Abstract: An air cleaner includes a first housing, a second housing, and a filter element. The first housing has an opening. The second housing has an opening that is opposed to the opening of the first housing. The filter element is arranged between the opening of the first housing and the opening of the second housing. At least one of the first housing and the second housing includes a corner portion, a sound reducing member, and an air chamber. The corner portion is constituted by at least two mutually intersecting inner surfaces of the housing. The sound reducing member includes a sound absorbing portion made of an air permeable material. The sound reducing member bridges the at least two inner surfaces and covers the corner portion. The air chamber is defined between the sound reducing member and the corner portion.

Abstract: A magnetic sensor includes a semiconductor element, a lead frame, a bonding wire, and a package. The lead frame includes a die pad to which the semiconductor element is attached and an external connection lead. The bonding wire connects the external connection lead with the semiconductor element. The package seals the semiconductor element, the die pad, the external connection pad, and the bonding wire. The package is made of epoxy-based resin. The lead frame further includes a projecting portion extending from the die pad, the projecting portion is exposed from the package at a position different from a position of the external connection lead, and a partial surface of the projecting portion which contacts with the package is made of material having a higher ionization tendency than an ionization tendency of silver.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing semiconductor devices is provided. The method includes bonding a semiconductor element to a first surface of a planar lead frame, clamping a partial area of the lead frame to hold the lead frame and the semiconductor element in molding dies, and covering at least a part of the lead frame and the semiconductor element with a resin member by resin molding which fills the molding dies with resin. A thin-walled portion having a relative small thickness is previously formed on a shortest virtual line connecting a clamp area of the lead frame to an area where the semiconductor element is bonded.

Abstract: An air cleaner for an internal combustion engine includes a first housing having an inlet and an upper opening, a second housing having an outlet and a lower opening, a filter element arranged between the upper opening of the first housing and the lower opening of the second housing. The first housing includes a sound reducing wall portion. The sound reducing wall portion has a sound absorbing layer, which is made of nonwoven fabric, and an inner covering layer, which is fixed to the inner surface of the sound absorbing layer and made of a material having a lower air permeability than that of the sound absorbing layer.

Abstract: An accelerator pedal is urged in an accelerator closing direction by a hysteresis spring and a return spring. A first increase rate is obtained by dividing an urging force of the hysteresis spring exerted in an accelerator-full-opening position of the accelerator pedal by the urging force of the hysteresis spring exerted in an accelerator-full-closing position of the accelerator pedal. A second increase rate is obtained by dividing an urging force of the return spring exerted in the accelerator-full-opening position of the accelerator pedal by the urging force of the return spring exerted in the accelerator-full-closing position of the accelerator pedal. The second increase rate is smaller than the first increase rate.

Abstract: An accelerator pedal is supported by a support member. A biasing member biases the accelerator pedal to the full close position. A resistance application unit increases a frictional force to increase a rotational resistance applied to the accelerator pedal, as a rotation angle of the accelerator pedal increases. A slidable portion is mounted to the support member and slidable on the accelerator pedal. A first latch portion and a second latch portion define an interspace therebetween in a rotational direction. The support member includes a rotation restrictive projection fitted between the first latch portion and the second latch portion.

Abstract: A pedal boss, to which an accelerator pedal is fixed, has a projection-receiving space, which circumferentially extends on a circumferential side of a closing-side end wall in an accelerator-opening direction and receives a projection. When the pedal boss is rotated in an accelerator-closing direction, the pedal boss is rotatable to an accelerator-full-closing position of the pedal boss without being stopped by the projection through engagement with the projection regardless of a rotational position of the projection.

Abstract: An accelerator pedal is supported by a support member. A biasing member biases the accelerator pedal to the full close position. A resistance application unit increases a frictional force to increase a rotational resistance applied to the accelerator pedal, as a rotation angle of the accelerator pedal increases. A slidable portion is mounted to the support member and slidable on the accelerator pedal. A first latch portion and a second latch portion define an interspace therebetween in a rotational direction. The support member includes a rotation restrictive projection fitted between the first latch portion and the second latch portion.

Abstract: A limiting portion of a support member, which rotatably supports an accelerator pedal, forms a gap between a contacting portion of the accelerator pedal and the limiting portion in a state where the accelerator pedal is rotated in a depressing direction. A cover member is provided to one of the support member and the accelerator pedal and covers the gap at any rotational position of the accelerator pedal within a rotatable range of the accelerator pedal.

Abstract: An accelerator pedal is urged in an accelerator closing direction by a hysteresis spring and a return spring. A first increase rate is obtained by dividing an urging force of the hysteresis spring exerted in an accelerator-full-opening position of the accelerator pedal by the urging force of the hysteresis spring exerted in an accelerator-full-closing position of the accelerator pedal. A second increase rate is obtained by dividing an urging force of the return spring exerted in the accelerator-full-opening position of the accelerator pedal by the urging force of the return spring exerted in the accelerator-full-closing position of the accelerator pedal. The second increase rate is smaller than the first increase rate.

Abstract: A spring damper for absorbing vibration of a double coil spring is made of elastic material and composed of a cylindrical body, outer-wall convex portions, and inner-wall convex portions. The spring damper is arranged in an annular space formed between an outer coil spring and an inner coil spring of the double coil spring, so that the outer-wall convex portions push the outer coil spring in a radial outward direction and the inner-wall convex portions push the inner coil spring in a radial inward direction. Longitudinal ends of the cylindrical body are prevented from being hooked by spring wires of the outer or inner coil spring, when the double coil spring is expanded and compressed.

