Abstract: A driving circuit for driving a stepping motor has a plurality of excitation coils, a plurality of excitation transistors for driving the excitation coils of the stepping motor, respectively, at least one chopping transistor for effecting chopping control of current flowing to the excitation coils, and a CPU for supplying at least one control signal to the at least one chopping transistor. High and low pulse duty factor detecting circuits detect whether the at least one control signal has a pulse duty factor thereof falling outside a predetermined range defined by predetermined upper and lower limit values. The CPU is responsive to outputs from the high and low pulse duty factor detecting circuits for interrupting the supply of current to the stepping motor when the latter detect that the pulse duty factor falls outside the predetermined range.

Abstract: A method of detecting failure in a secondary air supply system for an internal combustion engine comprises the steps of (1) causing the secondary air supply system to operate when the engine is in a predetermined decelerating condition, (2) detecting a first value of concentration of an exhaust gas ingredient, from an output from a first exhaust gas ingredient concentration sensor arranged in the exhaust passage at a location upstream of the secondary air supply system when the engine is in the predetermined decelerating condition, (3) detecting a second value of concentration of the exhaust gas ingredient, from an output from a second exhaust gas ingredient concentration sensor arranged in the exhaust passage at a location downstream of the secondary air supply system when the engine is in the predetermined decelerating condition, (4) determining whether or not the first value of concentration of the exhaust gas ingredient is lower than a first predetermined value, (5) determining whether or not the second v

Abstract: A method of controlling an internal combustion engine having at least one intake valve comprises the steps of (1) detecting a demand of the driver to the engine, (2) detecting operating parameters of the engine including engine rotational speed, and (3) setting the timing of closing the at least one intake valve to timing which makes output of the engine the maximum at the detected engine rotational speed, when it is detected that the driver demands that the maximum output of the engine should be obtained in at least a predetermined operating region of the engine.

Abstract: A fault detection device for an occupant protective system for use in an automotive vehicle, which has a plurality of squibs connected in parallel with each other. A common signal is generated for actuating the squibs to operate the system when the vehicle undergoes deceleration in excess of a predetermined value. A squib circuit has the squibs, at least one resistance connected to the squibs in such a manner that a slight amount of current flows through the squibs, and a unilateral conductive element connected to the squibs and the resistance in such a manner that the slight amount of current flows through the squibs in a predetermined single direction. A fault detection circuit detects a fault in any of the squibs based on a potential at a predetermined location in the squib circuit.

Abstract: A method of controlling exhaust gas recirculation for an internal combustion engine having an exhaust gas recirculation control system comprises the step of determining that there is failure in the exhaust gas recirculation control system when a difference between an actual value of valve opening of an exhaust gas recirculation valve of the system arranged in an exhaust gas recirculation passage for controlling an amount of exhaust gases returned from an exhaust passage to an intake passage of the engine and a desired value of the valve opening of the exhaust gas recirculation valve is equal to or larger than a predetermined value which is dependent on operating conditions of the engine.

Abstract: A diode or other axial lead electronic component which requires mounting of its leads in a predetermined orientation is provided with leads of considerably different diameter. A printed circuit board is provided with holes sized to receive respective leads, so that the leads can be inserted into the holes only one way. Instead of having circular cross-sections and different diameters, one lead may have a circular cross-section while all or an end portion of the other lead has a non-circular cross-section with a diameter allowing that lead to fit in only the larger hole of the printed circuit board.

Abstract: An electronically controlled fuel injection system for an internal combustion engine comprises a fuel supply source, at least one fuel passage in the form of a nozzle disposed to be supplied with fuel from the fuel supply source, and a heater arranged in each of the at least one fuel passage for heating fuel in each fuel passage to generate a bubble therein so that pressure of the fuel therein is increased, whereby the fuel in each fuel passage is injected into the intake passage of the engine through an injection port of each fuel passage.

