Abstract: An actuator for steering rear wheels is reduced in size and its construction is simplified while preventing a degradation in the reliability. An electric coil 2 is disposed on the outside while a rotor is disposed on the inside, assisting in heating dissipation. One of bearings 10 which support a rotor and an electric coil 2 are integrally secured to a casing 1 when a resin 3 is molded thereon. At the same time, a ring gear 12 is formed by the molding of the resin 3. In addition, the molding operation of the resin forms one of sun gears, 11a, integrally with a rotor 4. The casing 1 is formed with a recess or projection 1a, 1b, thus preventing a slip of the resin member 3 from occurring. A permanent magnet 13 which is separate from a permanent magnet 5 used for driving is mounted on the rotor.

Abstract: Rear wheels are returned to central orientations when a rear wheel steering mechanism of 4WS system fails to operate. Required drive power is minimized and the apparatus is reduced in size. A main motor M1 is coupled to a steering shaft 1 through a drive transmitting mechanism 1a, 5a, 5b and 6a, and an auxiliary electric motor M2 is coupled to a drive shaft 6 through a gear mechanism 9, 12, 8a, 7 which includes a solenoid operated clutch CL. The motor M2 is normally disengaged from the drive shaft, but upon detecting the occurrence of a failure, the clutch is activated and the motor M2 is set in operation for returning the steered position of the rear wheels to the center.

Abstract: In a hydraulic active suspension system, a plurality of actuators having working fluid chambers are provided corresponding to the vehicle wheels. Each actuator is adapted to increase and decrease vehicle height in response to the pressure within its working chamber, which is controlled by a pressure control device. Vehicle speed and vehicle heights at the locations corresponding to the vehicle wheels are detected by corresponding sensors. A control device is further provided for controlling the pressure control device so that the pressures within the working fluid chambers are driven to substantially the desired pressures, the desired pressures determined by, at least, the sum of the first control parameters corresponding to the differences between the actual vehicle heights detected and the associated desired vehicle heights and the second control parameters corresponding to the changing amounts of the vehicle height differences.

Abstract: A suspension pressure control system applies a pressure which is proportional to a current level supplied to a solenoid of a pressure control valve to a shock absorber associated with a suspension from the valve. A height and a lateral acceleration of a car body as well as a steering angular velocity are detected. A deviation of the height from a target height is calculated. The suspension pressure is adjusted responding to the deviation and a change rate thereof. Also a correction value is calculated on the basis of the lateral acceleration for adjusting the suspension pressure responding to the correction value and a change rate thereof. Proportional coefficients for converting the change rate of the deviation and the change rate of the correction value to pressures to be corrected are corresponding to the steering angular velocity.

Abstract: In a hydraulic active suspension system, a plurality of actuators having working fluid chambers are provided corresponding to vehicle wheels. Each actuator is adapted to increase and decrease vehicle height in response to the pressure within its working chamber, which is controlled by a pressure control device. Vehicle speed and lateral acceleration are detected by corresponding sensors. A control device is further provided for controlling the pressure control device by compensating values determined base upon the lateral acceleration detected. The control device is adapted to reduce the compensating values in magnitude when the vehicle speed is lower than a predetermined value under which the lateral acceleration sensor sometimes detects a false lateral acceleration, thereby reducing the possibility that the vehicle body may generate an unpleasant roll due to the erroneous control on the pressures within the working fluid chambers based upon a false lateral acceleration.

Abstract: The invention is directed to an apparatus for steering rear wheels of a vehicle. A vehicle speed sensor detects a speed of the vehicle, and a steering angle sensor detects a steering angle of front wheels of the vehicle and provides a first steering signal. A control device is provided for receiving the first steering signal and providing a second steering signal representing a desired steering angle of rear wheels of the vehicle which is determined in response to the first steering signal. A drive device is arranged to receive the second steering signal and steer the rear wheels to reach the desired steering angle. Then, a limit mechanism is provided for reducing the range of variation of steering angle of the rear wheels steered by the drive device to a predetermined range when the vehicle speed exceeds a predetermined speed, or the steering angle of the front wheels is less than a predetermined angle.

