A method for opening and closing a retractable roof of a convertible vehicle, wherein the roof includes a first portion and a second portion, connected together. The method includes: moving the first portion relative to the second portion between a first position and a second position, such that, at the first position, the first portion is at least partly superposed on the second portion and, at the second position, the first portion lies in substantially the same plane as the second portion, rotating the first and second portions about an axis of rotation, and translating the superposed first and second portions between a first position and a second position, such that, at the first position, the first and second portions are inside a compartment in the vehicle and, at the second position, the first and second portions are outside the compartment.

A double-doored lid apparatus includes: a box body; first and second doors; an opening/closing mechanism that opens and closes the first and second doors in conjunction with each other; a locking mechanism that locks the first and second doors in their closed states; an urging member that urges the first and second doors in an opening direction while the doors are locked by the locking mechanism; and a support member that transmits the urging force from the urging member to the first and second doors. The support member includes: a first support portion that supports one end portion of the urging member; and second and third support portions that start to come into contact with the first and second doors, respectively, before the doors reach a predetermined locking position during closing motions thereof, and that support the first and second doors when the doors are locked by the locking mechanism.

A sliding and connecting device configured to slidably secure a cabinet panel to an appliance door includes a rail element and a sliding element. The sliding element has a first flat portion and a second flat portion. The second flat portion has a first cross-sectional hollow profile and a second cross-sectional hollow profile intersecting the first cross-sectional hollow profile. Each of the first and second cross-sectional hollow profiles are configured to engage and slide along a matching cross-sectional profile formed on the rail element.

An apparatus for controlling bus doors (14, 16) that are arranged as a pair of doors that move in coordinated relation between door open positions and door closed positions, enables passengers to access an interior area (12) of a bus (10). The apparatus includes an actuator (28, 226). The actuator includes a drive lever (34, 228) that is selectively rotationally movable between rotational positions in which both of the doors are in the open positions and in the closed positions. Exemplary arrangements include at least one controller (128) that is operative to prevent the doors from causing damage to or from being damaged by engagement with obstructions. The controller further enables a bus driver or other authorized user to control access to the interior area of the bus using a user mobile device (144).

A gatebox system for delivering fire retardant fluid from a firefighting aircraft. A first and second gate opening are formed through a lower portion of a gatebox. The gates are hingedly connected along edges of the openings. One or two drive shafts in the gatebox are rotatable in gates-closing and gates-opening directions. Crank arms are fixed to the drive shafts and coupled to the gates by connecting links, which define an over-center geometry while the gates are at a closed position, such that weight of the fluid on the first gate induces torque on the drive shaft in the gates-closing direction. Rotation of the drive shafts in the gates-opening direction enables control of the fluid flow from the hopper according to an angular position of the drive shaft.

A built-in assembly comprises a refrigerator or freezer configured for installation in a piece of kitchen furniture having a front panel hinged to a cabinet structure. The front panel is arranged at the refrigerating appliance door and linked thereto by means of at least one sliding and connecting device which comprises a rail and a cursor, wherein at least one of the rail and cursor is fully interposed between the front panel and the refrigerating appliance door so that it is hidden from view in its installed configuration.

A control device includes one operation knob which includes operation regions set so as to correspond to plural windows of a vehicle and on which a push-down operation and a pull-up operation can be performed, a contact detection unit to detect contact of a user with plural operation regions, an operation detection unit to detect the push-down operation and the pull-up operation performed on the operation knob, and a control unit that is configured, based on a predetermined operation performed on at least one of the plural operation regions and also based on the push-down operation or the pull-up operation performed on the operation knob, to determine plural windows to be opened or closed and control a power window device to drive the plural determined windows.

A control device includes one operation knob which includes operation regions set so as to correspond to plural windows of a vehicle and on which a push-down operation and a pull-up operation can be performed, a contact detection unit to detect contact of a user with plural operation regions, an operation detection unit to detect the push-down operation and the pull-up operation performed on the operation knob, and a control unit that is configured, based on a predetermined operation performed on at least one of the plural operation regions and also based on the push-down operation or the pull-up operation performed on the operation knob, to determine plural windows to be opened or closed and control a power window device to drive the plural determined windows.

A vehicle opening and closing body control device includes a full close control unit configured to cause first and second opening and closing bodies that are provided at an opening portion of a vehicle and execute opening and closing operations in opposite directions to execute the closing operations to a fully closed position. The full close control unit is configured to cause the second opening and closing body to execute the closing operation at an operation speed slower than that of the first opening and closing body.

An access control system controls synchronous or coordinated motion of two or more gates using a controller that calculates travel time for each gate and that adjusts the speed of the motors driving the gates to so allow the gates to reach the open and/or closed position at the same time, regardless of the length of the individual travel paths of the gate.