Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for monitoring reverse flow of fuel vapors and/or air through a vehicle fuel vapor recovery system, the fuel vapor recovery system coupled to an engine intake of a boosted internal combustion engine. One example method comprises, intermittently adjusting a restriction in the fuel vapor recovery system during boosted conditions, and indicating degradation based on one or more of a change in a pressure value, or based on a change in flow in the fuel vapor recovery system.

Abstract: A method for determining the state of a reducing agent in a reducing agent tank. The reducing agent is used for exhaust gas after-treatment of exhaust gas generated by an internal combustion engine. To inform the control unit of an internal combustion engine regarding the quality of the reducing agent in the reducing agent tank the method includes determining and recording the filling and extracting volumes of the reducing agent from the reducing agent tank by a fill level sensor, determining and recording the temperature of the reducing agent in the reducing agent tank by at least one temperature sensor over the entire service life of the exhaust gas after-treatment unit, determining and recording the distribution velocity of ultrasonic waves in the reducing agent by an ultrasonic transmitter and ultrasonic receiver, determining the state of a reducing agent from the parameters.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) device. The TPMS device includes: a pressure sensor recognizing an inner pressure of a tire; a pressure signal collecting processor collecting and processing a pressure signal of the pressure sensor; a motion sensor mounted in a vehicle body; and a motion signal collecting processor collecting and processing a motion signal from the motion sensor. Here, a position of the tire is determined by comparing a magnitude or a phase between the pressure signal and the motion signal.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a tire pressure monitoring system module including: a circuit board having electronic components and electrical elements mounted thereon to transceive electrical signals; a battery mounted on a lower portion of the circuit board to thereby form a double layer structure together with the circuit board; a valve antenna provided at a side portion of the circuit board; and a connection pin connecting the circuit board and the valve antenna to each other.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a first substrate has a pair of thermosensitive films, a heater film, and a passage protective film having corrosion resistance in a passage forming region on a first main surface, and has a metal sealing film having corrosion resistance in a region other than the passage forming region. A second substrate has a groove formed in the passage forming region on a second main surface and a side wall forming portion separating other regions other than the passage forming region from the groove and protruding beyond the other regions. A fixing member fixes the first substrate to the second substrate. The side wall forming portion of the second substrate is compression bonded so that the side wall forming portion is located on the metal sealing film on the first substrate.

Abstract: A container for holding a volume of fluid and having a housing defining an interior for retaining the volume of fluid; at least one in-tank tilt sensor connected to a controller and disposed inside the housing for generating a signal corresponding to a level of fluid inside the housing; and a support material attached to the housing and connected to the at least one in-tank tilt sensor to mechanically support the at least one in-tank tilt sensor such that the at least one in-tank tilt sensor is not in direct contact with the fluid inside the housing. The in-tank tilt sensor detects a change in fluid level which may only be caused by tilting of the imaging device. When tilting is registered, protective action is taken to prevent fluid from leaking.

Abstract: A container for holding a volume of fluid and having a housing defining an interior for retaining the volume of fluid; at least one in-tank tilt sensor connected to a controller and disposed inside the housing for generating a signal corresponding to a level of fluid inside the housing; and a support material attached to the housing and connected to the at least one in-tank tilt sensor to mechanically support the at least one in-tank tilt sensor such that the at least one in-tank tilt sensor is not in direct contact with the fluid inside the housing. The in-tank tilt sensor detects a change in fluid level which may only be caused by tilting of the imaging device. When tilting is registered, protective action is taken to prevent fluid from leaking.

Abstract: An electronic device includes a base body, a functional element that is placed on the base body, and a lid body, formed from silicon, that is placed over the base body so as to cover the functional element. A hole portion and a sealing member that closes the hole portion are disposed in the lid body, in the hole portion, the area of a second opening disposed on a side opposite to a first opening is larger than the area of the first opening disposed on the base body side, and the ratio of the volume of the sealing member to the volume of the hole portion is equal to or higher than 35% and is equal to or lower than 87%.

