| AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA Patent applications |
| Patent application number | Title | Published |
| 20130123056 | VEHICLE DOOR DRIVING DEVICE - A driving mechanism is arranged such that at least a part is contained within a space corresponding to the external shape of a driving motor, that is, within a space corresponding to a distance in the radial direction of the driving motor. The driving mechanism comprises a pinion, a transmission gear, a ring gear that forms a fixed axis, and a carrier. The pinion is connected to a rotary shaft of the driving motor. The transmission gear has a disk gear portion that meshes with the pinion, and a sun gear portion that is located on the same side as the pinion with respect to the disk gear portion. The carrier has a planet gear and rotates with a drum. | 05-16-2013 |
| 20130120578 | DRIVE ASSIST DEVICE - A drive assist device includes: a overhead image generating unit that generates a vehicle periphery overhead image; a forward trajectory setting unit that sets a forward trajectory serving as an expected trajectory in the travel direction of the vehicle occurring when the turning based on a calculated steering angle; a reverse trajectory setting unit that sets a reverse trajectory serving as an expected trajectory in the travel direction of the vehicle or in the opposite direction as the travel direction of the vehicle occurring when turning based on a steering angle in the opposite direction as the calculated steering angle; and a image synthesizing unit that generates a drive assist overhead image for display in a monitor by synthesizing the forward trajectory and the reverse trajectory with the vehicle periphery overhead image. | 05-16-2013 |
| 20130120161 | PARKING ASSISTANCE DEVICE - A parking assistance device generates a display overhead image with which a region to which attention is to be paid at the time of running to park is clearly displayed on a monitor. An overhead image generating portion that generates an overhead image as a display image of surroundings of a vehicle that is displayed on a monitor | 05-16-2013 |
| 20130120057 | DEVICE FOR ELECTROMAGNETIC NOISE REDUCTION IN A HYBRID AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLE, ASSEMBLY AND ELECTROMAGNETIC NOISE REDUCTION PROCESS IN A HYBRID AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLE - Device for electromagnetic noise reduction in a hybrid automotive vehicle ( | 05-16-2013 |
| 20130118428 | VALVE OPENING AND CLOSING CONTROL APPARATUS - A valve opening and closing time control apparatus includes;
| 05-16-2013 |
| 20130113263 | SEAT ADJUSTMENT APPARATUS FOR VEHICLE - A seat adjustment apparatus for a vehicle includes a first bracket, a second bracket defining an accommodating void with the first bracket, a pawl, and a pawl reverse spring, The pawl includes a ratchet portion, a pawl side reverse wall portion, and a pawl side return wall portion, the ratchet portion allowing a relative rotation of the first and second brackets in a first direction and prohibiting a relative rotation of the first and second brackets in a second direction in a case where the pawl is biased to rotate in a normal direction, the pawl side reverse wall portion allowing the relative rotation in the second direction so that the pawl is reversed by being biased to rotate in a reverse direction, the pawl side return wall portion bringing the pawl to be returned by being biased to rotate in the normal direction. | 05-09-2013 |
| 20130113224 | BUMPER REINFORCEMENT - A bumper reinforcement includes end portions and an intermediate portion, wherein the bumper reinforcement is made of a light alloy extruded material including a hollow cross-section and is configured to be arranged at a vehicle, the bumper reinforcement is configured to be assembled on and supported by a supporting member at each of the end portions bent toward a vehicle body side, the hollow cross-section includes a closed cross-section at the intermediate portion and includes an open cross-section provided with an opening at each of the end portions, each of the end portions is formed in a manner that a thickness of the hollow cross-section thereof in a vehicle front-rear direction is gradually reduced toward an end, and each of the openings is configured to be at least partially closed with a connecting portion of the supporting member and is restricted from being expanded. | 05-09-2013 |
| 20130112523 | ELECTROMAGNETIC CLUTCH - An electromagnetic clutch includes a wrap spring being wound around to be in a pressure bonding state relative to an outer peripheral surface of a tubular portion of a driving-side rotation member. A first end of the wrap spring connects to a driving arm of a driving member, which connects to a driven-side rotation member. A second end of the wrap spring connects to a rim portion of an operating member formed in a disc form. The operating member is rotatable relative to the driven-side rotation member about the rotation axis as the center and movable along the rotation axis. After a rotation of the operating member is restrained, the driving member is restrained from rotation, which operates the wrap spring to twist and cancels the pressure boding state of the wrap spring relative to the driving-side rotation member, which in turn provides a power cutoff state. | 05-09-2013 |
| 20130112161 | VALVE TIMING CONTROL APPARATUS AND VALVE TIMING CONTROL MECHANISM - A valve timing control apparatus includes a partitioning portion in a driven-side rotary member for partitioning the fluid pressure chamber into an advance angle chamber and a retard angle chamber, a restricting member in the driven-side rotary member and projectable and retractable relative to a driving-side rotary member, a restricting recess in the driving-side rotary member and restricting a relative rotational phase to a predetermined range in association with projection of the restricting member therein, a locking member disposed in the driven-side rotary member and projectable and retractable relative to the driving-side rotary member, a locking recess formed in the driving-side rotary member and locking the relative rotational phase to the predetermined phase in association with projection of the locking member therein, a communication passage formed between the restricting member and the locking member, and an urging passage for feeding fluid for projecting the restricting member into the restricting recess. | 05-09-2013 |
| 20130111932 | BATTERY WARM-UP APPARATUS AND METHOD THEREOF - A the battery warm-up apparatus includes an electric motor, a battery, an electric generator for charging the battery, an engine for driving the electric generator, a refrigeration circuit arranged to pass through inside the engine in a manner that a temperature medium flows through an inside thereof, a heat exchanger, a battery-heating channel branched from the refrigeration circuit, arranged to pass through the battery and connected to the refrigeration circuit again, a first switching valve arranged at a first portion of the refrigeration circuit, the battery-heating channel being branched from the refrigeration circuit at the first portion, the first switching valve connecting and disconnecting the battery-heating channel relative to the refrigeration circuit, a battery temperature sensor, and a controller for operating the first switching valve on the basis of temperature of the battery and for allowing the temperature medium to flow through the battery-heating channel. | 05-09-2013 |
| 20130101225 | EYELID DETECTION DEVICE AND PROGRAM - An eyelid detection device that, based on first order differential values and second order differential values of vertical density change at an eyelid boundary in an eye image, shifts the second order differential values upwards by ¼ of the cycle of density change frequency of an eyelid boundary and combines the first order differential values and the second order differential values to compute upper eyelid feature amounts. The eyelid detection device detects a boundary between an upper eyelid and eyeball based on peak points in the vertical direction of the computed upper eyelid feature amounts. Consequently, the boundary between an eyelid and eyeball can be accurately detected even when the eyelid has been applied with makeup. | 04-25-2013 |
| 20130101211 | TARGET LOCATION DETERMINATION DEVICE - Provided is a target location determination device that is able to accurately recognize a color pattern as well as reducing the calculation load, even when using a color camera and a color target. The target location determination device is provided with a grayscaling profile storage portion that stores a grayscaling profile according to which the luminance difference between a first monochrome color converted from a first color and a second monochrome color converted from a second color of a target is greater than the luminance difference between the first color and the second color, and a grayscaling portion that converts color image data into grayscale image data using the grayscaling profile. | 04-25-2013 |
| 20130099522 | SUNSHADE STOPPER - A sunshade stopper is provided at a housing connecting a pair of guide rails that slidably supports a sunshade on a ceiling of a vehicle interior. The sunshade stopper includes a corresponding portion arranged at a position corresponding to an end portion of the sunshade during the sunshade is at the closed position, at least one contact portion provided on the corresponding portion that makes contact with at least a portion of the end portion of the sunshade during the sunshade is at the closed position, the contact portion formed with a form fitting the end portion of the sunshade that makes contact with the contact portion, and an attaching portion configured to be fixed to a vehicle, provided at a position in a direction opposite to where the ceiling is provided relative to the corresponding portion and extending in a direction in which the sunshade opens. | 04-25-2013 |
| 20130099514 | VEHICLE BUMPER APPARATUS AND CRUSH BOX THEREOF - A vehicle bumper apparatus includes a bumper reinforcement member formed to have a hollow cross section and including a vehicle interior portion formed to have an open cross section including an opening, and a crush box supporting the bumper reinforcement member to mount the bumper reinforcement member to a side member of a vehicle body, the crush box including a connecting portion arranged at a vehicle exterior portion, the connecting portion closing the opening of the bumper reinforcement member to restrict the opening from being expanded, and a retaining portion protruding from the connecting portion toward an exterior side of a vehicle to retain the bumper reinforcement member. | 04-25-2013 |
| 20130099456 | SUSPENSION CONTROL APPARATUS FOR A VEHICLE - A first communication passage is coupled to a left wheel cylinder pressure chamber at an upper vehicle side and a right wheel cylinder pressure chamber at a lower vehicle side to be communicated with each other, and a second communication passage is coupled to a left wheel cylinder pressure chamber at the lower vehicle side and a right wheel cylinder pressure chamber at the upper vehicle side to be communicated with each other. Between the first and second communication passages is a valve mechanism so that the first and second communication passages are normally communicated with each other, and fluid flow from one of the first communication passage and the second communication passage to the other is blocked, when a pressure difference, caused when fluid moves from one of the first communication passage and the second communication passage to the other, becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined value. | 04-25-2013 |
| 20130098194 | Steering Apparatus for a Vehicle - A lift-up mechanism is provided with a link member with one end thereof being supported rotatably on a movable bracket for holding a movable columnar member, and the other one end thereof being disposed to be engaged with and removed from a fixing bracket. The link member selectively provides a hold state for engaging the link member with the fixing bracket at a rear part of the vehicle body to hold the movable bracket at an initial position or a lift-up position, and a release state for releasing its engagement. A spring member is disposed between the fixing bracket and the movable bracket, with component forces of its biasing force biasing the movable bracket in a direction to be lifted up from the fixing bracket, and biasing the link member in a direction to be engaged with the fixing bracket. | 04-25-2013 |
| 20130098193 | STEERING APPARATUS FOR VEHICLE - A steering apparatus for a vehicle, includes: a steering column; a single electric motor being selectively connected to a telescopic mechanism or a tilt mechanism; a steering wheel; a drive mechanism transmitting an output torque of the electric motor to a telescopic threaded shaft and a tilt threaded shaft; and a connecting-disconnecting mechanism having a first clutch mechanism connecting and disconnecting the drive mechanism to and from the tilt threaded shaft and a second clutch mechanism connecting and disconnecting the drive mechanism to and from the telescopic threaded shaft, the connecting-disconnecting mechanism bringing one of the first clutch mechanism and the second clutch mechanism in a connected state to the drive mechanism and bringing the other of the first clutch mechanism and the second clutch mechanism in a disconnected state from the drive mechanism, wherein the drive mechanism and the connecting-disconnecting mechanism constitute a single power connecting-disconnecting unit. | 04-25-2013 |
| 20130097962 | MOULDING FOR VEHICLE AND METHOD FOR ATTACHING MOULDING END CAP - A moulding for a vehicle includes a moulding body made of resin formed in an elongated form and a moulding end cap made of a resin material different from the resin the moulding body is made of. The moulding end cap is provided with a cap portion that covers an end surface in the longitudinal direction of the moulding body by arranging the cap portion in contact with the end surface in the longitudinal direction of the moulding body and a cap retaining portion that connects to the cap portion and extends therefrom such that the cap retaining portion faces an inner surface of the moulding body along the longitudinal direction of the moulding body. The cap retaining portion is provided with an embedded portion embedded in the moulding body from the direction of the inner surface of the moulding body, embedded by ultrasonic welding. | 04-25-2013 |
| 20130095740 | GRILLE SHUTTER APPARATUS - A grille shutter apparatus configured to be arranged at a grille opening portion of a front portion of a vehicle body, includes a movable fin for controlling a flow rate of air flowing from the grille opening portion into an inside of the vehicle body by performing an opening/closing operation, wherein the movable fin is configured to form an intake passage extending in a direction intersecting with an inflow direction of the air flowing from the grille opening portion in a case where the movable fin is in a fully-closed state. | 04-18-2013 |
| 20130093851 | IMAGE GENERATOR - An image generator is provided which generates a monitor display image that facilitates easy recognition of a three-dimensional object in an overhead view image. An image generator includes: an overhead view image generation section for generating an overhead view image by performing a projective transformation, with a virtual viewpoint above a vehicle, of an image captured by an on-board camera for capturing an image of a surrounding region of the vehicle; a three-dimensional object detection section for recognizing a three-dimensional object present in the surrounding region and outputting three-dimensional object attribute information showing an attribute of the three-dimensional object; and an image composition section for generating a monitor display image for vehicle driving assistance by performing image composition of a grounding plane mark showing a grounding location of the three-dimensional object with a portion at the grounding location in the overhead view image, based on the three-dimensional object attribute information. | 04-18-2013 |
| 20130092860 | FLUID CONTROL VALVE - A fluid control valve includes: a valve housing having an inlet port and an outlet port; a drive source mounted on the valve housing; a valve shaft configured to be moved by the drive source; and a valve member mounted so as to extend radially with respect to an axial center of the valve shaft, wherein the valve member includes: a valve frame having a cylindrical portion configured to allow insertion of the valve shaft, and a seal member mounted on the extending portion and configured to be capable of coming into abutment with the valve seat, a portion of the valve shaft housed in the mounting portion is formed with a through hole in the direction orthogonal to the axial center, and a rotatable spherical body is arranged in the through hole, and the mounting portion is fixed to the spherical body by caulking. | 04-18-2013 |
| 20130092463 | GRILLE SHUTTER APPARATUS - A grille shutter apparatus arranged at a grille opening portion at a frontal portion of a vehicle body includes a frame shaping a flow path of air flowing into the vehicle body from the grille opening portion, a movable fin rotationally supported by the frame and configured to control a flow amount of the air by providing an opening movement and a closing movement, the movable fin including a fin portion and rotary shafts rotationally supported by the frame, the rotary shafts including exposure portions configured to be arranged on the flow path of the air, at least one first shielding wall extending radially outward of the rotary shaft and provided at the exposure portion and a second shielding wall arranged at an upstream side of the air that flows in relative to the exposure portion extending in a direction intersecting a direction of the air that flows in. | 04-18-2013 |
| 20130088181 | CONTROL DEVICE AND CONTROL METHOD OF ALTERNATING CURRENT MOTOR - A control device of an alternating current motor includes a voltage phase setting portion, an offset detecting portion, a switching controlling portion obtaining a timing at which a voltage waveform is switched between a pulse width modulation waveform and a square waveform per half cycle of an electric angle, and a waveform switching portion switching the voltage waveform to the pulse width modulation waveform on a positive side and the square waveform on a negative side in a case where the offset value is a positive value, switching the voltage waveform to the pulse width modulation waveform on the negative side and the square waveform on the positive side in a case where the offset value is a negative value, and switching the voltage waveform to the square waveform on the positive side and the square waveform on the negative side in a case where the offset value is zero. | 04-11-2013 |
| 20130084235 | CARBON NANOTUBE DEVICE, PROCESS FOR PRODUCTION OF CARBON NANOTUBE, AND DEVICE FOR PRODUCTION OF CARBON NANOTUBE - A new carbon nanotube device is provided. The carbon nanotube device has first carbon nanotubes and second carbon nanotubes that are different from each other in property. The carbon nanotube device includes: an object having a first carbon nanotube forming surface and a second carbon nanotube forming surface; first carbon nanotubes formed on the first carbon nanotube forming surface; and second carbon nanotubes formed on the second carbon nanotube forming surface, the second carbon nanotubes being different from the first carbon nanotubes in property. | 04-04-2013 |
| 20130081512 | TORQUE FLUCTUATION ABSORBER - A torque fluctuation absorber includes a center plate rotatably arranged, a side plate arranged coaxially with and rotatably relative to the center plate, an elastic member accommodated in a space surrounded by the side plate and absorbing torque fluctuations generated between the side plate and the center plate, a cover member separating the space and an outside space from each other by covering a clearance between the center plate and the side plate, and a vent portion arranged inwardly in a radial direction of the side plate relative to the cover member and providing a ventilation between the space and the outside space. | 04-04-2013 |
| 20130081511 | TORQUE FLUCTUATION ABSORBER - A torque fluctuation absorber includes a drive plate configured to rotate integrally with a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine, a center plate, a side plate, an elastic member for absorbing torque fluctuations, and a block member configured to be engaged with the drive plate and attached to the side plate, wherein the side plate includes plural accommodation portions accommodating the elastic member, and at least one of a recessed portion and a first window portion which are provided at a position corresponding to a position of the block member, and the block member is attached to a portion of the side plate between adjacent accommodation portions in a circumferential direction of the side plate. | 04-04-2013 |
