| HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD. Patent applications |
| Patent application number | Title | Published |
|---|
| 20120130619 | STOP CONTROL SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE - A stop control system for an internal combustion engine, which is capable of accurately stopping a piston at a predetermined position during stoppage of the engine while preventing occurrence of untoward noise and vibration. After stopping the engine | 05-24-2012 |
| 20120129440 | COOLING STRUCTURE FOR VEHICLE HIGH-VOLTAGE ELECTRIC PARTS - A cooling structure for vehicle high-voltage electric parts includes an air inlet passage | 05-24-2012 |
| 20120129071 | FUEL CELL - A cell unit of a fuel cell includes a second separator. A first oxygen-containing gas flow field is formed on a surface of the second separator. An inlet buffer is connected to an inlet of the oxygen-containing gas flow field, and an outlet buffer is connected to an outlet of the first oxygen-containing gas flow field. The inlet buffer includes a first inlet buffer area having a deep groove and a second inlet buffer area, and the outlet buffer includes a first outlet buffer area having a deep groove and a second outlet buffer area. The first inlet buffer area and the first outlet buffer area have different surface areas. | 05-24-2012 |
| 20120129041 | CONNECTION STRUCTURE FOR BATTERY MODULE, BATTERY MODULE AND METHOD OF CONNECTING TERMINALS OF BATTERY MODULES - A connection structure for a battery module includes a fastening member and a space forming member. The fastening member presses a connecting portion of a bus bar against an electrode of the battery module to fasten the bus bar to the electrode. The space forming member has an elastic member disposed between the connecting portion of the bus bar and the electrode. The space forming member is configured to provide an insulating space between the connecting portion of the bus bar and the electrode. The elastic member is elastically deformed with a pressing force applied from the fastening member to the connecting portion of the bus bar to cancel the insulating space. | 05-24-2012 |
| 20120127017 | OBJECT DETECTION DEVICE FOR VEHICLE AND OBJECT DETECTION METHOD FOR VEHICLE - An object detection device for a vehicle includes a transmission and reception unit that transmits an electromagnetic wave and receives a reflected wave generated when the electromagnetic wave is reflected by an object around a subject vehicle, a reflecting point computation unit that computes a position of a reflecting point of the electromagnetic wave on the object based on a signal from the transmission and reception unit, a distance computation unit that computes a distance from the subject vehicle to the object based on the position of the reflecting point, an end point detection unit that detects at least one of an end point on the right side of the object and an end point on the left side thereof based on the position of the reflecting point, a shielding determination unit that determines whether the end point of the object is shielded by another object when viewed from the subject vehicle based on the computation result of the distance computation unit and the detection result of the end point detection unit, and an end point movement speed computation unit that computes a lateral movement speed of the end point of the object determined as not being shielded. | 05-24-2012 |
| 20120126582 | VEHICLE BODY SUPERSTRUCTURE - A vehicle body superstructure includes a first side rail member, a second side rail member, a roof member, and a gusset. The gusset includes a rail side surface, a roof side surface, a first claw, a second claw, and a bead. The rail side surface extends along a vertical direction of a vehicle body and is connected to the first and second side rail members. The roof side surface extends along a breadthways direction of the vehicle body and is connected to the roof member. The first claw is provided at a first longitudinal end of the gusset and locked in a first locking portion provided in the first side rail member. The second claw is provided at a second longitudinal end of the gusset and is locked in a second locking portion provided in the second side rail member. | 05-24-2012 |
| 20120126563 | GLOVE BOX STRUCTURE FOR VEHICLE - A glove box structure for a vehicle includes a storage portion and a lid portion. The lid portion is openably mounted on a instrument panel of the vehicle and includes an inner panel, honeycomb structure ribs, an intermediate panel, and an outer panel. The inner panel is disposed on a storage portion side. The honeycomb structure ribs integrally formed with the inner panel. Each of the honeycomb structure ribs is disposed on a first surface of the inner panel. The first surface is disposed on an opposite side of the inner panel to the storage portion. The intermediate panel is attached to at least one of the honeycomb structure ribs to increase a shock transfer capability of the inner panel. The outer panel is mounted on the inner panel. The intermediate panel is sandwiched between the outer panel and the honeycomb structure ribs. | 05-24-2012 |
| 20120126537 | COGENERATION APPARATUS - A cogeneration apparatus includes a housing for accommodating an engine, a fuel line, an electrical generator, and a power converter part. The housing is partitioned into a power-generation compartment and an electrical-equipment compartment. Empty space in the housing is used to form a concave part, which is indented from the electrical-equipment compartment toward the power-generation compartment. The fuel line is disposed in the concave part. | 05-24-2012 |
| 20120126536 | COGENERATION APPARATUS - A cogeneration apparatus includes an electrical generator, an engine for driving the generator, and a heat exchanger for using waste heat of the engine as a heat source, which are housed in a housing. The apparatus is provided with an internal fuel line for supplying fuel to the engine from outside, and power wiring for supplying electrical power generated by the electrical generator to the outside. The housing has a substantially V-shaped lead-out part capable of leading the fuel line and the wiring to outside of the housing. | 05-24-2012 |
| 20120126519 | AIRBAG CONTROL APPARATUS - An airbag control apparatus of a vehicle includes an occupant determination device, a deployment determination device, a storage device, an airbag controller, and a voltage variation detector. The airbag controller is configured to control deployment of an airbag based on the deployment/non-deployment information. The voltage variation detector is configured to detect a variation in a voltage of an in-vehicle battery and configured to output voltage variation information to the airbag controller. If the voltage variation information indicates that the voltage detected by the voltage variation detector varies, the airbag controller controls the airbag based on deployment/non-deployment information stored in the storage device immediately before the airbag controller receives the voltage variation information indicating that the voltage detected by voltage variation detector varies. | 05-24-2012 |
| 20120126032 | SEEDING DEVICE - Tracer particles together with air are jetted from a nozzle of a seeder into a hood, the air is guided by a collision surface of the hood, deflected to a downstream side in an airflow direction in a wind tunnel, and flows out into the wind tunnel through an opening of the hood. Tracer particles having a large diameter fly straightly without being drifted by the deflected air and collide with the collision surface and are trapped thereon and are prevented from being supplied into the wind tunnel. Tracer particles having a small diameter are drifted by the deflected air, thereby deflected, and supplied into the wind tunnel without collision with and adhesion to the collision surface. | 05-24-2012 |
| 20120125754 | SWITCH DEVICE - In the switch device including the case in which switches are accommodated, tube portions provided on an upper surface of the case, operation knobs swingably provided to the tube portions, operation rods for transmitting movement of the operation knobs to the switches, and the cover covering the upper surface of the case while exposing the operation knobs, projections protruding on the side of the cover are provided on the upper surface of the case, projections protruding on the side of the case are provided on a back surface of the cover, and the projections are arranged in a space between the cover and the case formed when the case is covered by the cover so as to be overlapped with each other when seen from the front and back direction. | 05-24-2012 |
| 20120125698 | SEATING SENSOR - The present invention relates to a seating sensor | 05-24-2012 |
| 20120125296 | CONTROL APPARATUS FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE - A control apparatus for an internal combustion engine includes a booster, a first controller, and a second controller. The booster is configured to increase an output voltage of a battery to a drive voltage of a fuel injection unit of the internal combustion engine. The first controller has a first initialization time after boot of the first controller. The first controller is configured to control the booster to increase the output voltage to the drive voltage at start-up of the internal combustion engine. The second controller has a second initialization time after boot of the second controller. The second initialization time is longer than the first initialization time of the first controller. The second controller is configured to control the booster to increase the output voltage to the drive voltage after the start-up of the internal combustion engine is completed. | 05-24-2012 |
| 20120124949 | COGENERATION APPARATUS - A cogeneration apparatus having an engine and an air-cleaning device provided to the engine is disclosed. The air-cleaning device is provided with an air filter and a hollow resonator. The air filter is provided at a position where a space within an air-cleaning case splits into an upstream space and a downstream space, and the resonator is provided to the downstream space and positioned at a predetermined interval with respect to the air-cleaning case. Air is introduced through the downstream space to an internal space of the resonator. | 05-24-2012 |
| 20120124853 | DEVICE FOR MEASURING SEAL GAPS OF VEHICLES - A device for measuring a seal gap created between a moving part and a mounting part of a vehicle body includes a base member, a scale member and a retaining member. The scale member is mounted to the base member and is moveable between an extended position and a retracted measured position. An indicator is provided on the base member for reading the scale member. The retaining member is coupled to the base member and engages the scale member for retaining the scale member in both the extended and measured positions relative to the base member. The base member is installed in the seal gap and is removably connected to one of the vehicle body parts. The scale member is moved to the extended position. The moving part is then closed relative to the mounting part, and the other of the vehicle body parts engages the scale member and moves the scale member to the measured position. The indicator together with the scale member provides a dimension of the seal gap. | 05-24-2012 |
| 20120123676 | IN-VEHICLE NAVIGATION IN COLLABORATION WITH A SERVER - An in-vehicle navigation apparatus to support sharing of electric vehicle charging point information such that other electric vehicles can use a charging point where its own electric vehicle is charged. If the in-vehicle navigation apparatus determines that a current position is a charging point on the basis of charge information about an electric vehicle, the navigation apparatus determines whether the charging point has public availability by referring to facility information, such as facility positions in map data stored in a map data storage unit. The in-vehicle navigation apparatus may transmit charging points having public availability to a server apparatus and not transmit the charging points having no public availability to the server apparatus. Vehicles may download charging points uploaded by other vehicles. | 05-17-2012 |
| 20120123670 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR UPDATING CHARGE STATION INFORMATION - A system for updating a charge station database including information about charge station location and/or characteristic by determining and verifying charge station location and characteristics after a vehicle connects to a charging station. The vehicle determines (probes) the charge station location based upon the location of the vehicle while connected to the charging station. This location information is transmitted by the vehicle to a central database. | 05-17-2012 |
| 20120123633 | Cellular Communication Strategy - A mobile device stores charge status information of an electric vehicle. The charge status information is received by the mobile device from the electric vehicle via a short range wireless communication protocol in response to a triggering event at the vehicle indicating that the vehicle has been stopped. The mobile device at a later point receives a request from a user, the request involving a current state of charge of the electric vehicle. The mobile device attempts to communicate with electric vehicle to obtain information from the vehicle for responding to the request. If the mobile device is not able to communicate with the vehicle, the mobile device respond's to the user's request using the stored charge status information. | 05-17-2012 |
| 20120123621 | HYBRID VEHICLE - The present invention provide a hybrid vehicle comprising a first and a second transmission mechanisms, an electric motor connected to the first transmission mechanism, an internal combustion engine, a motor control unit and a transmission control unit. The transmission control unit changes, when the motor control unit executes a decelerating regeneration in response to a braking request of a driver, and when a braking request amount of the braking request is decreased by a predetermined amount while a predetermined shift range attained by the first transmission mechanism is selected, a shift range to a shift range on a lower-speed side than the predetermined shift range, which is attained by the first transmission mechanism, and to maintain the predetermined shift range when the braking request amount is not decreased. | 05-17-2012 |
| 20120122629 | POWER PLANT - A power plant which is capable of preventing losses due to power circulation and enhancing driving efficiency thereof in an EV operation mode. In the power plant | 05-17-2012 |
| 20120121962 | BATTERY COOLING STRUCTURE - A battery cooling structure includes a first battery group, a second battery group, a third battery group, a first duct, a second duct, a third duct, a fourth duct, a fifth duct, a first connecting duct, a second connecting duct, a third connecting duct, and a bypass duct. The first duct is configured to allow a cooling medium after heat exchange to flow through the first duct. The second duct is configured to allow a cooling medium after heat exchange to flow through the second duct. The fifth duct is configured to allow a cooling medium after heat exchange to flow through the fifth duct. The bypass duct connects the fifth duct to the second duct or to the first duct. | 05-17-2012 |
| 20120121959 | VEHICULAR BATTERY UNIT - A vehicular battery unit includes a battery unit body, a hollow frame, and a drain pipe. The battery unit body includes a first floor face to support a first battery. The hollow frame is disposed along the first floor face of the battery unit body to reinforce the battery unit body and has a first drain hole connecting the first floor face of the battery unit body to an interior of the hollow frame. The drain pipe extends downward from the interior of the hollow frame through a bottom wall of the hollow frame. | 05-17-2012 |
| 20120119747 | BATTERY CONFIRMATION SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONFIRMING STATE OF CHARGE IN VEHICLE BATTERY - A battery confirmation system and method for confirming a state of charge in a vehicle battery installed in a vehicle includes a vehicle having a controller, a battery powering the controller, and an onboard diagnostics connector operatively connected to the controller. A tester is connectable to the onboard diagnostics connector. The tester is configured to receive a vehicle operating voltage from the connector when an electrical load on the battery is within a predetermined load range and to determine a SOC value based on the vehicle operating voltage. | 05-17-2012 |
| 20120119566 | ELECTRIC BRAKE ACTUATOR AND VEHICLE BRAKE SYSTEM - An electric brake actuator (motor cylinder apparatus) for generating hydraulic brake pressure on the basis of at least an electric signal corresponding to brake manipulation by an operator, which is incorporated in a vehicle brake system with an input apparatus being arranged separately from the electric brake actuator and receiving the brake manipulation. A reservoir reserving brake fluid is attached to a cylinder body included in the electric brake actuator, and the ceiling of the reservoir is inclined from the axis of the cylinder body in correspondence with an arrangement of the main body inclined from the horizontal line. | 05-17-2012 |