Abstract: An accelerator pedal rotates a pedal rotor when depressed. Rotors located on both sides of the pedal rotor are relatively rotatable to the pedal rotor. Second helical teeth of the rotors project toward the pedal rotor and engage with first helical teeth of the pedal rotor to bias the rotors when the pedal rotor rotates in the accelerator opening direction. The pedal rotor is rotatable to an accelerator full-close position without interfering with the first helical teeth when the pedal rotor rotates in an accelerator closing direction. A first biasing unit biases the rotors in the accelerator closing direction. A second biasing unit biases the accelerator pedal or the pedal rotor in the accelerator closing direction.

Abstract: An accelerator pedal rotates a pedal rotor when depressed. Rotors located on both sides of the pedal rotor are relatively rotatable to the pedal rotor. Second helical teeth of the rotors project toward the pedal rotor and engage with first helical teeth of the pedal rotor to bias the rotors when the pedal rotor rotates in the accelerator opening direction. The pedal rotor is rotatable to an accelerator full-close position without interfering with the first helical teeth when the pedal rotor rotates in an accelerator closing direction. A first biasing unit biases the rotors in the accelerator closing direction. A second biasing unit biases the accelerator pedal or the pedal rotor in the accelerator closing direction.

Abstract: A limiting portion of a support member, which rotatably supports an accelerator pedal, forms a gap between a contacting portion of the accelerator pedal and the limiting portion in a state where the accelerator pedal is rotated in a depressing direction. A cover member is provided to one of the support member and the accelerator pedal and covers the gap at any rotational position of the accelerator pedal within a rotatable range of the accelerator pedal.

Abstract: A rotation angle detecting unit includes a pedal arm rotated by the pedal force transmitted from an accelerator pedal, an urging device urging the pedal arm in an opposite direction from a direction, in which pedal force is applied to the pedal arm, a pedal rotor engaging the pedal arm to transmit urging force of the urging device to the pedal arm, and a rotation angle detecting device detecting the rotation angle of the accelerator pedal. The rotation angle detecting device includes a movable part attached to the pedal rotor and thereby displaced together with the pedal rotor, and a stator that outputs an electric signal, which is associated with a rotational position of the pedal rotor due to one of magnetic and electric interactions with the movable part.

Abstract: A spring damper for absorbing vibration of a double coil spring is made of elastic material and composed of a cylindrical body, outer-wall convex portions, and inner-wall convex portions. The spring damper is arranged in an annular space formed between an outer coil spring and an inner coil spring of the double coil spring, so that the outer-wall convex portions push the outer coil spring in a radial outward direction and the inner-wall convex portions push the inner coil spring in a radial inward direction. Longitudinal ends of the cylindrical body are prevented from being hooked by spring wires of the outer or inner coil spring, when the double coil spring is expanded and compressed.

Abstract: A rotation angle detecting unit includes a pedal arm rotated by the pedal force transmitted from an accelerator pedal, an urging device urging the pedal arm in an opposite direction from a direction, in which pedal force is applied to the pedal arm, a pedal rotor engaging the pedal arm to transmit urging force of the urging device to the pedal arm, and a rotation angle detecting device detecting the rotation angle of the accelerator pedal. The rotation angle detecting device includes a movable part attached to the pedal rotor and thereby displaced together with the pedal rotor, and a stator that outputs an electric signal, which is associated with a rotational position of the pedal rotor due to one of magnetic and electric interactions with the movable part.

Abstract: A shut off valve is provided in an intake line farther upstream than a throttle valve of the intake passage and farther downstream than an air cleaner. This shut off valve is opened by a signal or the like from an ECU when an engine is operating. Further, the shut off valve closes when the engine is stopped so as to suppress evaporative fuel inside the intake passage from flowing outside through the air cleaner. The evaporative fuel trapped inside the intake passage passes through a bypass passage that provides communication between the intake passage and the canister, and is then adsorbed with an adsorbent in the canister. A blow-by passage is also connected to the intake passage that is closed off by the shut off valve. Because the blow-by passage is closed off by a blow-by valve, which is closed during normal operation when the engine is stopped, sticking of the shut off valve and the throttle valve and the like due to the inflow of blow-by gas into the intake passage is inhibited.

Abstract: A throttle valve is opened after stopping an engine to prevent the valve from sticking. Then, when a temperature of the valve has become lower than the polymerization temperature, the valve is closed to seal the vapor of the HCs in a surge tank downstream. Changes in the temperature of the valve are, for example, estimated based on a temperature of an intake air detected by an intake temperature sensor.

Abstract: An absorbent, such as, for example, an active carbon, is provided in an intake air passage, for example, in an air cleaner, to efficiently adsorb fuel vapor. To ensure that fuel vapor adsorbed into the intake air passage can be efficiently desorbed even when there is only a small amount of the intake air, an intake throttle valve is provided upstream of the adsorbent and an opening of the intake throttle valve is throttled so as to decompress an area near the adsorbent. Desorption of fuel vapor also can be efficiently promoted by using a heater to directly heat the adsorbent in the intake air passage or by heating the intake air to indirectly heat the adsorbent.