| 20130079967 | CONTROL DEVICE FOR HYBRID VEHICLE - A control device for a hybrid vehicle includes a portion determining whether an engine torque is necessary, a portion controlling a motor to make a motor torque be a target torque, an engine rotation speed control portion controlling an engine output shaft to rotate at a target engine rotation speed for sudden start/reacceleration while the clutch being disengaged after starting the engine and before an actual rotation speed of the engine output shaft exceeds a reference target engine rotation speed in a case where the engine torque is necessary, a control portion engaging the clutch after the actual rotation speed exceeds the reference target engine rotation speed, and a portion controlling the engine so that the engine torque is assumed to be a target torque by canceling the control by the engine rotation speed control portion after the actual rotation speed exceeds the reference target engine rotation speed. | 03-28-2013 |
| 20130079966 | CONTROL APPARATUS OF HYBRID VEHICLE - A control apparatus of a hybrid vehicle includes an automatic transmission, a clutch, a motor, a battery, a driving assist control device performing a driving assist control by driving the motor to generate an assist torque, a gear shift assist control device performing a gear shift assist control by driving the motor in response to a decrease of the engine torque caused by the disengagement state of the clutch, an SOC value detection device detecting an SOC value, and a first mode switch device switching an operation mode of the hybrid vehicle from a normal mode in which the driving assist control and the gear shift assist control are performed to a battery power preserving mode in which the driving assist control is prohibited and the gear shift assist control is permitted in a case where the SOC value is equal to or smaller than a first predetermined value. | 03-28-2013 |
| 20130079192 | GEAR SHIFT CONTROL DEVICE FOR HYBRID VEHICLE DRIVE SYSTEM - A gear shift control device for controlling a hybrid vehicle drive system including an engine, an automated transmission, a clutch, and a motor generator, includes a torque indication device for indicating a driver request torque determined in accordance with an operation amount of an accelerator operated by a driver, a power generation interruption device changing a vehicle state to an engine driven state using all of the engine torque when a preliminary gear shift condition is satisfied in a state where the engine drives a driving wheel and the motor generator is actuated to generate an electric power, and a gear shift control device reducing the engine torque and generating an assist torque by actuating the motor generator, disconnecting the clutch, and returning the clutch to a connected state after changing gear sets of the gear train when a gear shift condition of the automated transmission is satisfied. | 03-28-2013 |
| 20130079189 | LOAD-SENSITIVE GEAR SHIFTING APPARATUS - A gear shifting apparatus that automatically performs gear shifting in response to a load is constituted by a small number of components. The gear shifting apparatus includes an output shaft coupled to a carrier of a planetary gear shifting mechanism, an operating ring that rotates relative to a ring gear of the planetary gear shifting mechanism, and a coil spring that biases the ring gear and the operating ring so as to maintain their relative rotational orientations in neutral orientations. The apparatus further includes an operating member that couples the ring gear and the carrier to each other when the relative rotational orientations of the ring gear and the operating ring are the neutral orientations, and fixes the ring gear and allows rotation of the carrier when the relative rotational orientations come off the neutral orientations. | 03-28-2013 |
| 20130076198 | ROTOR FOR ELECTRIC ROTATING MACHINE AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME - A rotor for an electric rotating machine includes a core body member formed with laminated core plates and a pair of end plates sandwiching opposing ends of the core body member. An output member is connected to an inner peripheral portion of one of the end plates with a connecting member. A first through-hole for allowing an insertion of the connecting member is press formed from the direction opposite to the direction outer and inner peripheral portions of the one of the end plates are press formed. Shear-droops formed at the outer and the inner peripheral portions of the one of the end plates during the press forming are arranged on the surface opposite to the surface thrusting the core body member. A shear-droop formed at the first through-hole during the press forming is arranged on the surface of the one of the end plates thrusting the core body member. | 03-28-2013 |
| 20130076197 | ROTOR FOR ELECTRIC ROTATING MACHINE AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME - A rotor for an electric rotating machine includes a core body member formed, first and second end plates provided at respective side faces of the core body member, and a fixing member inserted into through holes provided at the core body member and the end plates. The end plates include positioning portions at an outer or inner circumferential surface, wherein when the fixing member is engaged with the end plates, the positioning portion is engageable with positioning receive portions corresponding to the positioning portions and positioning at radially outer or inner portion of the end plate. When one of the end plates is placed facing the side face of the core body member in a reversed state, the end plate and the core body member are not assembled each other by positional relationship between the positioning portions, the positioning receive portions and the through holes. | 03-28-2013 |
| 20130076065 | ROOF APPARATUS FOR VEHICLE - A roof apparatus for a vehicle includes first and second projecting members each mounted on a roof of the vehicle and each including an elongated shape. The first and second projecting members are arranged at first and second end portions of the vehicle in a width direction of the vehicle. A height of each of the first and second projecting members is equal to or greater than a height of an upper end of a boundary layer of an airflow flowing on the roof. | 03-28-2013 |
| 20130076052 | CRUSH BOX AND VEHICLE BUMPER APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME - A crush box arranged between a side member of a vehicle body and a bumper reinforcement member, the crush box including: a main body portion arranged in a longitudinal direction of a vehicle and formed in a tubular shape, the main body portion having first and second portions; a vehicle body attaching portion arranged at a first end of the main body portion; and a bumper attaching portion arranged at a second end of the main body portion, wherein vertical cross-sections of both the first portion adjacent to the vehicle body attaching portion and the second portion adjacent to the bumper attaching portion are polygonal shapes, and the number of vertices of the polygonal shape of the vertical cross-section of the second portion is greater than the number of vertices of the polygonal shape of the vertical cross-section of the first portion. | 03-28-2013 |
| 20130075190 | STEERING APPARATUS FOR VEHICLE - 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 a vehicle body, a link mechanism, and a drive mechanism connected to the link mechanism, wherein the drive mechanism includes a motor, a threaded shaft, and a nut member moving in an axial direction of the threaded shaft, the nut member includes a female threaded portion threadedly engaged with the threaded shaft and a pivot shaft portion including a rotational axis orthogonal to an axis of the female threaded portion and including two flat surface portions being parallel to the rotational axis and facing each other while leaving a predetermined distance therebetween, and the link mechanism includes a bearing portion including a bearing hole and a cut-out portion including two flat surfaces configured to be parallel to the two flat surface portions. | 03-28-2013 |
| 20130075172 | GRILLE SHUTTER DEVICE - A grille shutter device adapted to be arranged at a front portion of a vehicle body, the grille shutter device including a main air inlet taking air to flow the air to a specific heat exchanger arranged in the vehicle body, a shutter mechanism arranged at the main air inlet, the shutter mechanism opening and closing to control a flow rate of the air flowing from the main air inlet to the specific heat exchanger, and a bypass air inlet allowing the air to bypass the shutter mechanism to guide the air to the specific heat exchanger. | 03-28-2013 |
| 20130074640 | STEERING APPARATUS FOR VEHICLE - A steering apparatus for a vehicle includes a main housing formed in a box form provided with a pair of side walls extending in an axial direction of the main housing with an opening between the pair of side walls, and provided with opening portions at opposing ends in the axial direction. The steering apparatus also includes a movable column member formed in a tubular form accommodated in the main housing through one of the opening portions at the opposing ends of the main housing in the axial direction. The steering apparatus further includes a resilient member, which is a plate spring, formed in one piece configured to fix to the main housing at the pair of fixing portions in a state where the pair of thrust portions, via thrust members, are thrusting the movable column member. | 03-28-2013 |
| 20130074639 | STEERING APPARATUS FOR VEHICLE - A steering apparatus for a vehicle includes a main housing including first and second side walls extending in an axial direction with an opening formed between the first and second side walls, the main housing including opening portions at opposing ends in the axial direction, a movable column member formed by a tubular member and supported to the main housing, the movable column member accommodated into the main housing through one of the opening portions and connected to a steering wheel, a bearing member mounted at an inner wall of the main housing through the opening formed between the first and second side walls, and a biasing member fixed to respective end surfaces of the first and second side walls. The movable column member is supported to the main housing in a state where the biasing member biases the movable column member to the main housing via the bearing member. | 03-28-2013 |
| 20130074638 | STEERING APPARATUS FOR VEHICLE - 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. | 03-28-2013 |
| 20130072767 | LIVING ORGANISM INFORMATION DETECTION SYSTEM - For providing a living organism information detection system that is capable of extracting, with high precision and inexpensive structure, living organism information including a heartbeat signal, the living organism information system is configured to include a vibration detection unit acquiring simultaneously vibrations of multiple pieces of living organism information, an amplification unit having a first filter and a second filter with a longer time constant than the first filter, the first and second filters being inputted with vibrations of two pieces of living organism information, the amplification unit amplifying the acquired vibration signal so as to be in inverse proportion to the output signal of the first filter or the output signal of the second filter, whichever is smaller, and a discrimination unit discriminating between the two pieces of living organism information by comparing the amplitude of the amplified vibration signal and a threshold. | 03-21-2013 |
| 20130071247 | IMPELLER AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING SAME - An impeller integrally includes a substrate and multiple impeller blades provided upright along a curved shape and circumferentially spaced apart on one face of the substrate. The impeller blades expand in diameter and each include an inner circumferential-side blade portion on the inner circumferential side of the substrate and extending in the rotary shaft core direction and have a tip side that is bent, and an outer circumferential-side blade portion on the outer circumferential side of the substrate and extending in the rotary shaft core direction. In the direction along the rotary shaft core, the length of the inner circumferential-side blade portion from the substrate side to the tip side is longer than the length of the outer circumferential-side blade portion from the substrate side to the tip side, and the blade thickness of the inner circumferential-side blade portion gradually decreases from the substrate side toward the tip side. | 03-21-2013 |
| 20130064648 | WATER PUMP - A water pump includes a mechanical seal provided between a housing and a rotary shaft for preventing cooling water from leaking from a whirl chamber. The housing forms a space into which cooling water leaked from between the mechanical seal and the rotary shaft is flown and a water vent for discharging cooling water flown into the space. The housing is joined with a thermostat cover to form a reservoir communicating with the water vent. The reservoir has a drain for releasing evaporated cooling water to the air and a control wall for preventing cooling water remaining as liquid from flowing out through the drain. | 03-14-2013 |
| 20130063601 | DRIVE ASSIST DEVICE - A drive assist device allows a driver to favorably check space for opening a back door along with an image of a periphery of a vehicle. The drive assist device is configured: to perform a viewpoint conversion that converts an image captured by a vehicle-mounted camera, which image is of a scene in the periphery of the vehicle including at least an area rearward of the vehicle, into an overhead image showing the vehicle from above; to superimpose on the overhead image a graphic image showing a flip-up back door in an open state from the same viewpoint as that of the overhead image; and to allow the superimposed image to be displayed on a monitor device in a vehicle compartment. | 03-14-2013 |
| 20130062972 | THREE-PHASE ROTARY ELECTRICAL MACHINE AND MANUFACTURING METHOD THEREOF - A three-phase rotary electrical machine including a stator including a stator core including split cores, a rotor, a bobbin attached to each of the split cores, a winding being wound around each split core to which the bobbin is attached, and a bobbin unit including three of the bobbins which are arranged in a circumferential direction of a rotation axis as one unit, wherein the bobbin positioned at a center of the bobbin unit are formed in a bendable manner integrally with the bobbins positioned adjoining to the bobbin positioned at the center, the bobbin unit is sealed with the bobbin unit positioned adjoining thereto, and a cooling passage extending in the axial direction is provided at each clearance between the windings for three phases. | 03-14-2013 |
| 20130062794 | DEVICE FOR DILUTING A VISCOUS SUBSTANCE - Provided is a device for diluting a viscous substance which is advantageous in spreading a viscous substance to increase its area and allow efficient dilution of the viscous substance with a diluent. The device comprises a base body having a treatment chamber to be supplied with a viscous substance and a diluent for diluting the viscous substance; a surface element having a coating surface to be attached by the viscous substance supplied to the treatment chamber of the base body; and a movable member movable along the coating surface of the surface element and a coating element. The coating element is provided on the movable member and mechanically spreads the viscous substance attached to the coating surface of the surface element on the coating surface of the surface element in association with movement of the movable member to increase area of the viscous substance. | 03-14-2013 |
| 20130060421 | PARKING ASSISTANCE APPARATUS - A parking assistance apparatus has a region detector capable of detecting a plurality of possible parking regions where a vehicle can park in at least one side to the left or right of the vehicle, a photographic image of the scenery surrounding the vehicle including the possible parking regions is displayed on a monitor device, the possible parking regions detected by the region detector are superimposed on the photographic image as graphic images showing parking target candidates in all of the corresponding positions, and one of the parking target candidates can be selected as a parking target on the basis of a command input from a driving device of the vehicle. | 03-07-2013 |
| 20130056996 | VEHICLE DOOR LOCK DEVICE - A vehicle door lock device includes a housing including: an outer housing body including a covering portion covering an outer side of an electric motor and an outer side of a worm, an outer shaft-supporting portion supporting an active lever, and an outer shaft-supporting portion supporting a worm wheel; and an inner housing body including an inner shaft-supporting portion supporting an active lever, and an inner shaft-supporting portion supporting the worm wheel. An outer surface of the covering portion of the outer housing body and an outer surface of the outer shaft-supporting portion, which is provided in the outer housing body, for supporting the active lever, are formed in the same flat surface, and an outer surface of the outer shaft-supporting portion, which is provided in the outer housing body, for supporting the worm wheel, is formed in a dented surface dented inwardly with respect to the flat surface. | 03-07-2013 |
| 20130049521 | ROTARY ELECTRIC MACHINE AND STATOR FOR ROTARY ELECTRIC MACHINE - A stator for a rotary electric machine has a plurality of core bodies arranged in an annular shape and held by a circular cylindrical holding ring. Each of core teeth included in the respective core bodies includes a tooth portion which radially extends when the core tooth is attached to the holding ring, and around which a coil is wound. The core tooth includes a back yoke portion which circumferentially extends and is connected to the radially outward side of the tooth portion. The outer circumferential surface of each of the back yoke portions has a protruded portion at the circumferential center thereof and has recessed portions at opposite circumferential ends thereof. The protruded portion protrudes radially outwardly from a reference circle located a predetermined distance apart from the axial center of a stator, and the recessed portion is recessed radially inwardly from the reference circle. | 02-28-2013 |
| 20130047374 | VEHICLE DOOR FIXING APPARATUS AND FIXED WEDGE OF SAME - A vehicle door fixing apparatus includes a fixed wedge configured to be fixed to one of a vehicle body panel and a door panel, and a wedge device configured to be fixed to the other of the vehicle body panel and the door panel, the fixed wedge including an attachment member configured to be attached to the vehicle body panel or the door panel, and a wedge member provided to be pressure contactable with the wedge device and being attachable and removable relative to the attachment member, the wedge member forming a design surface of the fixed wedge. | 02-28-2013 |
| 20130047373 | VEHICLE DOOR FIXING APPARATUS - A vehicle door fixing apparatus includes a fixed wedge configured to be provided at one of a vehicle body panel and a door panel, and a movable wedge configured to be provided at the other one of the vehicle body panel and the door panel, wherein the movable wedge is configured to be assembled together with a base plate of a door lock striker or with a door lock assembly that is engageable with a shaft of the door lock striker, the movable wedge includes a strength member, the movable wedge includes a contact member fixedly attached to the strength member and configured to be in pressure contact with the fixed wedge, and the strength member includes a rigidity that is higher than a rigidity of the contact member. | 02-28-2013 |
| 20130043122 | SURFACE TREATMENT APPARATUS - Disclosed is a surface treatment apparatus including one of a positive electrode member and a negative electrode member to be electrically connected to a treatment-object article made of metal and having an annular treatment-object area in an outer circumferential face thereof, a frame member having a non-conductive inner circumferential face opposed with a gap to the outer circumferential face and to the annular treatment-object area, a non-conductive elastic seal member capable of forming an electrolysis solution path along the annular treatment-object area by sealing the gaps between portions of the outer circumferential face opposed to each other across the annular treatment-object area and the inner circumferential face, the other one of the positive electrode member and the negative electrode member having a bar-like shape with a leading end portion that protrudes into the electrolysis solution path toward the treatment-object article, and an electrolysis solution circulating means for circulating an amount of electrolysis solution along the electrolysis solution path. | 02-21-2013 |