| 20120119479 | CENTER CHILD SAFETY RESTRAINT SYSTEM FOR TWO OCCUPANT REAR SEAT WITH CENTER CONSOLE - A vehicle rear seat assembly having a center child safety restraint system comprises a pair of outboard seats and a center console positioned between the outboard seats and stationary with respect to the outboard seats. The console includes a storage compartment disposed at a forward portion of the console and having an opening which allows an associated object to be selectively placed within the storage compartment. A pair of spaced apart recesses is disposed at a rear portion of the console. A first child safety restraint attachment is located within the storage compartment. A pair of second child safety restraint attachments is provided, each second attachment being located in one of the recesses. The first attachment and the pair of second attachments allow a child safety restraint to be selectively secured to the center console. | 05-17-2012 |
| 20120118682 | INPUT DEVICE OF VEHICLE BRAKE SYSTEM - The present invention provides an input device of a vehicle brake system, the input device being a separate unit from an electric brake actuator, the electric brake actuator for generating a first fluid pressure, the input device of the vehicle brake system comprising: a master cylinder for generating a second fluid pressure; a stroke simulator for applying a simulated reaction force, the stroke simulator and the master cylinder forming an attachment body, with the stroke simulator disposed in communication with the master cylinder; and a component storage box provided on the attachment body for a component of either one of the master cylinder and the stroke simulator, wherein the attachment body has a vent hole with a first end in communication with the component storage box and a second end in communication with a space formed before a surface of a dashboard having the input device mounted thereon. | 05-17-2012 |
| 20120118660 | VIBRATION SOURCE ATTACHMENT STRUCTURE FOR VEHICLES - Disclosed is a vibration source attachment structure equipped with a vibration isolation device. In the vibration source attachment structure, the vibration source ( | 05-17-2012 |
| 20120118659 | SADDLE-RIDE-TYPE ELECTRICALLY OPERATED VEHICLE - In an electrically-operated vehicle including rear wheels on right and left sides of a rear portion of a vehicle body, the electrically-operated vehicle includes a motor that drives the rear wheels, a battery | 05-17-2012 |
| 20120118655 | VEHICLE ELECTRIC EQUIPMENT MOUNTING STRUCTURE - In a vehicle having rear seats which can be swung up, a vehicle electric equipment mounting structure is provided which can ensure a sufficient space at a rear part of the vehicle which allows passengers to walk therethrough while arranging vehicle driving electric motor-related electric equipment at the rear part of the vehicle. Third row seats | 05-17-2012 |
| 20120118653 | IN-VEHICLE ELECTRONIC COMPONENT DISPOSING CONSTRUCTION FOR ELECTRONIC COMPONENT FOR ELECTRIC MOTOR FOR DRIVING VEHICLE - There is provided an in-vehicle electronic component disposing construction for fixing an electronic component strongly and rigidly to a vehicle body while ensuring a sufficient space within a passenger compartment and realizing a reduction in weight of the construction. An electronic component box containing electronic components and disposed between a driver's seat and a front passenger's seat is supported by a floor panel of a vehicle and a steering system hanger beam to which a steering system is fixed. | 05-17-2012 |
| 20120118652 | VEHICLE - In the case where a vehicle | 05-17-2012 |
| 20120118401 | FUEL TANK - A fuel introduction member is connected to an open end of a siphon tube which constitutes a part of a fuel tank. The fuel introduction member is provided with an opening through which a fuel is introduced from the tank into the siphon tube and from the siphon into the tank, a lid portion which is swung by the hydraulic pressure from the siphon tube so as to open the opening, and a float member which floats on the fuel in accordance with the rise of a fuel liquid surface in the tank to displace the lid portion in order to open the opening. | 05-17-2012 |
| 20120118200 | CASTING SAND CORE COMPOSITION - A casting process sand core composition including sand particles (grains) and a binder material. Both substantially spherical sand grains and substantially non-spherical grains may be present. The size of the sand grains is preferably held within a preselected and controlled range, and the size distribution by weight percentage of the sand grains within the grain size range is also controlled. The present invention also contemplates methods of making a sand core from such a composition, and methods of making a casting with a die that uses a sand core made from such a composition. | 05-17-2012 |
| 20120118159 | EVAPORATIVE EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEM - An evaporative emission control system includes a fuel tank, a canister, a normally-closed control valve, a filler pipe, and a breather pipe. The fuel tank is to store fuel. The canister is to adsorb evaporative fuel generated in the fuel tank. The normally-closed control valve is provided in a vapor passage connecting the fuel tank to the canister. The fuel is delivered to the fuel tank through the filler pipe. The breather pipe includes a communicating passage, an opening, and at least one hole. The communicating passage connects the fuel tank to the filler pipe. The opening is provided at a first end of the breather pipe in the fuel tank. The opening is located below a predetermined fuel level in the fuel tank. The at least one hole is located above the predetermined fuel level in the fuel tank. | 05-17-2012 |
| 20120117954 | EXHAUST PURIFICATION SYSTEM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE - An exhaust purification system for an internal combustion engine is provided that can maintain the NOx purification rate of a selective reduction catalyst at near the maximum thereof. The exhaust purification system is provided with an oxidation catalyst and CSF provided in the exhaust plumbing of the engine, a selective reduction catalyst that is provided in the exhaust plumbing on the downstream side of oxidation catalyst and CSF, and selectively reduces NOx in the exhaust, and a NO | 05-17-2012 |
| 20120117783 | PANEL POSITIONING APPARATUS AND PANEL INTEGRATION METHOD - A panel positioning apparatus is provided with an outer panel supporting device | 05-17-2012 |
| 20120117779 | MACHINE TOOL ASSEMBLING APPARATUS AND METHOD OF ASSEMBLING MACHINE TOOL USING MACHINE TOOL ASSEMBLING APPARATUS - A machine tool assembling apparatus and a method of assembling a machine tool using the machine tool assembling apparatus are provided. The machine tool assembling apparatus includes a table, a first support mechanism having an arm which is swingable toward and away from the table, and a second support mechanism. The first support mechanism is disposed between the table and the second support mechanism. The first support mechanism is rotated to bring the arm into facing relation to either the table or the second support mechanism. | 05-17-2012 |
| 20120117011 | CONTROL SYSTEM FOR PLANT - A control system for a plant e.g. as a non-linear system, which is capable of properly suppressing interaction occurring between a plurality of control inputs and a plurality of controlled variables, thereby making it possible to properly control the controlled variables and easily design the control system. In the control system, each of a plurality of interaction suppression parameters for correcting the control inputs, respectively, such that the interaction is suppressed is calculated using a neural network constructed by using, out of the plurality of control inputs, a control input other than a control input corrected by a calculated interaction suppression parameter, as an input, and the interaction suppression parameter as an output. | 05-10-2012 |
| 20120116659 | Method of Retrieving Information for a Motor Vehicle - A method of receiving information for a motor vehicle is disclosed. The method includes retrieving stored traffic information from a database and determining a communication period for receiving current traffic information from a service provider based on the stored traffic information. The method also includes receiving current traffic information simultaneously with other non-traffic information when the non-traffic information is being requested in order to limit the number of instances of communication with the service provider. | 05-10-2012 |
| 20120116653 | STOP CONTROL SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE - To provide a stop control system for an internal combustion engine, which is capable of accurately stopping a piston at a predetermined position while compensating for variation in the stop characteristic of the piston and aging thereof. The stop control system | 05-10-2012 |
| 20120116637 | CVT CONTROL APPARATUS - In an apparatus for controlling a belt type CVT connected to an engine (prime mover) mounted on a vehicle through a forward clutch to change power of the engine in speed and transmit the power to a driven wheel of the vehicle, it is configured to determine whether it is in a predetermined operating condition where an operator is likely to apply a panic brake or the like, set a first value as a friction coefficient μ of the clutch to calculate and control a desired supply hydraulic pressure based on the first value when the determination result is negative, and set a second value greater than the first value to calculate and control the desired supply hydraulic pressure based on the second value when the determination result is affirmative. | 05-10-2012 |
| 20120116629 | ENGINE STARTING CONTROL DEVICE FOR HYBRID VEHICLE - Upon starting an internal combustion engine for a hybrid vehicle, when the motor revolution speed, transmitted to an engagement device, is equal to or lower than the idle revolution speed of the internal combustion engine, if an engagement ratio is less than 1, the lower the engagement ratio is, the larger the engagement capacity is set, and if the engagement ratio is 1 or more, the engagement capacity is set to 0, wherein the engagement ratio is defined by a ratio of the internal combustion engine revolution speed with respect to the motor revolution speed. When the motor revolution speed is greater than the idle revolution speed, if an idle revolution ratio is less than 1, the lower the idle revolution ratio is, the larger the engagement capacity is set, and if the idle revolution ratio is 1 or more, the engagement capacity is set to 0. | 05-10-2012 |
| 20120116606 | RANGE DISPLAY APPARATUS - A range display apparatus includes a range calculator, an amount-of-consumption calculator, a remaining-amount-of-electricity calculator, a full-charge detector, an average mileage calculator, an instantaneous mileage calculator, a current possible range calculator, an instantaneous possible range calculator, a current total range calculator, an instantaneous total range calculator, a storage device, and a display. The current total range calculator is configured to calculate a current total range. The instantaneous total range calculator is configured to calculate an instantaneous total range. The storage device is configured to store the current total range calculated by the current total range calculator when the full-charge detector has detected a full charge as a past total range. The display is configured to display the current total range, the instantaneous total range, and the past total range. | 05-10-2012 |
| 20120116545 | CONTROL APPARATUS - A control apparatus capable of improving the control accuracy and stability when controlling a controlled object with a predetermined restraint condition between a plurality of model parameters, or a controlled object having a lag characteristic, using a control target model of a discrete-time system. The control apparatus has an ECU which arranges a control target model including two model parameters such that terms not multiplied by the model parameters and terms multiplied by the same are on different sides of the model, respectively. Assuming the different sides represent a combined signal value and an estimated combined signal value, respectively, the ECU calculates onboard identified values of the model parameters such that an identification error between the signal values is minimized, and calculates an air-fuel ratio correction coefficient using the identified values and a control algorithm derived from the control target model. | 05-10-2012 |
| 20120115677 | AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FOR HYBRID VEHICLE - An automatic transmission for a hybrid vehicle has a first clutch connecting a first drive gear shaft rotatably supporting drive gears G | 05-10-2012 |
| 20120115674 | CONTROLLER FOR VEHICLE DRIVE UNIT - While driving is performed by transmitting the power of an engine | 05-10-2012 |
| 20120115670 | AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - An automatic transmission includes an input shaft, an output member, a first planetary gear set, a second planetary gear set, a third planetary gear set, a fourth planetary gear set, and an engagement mechanism. The engagement mechanism includes first to sixth engagement assemblies. Each of a plurality of gear ratios is provided by setting three of the first to sixth engagement assemblies in a engagement state. | 05-10-2012 |
| 20120115055 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM - A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell, a circulation path, a water reservoir, a water level detector, a water discharger and a controller. The fuel cell generates electric power using fuel gas supplied to an anode and oxidant gas supplied to a cathode. Off-gas discharged from the fuel cell is returned to the fuel cell again through the circulation path. The water reservoir is disposed in the circulation path and stores water separated from the off-gas. During monitoring after stop of the fuel cell system or at startup of the fuel cell system, the controller operates the water discharger to discharge the water stored in the water reservoir when the controller determines that a level of the water detected or estimated by the water level detector is equal to or higher than a predetermined reference water level. | 05-10-2012 |
| 20120114455 | CARRIER DEVICE, TRANSFER METHOD AND CARRIER HAND - A carrier device is provided that can supply, at uneven intervals, a plurality of works arranged at even intervals. The carrier device ( | 05-10-2012 |
| 20120112537 | Vehicle Drive Unit - A vehicle drive unit includes a motor as a power source, a power control unit supported by a vehicle body, and a three-phase cable that connects the power control unit and the motor. A first end portion of the three-phase cable is connected to the power control unit toward the rear of the vehicle in a direction orthogonal to a rotary axis of the motor, a second end portion of the three-phase cable is connected to the motor toward the front of the vehicle in the orthogonal direction, and a U-shaped swing absorber that is curved to extend in the orthogonal direction is provided between the first end portion and the second end portion of the three-phase cable. | 05-10-2012 |
| 20120112525 | VEHICLE BRAKING SYSTEM - A vehicle braking system includes an operation amount detector, a hydraulic pressure source, a controller, and a wheel cylinder. The hydraulic pressure source is to generate brake hydraulic pressure corresponding to an amount of operation detected by the operation amount detector. The wheel cylinder is to be operated by the brake hydraulic pressure generated by the hydraulic pressure source. The hydraulic pressure source includes a first actuator and a second actuator. The first actuator includes a piston and an electric motor. The electric motor is configured to move the piston forwardly to generate the brake hydraulic pressure. The second actuator includes a pump configured to pressurize brake fluid located downstream of the first actuator. The controller is configured to selectively operate the first actuator and the second actuator based on the amount of operation detected by the operation amount detector. | 05-10-2012 |
| 20120112489 | GLOVE BOX FOR VEHICLE - In a glove box for a vehicle, when a lid ( | 05-10-2012 |
| 20120112440 | ENGAGEMENT STRUCTURE - An engagement structure includes a garnish main body, a garnish lid, an engagement stop, and an engaged part. The engagement stop has an engagement protrusion and is disposed on one of the garnish main body and the garnish lid. The engagement protrusion protrudes in a direction opposite to an airbag accommodated between the pillar and the garnish main body. The engaged part is engaged to the engagement protrusion and is disposed on another of the garnish main body and the garnish lid. The engaged part has a guiding surface configured to guide the airbag during inflation. | 05-10-2012 |
| 20120112028 | CUTTING PALLET - A cutting pallet is provided that can prevent works held in a carrier device from interfering with a supply pallet, when a plurality of works arranged at even intervals is supplied at uneven intervals. The cutting pallet ( | 05-10-2012 |
| 20120111967 | HOLLOW-FIBER MEMBRANE MODULE FOR MOISTURE EXCHANGE - A hollow-fiber membrane module for moisture exchange including a tubular outer case, a tubular inner case, plural hollow-fiber membranes, sealing portions, an inlet, an outlet, a first flow path, a second flow path, and a tubular porous member. The inner case is coaxially contained in the outer case so as to have a space therebetween. The hollow-fiber membranes are filled in the space and extend in the axial direction. The sealing portions are provided to both ends of the space so as to fix the plural hollow-fiber membranes and to seal the space. The first flow path extends from one end side of the hollow-fiber membranes to the other end side via insides of the hollow-fiber membranes. The second flow path extends from the inlet to the outlet via outsides of the hollow-fiber membranes in the space. The tubular porous member is inserted between the hollow-fiber membranes. | 05-10-2012 |
