Mazda Motor Corporation

Akira Marumoto

Hirotaka Kanazawa

Keisuke Miyoshi

Hiroyuki Takahashi

Michitaka Ohta

Kouji Tsuji

Hisaaki Yamaguchi

Yoshihito Sata

Hisashi Terashima

A steering wheel structure includes a steering wheel ring, a first spoke extending downward from a steering shaft and carrying the steering wheel ring on the steering shaft and, an air bag case disposed on a tip end portion of the steering shaft. An air bag received in the air bag is case in a folded state and an inflator is provided for inflating the air bag with gas. An igniter is used to ignite a material in the inflator to produce the gas. A displacing device is provided for allowing the spoke and lower portion of the steering wheel ring to be displaced when subjected to a forward force beyond a predetermined value. An impact energy therefore, can be effectively and safely absorbed.

Steering wheel structure for vehicle

The present invention relates to a suspension system in a vehicle body assembly which is used in common for a four-wheel-steering vehicle and a two-wheel-steering vehicle. In the present invention, a front suspension system installed in a four-wheel-steering vehicle is set to have a higher lateral rigidity than when installed in a two-wheel-steering vehicle, so that the front suspension system can withstand the lateral forces acting on the front wheels of the four-wheel-steering vehicle, said lateral forces being larger than those in a two-wheel-steering vehicle. Further, the suspension system is set to have a lowered rigidity against rolling of the vehicle body where it is installed in a four-wheel-steering vehicle, whereby the riding comfort can be maintained as that of the two-wheel-steering vehicle. In addition, a front steering mechanism installed in a four-wheel-steering vehicle is set to have a steering ratio which is smaller than where it is installed in a two-wheel-steering vehicle, by which even when the rear wheels are steered in the same direction as the front wheels, the four-wheel-steering vehicle can be handled in the same manner as the two-wheel-steering vehicle.

Vehicle body assembly used in common for two-wheel-and

A brake control system for a vehicle provided with a four-wheel drive mechanism and an antiskid brake system for controlling the braking effort upon application of the brakes to prevent locking of the wheels comprises a brake application sensor for detecting application of the brakes over a predetermined level to such a degree that can lead to locking of the wheels, and a releasing mechanism which releases the driving connection between the front wheel driving system and the rear wheel driving system of the four-wheel drive mechanism when the brake application sensor detects application of the brakes over the predetermined level.

Brake control system for four-wheel drive vehicle

Growing community of inventors

Kure, Japan

Akira Marumoto