| 20130038169 | ELECTRICAL ROTARY MACHINE - An electrical rotary machine comprises a stator having a plurality of split cores arranged in an annular shape and a holding ring capable of retaining the plurality of split cores on an inner circumferential surface so that a surface pressure is applied to an outer circumferential surface of the split cores. The electrical rotary machine further comprises a rotor provided radially inside of the stator facing the split cores in a radial direction and rotatable relative to the stator. Each of the split cores includes a tooth portion extending in an radial direction and a back yoke portion extending in a circumferential direction. Each of the split cores further includes a slit penetrating an outer circumferential periphery of the back yoke portion except for either circumferential end of the back yoke portion. | 02-14-2013 |
| 20130036779 | VEHICLE DOOR LOCK DEVICE - A vehicle door lock device includes an active lever configured to bring an open link into a locked or unlocked state, and a child safety lock mechanism built into an inside open lever, and configured to enable pushing force transfer from the inside open lever to the open link in an unset state, and to disable the pushing force transfer in a set state. An engagement portion is set on the active lever, and a pushing portion is set on an intermediate member of the child safety lock mechanism. When the intermediate member is situated at an unset position, the inside door handle is operated to open a door, and a child safety protector lever moves the intermediate member to a set position, the pushing portion of the intermediate member engages the engagement portion of the active lever so that the active lever is moved to a locked position. | 02-14-2013 |
| 20130029805 | DRIVE CONTROL APPARATUS FOR VEHICLE AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING DRIVE APPARATUS FOR VEHICLE - A drive control apparatus for a vehicle includes an engine, an electric motor, a clutch mechanism, an engine rotation sensor, a motor rotation sensor, an acceleration and deceleration intention detecting portion, and a controller. The controller controls a rotation speed of the engine to be an acceleration intention target value greater than a rotation speed of the motor and thereafter brings the clutch mechanism into the engagement state in a case where the acceleration and deceleration intention detecting portion detects that the vehicle is in an acceleration intention mode, and controls the rotation speed of the engine to be a deceleration intention target value smaller than the rotation speed of the motor and thereafter brings the clutch mechanism into the engagement state in a case where the acceleration and deceleration intention detecting portion detects that the vehicle is in a deceleration intention mode. | 01-31-2013 |
| 20130029771 | TORQUE FLUCTUATION ABSORBER - A torque fluctuation absorber includes a first plate member being rotatable, a second plate member positioned to be axially separated from the first plate member, the second plate member being rotatable relative to the first plate member, a first friction member arranged between the first plate member and the second plate member and slidably pressed against the first plate member and the second plate member, and a first guide portion restricting the first friction member from moving radially inwardly. | 01-31-2013 |
| 20130026806 | VEHICLE SEAT LIFTER DEVICE - The seat lifter device for a vehicle includes a lock/unlock device which is formed with an engagement/disengagement mechanism to produce a lock condition in which the relative rotation between a first rotation member and a second rotation member is restricted and an unlock condition in which the relative rotation therebetween is allowed by the engagement/disengagement operation of the engagement/disengagement mechanism such that a detent member movably supported on the first rotation member fixed to the base frame side engages with or disengages from the second rotation member fixed to the rear link member. This seat lifter device can firmly hold the seat lifted position even when an exterior force generated upon a vehicle collision is applied to the engagement/disengagement mechanism through the rear link member. | 01-31-2013 |
| 20130024076 | VEHICLE OPENING-AND-CLOSING MEMBER CONTROL DEVICE - A vehicle opening-and-closing member control device includes displacement amount detection portions provided at drive units and detecting respective displacement amounts of the drive units, a determination portion obtaining a difference of the displacement amounts and determining whether the drive unit is in failure on the basis of the difference, and a restriction portion restricting an operation state of the opening-and-closing member so as to be an operation disapproval state in a case where the determination portion determines that at least one of the drive units fails and at least one of the drive units operates normally. The restriction portion stops the operation of the drive units when a failure of drive unit is determined during the drive units are in operation, and the restriction portion prohibits the operation of the drive units thereafter when the failure of the drive unit is determined during the drive units are not in operation. | 01-24-2013 |
| 20130021462 | ALERTNESS DETERMINATION DEVICE, ALERTNESS DETERMINATION METHOD, AND RECORDING MEDIUM - A reference value for detecting the initial state before a predetermined time elapses is set immediately after the vehicle begins to operate. The reference value functions as a relatively accurate indicator for indicating that the driver is highly alert. Thus, it is possible to accurately determine whether or not a driver is highly alert by comparing the aforementioned reference value with the blink frequency, which functions as an indicator for reflecting the current state of the driver. | 01-24-2013 |
| 20130020902 | ROTATIONAL ELECTRIC MACHINE AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING RETAINING RING FOR THE SAME - A rotational electric machine comprises a stator having a plurality of cores arranged in an annular ring shape and a retaining ring capable of retaining the plurality of cores on an inner circumferential surface so that a surface pressure is applied to an outer circumferential surface of the plurality of cores. The rotational electric machine further comprises a rotor provided radially inside of the stator facing the plurality of cores in a radial direction and rotatable relative to the stator. The stator and the rotor are mounted on a housing. The retaining ring is provided with a flange portion. The flange portion is formed on an axial middle portion of an outer circumferential surface of the retaining ring and to be attachable to the housing. | 01-24-2013 |
| 20130020513 | VEHICLE COOLANT CONTROL VALVE - An object is to provide a vehicle coolant control valve having excellent response, small size and weight, and low power consumption. A coolant stop valve (vehicle coolant control valve) valve comprises a valve body for controlling the flow of a fluid, the valve body having a magnetic body; a coil spring (urging device) for moving the valve body in the closing direction; a valve seat capable of coming in contact with the valve body; and a solenoid for moving the valve body in the closing direction; wherein the valve body is moved in the opening direction by fluid pressure of a fluid discharged from a water pump (pump) during operation of the water pump (pump), against the movement force of the coil spring (urging device) in the closing direction. | 01-24-2013 |
| 20130020459 | SEAT SLIDE APPARATUS - A seat slide apparatus includes a support rail adapted to be attached to one of a seat and a seat attachment surface, a movable rail configured to be slidable relative to the support rail, a roller arranged between the support rail and the movable rail and guiding the movable rail to move relative to the support rail, and a vibration restricting member arranged between the support rail and the movable rail to restrict a vibration between the support rail and the movable rail, the vibration restricting member including a sliding contact point receiving a sliding load in a vertical direction of the movable rail, the sliding contact point being arranged to overlap the roller in a sliding direction of the movable rail. | 01-24-2013 |
| 20130016915 | CROSSWALK DETECTION DEVICE, CROSSWALK DETECTION METHOD AND RECORDING MEDIUMAANM Hashimoto; YoshikuniAACI Anjo-shiAACO JPAAGP Hashimoto; Yoshikuni Anjo-shi JPAANM Adachi; JunAACI Okazaki-shiAACO JPAAGP Adachi; Jun Okazaki-shi JPAANM Mizuno; MasahiroAACI Kiyosu-shiAACO JPAAGP Mizuno; Masahiro Kiyosu-shi JP - A crosswalk detection device executes a predetermined arithmetic processing on a calculated value calculated based on data obtained through a scanning operation using a main pattern. Next, the device determines whether or not a crosswalk is in a predetermined image based on a relationship between a calculated result of the arithmetic processing and a position of the main pattern MP on the predetermined image. The above-explained calculated value is, for example, an average of the brightness of pixels overlapping each sub pattern of the main pattern. Hence, even if a white pattern of the crosswalk is cracked or the white pattern has a separated part, the value of data is hardly affected. Accordingly, it is possible to precisely determine whether or not the crosswalk is in the predetermined image. | 01-17-2013 |
| 20130015072 | ALUMINUM ALLOY MEMBER AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING SAME - An aluminum alloy member includes a main body including an aluminum alloy serving as a base material, and an electrolytic oxidation ceramic coating coated at a portion of a surface of the main body and including a most outer layer and an inner layer which is arranged close to the main body relative to the most outer layer, the inner layer in which an aluminum oxide is richer than the most outer layer, the most outer layer in which a volume of a titanium oxide or a total volume of the titanium oxide and a zirconium oxide is richer than the inner surface. | 01-17-2013 |
| 20130012837 | BIOLOGICAL INFORMATION DETECTION APPARATUS - In order to provide a biological information detection apparatus capable of minimizing omission and errors in detecting a biological signal, a biological information detection apparatus is provided with: a plurality of detection units arranged on a support for supporting a living body, and adapted for outputting signals corresponding to vibration of the living body to be detected; extraction units for extracting signals in a predetermined frequency range corresponding to vibration of the living body to be detected; a timing detection unit for detecting a vibration timing of individual feature points from the signals extracted by each of the extraction units; a timing storage unit for storing a storage vibration timing that is the vibration timing detected by the timing detection unit; a determination unit for determining whether or not the detection vibration timing conforms to the stored vibration timing; and a timing output unit for outputting, as biological information about the living body, detection vibration timing in a case where the detection vibration timing conforms to the stored vibration timing. | 01-10-2013 |
| 20130010118 | VEHICLE PERIPHERAL OBSERVATION DEVICE - Provided is a device whereby the position of an obstacle can be perceived on a monitor without compromising the effectiveness of displaying an overhead image on the monitor. An overhead image generating unit generates an overhead image from images captured using a plurality of cameras, and the overhead image is displayed in an auxiliary display area ( | 01-10-2013 |
| 20130010117 | VEHICLE PERIPHERAL OBSERVATION DEVICE - Provided is a device whereby it is possible to accurately recognize which area has been enlarged when part of an overhead image displayed on a monitor is displayed as enlarged. When any one area of a plurality divided areas (D | 01-10-2013 |
| 20130008880 | PULSE LASER DEVICE, TRANSPARENT MEMBER WELDING METHOD AND TRANSPARENT MEMBER WELDING APPARATUS - An inexpensive pulse laser device that outputs a laser pulse capable of welding a transparent member is provided. There is provided a pulse laser device including: a laser light source | 01-10-2013 |
| 20120330113 | BIOLOGICAL INFORMATION DETECTION APPARATUS - Disclosed is a biological information detection apparatus capable of restricting influence of external noise signals and suffering less detection omission and detection errors of biological signals. The biological information detection apparatus includes a plurality of detection units disposed on a support supporting a living body and configured to output signals corresponding to vibrations, a first extraction unit for extracting a signal in a first predetermined frequency range corresponding to a biological signal from the signal outputted from each detection unit, a second extraction unit for extracting a signal in a second predetermined frequency range as an external noise component from the signal outputted from each detection unit, a calculation unit for calculating an intensity value ratio between the signal in the first predetermined frequency range and the signal in the second predetermined frequency range, and a selection unit for selecting one or more from the plurality of detection units based on result of comparison between/among the intensity value ratios calculated by the calculation unit for the signals outputted from the respective detection units. | 12-27-2012 |
| 20120326037 | COATING FILM INSPECTION APPARATUS AND INSPECTION METHOD - The coating film inspection apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a terahertz-wave generator that generates a terahertz-wave; an irradiation optical system that irradiates, with the terahertz-wave, a sample with a film formed thereon; a terahertz-wave detector that detects a terahertz-wave reflected at the sample; and a control unit that shows an electric field intensity of the detected terahertz-wave in wave form data on a time axis to detect a plurality of peaks from the wave form data, and also calculates film thickness on the basis of time difference between peaks. | 12-27-2012 |
| 20120323370 | OPENING-AND-CLOSING MEMBER CONTROL DEVICE - An opening-and-closing member control device for controlling a driving device to operate an opening-and-closing member according to a target speed includes a detection portion detecting an operational state of the driving device during the control, a disturbance determination portion for determining whether a disturbance is generated at the opening-and-closing member, which is applied in the same direction to an operating direction of the opening-and-closing member during an opening-closing operation of the opening-and-closing member, by monitoring at least one of a change in an electric signal and in an operation speed of the opening-and-closing member generated relative to the target speed, and a threshold value changing portion for switching an entrapment threshold value when the disturbance determination portion determines that the disturbance is generated. Whether an external object is entrapped at the opening-and-closing member is detectable by comparing an electric signal obtained by the detection portion and the entrapment threshold value. | 12-20-2012 |
| 20120320213 | IMAGE DISPLAY DEVICE - Disclosed is an image display device that allows intuitive guidance of a vehicle body based on an assisting image displaced in a screen. The image display device includes an image processing section for displaying a captured image of a rear camera on a monitor. This image processing section includes a synthesis processing unit for displaying a perspective image providing a perspective in superposition over the captured image being displayed on the monitor and a display mode setting unit that realizes selection between a viewing field-fixed mode for displaying the perspective image in superposition with the perspective image being fixed within a viewing field of the monitor and a road surface-fixed mode for displaying the perspective image in superposition with allowing scrolling thereof in unison with a road surface. | 12-20-2012 |
| 20120318948 | SEAT SLIDE APPARATUS FOR VEHICLE - A seat slide apparatus for a vehicle includes a first rail provided with a limiting portion extending from an end of each of the first folded back wall portions at a predetermined position in a longitudinal direction of the first rail, a second rail provided with a first through-hole extending through each of the second side wall portions and a second through-hole extending through each of the adjacent second folded back wall portions, the through-holes facing in the width direction at a predetermined position in the longitudinal direction of the second rail, and locking members, each of which is inserted through the first through-hole and the adjacent second through-hole and bridges the second side wall portion and the adjacent second folded back wall portion in the width direction and blocks a movement of the limiting portion in directions the first rail and the second rail move relative to each other. | 12-20-2012 |
| 20120315560 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM, FUEL CELL CONTROL METHOD, AND FUEL CELL DETERMINATION METHOD - A fuel cell system includes: an input-amplitude-value obtain unit that obtains an amplitude value of an input value given to a fuel cell; an output-amplitude-value obtain unit that obtains an amplitude value of an output value output from the fuel cell; and an operation condition change unit that changes an operation condition of the fuel cell according to a comparison of an amplitude value of an input value obtained by the input-amplitude-value obtain unit and an amplitude value obtained by the output-amplitude-value obtain unit. | 12-13-2012 |
| 20120312604 | SEAT LOAD DETERMINATION DEVICE - A seat load determination device includes a load sensor, which is provided at at least one of plural support portions supporting a seat, mounted to the support portion provided at one of right hand side and left hand side at the seat, and detecting a load applied to the support portion, a lateral acceleration correlation information determination portion detecting an information value having a positive correlation with a lateral acceleration which corresponds to an acceleration in a vehicle width direction as a lateral acceleration correlation information value, and determining whether an absolute value of the lateral acceleration correlation information value is equal to or less than a predetermined value, and a determination portion determining a seat load based on the load detected by the load sensor when the absolute value of the lateral acceleration correlation information value is equal to or less than the predetermined value. | 12-13-2012 |
| 20120311819 | RETAINING DEVICE FOR VEHICLE DOOR - A vehicle door locking apparatus is equipped with a movable wedge, a fixed wedge, and an elastic member. The movable wedge is movable in the open/close direction of the vehicle door towards the vehicle body opening. The elastic member impels the movable wedge toward the fixed wedge. A slanted surface on the movable wedge and a slanted surface on the fixed wedge are configured to come into contact when the door is closed. The movable wedge is assembled on the end surface on the vehicle body opening side along with the base plate of a door lock striker that is assembled on the end surface on the vehicle body opening side. The fixed wedge is immovably assembled on the mounting section of the end surface on the vehicle door side, which is involved in a door lock assembly that is assembled on the end surface on the vehicle door side. | 12-13-2012 |
| 20120310461 | HYBRID DRIVE DEVICE - A hybrid drive device includes: a gear mechanism that divides and transmits rotary power of an internal-combustion engine to first motor generator and second motor generator; a first shaft to which rotary power of the first motor generator is transmitted; a rotary element; a second shaft to which rotary power of the rotary element is transmitted after deceleration; a third shaft to which rotary power of the second shaft is transmitted after deceleration; a first power-transmission switching mechanism that can switch rotary power of the second motor generator among a state of being transmitted to the rotary element, a state of being transmitted to the third shaft, and a state of not being transmitted; and a second power-transmission switching mechanism that can switch rotary power of the first shaft between a state of transmission to the second shaft and a state of not transmitted. | 12-06-2012 |
| 20120308403 | MOTOR CONTROL DEVICE - A motor control device includes a control condition storage unit storing at least one of a control condition defined by an equivalent voltage supplied to a three-phase motor and a control condition defined by relationship between the equivalent voltage supplied to the three-phase motor and a frequency of PWM signal, a control condition extracting unit extracting the control condition from the control condition storage unit in response to a temperature of a viscous fluid supplied by a pump having the three-phase motor as a power source, and a PWM controlling unit controlling a switching element included in an inverter circuit based on a PWM signal related to the extracted control condition when the three-phase motor is started. | 12-06-2012 |