| 20120111653 | AIR SEPARATING INTAKE SCOOP FOR AIR INTAKE SYSTEM - An air intake system for a vehicle includes a grille disposed at a forward end of the vehicle for admitting airflow into an engine compartment of the vehicle and a scoop having a ramped surface for directing at least a portion of the airflow admitted through the grille upward toward an air intake of the vehicle. The ramped surface has an aperture defined therein for removing entrained particles from the portion of the airflow directed upward by the ramped surface. | 05-10-2012 |
| 20120111651 | SADDLE-TYPE ELECTRIC VEHICLE - A saddle-type electric vehicle is provided with a drive battery and an effectively placed motor unit. The drive battery is mounted directly under a main frame section of a vehicle frame, and the motor unit is fixedly supported to the vehicle frame. The motor unit includes a motor body disposed below a pivot connection of a rear swing arm, and at least a part of the motor body is disposed rearwardly of the pivot connection. | 05-10-2012 |
| 20120110493 | TEXT ENTRY USING A STEERING WHEEL IN A VEHICLE - The present invention describes an in-vehicle text entry method and system using controls of a steering wheel. The in-vehicle text input system provides a graphical user interface (GUI) keyboard layout that is conducive to memorization. | 05-03-2012 |
| 20120109475 | OUTPUT TORQUE CONTROL DEVICE - Detection-time torque of a drive source is determined when a value that varies in accordance with depression of an accelerator pedal has exceeded a predetermined value, first torque is determined on the vehicle speed and the transmission gear ratio, second torque is determined on the detection-time torque and the first torque, third torque is determined on the amount of depression of the accelerator pedal and the second torque, and fourth torque is determined on the depression of the accelerator pedal, and the output torque is limited to the third torque as long as the third torque is less than the fourth torque. The third torque is determined such a that in the case where the detection-time torque is greater than the first torque, an increase of the third torque is suppressed further than where the detection-time torque is not greater than the first torque. | 05-03-2012 |
| 20120109457 | ACTIVE ANTI-VIBRATION SUPPORTING DEVICE AND ANTI-VIBRATION CONTROL METHOD FOR SAME - In an active anti-vibration supporting device ( | 05-03-2012 |
| 20120109456 | ACTIVE ANTI-VIBRATION SUPPORTING DEVICE AND ANTI-VIBRATION CONTROL METHOD FOR SAME - An ACM_ECU ( | 05-03-2012 |
| 20120108389 | VEHICLE CONTROL APPARATUS - A vehicle control apparatus is configured to set a desired speed of an engine to be inputted to a CVT based on a vehicle speed and an accelerator opening AP, calculate a desired output of the engine based on the accelerator opening; calculate a correction coefficient based on the vehicle speed, and calculate a corrected desired output by correcting the desired output with the correction coefficient such that the vehicle speed reaches a regulatory vehicle speed when the accelerator opening AP reaches a fully-opened position, i.e., to vary the characteristics of the accelerator opening in accordance with the vehicle speed in the vicinity of the regulatory vehicle speed. | 05-03-2012 |
| 20120108386 | DRIVE CONTROL APPARATUS FOR HYBRID VEHICLE - A drive control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle which has an engine selectively set in one of a normal fuel-consumption operation mode and a low fuel-consumption operation mode for obtaining a lower fuel consumption; a generator selectively used for one of being driven by the engine and assisting driving of the engine; a motor for generating a driving force of the vehicle by electric power supplied by the generator or a battery device; and a clutch between the generator and wheels of the vehicle. The drive control apparatus has a control part for performing a low fuel-consumption driving assistance mode when the engine is set in the low fuel-consumption operation mode. In the low fuel-consumption driving assistance mode, the clutch is connected, and driving of the vehicle is assisted using one of the generator and the motor, which is selected in accordance with an operation state of the vehicle. | 05-03-2012 |
| 20120108383 | AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - An automatic transmission includes an input shaft, an output member, a first planetary gear set, a second planetary gear set, a third planetary gear set, a fourth planetary gear set, and an engagement mechanism. Each of a plurality of gear ratios is provided by setting at least three of first to third clutches and first to third brakes in a connection state. | 05-03-2012 |
| 20120108382 | AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - An automatic transmission includes an input shaft, an output member, a first planetary gear system, a second planetary gear system, a third planetary gear system, a fourth planetary gear system, and an engagement mechanism. The input shaft is configured to be rotated with power of a driving source relative to the transmission case. The output member is to output rotation of the input shaft using multiple gear-shifting. The multiple gear-shifting is provided by setting at least three of first to third clutches and first to third brakes in a connection state. | 05-03-2012 |
| 20120107523 | UV PHOTOACTIVATABLE CURABLE PAINT FORMULATIONS AND CURED COATINGS THEREOF - A UV photoactivatable curable paint formation for providing a cured paint coating of a desired appearance on a substrate by UV irradiation, comprises a UV curable film-forming compound; a UV photoinitiator; a particulate UV reflective material in an effective rate of curing enhancing amount without affecting the resultant desired appearance of the cured paint coating. | 05-03-2012 |
| 20120105628 | PARTICLE IMAGE VELOCIMETRY METHOD, PARTICLE IMAGE VELOCIMETRY METHOD FOR 3-DIMENSIONAL SPACE, PARTICLE IMAGE VELOCIMETRY SYSTEM, AND TRACER PARTICLE GENERATING DEVICE IN PARTICLE IMAGE VELOCIMETRY SYSTEM - A particle image velocimetry system is provided which supplies tracer particles to a flow field around an object ( | 05-03-2012 |
| 20120104902 | OUTER ROTOR ELECTRIC MOTOR - An outer rotor electric motor includes a stator, an annular rotor and a resolver. The stator includes a stator core and a plurality of coils. The stator core has a plurality of teeth that are spaced at a specified interval in a circumferential direction. The plurality of teeth protrude radially. Each of the plurality of coils is formed by winding a wire around an outer circumference of each of the plurality of teeth. The annular rotor is disposed radially outward with respect to the stator. The resolver is disposed radially inward with respect to the stator core and includes a resolver stator and a resolver rotor. The resolver stator is mounted on the stator or a case member. The resolver rotor is mounted on the annular rotor or a support member that supports the annular rotor such that the resolver rotor opposes the resolver stator. | 05-03-2012 |
| 20120104893 | SALIENT POLE CONCENTRATED WINDING STATOR FOR ELECTRIC MOTOR - A salient pole concentrated winding stator for an electric motor includes an annular stator core and a plurality of coils. The annular stator core includes a plurality of teeth. The plurality of coils are wound around the teeth such as to have different phases on the teeth adjacent in a circumferential direction. Each of the coils includes a first winding end and a second winding end, and at least one of the ends extends across the coil of a different phase. An end portion of the first winding end of one of the coils of the same phase that are adjacent in the circumferential direction is directly joined to an end portion of the second winding end of the other coil to form a joint portion without using an electric-power collection/distribution member. The joint portion is covered with an insulating material. | 05-03-2012 |
| 20120104891 | ROTOR OF ROTARY ELECTRIC MACHINE - A rotor of a rotary electric machine includes a rotor core and a plurality of magnetic parts. The rotor core has a plurality of slots provided along a circumferential direction. Each of the slots is separated by a center rib. The plurality of magnetic parts are disposed inside the rotor core along the circumferential direction at a predetermined interval. Each of the magnetic parts has a magnetization direction alternating with each other. Each of the magnetic parts includes a pair of permanent magnets placed inside each of the slots. The rotor core comprises a plurality of through-holes and a reinforcement rib. The plurality of through-holes each extend in an axial direction on an inner circumferential side of each of the magnetic parts. The reinforcement rib is disposed in each of the through-holes and in alignment with a circumferential center line of the center rib. | 05-03-2012 |
| 20120104787 | FRONT STRUCTURE FOR SADDLE-TYPE VEHICLE - In a saddle-type vehicle having a structure for guiding a flow of air toward the rear side of a screen, to provide a technology by which thermal influences on the rider can be alleviated. A screen stay is integrally provided at its lower portion with a bridge-like section spaced upward from a front cover, and has left and right connection sections extending in the vehicle width direction from the bridge-like section and connected to the side of a body frame at positions on outer sides relative to a fork member in the vehicle width direction. This ensures that the flow of air guided in via a flow of air guide section is permitted to flow between an upper edge of the front cover and the bridge-like section toward the vehicle rear side. A meter for indicating operating conditions of the vehicle is supported on the screen stay. | 05-03-2012 |
| 20120103796 | WATER ELECTROLYSIS SYSTEM - A water electrolysis system includes a high-pressure water electrolysis apparatus and a gas-liquid separation device. The gas-liquid separation device includes a block member which includes a gas-liquid separation opening and a water-level detection opening. The gas-liquid separation opening and the water-level detection opening extend substantially vertically and includes respective bottom portions which integrally communicate with a discharge pipe. The discharge pipe is disposed at a lower side portion of the block member. The water-level detection opening includes a top portion and a top water-level detection section. The block member further includes an inlet hole in which the hydrogen is introduced from the high-pressure water electrolysis device. The inlet hole is disposed at an upper side portion of the block member. The inlet hole is positioned above the top water-level detection section of the water-level detection opening. | 05-03-2012 |
| 20120103742 | HYDRAULIC CONTROL DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - A hydraulic control device for an automatic transmission capable of adjusting the amount of lubricating oil in accordance with a load on a torque converter is provided. A main regulator valve regulates hydraulic oil from an oil pressure source on the basis of a stator reaction force of the torque converter to generate a line pressure for operating engagement of a frictional engagement element. A line pressure switching section switches the line pressure to a low line pressure in a region in which a higher line pressure is not required in response to a driving state of a vehicle, and switches the line pressure to a high line pressure when a target value of an engagement hydraulic oil pressure exceeds a predetermined pressure. A lubricating regulator valve is provided in a lubricating oil passage connected from the main regulator valve to regulate a hydraulic pressure in the lubricating oil passage to a given pressure in response to a driving state of the vehicle. A torque converter regulator valve controls a pressure inside the torque converter. A lubricating shift valve switches between an oil passage for supplying hydraulic oil discharged from the torque converter into the lubricating oil passage and an oil passage for discharging lubricating oil discharged from the torque converter regulator valve. | 05-03-2012 |
| 20120103716 | DRIVE ASSEMBLY FOR AN ELECTRIC MOTORCYCLE, AND ELECTRIC MOTORCYCLE INCORPORATING SAME - An electric motorcycle includes an electric motor for generating a traveling driving force, a battery for supplying electricity to the electric motor, and a case member for accommodating the electric motor and the battery therein. The battery includes a plurality of battery modules, which are disposed in the case member at positions forward of and above of the electric motor. Such arrangement of the electric motor and the battery in the case member helps to centralize mass in a vehicle body of the motorcycle, as well as simplifying assembly of the motorcycle. | 05-03-2012 |
| 20120103710 | ELECTRIC VEHICLE - An electric vehicle includes a vehicle body frame, a seat, a driving wheel, a motor, a battery, an accessory, and an accessory box. The vehicle body frame includes a head pipe, a main frame connected to the head pipe, and a first seat frame attached to the main frame. The seat is fixed to an upper portion of the first seat frame. The driving wheel is rotatable relative to the vehicle body frame. The motor is connected to the driving wheel to rotate the driving wheel. The battery is configured to supply power to the motor. The accessory is configured to assist at least one of the motor and the battery. The accessory box stores the battery and the accessory. The accessory box is provided above a rear end of the main frame and under the seat. | 05-03-2012 |
| 20120103706 | ELECTRIC VEHICLE - An electric vehicle includes a vehicle body frame; an electric motor; a swing arm pivotally supporting a rear wheel at a rear end thereof; a drive shaft for transmitting the driving force of the electric motor to the wheel; and a suspension connecting the vehicle body frame and the swing arm together. The electric motor is set in a longitudinal layout in which a rotating drive shaft is disposed in a front-rear direction of the vehicle; and is offset from a center to either of left and right sides in a vehicle width direction. The suspension is disposed under the electric motor and the drive shaft, and on the inner sides of the electric motor and the drive shaft in the vehicle width direction, and overlapping the positions of the electric motor and the drive shaft in the front-rear direction. | 05-03-2012 |
| 20120103452 | PEDAL SIMULATOR - A pedal simulator includes a cylinder mechanism for absorbing a fluid pressure generated in a pressurization chamber of a master cylinder by operating a brake pedal. The cylinder mechanism includes a housing, a piston slidably held in the housing and defining a fluid chamber for introducing a working fluid thereinto, and a plurality of spring members for urging the piston toward the fluid chamber. The housing includes an open end on an opposite side of the housing from the piston, and a lid member which covers the open end. The lid member is composed of a member separate and distinct from the housing. The lid member is provided with a damper made of a rubber member. | 05-03-2012 |
| 20120101677 | POWER OUTPUT APPARATUS - At least one of a state and a storage amount of a battery is detected, and a battery output that can be outputted by the battery is calculated on the basis of it. A state of an electric motor is detected, and at least one of electric motor torque and electric motor output that can be outputted from the electric motor and maximal torque of the electric motor are calculated on the basis of it. A state of an engine is detected, and engine starting torque required to start the engine is calculated on the basis of it. An EV range in which the engine is cut off to be capable of driving with only the electric motor is set up on the basis of the calculated battery output, at least one of the calculated electric motor torque and electric motor output, and the calculated engine starting torque. In this case, the battery output is compared with the electric motor torque or electric motor output to select any lower one therefrom. A range obtained by adding a range in which the engine starting torque is subtracted from the selected torque or output into a range in which the engine starting torque is subtracted from the electric motor maximal torque is set up as the EV range. | 04-26-2012 |
| 20120101641 | PLANT CONTROLLER - A plant controller includes a feedback controller configured to calculate a control input provided to a plant so that a control output of the plant matches a target value. The feedback controller includes a controller transfer function that is a transfer function of the feedback controller. The controller transfer function is expressed by a product of an inverse transfer function of a transfer function of a control target model obtained by modeling the plant and a disturbance sensitivity correlation function defined using a sensitivity function. The sensitivity function indicates sensitivity of a disturbance to be applied to the plant with respect to the control output. The sensitivity function is defined by using a response characteristic parameter that indicates a response characteristic of the plant. | 04-26-2012 |
| 20120101616 | MOLD DESIGNING APPARATUS, MOLD DESIGNING METHOD, MOLD DESIGNING SYSTEM AND MOLD DESIGNING PROGRAM - A mold is designed by calculating a distribution of a contact surface pressure of a mating surface of a mold under a casting condition, and setting a machining amount of the mating surface of the mold based on the calculated distribution of the contact surface pressure. | 04-26-2012 |
| 20120101611 | SOUND EFFECT GENERATING DEVICE - A control signal generating means of a sound effect generating device sets the reference volume that is the reference value of the volume of a sound effect when a vehicle is in a predetermined travel state, compares the measured volume of the sound effect detected by a sound effect detecting means when the vehicle is in the predetermined travel state and the reference volume, and corrects the gain of a control signal on the basis of the result of the comparison. | 04-26-2012 |