Abstract: A method of transferring at least one signal between a first central processing unit provided in an electronic control system of an internal combustion engine for controlling fuel supply to the engine and a second central processing unit provided in the control system for controlling ignition of a mixture supplied to the engine. At least one signal transfer line is connected between the first and the second central processing units. One of the central processing units produces a digital signal representing a detected value of at least one engine operating parameter and transfers same to the other central processing unit through the signal transfer line in a start-stop serial manner.

Abstract: A golf club for use as a sand wedge and as a putter, in which the ball-engaging face of the club head has a rectangular central opening through which sand can pass during a stroke while the club is used as a sand wedge. Upper and lower flat ramp surfaces are dimensioned, angled and spaced so as to contact the golf ball at intermediate portions between the outer and inner edges of the ramp surfaces. The upper and lower edges of the ramp surfaces are spaced apart by a distance approximately equal to the diameter of the golf ball to be driven, so as to avoid undesirable binding or cutting of the ball.

Abstract: A method of detecting abnormality in an evaporative fuel-purging system (evaporative emission control system) for an internal combustion engine comprises the steps of: (1) determining whether or not the engine is in a predetermined operating condition after completion of warming-up of the engine, (2) temporarily inhibiting purging of evaporative fuel into an intake passage when it is determined that the engine is in the predetermined operating condition, (3) obtaining a first value based on a parameter reflecting an amount of evaporative fuel purged into the intake passage during the temporary inhibition of the purging of the evaporative fuel, (4) obtaining a second value based on the parameter during execution of the purging of the evaporative fuel carried out after the temporary inhibition of the purging of the evaporative fuel, (5) comparing the first value with the second value, and (6) determining whether or not there is abnormality in the evaporative fuel-purging system, based on a result of the compari

Abstract: A method of detecting abnormality in a fuel supply system of an internal combustion engine. An amount of fuel supplied to the engine is controlled in a feedback manner based on an air-fuel ratio correction coefficient set in response to an output signal from at least one exhaust gas component concentration sensor. The method comprises the steps of (1) calculating an abnormality determination value based on the air-fuel ratio correction coefficient, (2) calculating a learned average value of the air-fuel ratio correction coefficient, (3) renewing the abnormality determination value when the calculated learned average value of the air-fuel ratio correction coefficient falls outside a first predetermined range defined based upon the abnormality determination coefficient, and (4) determining that the fuel supply system is abnormal when the renewed value of the abnormality determination value falls outside a second predetermined range defined by predetermined upper and lower limit values.

Abstract: A fuel supply control system for an internal combustion engine having an intake pipe, and a throttle valve arranged in the intake pipe. A basic value of a fuel amount to be supplied to the engine is determined based on a load on the engine. The determined basic value of the fuel amount is corrected by a correction value for increasing the fuel amount during and/or after acceleration of the engine. The correction value is determined based on a change in the opening degree of the throttle valve. The correction valve is further determined based on a change in the magnitude of the load on the engine.

Abstract: A viscosity measuring transducer especially useful for process control of fluids. The transducer oscillates an immersed blade sensor in the direction of the plane of the blade in order to maximize generation of shear waves and to minimize generation of compression waves. The transducer includes a bar which penetrates and is secured and peripheral sealed to an isolation plate which serves to protect the oscillation driver and pickup adjacent one end of the bar from the sensor blade to be immersed in a fluid adjacent the other end of the bar. Either the bar is relatively rigid and the isolation plate is relatively compliant, or vice versa. In the former case the isolation plate acts as an intrinsic flexible member of the oscillating system of the transducer; and in both cases the isolation plate constitutes a strong impermeable seal between the fluid and the driver/pickup mechanism.

Abstract: Electronic control circuitry for obtaining precise inline process control data as to viscosity of fluids over a wide viscosity range, with high tolerance of ambient noise and vibration. An electromechanical transducer with an oscillating sensor is immersed in a flowing liquid, with the power required to sustain predetermined oscillation parameters being a measure of viscosity-density product. The gain of a variable gain amplifier which provides positive feedback to sustain oscillation is controlled in response to the integrated error signal output of a comparator which compares a DC value corresponding to the RMS amplitude of mechanical oscillation with a DC reference value. The monitoring of RMS amplitude rather than peak amplitude (as is done by a phase-sensitive sample-and-hold arrangement in the prior art), coupled integration of the error signal, results in a great improvement in immunity to ambient noise and vibration.

