Abstract: When the load on the engine of an engine/transmission system reduces suddenly, the sudden reduction is used as a trigger to delay the reduction of the line pressure which is supplied to the friction elements of the transmission in a predetermined manner which allows for engine speed/torque output to actually drop to the same level as the load.

Abstract: A four-wheel vehicle drive system, comprising an engine having an output shaft in a lateral direction of the vehicle, a power transmission gear unit including transmission input and output shafts having axes of rotation parallel with the engine output shaft, a final reduction gear rotatable about an axis parallel with the transmission input and output shafts, the transmission output shaft being in driving engagement with the final reduction gear, a gear housing rotatable with the final reduction gear, a main transaxle casing having enclosed therein the transmission gear unit, final reduction gear and gear housing, an auxiliary transaxle casing secured to the main transaxle casing, a first wheel drive gear unit to split driving power from the final reduction gear into two components and including a differential gear assembly enclosed in the auxiliary transaxle casing and operative to transmit one of the power components to a pair of road wheels, a second wheel drive gear unit enclosed in the auxiliary transaxl

Abstract: A single piston is used to activate the brake or clutch of a planetary transmission. The piston is spring-biased to engage one component and disengage the other, and hydraulically activated to disengage the first component and engage the second. An annular plate preferably is provided extending between the brake and the clutch, with the brake on one side of the plate and the clutch on the other. A spring then biases the annular plate towards one of the control components and away from the other, while a hydraulic cylinder is provided to press the plate away from the first component and towards the second.

Abstract: A control system for a continuously variable transmission has a transmission ratio control valve having a spool for controlling oil supplied to a cylinder of a drive pulley to change the transmission ratio. The transmission ratio control valve has chamber at both ends of the spool. By controlling the flow rate of oil supplied to the chambers in accordance with a desired transmission ratio, the spool is shifted, so that the rate of change of the transmission ratio is controlled. The transmission ratio changing rate is corrected by the rate of change of the desired transmission ratio. Two coefficients representative of the degree of throttle opening and a physical condition such as viscosity are also generated to correct the transmission ratio changing rate.

Abstract: A continuously variable split-path transmission particularly for motor vehicles comprises a stepless converter with a summation planetary gear unit for adding up the power which is split at the input shaft of the transmission into two power transmission paths. The specific requirements imposed on the stepless converter are minimal, and thus the efficiency values are favorable. The primary and secondary components of the stepless converter are small and can be advantageously incorporated into a modular unit. It is also possible to adapt such components to the specific requirements of different motor vehicles. The summation planetary gear is linked via a series of clutches to a second planetary gear unit having planetary elements which can be reciprocally coupled to each other.

Abstract: Differential-gearing devices are disclosed in which the differential pinion gears are controlled to induce a speed difference between output shafts, provide a locking and limited slip differential to equalize the speeds of the output shafts or limit their speed difference, provide a clutch for controlling the coupling and uncoupling of an input shaft to an output shaft, and provide a variable speed transmission. These operational modes are implemented by mounting hydraulic motor or pump units on the rotating carrier of the differential apparatus, the pinion gears being fixed to the shafts of the respective units. A controllable external fluid source independent of the carrier is in fluid communication with the units via conduits through the stationary housing of the differential device and the rotating carrier. Fluid flow may be either blocked, limited or unimpeded between the source and the units to effect the desired control of the pinion gears to, in turn, determine the operational mode of the apparatus.

Abstract: The wrist assembly of an industrial robot comprises a first wrist portion (21) provided on the free end of the robot arm (20) and having a pair of projections (22, 23) in parallel with each other on the fore-end thereof. A second wrist portion (24) is provided between the projections of the first wrist portion and supported on both of the projections so as to be rotatable about a first axis (.beta.) intersecting a longitudinal axis of the robot arm at a right angle. A third wrist portion (25) is supported on the second wrist portion so as to be rotatable about a second axis (.alpha.) intersecting the first axis at a right angle, and constructed to allow work attachments to be attached to the front end thereof. A first motor (45) and a second motor (55) are used for driving the second wrist portion and the third wrist portion.

Abstract: A method of reverse clutch operation prevents excessive wear of the reverse clutch in a four-speed automatic transmission by venting one clutch, filling the reverse clutch and applying it, and filling and reapplying the one clutch.

Abstract: A gear shift device for a vehicle automatic transmission has a gear shift lever for placing an automatic transmission of an automotive vehicle in any desired gear range. The gear shift device further has an electrically controlled shift lock mechanism for locking the gear shift lever so that the transmission is fixed in a park gear range when a brake pedal is released, and for enabling the gear shift lever to operate when the transmission is in the park gear range, when an ignition key is set and the brake pedal is pressed. A mechanically operated interlock mechanism is provided for enabling the ignition key to be pulled out when shifting of the gear shift lever has placed the transmission in the park gear range.

Abstract: A power seat apparatus in a vehicle body includes a first shaft through which the rotational torque is transmitted to a first mechaism for moving a front portion of a seat-cushion vertically, a second shaft through which the rotational torque is transmitted to a second mechanism for moving a rear portion of the seat-cushion vertically and a third shaft through which the rotational torque is transmitted to a third mechanism for moving the seat-cushion in the lengthwise direction. The power seat apparatus further includes a mechanical control device engaging a third clutch to the third shaft during the disengagement of a first clutch from the first shaft and a second clutch from the second shaft and disengaging the third clutch from the third shaft during either the engagement of the first clutch to the first shaft or the engagement of the second clutch to the second shaft. With this arrangement no solenoid needs to be used in the control device, and consequently noise emission is not generated.