Abstract: A sensor element has drive vibrating arms drive-vibrating by energization, adjustment vibrating arms vibrating with the drive vibrations of the drive vibrating arms, detection electrodes outputting charge in response to physical quantities applied to the drive vibrating arms, first electrodes provided on the adjustment vibrating arms, electrically connected to the detection electrodes, and outputting charge with the vibrations of the adjustment vibrating arms, and a pair of second electrodes provided on the adjustment vibrating arms, electrically connected to a pair of detection electrodes, and outputting charge having an opposite polarity to that of the first electrodes with the vibrations of the adjustment vibrating arms.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an inertial sensor including: a sensor part including a driving body, a flexible substrate part displaceably supporting the driving body, a support part supporting the flexible substrate part so that the driving body is freely movable in a state in which it is floated, and a lower cap covering a lower portion of the driving body and coupled to the support part; an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) including the sensor part stacked thereon and coupled thereto; a printed circuit board including the ASIC stacked thereon and coupled thereto and electrically connected to the sensor part and the ASIC by a wire; and a cap covering the sensor part and the ASIC and coupled to the printed circuit board, wherein the cap includes an air discharging hole formed in order to discharge internal air to the outside.

Abstract: A capacitive accelerometer includes a substrate and a first semiconductor layer. The first semiconductor layer is disposed on the substrate and includes a first mass, first and second support bases, first and second elastic members, and first and second comb capacitor sets. The first and second support bases are disposed at positions corresponding to first and second axes respectively. The first elastic member is connected to the first mass and the first support base in a manner of bending back and forth perpendicular to the first axis. The second elastic member is connected to the first mass and the second support base in a manner of bending back and forth perpendicular to the second axis. The first and second comb capacitor sets are disposed at positions corresponding to the second and first axes respectively and connected to the first mass. The first axis is perpendicular to the second axis.

Abstract: A part (120) may be subjected to both a resonance inspection and a surface vibration inspection. Various protocols (230; 240; 250; 280; 260) are disclosed as to how the results of one or more of these inspections may be used to evaluate the part (120).

Abstract: A spherical bearing provides a passive apparatus that enables a contact sensor that needs to self-align to the surface of a test object. In some embodiments, the contact sensor is a transducer. This self-alignment apparatus may be used in a measurement system for aligning the face of a contact transducer to the surface of a material to be measured. The spherical bearing may be dry or may be lubricated with a liquid or with pressurized air to minimize the bearing friction and enable the transducer to self-align. The upper portion of the spherical bearing is preferably attached to a spring-loaded piston. The transducer is preferably attached to the lower portion of the spherical bearing. The spring-loaded piston holds the spherical bearing portions together and centers the floating lower bearing portion after each measurement operation. A cowling preferably retains the lower bearing portion between measurements.

Abstract: A wear cap including a flexible barrel and a rigid disc enables a high-frequency ultrasonic transducer to properly align to the surface of a material to be tested. The wear cap may be employed for any type of contact sensor that requires a protective wear cap and that needs to align to the surface of a material to be tested. An ultrasonic transducer assembly includes a wear cap and an ultrasonic transducer. The ultrasonic transducer is mounted in the wear cap and includes a transducer body with a cylindrical shape. A method of producing a wear cap for an ultrasonic transducer includes selecting a flexible material, forming a flexible barrel from the flexible material, selecting a rigid material, forming a rigid disc from the rigid material, and affixing the rigid disc to an end of the flexible barrel.

Abstract: A fault indicator for indicating the occurrence of a rapid pressure surge within a housing of an electrical device has: a barrel capable of being mounted in an aperture of the housing; an actuating mechanism having a chamber with at least one orifice communicating between interior and exterior surfaces of the chamber within the housing and an actuating member movable in response to a pressure differential between the interior and exterior surfaces of the chamber; a plunger within the bore of the barrel biased outwardly in the barrel and normally retained in an armed position by the actuating member; and a radial seal disposed between the plunger and the barrel. When the pressure differential exceeds a positive threshold value, the actuating member is moved and thereby permits the plunger to move outwardly into a triggered position. The radial seal may be a dual-lip seal.