| 20120100452 | FUEL CELL STACK - The present invention provides a fuel cell stack that has a separator arranged between fuel cells, the separator including: a sandwiching section which sandwiches an electrolyte electrode assembly and includes a fuel gas channel and a separately provided oxygen-containing gas channel; a bridge which is connected to the sandwiching section and includes a reactant gas supply channel; a reactant gas supply section which is connected to the bridge and includes a reactant gas supply passage; and a connecting section that connects the sandwiching section to the bridge. | 04-26-2012 |
| 20120099850 | Structure for mounting camera on vehicle - One embodiment of the present invention provides a structure for mounting a camera on a vehicle, the structure including: a base unit fixed to a vehicle body; a camera; a slide mechanism configured to allow the camera to slide in an attaching direction so as to be detachably engaged with the base unit; protrusions provided on one of the base unit and the camera, the protrusions being disposed at front left and right sides and rear left and right sides with respect to the attaching direction; and contact portions provided on the other of the base unit and the camera, the contact portions laterally contacting the front left and right protrusions and the rear left and right protrusions, respectively, thereby positioning the camera with respect to the base unit. | 04-26-2012 |
| 20120099849 | Structure for mounting camera on vehicle - According to one embodiment, there is provided a structure for mounting a camera on a vehicle, including: a base fixed to a vehicle body; a camera; a slide mechanism configured to allow the camera to slide in a sliding direction so as to be detachably engaged with the base; and a spring member configured to generate a pressing force in a direction perpendicular to the sliding direction between the base and the camera in an engaged state, thereby holding the camera with respect to the base. | 04-26-2012 |
| 20120098497 | BATTERY CHARGE/DISCHARGE CONTROL APPARATUS - A battery charge/discharge control apparatus for a vehicle capable of driving an electric motor by a battery is provided. Temperature of the battery is detected, temperature history distribution of the battery after start of temperature detection is calculated, and a lifetime workload of the battery is calculated on the basis of this temperature history distribution of the battery. A permissible value of a workload increase rate indicating a workload to increase per unit distance is calculated on the basis of the lifetime workload of the battery and a travel distance of the vehicle. An actual workload increase rate of the battery is compared with the permissible value of the workload increase rate. In the case where the actual workload increase rate is larger than the permissible value of the workload increase rate, an output is restricted from the output of the battery restricted in a normal driving mode if necessary by a restricted value based upon a difference between the actual workload increase rate and the permissible value of the workload increase rate. This makes it possible to carry out lifetime prolonging control for the battery more accurately by setting up an appropriate charge/discharge permissible amount in accordance with temperature change of the battery in the past. | 04-26-2012 |
| 20120098311 | VEHICLE SEAT - In a vehicle seat including a first seat portion movable between a use position in which the first seat portion is ready for use and a retracted position in which the first seat portion not in use is located, and a second seat portion movable between a use position in which the second seat portion is ready for use and a retracted position in which the second seat portion not in use is located, an actuator mechanism is configured to cause the second seat portion to start moving toward its retracted position at a time when the first seat portion passes a predetermined intermediate position that is on a way from the use position toward the retracted position. | 04-26-2012 |
| 20120098305 | SEAT BACK FRAME FOR VEHICLE SEAT - A seat back frame for the vehicle seat, includes a pair of side frames that are disposed on both sides in a seat width direction; and a supporting plate that has both ends connected to a bottom section of each of the side frames, wherein the supporting plate is at least disposed along an interval between a first height that corresponds to an upper part of a lumbar vertebra of an occupant seated in the seat and a second height that corresponds to a lower part of the lumbar vertebra, and curves in a manner such that, in a cross-section along with a vertical direction, the supporting plate bulges forward along a line from the first height to the second height. | 04-26-2012 |
| 20120098260 | VENTILATION OUTLET STRUCTURE OF COGENERATION SYSTEM - A ventilation outlet of a generation unit case installed outdoors and housing a generation unit including a generator and an internal combustion engine to drive the generator. The outlet comprise a maintenance box whose inside surfaces are attached with sound insulators and bored with an inlet hole at its upper portion to be communicated with an inside of the generation unit case and bored with an outlet hole at its lower portion that connects the inlet hole to exterior through a passage formed among the sound insulators. A flow guide plate is installed near the outlet hole to guide rainwater entered from outside to flow upward and a shield is installed at the passage to prevent the rainwater from flowing further upward. | 04-26-2012 |
| 20120097463 | SADDLE-RIDE TYPE ELECTRIC VEHICLE - A two-wheeled electric vehicle includes a main frame extending rearward and downward from a head pipe, a swing arm swingably supported by a rear portion of the main frame, and an electric motor serving as a drive source. In the two-wheeled electric vehicle, a battery unit for supplying electric power to the electric motor is disposed above the main frame, and a PDU for performing drive control of the electric motor is disposed below the main frame. | 04-26-2012 |
| 20120097269 | VAPOR PROCESSING APPARATUS - A vapor processing apparatus includes a tank-inner-pressure detector, an atmospheric-pressure detector, a canister, a control valve and a controller. The tank-inner-pressure detector is configured to detect tank inner pressure of a fuel tank retaining fuel to be supplied to an engine. The atmospheric-pressure detector is configured to detect atmospheric pressure. The canister is configured to adsorb and collect vapor generated in the fuel tank. The control valve is disposed in a vapor channel connected to the fuel tank. The controller is configured to control opening and closing of the control valve based on a value detected by the tank-inner-pressure detector, a value detected by the atmospheric-pressure detector, and a correction value learned in advance, when in a predetermined state. | 04-26-2012 |
| 20120096826 | WALK-BEHIND LAWN MOWER - A walk-behind lawn mower includes a cutter and a housing covering the cutter for allowing rotation of the cutter to cut grass. The housing includes a front wall portion covering a front part of the cutter and a portion other than the front wall portion. The front wall portion extends laterally of the housing. The front wall portion has a thickness more than twice a thickness of the portion other than the front wall portion. The front wall portion has a downwardly convex bottom surface, and serves as a handle for use in lifting up the lawn mower. | 04-26-2012 |
| 20120095761 | SPEECH RECOGNITION SYSTEM AND SPEECH RECOGNIZING METHOD - A speech recognition system and a speech recognizing method for high-accuracy speech recognition in the environment with ego noise are provided. A speech recognition system according to the present invention includes a sound source separating and speech enhancing section; an ego noise predicting section; and a missing feature mask generating section for generating missing feature masks using outputs of the sound source separating and speech enhancing section and the ego noise predicting section; an acoustic feature extracting section for extracting an acoustic feature of each sound source using an output for said each sound source of the sound source separating and speech enhancing section; and a speech recognizing section for performing speech recognition using outputs of the acoustic feature extracting section and the missing feature masks. | 04-19-2012 |
| 20120095753 | NOISE POWER ESTIMATION SYSTEM, NOISE POWER ESTIMATING METHOD, SPEECH RECOGNITION SYSTEM AND SPEECH RECOGNIZING METHOD - A noise power estimation system for estimating noise power of each frequency spectral component includes a cumulative histogram generating section for generating a cumulative histogram for each frequency spectral component of a time series signal, in which the horizontal axis indicates index of power level and the vertical axis indicates cumulative frequency and which is weighted by exponential moving average; and a noise power estimation section for determining an estimated value of noise power for each frequency spectral component of the time series signal based on the cumulative histogram. | 04-19-2012 |
| 20120095658 | CONTROL APPARATUS - A control apparatus which is capable of enhancing the accuracy of control of a controlled object having characteristics that dead time and response delay thereof vary. The control apparatus includes an ECU. The ECU calculates four predicted values as values of a controlled variable associated with respective times when four dead times elapse, respectively, calculates four weight function values associated with an exhaust gas volume, and calculates four products by multiplying the predicted values by the weight function values, respectively. The ECU sets the total sum of the four products as a predicted equivalent ratio and calculates an air-fuel ratio correction coefficient such that the predicted equivalent ratio becomes equal to a target equivalent ratio. | 04-19-2012 |
| 20120095581 | COMPUTERIZED SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING SUPPLY CHAIN ORDERS - A computerized system and method for supply chain order aids a manufacturer's production control departments in setting manufacturer production schedules and purchase schedules. A computerized production control system in communication with a computerized ordering system presents a consistent demand level to reduce changes to the purchase and delivery schedules. A next day production schedule is adjusted to keep total demand within the supply chain constant. At the end of a production day, actual production is compared to an original production plan to calculate an adjustment value. The adjustment value is applied to the next day's production schedule to revise the production schedule. If the actual number of units produced is lower than the planned number of units, units are added to the next day's purchase schedule to determine a revised purchase schedule. Other adjustments may be made if the actual number of units produced exceeds the planned number of units. | 04-19-2012 |
| 20120095373 | WALKING ASSISTANCE DEVICE - A walking assistance device applies a walking assistance force from an electric motor to a femoral part of a user. The device comprises a communication unit and an operation switch enabling unit. The operation switch enabling unit disables an operation switch of the walking assistance device until the communication unit receives a signal from an external device even when a power switch is turned on, and enables the operation switch when the communication unit has received a signal from the external device while the power switch is turned on. Thus, unauthorized use of the walking assistance device is prevented, and operation of the walking assistance device is supervised with control parameters suited for the particular user. Also, the walking assistance device can be shared by a plurality of users, and each user can use the walking assistance device with pre-selected control parameters that optimally suit the particular user. | 04-19-2012 |
| 20120094583 | GRIND-STONE-MOUNT OF HONING HEAD - A plurality of grind-stone-mounts | 04-19-2012 |
| 20120094208 | FUEL CELL - An oxidant gas conduit communicating with both an oxidant gas inlet communication hole and an oxidant gas outlet communication hole is formed in a surface of a cathode-side metallic separator which forms a fuel cell. Continuous linear guide ridges which protrude from intermediate height sections to the oxidant gas conduit side and form continuous guide conduits are provided on the cathode-side metallic separator. The linear guide ridges are continuously connected to ends of rectilinear conduit ridges which form rectilinear conduits, are provided with bend portions, and are set to lengths which are different from each other in a step-like manner. | 04-19-2012 |
| 20120094195 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM AND SCAVENGING METHOD THEREFOR - A fuel cell having an oxygen-containing gas flow field and a fuel gas flow field, an oxygen-containing gas supply apparatus for supplying an oxygen-containing gas to the oxygen-containing gas flow field, a fuel gas supply apparatus for supplying a fuel gas to the fuel gas flow field, a scavenging gas supply apparatus for supplying air as a scavenging gas to the fuel gas flow field, and a controller are provided. The controller includes a voltage detection unit for detecting the voltage of the fuel cell after operation of the fuel cell is stopped and a scavenging control unit for starting scavenging in the fuel gas flow field by the scavenging gas supply apparatus after the detected voltage is decreased temporarily, increased, and decreased again to become a preset voltage or less. | 04-19-2012 |
| 20120092251 | OPERATION SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE - An operation system for a vehicle includes, a display unit; a proximity detecting unit that detects that a part of a human body approaches the display unit; a position specifying unit that specifies positions on the display unit where the part of the human body approached on the basis of a detection result of the proximity detecting unit; and a display controlling unit that makes an icon display screen, which displays icons corresponding to respective operation items of a plurality of in-vehicle devices, and a selection screen, which selects set values or operation modes of the operation items corresponding to the icons which are displayed at the positions when the positions are specified by the position specifying unit, are displayed on the display unit; wherein the icons are formed of at least characters or figures representing the set values or the operation modes that are currently selected, and wherein the display controlling unit makes the icon display screen, on which all operable icons are displayed, be displayed on one screen of the display unit. | 04-19-2012 |
| 20120092129 | METHOD TO TRACK VEHICLE KEY NEAR VEHICLE FOR SMART ENTRY - An entry system for a vehicle includes a fob, a transmitter on the vehicle, a receiver on the vehicle, a control unit on the vehicle, and a vehicle lock in communication with the control unit. The fob is configured to transmit fob signals and to receive vehicle signals. The transmitter is for transmitting the vehicle signals to the fob. The receiver is for receiving the fob signals from the fob. The control unit is in communication with the transmitter and the receiver. The control unit is configured to determine whether the fob is getting closer to or farther from the vehicle based on the fob signals received by the receiver. The vehicle lock locks or unlocks in response to the control unit determining that the fob is getting closer to or farther from the vehicle and that the fob is not located in a hysteresis zone, which is disposed between a proximal zone, which is closer to the vehicle, and an outer zone, which is farther from the vehicle. | 04-19-2012 |
| 20120092128 | VEHICULAR ELECTRONIC KEY SYSTEM - A vehicular electronic key system includes a vehicle having a key cylinder and a portable device. The portable devise includes a key body and a mechanical key. The key body is communicatable with the vehicle. The mechanical key is attachable to and detachable from the key body and mechanically rotates the key cylinder whereby the communication between the vehicle and the portable device allows the vehicle to execute predetermined functions. The key body includes a key detector configured to detect an attachment state and a detachment state of the mechanical key to and from the key body so that the key body transitions to a valet mode to limit some of the predetermined functions executable by the vehicle in accordance with the communication between the vehicle and the portable device while the key detector detects the detachment state of the mechanical key from the key body. | 04-19-2012 |
| 20120091766 | VEHICLE SEAT - A vehicle seat of the present invention includes: a seatback frame which has side frame sections on both sides thereof in a seat width direction; a load transmission member which projects toward an outside in the seat width direction from one of the side frame sections and transmits an impact load input from a side of a vehicle body to the seatback frame; and a side airbag device which is provided with an inflator which generates a gas when the impact load is input and a folded bag body to be deployed when the pressure of the gas is received. The inflator is attached to the load transmission member or the side frame section, and the bag body is disposed at a position which is further outside than a gas discharge port of the inflator in the seat width direction and is opposed to a surface facing the vehicle front side of the load transmission member. | 04-19-2012 |