Abstract: A transmission includes a main shaft and a counter shaft. The gear ratio is changeable in accordance with the engagement between a main shaft gear train mounted on the main shaft and a counter shaft gear train mounted on the counter shaft. A low speed gear mechanism provides an extremely low speed range and includes a low speed shaft provided with a gear train and disposed coaxially with the main shaft. A first changeover sleeve is movable in order to bring the low speed shaft into and out of engagement with the main shaft. A second changeover sleeve is movable for selectively shifting a forward low speed gear train and a reverse low speed gear train into driving engagement between the low speed shaft and the counter shaft.

Abstract: A pressure control valve delivers a pressure which is proportional to a current level chosen to energize a solenoid therein to a shock absorber of a suspension. A spool in the valve has an annular groove for communicating an output port to a high pressure port or a low pressure port selectively. There are conical surfaces or inclined surfaces at edges of lands adjacent to the groove, which incline from annular surfaces of the lands toward the bottom of the groove. The inclined surfaces slow down a change of the flow rate from the high pressure port to the output port and from the output port to the low pressure port when the annular groove communicates with the high pressure port and the low pressure port respectively.

Abstract: In a contact-type image sensor comprising an array of photosensor elements for receiving light reflected from a document, and a protective layer disposed above the array of photosensor elements for protecting the array of photosensor elements when contact is made with the document, means are provided for discharging electric charges accumulated on the protective layer. This may comprise the protective layer with a relatively low resistivity or a separate conductive layer above or within the protective layer.

Abstract: In a thin-film transistor fabrication process using an amorphous silicon semiconductor layer, after the gate insulation layer is formed and before the a-Si semiconductor layer is formed, the surface of the gate insulation layer is treated with an H.sub.2 plasma. This treatment improves the transistor characteristics.

Abstract: A thin-film transistor matrix comprises thin-film transistors formed on a dielectric substrate and arranged in rows and columns. Each of the transistors comprises a control electrode, an insulation film formed on the control electrode, a semiconductor film formed on the insulation film, a first main electrode formed on the semiconductor film, and a second main electrode formed on the semiconductor film. Row interconnection layers are provided for the respective rows to interconnect the control electrodes of the transistors of the respective rows. Column interconnection layers are provided for the respective columns to interconnect the first main electrodes in the respective columns. The insulation film and the semiconductor film are formed in the regions where the transistor is formed and in the regions where the column interconnection layer is formed.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion device comprises a photodiode comprising a metallic electrode formed of a metal capable of forming a Schottky junction together with amorphous silicon, such as Cr or Ni, a transparent electrode formed of ITO or the like, and an i-type hydrogenated amorphous silicon layer sandwiched in between the metallic electrode and the transparent electrode. A bias voltage is applied across the metallic electrode and the transparent electrode so that the metallic electrode is biased to a negative potential relative to the transparent electrode. A Schottky barrier formed in the interface between the metallic electrode and the i-type hydrogenated amorphous silicon layer is used as an electron blocking layer. Thus, the dark current is suppressed on a low level and the photoelectric conversion device is able to operate at a high S/N ratio.

