Diesel Kiki Co., Ltd.

Zexel-Gleason USA, Inc.

Hideyasu Takefuta

Takeo Kushida

Toshio Yamaguchi

Hajime Muramatsu

Akira Shinoda

Hiromi Kono

Michio Wakiya

Kouki Iwata

Kouichi Moriya

Kohki Iwata

Teruyoshi Shibauta

Shiro Ichiki

Tatsuya Seshima

A parallel-axis gear differential includes pairs of element gears (34) mounted within pockets (36) formed in a differential housing (10). Each element gear includes a first gear section (38) for meshing with one of two side gears (30 or 32), a second gear section (40) for meshing with the first gear section of its mating element gear, and a stem section (42) for interconnecting the first two gear sections. Associated with each pair of pockets are two passageways (44, 46) for providing respective paths for the flow of lubrication fluid between the exterior of the housing and the respective meshing gear sections (38, 40) of each pair of element gears (34). Further, the shape of each pair of pockets (36) is modified between its apron portions (a) and its opening (b) to increase the space between the pocket and the mating surfaces of the element gears. This increased space at the pocket opening allows a greater volume of lubricating fluid to be moved by the rotating teeth of element gears, reducing the fluid pressure between the interior portion of the pockets and the surface of the element gears, and thereby increasing the flow of lubricating fluid to facilitate lubrication.

Lubrication modification for parallel-axis differential

A differential device includes a pair of propeller shafts extending into a housing, a pair of side gears connected respectively to the propeller shafts, and at least one pair of element gears having screw gear portions meshing respectively with screw gear portions of the side gears. The element gears have respective coupling gear portions meshing with each other. In order to improve a drive torque distribution, either pitch diameters or helix angles of the screw gear portions of the two side gears are different from each other. In order to reduce the overall diameter of the differential device, a spline portion and the screw gear portion of at least one of the two side gears are spaced from each other along an axis of the side gear, the spline portion serving to connect the side gear to the mating propeller shaft.

Differential device for vehicle

An acceleration sensor includes a body supporting a casing within which a magnetic member is received. A plurality of magnets are mounted on the body and disposed around the casing. The magnetic forces of the magnets hold the magnetic member in a reference position within the casing. The magnetic member is displaceable from the reference position against the magnetic forces of the magnets when the acceleration sensor is subjected to acceleration. A detection device is mounted externally of the casing so as to detect displacement of the magnetic member from the reference position. The acceleration sensor further includes a position adjusting device for adjusting the position of at least one of the magnets relative to the casing so as to set the intensities of the magnetic fields of the magnets in predetermined relation within the casing.

Acceleration sensor

In a vehicle clutch control apparatus having an actuator for operating a friction clutch and a controller for controlling the actuator, whereby a first data representing a semi-engaging zone is obtained by the controller just after the engine is started and the vehicle is driven to move, the apparatus has a data generator for producing a second data relating to the magnitude of the load of the vehicle and a unit for correcting the first data in accordance with the second data. As a result, data representing the actual semi-engaging zone of the clutch depending upon the load conditions of the vehicle at that time can be obtained, so that it becomes possible to realize an appropriate semi-engaging operation even when the load of the vehicle has changed.

Apparatus for controlling a clutch for vehicles

An automatic transmission system has a controllor for controlling the slip rate of a clutch in accordance with the amount of depression of an accelerator pedal instead of controlling the ON/OFF condition of the clutch by a control signal when it is discriminated that the gear change position of a transmission and the amount of depression of the accelerator pedal are in the predetermined states. In a predetermined condition, the slip rate of the clutch is adjusted in accordance with the amount of depression of the accelerator pedal so as to put the clutch in a semi-engaged condition, thereby enabling the speed of the vehicle to be controlled within a very low speed range simply by operation of the accelerator pedal.

Automatic transmission system for vehicles

A vehicle automatic transmission system including a speed-change-gear type transmission has a signal generator which has an selecting lever movable along a predetermined gear shift pattern used for manual operation and generates a command signal showing the position of the selecting lever on the gear shift pattern and a controller responsive to the command signal to automatically perform an automatic gear change operation of the speed-change-gear type transmission, whereby the driver can carry out the commanding operation for gear change with the same feeling as in manual operation of a conventional speed-change-gear box.