Abstract: A process fluid pressure transmitter has a remote pressure sensor. The transmitter includes an electronics housing and a loop communicator disposed in the electronics housing and being configured to communicate in accordance with a process communication protocol. A controller is disposed within the electronics housing and is coupled to the loop communicator. Sensor measurement circuitry is disposed within the electronics housing and is coupled to the controller. A remote pressure sensor housing is configured to couple directly to a process and is spaced from the electronics housing. A pressure sensor is disposed within the remote pressure sensor housing. The pressure sensor forms at least one electrical component having an electrical characteristic that varies with process fluid pressure. Portions of the electrical component are coupled directly to a multiconductor cable that operably connects the pressure sensor to the sensor measurement circuitry.

Abstract: Provided is a measuring arrangement system operative for measuring a physical and/or chemical process variable of a process medium, which is held in a container, having a measuring device with a process connection and a sensor housing attached to it, such that the process connection comprises a measuring cell housing with a measuring cell, wherein a circumferential web, which divides the circumferential surface into a first and second circumferential section, is provided on the circumferential surface of the measuring cell housing; the process connection comprising a union nut with an inside thread and interior ring stop; and a tubular flange having first and second ends, having on its first end an outside thread, designed to correspond to the inside thread of the union nut, such that the circumferential web is designed so the measuring cell housing can be clamped between the flange and the union nut in two different directions.

Abstract: A device and method for indicating if a fastening element upon fastening to a piece has reached a tensile yield limit load. The fastening element includes a threaded shaft having a magnetostrictive material. The device includes a mechanism for generating an alternating magnetic field that penetrates the shaft, a mechanism for measuring a physical quantity that depends on the momentary magnetic susceptibility of the shaft and a control unit adapted to detect a significant change of the physical quantity and determine and indicate if the shaft of the fastening element has reached the tensile yield limit load.

Abstract: A novel RFID tag-bending test apparatus and a related method of using the novel RFID tag-bending test apparatus are disclosed. In one embodiment of the invention, the novel RFID tag-bending test apparatus can place a plurality of RFID tags in corresponding tag holding clips on the novel RFID tag-bending test apparatus to execute a bending test sequence along a particular bending axis for each RFID tag. The bending test sequence can assist identifying defective RFID tags which cannot overcome external bending pressures asserted by the novel RFID tag-bending test apparatus. By excluding these defective RFID tags from a commercial shipment of RFID tags to customers, a manufacturer of RFID tags may be able to reduce a rate of premature RFID tag failures due to external bending pressures in real-life applications of RFID tags, thereby achieving a higher quality assurance and reliability of RFID tags.

Abstract: A boiler steam amount measuring method for continuously measuring a temporal change in an amount of steam from a steam boiler, includes: first measuring a differential pressure between a pressure at a first detection position that is a predetermined position in a can body of the steam boiler or a steam outflow path, and a pressure at a second detection position in the steam outflow path separated from the first detection position toward a downstream side; first calculating a pressure loss coefficient based on the differential pressure measured by flowing a predetermined flow rate of steam or fluid instead of steam into the steam outflow path, and the predetermined flow rate; and second calculating continuously the amount of steam based on the differential pressure measured in the first measuring and the pressure loss coefficient calculated in the first calculating, and outputting the calculated amount of steam as a measurement value.

Abstract: Method for determining torque of an electric motor on a vehicle, a torque being generated by an electric motor rotor and being transmitted from a drivetrain to at least one drive wheel, including: measuring the rotor rotation angle, determining the torque generated by the rotor, the at least one drive wheel driven by the rotor being fixed, the stationary rotor not generating any torque and a first rotation angle of the stationary rotor being measured, subsequently a torque applied by the rotor to the drivetrain, so that the rotor performs rotational movement due to the drivetrain stiffness, and subsequently, in an equilibrium state between the torque generated by the rotor and a counter torque of the drivetrain, a second rotation angle of the rotor being measured, the torque generated by the rotor and/or the total stiffness of the drivetrain being ascertained from the measured values of the rotor rotation angles.