| 20120304789 | VEHICLE DRIVE SYSTEM - A vehicle drive system includes an input shaft to which a driving force of a first driving source is inputted, a first shaft idly rotating relative to the input shaft and being connectable with the input shaft, the first shaft being provided with a plurality of drive gears, a single drive gear idly rotating relative to the input shaft and being connectable with the input shaft, a second shaft arranged parallel to the input shaft and being provided with a first idler gear and a second idler gear, an output shaft arranged parallel to the input shaft and outputting the driving force to a wheel, and a plurality of driven gears idly rotating relative to the output shaft and being connectable with the output shaft, the plurality of driven gears engaging with the plurality of drive gears, respectively. | 12-06-2012 |
| 20120302359 | TORQUE FLUCTUATION ABSORBING APPARATUS - A torque fluctuation absorbing apparatus that includes a first assembly that absorbs a fluctuating torque generated between a first rotating shaft and a second rotating shaft that are arranged coaxially, a first end of the first assembly being connected to the first rotating shaft from the second rotating shaft side by a first connecting member, a second assembly that absorbs a fluctuating torque generated between the first rotating shaft and the second rotating shaft, the second assembly being disposed more toward the second rotating shaft side than the first connecting member and a second end thereof being connected to the second rotating shaft, and a second connecting member that connects a second end of the first assembly to a first end of the second assembly. | 11-29-2012 |
| 20120301663 | CARBON NANOTUBE COMPOSITE AND METHOD FOR MAKING THE SAME - Disclosed are a carbon nanotube composite and a method for making the same advantageous for achieving a higher density of a carbon nanotube assembly. The carbon nanotube composite includes a substrate and a carbon nanotube assembly mounted on the surface of the substrate. The carbon nanotube assembly is composed of multiple carbon nanotubes arranged densely in parallel oriented in the direction upward from the surface of the substrate. The carbon nanotube assembly has a density of 70 mg/cm | 11-29-2012 |
| 20120300077 | VEHICLE SURROUNDINGS MONITORING DEVICE - A vehicle surroundings monitoring device for clarifying the accuracy of detection results and providing notification so that a driver can intuitively ascertain the position in which an object exists, the vehicle surroundings monitoring device comprising: an object detection unit for detecting objects in the periphery of a vehicle; a vehicle image generation unit for generating an image of the vehicle with the point of view set above the vehicle; a periphery image generation unit for generating an image of the periphery of the vehicle including the image of the vehicle; a position-calculating unit for calculating a corresponding position in the image of the periphery on the basis of detection results of the object detection unit; and an indicator unit for indicating the corresponding position in the image of the periphery when the degree of confirmation of the detection results of the object detection unit meets or exceeds an assessment threshold, and for indicating the corresponding region in the image of the periphery when the degree of confirmation of the detection results is less than the assessment threshold. | 11-29-2012 |
| 20120299436 | STATOR FOR ROTATING ELECTRICAL DEVICE AND STATOR RETAINING RING - A stator for a rotating electrical device includes a stator retaining ring for the stator in a cylinder form that retains a plurality of cores. The stator retaining ring includes the cylinder portion where the cores are attached, and a plurality of fixing flanges where the stator retaining ring retains the housing with screws. A pair of through-holes representing a group of through-holes arranged near to one another extends through each of the fixing flanges. A separation distance β in the circumferential direction defined between the pair of the through-holes belonging to the same group of the through-holes is smaller relative to a separation distance γ in the circumferential direction defined between adjacent through-holes belonging to different groups of the through-holes. | 11-29-2012 |
| 20120298472 | TORQUE FLUCTUATION ABSORBING APPARATUS - A torque fluctuation absorbing apparatus includes a first side plate, a second side plate, a lining plate disposed between the side plates, a connecting member that connects the side plates at a position that is radially inward relative to the lining plate, a pressure plate disposed between the second side plate and the lining plate, and an elastic member that biases the pressure plate toward the lining plate. The lining plate is slidably sandwiched between the first side plate and the pressure plate, and the first and second side plate each includes a reinforcing portion that includes a portion that is axially curved at a location that is radially outward relative to the connecting member. | 11-29-2012 |
| 20120296523 | VEHICLE PERIPHERY MONITORING DEVICE - In order to provide a vehicle periphery monitoring device in which excessive information is not displayed on a display device and the driver may intuitively have a sense of distance between their vehicle and an obstacle, the vehicle periphery monitoring device includes an image acquisition unit for obtaining a surrounding image of a vehicle captured by a photographing device mounted on the vehicle, an obstacle detection unit for detecting an obstacle present around the vehicle and its position, a traveling state detection unit for detecting a traveling state of the vehicle, a predicted path line generation unit for generating a predicted path line based on the traveling state of the vehicle detected at the traveling state detection unit, a highlighted display determination unit for determining highlighted display of a partial area including the obstacle of a predicted path area when the obstacle is present within the predicted path area defined by the predicted path line, and a display control unit for superimposing the predicted path line and the highlighted display on the surrounding image and displaying the superimposed image on a monitor device mounted in the interior of the vehicle. | 11-22-2012 |
| 20120292970 | SEAT RECLINING APPARATUS FOR VEHICLE - A seat reclining apparatus for a vehicle includes a first arm including a guide wall, a second arm including internal teeth and being rotatably supported by the first arm, a pawl including external teeth which are engageable with and disengageable from the internal teeth, a cam engaging with the pawl for causing the pawl to advance and retract along a guide wall and for causing the internal teeth and the external teeth to mesh with and unmesh from each other as the cam rotates, a recessed portion recessed in a direction of an axis line of the second arm and including a restricting portion, an engaging portion restricting the external teeth and the internal teeth from meshing with each other by being in contact with the restricting portion, a hinge cam including a first shaft portion, a second shaft portion and a flange portion, and a biasing member. | 11-22-2012 |
| 20120291741 | INTAKE MANIFOLD - Disclosed is an intake manifold having a surge tank connected to an air intake passage for air to be supplied to an internal combustion engine. The intake manifold includes a gas introduction section communicated to the air intake passage or the surge tank for introducing gas containing fuel component to the surge tank and a negative pressure feed passage communicated to a portion of the air intake passage or the surge tank which portion is upstream of the gas introduction section in the movement direction of the air and configured to feed a negative pressure inside the surge tank to the outside. The negative pressure feed passage is connected to the air intake passage or the surge tank via an expansion chamber having a larger cross-sectional area than the cross-sectional area of the negative pressure feed passage. | 11-22-2012 |
| 20120286714 | ROTOR POSITION DETECTING APPARATUS - A rotor position detecting apparatus includes a PWM control portion controlling a switching element included in an inverter by a PWM signal having a predetermined frequency, a determination portion determining a magnitude correlation at least two times between a reference voltage specified beforehand and a terminal voltage of each terminal included in a three-phase motor in a state where the terminal voltage corresponds to one cycle of the PWM signal, and a detection portion detecting a position of a rotor of the three-phase motor based on a determination result of the determination portion. | 11-15-2012 |
| 20120274737 | VEHICLE PERIPHERY MONITORING DEVICE - Wide-angle imaging data obtained by capturing a view of a vehicle periphery can be converted into wide-angle display data for displaying the view in the same field of view on a display device, and into enlarged display data for enlarging and displaying a portion of the wide-angle imaging data. When the image on the screen of the display is switched between wide-angle display and enlarged display, the target region corresponding to the post-switching display data is set, highlighted, and displayed as the highlighted region (E) on the screen on the pre-switching display data (V | 11-01-2012 |
| 20120265399 | DISPLAY DEVICE - A display device includes a camera for capturing an image around a vehicle body; a monitor provided in a vehicle interior; and a display control unit for controlling a display of the monitor. The monitor has a rectangle-shaped display face, and is supported switchably between a vertically elongated posture and a horizontally elongated posture. When the monitor is switched to the vertically elongated posture, based on an image captured by the camera, the display control unit displays a top view image of a road surface around the vehicle body seen from above on the monitor. | 10-18-2012 |
| 20120264522 | TORQUE FLUCTUATION ABSORBER - A torque fluctuation absorber includes a first annular member, a second annular member arranged to be axially separated from the first annular member, an annular and dish-shaped first disc spring arranged between the first annular member and the second annular member, a first support portion arranged between the first annular member and the first disc spring and being partially or continuously in contact with the first disc spring on a circle passing through a first predetermined radial portion of the first annular member, and a second support portion arranged between the second annular member and the first disc spring and being partially or continuously in contact with the first disc spring on a circle passing through a second predetermined radial portion of the second annular member, the second predetermined radial portion being radially different from the first predetermined radial portion of the first annular member. | 10-18-2012 |
| 20120261009 | HYDRAULIC CONTROL DEVICE - A hydraulic control device includes a first predetermined portion receiving the oil discharged from a pump, a first channel establishing communication between the pump and the first predetermined portion, a second channel branched from the first channel for supplying oil to a second predetermined portion, a flow passage area regulation unit arranged on the second channel and equipped with a spool that moves in a flow passage area increasing direction when an oil pressure in the second channel increases and in a decreasing direction when the oil pressure decreases, and a bypass channel, which is provided separately from a portion of the second channel where the spool disconnects the second channel, establishes communication between an upstream side and a downstream side of the second channel relative to the flow passage area regulation unit and supplies oil to the second predetermined portion even when the spool disconnects the second channel. | 10-18-2012 |
| 20120252588 | TORQUE FLUCTUATION ABSORBER - A torque fluctuation absorber includes a first rotating member arranged to be rotatable, a second rotating member arranged in a rotatable manner relative to the first rotating member, a coil spring for buffering a torsion between the first rotating member and the second rotating member by means of an elastic force, and a cushion member arranged at an inside of the coil spring and buffering the torsion between the first rotating member and the second rotating member by means of an elastic force, wherein the cushion member includes an elastic member formed in a columnar shape, and an abrasion resistant member partly covering a side surface of the elastic member and including a greater abrasion resistance than an abrasion resistance of the elastic member. | 10-04-2012 |
| 20120248792 | LID LOCK APPARATUS FOR VEHICLE - A lid lock apparatus for a vehicle includes a driving motor, a moving member causing a lid member provided at a vehicle body to be inhibited from opening in a state where the moving member projects from the housing to engage with the lid member, the moving member being retracted into the housing by the driving motor to release the engagement between the moving member and the lid member, and a pulling member connected to the moving member and pulled in a case where the moving member is inhibited from moving by the driving motor to cause the moving member to be retracted into the housing and to release the engagement between the moving member and the lid member. The moving member is movable relative to the pulling member in a moving direction of the moving member in a case where the pulling member is inhibited from operating. | 10-04-2012 |
| 20120247259 | STEERING APPARATUS FOR VEHICLE - A steering apparatus for a vehicle, adjusting a position of a steering wheel in a longitudinal direction of a vehicle body, includes a main tube supported by the vehicle body and having a tubular shape, the main tube including an opening portion being closed in an axial direction of the main tube and extending in the axial direction, a telescopic tube supported by the main tube to be slidable within the main tube, a connecting member firmly attached to the telescopic tube to be movable within the opening portion along the axial direction of the main tube, a drive member connected to the connecting member, and a drive source driving the drive member to move the connecting member in the axial direction. | 10-04-2012 |
| 20120247160 | VEHICLE DOOR LOCK DEVICE - An outside locking lever of a lever mechanism section in a lock mechanism of a vehicle door lock apparatus includes a hub portion being rotatable relative to a housing and having a connection subportion to which an inner end portion of a rod is connected in a torque transmittable manner; an arm portion extending radially outward from the hub portion and linked to an active lever; a hub-side engagement subportion provided on the hub portion and engaged in the vehicle interior-exterior direction with a first support portion of the housing; an arm-side engagement subportion provided on the arm portion and engaged in the vehicle interior-exterior direction with a second support portion of the housing; and a fragile portion provided between the two engagement portions and being breakable with a force of a predetermined value or greater. A space for allowing breakage at the fragile portion is provided within the housing. | 10-04-2012 |
| 20120247026 | DOOR FRAME ASSEMBLY - Provided is a door frame assembly that enables a molding portion to be bent with ease and in which end portions of a door frame do not rust due to the entry of raindrops or the like. A second end portion B that follows on a second flange portion of a door frame is located between an inner wall portion of a glass run channel and a portion of a main frame portion that faces the inner wall portion. An engagement portion of the molding portion is partially connected to a third side wall portion at multiple locations along the direction in which a vertical door frame assembly extends. | 10-04-2012 |
| 20120242833 | EXTERIOR COMPONENT FOR VEHICLE - An exterior component for a vehicle includes a camera capturing an image of surroundings of a vehicle, and a through-hole at which the camera is provided. The through-hole forms an airflow to flow through the through-hole in association with a driving of the vehicle. The camera is provided at a position where the airflow flows and where an image capturing range serving as a function of the camera is ensured. | 09-27-2012 |
| 20120242095 | LID LOCK APPARATUS - A lid lock apparatus includes a housing formed by assembling a first body member and a second body member, a driving motor housed in the housing, an output gear, a movable member, a stopper member retained at one of the first body member and the output gear, a stopper wall formed at the other one of the first body member and the output gear and restricting the pivotal movement of the output gear by contacting the stopper member, and a stopper disengagement preventing portion formed on the other one of the first body member and the output gear, on which the stopper wall is formed, the stopper disengagement preventing portion restricting a disengagement of the stopper member in an axial direction of a rotational axis of the output gear by contacting the stopper member in the axial direction of the rotational axis of the output gear. | 09-27-2012 |
| 20120242017 | TORQUE FLUCTUATION ABSORBING APPARATUS - To provide a torque fluctuation absorbing apparatus capable of achieving cost reduction. The fluctuation absorbing apparatus includes a first plate secured to a flywheel; a second plate disposed at a distance from the first plate; a third plate slidably sandwiched between the first plate and the second plate; and a resilient section that is supported by, fixed to or integrated with the first plate or the second plate and biases the second plate toward the first plate. | 09-27-2012 |
| 20120241212 | WIRING HOLDING STRUCTURE - Provided is a wiring holding structure, wherein wiring for electrically connecting a vehicle body to the vehicle sliding door is held in the vehicle body. The wiring holding structure comprises a step member provided adjacent to the vehicle sliding door and a holding portion for holding the wiring. The step member is molded of plastic material. The holding portion is for holding the wiring. The holding portion comprises a first holding portion integrally molded onto the step member; and a second holding member that is fixed to face the first holding section. The second holding member holds the wiring together with the first holding portion. The number of components necessary for the wiring holding structure can thereby be reduced, and the size of the wiring holding structure is made more compact. | 09-27-2012 |
| 20120234642 | TORQUE FLUCTUATION ABSORBER - A torque fluctuation absorber includes a damper portion absorbing a torque fluctuation between the output shaft and the input shaft with an elasticity thereof, and a limiter portion arranged on the power transmission path from the damper portion to the input shaft, configured to slip when the torque fluctuation by a torsion between the output shaft and the input shaft equals or exceeds a predetermined torque defined to absorb at the damper portion. The damper portion includes a center plate transmitting a rotational power to the limiter portion, side plates receiving the input of the rotational power from the output shaft, an elastic member absorbing the torque fluctuation caused by the torsion between the center plate and the side plates. The side plates directly or indirectly connect to a flywheel that connects to the output shaft at a circumferential portion outward in a radial direction relative to the damper portion. | 09-20-2012 |
| 20120234282 | DEVICE AND METHOD FOR STARTING ENGINE - An engine starting method in a parallel-type hybrid vehicle comprises a motor reverse rotation driving step of applying reverse rotation current to drivingly rotate a motor output shaft in a reverse rotation direction of an engine output shaft whereby an elastic member in a damper is elastically deformed to store an urging force that urges the motor output shaft in a normal rotation direction; an urged normal rotation step of stopping the electrification to release the urging force having been stored at the motor reverse rotation driving step whereby the motor output shaft is rotated in the normal rotation direction; a motor normal rotation driving step of applying normal rotation current to drivingly rotate the motor output shaft in the normal rotation direction; and an engine start igniting step of igniting an engine with the engine output shaft being rotated by the rotation at the motor normal rotation driving step. | 09-20-2012 |