Abstract: A rotary actuator is disclosed which changes the angular position of the rotary valve which is used to determine the attenuation presented by a shock absorber. The rotary actuator is disposed within a cylindrical piston rod of the shock absorber, and comprises a power transmission mechanism for driving the rotary valve for rotation between a first and a second position within a given range, a d.c. motor for driving the mechanism, a first stop mechanism for selectively stopping the rotation of the motor at a third position which is situated centrally within the given range, and a solenoid assembly for making the first stop mechanism operative. These components are disposed within the cylindrical piston rod in the sequence named from below to above. The power transmission mechanism includes a second stop mechanism which prevents the rotary valve from rotating outside a first and a second location which determine the given range.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing thin amorphous silicon hydride film is disclosed by using a plasma CVD process. The method comprises the steps of providing a substrate for supporting the amorphous silicon hydride film, providing raw material gas produced by mixing hydrogen silicide Si.sub.n H.sub.2n+2 (n.gtoreq.1) with additive gas in the concentration from about 0.1 to 10 parts per million by volume, setting a gas flow rate of the raw material gas in the range from about 200 to about 700 SCCM, applying radio frequency electric power to said gas in plasma CVD apparatus, said power being selected in the range from about 300 W to about 700 W to result in a ratio of electric power in watts to gas flow rate in SCCM of at least about 1, and growing thin amorphous silicon hydride film on the substrate from the raw material gas.

Abstract: In a detecting system adapted to detect foreign matters as faults of a glass bottle, between a projection path of a diffused light towards the object to be inspected and said object, a plane polarizing plate of a circular polarizer which includes the plane polarizing plate combined with a 1/4 wave plate is disposed at the side of a diffused light side, while, in a light path which causes light transmitted through the object to form an image on the photoelectric detector 6 through the lens, a detecting side circular polarizer which includes a 1/4 wave plate and a plane polarizing plate is placed. An output electric signal of the photoelectric detector is subjected to analog operation processing.

Abstract: A pressure responsive switch having an atmospheric pressure chamber including electrical contacts which are sealed hermetically by a flexible pleated cover whereby the flexible pleated cover deforms in accordance with the expansion and contraction of the atmosphere in the atmospheric pressure chamber. The alteration of the temperature surrounding the atmospheric chamber provides for the expansion and contraction of the atmosphere with the atmospheric pressure chamber and the pleated cover maintains the atmospheric pressure constant within the pressure chamber.

Abstract: A solenoid valve assembly having a valve member, disposed in a casing, movable between first and second positions for controlling communication between an inlet port and an outlet port provided in the casing which includes an armature of magnetic material operatively connected with the valve member, a leaf spring fixed at a first end thereof to the armature and biasing the valve member to the first position, a spring retainer having a first end portion which retains a second end of the leaf spring and which is stationarily fixed at a second end portion thereof to the casing, a stationary core of magnetic material mounted in the casing and operatively engageable with the armature and a mechanism acting on the stationary core and the armature for rotating the armature towards the stationary core whereby the valve is moved to the second position and an adjusting mechanism connected to the casing for adjusting tensioning of the leaf spring.

Abstract: In a hydromechanical transmission, low and high speed drive power trains are selectively completed in response to variation of the speed ratio between an input shaft and an output shaft. The transmission comprises a speed ratio detecting valve for detecting lower and higher limits of a predetermined speed ratio and a clutch control valve for conducting the switch over between the low and high speed drive power trains when the actual speed ratio reaches a range defined by the lower and higher limits of the predetermined speed ratio.

Abstract: An electromagnetic control valve is provided with a housing having an inlet and two outlets extending through the wall of the housing. A valve member is mounted in spaced relation from each outlet opening on a resilient member for movement into and out of engagement with a valve seat surrounding the outlet opening. An elongated valve actuator is pivoted at its mid-point between the two valve members and is provided with a projection adjacent each end disposed in contact with a respective valve member. A spring normally biases the valve actuator about its pivot point to bias one of the valve members into engagement with its associated valve seat. An electromagnet is located on the opposite side of the valve actuator from said one of said valve members to pivot the valve actuator against the force of the spring.

Abstract: A thermostatic circuit breaker includes a movable contact which is movable in response to thermal transformation of a thermostatic disk. In order to easily support the movable contact, the movable contact is secured to an offset spring of electrically-conducting and elastic material and is located at a predetermined position with respect to the thermostatic disk and a stationary contact.