Abstract: The invention relates to a load cell, preferably for an aseptic platform scale, which is embodied rod-shaped and includes a force introduction element (1) and a force output element (2) and a force measuring element arranged axially therebetween. In that regard, the force measuring element comprises a bending beam (3), of which the internally located measuring spring parts (12) with the strain gages applied thereon are hermetically tightly enclosed by welded metal parts (4, 5, 6). In that regard, the force introduction element (1), the force measuring element (3) and the force output element (2) are embodied substantially rotationally symmetrically and rounded-off along a longitudinal axis (9), whereby the force measuring element comprises a flexurally stiff pipe sleeve (4) with the bending beam (3) arranged therein.

Abstract: A system for preparing a refrigerant sample for analysis including a pressure regulator assembly including a pressure regulator and provisions for heating a refrigerant sample contained within an interior region of the pressure regulator. The pressure regulator defines an inlet through which the refrigerant sample is delivered and an outlet through which the refrigerant sample is expelled. The system also includes a filter assembly having an inlet that is fluidly connected to the outlet of the pressure regulator to receive the vaporized refrigerant sample from the pressure regulator, at least one filter for removing contaminants from the refrigerant sample, and an outlet that is configured to be coupled to a refrigerant analysis system for analyzing a composition of the refrigerant sample.

Abstract: As an elegant solution for minimizing false positives returned by a sensor tuned to an analyte molecule, filters constructed of carbon nanotubes are positioned relative to the sensor to limit the sensor to being exposed to molecules within a defined range of sizes, with too-big molecules being excluded from reaching the sensor by one filter, and too-small molecules being pumped out through another, finer filter before the sensor is operated.

Abstract: A micro-fluidic device includes a filter case, a first capture array and a second capture array. The filter case includes an inlet for introducing a sample containing different kinds of targets, an outlet for discharging the sample and a channel extending between the inlet and the outlet. The first capture array is arranged in an upstream portion of the channel, the first capture array including a plurality of first forward funnels arranged along a direction orthogonal to a flow direction of the sample so as to capture the different kinds of targets. The second capture array is arranged in a downstream portion of the channel, the second capture array including a plurality of second forward funnels arranged along the direction orthogonal to the flow direction of the sample so as to capture the different kinds of targets.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for sample processing. A device may be provided, capable of receiving the sample, and performing one or more of a sample preparation, sample assay, and detection step. The device may be capable of performing multiple assays. The device may comprise one or more modules that may be capable of performing one or more of a sample preparation, sample assay, and detection step. The device may be capable of performing the steps using a small volume of sample.

Abstract: To enable appropriate wafer mapping in the case where a wafer is stored at the highest level, which is provided as a reserve, of a pod, a load port apparatus drives a mapping frame that supports a sensor by a first driving unit that drives the mapping frame in a first direction parallel to the direction along which wafers in the pod are arranged in an overlapping manner and a second driving unit that drives the mapping frame in a second direction that crosses the first direction in such a way as to form an acute angle in the side in which the sensor starts the mapping.

Abstract: A toothbrushing monitoring device for a user includes a sensor coupled with the toothbrush for measuring toothbrushing patterns, a recording device coupled with the sensor, and a comparator. The recording device records data relating to the user's preferred toothbrushing patterns in a first mode, which is used to establish toothbrushing pattern reference data. The comparator compares toothbrushing patterns measured by the sensor and the toothbrushing pattern reference data, which may be output to an output device. In one example, the sensor consists of only an accelerometer.