| 20120223061 | LASER PROCESSING METHOD AND LASER PROCESSING DEVICE - A laser processing method for forming a modification region serving as a starting point of cutting inside a member to be cut along a planned cutting line by relatively moving an optical axis of a condenser lens along the planned cutting line of the member and by irradiating the member with focused laser light, wherein a plurality of cross-sectional focused spots is simultaneously formed on a section which is perpendicular to the optical axis of the condenser lens at positions having a predetermined depth from a surface of the member and which is parallel to the surface and, at that time, at least one cross-sectional focused spot of the plurality of cross-sectional focused spots is formed on a projection line of the planned cutting line onto the cross section to form one or more inside modification regions having a desired shape. | 09-06-2012 |
| 20120222914 | STEP UNIT - A step unit includes: a step member which is provided with a pair of lower rails extending in an opening and closing direction of a slide door of the vehicle; and a rail plate member which is provided to a cutout formed in a part of either of the lower rails and which continuously connects the lower rails in the opening and closing direction. The step member is molded using a resin material and is provided with an insertion hole which vertically penetrates through the step member at a position corresponding to the cutout; and a support extension section which is extended from a side end of the cutout of the lower rail. The rail plate member is mounted to the step member by being inserted so as to penetrate through the insertion hole from above the step member. | 09-06-2012 |
| 20120217782 | SEAT RECLINING APPARATUS FOR VEHICLE - A seat reclining apparatus for a vehicle, includes a first arm, a second arm rotatably supported by the first arm, a pawl including external teeth engageable with internal teeth, a cam portion and plural pawl-side cam surfaces arranged at the cam portion, a cam including a cam surface engaging with the cam portion formed at the pawl, and a biasing member biasing the cam to rotate and causing the cam surface to press the cam portion in a radial direction. The plural pawl-side cam surfaces or the cam surface is configured in a manner that the plural pawl-side cam surfaces and the cam surface are in contact with each other when the external teeth and the internal teeth are in an engaged state and in a manner that clearances generated between each of the plural pawl-side cam surfaces and the cam surface in the radial direction are all uniform. | 08-30-2012 |
| 20120217764 | MULTI-FUNCTION CAMERA SYSTEM - A multi-function camera system comprises a camera fixed to a vehicle component on a side of a vehicle for photographing a side area of the vehicle; a condition determination unit for determining execution conditions of a plurality of function units; an obstacle detection unit to function based on a determination result from the condition determination unit for detecting, through image recognition, an obstacle present in the vicinity of the vehicle or approaching the vehicle based on a captured image of the camera; and an individual authentication unit to function based on the determination result from the condition determination unit for ascertaining, through the image recognition, whether or not a person having reached the vehicle matches with a user who has been registered at the vehicle beforehand based on the captured image of the camera. | 08-30-2012 |
| 20120215429 | ENGINE STOP DETERMINATION DEVICE AND ENGINE STOP DETERMINATION METHOD - A cooling system for an engine in the present invention includes a first coolant route for circulating coolant between a water jacket of an engine main body and a heater core, a second coolant route for circulating the coolant between a waste heat recovery unit and the heater core, a first water-temperature sensor provided on the first coolant route, and a second water-temperature sensor provided on the second coolant route. An engine control unit makes an engine stop determination based on the coolant temperatures detected by the first water-temperature sensor and the second water-temperature sensor and, in making the engine stop determination, selectively uses the coolant temperatures detected by the first water-temperature sensor and the second water-temperature sensor in dependence on whether a heater unit including the heater core is in an operation state or in an out-of-operation state. | 08-23-2012 |
| 20120211296 | OCCUPANT DETECTION CORRECTION SYSTEM - There is provided an occupant detection correction system including: a load detection section that detects load imparted to a vehicle seat and outputs a load signal representing the load; an occupant detection section that detects an occupant based on the load signal and is capable of resetting the load signal to a reference point based on a predetermined reset instruction; a tilt angle detection section that detects a predetermined tilt angle of a seatback; and a permitting section that permits execution of resetting the load signal to the reference point by the occupant detection section when the predetermined tilt angle is detected by the tilt angle detection section. | 08-23-2012 |
| 20120210924 | SEWING MACHINE - A sewing machine includes a needle thread tension control device including a fixed portion, a shaft having an external thread portion, a thread tension dial, first and second thread tension discs, and a spiral movement member. The spiral movement member includes an internal thread portion meshed with the external thread portion while being movable relative to the external thread portion in a spiral direction relative to the axis, and a scale including marks arranged serially and side by side in the spiral direction. The spiral movement member adjusts the needle thread tension by moving towards or away from the second thread tension disc while rotating in a circumferential direction by meshing between the external thread portion and the internal thread portion. The needle thread tension control device also includes a thread tension spring applying respective biasing forces to the spiral movement member and the second thread tension disc. | 08-23-2012 |
| 20120208098 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM - A fuel cell system includes a source gas passage including a first desulfurizer that has a desulfurization performance relative to a source gas having a relatively higher dew point, and a second desulfurizer that has the desulfurization performance relative to a source gas having a relatively lower dew point and the source gas having the relatively higher dew point. The desulfurization performance of the second desulfurizer relative to the source gas having the relatively higher dew point is lower than the desulfurization performance of the second desulfurizer relative to the source gas having the relatively lower dew point. The first desulfurizer, the second desulfurizer, and a flowmeter are arranged at the source gas passage in the aforementioned order from an upstream side to a downstream side of the source gas passage in a flow direction of the source gas. | 08-16-2012 |
| 20120208097 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM AND DESULFURIZATION UNIT FOR THE SAME - A desulfurization unit for a fuel cell system includes a first desulfurizer arranged in a temperature environment ranging from 50° C. to 200° C. and accommodating a desulfurizing agent including a porous material serving as a base material, the desulfurizing agent exerting a desulfurization effect in a normal temperature range, the first desulfurizer adsorbing a sulfur compound included in a source gas in the temperature environment ranging from 50° C. to 200° C. when the source gas having a low dew point is supplied through a source gas passage to the first desulfurizer and when the source gas having a high dew point is supplied through the source gas passage to the first desulfurizer. | 08-16-2012 |
| 20120207982 | COMPOSITE MOLDED ARTICLE - Provided is a composite molded article which can increase resistance to peeling at an interface and suppress excessive peeling of a fiber-reinforced polymer material portion even when thermal shock is repeatedly applied. The composite molded article comprises a metal member using metal as a base material and having a surface; and a fiber-reinforced polymer material portion coated on at least part of the surface of the metal member and having a polymer material as a matrix and a plurality of reinforcing fibers for reinforcing the matrix. The surface of the metal member has a plurality of projections juxtaposed regularly or randomly at a pitch distance greater than diameters of the reinforcing fibers. The respective facing projections form enterable spaces which part of the matrix enters and at least part of the reinforcing fibers can enter. | 08-16-2012 |
| 20120205512 | SLIDING DEVICE FOR A VEHICLE - A sliding device for a vehicle, comprising a lock member received and attached within a section area of one of a first rail and a second rail mounted movably relative to the first rail, to extend in the rail axis direction of the one rail for locking the relative movement between the first and second rails; a manipulation lever attached to the lock member for moving the lock member to permit the relative movement between the first and second rails; a movement permitting portion formed on at at least one of the lock member and the rail attaching the lock member so that the relative movement between the lock member and the rail attaching the lock member in the rail axis direction is allowed with the lock member locking the relative movement; and a movement restraining portion formed on the rail attaching the lock member to restrain the movement in a lock release direction of the lock member after the relative movement at the movement permitting portion. | 08-16-2012 |
| 20120204663 | VEHICLE DOOR DRIVING APPARATUS - A vehicle door driving apparatus includes a driving mechanism fixed to a vehicle door and including a motor and a drum rotationally driven by the motor. A rope member is wound around the drum and linked to the vehicle body, and rotation of the drum is transmitted to the vehicle body by the rope member to open and close the vehicle door. The driving mechanism includes: a first small-diameter gear linked to the rotary axis of the motor to rotate together with the rotary shaft of the motor; a transmission gear rotatable around the axis extending in the vehicle width direction; a sun gear rotatable around such axis; a ring gear disposed on the same axis as the sun gear; and a carrier having a planet gear engaging the sun gear and the ring gear, and linked to the drum so that the carrier rotates together with the drum. | 08-16-2012 |
| 20120200244 | DRIVING APPARATUS OF SENSORLESS BRUSHLESS MOTOR - A driving apparatus of a sensorless brushless motor includes an inverter circuit supplying a power supply voltage, of which duty ratios is variably controlled by a pulse-width modulation method, a PWM generator circuit generating a pulse-width modulation signal, a position detection circuit operating at a predetermined phase of the pulse-width modulation signal and detecting a rotational position of the rotor, and an inverter control circuit transmitting an energization control signal determined based on the pulse-width modulation signal to the inverter circuit. The PWM generator circuit provides a stepwise increase and decrease of a pulse-width modulation frequency in a normal PWM frequency, a low-speed PWM frequency, and a high-speed PWM frequency in response to an increase and decrease of one of following parameters; the commanded duty ratio, the commanded number of rotations of the motor, a detected duty ratio, and a detected number of rotations of the motor. | 08-09-2012 |
| 20120200193 | ROTOR FOR ROTARY ELECTRIC MACHINE - In a rotor for a rotary electric machine, a plurality of magnetic poles are provided in a radially outer portion of the rotor iron core, at intervals in the circumferential direction. Each magnetic pole includes a pair of permanent magnets disposed apart from each other in the circumferential direction, and a magnetic flux-restraining hole that is formed and extended radially inwardly between radially inner end portions of the permanent magnets and that restrains flow of magnetic flux. The magnetic flux-restraining hole is extended so as to project beyond a position of the radially inner end portions to a radially outer side, between the pair of permanent magnets. | 08-09-2012 |
| 20120200187 | ROTOR FOR ROTARY ELECTRIC MACHINE - A rotor for a rotary electric machine has a plurality of magnetic poles provided at intervals in a circumferential direction of a rotor core, at an outer periphery of the rotor core. Each of the magnetic poles includes a central magnet, a pair of circumferential-direction magnets disposed on both sides of the central magnet in the circumferential direction such that a spacing between the pair widens towards an outer periphery of the rotor core, and low permeability regions provided in the vicinity of end portions of the central magnet in the circumferential direction, and having a permeability lower than a magnetic material of the rotor core. The rotor core is formed such that a width of a magnetic path entrance portion that is formed between a magnetic-pole inward side face of the circumferential-direction magnet and the adjacent low permeability region decreases towards an outer peripheral face of the rotor core. | 08-09-2012 |
| 20120199719 | SEAT SLIDE DEVICE FOR VEHICLE - A plurality of rolling members, which are retained by retainers between sidewall-portion inside operating surfaces formed on inside surfaces of sidewall portions of a lower rail and sidewall-portion outside operating surfaces formed on outside surfaces of sidewall portions of a first upper rail, roll in contact on the sidewall-portion inside operating surfaces and the sidewall-portion outside operating surfaces. Sidewall portions of a second upper rail are cut and raised at parts of only a predetermined length in a vehicle front-rear direction to be formed as rolling-element rolling portions having sidewall-portion outside operating surfaces. Rolling element circulation units each incorporating a plurality of rolling elements are fitted on the rolling-element rolling portions, so that the plurality of rolling elements roll and circulate in contact with the sidewall-portion inside operating surfaces and the sidewall-portion outside operating surfaces of rolling-element rolling portions. | 08-09-2012 |
| 20120199413 | VEHICULAR REAR WHEEL STEERING DEVICE - A vehicular rear wheel steering device includes a housing, a rod being non-turnable with respect to the housing and movably supported in an axial direction of the rod, and a conversion mechanism arranged between the rod and the housing to convert a rotation of a rotational drive device to a drive force in the axial direction. The housing includes a tubular first bush disposed at a first end and a tubular second bush at a second end. Each bush is slidably engaged to an outer periphery of the rod and supports the rod to be movable in the axial direction. A rod supporting rigidity of the first bush is lower compared to that of the second bush. The first bush is arranged with an elastic body that deforms in a radial direction of the rod. The second bush is arranged with an inner periphery protrusion at which the rod tilts. | 08-09-2012 |
| 20120198770 | WINDOW REGULATOR DEVICE - When a worm wheel rotates relative to an object pinching detection plate due to pinching of a foreign object, protruding pieces respectively formed on opposed surfaces of the worm wheel and the object pinching detection plate engage with each other. Through the engagement, the object pinching detection plate axially moves. At this time, the object pinching detection plate axially moves without rotation, and hence the object pinching detection plate is brought into contact with a movable piece of an object pinching detection switch without rotation. Therefore, wear due to rotation does not occur when the object pinching detection plate and the object pinching detection switch are brought into contact with each other. Thus, deterioration in object pinching detection accuracy due to the wear is prevented. | 08-09-2012 |
| 20120197496 | VEHICLE CONTROL APPARATUS - A vehicle control apparatus that controls a vehicle provided with a steering force applying device capable of applying steering force to induce a change in a steering angle of a steered wheel to the steered wheel, includes a difference detecting device that detects a positional difference that determines a relative positional relationship between a target running path to be maintained and the vehicle; a determining device that determines a control amount of the steering force applying device based on the detected positional difference; a controller that maintains a running path of the vehicle on the target running path by controlling the steering force applying device according to the determined control amount; a steering input detecting device that detects a steering input to a steering input device by a driver; and a correcting device that corrects a determining reference of the control amount of the steering force applying device such that, when a steering input is detected while the running path is maintained on the target running path, this steering input is reflected. | 08-02-2012 |
| 20120197138 | BIOLOGICAL PARAMETER MONITORING METHOD, COMPUTER-READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM AND BIOLOGICAL PARAMETER MONITORING DEVICE - A method for monitoring a biological parameter out of either the heartbeat and/or respiratory signal of an occupant on a member of a seat or bed, wherein a signal or signals received from one or a plurality of sensors connected to the member and capable of detecting the variation of pressure due to contact are processed by non-linear filtering. For example, the method is mounted on a vehicle and used. Also provided is a computer program including code instructions capable of controlling execution of the method of the invention when the method is executed by a computer. Further provided is a monitoring device for monitoring a biological parameter out of either the heartbeat and/or respiratory signal of an occupant on a member of a seat or bed. | 08-02-2012 |
| 20120193945 | ROOF APPARATUS - A roof apparatus includes a functional bracket supporting a movable panel, a guide rail extending in a longitudinal direction of a vehicle, a drive shoe moving along the guide rail, a front link connected to the functional bracket to move in the longitudinal direction in conjunction with the movement of the drive shoe, a front guide portion guiding the functional bracket and the front link in the longitudinal direction, a check member engaged with the drive shoe to move rearward with the drive shoe when a distance of the rearward movement of the drive shoe is shorter than a predetermined distance, the check member disengaged from the drive shoe when the distance of the rearward movement of the drive shoe is equal to or longer than the predetermined distance, a rear link engaged with the check member, and a rear guide portion guiding the rear link in the longitudinal direction. | 08-02-2012 |
| 20120193944 | ROOF APPARATUS - A roof apparatus includes a functional bracket supporting a movable panel, a guide rail, a drive shoe moving along the guide rail, a front link connected to the functional bracket to move in conjunction with the movement of the drive shoe, a rear link connected with the drive shoe to support the functional bracket, front and rear restriction portions arranged at the front link, front and rear restriction portions arranged at the rear link, a first distance defined between the front restriction portion of the front link and the rear restriction portion of the rear link, and a second distance defined between the rear restriction portion of the front link and the rear restriction portion of the rear link, wherein the front link and the rear link are arranged at different positions on a plain surface extending in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the guide rail extends. | 08-02-2012 |
| 20120193187 | VEHICLE DRIVE DEVICE - A vehicle drive device has an engine, a transmission, a clutch device and a clutch operating mechanism which operates the clutch device to drivingly connect the engine to the transmission. The clutch operating mechanism has a clutch drum secured to the outer circumferential surface of an input shaft of the transmission and holding a second clutch section which is engageable with a first clutch section held on an input member of the clutch device to which a driving power of the engine is transmitted. The clutch drum has a drum chamber, a fixed plate closing an opening of the drum chamber, a piston surrounded by the clutch drum and partitioning the drum chamber into a hydraulic chamber and a spring chamber, and an urging element provided inside the spring chamber to be surrounded by the clutch drum and urging the piston. | 08-02-2012 |