| 20120091502 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE HAVING PLURAL INSULATED GATE SWITCHING CELLS AND METHOD FOR DESIGNING THE SAME - In a semiconductor device including a plurality of insulated gate switching cells each of which has a gate electrode, an emitter electrode that is commonly provided to cover the plurality of insulated gate switching cells, and a bonding wire connected to the emitter electrode, a gate driving voltage being applied to the gate electrode of each insulated gate switching cell so that emitter current flows through the emitter electrode, mutual conductance of each insulated gate switching cell is varied in accordance with the distance from the connection portion corresponding to the bonding position of the bonding wire so that the emitter current flowing through the emitter electrode is substantially equal among the plurality of insulated gate switching cells. | 04-19-2012 |
| 20120090989 | WATER ELECTROLYSIS SYSTEM - A water electrolysis system includes a water electrolysis apparatus, a low-pressure gas-liquid separator, a high-pressure gas-liquid separator, water pipe, and a decompression water supply device. The high-pressure gas-liquid separator separates the hydrogen received from a cathode of the water electrolysis apparatus and permeation water that has permeated from the anode. The water pipe connects the high-pressure gas-liquid separator and the low-pressure gas-liquid separator and is used for returning the water from the high-pressure gas-liquid separator to the low-pressure gas-liquid separator. The decompression water supply device is arranged at the water pipe and is to decompress the water discharged from the high-pressure gas-liquid separator. | 04-19-2012 |
| 20120090532 | INSTRUMENT DEVICE - The present invention provides an instrument device which is enhanced a texture while creating a sense of depth by superimposing and stereoscopically disposing a light-guiding member on an indicator panel of the instrument device, and which has a good appearance and a novel visibility when illuminated. An instrument device with a good appearance and novel visibility is provided which includes an indicator panel ( | 04-19-2012 |
| 20120089277 | VARIABLE GAIN CONTROL NOSE WHEEL STEERING SYSTEM - A method for determining a target steering angle for nose landing gear of an aircraft includes receiving rudder pedal input data into a steering control unit, receiving aircraft speed data into the steering control unit, calculating a normal gain, calculating a parking gain, and adding the normal gain and the parking gain to determine the target steering angle. The normal gain is a positive quantity in all aircraft speed and pedal stroke ranges. The parking gain is a positive quantity in parking and taxiing speed ranges. A nose wheel steering system is also disclosed. | 04-12-2012 |
| 20120088183 | FUEL CELL AND FUEL CELL STACK - In a solid polymer electrolyte membrane [film] type fuel cell of the invention, where a pair of electrodes are provided on opposite sides of a solid polymer electrolyte membrane [film], and the outside thereof is clamped by a pair of separators, and nonconductive picture frame-shaped members | 04-12-2012 |
| 20120088169 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM - A fuel cell system includes n fuel cell modules and a control device for controlling the power generation amount of each of the fuel cell modules. An m-th fuel cell module of the fuel cell system includes an m-th exhaust gas discharge channel for discharging an exhaust gas from the m-th fuel cell module, and an m-th exhaust gas supply channel branched from the m-th exhaust gas discharge channel, for supplying the exhaust gas from the m-th fuel cell module to an (m+1)-th fuel cell module for warming up the (m+1)-th fuel cell module. | 04-12-2012 |
| 20120086368 | LITHIUM-ION BATTERY CONTROLLING APPARATUS AND ELECTRIC VEHICLE - A lithium-ion battery controlling apparatus includes a controller. The controller is configured to raise an upper-limit voltage in response to capacity degradation of a lithium-ion battery which is configured to supply power to a load and receive power from the load. | 04-12-2012 |
| 20120086262 | FRICTIONAL DRIVE DEVICE AND INVERTED PENDULUM TYPE VEHICLE USING THE SAME - In a frictional drive device comprising a pair of drive disks ( | 04-12-2012 |
| 20120086225 | FRONT VEHICLE BODY STRUCTURE - A front vehicle body structure includes, on each of left and right sides, a front side frame, an upper member, a frame connecting member, an impact absorbing mechanism. The impact absorbing mechanism has a closed cross-sectional shape in frontal view of a vehicle. The impact absorbing mechanism includes an external wall and an internal wall. The external wall is substantially straight with respect to an upper internal wall of the upper member such that the frame connecting member is disposed therebetween. The internal wall has a shape in which at least a front portion of the internal wall between a central portion of the internal wall in its longitudinal direction and the bumper beam is obliquely bent outward. | 04-12-2012 |
| 20120085653 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING CONDUCTIVE POLYMER FILM - A method for producing a conductive polymer film using an apparatus comprising a prism having a working electrode, a light-emitting means, a light probe disposed on both sides of the prism, a container having an electrolytic solution containing a conductive-polymer-forming monomer and a dopant, a counter electrode immersed in the electrolytic solution, a power supply connected to a working electrode and the counter electrode, and a controller connected to the light probe and the power supply means. The method comprises determining an absorption spectrum from light reflected by the conductive polymer film, storing the relation between the absorbance of the conductive polymer film obtained from the absorption spectrum and a parameter of the conductive polymer film in the controller, and controlling current supply to the electrodes based on the relation of the absorbance and the parameter to obtain a desired parameter. | 04-12-2012 |
| 20120085601 | SHUT-OFF VALVE FOR HYDRAULIC SYSTEM - A hydraulic system for an aircraft includes a master cylinder, a wheel brake, a pressure supply, a reservoir, and a shut-off valve in communication with the master cylinder, the wheel brake, the pressure supply and the reservoir. The shut-off valve can include a seal that is configured to preclude fluid flow between the pressure supply and the reservoir through the valve. The shut-off valve can be operable in a first position which blocks fluid flow between the pressure supply and the wheel brake through the valve and a second position which allows fluid flow between the pressure supply and the wheel brake through the valve. Fluid pressure from the master cylinder can control operation of the valve between the first position and the second position. Failure of the seal can result in fluid flow from the brake pressure supply toward the master cylinder. | 04-12-2012 |
| 20120083999 | DRIVE SUPPORT SYSTEM - A drive support system can provide drive support information on traveling of an own vehicle with respect to another vehicle based on positional information. The drive support system can include a drive support level determination part which changes the degree of offer of the drive support information in a stepwise manner corresponding to a traveling area of the own vehicle. An error occurrence area memory part stores an area where an error in the positional information meets or exceeds a predetermined level in advance along with map information. A degree of offer of the drive support information is limited when the own vehicle is present within an area where an error in the positional information meets or exceeds a predetermined level. | 04-05-2012 |
| 20120083998 | OTHER VEHICLE INFORMATION PROVIDING DEVICE - An other vehicle information providing device, can be configured to assign priority to a plurality of other vehicle information inputted to the own vehicle and provides other vehicle information having high priority. The other vehicle information providing device includes a priority memory means for storing priority information. An information switching index value calculation means which predicts future priority after a lapse of a predetermined period based on the stored priority information, which can include latest priority and priority previous to the latest priority, and calculates an information switching index value based on the latest priority, the priority previous to the latest priority, the priority before the priority previous to the latest priority and the future priority. An information providing means provides other vehicle information based on the information switching index value. | 04-05-2012 |
| 20120083973 | POSTURE CONTROL DEVICE OF MOTORCYCLE AND MOTORCYCLE - A system for performing posture control of a motorcycle is such that in outputting a synthesized output by adjusting a yaw direction output and a roll direction output outputted from a displacement detection sensor by an adjustment part respectively, a synthesized output in which the yaw direction output is larger than the roll direction output is outputted when a vehicle speed is low, and a synthesized output in which the roll direction output is larger than the yaw direction output is outputted when the vehicle speed is high. Accordingly, in either a case where the vehicle is traveling at a low speed or a case where the vehicle is traveling at a high speed, the displacement and the behavior of a motorcycle | 04-05-2012 |
| 20120083963 | CONTROL APPARATUS FOR AUTONOMOUS OPERATING VEHICLE - In an apparatus for controlling an autonomous operating vehicle, a traveling direction and traveled distance are calculated based on outputs of wheel speed sensor and angular velocity sensor, and the vehicle is controlled to, as traveling straight, perform the operation using an operating machine in accordance with a predetermined travel pattern in a travel-scheduled area based on the calculated traveling direction and traveled distance. It is determined whether a difference between a scheduled-travel distance scheduled in the predetermined travel pattern and an actual traveled distance exceeds a permissible value when the vehicle is traveled straight and a center value of the outputs of the angular velocity sensor is corrected when the difference is determined to exceed the permissible value. | 04-05-2012 |
| 20120083962 | CONTROL APPARATUS FOR AUTONOMOUS OPERATING VEHICLE - In an apparatus for controlling an autonomous operating vehicle having a prime mover and operating machine, it is configured to have a geomagnetic sensor responsive to magnets embedded in the area, detect angular velocity generated about z-axis in center of gravity of the vehicle, detect a wheel speed of the driven wheel, store map information including magnet embedded positions, detect a primary reference direction, detect a vehicle position relative to the magnet, and detect a vehicle position in the area, calculate a traveling direction and traveled distance of the vehicle, and control the operation performed through the operating machine in the area in accordance with a preset operation program based on the detected primary reference direction, the detected position of the vehicle in the area, the calculated traveling direction and the calculated traveled distance. | 04-05-2012 |
| 20120083961 | CONTROL APPARATUS FOR AUTONOMOUS OPERATING VEHICLE - In an apparatus for controlling an autonomous operating vehicle having an operating machine and a magnetic sensor adapted to detect a border of a travel-scheduled area, the vehicle is controlled to travel around the area from a start point along the border to sequentially record traveling directions and traveled distances on a bitmap. The generated travel trajectory is transformed to map information. A position of the vehicle is detected using bits of the bitmap of the transformed map information, and the vehicle is controlled to, as traveling straight in the north-south directions, while perform the operation with the operating machine based on the calculated traveling direction, the calculated traveled distance and the determined position, utilizing a primary reference direction obtained from a geomagnetic sensor as a reference. | 04-05-2012 |
| 20120083955 | FRONT-AND REAR-WHEEL-DRIVE VEHICLE - One embodiment provides a vehicle including: a first drive system configured to drive first wheels; and a second drive system configured to drive second wheels, wherein the first drive system includes: an electric motor; a motor controller; an engagement/disengagement unit provided between the electric motor side and the first drive wheels side; an engagement/disengagement controller; and a one-way power transmission unit provided between the electric motor side and the first drive wheels side in parallel to the engagement/disengagement unit, and configured, at least, to engage the both sides when a reverse-direction rotational power is inputted from the first wheels side to the electric motor side, wherein, when the vehicle reverses, a reverse driving force to reverse the vehicle is generated at least in the first drive system. | 04-05-2012 |
| 20120083954 | CONTROL APPARATUS FOR MOTOR-ASSISTED BICYCLE - A control apparatus for a motor-assisted bicycle detects a pedaling torque applied to a crankshaft with a pedaling force sensor, controls a motor unit of the motor-assisted bicycle in a regenerative control process to charge a battery if the torque value of the detected pedaling torque is equal to or smaller than a predetermined level, and controls the motor unit in an assistive control process if the torque value is greater than the predetermined level. The control apparatus includes a storage unit for storing an assisted state and a regenerated state in a single event of use of the motor-assisted bicycle by a user, and a control quantity corrector for correcting a control quantity of the assistive control process and a control quantity of the regenerative control process based on the assisted state and the regenerated state which are stored in the storage unit. | 04-05-2012 |
| 20120081914 | WIRING STRUCTURE OF REAR COMBINATION LIGHT - A wiring structure of a rear combination light of a vehicle includes a light-side wire, a vehicle-body-side wire holding portion, a stay, a light-side wire holding portion and a wire coupler. The vehicle-body-side wire holding portion is mounted on a rear surface of the vehicle body to hold an intermediate portion of a vehicle-body-side wire. The light-side wire holding portion is mounted on the stay to hold an intermediate portion of the light-side wire on a distal end portion of the stay. The wire coupler is arranged between the rear surface of the vehicle body and a back surface of the rear combination light. The light-side wire is connected to the vehicle-body-side wire via the wire coupler in a state where the rear combination light is mounted on the rear portion of the vehicle body. | 04-05-2012 |
| 20120081220 | VEHICLE APPROACH NOTIFICATION APPARATUS FOR ELECTRIC MOTORCYCLE - A vehicle approach notification apparatus for an electric motorcycle, which outputs notification sound for notifying a walker or the like of approach of a vehicle from a speaker attached to a vehicle body includes a control unit for controlling the notification sound. The control unit is attached to a position, displaced rather forwardly of the vehicle body, of a bottom face in an accommodating box disposed below a seat of the electric motorcycle. A cover plate, which configures part of the bottom of the accommodating box, is removably disposed above the control unit. A low voltage battery as a power supply for auxiliaries is accommodated on the bottom of the accommodating box displaced rather rearwardly of the vehicle body from the control unit. The cover plate is disposed so as to cover an upper portion of the low voltage battery in flush with an upper face of the control unit. | 04-05-2012 |
| 20120081217 | VEHICLE APPROACH NOTIFICATION APPARATUS FOR ELECTRIC MOTORCYCLE - An electric motorcycle includes a front cover for covering a head pipe of a vehicle body frame from a forward direction and a speaker for notifying an individual, such as a walker or the like, of the approach of a vehicle. The speaker has a sound emitting direction directed forwardly on the vehicle body and is disposed at a position on the opposite side to a key cylinder of a main switch, which is disposed in a vehicle body sideward direction of the head pipe, across the head pipe. A front stay support a front carrier disposed on the vehicle body front side of the front cover and is attached to the vehicle body front side of the head pipe is provided on the vehicle body rear side of the front cover. The speaker is disposed above the front stay as viewed in front elevation of the vehicle body. | 04-05-2012 |
| 20120081080 | CONTROL APPARATUS FOR MOTOR-ASSISTED BICYCLE - A control apparatus for a motor-assisted bicycle detects a pedaling torque applied to a crankshaft with a pedaling force sensor, controls a motor unit of the motor-assisted bicycle in a regenerative control process to charge a battery if the torque value of the detected pedaling torque is equal to or smaller than a predetermined level, and controls the motor unit in an assistive control process if the torque value is greater than the predetermined level. The control apparatus switches between the assistive control process and the regenerative control process depending on the torque value which is detected, increases the predetermined level if the state of charge of the battery becomes lower than a first level, and restores the predetermined level if the state of charge of the battery becomes higher than a second level which is greater than the first level. | 04-05-2012 |
