Nissan Motor Company Limited

Yoshinori Hirano

Takao Kubozuka

Yoshimasa Hayashi

Hitoshi Shimonosono

Masahiko Kondo

Hiroshi Okuzumi

Naoki Ogawa

Masakazu Uemura

Yoji Ito

Yuusuke Satou

Kazuyuki Fujigaya

Yutaka Minezaki

Koji Tanimura

Yasushi Fujita

Shunsuke Ebata

Keiichiro Matsumoto

Naoyuki Inoue

A variable compression ratio engine () is provided with a multi-link mechanism () between a piston () and a crankshaft (). The multi-link mechanism () includes an upper link (), a lower link () and a control link (). An anti-vibration device () for vehicles is attached between the upper part of the engine () and a vehicle body to which the engine () is mounted. The anti-vibration device () includes a rod body () having a first elastic connecting part () at one end and a second elastic connecting part () at another end. The first elastic connecting part () is connected to the engine (). The second elastic connecting part () is connected to the vehicle body. The anti-vibration device () further includes an inertial mass () supported by the rod body (), an actuator () configured to reciprocate the inertial mass () in an axial direction (C) of the rod body (), and a control unit () configured to control the actuator () so that the inertial mass () receives force in accordance with a displacement speed of the rod body () in the axial direction (C). The rod body () has a rigid body resonance frequency lower than a resonant frequency of bending and torsion of the engine ().

Anti-vibration device for vehicle

An anti-vibration device for a vehicle has a first torque rod assembly having a first rod with one end fixed to an engine and the other end fixed to a vehicle body, an inertial mass supported on the first rod, and an actuator that reciprocates the inertial mass in an axial direction of the first rod, and a second torque rod assembly having a second rod with one end fixed to the engine and the other end fixed to a sub-frame that is installed on the vehicle body via an elastic member.

A two piece type drive (propeller) shaft assembly comprises first and second shafts and a middle elastic member which resiliently connects the first and second shafts end to end so that power can be transmitted. At least one weight is fixed to each shaft at a predetermined unbalance position to shift a principal axis of inertia of the shaft to a desired orientation to suppress whirling motion of the shaft. In each shaft, the at least one weight is located at such a position that the distance of the unbalancing at least one weight from the connected end of the shaft is substantially equal to one third of length of the shaft.

Drive shaft assembly

A self-balanced drive shaft assembly comprises a cylindrical shaft having an axially extending cylindrical bore formed therein; a small amount of liquid contained in the bore of the cylindrical shaft, the liquid being movable in the bore in response to movement of the shaft; and two joints operatively connected to axially opposed ends of the shaft respectively. At least one of the joints permits a pivotal movement of the shaft about a pivot point defined by the other joint.

Self-balanced drive shaft assembly

To reduce vibrations and noise, a final drive assembly of a vehicle is supported at four separate support points. The first and fourth support points are on the front side of the axis of a ring gear of a final reduction gear pair, and a second and third support points are on the opposite rear side. The third and fourth support points are on the same side of the axis of a drive pinion of the final reduction gear pair, as the ring gear. The first and second support points are on the opposite side of the axis to the ring gear. The support stiffness is greatest at one of the first and third support points. The support positions and support stiffness are preferably determined according to theoretically obtained mathematical relationships.

Final drive supporting structure for vehicle

A suspension system for suspending a final drive unit installed on an automotive vehicle. The final drive unit including a drive shaft drivingly coupled to a cardan shaft, and output shaft drivingly coupled to road wheels for transmitting a drive from the cardan shaft to the road wheels. The drive shaft has an axis extending longitudinally of the vehicle. The output shafts have an axis extending transversely of the vehicle. The final drive unit is subject to reaction torques causing the final drive unit to make a rolling angular displacement around the drive shaft axis and reaction torques causing the final drive unit to make a pitching angular displacement around the output shaft axis during vehicle driving. The suspension system includes elastic suspension elements for elastically flexibly suspending the final drive unit, with respect to the vehicle, at suspension points located at different positions to reduce the pitching angular displacement substantially to zero.

