiece. In the method, the workpiece made by laminating multiple metal sheets is clamped under pressure by a pair of electrodes and melted by a current applied, and after that the conduction is stopped to hold the workpiece in a pressurized state to determine whether the joining occurs. The method includes the steps of: deriving resistance between the pair of electrodes and pressurizing force by the pair of electrodes during conduction to the workpiece; and determining whether the spot welding part is joined to the electrodes based on a first index value calculated using the derived resistance and resistance in an ideal welding, and on a second index value calculated using the derived pressurizing force and pressurizing force in the ideal welding.

Abstract: A novel spot welding method for steel sheets and an aluminum alloy sheet, includes stacked sheet materials from a pair of opposing electrodes to join the sheet materials by resistance heating. The pair of opposing electrodes are in pressure contact with both outer surfaces of the sheet sets. The sheet sets include at least a first and second steel sheet, and an aluminum alloy sheet stacked in this order. A first energization step forms a molten pool between facing surfaces of the first and second steel sheets without melting the aluminum alloy sheet. A second energization step causes a melting reaction between facing surfaces of the second steel sheet and the aluminum alloy sheet. The first and second steel sheets are joined via a first nugget. The second steel sheet and the aluminum alloy sheet are joined via a second nugget including an intermetallic compound generated by the melting reaction.

Abstract: A high viscosity material is discharged in the form of a continuous thread from an application nozzle toward an end of a workpiece and a space S on the side of the workpiece so that the high viscosity material in the form of the thread adheres to a front surface of the workpiece and the high viscosity material discharged in the form of the thread into the space on the side of the workpiece pivots around an edge of the workpiece to a back surface of the workpiece and adheres to the back surface of the workpiece. The high viscosity material can thus be applied to both the front and back surfaces of the workpiece in one step of discharging the high viscosity material only from the front surface side of the workpiece.

Abstract: A workpiece support system includes: a workpiece support device that supports a workpiece by a support body having a support that comes in contact with the workpiece; and a robot that is separately provided outside the workpiece support device and moves the support, wherein the support is configured to be movable within a predetermined range and lockable at an arbitrary position, and wherein, by grasping a part of the locked support body, the robot unlocks the support and moves the unlocked support according to the shape of the workpiece.

Abstract: A positioning structure that positions two workpieces includes a one positioning portion that is provided on one of the workpieces and includes one inverted portion and a protruding portion; and a other positioning portion that is provided on the other workpiece and includes another inverted portion and a receiving portion, the two positioning portions positioning the two workpieces, by overlapping an end portion of the one positioning portion face-to-face with an end portion of the other positioning portion. The two inverted portions are each such that alignment of the positioning portion is inverted when the one positioning portion is overlapped with the other positioning portion, the protruding portion is arranged on the end portion side of the one positioning portion and is provided protruding toward an overlapping side, and the receiving portion engages with the protruding portion when the one positioning portion is overlapped with the other positioning portion.

Abstract: A workpiece support system includes: a workpiece support device that supports a workpiece by a support body having a support that comes in contact with the workpiece; and a robot that is separately provided outside the workpiece support device and moves the support, wherein the support is configured to be movable within a predetermined range and lockable at an arbitrary position, and wherein, by grasping a part of the locked support body, the robot unlocks the support and moves the unlocked support according to the shape of the workpiece.

Abstract: A welding structure includes a sheet-shaped first part to be welded; a sheet-shaped second part to be welded that is positioned with respect to the first part to be welded by engaging with the first part to be welded, to perform welding; and a first positioning portion, a second positioning portion, and a third positioning portion, at which the first and second parts to be welded engage with each other. The first to third positioning portions are each configured to restrict movement of one of the first and second parts to be welded in a positioning direction, with respect to the other, and enable movement of the one in a movable direction perpendicular to the positioning direction, with respect to the other. The movable direction of each of the first and second positioning portions is the same direction as the positioning direction of the third positioning portion.

Abstract: A positioning structure that positions two workpieces includes a one positioning portion that is provided on one of the workpieces and includes one inverted portion and a protruding portion; and a other positioning portion that is provided on the other workpiece and includes another inverted portion and a receiving portion, the two positioning portions positioning the two workpieces, by overlapping an end portion of the one positioning portion face-to-face with an end portion of the other positioning portion. The two inverted portions are each such that alignment of the positioning portion is inverted when the one positioning portion is overlapped with the other positioning portion, the protruding portion is arranged on the end portion side of the one positioning portion and is provided protruding toward an overlapping side, and the receiving portion engages with the protruding portion when the one positioning portion is overlapped with the other positioning portion.

Abstract: A welding structure includes a sheet-shaped first part to be welded; a sheet-shaped second part to be welded that is positioned with respect to the first part to be welded by engaging with the first part to be welded, to perform welding; and a first positioning portion, a second positioning portion, and a third positioning portion, at which the first and second parts to be welded engage with each other. The first to third positioning portions are each configured to restrict movement of one of the first and second parts to be welded in a positioning direction, with respect to the other, and enable movement of the one in a movable direction perpendicular to the positioning direction, with respect to the other. The movable direction of each of the first and second positioning portions is the same direction as the positioning direction of the third positioning portion.

Abstract: A hole that has two opposing sides is opened in a first part to be welded, two slits are formed in corresponding portions in a second part to be welded at positions corresponding to the hole, and a bridge portion that is made to protrude by plastic deforming a portion between the two slits is provided. A raised portion of the bridge portion of the second part to be welded is inserted into the hole of the first part to be welded, such that the two sides of the hole in the first part to be welded overlap with the two slits in the bridge portion of the second part to be welded, and the first part to be welded and the second part to be welded are welded together while the first part to be welded and the second part to be welded are engaged.