| 20120080254 | BATTERY MODULE MOUNTING STRUCTURE FOR MOTOR-DRIVEN TWO-WHEELED VEHICLE - A battery module mounting structure includes a housing structure housing a battery supplying electric power to the electric motor of a motor-driven two-wheeled vehicle and a PDU controlling the electric motor. The housing case is configured to be mountable to and dismountable from the swing arm with the electric motor and a control substrate housed in the housing case. The swing arm is formed as a cantilever type in which an arm portion disposed on the vehicle-widthwise right or left of a rear wheel supports the rear wheel. The battery shaped in a rectangular parallelepiped is housed in the housing case with a longitudinal direction thereof facing in a vehicle-width direction. The housing case is mounted from a vehicle-widthwise inside on a lateral surface of a swing arm housing at a position vehicle-body-forward of the rear wheel and vehicle-body-rearward of a through-hole, the swing arm housing supporting the arm portion. | 04-05-2012 |
| 20120078509 | Intelligent Navigation For A Motor Vehicle - Methods of controlling a motor vehicle include detecting an unsafe condition. Unsafe conditions can be driver conditions, vehicle conditions as well as external conditions. The method further includes finding a safe area and automatically determining a route to the safe area. A driver can be notified of the route to the safe area. | 03-29-2012 |
| 20120078482 | OMNIDIRECTIONAL MOVING BODY OPERATION SYSTEM AND OMNIDIRECTIONAL MOVING BODY OPERATION METHOD - A vehicle target velocity calculator of an omnidirectional moving body converts a manipulated vector which is a manipulated variable of the omnidirectional moving body instructed by an operator by using an operation portion of an operation device to a manipulated vector of the omnidirectional moving body in the relative coordinate system based on an angle difference between the presence direction of the omnidirectional moving body detected by the operation device sensor unit and the presence direction of the operation device detected by the vehicle sensor unit, and determines the target moving velocity vector according to the converted manipulated vector. The wheel velocity command calculator instructs a wheel drive unit to drive the base body according to this target moving velocity vector. | 03-29-2012 |
| 20120078460 | Methods And Systems For Controlling On-Board Diagnostics - Embodiments provide systems and methods for using a feedback correction factor to determine whether a motor vehicle should be placed in a judging or non-judging mode regarding the on-board diagnostic system. If the feedback correction factor is within a predetermined range, the vehicle is placed in a judging mode. If the feedback correction factor is outside a predetermined range, the vehicle is placed in a non-judging mode. Methods and systems for using an engine oil temperature to determine whether a motor vehicle should be placed in a judging or non-judging mode regarding the on-board diagnostic system are disclosed. If an engine oil temperature, or predicted engine oil temperature, is below a predetermined temperature, the motor vehicle is placed in a non-judging mode. If an engine oil temperature, or predicted engine oil temperature, is above a predetermined temperature, the motor vehicle is placed in a judging mode. | 03-29-2012 |
| 20120078416 | ROBOT AND BEHAVIOR CONTROL SYSTEM FOR THE SAME - A robot and a behavior control system for the same are capable of ensuring continued stability while carrying out a specified task by a motion of a body of the robot. Time-series changing patterns of first state variables indicating a motional state of an arm are generated according to a stochastic transition model such that at least one of the first state variables follows a first specified motion trajectory for causing the robot to carry out a specified task. Similarly, time-series changing patterns of second state variables indicating a motional state of the body are generated according to the stochastic transition model such that the second state variables satisfy a continuously stable dynamic condition. | 03-29-2012 |
| 20120077359 | WIRING STRUCTURE AND JOINT BOX INCLUDING THE SAME - A wiring structure includes a board assembly and pin terminals. In each of pin terminal insertion holes formed in the board assembly, a terminal connection portion electrically connected to a metal foil wire and fitted onto the pin terminal so as to hold the pin terminal is provided in a through-hole of at least one of a plurality of circuit boards forming the board assembly, which forms a part of the pin terminal insertion hole, whereas an insulating sleeve blocking contact between the pin terminal and each of the remaining circuit boards is fitted into through-holes of the remaining circuit boards, which form the remaining part of the pin terminal insertion hole. | 03-29-2012 |
| 20120077102 | METHOD OF SHUTTING DOWN FUEL CELL SYSTEM - A method of shutting down a fuel cell system includes a first step of supplying hydrogen gas and air to a fuel cell stack to thereby cause the fuel cell stack to generate electricity, and a second step of stopping supply of the hydrogen gas, and then supplying air to the fuel cell stack so as to cause the fuel cell stack to generate electricity upon detection of a command to shut down the fuel cell stack. In the second step, when the pressure of the hydrogen gas is lowered to a preset lower-limit value based on an anode pressure, which actually is measured, the fuel cell stack is caused to stop generating electricity. | 03-29-2012 |
| 20120075900 | CONTROLLER FOR LOAD DRIVE SYSTEM - There is provided a controller for a load drive system which can reduce a ripple current which flows in a smoothing capacitor even when an inverter is PWM controlled with a two-phase modulation. | 03-29-2012 |
| 20120075879 | DEVICE FOR VIEWING FRONT-LATERAL AREA OF VEHICLE - Provided is a device for viewing a front-lateral area of a vehicle. A front-lateral viewing device ( | 03-29-2012 |
| 20120074805 | ROTOR - A rotor includes a hub, a rotor core, holes and permanent magnets. Salient poles are each formed between neighboring openings on a circumference of the rotor core and, when viewed from a front along a line of axis of the rotor, a recessed portion that is formed by causing one portion of an inner circumferential surface of the rotor core to bulge radially outward of another portion is provided in a region enclosed by a first virtual line connecting a center of the hub and a circumferential middle position on the circumference of a magnetic pole of the rotor core having permanent magnets provided therein and a second virtual line connecting the center of the hub and a circumferential middle position on the circumference of the salient pole adjacent to the magnetic pole at a leading side in a rotational direction of the rotor. | 03-29-2012 |
| 20120074667 | FOOT REST FOR SADDLE-RIDE TYPE VEHICLE - Foot rests are provided for a saddle-ride type vehicle each including a step portion for placing a foot and an attachment portion which extends from the step portion toward a vehicle body frame and is turnably attached to a corresponding one of step brackets on the vehicle-body-frame side. The step portion includes: a first foot-placing portion, a second foot-placing portion, and a third foot-placing portion which extend in a vehicle width direction; a first reinforcement member and a second reinforcement member which connect the first foot-placing portion and the second foot placing portion; and a third reinforcement member and a fourth reinforcement member which connect the first foot-placing portion and the third foot-placing portion. | 03-29-2012 |
| 20120074139 | FUEL TANK STRUCTURE - A fuel tank structure including a fuel tank, a fuel filler port device formed in a cylindrical shape and arranged in the fuel tank, and a flame arrester arranged in the fuel filler port device and disposed inside the fuel tank. A fuel bleeding opening is formed in a peripheral wall part of the fuel filler port device and an arrester peripheral wall part. A cylindrical ring disposed so as to urge itself against the peripheral wall part and block the fuel bleeding opening. | 03-29-2012 |
| 20120074113 | SPOT WELDING METHOD AND SPOT WELDING APPARATUS - A spot welding method and a spot welding apparatus are provided. A stacked assembly of at least three workpieces is gripped between first and second welding tips. An inner workpiece positioned inside of the stacked assembly, of two of the workpieces that exhibit a maximum contact resistance in the stacked assembly, is electrically connected to a ground electrode, or to an electrode having the same polarity as the second welding tip near an outer workpiece positioned adjacent to the inner workpiece and facing outwardly from the stacked assembly, of the two workpieces. Then, electric current is applied from the first welding tip toward the second welding tip. In this case, first, the stacked assembly is pressed under a first pressing force, and then, the stacked assembly is pressed under a second pressing force which is greater than the first pressing force. | 03-29-2012 |
| 20120074104 | RESISTANCE WELDING METHOD AND DEVICE THEREFOR - Disclosed are a resistance welding method for welding a stack of three or more works and a device therefor. A stack is formed in such that the thinnest work having the smallest thickness among the works is placed in the outermost position. The stack is held between a first welding electrode and a second welding electrode. A pressing member is brought into contact with a location of the thinnest work different from the location with which the first welding electrode is in contact, and the pressing member is caused to press the stack from the thinnest work side. In a state that the pressing force exerted on the stack by the first welding electrode and the pressing member is balanced with the pressing force exerted on the stack by the second welding electrode, current is applied between the first welding electrode and the second welding electrode. | 03-29-2012 |
| 20120074103 | SEAM WELDING WARPAGE PREVENTION METHOD AND APPARATUS - It is an object of the present invention to provide a seam welding warpage prevention method and apparatus capable of preventing warpage caused by cooling contraction after welding, in a case where workpieces are different from one another in material and thickness, and thus not uniform in thermal contraction. In the seam welding warpage prevention method for welding a plurality of workpieces W | 03-29-2012 |
| 20120073962 | HIGH-PRESSURE WATER ELECTROLYSIS APPARATUS - A high-pressure water electrolysis apparatus includes a plurality of unit cells each having an anode separator, a cathode separator, and a membrane electrode assembly which is sandwiched between the anode separator and the cathode separator. The membrane electrode assembly includes a solid polymer electrolyte membrane, and an anode current collector and a cathode current collector which are disposed respectively on opposite sides of the solid polymer electrolyte membrane. An electrically-conductive member is interposed between the cathode separator and disc springs and between a plate member and the cathode current collector so as to integrally extend from a region between the cathode separator and the disc springs to a region between the plate member and the cathode current collector. The electrically-conductive member includes an electrically-conductive path which electrically connects the cathode separator with the cathode current collector. | 03-29-2012 |
| 20120072091 | TEMPERATURE ESTIMATION APPARATUS FOR AEROPLANE GAS TURBINE ENGINE - In a temperature estimation apparatus for an aeroplane gas turbine engine, there are provided with a calculator that calculates a low-pressure turbine outlet temperature change (dEGT) based on low-pressure turbine rotational speed (N | 03-22-2012 |
| 20120071249 | TRIPOD CONSTANT VELOCITY JOINT, AND METHOD AND DEVICE FOR ASSEMBLING SAME - Provided are a tripod constant velocity joint, and a method and a device for assembling the joint. The opening of a through-hole formed in an inner member of the tripod constant velocity joint has formed therein a tapered, reduced diameter section having a diameter tapered from the opening toward the inside. A first annular groove is formed in the side wall of a driving power transmission shaft, and a clip serving as an engaging member is engaged with the first annular groove. A second annular groove is formed in the inner wall of the through-hole in the inner member. In inserting the driving power transmission shaft through the through-hole in the inner member, the tapered, reduced diameter section guides the shaft in such a manner that the clip is contracted toward the bottom surface of the first annular groove. The clip expands and contracts due to the elasticity thereof when the positions of the first annular groove and the second annular groove coincide with each other. | 03-22-2012 |
| 20120071074 | GRINDING STONE, MANUFACTURING METHOD OF GRINDING STONE, AND MANUFACTURING APPARATUS OF GRINDING STONE - A manufacturing apparatus, of a grinding stone which is manufactured by attaching abrasive grains respectively having polyhedral shapes in which mutually opposed surfaces are parallel to each other to a base member, is provided with: an abrasive grains classifying apparatus adapted to classify the abrasive grains based on sizes of the abrasive grains defined by face-to-face distances between the mutually opposed surfaces; and an attaching apparatus adapted to attach the abrasive grains classified by the abrasive grains classifying apparatus to the base member. The attaching apparatus is provided with: a template which is disposed above the base member to be movable with respect to the base member and formed with a guide hole through which the classified abrasive grains pass; a vibration generator connected to the template or the base member and adapted to apply a vibration to the abrasive grains passing through the template; and an electrolytic deposition bath adapted to electrolytic deposit the abrasive grains passing through the template. | 03-22-2012 |
| 20120070330 | HIGH-STRENGTH STEEL SHEET AND THE METHOD FOR PRODUCTION THEREFOR - A high-strength steel sheet comprises, by weight, not less than 0.25% and not more than 0.5% of C, not less than 4% and not more than 14% of Mn, not less than 6.5% and not more than 9.5% of Cr, and not less than 0.3% and not more than 3% of Si. The high-strength steel sheet satisfies the following formulas 1 and 2 and mainly consists of austenite, and the high-strength steel sheet has yield strength of not less than 1000 MPa and total elongation of not less than 20%. | 03-22-2012 |
| 20120070318 | OIL PUMP UNIT WITH VARIABLE FLOW RATE - An oil pump unit with a variable flow rate includes lubrication pumps and a control pump that are driven by rotation of a crankshaft of an engine, and changes an oil supply amount from the control pump to each part of the engine, in which the control pump includes a plurality of oil pumps that have different discharge rates. | 03-22-2012 |
| 20120070317 | OIL PUMP UNIT WITH VARIABLE FLOW RATE - An oil pump unit with a variable flow rate includes: an oil pump having an intake port and a discharge port and accommodating a pump rotor; and an oil path switching valve having oil inlets and oil outlets and opening/closing oil pressure return holes communicating with the discharge port, in which the oil path switching valve and the oil pump are separately disposed, the intake port and the discharge port are open to valve-mounting surfaces formed at the oil pump, and oil inlets and the oil outlet are open to body-mounting surfaces matching with the valve-mounting surfaces of the oil path switching valve. | 03-22-2012 |
| 20120069714 | SOUND DIRECTION ESTIMATION APPARATUS AND SOUND DIRECTION ESTIMATION METHOD - A sound direction estimation apparatus includes a sound source model storage unit that stores likelihood of a sound source class in correspondence with a sound feature quantity, a sound signal input unit that receives a sound signal, a sound source identification unit that identifies a sound source class of the sound signal input from the sound signal input unit with reference to the sound source model storage unit based on the sound feature quantity of the sound signal, and a first sound source localization unit that estimates a sound direction of the sound signal of the sound source class identified by the sound source identification unit. | 03-22-2012 |
| 20120069613 | TRANSFER CONTROL DEVICE - There is provided a control device which controls a transformer in accordance with a total loss imposed on a load driving system including the transformer and a load. In a control device of a transformer that boosts or drops an output voltage of a DC power supply and provides the output voltage to a load, the control device includes: a switching controller which performs switching control of the transformer; a load power deriving unit which derives load power; a transformer loss decrease amount deriving unit which derives a decrease amount of loss generated in the transformer, based on the load power derived by the load power deriving unit and a transformer ratio of the transformer, when the switching controller performs intermittent control of the transformer; a load loss increase amount deriving unit which derives an increase amount of loss generated in the load when the switching controller performs the intermittent control of the transformer; and a control command unit which instructs the switching controller to perform the intermittent control of the transformer when the decrease amount of transformer loss derived by the transformer loss decrease amount deriving unit is larger than the increase amount of load loss derived by the load loss increase amount deriving unit. | 03-22-2012 |