Abstract: A coaxial drive shaft system is provided with an overload shearable coupling for driving multiple outputs from a single input. A pair of coaxial, telescoped drive shafts are provided as independent outputs to a pair of driven devices. A singular input shaft is coupled to the drive shafts by a gearbox for simultaneously rotating the drive shafts. A shear section is formed in one of the drive shafts for rupturing the one drive shaft in response to an overload condition thereon, while the other coaxial, telescoped drive shaft continues to be rotated by the singular input shaft.

Abstract: A system for pressurizing a friction element of an automatic transmission supplied concurrently from two hydraulic passages through a shuttle valve where the two sources of supply pressure are combined. A control valve proeduces regulated output pressure by balancing control feedback pressure against a spring force without venting any portion of the system. The shuttle valve includes a shuttle ball for sealing ports connected to both supply sources and maintains an open connection between the direct clutch and a pocket in which the shuttle ball is retained. AN accumulator includes a plunger separating first and second volumes. One volume expands as hydraulic fluid at regulated output pressure exits the control valve. The volume expands at a regulated time rate controlled by the magnitude of TVLM control pressure, a compression spring force and the flow rate through an orifice of predetermined size.

Abstract: A robot arm drive apparatus of an industrial robot comprising: an electric motor having a drive shaft; a first robot member having the electric motor mounted thereon; a second robot member rotatably supported on the first robot member; and reduction gears for reducing rotation of the electric motor and then transmitting to the second robot member; the reduction gears comprising a planetary reduction gear and furthermore an additional reduction gear which is purposely provided so that the number of rotations of the electric motor, at which the resonance of a drive system comprising the electric motor, the second robot member and the reduction gear means occurs, is shifted from a predetermined operational region of the electric motor.

Abstract: A hydraulic control apparatus for controlling a frictional coupling device of an automatic transmission for a motor vehicle includes a shift valve for effecting an engaging action of the coupling device from a first position to a second position, and an accumulator for reducing a change in a hydraulic pressure applied to the coupling device. The control apparatus is adapted to control a control value to regulate a back pressure of the accumulator, based on a parameter associated with an output of an engine, and according to a predetermined relationship between the control value and the parameter, so as to reduce a shifting shock of the transmission. The control apparatus includes a detector for detecting an engaging time of the engaging action of the coupling device.

Abstract: A worm gear type differential mechanism has a bias ratio equalization mechanism disposed between the casing and the worm gears. The bias ratio equalization mechanism includes frictional members disposed between axially opposite transverse faces of the casing and each of the worm gears, and each of the frictional materials has frictional faces which create the same friction force per unit of thrust force applied thereagainst. The frictional materials fix the worm gear axially to the casing.

Abstract: An hourglass worm wheel and method of hobbing same wherein the finished worm wheel (70) includes a mid zone (B) where the root surface and outside helix are cylindrical for a predetermined distance along the axis of the worm wheel. The method forming the mid zone includes a combination radial and axial feeding of a hobbing tool (58) rotating in synchronization with the rotating worm wheel blank (50).

Abstract: A novel power transmission mechanism is provided in which a wide variety of both forward and reverse speed ratios are achieved by coupling two or more planetary gearsets in a unique way. Power input is applied to one of the sun gear, ring gear and planet carrier of the first planetary gearset while another of the gears is maintained stationary and output is taken from one of the sun gear, ring gear and planet carrier not maintained stationary in the first gearset (except that, when power is transmitted to the ring gear, the planet carrier is not maintained stationary). The procedure then is repeated for the second and any subsequent planetary gearset which usually has an overall different gear ratio from the first planetary gearset. Each planetary gearset is capable of producing four forward output ratios and one reverse ratio. Because of the different ratios of the various gearsets, multiple ratios of output are attainable.

Abstract: A novel method of controlling a continuously variable transmission system by executing sequential steps including delivering a throttle-aperture detection signal and a vehicle-speed detection signal to a controller unit; determining an optimum objective number of engine revolution in reference to a first objective number of engine revolution set by the throttle-aperture detection signal and a second-objective number of engine revolution set by the vehicle-speed detection signal and in accordance with an instruction limiting the number of engine revolution at the shift position; and executing control of the transmission system in response to the vehicle-speed detection signal.

Abstract: A planetary gear train comprising at least two planetary gear sets arranged coaxially behind, and drivingly connected with, one another, of which one planetary gear set (5) contains fewer, and the other planetary set (17) more, planet gears (7) and the planet gears and their bearings in both planetary gear sets are identically constructed. The pitch diameter of the sun gear (16) and the pitch diameter of the ring bear (18) of the other planetary gear set (17) are larger than in one planetary gear set (5), and both sets (5, 17) are constructed for approximately the same line loading of the sun gears, planet gears, and ring gears (force per face width in the contact line of two teeth which bear against each other). Thus, a gear unit is obtained which has a smaller cross section with up to 50% savings in weight.

Abstract: An automatic transmission including: a torque converter; a torque converter housing; an oil pump; an overdrive gear mechanism; an overdrive case; an underdrive gear mechanism; a transmission case for the underdrive gear mechanism; an oil pan under the underdrive gear mechanism; and a hydraulic control device controlling a hydraulic pressure to be delivered to the overdrive and underdrive gear mechanisms. In this automatic transmission, the overdrive case is formed with a first passage connected to an inlet port of the oil pump, a second passage connected to a discharge port of the oil pump, a third passage connected to an inlet port of the torque converter, and a fourth passage connected to an outlet port of the torque converter, with the second, third and fourth passages being connected to the hydraulic control device.