| 20120192491 | WINDOW REGULATOR DEVICE - A position detection unit includes a rotational member rotatable by a rotational drive force of an output shaft, an operation lever configured to avoid engaging with the rotational member when an open/close position of a window glass is situated out of an insensitive area, and engage with the rotational member when the open/close position of the window glass is situated within the insensitive area, the operation lever being rotated by the rotational drive force of the output shaft transmitted via the rotational member when the operation lever engages with the rotational member, and an insensitive area detection switch for performing a switching operation based on a rotational operation of the operation lever. It is detected whether or not an open/close position of the window glass is situated within the insensitive area based on the rotational operation of the operation lever, and accordingly detection accuracy is enhanced. | 08-02-2012 |
| 20120189930 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM - A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell, an evaporating portion, a reforming portion, a tank, a heating portion, a water supply passage, a water supply source being switchable between a normal mode in which water in the tank is sent to the evaporating portion by a first rotation, and a reverse mode in which the water in the water supply passage is returned to the tank by a second rotation, and a control portion performing a freeze restraining process by controlling the water supply source to alternately operate in the normal mode and the reverse mode in a case where the control portion determines a possibility of a freezing or a start of the freezing of at least one of the water supply passage and the water supply source. | 07-26-2012 |
| 20120189926 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM - A fuel cell system includes an evaporating portion, a reforming portion forming an anode fluid, a fuel cell generating an electric power, a tank, a water supply passage connecting the tank and the evaporating portion and allowing water in the tank to be supplied to the evaporating portion, a water supply source provided at the water supply passage to transmit the water in the tank to the evaporating portion, a stepping motor driving the water supply source, and a control portion driving the stepping motor to transmit the water in the tank to the evaporating portion. The control portion performs a harmful vibration restraining process to change a resonance frequency of the stepping motor by changing the number of steps per rotation of the stepping motor based on a volume of the water transmitted to the evaporating portion per time unit. | 07-26-2012 |
| 20120189529 | CARBON DIOXIDE GAS PROCESSING APPARATUS AND CARBON DIOXIDE GAS PROCESSING METHOD - Disclosed is a carbon dioxide gas processing apparatus including an oxidization vessel for producing a magnesium oxide by oxidizing magnesium-containing powder in an atmosphere of a gas such as a carbon dioxide gas that contains oxygen as a constituent element thereof, a carbonate production tank that reserves water or a water solution therein and that introduces the magnesium containing oxygen as a constituent element produced in the oxidization vessel, and a carbon dioxide gas supplying means for supplying carbon dioxide gas to the carbonate production tank. | 07-26-2012 |
| 20120181959 | DRIVING APPARATUS OF SENSORLESS BRUSHLESS MOTOR - A driving apparatus of a sensorless brushless motor includes an inverter circuit supplying a power supply voltage to three phase terminals of three phase armature windings of the sensorless brushless motor provided with a stator and with a rotor including a pair of magnetic poles, a PWM generator circuit generating a pulse-width modulation signal, a position detection circuit operating at a particular phase of the pulse-width modulation signal, detecting an induced voltage induced at the terminal that is in a non-energization time zone and detecting a rotational position of the rotor, an inverter control circuit determining an energization time zone and transmitting an energization control signal to the inverter circuit, and a PWM delay circuit generating a pulse-width modulation signal for position detection by delaying the pulse-width modulation signal, wherein the position detection circuit operates at a particular phase of the pulse-width modulation signal for position detection. | 07-19-2012 |
| 20120181894 | ROTOR FOR ROTARY ELECTRIC MACHINE - A rotor for a rotary electric machine, the rotor being arranged to face a stator and being roratably attached to a housing, the rotor includes a core body formed by a plurality of core sheets laminated in a direction of a rotational axis of the rotor, first and second end plates arranged at both end surfaces of the core body in a direction where the core sheets are laminated, and a fixing member fixing the first and second end plates to the core body to hold the core body by the first and second end plates, wherein at least one of the first and second end plates is formed by a plurality of composition members overlapping in a thickness direction of the first end plate and the second end plate. | 07-19-2012 |
| 20120177457 | METHOD OF MANUFACTURING GEAR - A method of manufacturing a gear by a skiving process, the skiving process utilizing a cutter including a rotational axis inclined to a rotational axis of a work to be processed into the gear, the skiving process feeding the cutter in a tooth trace direction of a tooth to be formed at the work in a state where the cutter rotates in synchronization with the work, the method includes a surface hardening process for hardening a work surface of the work before the skiving process is performed. | 07-12-2012 |
| 20120175932 | VEHICLE SEAT DEVICE - A vehicle seat device includes a first arm connected to a first frame forming a framework of a seat cushion, a second arm fixed to a second frame forming a framework of the seatback, a recliner sandwiched therebetween, a drive source providing a rotation in opposing directions therebetween, the first arm rotationally connected to the first frame, a locking mechanism equipped on the first arm and the first frame restricting rotation therebetween when the first arm is rotated to a first rotational end with respect to the first frame, and a control unit driving and controlling the drive source to adjust the inclination angle of the seatback relative to the seat cushion to a predetermined angle range when the locking mechanism is disengaged and the first arm is rotated to a second rotational end with respect to the first frame. | 07-12-2012 |
| 20120173089 | POWER SEAT DEVICE - A power seat device includes a motor, an adjustment operation member, a Hall sensor, an ECU, a memory, and a single request operation member. The adjustment operation member adjusts a seat position. The Hall sensor detects a seat position. The ECU drives and controls the motor in accordance with an operation of the adjustment operation member to adjust the seat position. The memory stores two seat positions adjusted by the adjustment operation member. The request operation member sequentially retrieves the two seat positions stored in the memory when pushed. The ECU drives and controls the motor to reinstate the seat position retrieved by the operation of the request operation member. The ECU automatically stores a seat position before the reinstatement of the retrieved seat position is started in the memory. | 07-05-2012 |
| 20120166023 | DOOR OPENING/CLOSING APPARATUS AND COATING FILM FORMING METHOD - A door opening/closing apparatus includes an opening/closing handle provided in a vehicle door, electrodes disposed in the door handle, a detection circuit configured to detect a change of electrostatic capacitance which occurs in the vicinity of the electrodes when a human body portion approaches or contacts the door handle and then to output a locking or unlocking operation signal and a device for executing locking or unlocking of the door based on the operation signal, and a transmission/reception antenna for effecting transmission/reception with a portable unit corresponding to the vehicle, wherein the door handle includes an insulating base body, and on a vehicle outer side surface of the base body, there is attached a metal layer comprised of a group of island shaped metal particles that extend along the surface of the base body and that are separated from each other. | 06-28-2012 |
| 20120161557 | SUPERCONDUCTING ELECTRIC MOTOR - A superconducting electric motor includes: a rotor that is rotatably arranged; and a stator. The stator has a plurality of teeth provided on one radial end portion of a stator core and slots, each of which is provided between two of the plurality of teeth, adjacent in a circumferential direction of the stator. Coils are respectively wound around the teeth. The superconducting electric motor further includes a refrigerator that has a narrow tube that flows low-temperature refrigerant inside. At least part of the narrow tube is arranged between two of the coils, adjacent in the circumferential direction of the stator, in one of the slots. | 06-28-2012 |
| 20120161454 | VEHICLE DOOR FIXING APPARATUS - A vehicle door fixing apparatus, a fixed wedge configured to be fixedly attached to one of a vehicle body panel and a door panel, a base plate configured to be fixedly attached to the other one of the vehicle body panel and the door panel, a movable wedge slidably provided at the base plate, a biasing member biasing the movable wedge toward the fixed wedge, and a cover fixedly attached to the base plate and covering around the biasing member. | 06-28-2012 |
| 20120158256 | DRIVING SUPPORT DEVICE - Provided is a driving support device that allows a driver to confirm the travelling routes of the wheels of a vehicle from an image indicating the circumference of the vehicle. | 06-21-2012 |
| 20120156579 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM - A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell, a combusting portion, an evaporating portion including an inlet port, a reforming portion, a tank including an outlet port, a supply passage, a water sensor detecting a water level of water positioned away from the inlet port by a predetermined distance, a water supply source, and a control portion. At a start of a power generation, the control portion instructs the water supply source to operate so that the water in the tank is supplied to the supply passage in a state where a water accommodating void is formed at the supply passage. The control portion performs a water level set process so that the water level in the supply passage is specified at a position away from the inlet port by the predetermined distance while monitoring the water level based on a detection signal of the water sensor. | 06-21-2012 |
| 20120154590 | VEHICLE SURROUNDING MONITOR APPARATUS - From a captured image capturing an image of the surrounding of a vehicle, there are generated a display screen including an image to be displayed when the vehicle is under a stopped state and a display screen including an image to be displayed when the vehicle is under a non-stopped state (not under the stopped state). And, these generated display screens are displayed on a monitor. The area of vehicle surrounding shown by the image displayed when the vehicle is under the non-stopped state is narrower than the area of vehicle surrounding shown by the image displayed when the vehicle is under the stopped state. | 06-21-2012 |
| 20120154589 | VEHICLE SURROUNDING MONITOR APPARATUS - From a captured image capturing an image of the surrounding of a vehicle, there are generated a first image having a rectangular shape and a second image having a non-rectangular, parallelogram shape. A display screen is generated and displayed which comprises the first image and the second image laid side by side, with image contents of the first and second images being continuous with each other and also with adjacent sides of the first and second images being parallel with each other. | 06-21-2012 |
| 20120154253 | MULTI-BAND MONOPOLE ANTENNA - A multi-band monopole antenna includes a first radiation conductor portion formed with a rod member having a length defined in accordance with a wavelength of a first frequency included in a predetermined first frequency band among plural frequency bands, and a second radiation conductor portion integrally connected with the first radiation conductor portion and formed with a planar member in which a direct distance from a feeding portion to a farthest point which is the farthest position from the feeding portion is defined in accordance with a wavelength of a second frequency included in a second frequency band which differs from the first frequency band among the plural frequency bands. The feeding portion is provided at a position based on the length defined in accordance with the wavelength of the first frequency relative to a position of a tip end of the first radiation conductor portion. | 06-21-2012 |
| 20120152190 | VALVE TIMING CONTROL APPARATUS - A valve timing control apparatus includes a driving-side rotary body, a driven-side rotary body, a fluid pressure chamber partitioned into a retard angle chamber and an advance angle chamber by a partitioning portion provided in at least one of the driving-side rotary body and the driven-side rotary body, a fluid control mechanism for controlling feeding of working fluid from a working fluid pump for feeding the working fluid to the fluid pressure chamber and controlling also discharging of the working fluid from the fluid pressure chamber, a first lock mechanism capable of restraining a relative rotational phase to a first predetermined phase between a most retarded angle phase and a most advanced angle phase, and a second lock mechanism capable of restraining the relative rotational phase to a second predetermined phase different from the first predetermined phase. | 06-21-2012 |
| 20120147919 | SURFACE PROFILE INSPECTION DEVICE - A surface profile inspection device producing a sheet of light propagating in a linear region forming a plane from a laser beam emitted from a laser light source and irradiating the sheet of light to an object to be measured, and including an image capturing unit capturing an image of the object to be measured and a configuration data generating unit extracting a light section line defined by an irradiation of the sheet of light from image data of the captured image and generating surface profile data of the object to be measured. The laser light source includes a semiconductor laser emitting a laser beam from a light emitting layer formed in a linear direction along a boarder of a p-n junction. An attitude of the semiconductor laser is set to arrange the linear direction to be unparallel to a spread direction of the sheet of light. | 06-14-2012 |
| 20120145868 | SEAT SLIDING APPARATUS FOR A VEHICLE - Disclosed is a seat sliding apparatus for a vehicle, the apparatus provided with a pair of lower rails fixed to the vehicle floor and a pair of upper rails fixed to a vehicle seat. The seat sliding apparatus causes screw shafts supported at the upper rail to rotate relative to nut members fixed to the lower rails and the upper rails to move relative to the lower rails in the seat forward-rearward direction. A speed reducer-equipped motor comprises a motor, a gear mechanism, and a gear housing. The gear housing is designed so that the axis of the output shaft of the gear mechanism extends in the seat width direction. A manipulation switch comprises a manipulating portion fixed to the gear housing such that the operation switch is exposed at a forward end of the seat. | 06-14-2012 |
| 20120139716 | DRIVING ASSISTANCE APPARATUS - Disclosed is a driving assistance apparatus for assisting a driving operation by outputting a reverse sound at the time of a reversing maneuver of a vehicle. The apparatus includes an information acquisition unit for acquiring driving assistance information including a vehicle condition and a vehicle surrounding condition, a reverse sound management unit for managing reverse sounds belonging in a musical scale including the reverse sound as the tonic note thereof as musical scale reverse sounds, an output reverse sound determination unit for determining a sequence of musical scale in the form of temporal sequence corresponding to the driving assistance information, and a reverse sound output control unit configured to select from the reverse sounds managed by the reverse sound management unit and output to a speaker reverse sounds suitable for the sequence of the musical scale determined by the reverse sound determination unit. | 06-07-2012 |
| 20120139319 | SEAT RECLINING DEVICE FOR VEHICLE - A holder in a seat reclining device for vehicle has a body portion which comprises a cover wall slidably covering an end surface at an outer circumferential portion of an upper arm on an opposite side to a lower arm and a circumferential wall formed continuously with the cover wall and covering an outer circumferential surface of the lower arm, and fixed portions provided at an end of the circumferential wall and fixed by caulking on an end surface at an outer circumferential portion of the lower arm on an opposite side to the upper arm. The holder is formed with a plurality of load receiving portions cut and bent from the body portion to contact an end surface at the outer circumferential portion of the lower arm on the upper arm side for supporting a caulking load at the time of a fixing by caulking. | 06-07-2012 |
| 20120139315 | SEAT FRAME - A seat frame includes a projecting portion formed on a surface of a recliner to face a reinforcement plate, the projecting portion having a cross sectional shape with a recessed portion and a protruded portion in a rotational direction of the recliner, the reinforcement plate including a first through-hole for fitting the projecting portion, the upward-downward direction frame including a second through-hole larger than the first through-hole which extends within the second through-hole when the upward-downward direction frame and the reinforcement plate are overlaid, and a three-member welding portion formed by a periphery of the projecting portion, a periphery of the first through-hole, and a periphery of the second through-hole wherein the recliner, the reinforcement plate, and the upward-downward direction frame are welded with the projecting portion of the recliner fitting to the first through-hole of the reinforcement plate while the reinforcement plate and the upward-downward direction frame are overlaid. | 06-07-2012 |
| 20120138276 | DEVICE FOR DILUTING VISCOUS SUBSTANCE - Provided is a device for diluting a viscous substance which is advantages in increasing frequency of contact between the viscous substance and a diluent in order to finely fragment the viscous substance, even when the viscous substance has a high viscosity, and efficiently dilute the viscous substance with the diluent. The device comprises a viscous substance supply portion | 06-07-2012 |
| 20120133769 | VEHICLE SURROUNDINGS AWARENESS SUPPORT DEVICE - Provided is a vehicle surroundings awareness support device capable of providing a prompt for a driver to intuitively direct their attention, without the driver feeling hassled. Captured images comprising a plurality of frames taken sequentially by an onboard camera for imaging the surroundings of the vehicle are received; an optical flow is computed on the basis of feature points contained in the plurality of frames imaged at different times; moving objects in the surroundings of the vehicle are detected on the basis of the optical flow; and a display for showing movement trajectories for the moving objects is superimposed on the captured images on the basis of the optical flow. | 05-31-2012 |
| 20120133159 | DOOR HANDLE APPARATUS - A door handle apparatus includes a first handle case including a holding portion defining a gap between the holding portion and an outer surface of an outer panel of a vehicle door, a second handle case attached to the first handle case, a conductive member provided at an outer surface of the second handle case, a lock detection electrode facing the conductive member and facing an inner surface of the second handle case for establishing a capacitive coupling between the lock detection electrode and the conductive member, the lock detection electrode detecting a door-lock command on the basis of a fluctuation of an electrostatic capacity generated in response to a contact or an approach of a vehicle user to the conductive member, and a decorating piece surrounding the conductive member, joined to the outer surface of the second handle case and defining a design surface of the door handle apparatus. | 05-31-2012 |
| 20120132169 | AIR INTAKE CONTROL VALVE - An air intake control valve includes a body extending to divide an inner portion of a surge tank of a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine into two portions, the body serving as a divided surface to divide the inner portion of the surge tank into the two portions, a valve element operated to rotate for opening and closing a fluid passage formed at the body, and a seal member sealing between a sealed surface of the surge tank and an outer periphery of the body, the seal member including a seal portion constituted by two contact portions that make contact with the sealed surface in a state where the two contact portions extend in directions opposite from each other relative to the divided surface. | 05-31-2012 |