Abstract: A single sensing probe comprising multiple, spatially separate, sensing sites is utilized to sense neural activity. The sensing probe includes multiple conductors each with multiple sensing sites in a fixed geometric arrangement. The sensing probe is configured to comprise multiple combined sensing sites in polytrode configuration. By appropriately combining the wire groupings at each combined sensing site, activity sensed from a single wire with multiple sensing sites, can be coupled with other wires to unmix signals from the spatially separate sites and leverage the power of combinatorics to maximize total recording bandwidth and single neuron/unit yield per wire and per probe.

Abstract: The front bearing (110) of a heat engine starter having an output pinion starter drive (120) comprises, in the front, a transverse wall (111) having an opening (112), for passing a body (122) of the starter drive (120) there through, and a cavity (200) for mounting a sealing joint (240). The cavity is set up on the inner periphery of the rear surface (400) of the front bearing. The rear surface is configured so as to form a bearing abutment for the outer ring (231) of a rolling bearing (230) and moreover has at least one hollowed-out area (300) intended to be filled with grease so as to form a grease supply. The hollowed-out area is mostly set up outside the cavity. A heat engine starter having an output pinion is characterized in that it comprises one such front bearing.

Abstract: A rotary shaft positioning device is a simplified structure provided with rotating and positioning actions. The rotary shaft positioning device includes a housing defined with a tank chamber, a rotator disposed in the tank chamber of the housing, and a reactor. The housing is formed as a type of geometrical section. The rotator including a limiting portion is rotated while being accompanied by the rotation of the rotary shaft. The reactor is configured in between the tank chamber of the housing and the rotator to constantly press on the rotator, so that the reactor and the rotator form an interference status therebetween. The reactor and the rotator relatively form a frictional resistance to attain a positioning action when the rotary shaft is rotated, thereby reducing the complication of the positioning assembly device and improving the overlength of the assembling configuration of the positioning mechanism in conventional skills.

Abstract: A semiautomatic rotational/swinging device includes a relative pivoting member, a pivoting member pivotally connected with the relative pivoting member via a pivot pin, and multiple strip-like torsion elastic members each having two end sections connected with the relative pivoting member and the pivoting member respectively. The torsion elastic members are obliquely disposed between the relative pivoting member and the pivoting member around the pivot pin. When the pivoting member and the relative pivoting member are pivotally rotated relative to each other, the end sections of the torsion elastic members are gradually shifted from the original misaligned position to an aligned position. At this time, the torsion elastic members are compressed to store energy. After the end sections pass over the aligned position, the torsion elastic members stretch from the compressed state to push the pivoting member and the relative pivoting member to automatically pivotally rotate relative to each other.

Abstract: A lightweight and low cost gear housing for a steering gear unit is achieved. Together with forming an outward-facing flange shaped convex engagement section 43 around the middle section in the axial direction of a rack shaft 40, a gear housing is constructed that comprises a pinion-side housing 10, a non-pinion-side housing 20, and an intermediate cylindrical section 30. As a result, movement of the rack shaft 40 toward the pinion side and the non-pinion side is restricted by both ends of the pinion-side housing 10. Therefore, portions that require large strength can be limited to the pinion-side housing 10 that is short in the width direction of the vehicle, so by reducing the wall thickness of the intermediate cylindrical section 30, or by making the intermediate cylindrical section 30 using a flexible material, it is possible to make the member lightweight, as well as processing become easier, so it becomes possible to reduce the manufacturing cost.

Abstract: The roller screw mechanism is provided with a screw comprising an external thread, with a nut arranged around and coaxial with the said screw, the nut comprising an internal thread, and with a plurality of rollers interposed between the screw and the nut and comprising flanks interacting with the said threads. The value of the opening angle ? of the flanks of the external thread of the screw is greater than the value of the opening angle of the flanks of the rollers.

