1. An electric steering lock system comprising:
a casing mounted to a steering column;
a locking member slidably supported in the casing between a position for engaging the casing with a steering shaft and a position for disengaging the casing from the steering shaft;
a rotation member for operating the locking member to slide in response to rotation thereof;
an electric motor; and
a planetary gear mechanism for reducing the rotation speed of the electric motor and transmitting the rotation speed to the rotation member,
wherein the planetary gear mechanism includes:
a first sun gear coaxially coupled to an output shaft of the electric motor in a relatively non-rotatable manner;
a plurality of first planetary gears meshed with the first sun gear;
a ring gear which is fixed to the casing and has inner teeth to be meshed with the first planetary gears;
a first carrier for rotatably supporting the plurality of the first planetary gears;
a second sun gear disposed coaxially with the first sun gear and coupled to the first carrier in a relatively non-rotatable manner;
a plurality of second planetary gears meshed with the second sun gear and the inner teeth;
a second carrier which rotatably supports the second planetary gears and is coupled to one end of the rotation member in a relatively non-rotatable manner; and
a coaxial shaft whose opposite ends are coaxially coupled to the first sun gear and the rotation member respectively in a relatively rotatable manner, the first carrier and the second sun gear being supported on the coaxial shaft in a relatively rotatable manner, and
wherein the first sun gear encompasses adjoining ends of the output shaft and coaxial shaft.
2. The electric steering lock system according to claim 1, further comprising:
an ignition switch which is housed in the casing and changes switching modes in response to rotation of the rotation member; and
an operation switch which is attached to the casing to issue a command to a control unit housed in the casing to control operation of the electric motor.
3. The electric steering lock system according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising:
a control substrate housed in and fixed to the casing;
a control unit disposed in the control substrate to control the operation of the electric motor; and
a vibration sensor for detecting a vibration generated in the casing in at least one of the cases where an engine is operated or where a vehicle is running,
wherein when the vibration sensor detects a vibration, the control unit is prohibited from controlling the electric motor to operate the locking member to slide in a direction to engage with the steering shaft.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method, comprising:
a) providing an apparatus, comprising an optical fiber having an axis, the optical fiber comprising a solid outer cladding region and a core region, the cladding region surrounding the core region, wherein the core region contains a plurality of holes elongated in the direction of the axis; then
b) introducing an optically active material into at least one hole, wherein the optically active material is adsorbed on an interior surface of the hole; then
c) propagating a laser beam into the optical fiber; then
d) detecting the interaction of the laser beam with the material adsorbed on the interior surface of the hole.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the optically active material is a Raman active material.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the optically active material is a infrared active material.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the optically active material is a biothreat material.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein the optically active material is a bacterium.
6. The method of claim 4, wherein the optically active material is a nerve gas molecule.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the optically active material is a pollutant material.
8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the optically active material is carbon monoxide.
9. The method of claim 7, wherein the optically active material is a nitrogen oxide.
10. An apparatus, comprising;
an optical fiber having an axis, the optical fiber comprising a solid outer cladding region and a core region, the cladding region surrounding the core region, wherein the core region contains a plurality of holes elongated in the direction of the axis, and wherein at least one hole contains optically active material adsorbed on the interior surface of the hole.
11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the optically active material is a Raman active material.
12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the optically active material is a infrared active material.
13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the optically active material is a biothreat material.
14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the optically active material is a bacterium.
15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the optically active material is a nerve gas molecule.
16. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the optically active material is a pollutant material.
17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the optically active material is carbon monoxide.
18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the optically active material is a nitrogen oxide.
19. A system, comprising;
an optical fiber having an axis, the optical fiber comprising a solid outer cladding region and a core region, the cladding region surrounding the core region, wherein the core region contains a plurality of holes elongated in the direction of the axis, and wherein at least one hole contains optically active material adsorbed on the interior surface of the hole;
a laser apparatus for introducing laser pump light into the fiber;
optical apparatus for removing light from the fiber; and
control means for controlling the laser apparatus.