| 20120132154 | CONTROL DEVICE FOR VARIABLE WATER PUMP - The ECU includes: a stop control portion controlling an electric water pump to stop, when an engine provided with the electric water pump pressure-feeding a coolant is warmed up; a first drive control portion controlling the electric water pump to drive for a predetermined period at least before the stop control portion performs a control, when a coolant temperature thw in starting the engine is equal to or higher than a predetermined value α. The electric water pump corresponds to a variable water pump capable of changing the flow rate of the coolant. | 05-31-2012 |
| 20120128520 | Oil Pump Rotor - An oil pump rotor includes an inner rotor having (n) external teeth, an outer rotor having (n+1) internal teeth, and a casing forming a suction port and a discharge port for drawing/discharging fluid. In operation, fluid is drawn/discharged according to volume changes of cells formed between tooth faces. A tooth profile based on a mathematical curve has a tooth addendum circle A | 05-24-2012 |
| 20120127312 | VEHICLE PERIPHERY IMAGE GENERATION APPARATUS - Provided is a vehicle periphery image generation apparatus for generating a vehicle periphery image which can provide a wide view of vehicle periphery at a time. The vehicle periphery image generation apparatus includes an image acquisition unit for acquiring vehicle periphery images photographed by a plurality of photographic cameras mounted on the vehicle, a display device provided in the vehicle interior for displaying the images, a viewing point position setting unit for setting the position as the viewing point of the image to be displayed on the display device to a viewing point from a perpendicularly upward direction, a fish-eye image generation unit for generating a fish-eye image with using the periphery images and the position set by the viewing point position setting unit, a self vehicle image generation unit for generating a self vehicle image, and a display image generation unit for generating an image to be displayed on the display device with using the fish-eye image and a self vehicle image, wherein the position of the viewing point of the fish-eye image can be changed. | 05-24-2012 |
| 20120126642 | ELECTRIC MOTOR - An electric motor has a rotor, stator, and covers. A stator coil is a pre-wound coil inserted into slots of a stator core from its inner side. A no-lead-wire side coil end portion of the stator coil protrudes radially inward. A no-lead-wire side coolant chamber is liquid-tightly defined by the cover covering the no-lead-wire side coil end portion and a seal plate(s) that is attached from or on a radially inner side of the stator core so as to cover an opening between the inner peripheral edge of the cover and the inner peripheral edge of the stator core. | 05-24-2012 |
| 20120119520 | DOOR LOCK DEVICE FOR VEHICLE - A door lock device for a vehicle, provided with an opening lever driven as a door handle is operated, an opening link interposed between the opening lever and a lift lever of a latch mechanism, a lock operation unit for switching the opening link to an unlock position or a lock position, and a locking lever for driving the lock operation unit. A holding section is provided to the opening lever. The holding section holds the opening link at a holding position between the lock position and the unlock position when the opening link becomes switched by the locking lever through the lock operation unit from the lock position to the unlock position with the opening link driven by the opening lever. | 05-17-2012 |
| 20120118695 | CLUTCH DEVICE FOR VEHICLE - A clutch device for a vehicle includes an input shaft, an output shaft coaxially arranged with a rotational axis of the input shaft, first clutch plates, second clutch plates, a piston fitted to a cylindrical portion integrally formed with the output shaft or the input shaft, an elastic member arranged between the piston and the cylindrical portion, a hydraulic chamber defined by the cylindrical portion and the piston, a canceller chamber defined by the cylindrical portion and the piston to connect to an outer side of the cylindrical portion via a discharge hole formed at a portion of the cylindrical portion, the portion being located at a predetermined radial distance from the rotational axis, and a throttle hole formed in a portion of the piston to connect the hydraulic chamber to the canceller chamber, the portion being located at a radially inward side of the portion of the cylindrical portion. | 05-17-2012 |
| 20120118029 | DOOR LOCK DEVICE FOR VEHICLE - A door lock device includes a lever mechanism which carries out lock/unlock operation in response to turn operation of a key cylinder. The lever mechanism includes a key rotor which includes a coupling hole to which an inner end of a rod is coupled in a torque transmittable manner and is rotatably assembled to a housing, and a key lever which includes a hub which is coupled to the key rotor in a torque transmittable manner and is arranged in the housing. The key lever includes a first arm which extends to radial outward direction from the hub and is capable of engaging with a first engagement portion of the active lever, and a second arm which extends to radial outward direction from the hub and is capable of engaging with a second engagement portion of the active lever. | 05-17-2012 |
| 20120112594 | STATOR CORE - A stator core includes a cylindrical yoke and teeth that are disposed in an inner circumference surface of the yoke along its circumferential direction and that are subjected to magnetic flux from the rotor of the rotating electrical device. The teeth include a trapezoidal tooth that has a trapezoidal cross section that is taken vertically along a central axis of the yoke and an oddly shaped tooth of which a tip section has the same shape as the trapezoidal tooth and a base section from the tip section to the yoke has a different shape from the trapezoidal tooth. | 05-10-2012 |
| 20120112581 | ELECTRIC MOTOR AND VEHICLE DRIVE DEVICE USING THE SAME - An electric motor and a vehicle drive device having the same are provided. The electric motor includes a core unit having plural core assemblies, each being wound with a coil; an bus ring; plural supporting members having terminal accommodating portions; and an attachment member which includes at least one of a first holding portion for holding a first sensor for measuring a temperature of an oil stored in the case and a second holding portion for holding a second sensor for measuring a temperature of the coils at a predetermined second position. The attachment member is fixed to one of the supporting members such that the first or the second sensor is positioned at a corresponding one of the first position and the second position between adjacent terminal accommodating portions. | 05-10-2012 |
| 20120112580 | STATOR OF ROTATING ELECTRICAL MACHINE - A stator of a rotating electrical machine is provided. The stator includes a core unit which includes plural core assemblies arranged annularly, each core assembly being wound with a coil, plural accommodating portions which are provided to correspond to the core assemblies, each accommodating portion accommodating at least one of (i) a connection portion of end portions of adjacent coils for forming a neutral point and (ii) a connection portion of the other end portion of one of the adjacent coils and a power supply line, a temperature detector which detects at least one of a temperature of an oil and a temperature of a coil of the plural coils, and a signal line which is connected to the temperature detector for transmitting a detection signal from the temperature detector to an outside. Each of the accommodating portions includes a holding portion which holds the signal line. | 05-10-2012 |
| 20120112477 | MOVABLE WEDGE DEVICE FOR VEHICLE DOOR FIXING APPARATUS AND VEHICLE DOOR FIXING APPARATUS - A movable wedge device for a vehicle door fixing apparatus includes a base plate configured to be fixed to one of a vehicle body panel and a door panel, a mounting hole formed on the base plate and configured to be inserted with a mounting member, a movable wedge provided at the base plate to be movable between a position where the movable wedge covers the mounting hole and a position where the mounting hole is exposed, the movable wedge configured to press onto a fixed wedge configured to be provided at the other of the vehicle body panel and the door panel, a biasing member biasing the movable wedge towards the position where the movable wedge covers the mounting hole, and a hold member detachably provided for stopping a sliding movement of the movable wedge and retaining the movable wedge at the position where the mounting hole is exposed. | 05-10-2012 |
| 20120112474 | VEHICLE DOOR FIXING APPARATUS AND MOVABLE WEDGE DEVICE OF SAME - A movable wedge device of a vehicle door fixing apparatus, includes a base plate fixedly attached to one of a vehicle body panel and a door panel, a movable wedge slidably provided at the base plate and pushed against a fixed wedge provided at the other one of the vehicle body panel and the door panel, a biasing member positioned between the base plate and the movable wedge and biasing the movable wedge toward the fixed wedge, a guide rail provided at one of the base plate and the movable wedge, a guide groove which is provided at the other one of the base plate and the movable wedge and with which the guide rail engages for allowing the movable wedge to slide, and an elastic member provided in a compressed state between a surface of the guide rail and a wall of the guide groove. | 05-10-2012 |
| 20120111688 | ELECTROMAGNETIC CLUTCH AND WATER PUMP - An electromagnetic clutch includes a base portion, a driving member, a driven unit including an output shaft, and an electromagnetic solenoid. The driving member, the driven unit, and the electromagnetic solenoid are assembled on the base portion. The driven unit includes an intermediate member that engages with the output shaft to transmit a torque while being relatively moved towards a rotational axis, the intermediate member being magnetically attracted to the base portion. The driven unit also includes a rotation member that is biased towards the driving member and that is pivotally supported to transmit a rotation of the driving member to the output shaft, a guide mechanism that causes the rotation member to be separated from the driving member while the intermediate member is restrained from moving by being magnetically attracted, and a holding mechanism holding a position of the rotation member that is separated from the driving member. | 05-10-2012 |
| 20120111145 | ELECTRIC MOTOR AND VEHICLE DRIVE DEVICE USING THE SAME - An electric motor and a vehicle drive device having the same are provided. The electric motor includes a core unit having plural core assemblies fixed to a case, an annular bus ring attached to the core unit, plural supporting members attached the plural core assemblies, respectively, an attachment member holding a first sensor and fixed to a portion of a terminal accommodating portion such that the first sensor is soaked in an oil stored in the case, and an attachment member holding a second sensor and fixed to a portion of a terminal accommodating portion such that the second sensor is positioned at a second position for measuring a temperature of the coils between adjacent terminal accommodating portions which are not soaked in the oil. | 05-10-2012 |
| 20120109464 | MOMENTUM CONTROL APPARATUS - The momentum control apparatus includes: an optimal feedback gain obtaining part for obtaining a plurality of optimal feedback gains used when each of the plurality of actuators is independently actuated to feedback control the momentum of the controlled object; and a feedback gain setting part for extracting a minimum feedback gain out of the plurality of optimal feedback gains obtained by the optimal feedback gain obtaining part as a feedback gain of a control system. | 05-03-2012 |
| 20120109461 | LATERAL MOTION CONTROL APPARATUS FOR A VEHICLE - A lateral motion control apparatus includes a target value obtaining unit, a control amount calculation unit, a steering intent determination unit that determines whether a driver of the vehicle is steering with intent, and a control object control unit that controls the control object so as to control the control object based on the control amount when the driver is not steering with intent, and to stop the control of the control object when the driver is steering with intent. The steering intent determination unit includes a steering operation amount obtaining unit and a threshold value setting unit that sets a threshold value for the steering operation amount based on the target value, and determines whether or not the driver is steering with intent by comparing the magnitude of the steering operation amount with the threshold value. | 05-03-2012 |
| 20120109460 | VEHICLE DYNAMIC CONTROL APPARATUS AND VEHICLE DYNAMIC CONTROL SYSTEM USING THE SAME - A vehicle dynamic control apparatus is designed to control a plurality of controlled objects according to a request value of a first parameter from an application associated with motion of a vehicle in a same direction to fulfill the request value of the first parameter. An availability obtainer obtains an availability corresponding to a controllable range of a second parameter of each of the plurality of controlled objects, the second parameter being associated with motion of the vehicle in the same direction. A selector determines an order of the plurality of controlled objects to be controlled based on the availability of the second parameter of each of the plurality of controlled objects, and selects at least one of the plurality of controlled objects to be controlled in accordance with the determined order. | 05-03-2012 |
| 20120109416 | LATERAL MOTION CONTROL APPARATUS FOR A VEHICLE - The lateral motion control apparatus calculates lateral motion control amounts for a plurality of control targets that operate cooperatively in order to change the lateral motion amount of the vehicle based on a target value for the lateral motion amount of the vehicle, and control the plurality of control targets based on the calculated lateral motion control amounts. Meanwhile, it is determined whether or not the control of the plurality of control targets is to be stopped. When it has been determined that the control of the plurality of control targets is to be stopped, lateral motion degeneration control amounts are determined for each of the plurality of control targets so that the lateral motion control amounts of the plurality of control targets degenerate starting at that time, and the plurality of control targets are controlled based on the determined lateral motion degeneration control amounts. | 05-03-2012 |
| 20120109415 | LATERAL MOTION CONTROL APPARATUS FOR A VEHICLE - A lateral motion control apparatus for a vehicle includes a control stop determination unit that determines whether or not to stop the control for the control target by the control target control unit based on a steering operation amount inputted by a driver of the vehicle, and a degeneration control amount determination unit that determines a degeneration control amount for the control target such that the control amount for the control target degenerates after the time when the control stop determination unit has determined that the control for the control target is to be stopped. When the control stop determination unit has determined that the control for the control target is to be stopped, the control target control unit controls the control target based on the degeneration control amount determined by the degeneration control amount determination unit. | 05-03-2012 |
| 20120109414 | VEHICLE DYNAMIC CONTROL PLATFORM BETWEEN APPLICATION AND CONTROLLED OBJECT - In a vehicle dynamic control platform arranged between a controlled object and an application, an availability obtainer obtains an availability corresponding to a controllable range of a second parameter of the controlled object, and outputs the availability of the second parameter of the controlled object to the application. The application is programmed to output the target value of the first parameter based on the availability of the second parameter of the controlled object. A comparator compares the target value of the first parameter with the availability of the second parameter when the target value of the first parameter is outputted from the application, and determines, based on a result of the comparison, whether to perform dynamic control of the vehicle by controlling the controlled object. | 05-03-2012 |
| 20120109412 | VEHICLE MOVEMENT CONTROL APPARATUS AND VEHICLE MOVEMENT CONTROL METHOD - A vehicle movement control apparatus for setting control requirement values for a plurality of control objects controlling movement of a vehicle, if control target values for movement of the vehicle are input, the apparatus includes: a first requirement value setting unit setting a first control requirement value for a first control object; a first estimating unit acquiring a first movement estimated value if the first control object is activated based on the first control requirement value; a calculating unit calculating an estimated delay amount which is a shortage amount generated based on response delay of the first control object; a second requirement value setting unit setting a second control requirement value for a second control object, based on the result of the calculation; and a second estimating unit acquiring a second movement estimated value if the second control object is activated based on the second control requirement value. | 05-03-2012 |
| 20120109411 | VEHICLE DYNAMIC CONTROL APPARATUS AND VEHICLE DYNAMIC CONTROL SYSTEM USING THE SAME - A vehicle dynamic control apparatus is designed to control a plurality of controlled objects based on a first parameter associated with a motion of a vehicle in a same direction to fulfill a request value of a second parameter associated with the motion of the vehicle in the same direction and outputted from a control requester. The vehicle dynamic control apparatus includes an availability obtainer configured to obtain an availability of the first parameter of each of the controlled objects, and to output the availability of the first parameter of each of the controlled objects to the control requester. | 05-03-2012 |
| 20120109410 | VEHICLE MOTION CONTROL APPARATUS - A vehicle motion control apparatus configured to control a plurality of control objects in a same direction of vehicle motion control to achieve a requested control amount is provided. The vehicle motion control apparatus includes a control object selection unit which is configured to determine priority of the control objects used for the vehicle motion control based on a priority determination condition, to select a control object from among the plurality of control objects. The control object selection unit includes a control object selection timing determination section configured to detect a change in the priority determination condition, and cause the control object selection unit to reselect a control object at a timing of the change detection as a selection timing. | 05-03-2012 |
| 20120105234 | STATE DETECTING DEVICE, STATE DETECTING METHOD, AND NON-TRANSITORY COMPUTER-READABLE MEDIUM - Disclosed is a state detecting device that detects characteristic quantities regarding the driver that are represented by biological information such as the eyelid opening degree and frequency of heartbeat of the driver, identifies the group to which the state of the driver belongs between a Group | 05-03-2012 |
| 20120104904 | MOTOR ASSEMBLY, DRIVE DEVICE FOR HYBRID VEHICLE, AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME - A drive device for a hybrid vehicle, the drive device includes: an input shaft and an output shaft, which are supported by a case to be rotatable around a rotation-axis; a motor, which includes a rotor integrally coupled with the output shaft and a stator fixed to the case; an input-side rotation member and an output-side rotation member, which have an annular shape; a rotation angle sensor, which detects a rotation angle of the rotor, wherein the rotation angle sensor includes: a rotating sensor member coupled with the output-side rotation member; and a fixed sensor member fixed to the case to detect an angle between the rotating sensor member and the fixed sensor member; a protrusion, which protrudes in a radial direction; a groove to receive the protrusion to be inserted; and a restriction portion, which restricts relative rotation between the rotating sensor member and the output-side rotation member. | 05-03-2012 |