Abstract: A method for stepping a first member relative to a second member associated with a projectile. The method including: providing one of the first and second members with one of a plurality of pockets and more than three movable pins offset from each other with a first spacing; providing the other of the first and second members with the other of the plurality of pockets and more than three movable pins offset from each other with a second spacing, where the first spacing is different from the second spacing; and engaging at least one of the movable pins into a corresponding pocket to step one of the first and second members a predetermined linear and/or rotary displacement. Where the engaging includes selectively varying a step size between the first and second member.

Abstract: An exemplary gear transmission device includes a driving assembly including a driving shaft, a shaft coupling, a circular driving gear, a resilient mechanism and a driven gear engaging with the driving gear. The shaft coupling is fixed to the driving shaft and rotatable in unison with rotation of the driving shaft. The circular driving gear substantially surrounds and is operatively coupled to the shaft coupling and rotatable under urging of the shaft coupling. The resilient mechanism is held between the driving gear and the shaft coupling and is elastically deformable in circumferential directions of the shaft coupling. When the driving gear moves axially and collides with the driven gear without meshing with the driven gear, the driving gear rotates slightly relative to the shaft coupling thereby elastically deforming the resilient mechanism and the driving gear reaches a position where it can mesh with the driven gear.

Abstract: A hypoid gear set for a vehicle drivetrain includes a pinion gear in meshing engagement with a ring gear. The hypoid gear set has a negative pinion offset. The hypoid pinion and ring gears provide a predetermined gear ratio that can be varied up to a fifty percent faster ratio within a single carrier packaging envelope defined by a maximum ring gear diameter.

Abstract: A recirculating ball gear, in particular for a steering system of a motor vehicle, comprises a nut, which is mounted in a housing by way of a bearing, wherein at least one spring element is disposed on each end face of the bearing between the bearing and the housing. During operation, the recirculating ball gear is exposed to impact in the axial direction, whereby the gear may become damaged over time and annoying rattling noise may develop in the recirculating ball gear. The spring elements are thus operated in the progressive area of characteristic curve.

Abstract: A worm wheel gear for a BLDC motor transmits the operation of a shift gear of an armature unit in a BLDC motor. The worm wheel gear may include a worm wheel-threaded portion formed on the outer circumferential surface with one side of a thread groove recessed and open and the other side of the thread groove closed, a worm wheel central shaft formed at the center portion, and internal support members protruding from the worm wheel central shaft and connected to the inner circumferential surface of the worm wheel-threaded portion to support the worm wheel-threaded portion. Therefore, it is possible to improve efficiency of transmitting operation and reduce operational noise by increasing the contact surface between the worm wheel-threaded portion and the shift gear.

Abstract: A gear lubrication arrangement comprises a lubrication pump for circulating lubrication fluid. A power source coupled to the lubrication pump drives the lubrication pump, and a controller controls an output power of the lubrication pump. The gear lubrication arrangement comprises a pressure sensor disposed down-stream of the lubrication pump The pressure sensor is configured to measure a pressure of the lubrication fluid and to produce a pressure indication signal representative thereof. The controller is arranged to vary the output power of the lubrication pump at least partly on the basis of the pressure indication signal.

Abstract: A method for controlling lubrication of a gear unit, in which method temperature of a lubrication fluid circulating in a lubrication channelling of a gear unit is measured, wherein the temperature of lubrication fluid is measured in at least two locations of the gear unit, and larger proportion of the lubrication fluid is directed to the warmer of the at least two locations and correspondingly smaller proportion of the lubrication fluid is directed to the colder of the at least two locations. The invention relates also to such a gear unit.

Abstract: A method for controlling lubrication of a gear unit, where the lubrication method of the gear unit is changed between circulating lubrication and splash lubrication during operation of the gear unit, wherein the temperature of the lubrication fluid is measured, and the change between circulation lubrication and splash lubrication is based on the measured temperature of the lubrication fluid. The invention also relates to such a gear unit.

Abstract: An active user interface system includes a gimbal assembly that is configured as a dual-input/single-output differential mechanism. The differential mechanism implements a speed reduction from the inputs of the differential mechanism to the output of the differential mechanism. Speed reduction enables the maximum drive torque that is supplied to the user interface about one rotational axis to be greater than the maximum drive torque that is supplied to the user interface about another, perpendicular axis.