| 20120069590 | DIRECTION INDICATOR AND SADDLE RIDING TYPE VEHICLE INCLUDING SAME - A direction indicator includes a direction indicator main unit, a grommet for elastically supporting the direction indicator main unit to a front cowl on a vehicle body side, a retainer for removably fixing the front cowl on the vehicle body side and the direction indicator main unit via the grommet, and a shouldered bolt for fastening the retainer and the direction indicator main unit. A fastening portion of the direction indicator main unit to which the retainer is fastened with the shouldered bolt has a groove that serves as a weakened or fragile portion that is deformed or damaged when the direction indicator engages the ground. | 03-22-2012 |
| 20120069173 | WORKPIECE INSPECTING APPARATUS AND WORKPIECE INSPECTING METHOD - A workpiece inspecting apparatus for rotating a workpiece having a shape portion containing a convex portion and a concave portion which are periodically and repetitively formed on the workpiece and picking up images of the shape portion of the workpiece to inspect the workpiece, including a workpiece rotating mechanism that outputs reference pulses at a fixed interval while rotating the workpiece at a fixed rotational speed, an image pickup mechanism that picks up images of the shape portions of the workpiece every image pickup timing based on the reference pulses, an image pickup controller that synchronizes each of the shape portions of the workpiece with the image pickup timing, and an inspection controller that executes image processing of taking a difference between a pickup k-th (k represents an integer) image and a pickup (k+1)-th image and detects a defect on the basis of differential data representing the difference. | 03-22-2012 |
| 20120068860 | Traffic Control Database And Distribution System - A database for storing intersection data efficiently is disclosed. The database stores two or more points for each approach to the intersection along with the intersection control type. A third point can be used to help define the geometry of each approach. The database can be used with a warning system or any other vehicle system. The system may use approach point and intersection control type information to provide warnings to drivers of the motor vehicle when the motor vehicle is approaching the intersection at such a speed that the motor vehicle cannot safely stop. Methods for distributing the database information are also disclosed. The methods include pre-installed databases, dealer installed databases and on-demand distribution of intersection information. | 03-22-2012 |
| 20120068859 | Method of Controlling a Collision Warning System Using Line of Sight - A collision warning system for a motor vehicle is disclosed. The collision warning system includes a first mode and a second mode. The system operates in the first mode when there is line of sight with a target vehicle. The system operates in the second mode where there is no line of sight with the target vehicle. | 03-22-2012 |
| 20120068506 | VEHICLE SEAT - The present invention provides a vehicle seat including: a seatback frame that includes a pair of an outer side frame portion and an inner side frame portion and a lower frame portion; a tilting shaft that supports the seatback frame at a position below the lower frame portion; and a first load transfer block that transfers an impact load input from a side portion of the vehicle body to the seatback frame, wherein the vehicle seat further includes a plate-shaped rigid member of which an upper end is connected to the lower frame portion and an inner end in the vehicle width direction is connected to the inner side frame portion in the vehicle width direction, and wherein a lower edge of the plate-shaped rigid member extends to at least a height position of the tilting shaft. | 03-22-2012 |
| 20120067659 | MOTOR DRIVEN VEHICLE - In a motor driven vehicle in which an electric motor is disposed in a vehicle-body-rear portion of a swing arm swingably supported by a body frame and the vehicle travels by transmitting the drive force of the electric motor to a rear wheel, a vibration generating device for generating vibration in accordance with the transmitted drive force is installed on a drive force transmission path from the electric motor to the rear wheel. The vibration generating device includes a gear pair partially embedded with respective weights to lose a rotational balance during rotation. A sound producing device for producing a predetermined sound in accordance with the transmitted drive force is installed on the same transmission path. The sound producing device is driven by a transmitting device reciprocating through contact with a cam attached to a reduction gear serving as a rotating body. | 03-22-2012 |
| 20120067320 | INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE WITH VARIABLE FLOW RATE OIL PUMP APPARATUS, AND MOTORCYCLE INCORPORATING SAME - An internal combustion engine includes a crankshaft, a variable flow rate oil pump apparatus including oil pumps having a drive shaft thereof operatively connected with the crankshaft, and a rod-shaped oil passage switching valve operatively connected with the oil pumps. The oil passage switching valve and the drive shaft of the oil pumps are arranged such that axial directions thereof are parallel to an axial direction of the crankshaft. Also, the oil pumps and the oil passage switching valve are disposed so as to overlap each other in the axial direction of the crankshaft. With such configuration of the engine, the effect on various components around the pump can be reduced, while downsizing the oil pump and the engine. | 03-22-2012 |
| 20120067318 | CYLINDER HEAD FOR AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE, ENGINE INCORPORATING THE CYLINDER HEAD, AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME - A motorcycle includes an engine configured to expel an exhaust from combustion chambers of cylinders in a cylinder head through exhaust ports. Each of the cylinders is provided with a recessed portion provided in an exhaust passage wall surface in a central portion of an exhaust passage of a corresponding exhaust port. This makes it possible to maintain flow rate and flow velocity of the exhaust gas, and to decrease exhaust loss. As a result, it is possible to increase engine torque by use of a simple structure. In addition, no restriction is imposed on the layout of parts around the engine, because the recessed portions are provided in the exhaust ports. | 03-22-2012 |
| 20120067314 | VALVE-MECHANISM-EQUIPPED ENGINE - A valve-mechanism-equipped engine having increased combustion efficiency is disclosed. The engine includes intake and exhaust rocker arms having a swing center line inclined relative to a rotation center line of a cam, and an intake valve and an exhaust valve inclined relative to a cylinder. A cam surface is inclined relative to the rotation center line of the cam. Slippers of the intake and exhaust rocker arms are in sliding contact with the cam surface. | 03-22-2012 |
| 20120067307 | COOLING-MEANS-EQUIPPED, LIQUID-COOLED ENGINE - A liquid-cooled engine provided with cooling means for cooling an area surrounding a combustion chamber using a cooling liquid cooled by a radiator and caused to flow through a cooling passage. The cooling passage is embedded inside a cylinder block and a cylinder head. The cooling passage is formed in a continuous fashion such that the cooling liquid is introduced from the radiator to cool an area surrounding the combustion chamber, and thereafter returns to the radiator by looping around an area surrounding an exhaust valve for opening and closing an exhaust port of the combustion chamber. | 03-22-2012 |
| 20120067305 | COVER STRUCTURE OF GENERAL-PURPOSE LIQUID-COOLED ENGINE - A general-purpose liquid-cooled engine delivers a coolant cooling an engine body to a radiator and delivers a cooling air to the radiator by use of a cooling fan to cool the coolant. A cover structure of the general-purpose liquid-cooled engine covers the engine body and the radiator. An engine cover is configured so as to allow the cooling air to be delivered to the radiator. A muffler cover covers a muffler disposed adjacent to an external surface of the engine cover. An exterior cover covers an entire engine including the engine cover and the muffler cover. | 03-22-2012 |
| 20120067146 | POWER UNIT FOR VEHICLE - A power unit for a vehicle includes first and second clutches, that transmit/interrupt rotary power from a primary reduction gear mechanism to first and second main shafts, arranged at respective ends of the first and second main shafts with selectively established multispeed gears provided among a countershaft, and the first and second main shafts. The primary reduction gear mechanism includes: a single driving gear provided on a crankshaft; a first driven gear supported by a first main shaft for relative rotation therewith at a position adjacent to the first clutch and meshes with the driving gear; an intermediate driving gear rotating with the first driven gear; an idle gear that meshes with the intermediate driving gear, and supported by the countershaft for relative rotation therewith; and a second driven gear, that meshes with the idle gear, and supported by the second main shaft for relative rotation therewith. | 03-22-2012 |
| 20120065874 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DIAGNOSING DRIVING OPERATION - An apparatus is provided for providing users diagnosis on driving operations in the same manner as diagnosing vehicle failures and for presenting evaluation with supporting data so that users may recognize their driving operations. The apparatus reads out driving data for a plurality of driving cycles from an electronic control unit on board the vehicle. The electronic control unit includes a memory for storing driving data representing fuel efficiency condition of the vehicle in accordance with driving operation by a user in each driving cycle of the vehicle. Charts are produced representing fuel efficiency condition for each driving operation by the user for each driving cycle, based on the read out driving data. The charts are output as comparison results for each one of the driving cycles. | 03-15-2012 |
| 20120065833 | DIAGNOSIS APPARATUS FOR ASSISTING A TROUBLE REPRODUCTION AND A METHOD FOR PRESENTING DATA FOR REPRODUCING TROUBLE - A trouble diagnosis apparatus which supports reproduction of trouble according to a trouble code provided from an electronic control unit of the vehicle. The apparatus comprises means for extracting, for at least one of the trouble codes, characteristics unique to the trouble code with respect to respective driving parameters, means for extracting, from said driving data associated with a plurality of trouble codes, global characteristics associated with a plurality of said trouble codes with respect to each one of said driving parameters, and for said at least one of the trouble codes, means, based on similarity between the characteristics unique to the trouble code and said global characteristics, for setting the portion of the characteristics unique to the trouble code that have low similarity as the driving data for reproducing the trouble corresponding to the trouble code. | 03-15-2012 |
| 20120064427 | FUEL CELL SYSTEM - The fuel cell system includes: a fuel cell stack which is supplied with reaction gas, and performs electricity generation; a reaction gas supplier which supplies the reaction gas to the fuel cell stack; a ground fault detector which detects a ground fault from the fuel cell stack; and a reaction gas increasing member which increases an amount of a reaction gas supply to the fuel cell stack, when the ground fault is detected by the ground fault detector. | 03-15-2012 |
| 20120064386 | BATTERY MODULE - A battery module includes a plurality of rectangular cells, holders, first and second end plates and joining members. The joining members join the first and second end plates to fasten the plurality of rectangular cells and the holders to be a single unit. Ends of the joining members are fastened to first securing parts and second securing parts on the first and second end plates. The first securing parts and the second securing parts are disposed at both ends of a center line that penetrates through centers of the plurality of rectangular cells, the holders, and the first and second end plates. A distance between the center line and each of the first and second securing parts is smaller than a distance between each of the first and second securing parts and each of outermost surfaces of the first and second end plates. | 03-15-2012 |
| 20120064379 | BATTERY MODULE - A battery module includes a plurality of cells and a plurality of holders. The plurality of cells are parallelly arranged in a row at intervals. The plurality of cells have explosion-proof valves which are provided therein and which are capable of opening upon an increase in an inner pressure in the plurality of cells. The plurality of holders are arranged among the cells so as to hold the cells. The holders have holder pieces which are integrally formed therein and which cover at least part of the explosion-valves so as to prevent emissions from the explosion-proof valves from being released in all directions. | 03-15-2012 |
| 20120063873 | WORKPIECE TRANSPORTING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR TRANSPORTING THE SAME - A workpiece transporting apparatus includes a hand, a rotating portion for rotatably holding the hand, an arm provided in the hand and having one end provided at the rotating portion, and a holding portion provided in the hand and provided to another end of the arm for holding a workpiece, in which a center portion of the holding portion is disposed with a predetermined interval from an axial line extended from a rotational center of the rotating portion toward another end of the arm. | 03-15-2012 |
| 20120063638 | EGOMOTION USING ASSORTED FEATURES - A system and method are disclosed for estimating camera motion of a visual input scene using points and lines detected in the visual input scene. The system includes a camera server comprising a stereo pair of calibrated cameras, a feature processing module, a trifocal motion estimation module and an optional adjustment module. The stereo pair of the calibrated cameras and its corresponding stereo pair of camera after camera motion form a first and a second trifocal tensor. The feature processing module is configured to detect points and lines in the visual input data comprising a plurality of image frames. The feature processing module is further configured to find point correspondence between detected points and line correspondence between detected lines in different views. The trifocal motion estimation module is configured to estimate the camera motion using the detected points and lines associated with the first and the second trifocal tensor. | 03-15-2012 |
| 20120062778 | IMAGE CAPTURING DEVICE AND IMAGE CAPTURING METHOD - An image capturing device includes a photodetector including a plurality of pixels, each having a photoelectric conversion unit outputting electric charges depending on received light, charge accumulation units accumulating the electric charges, and a drain electrode that discards the electric charges, a finite impulse response filter which is applied to images, a controller controlling the pixels so as to distribute the electric charges that are output by the photoelectric conversion units to the charge accumulation units and to the drain electrodes at a distribution ratio depending on a weight coefficient of a corresponding delay period of the finite impulse response filter at each delay period, and reading the electric charges accumulated in the charge accumulation units after a whole delay period of the finite impulse response filter elapses, and an image processor generating the images based on the electric charges that are read by the controller. | 03-15-2012 |
| 20120062728 | SURFACE INSPECTING DEVICE - The presence or absence of a deep machining work trace is detected, and the position and size of the machining work trace are allowed to be estimated, whereby an inspection time can be shortened. | 03-15-2012 |
| 20120062349 | COMPOSITE TRANSFORMER - A composite (combined type of) transformer includes: a transformer core including a plurality of transformer magnetic leg portions, a transformer magnetic leg portion, and a pair of transformer bases; a plurality of inductor cores each including an inductor magnetic leg portions, inductor outer magnetic leg portions, and a pair of inductor bases; and a plurality of windings wound around the transformer magnetic leg portion and the inductor magnetic leg portions. The windings are wound to generate magnetic fluxes in such directions as to be cancelled out in a magnetic closed circuit in the transformer core. | 03-15-2012 |
| 20120062116 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING HEADLIGHTS ON A VEHICLE IN RESPONSE TO WIPER OPERATION - A method for controlling headlights on a vehicle includes detecting for a wiper switch state for a wiper switch on a vehicle, detecting wiper operations, incrementing a counter value by x until the counter value reaches a headlight ON threshold, counting toward a time threshold, decrementing the counter value by x until the counter value reaches a headlight OFF threshold value, and changing a state of the headlights based on the counter value reaching one of the headlight ON threshold and the headlight OFF threshold. Incrementing the counter value by x can occur in response to each detected wiper operation. Counting toward the time threshold can occur in response to detecting a wiper switch OFF state. Decrementing the counter value by x can occur in response to each instance of the time threshold elapsing with no change from the wiper switch OFF state. A plurality of intermediate counter values can be found between the headlight ON threshold and the headlight OFF threshold. A control system is also disclosed. | 03-15-2012 |