A fuel supply control system for an internal combustion engine has first and second step motor drivers for driving a step motor operatively coupled to a fuel supply control means such as a throttle valve. An initial step position setting memory stores an initial preset step position of the step motor, and a target step memory stores a target step position of the step motor dependent on an accelerator pedal position. A driver selector selects the first step motor driver for driving the step motor to the initial preset step position in response to a signal from a power-on detector, and selects the second step motor driver for driving the step motor to the target step position in response to a signal from an engine self-operation detector.

Fuel supply control system

A centrifugal clutch mechanism couples a first driven element to a drive element for rotary torque transmission at a first speed range from a rotary drive source to a load when the rotation of the drive source is lower than a predetermined reference speed. The centrifugal clutch mechanism includes a double-arm coupling lever pivoted to the drive element, a clutch pad or shoe pivoted to one end of the coupling lever and having a surface engagable with an inner surface of the first driven element, and a pair of centrifugal weights carried on the other end of the coupling lever. At least one flat spring is yieldably fastened to the weight or to a stop rigid on the drive element to be frictionally engaged by the stop or the weight, thereby resisting frictional oscillation of the clutch shoe on the coupling lever during a transition range between completely coupled and completely uncoupled mode of operation of the centrifugal clutch. The flat spring or springs may be so arranged as to be engaged by the coupling lever proper. A second driven element is coupled to the drive element by a one way clutch mechanism for rotary torque transmission at a second speed range, at which time the centrifugal clutch will be uncoupled.

Variable speed rotary torque transmission device

Input and output member (21), (28) and a clutch disc (32) are coaxially rotatable relative to each other, the clutch disc (32) being frictionally engageable with the input member (21). A coil-wound spring (33) is wound around the input member (21) and connected at its ends to the clutch disc (32) and output member (28). An electromagnetic coil (26) may be energized to attract the clutch disc (32) into frictional engagement with the input member (21), causing the coil-wound spring (33) to tightly wind around the input member (21) and drivably connect the input member (21) to the output member (28). A generally tubular cover (34) surrounds the coil-wound spring (33), the spring means (40) moving the clutch disc (32) toward engagement with the cover (34) when the coil (26) is de-energized. A resilient, non-magnetic spacer (51) is fixed to the clutch disc (32) between the clutch disc (32) and the cover (34) which serves the dual function of absorbing vibration and preventing ohmic engagement of the clutch disc (32) with the cover (34) which would cause leakage of magnetic flux and failure of the coil (26) to engage the clutch (11) when the clutch disc (32) becomes worn.

Electromagnetic spring-wound clutch

Input and output members (19), (28) and a clutch disc (32) are coaxially rotatable relative to each other, the clutch disc (32) being frictionally engageable with the input member (19). A coil-would spring (33) is wound around the input member (19) and connected at its ends to the clutch disc (32) and output member (28). An electromagnetic coil (26) may be energized to attract the clutch disc (32) into frictional engagement with the input member (19), causing the coil-wound spring (33) to tightly wind around the input member (19) and drivably connect the input member (19) to the output member (28). A spring (41) quickly and smoothly disengages the clutch disc (32) from the input member (19) when the coil (26) is de-energized. A plurality of pins (36) extending through the clutch disc (32) ensure parallel movement of the clutch disc (32) toward and away from the input member (19). The spring (41) is in the form of an annular plate spring and is resiliently flexed by means of hard rivets (43) projecting from a cover (34). The spring (41) slides on the rivets (43) during engagement and disengagement of the clutch disc (32), thereby minimizing friction and abrasion.

Electro-magnetic spring-wound clutch

Rotary input and output members (19), (28) are axially aligned with each other and a rotary clutch disc (32) is axially aligned with and frictionally engageable with the input member (19). A coil-wound spring (33) is wound around the input and output members (19), (28) and connected at its ends to the clutch disc (32) and output member (28) respectively. An electromagnetic coil (26), which energized, attracts the clutch disc (32) into frictional engagement with the input member (19) and causes the coil-wound spring (33) to tightly wind around and embrace the input and output members (19), (28), thereby drivingly connecting the same together. A sleeve (41) formed with a circumferential gap (41a) is disposed between the coil-wound spring (33) and the input member (19) which provides the clutch (11) with a desirable amount of slippage prior to full engagement, evenly distributes the radially inward force applied to the input and output members (19), (28 ) by the coil-wound spring (33) and prevents the coil-wound spring (33) from entering an axial space (42) between the input and output members (19), (28).

Growing community of inventors

Higashimatsuyama, Japan

Hideyasu Takefuta