Abstract: A shifting device comprises a selector lever movable relative to a fixed part and selector lever lock for preventing the lever from being moved when in a locking position (P) in which a vehicle transmission is blocked. The lock comprises a slider coupled with lever configured to slide through the fixed part from the locking position (P) to an unlocking position (R, N, D) in which vehicle transmission is unblocked. The slider may comprise one or more stop such that the slider can only be displaced through the fixed part or otherwise allowed to be rotated about an axis for changing into any of the unlocking positions (R, N, D).

Abstract: A gear shift lever apparatus includes: a first support shaft pivotally supported on an upper housing; a gear shift lever swingably supported via the first support shaft; an engagement member provided to the gear shift lever; a second support shaft pivotally supported on a lower housing in parallel to the first support shaft with at least part of the second support shaft overlapping the first support shaft in an axial direction thereof; a selector lever swingably supported via the second support shaft; an engagement receiver formed in the selector lever and being engageable with the engagement member in a swing direction thereof; and a bypass unit configured to prevent the selector lever from interfering with the first support shaft upon swinging of the gear shift lever due to a manipulation of the gear shift lever through engagement between the engagement member and the engagement receiver.

Abstract: A pedal (2) for use with both feet wherein depression with one foot causes acceleration and depression by the other foot causes braking. The pedal pivots about a medial line of a user. A system to detect a change in the pivot direction of the pedal is also included, the system automatically switching between acceleration and braking in response to a detected change.

Abstract: Rotary actuators having a final output member rotatable about an axis of rotation; a motor unit designed to drive the final output member for rotation about the axis of rotation; and an elastic unit arranged between the motor unit and the final output member and having an input member torsionally coupled to the motor unit and an output member rigidly connected for rotation with the final output member are provided.

Abstract: Provided is a method of driving a joint device suitably used for a robot joint with improved back drivability. A first motor and a second motor are fixedly connected to a first link. An output shaft of the first motor is coupled to an internal gear of a differential speed reducer. An output shaft of the second motor is coupled to an external gear of the differential speed reducer. A second link is coupled to the internal gear of the differential speed reducer. When the first link and the second link are relatively stopped to keep a joint angle fixed, both of the first motor and the second motor are rotated with a rotational speed larger than zero, and the rotational speed of the first motor and that of the second motor are differentiated to stop the second link.

Abstract: The present invention comprises: a fixed four-node link in which four links are joined together in a hinged fashion, comprising a fixed link of which the position is fixed, a connecting rod positioned on the opposite side of the first link, an input-side transmission link connecting the end on one side of the connecting rod and the first link, and an output-side transmission link positioned on the opposite side of the input-side transmission link; an input link part to which an actuator is attached, and which is joined in hinged fashion between the two ends of the input-side transmission link; and an output link part which is fixedly joined to the output-side transmission link and is rotated by means of the output-side transmission link, and the one-degree-of-freedom link device according to the present invention and the robot arm using the same can be used to allow easy attachment and detachment between link devices and achieve smooth action in a robot arm in accordance with what is desired.

Abstract: A steering apparatus for a vehicle provided with a steering wheel includes a main housing, a movable column member, a fixing bracket fixing the main housing to the vehicle body, a link mechanism and a drive mechanism connected to the link mechanism, wherein the drive mechanism includes a motor, a threaded shaft rotated by the motor, and a nut member moving in an axial direction of the threaded shaft and threadedly engaged with the threaded shaft, the nut member includes a female threaded portion including two flat surface portions facing each other and parallel to the threaded shaft, the nut member includes a pivot shaft portion including a rotational axis orthogonal to an axis of the female threaded portion, the link mechanism includes a bearing portion rotatably supporting the pivot shaft portion, a spring member arranged between the bearing portion and at least one of the two flat surface portions.