| 20120103751 | DRIVE SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE - A drive system for a vehicle includes an engine, a transmission, a clutch mechanism including first and second clutch portions, the clutch mechanism being switchable between connected and disconnected states, and a clutch operation mechanism switching the clutch mechanism between the connected and disconnected states, the clutch operation mechanism including a clutch drum forming a drum chamber, a piston dividing the drum chamber into a spring chamber and a pressurizing chamber, a control valve, a biasing member arranged in the spring chamber and exerting a biasing force in a direction in which the first and second clutch portions are engaged with each other, and a bore formed in the clutch drum, the bore discharging oil of the spring chamber to an outer side of the spring chamber in a state where a counteracting force against a centrifugal force acting in the pressurizing chamber is generated in the spring chamber. | 05-03-2012 |
| 20120103296 | INTAKE SYSTEM OF INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE - An intake system of an internal combustion engine includes: an intake manifold; a cartridge provided in the intake manifold, the cartridge having a plurality of intake channels for supplying air to respective cylinders in the internal combustion engine and valve elements configured to adjust the amounts of intake air taken into the respective cylinders; a gas supply portion configured to introduce gas discharged from the internal combustion engine into the cylinders, the gas supply portion being provided at a center position of the cartridge in the direction of row of the plurality of intake channels; and a plurality of gas distribution channels provided on the cartridge and configured to distribute from the gas supply portion to the plurality of intake channels. | 05-03-2012 |
| 20120091838 | COOLING STRUCTURE FOR ROTARY ELECTRIC MACHINE - A cooling structure for a rotary electric machine uses coolant to cool coil end portions that protrude outward, one from each end surface of a stator core, in a stator that includes a stator core and coils that are wound in a circumferential direction of the stator core. This cooling structure includes a lead side cover member that covers a lead side coil end portion to which a lead wire that supplies electricity to the coils is connected, and forms a first coolant chamber within which coolant is stored; and a non-lead side cover member that covers a non-lead side coil end portion positioned opposite the lead side coil end portion in the axial direction, and forms a second coolant chamber within which coolant is stored. A coolant communicating path is provided that communicates the first and second coolant chambers in a manner that enables coolant to flow therebetween. | 04-19-2012 |
| 20120091665 | Seal Structure - A seal structure for sealing a penetrated portion through which a rotary shaft passes between a cover member and the rotary shaft. A seal member is fitted onto the rotary shaft in a manner that the rotary shaft can rotate relative to the seal member, and the elastic buffer member is provided for connection between the seal member and the cover member at the penetrated portion. The seal structure can keep sealing performance by reducing the influence of movements such as vibration and thermal expansion of the cover member and the influence of process tolerance of the cover member on the sealing performance of the seal member attached to the penetrated portion between the cover member and the rotary shaft penetrating the cover member. | 04-19-2012 |
| 20120086292 | STATOR - In the stator, a thermistor housed in a tube is arranged to be sandwiched between a coil end and a U-phase bus bar, allowing the thermistor to receive heat from above and below at two faces, that is a face of the U-phase bus bar and a top face of the coil end. Moreover, the thermistor can be placed substantially in close contact with the coil end. Accordingly, the temperature followability by the thermistor can be realized at high accuracy. As a result, there can be provided a stator having a configuration in which temperature followability of high accuracy can be achieved in measuring the temperature of a coil of a stator using a temperature detection element, and that can correspond to further downsizing of a rotating electric machine. | 04-12-2012 |
| 20120085303 | VALVE TIMING CONTROL DEVICE - A valve timing control device comprises a drive-side rotational member synchronously rotatable with a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine; a driven-side rotational member mounted coaxially with the drive-side rotational member and synchronously rotatable with a camshaft for opening and closing a valve of the internal combustion engine; a fluid pressure chamber defined by the drive-side rotational member and the driven-side rotational member; a partition provided in at least one of the drive-side rotational member and the driven-side rotational member for dividing the fluid pressure chamber into a retarded angle chamber and an advanced angle chamber; a fluid feeding/discharging mechanism for controlling feed/discharge of working fluid relative to the fluid pressure chamber; a locking mechanism for restricting a relative rotational phase of the driven-side rotational member relative to the drive-side rotational member to a predetermined phase between a most retarded angle phase and a most advanced angle phase; and an urging mechanism for constantly exerting an urging force to the drive-side rotational member and the driven-side rotational member to displace the relative rotational phase to the side of the most retarded angle phase. | 04-12-2012 |
| 20120082572 | FLUID PUMP - A fluid pump includes a drive shaft driven by power from an engine, a rotor adapted to be provided at a housing and rotating unitarily with the drive shaft, a driving wheel which is provided separately from the drive shaft and to which the power from the engine is always transmitted when the engine is running, a driven wheel transmitting the power from the engine to the drive shaft upon being in contact with the driving wheel, and a displacement mechanism causing the driving wheel and the driven wheel to be out of contact from each other by moving at least one of the driving wheel and the driven wheel. | 04-05-2012 |
| 20120080892 | DOOR HANDLE DEVICE FOR VEHICLE - A door handle device for a vehicle includes a handle including an engagement leg portion and an engagement arm portion at a first side and a second side respectively in a longitudinal direction of the handle, a first frame configured to be attached to a door panel of the door and including a bearing portion serving as a rotation center of the engagement leg portion, a lever configured to transmit an opening operation force of the door to a door lock mechanism by operating with the engagement arm portion, a second frame configured to be attached to the door panel and supporting the lever to rotate at a support shaft, and a cap engaging with the second frame in a detachable manner and configured to cover an opening portion formed at the door panel through which the engagement arm portion is inserted. | 04-05-2012 |
| 20120077606 | TORQUE FLUCTUATION ABSORBER - A torque fluctuation absorber includes a first rotary member formed into an annular shape and including a first protruding portion formed at an inner circumferential surface, a second rotary member connected to the first rotary member, a third rotary member including a second protruding portion formed at an outer circumferential surface, a damper portion absorbing torque fluctuations caused by torsion generated between the second rotary member and the third rotary member, and an elastic member arranged between the first protruding portion and the second protruding portion and absorbing a shock generated when the first protruding portion directly makes contact with the second protruding portion when the damper portion absorbs the torque fluctuations caused by the torsion generated between the second rotary member and the third rotary member. | 03-29-2012 |
| 20120077605 | TORQUE FLUCTUATION ABSORBER - A torque fluctuation absorber includes a seating member having a pivoting portion at an inner portion in a radial direction and a supporting portion, which rotationally supports the pivoting portion, at an end surface in a circumferential direction of a first and a second opening portion. When no relative rotational torsion existing between a first and a second rotational member, the pivoting portion is in contact with the supporting portion and a clearance is defined between a portion on each seating member positioned outwardly in a radial direction relative to the pivoting portion and a portion of the first and the second opening portion positioned outwardly in a radial direction relative to the supporting portion. At a first torsion angle, the portion on each seating member contacts the portion of first or second opening portion in a state where the pivoting portion is in contact with the supporting portion. | 03-29-2012 |
| 20120077604 | TORQUE FLUCTUATION ABSORBER - A torque fluctuation absorber includes a first damper portion absorbing torque fluctuations caused by a torsion between a first rotary member and a second rotary member, a second damper portion absorbing torque fluctuations caused by a torsion between the second rotary member and a third rotary member, and a stopper portion. The first rotary member includes a first projecting portion projecting radially inwardly and being contactable with the stopper portion by the torsion between the first rotary member and the second rotary member. The third rotary member includes a second projecting portion projecting radially outwardly and being contactable with the stopper portion by the torsion between the third rotary member and the second rotary member. The second projecting portion makes contact with the stopper portion at a radially inner side relative to a portion where the first projecting portion makes contact with the stopper portion. | 03-29-2012 |
| 20120074963 | CAPACITANCE DETECTION APPARATUS - Provided is a capacitance detection apparatus capable of effectively discriminating between an external factor due to e.g. water drops and a human-induced operation and allowing detection of occurrence of the human-induced operation with a simple arrangement. The apparatus alternately executes a first switching control process and a second switching control process, the first and second switching control processes executing a second switch operation with different charging periods from each other. In each of the first and second switching control processes, the number of repetition times of the second switch operation is counted until the potential of a terminal of a reference capacitance changes to a set potential. Based on the number of repetition times in at least one of the two switching control processes, presence/absence of change in determined capacitance (i.e. capacitance to be determined) is determined and based on the numbers of repetition times in the two control processes, it is determined whether the change in the determined capacitance is due to an event of detection interest or not. | 03-29-2012 |
| 20120074750 | SEAT RECLINING APPARATUS FOR VEHICLE - A seat reclining apparatus for a vehicle, includes the pair of lower arms each connected to the lower side frame, the upper arm positioned between the pair of lower arms and fixedly attached to the upper side frame, the pair of recliners joined to the upper arm and to the pair of lower arms, the electric motor, the lower side frame provided as a pair for sandwiching the pair of lower arms and connected to the pair of lower arms in a manner that the pair of lower arms is pivotable relative to the lower side frame, and a lock member for engaging with the pair of lower side frames and with the pair of lower arms for restricting a relative pivoting movement between the pair of lower side frames and the pair of lower arms in a state where a relative pivot angle therebetween is at a predetermined angle. | 03-29-2012 |
| 20120074718 | DOOR OUTER HANDLE DEVICE FOR VEHICLE - A door outer handle device for a vehicle includes a base member, an outer handle, a link mechanism, and a door opening prevention mechanism restricting a component member of the link mechanism from moving in a door opening direction by a predetermined inertia force. The door opening prevention mechanism includes a lever member being rotatable to a set rotation position to restrict the component member from moving in the door opening direction. The lever member is rotatable to a retracted rotation position to allow the component member to move in the door opening direction by being shifted to the retracted rotation position in an early stage of an operation of the outer handle from the door closed position to the door open position while the inertia force is not being applied. The door opening prevention mechanism further includes a biasing member biasing the lever member to the retracted rotation position. | 03-29-2012 |
| 20120074288 | SLIDE APPARATUS FOR VEHICLE AND ROLLING ELEMENT CIRCULATION UNIT FOR THE SAME - A slide apparatus for a vehicle includes first and second rails and a rolling element circulation unit including first and second cases and a plurality of rolling elements accommodated within a receiving portion that includes first and second annular receiving portions accommodating the rolling elements annularly arranged in a rolling and circulating manner. The second case includes elongated bores connected to the first and second annular receiving portions in a state where the second case is mounted at the second rail. A portion of the rolling elements is exposed from the elongated bores while being inhibited from disengaging from the elongated bores. The rolling elements exposed from the elongated bores make contact with an operating surface of the first rail and inner surfaces of the first and second annular receiving portions, and roll and circulate in association with a relative movement between the first and second rails. | 03-29-2012 |
| 20120068562 | ROTARY ELECTRICAL APPARATUS - A rotary electrical apparatus includes a housing, a stator including a center axis inclined by a predetermined angle relative to a horizontal direction in a case where the housing is fixed to a mounting member, a rotor, and an oil stored at a lower side within the housing relative to the center axis and functioning as at least one of a cooling oil, a lubricating oil, and an operating oil. The housing includes an oil inlet port and an oil discharge port allowing the oil to be discharged once a predetermined amount of the oil is stored within the housing, the oil discharge port being displaced from a first oil passage on which the oil supplied from the oil inlet port moves downward along an inner peripheral wall surface of the housing in a state where the housing is held so that the center axis is arranged to be horizontal. | 03-22-2012 |
| 20120068511 | SEAT APPARATUS FOR VEHICLE - A seat apparatus for a vehicle includes a slide rail arranged slidably relative to a vehicle floor in a longitudinal direction, a bracket including a first end portion fixed to the slide rail, a second end portion, and a connecting portion connecting the first end portion to the second end portion, a vehicle seat supported by the bracket, and a load detection device arranged between the slide rail and the second end portion of the bracket and detecting a load applied to the vehicle seat, wherein rigidity of the connecting portion of the bracket in a vertical direction of the vehicle is set to be lower than rigidities of the first end portion and the second end portion of the bracket in the vertical direction. | 03-22-2012 |
| 20120067153 | POWER TRANSMISSION DEVICE - A power transmission device for a vehicle configured with a rotary power member, and a mechanism configured with a plurality of operational states. A switching shaft changes the operational state of the operating mechanism and is moved by an electric actuator. A control transmission transmits the power from the actuator to the shaft. The housing for the rotary member includes is configured so that the switching shaft projects outwards from the housing. The electric actuator is arranged at a location facing, of a surface of the housing portion of the case, a portion that does not overlap another portion where the switching shaft projects, when viewed in the axial direction of the rotational axis of the rotary member. A part of the actuator is arranged on a case side relative to a vertical line passing through the portion where the switching shaft projects from the housing portion of the case. | 03-22-2012 |
| 20120065822 | SPEED CONTROL METHOD AND SPEED CONTROL DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - A speed control method for an automatic transmission adapted to a power train apparatus for a hybrid vehicle having an engine, a motor-generator, the automatic transmission, and a speed control device controlling the automatic transmission based on a throttle opening degree of the engine and an output rotation number of the automatic transmission, the speed control method executed when the electricity is simultaneously generated while the vehicle is driven by the engine, includes a power generation torque calculating process of calculating a power generation torque necessary for the motor-generator to generate a required electricity, an output torque calculating process of calculating an output torque, a drive torque calculating process of calculating a drive torque, a throttle opening degree during power generation-calculating process of calculating a throttle opening degree-during power generation, and a speed control process of controlling the automatic transmission based on the throttle opening degree-during power generation. | 03-15-2012 |
| 20120062077 | DRIVE DEVICE FOR HYBRID VEHICLE AND CASE FOR THE SAME - A drive device for a hybrid vehicle includes an input shaft, a motor having a rotor and a stator, an output shaft integrally and coaxially connected to the rotor along a rotation axis and configured so as to be engaged with and disengaged from the input shaft, a rotation angle sensor including a rotating portion and a fixed portion, which forms an angle relative to the rotating portion, and detecting a rotation angle of the rotor, and a case rotatably and axially supporting the input shaft and the output shaft on the rotation axis and accommodating the motor and the rotation angle sensor, wherein a side wall portion of the case includes an angle adjusting member coaxially supporting the fixed portion relative to the rotation axis while allowing the angle of the fixed portion to be adjustable, and a clamp member supporting a harness movably connected to the fixed portion. | 03-15-2012 |
| 20120061548 | SEAT SLIDE APPARATUS FOR VEHICLE - A seat slide apparatus for a vehicle includes: a lower rail that is fixed on a vehicle floor; and an upper rail that is fixed to a seat and is movably supported on the lower rail in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, wherein the lower rail has a lower rail hook part, wherein the upper rail has an upper rail hook part, wherein the upper rail hook part is to be engaged with the lower rail hook part in the upper and width directions, wherein the lower rail has a curvature part that is downwards convex as viewed from the width direction of the vehicle, and wherein the lower end of the lower rail hook part at the curvature part has a notch part, in which the downward extending amount is reduced compared to the other part of the lower rail hook part. | 03-15-2012 |
| 20120061547 | SEAT SLIDE APPARATUS FOR VEHICLE - A seat slide apparatus for a vehicle includes: a lower rail that is fixed on a vehicle floor and extends in a front-rear direction of the vehicle; and an upper rail that is fixed to a seat and is movably supported on the lower rail in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, wherein the lower rail has a lower rail hook part extending in a width direction of the vehicle, wherein the upper rail has: a pair of rolling members arranged in the front-rear direction of the upper rail; and a shoe, which has a sliding contact part that slidingly contacts a lower surface of the lower rail hook part, wherein the lower rail has a curvature part that is convex downwards as viewed from the width direction, and wherein the shoe is arranged at an outer side of the pair of rolling members in the front-rear direction. | 03-15-2012 |
| 20120061201 | DRIVE APPARATUS FOR HYBRID VEHICLE AND CASE THEREOF - A drive apparatus for a hybrid vehicle, includes an input shaft configured to be rotatably connected to an engine, a motor including a rotor and a stator held inside a stator holder, an output shaft arranged coaxially with a rotation axis of the rotor and connected integrally with the rotor, a clutch device selectively engaging the input shaft with the output shaft, and a case supporting the input shaft and the output shaft, accommodating the motor and the clutch device, and including an oil sump for pooling oil, wherein at least one recessed portion is provided on a peripheral wall portion of the case, at a position where the peripheral wall portion is located lower than a level of the oil pooled in the oil sump and where the peripheral wall portion faces the stator holder. | 03-15-2012 |