Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha

Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha

Aisin Seiki Company, Ltd.

Takashi Omitsu

Andrew A Frank

Hideki Kusunoki

Noriaki Hattori

Junji Yamamoto

Atsushi Takumi

Yoshinobu Suzuki

The invention is directed to an arrangement for providing an automatic steering control and restraining a steering wheel from being rotated in case of the automatic steering control. A rack is mounted on the vehicle to be laterally movable with respect thereto and linked to a main shaft of a steering wheel. A lateral shaft is disposed to be laterally movable with and with respect to the rack and linked at its opposite ends to steerable wheels of the vehicle. Relative positions of the rack and lateral shaft are adjusted by an adjusting device. An electromagnetic clutch is disposed to restrain at least one of the rack and the main shaft from being moved with a frictional force applied thereto in case of the automatic steering control. Consequently, the steering wheel is not rotated in the automatic steering control, while the steering wheel can be rotated manually against the frictional force.

Steering control apparatus

A control system and method for a power delivery system, such as in an automotive vehicle, having an engine coupled to a continuously variable ratio transmission (CVT). Totally independent control of engine and transmission enable the engine to precisely follow a desired operating characteristic, such as the ideal operating line for low fuel consumption. CVT ratio is controlled as a function of commanded desired system performance (e.g., power or torque) and measured actual system performance, such as CVT torque output, while engine fuel requirements (e.g., throttle position) are strictly a function of measured engine speed. Fuel requirements are therefore precisely adjusted in accordance with the ideal characteristics for any load placed on the engine. Appropriate controls prevent anomalous engine and vehicle behavior, and allow for transient start-up from rest. In order to counteract the inherent tendency of the vehicle to accelerate when the accelerator pedal is released, a microprocessor is provided for decreasing the fuel flow to the system prime mover upon a commanded decrease in power delivery.

System for utilizing the negative torque of a power delivery system

A control system and method for a power delivery system, such as in an automotive vehicle, having an engine coupled to a continuously variable ratio transmission (CVT). Totally independent control of engine and transmission enable the engine to precisely follow a desired operating characteristic, such as the ideal operating line for low fuel consuption. CVT ratio is controlled as a function of commanded desired system performance (e.g., power or torque) and measured actual system performance, such as CVT torque output, while engine fuel requirements (e.g., throttle position) are strictly a function of measured engine speed. Fuel requirements are therefore precisely adjusted in accordance with the ideal characteristics for any load placed on the engine. Appropriate controls prevent anomalous engine and vehicle behavior, and allow for transient start-up from test. The lag between a commanded change in torque or power of the power delivery system and the time the commanded torque is actually produced in also shortened.

Method and apparatus for controlling a power delivery system having a

A control system and method for a vehicular propulsion system which includes a continuously variable ratio transmission (CVT) and an engine having a relatively steep torque-speed characteristic. Attenuation of the accelerator pedal output--which directly controls the transmission ratio--when the engine is operating in the highly sensitive 'critical speed range' spanning the steep portion of its torque-speed characteristic, serves to smooth vehicle responsiveness and driveability, and improve control.

Accelerator control for a vehicular propulsion system having a

A control system and method for a power delivery system, such as in an automotive vehicle, having an engine coupled to a continuously variable ratio transmission (CVT). Totally independent control of engine and transmission enable the engine to precisely follow a desired operating characteristic, such as the ideal operating line for low fuel consumption. CVT ratio is controlled as a function of commanded desired system performance (e.g., power or torque) and measured actual system performance, such as CVT torque output, while engine fuel requirements (e.g., throttle position) are strictly a function of measured engine speed. Fuel requirements are therefore precisely adjusted in accordance with the ideal characterisitcs for any load placed on the engine. Appropriate controls prevent anomalous engine and vehicle behavior, and allow for transient start-up from rest. In order to counteract the inherent tendency of the vehicle to be slow in responding to the accelerator pedal being depressed, a microprocessor is provided for increasing the fuel flow to the system prime mover upon a commanded increase in power delivery.

Microprocessor controlled system and method for increasing the fuel flow

An improved control system and method for controlling the operation of a flywheel type power delivery system, such as used in an automotive vehicle. A predetermined maximum vehicle speed limit dictates the working displacement of a variable displacement engine to match efficient engine output to the power requirements of the system. Above a threshold vehicle speed of approximately 45 miles per hour, the flywheel is completely uncoupled from the system and vehicle propulsion is provided by direct coupling of the engine (at maximum displacement) through the continuously variable ratio transmission (CVT) to the vehicle driving wheels.

Continuously charged flywheel type power delivery system

Microprocessor controlled system and method for reducing the fuel flow

What is disclosed is a system and method for effecting either automatic or manual control of a fuel delivery system for delivering a variable quantity of fuel to the engine of a power delivery system. Switching between automatic control and manual control does not occur until a smooth transition between control modes is assured. This is accomplished by ensuring that the pre-switching state of the fuel delivery means corresponds to an actual output power or torque which is substantially equal to the desired ouptut power or torque commanded by the manual control.

Control system and method for a fuel delivery system

A control system and method for a power delivery system, such as in an automotive vehicle, having an engine coupled to a continuously variable ratio transmission (CVT). Totally independent control of engine and transmission enable the engine to precisely follow a desired operating characteristic, such as the ideal operating line for low fuel consumption. CVT ratio is controlled as a function of commanded desired system performance (e.g., power or torque) and measured actual system performance, such as CVT torque output, while engine fuel requirements (e.g., throttle position) are strictly a function of measured engine speed. Fuel requirements are therefore precisely adjusted in accordance with the ideal characteristics for any load placed on the engine. Appropriate controls prevent anomalous engine and vehicle behavior, and allow for transient start-up from rest. In a preferred embodiment a proportional controller is used to set the driving diameter of the driver sheave of a V-belt traction drive CVT, while the drive diameter of the driven sheave is controlled by a torque ramp.

Control system and method for a power delivery system having a

A control system and method for a power delivery system, such as in an automotive vehicle, having an engine coupled to a continuously variable ratio transmission (CVT). Totally independent control of engine and transmission enable the engine to precisely follow a desired operating characteristic, such as the ideal operating line for low fuel consumption. CVT ratio is controlled as a function of commanded desired system performance (e.g., power or torque) and measured actual system performance, such as CVT torque output, while engine fuel requirements (e.g., throttle position) are strictly a function of measured engine speed. Fuel requirements are therefore precisely adjusted in accordance with the ideal characteristics for any load placed on the engine. Appropriate controls prevent anomalous engine and vehicle behavior, and allow for transient start-up from rest. In order to counteract the inherent tendency of the vehicle to accelerate when the accelerator pedal is released, a mechanism is provided for diminishing fuel flow to the engine by an amount proportional to the rate at which the commanded power or torque is reduced.

An automatic transmission for vehicles having an internal combustion engine and driving wheels which includes a continuously variable transmission device connected with an engine output for continuously variably transmitting a partial torque from the engine in accordance with the conditions of vehicle speed and degree of engine throttling, a counter shaft connected with the engine output and transmitting the remainder of the torque from the engine, a combiner gear mechanism receiving the torque from the engine through the counter shaft and the continuously variable transmission device, a fluid torque converter for converting torque from the gear mechanism and transmitting the torque to the driving wheels and a reverse drive mechanism interposed between the engine and the torque converter for reversely transmitting the torque from the engine to the driving wheels.

Growing community of inventors

Madison, WI, United States of America

Takashi Omitsu