Abstract: A fastening member in an embodiment consists of a bolt and a nut. A hard layer made of a metal nitride is formed on a surface of a threaded portion of the bolt or a surface of a threaded portion of the nut.

Abstract: A pad retainer of a vehicle disc brake includes: a pair of retainer portions mounted in pad guide grooves; a connecting piece connecting the pair of retainer portions together; and pad returning portions configured to bias the friction pads to a side opposite to the disc rotor. Each of the pad returning portions includes an elastic loop portion formed into an arc shape by bending a narrow elongated piece, which extends in a direction opposite to the disc rotor from an inner side in a disc radial direction of a deep side piece of the retainer portion, and then back towards the disc rotor; and a holding portion extending from a bent-back end of the elastic loop portion towards the disc rotor and configured to hold a lug piece of the friction pad.

Abstract: A pad retainer of a vehicle disc brake includes: a pair of retainer portions mounted in pad guide grooves; a connecting piece connecting the pair of retainer portions together; and pad returning portions configured to bias the friction pads to a side opposite to the disc rotor. Each of the pad returning portions includes an elastic loop portion formed into an arc shape by bending a narrow elongated piece, which extends in a direction opposite to the disc rotor from an inner side in a disc radial direction of a deep side piece of the retainer portion, and then back towards the disc rotor; and a holding portion extending from a bent-back end of the elastic loop portion towards the disc rotor and configured to hold a lug piece of the friction pad.

Abstract: A valve timing control apparatus includes a driving-side rotating member, a driven-side rotating member arranged coaxially with the driving-side rotational member so as to be rotatable relative to the driving-side rotating member, a retarded angle chamber and an advanced angle chamber, each of which is defined by the driving-side rotating member and the driven-side rotating member, a lock mechanism locking a relative rotational phase of the driven-side rotating member at a predetermined phase between a most advanced angle phase and a retarded angle phase, an operation fluid supply-and-discharge mechanism supplying/discharging an operation fluid to/from the retarded angle chamber, the advanced angle chamber and the lock mechanism, and a first air inlet mechanism for connecting one of the retarded angle chamber and the advanced angle chamber to an outside of the valve timing control apparatus in order to allow air to flow thereinto.

Abstract: A valve opening/closing timing control apparatus includes a phase displacing mechanism for displacing relative phase between a drive-side rotational member and a driven-side rotational member rotatable in unison with a cam shaft, a first pump driven by an internal combustion engine, a second pump driven by a drive source different from the internal combustion engine, a locking mechanism capable of locking the relative phase to an initial phase suitable for starting the internal combustion engine, and an urging mechanism 3 for urging the phase displacing mechanism in the advancing direction between the most retarding phase and the initial phase, a minimal urging force of the urging mechanism being set so as to override the displacing force toward the retarding phase side at the minimal pressure.

Abstract: A vehicle disc brake device for preventing snow, ice, and mud from adhering to a caliper includes a body-anchoring part provided in a cylinder of a caliper, the body-anchoring part for securing a wire guide used to support a brake wire. The body-anchoring part has a first surface oriented along the longitudinal direction of the brake wire, and a second surface located on the side opposite the first surface. A wire-guide-anchoring part is secured to the second surface. The first surface is a flat, inclined surface.

Abstract: A disk brake for a vehicle includes: a caliper bracket; a pair of caliper support arms; pad guide grooves that have outer side surfaces, inner side surfaces and opposed surfaces; and lug pieces that protrude on both side parts of back plates of friction pads supported by the pad guide grooves through a pad retainer, the pad retainer including a pair of retainer parts, a connecting piece and pad resilient parts, wherein: the retainer parts include inner side pieces arranged along the inner side surfaces of the pad guide grooves, outer side pieces arranged along the outer side surfaces of the pad guide grooves and interior pieces that connect the outer side pieces to the inner side pieces; and the outer side pieces include impact suppressing parts that restrain the lug pieces from colliding with the outer side surfaces through the outer side pieces.

Abstract: A valve timing control device includes a phase displacement restricting mechanism for creating a restricting state where relative rotational phase displacement of a driven side rotational member relative to a driving side rotational member is restricted within a permissible range and an unrestricting state where the restriction is released, a communication passageway for establishing communication between the phase displacement restricting mechanism and one of an advanced angle chamber and a retarded angle chamber, a valving element chamber provided midway the communication passageway, a valving element provided in the valving element chamber; the valving element selectively positioned to a closing state for closing the communication passageway to render the phase displacement restricting mechanism into the restricting state and an opening state for opening up the communication passageway to render the phase displacement restricting mechanism into the unrestricting state, and a leak passageway formed in the v

Abstract: A disk brake for a vehicle includes: a caliper bracket; a pair of caliper support arms; pad guide grooves that have outer side surfaces, inner side surfaces and opposed surfaces; and lug pieces that protrude on both side parts of back plates of friction pads supported by the pad guide grooves through a pad retainer, the pad retainer including a pair of retainer parts, a connecting piece and pad resilient parts, wherein: the retainer parts include inner side pieces arranged along the inner side surfaces of the pad guide grooves, outer side pieces arranged along the outer side surfaces of the pad guide grooves and interior pieces that connect the outer side pieces to the inner side pieces; and the outer side pieces include impact suppressing parts that restrain the lug pieces from colliding with the outer side surfaces through the outer side pieces.