| 20120062023 | BBW BRAKE DEVICE - A brake fluid pressure electrically generated by a slave cylinder ( | 03-15-2012 |
| 20120061985 | VEHICLE CARGO SYSTEM WITH MULTI-FUNCTION TONNEAU COVER - A tonneau cover assembly provided in a vehicle including a panel hingedly attached to a vehicle seat, and a release assembly with an actuating mechanism provided on the panel. The actuating mechanism is connected to a panel lock assembly and a seat lock assembly which are provided to selectively lock the panel and the vehicle seat in place. Actuation of the actuating mechanism causes the lock assemblies to release, thereby allowing rotation of the panel about the hinged attachment and folding of the vehicle seat from a seating position to a folded-forward position. | 03-15-2012 |
| 20120061894 | FIXTURE FOR SELECTABLY HOLDING DISSIMILAR WORKPIECES - A fixture for selectably supporting a number of dissimilar workpieces. The fixture includes a frame with one or more rotatable workpiece tooling assemblies. Each workpiece tooling assembly has multiple faces to which is mounted workpiece support tooling. The workpiece support tooling may be designed to support dissimilar workpieces, such that a single fixture may support any of a given number of workpieces by simply rotating the workpiece tooling assembly or assemblies until the corresponding support tooling is properly positioned. A locking assembly may be provided to releasably secure each workpiece tooling assembly in the various support orientations that coincide with each of its faces. | 03-15-2012 |
| 20120061159 | VEHICLE, AND HARNESS WIRING STRUCTURE THEREFOR - In a harness wiring structure, a covering member which covers electric wires has a mesh-like portion | 03-15-2012 |
| 20120061156 | FRICTION DRIVE DEVICE AND OMNI-DIRECTIONAL VEHICLE USING THE SAME - Heat generated by a drive source of a friction drive device such as an electric motor is allowed to efficiently dissipate to the atmosphere, and the friction drive device and an omni-directional vehicle using the same is designed in a highly compact manner. Left and right electric drive devices are placed on a central axial line of left and right rotatable drive members, and external teeth members serving as output members of the electric drive devices are directly connected to the respective rotatable drive members in a torque transmitting and heat transmitting relationship. | 03-15-2012 |
| 20120060799 | VEHICLE FUEL SUPPLY DEVICE - In an upright state where a vehicle is supported by a main stand, or and a tilted state where the vehicle is supported by a side stand, an inflow port of a fuel filter unit is located at a position higher than an outflow port. The fuel filter unit and the upstream side filter pipe are installed in the vehicle so that the upstream side filter pipe is arranged at a higher position as it goes toward the upstream side. | 03-15-2012 |
| 20120060642 | CONTROL PEDAL ASSEMBLY - A control pedal assembly includes a pedal bracket, a control pedal, an urging device and a communicating portion. The pedal bracket is secured to a vehicle body and has a housing space. The control pedal is swingably supported by a support shaft disposed in the housing space of the pedal bracket. The urging device is to urge the control pedal toward a rear of a vehicle body. The communicating portion is provided at a rear of the support shaft relative to the vehicle body between the control pedal and the pedal bracket to connect a space above the control pedal and a space below the control pedal. | 03-15-2012 |
| 20120060362 | TEMPERATURE SENSITIVE ACTUATOR ATTACHING STRUCTURE - Provided is a temperature sensitive actuator attaching structure wherein the ease of attachment is improved. A heat generating element ( | 03-15-2012 |
| 20120059570 | WARM-UP CONTROL APPARATUS FOR GENERAL-PURPOSE ENGINE - In an apparatus for controlling warm-up operation of a general-purpose internal combustion engine having a throttle valve installed in an air intake pipe and connectable to an operating machine to be used as a prime mover of the machine, it is configured to calculate a basic fuel injection amount based on an engine speed and a throttle opening and control engine warm-up operation by calculating a warm-up time fuel injection amount by correcting the calculated basic fuel injection amount based on one of a temperature change amount of a spark plug seat of the engine, the throttle opening and an output of the operating machine and injecting fuel from an injector by the calculated warm-up time fuel injection amount. With this, it becomes possible to calculate a fuel injection amount suitable for the engine warm-up condition by using an appropriate parameter in place of the lubricating oil temperature. | 03-08-2012 |
| 20120059569 | CONTROL APPARATUS FOR GENERAL-PURPOSE ENGINE - In an apparatus for controlling a general-purpose engine used as a prime mover of an operating machine, the apparatus regulating a throttle opening such that an engine speed is converged to a desired engine speed, calculating a basic fuel injection amount based on the engine speed and throttle opening, and controlling engine warm-up operation by correcting the basic fuel injection amount with a correction coefficient to calculate a warm-up time fuel injection amount after engine start is completed and injecting fuel by the calculated amount, a fuel injection amount with which the engine output becomes maximum is searched based on the throttle opening regulated in response to increase/decrease operation of the warm-up time fuel injection amount conducted when the engine speed is constant; and the correction coefficient is corrected using the searched fuel injection amount. With this, a warm-up correction coefficient appropriate for the engine warm-up condition can be calculated. | 03-08-2012 |
| 20120059562 | INCREASING ALL-WHEEL DRIVE SYSTEM CALIBRATION EFFICIENCY THROUGH HARDWARE-IN-THE-LOOP SIMULATION TECHNIQUES - A method and system for generating a torque map operating a vehicle's all-wheel drive (“AWD”) system are disclosed. A model describing how an all-wheel drive (“AWD”) electronic control unit (“ECU”) included in the vehicle processes data received from one or more sensors or vehicle subsystems is generated and executed on a computing device so that the computing device emulates operation of the AWD ECU. The computing device captures data from a controller area network (“CAN”) included in the vehicle and data from the vehicle describing wheel torque while emulating operation of the AWD ECU. A raw torque value is generated by the computing device from the data from the CAN and wheel torque. The raw torque value is used to generate a torque value associated with an engine speed and with an intake air pressure obtained from the data captured from the CAN. | 03-08-2012 |
| 20120059552 | REAR WHEEL TOE ANGLE CONTROL DEVICE AND METHOD FOR CALIBRATING A REFERENCE POSITION OF AN ELECTRIC ACTUATOR IN A REAR WHEEL TOE ANGLE CONTROL DEVICE | 03-08-2012 |
| 20120058858 | AUTOMOBILE DRIVING SYSTEM AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF - An automobile driving system includes an engine and a transmission. The transmission includes a variable gear ratio mechanism and a gear ratio of the transmission can be set to infinity. A one-way clutch is provided at an output portion of the transmission. At a time of a engine stopping controller controlling to stop the engine, a transmission-and-control device uses inertia from the engine up to an input member of the one-way clutch as assisting force for driving operations of the variable gear ratio mechanism to change the gear ratio at the transmission to infinity or close to infinity, before the engine actually stops. | 03-08-2012 |
| 20120058411 | FUEL CELL STACK - A fuel cell stack includes a stack of fuel cells. Each of the fuel cells includes a membrane electrode assembly and a separator that are stacked. The membrane electrode assembly includes an electrolyte membrane and a pair of electrodes sandwiching the electrolyte membrane therebetween. The terminal plate, the insulation plate, and the end plate are stacked at each end of the stack of the fuel cells in a stacking direction of the fuel cells. The terminal plate has a plurality of spaces formed therein. The spaces are separated from each other by a partition wall. A connection terminal is disposed on a plate surface of the terminal plate. The plate surface faces the insulation plate, at a position at which the connection terminal does not overlap the partition wall in the stacking direction. The connection terminal protrudes outward from the end plate in the stacking direction. | 03-08-2012 |
| 20120057749 | INATTENTION DETERMINING DEVICE - An inattention determining device includes range changing unit and inattention determining unit. When a curve detection result is output from curve detector, the range changing unit changes a first predetermined range to a second predetermined range by the predetermined amount in the curve direction before a turning direction of an acquisition result is changed in the curve direction of the curve detection result. The inattention determining unit determines whether or not a driver is in an inattention state on the basis of the second predetermined range. | 03-08-2012 |
| 20120056756 | Method Of Estimating Intersection Control - A method of estimating the type of intersection control for two or more roadways includes steps of classifying each roadway at an intersection and estimating the type of intersection control used for each roadway. Roadways can be classified by size, traveling speed, number of lanes as well as any other roadway characteristics. In some cases, a warning system can be operated using the estimated intersection control type for each roadway. | 03-08-2012 |
| 20120056704 | COMPOSITE TRANSFORMER - A composite transformer includes: a transformer core including transformer-core legs; inductor cores including inductor-core legs; windings wound around the transformer-core legs and the inductor-core legs; the transformer core includes a pair of transformer bases connected to both ends of each of the transformer-core legs, and allows formation of closed magnetic circuits in the transformer core; each of the inductor cores includes one of the inductor-core legs, an outer core leg, and a pair of inductor bases connected to both ends of the one of the inductor-core legs and both ends of the outer core leg, and allows formation of a closed magnetic circuit in each inductor core; and the windings are wound in such directions that the magnetic fluxes produced in the transformer-core legs cancel each other in the closed magnetic circuits in the transformer core whichever of the windings is energized. | 03-08-2012 |
| 20120056460 | ROTATIONAL VARIABLE TORQUE DAMPER FOR A SEAT ASSEMBLY FOR A VEHICLE - A variable torque rotary damper for a vehicle seat comprises a housing defining a non-uniform chamber for retaining therein a viscous fluid. A rotor has an axial portion extending at least partially into the chamber and a resistive portion extending radially from the axial portion for moving through the viscous fluid within the chamber. When torque is applied to the rotor resulting in rotation of the resistive portion through the viscous fluid, a resistant force being applied by the viscous fluid on the resistive portion increases or decreases proportionally relative to a position of the resistive portion within the non-uniform chamber. | 03-08-2012 |
| 20120056459 | VEHICLE SEAT - A vehicle seat movable between a seating mode, an ingress/egress mode, and a cargo mode includes a vehicle seat rotation controlling apparatus. The vehicle seat rotation controlling apparatus allows a seat back to be rotated toward a seat bottom into the ingress/egress mode while holding the seat bottom in an elevated position. Further, the vehicle seat rotation controlling apparatus allows the seat back to be rotated further toward the seat bottom into the cargo mode while rotating the seat bottom into a lowered position. When the vehicle seat is moved from the cargo mode to the seating mode, the seat back is rotated away from the seat bottom while the vehicle seat rotation controlling apparatus causes the seat bottom to rotate into the elevated position. | 03-08-2012 |
| 20120056402 | SIDE STAND SWITCH AND SIDE STAND DEVICE - A side stand switch includes a case member having a fixed contact; and a rotor body having a moving contact that can come into contact with the fixed contact, mounted by tightening a securing bolt, and turned together with a side stand bar with respect to the case member. The rotor body has an engagement pin inserted therein and to be inserted into an engagement hole formed in the side stand bar. A width of the engagement pin in the turning direction of the rotor body is larger at a base portion inside the rotor body than at a tip portion protruding from the rotor body. | 03-08-2012 |
| 20120055762 | CONVEYOR SYSTEM - A conveyor system is provided with a plurality of support members which are erected and spaced apart from each other, a plurality of holding units on which the plurality of support members are held, and a drive unit that moves the holding units in a conveying direction. A supporting plane on which a workpiece is supported and conveyed is formed by distal end portions of the support members. The support members are movable in parallel with respect to the supporting plane. | 03-08-2012 |
| 20120055446 | FUEL SHORTAGE DETECTING APPARATUS FOR GENERAL-PURPOSE ENGINE - In an apparatus for detecting fuel shortage of a general-purpose internal combustion engine connectable to an operating machine to be used as a prime mover of the machine, the engine being supplied with fuel stored in a tank and having an actuator adapted to open and close a throttle valve installed in an air intake pipe so as to achieve a desired engine speed set by an operator, comprising a fuel shortage condition detector adapted to detect whether the engine is in a fuel shortage condition, and an engine stopper adapted to stop the engine when the engine is detected to be in the fuel shortage condition. With this, it becomes possible to detect whether the engine having the electronic governor is in the fuel shortage condition, thereby preventing occurrence of trouble such as afterburning. | 03-08-2012 |
| 20120055240 | PISTON STROKE DISCRIMINATING APPARATUS FOR GENERAL-PURPOSE ENGINE - In an apparatus for discriminating a piston stroke of a general-purpose internal combustion engine connectable to an operating machine to be used as a prime mover of the machine and having a four-stroke operating cycle comprising intake, compression, expansion and exhaust, the operating cycle is discriminated based on intake air temperature detected by an intake air temperature sensor whether a stroke next to a predetermined crank angular position at which a crank angle sensor produces an output is the intake stroke or the expansion stroke, when operation of the engine is determined to be under a stable condition. With this, it becomes possible to discriminate the four-stroke operating cycle of the general-purpose engine without using an expensive pressure sensor. | 03-08-2012 |
| 20120055233 | PARTICULATE MATTER DETECTION DEVICE - A particulate matter detection device includes a plate-like element base material including, on one surface thereof, a formed recess portion to collect a particulate matter; a pair of measurement electrodes arranged on the bottom surface side of the recess portion of the element base material; and a high-voltage dust collection electrode embedded in a wall which forms the recess portion of the element base material on the one surface side of the element base material from a position where the pair of measurement electrodes are arranged. An electric field is generated from the high-voltage dust collection electrode to the pair of measurement electrodes, to collect, on the bottom surface side of the recess portion, the particulate matter flowing along the element base material, and a change of electric characteristics between the pair of measurement electrodes is measured to detect the particulate matter collected on the recess portion. | 03-08-2012 |
| 20120045708 | FUEL CELL MODULE - In a fuel cell stack constituting a fuel cell module, electrolyte/electrode assemblies and separators are alternately laminated. An electrolyte/electrode assembly and a terminal separator are arranged on one end of the fuel cell stack in the lamination direction in this order outwardly, and a dummy electrolyte/electrode assembly and a terminal separator are arranged on the other end of the fuel cell stack in the lamination direction in this order outwardly. The dummy electrolyte/electrode assembly is so formed as to have the same shape as the electrolyte/electrode assemblies, while having conductivity but not having a power generation function. | 02-23-2012 |
| 20120045703 | FUEL CELL MODULE - In a fuel cell stack constituting a fuel cell module, electrolyte/electrode assemblies and separators are alternately laminated. An electrolyte/electrode assembly is arranged on one end of the fuel cell stack in the lamination direction, while a separator is arranged on the other end of the fuel cell stack in the lamination direction. A terminal separator is arranged adjacent to the electrolyte/electrode assembly, while a load relaxation member is arranged adjacent to the separator. The terminal separator controls the supply of a fuel gas to a fuel gas channel, and the load relaxation member is configured of a laminate of a plurality of flat metal plates. | 02-23-2012 |