Final drive suspension system

A final drive suspension system for a motor vehicle. The final drive has a drive shaft integral with a bevel pinion meshing with a bevel wheel for turning the drive from a cardan shaft around through 90.degree. and transmitting the drive to an axle shaft having driving wheels secured thereon. The drive shaft has an axis extending longitudinally of the vehicle and the axle shaft has an axis extending transversely of the vehicle. The final drive is subject to a rolling action due to reaction torques around the drive shaft axis and to a pitching action due to reaction torques around the axle shaft axis during vehicle running. The final drive suspension system elastically flexibly suspends the final drive at least three suspension points with respect to the vehicle. The rigidities at the respective suspension points are determined in relation to the positions of the respective suspension points to cancel the rolling and pitching actions on the drive shaft axis.

A rotary heat exchanger has a plurality of arcuate hollow blow blades with extend between first and second rotating bodies and which conduct liquid from one to the other. Each of the blades is provided with its own set of fins which are arranged to interleave between and overlap those on the adjacent blades. The rotating bodies are constructed to define inlet and outlet chambers therein. Bearings which are disposed between stationary inlet and outlet pipes and the first and second rotating bodies protect seals from damaging forces when the device is rotating.

Rotary heat exchanger

A system for reducing vibration and noise generated from a propeller shaft assembly of an automotive vehicle comprises a center bearing which is variable in position relative to the vehicle body under the control of a controller.

Automotive vehicle with center bearing of propeller shaft assembly

A rotary heat exchanger comprises a plurality of hollow disc shaped members which are arranged along a distribution conduit and are rotatable about an axis which is concentric with the axis of the distribution circuit. Two diametrically opposed exhaust conduits fluidly interconnect the disc members at locations proximate their peripheries. Bearings and seals are arranged next to one another along inlet and exhaust pipes so that the bearings protect the seals from damage during rotation of the heat exchanger.

An engine anti-knock control arrangement controls both the ignition timing system and an evaporative cooling system so that when the engine is operating in a predetermined engine speed and load zone and engine knock is detected, the cooling system is operated to reset the temperature to which the coolant (and therefore the engine) should be controlled, to a predetermined minimum value and the ignition timing incrementally retarded until the knocking phenomenon terminates. While the temperature is dropping and knocking is absent, the ignition timing is incrementally advanced until the knock threshold is reached and thus brings the timing as close as practical to the MBT value for the instant set of operating conditions. Cyclic repetition of the ignition timing advancement and retardation holds the timing at MBT while the engine is operating in the predetermined zone.

Anti-knock system for automotive internal combustion engine

An evaporative cooling system features a reservoir which contains only sufficient coolant to fill the radiator when the engine is not in use and thus reduces the weight of the system. The remaining sections of the cooling circuit such as the upper section of the coolant jacket which are fairly resistant to corrosion are filled with air during non-use periods. The air is suitably purged out during engine warm-up and operation in accordance with the temperature differential which exists between the coolant jacket and the bottom of the radiator.

Cooling system for automotive engine or the like

In order to avoid the need to expose a coolant level control pump to hot and/or near boiling condensate the radiator is disposed at a level higher than the coolant jacket and gravity is used to return the condensate to the coolant jacket. A level sensor in the coolant jacket senses the coolant level and energizes the pump to induct cool coolant from a reservoir in the event that the level is found inadequate. The cooling circuit can be vented to the atmosphere in order to drop the excess coolant which is introduced into the system during non-use periods to the required level to speed engine warm-up following a cold engine start.

A reservoir in which coolant is stored, is fluidly interposed between the downstream end of the condensor in which coolant vapor from the engine coolant jacket is condensed, and a coolant return pump which is responsive to a level sensor disposed in the coolant jacket, in a manner to form part of the cooling circuit of the system. The system further includes two temperature sensors, the first is disposed in the lower tank of the radiator and the other in the coolant jacket proximate the cylinder head. A device which modifies the pressure prevailing in the system is operated in response to one or both of the temperature sensors. This device can take the form of a cooling fan or an electromagnetic valve which controls one of a coolant jacket/atmosphere vent or a reservoir/atmosphere vent.

The cooling circuit of an internal combustion engine cooling system wherein the coolant is allowed to boil and the vapor used as a vehicle for removing heat from said engine is equipped with an external reservoir and arranged so that the amount of liquid coolant in the cooling circuit of the system can be varied in a manner which both assists in controlling the boiling point of the coolant and prevents the development of negative pressures which invite the invasion of non-condensible matter such as atmospheric air.

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Yokohama, Japan

Yoshinori Hirano