Abstract: A valve timing control apparatus includes a driving-side rotating member, a driven-side rotating member arranged coaxially with the driving-side rotational member so as to be rotatable relative to the driving-side rotating member, a retarded angle chamber and an advanced angle chamber, each of which is defined by the driving-side rotating member and the driven-side rotating member, a lock mechanism locking a relative rotational phase of the driven-side rotating member at a predetermined phase between a most advanced angle phase and a retarded angle phase, an operation fluid supply-and-discharge mechanism supplying/discharging an operation fluid to/from the retarded angle chamber, the advanced angle chamber and the lock mechanism, and a first air inlet mechanism for connecting one of the retarded angle chamber and the advanced angle chamber to an outside of the valve timing control apparatus in order to allow air to flow thereinto.

Abstract: A vehicle disc brake device for preventing snow, ice, and mud from adhering to a caliper includes a body-anchoring part provided in a cylinder of a caliper, the body-anchoring part for securing a wire guide used to support a brake wire. The body-anchoring part has a first surface oriented along the longitudinal direction of the brake wire, and a second surface located on the side opposite the first surface. A wire-guide-anchoring part is secured to the second surface. The first surface is a flat, inclined surface.

Abstract: A valve opening/closing timing control apparatus includes a phase displacing mechanism for displacing relative phase between a drive-side rotational member and a driven-side rotational member rotatable in unison with a cam shaft, a first pump driven by an internal combustion engine, a second pump driven by a drive source different from the internal combustion engine, a locking mechanism capable of locking the relative phase to an initial phase suitable for starting the internal combustion engine, and an urging mechanism 3 for urging the phase displacing mechanism in the advancing direction between the most retarding phase and the initial phase, a minimal urging force of the urging mechanism being set so as to override the displacing force toward the retarding phase side at the minimal pressure.

Abstract: A valve timing control device includes a phase displacement restricting mechanism for creating a restricting state where relative rotational phase displacement of a driven side rotational member relative to a driving side rotational member is restricted within a permissible range and an unrestricting state where the restriction is released, a communication passageway for establishing communication between the phase displacement restricting mechanism and one of an advanced angle chamber and a retarded angle chamber, a valving element chamber provided midway the communication passageway, a valving element provided in the valving element chamber; the valving element selectively positioned to a closing state for closing the communication passageway to render the phase displacement restricting mechanism into the restricting state and an opening state for opening up the communication passageway to render the phase displacement restricting mechanism into the unrestricting state, and a leak passageway formed in the v

Abstract: A first cylindrical part in which axial part passages for supplying a fluid to or discharging a fluid from a fluid pressure chamber are formed is provided in a rotor and, at the same time, a second cylindrical member in which cover passages communicating with axial part passages and a fluid supplying and discharging means are formed is provided. The first cylindrical part is overlaid on an inner side relative to the second cylindrical member in a radial direction and is constructed of an aluminium alloy, a sealing groove for accommodating a sealing member for tight sealing between a first cylindrical part and a second cylindrical member with an outer peripheral surface and a side surface thereof is provided, and a friction A between a side of a sealing member and a sealing groove is set to be greater than a friction B between an outer peripheral side of the sealing member and an inner peripheral side of the second cylindrical member.

Abstract: A first cylindrical part in which axial part passages for supplying a fluid to or discharging a fluid from a fluid pressure chamber are formed is provided in a rotor and, at the same time, a second cylindrical member in which cover passages communicating with axial part passages and a fluid supplying and discharging means are formed is provided. The first cylindrical part is overlaid on an inner side relative to the second cylindrical member in a radial direction and is constructed of an aluminium alloy, a sealing groove for accommodating a sealing member for tight sealing between a first cylindrical part and a second cylindrical member with an outer peripheral surface and a side surface thereof is provided, and a friction A between a side of a sealing member and a sealing groove is set to be greater than a friction B between an outer peripheral side of the sealing member and an inner peripheral side of the second cylindrical member.

Abstract: Disclosed is a superoxide eliminating agent comprising a component extracted from natural lichens or lichen cultures, and a process for producing the same. Cosmetics containing the superoxide eliminating agent are also disclosed.

Abstract: Stable and safe cosmetic compositions comprising melanin production inhibitors wherein the melanin production inhibitors have been extracted lichens cell cultures.

Abstract: Disclosed is a chemically stable tyrosinase activity inhibitor having high tyrosinase activity inhibition effect and low toxicity. The tyrosinase activity inhibitor has a structure of the formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1, R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 are a hydrogen atom or an alkyl or alkenyl group having 1 to 9 carbon atoms, and R.sub.2 is an alkyl or alkenyl group having 2 to 9 carbon atoms.