Abstract: Deterioration of an exhaust gas concentration sensor for an internal combustion engine is detected by integrating a difference between an output from the exhaust gas concentration sensor and a predetermined reference value which is outside a range of the output which can be assumed during normal operation of the exhaust gas concentration sensor, comparing a thus obtained integral value with a predetermined deterioration-determining value, and determining from the result of the comparision whether the exhaust gas concentration sensor is deteriorated.

Abstract: An air-fuel ratio control method controls the air-fuel ratio of an air-fuel mixture supplied to an internal combustion engine having spark plugs, and heaters for heating the air-fuel mixture in the vicinity of respective ones of the heaters, the air-fuel mixture containing a fuel which is poor in atomizing characteristic at a low temperature. The method comprises the steps of (1) determining whether or not a temperature of the engine is lower than a predetermined value, (2) determining whether or not the engine is being cranked, (3) detecting an amount of electric current flowing through each of the heaters, and (4) controlling an amount of fuel supplied to the engine based on the detected amount of electric current when it is determined that the temperature of the engine is lower than the predetermined value and at the same time the engine is being cranked.

Abstract: An improved method of determining activation of an exhaust gas concentration sensor for detecting the concentration of an exhaust gas ingredient in exhaust gases from an internal combustion engine. The sensor comprises an exhaust gas ingredient-detecting element, and a heater for heating the element. An output signal from the sensor is used for air-fuel ratio feedback control of an air-fuel mixture supplied to the engine. It is determined that activation of the sensor has been completed when an output voltage from the sensor has become lower than a predetermined activation-determining reference voltage. The predetermined activation-determining reference voltage is changed depending on a time period over which the heater has been energized while the engine is in an operating condition under which the air-fuel ratio feedback control should be carried out.

Abstract: A method of controlling the air-fuel ratio of an air-fuel mixture supplied to an internal combustion engine including the step of interrupting the feedback control of the air-fuel ratio responsive to a detected value of the concentration of an exhaust gas ingredient after a high load operating condition of the engine in which a detected load on the engine is above a predetermined reference value has continued over a predetermined time period. Calculation is made of a value of a parameter dependent on a ratio of a time period over which the detected load on the engine continued to be above a predetermined value to a time period over which the detected load on the engine continued to be below the predetermined value. The predetermined time is set based on the calculated value of the parameter dependent on the ratio. The predetermined value may be equal to the predetermined reference value, or alternatively may be smaller than the predetermined reference value.

Abstract: A baseball bat having a handle adjacent an end of the bat. An upper hand grip is rotatably mounted on the handle to allow a more natural swing than is available with conventional fixed-grip arrangements. A fixed lower hand grip acts as a spacer for positioning the upper hand grip a desired distance from the end of the bat. The upper hand grip has an inner sleeve with a low friction inner surface permitting rotation of the inner sleeve on the baseball bat handle, and a resilient outer sheath for urging the inner sleeve against the bat handle.

Abstract: A steering angle detecting system for a vehicle includes a sensor responsive to rotation of a steering wheel for generating angular pulses corresponding in number to the steering angle of the steering wheel. Another sensor generates a reference pulse at a predetermined angle of the steering wheel. The angular pulses are counted by a counter. The steering angle detecting system is determined to be abnormal if the counted value of the counter is not within a predetermined value range when the reference pulse is generated. Further, the rate of change of the counted value by the counter is detected, and the steering angle detecting system is determined to be abnormal if the detected rate of change of the counted value is greater than a predetermined value. Further, the steering angle detecting system is determined to be abnormal if the detected rate of change of the counted value has continued to be smaller than a predetermined value for a predetermined time period or longer.