Abstract: A handlebar suitable for use on vehicles such as motorcycles, bicycles, tricycles and jet skis is described. The handlebar has a constant outside diameter, but has an inside diameter at its center section different than the inside diameter at its end sections. The handlebar may comprise an outer tube of standard outer dimensions and an inner tube centered in the outer tube for added rigidity in the central positions. The handlebar provides added rigidity over typical handlebars while permitting use of standard size components with the handlebar. A method of manufacturing such a handlebar is also described.

Abstract: The principle of the Coronel Effect resulting from an individual gear simultaneously producing two individually controllable driving functions motivating a second engaged driven gear is described. This principle is incorporated within the Coronel Effect Positively Infinitely Variable (CEPIV) transmission, a true all-geared torque converting positively infinitely variable rotary motion transmission incorporating a user-actuated independent input control to continuously infinitely varies the transmission output between a geared-neutral configuration and full-speed output. The input control varys the tilt angle of a CE drive gear to vary: (1) the degree of CE drive gear circumrevolving production of the Coronel effect counterrotation of an engaged output receiving gear, and (2) the extent of output receiving gear orbiting of the mechanism central axis. The concurrent rotational speed of the CE drive gear is utilized to neutralize the Coronel effect and produce the geared-neutral configuration.

Abstract: The invention is directed to an arrangement for displacing the parts of an objective with at least one adjusting ring 6. A fine adjusting ring 40 is also provided and there is no switchover device which must be actuated by the operator. The fine adjusting ring 40 is at standstill when it is not actively rotated by the operator. A coarse adjusting ring 6 is rotatably journalled in the housing 10 of an objective. A transmission or gearing for suitably fine adjusting this coarse adjusting ring 6 includes a sun gear wheel 1 mounted fixedly on the objective housing 10, a fine adjusting ring 40 which includes a shaft pin 4 on which planetary gear wheels 2 are journalled and an output gear wheel 3 rotatably mounted on the coarse adjusting ring 6 via a slip clutch 5.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a method and an arrangement for controlling the output power of a drive unit of a motor vehicle wherein a desired output torque command is determined on the basis of the driver command. A desired engine torque is computed from this desired output torque command while considering the torque transmission of a converter unit of an automatic transmission in all steady-state operating states. The converter unit is equipped with a controllable clutch. The desired engine torque is prepared by adjusting the output parameters of the engine.

Abstract: A transmission for an electric vehicle that allows forward movement in a first shift stage with hydraulic pressure failure and permits forward and rearward towing. The first shift stage of the transmission T is established by a main first-shift gear 19 which is brought into and out of engagement with a main shaft Sm connected to an electric motor Mm through a towing clutch 50, and by a counter first-shift gear 26 carried on a counter shaft Sc with one-way clutch 47 interposed therebetween. During backward towing of the vehicle, the rotation of a driven wheel is reversely transmitted by way of the counter shaft Sc, the one-way clutch 47, and the counter first-shift gear 26 to the main first-shift gear 19, but by actuating the towing clutch 47 into a disengaged state to disengage the main first-shift gear 19 from the main shaft Sm, the electric motor Mm can be prevented from being forcibly driven and being damaged.

Abstract: An automatic shifting power transmission has at least two selectively engageable devices which provide distinct gear ratios when engaged during normal operation. These devices are pressure released and mechanically engaged by springs to establish tie-up in the transmission when the hydraulic pressure is not present. This tie-up provides a parking condition in the transmission by preventing rotation of the transmission output member.

Abstract: In a permanent magnet starter, a pinion clutch is smoothly engaged with a rotating shaft of an electric motor through a helical spline. A rotation restraint member is arranged at an outer periphery portion and this rotation restraint member is forcibly arranged by a magnetic field coil which is controlled from an outside portion. In a permanent magnet type motor having no magnetic field coil for exciting the motor, it is unnecessary to alter a motor unit. By the rotation force of an armature a pinion gear of the pinion clutch is moved, accordingly the permanent magnet starter for reducing the collision force during the meshing time of the pinion gear to a ring gear can be obtained. Further the permanent magnet starter having a superior gear meshing withstanding property and further without the lowering in the sealing property in the motor unit can be obtained.

Abstract: A lock-up control system for a torque converter, in a vehicle transmitting a driving torque of a prime mover to wheels via a power transmission unit including the torque converter which can establish direct coupling between an input element and an output element.

Abstract: A gear structure including an internal gear and an external gear meshed together and moved relative to each other through a rotary motion, the radius of the root arcs of the teeth of the external gear being M, which is the ratio between the diameter of the crest and the number of teeth, and being the line of arc in tangent with the crest arcs of each two adjacent teeth, the tooth form curve of the internal gear being obtained by connecting all engaging points at the crest arcs and root arcs of the external gear.

Abstract: An improved lockup control system for a lockup-type torque converter for automotive vehicle performs a coasting lockup control of a lockup clutch with minimized response delay of lockup releasing control and suppressed lockup releasing shock upon acceleration of the vehicle. The control system includes a controller that is operative when the driving condition of a vehicle as represented by the throttle valve opening and the vehicle speed is judged to belong to a lockup region. The controller reduces the differential pressure across the lockup clutch to a lower limit value within a range in which the clutch can be prevented from slips. Thus, when the vehicle is reaccelerated and the driving condition shifts out of the lockup region, the reduction amount of the differential pressure is minimized to mitigate the response delay in the lockup releasing control.

Abstract: Power transmissions incorporate gear ratios including a plurality of forward ratios, a neutral condition and at least one reverse ratio. The establishment of each ratio is controlled by selectively engageable hydraulically operated friction devices, such as clutches and brakes. The interchange between forward ratios is controlled by the interchange of at least one friction device. The control elements to accomplish the establishment and interchange of the ratios include a pressure source, shift valve, solenoid control valves and pressure control valves. The solenoid valves are electrically actuated and the hydraulic portion of the control includes elements that permit continued operation of the transmission in selected ratios in the event of electrical discontinuance.

Abstract: A gear shift control apparatus for use in an automatic transmission having a friction element operable on a hydraulic pressure applied thereto in an engaged and disengaged state. A shift change control is performed to change the hydraulic pressure in a manner to produce a shift change according to a predetermined shift schedule based on transmission input and output shaft speeds and engine load. A section is provided for calculating the gear ratio obtained in the automatic transmission based on the transmission input and output shaft speeds. When a change is effected to one of highest and lowest gears or when a change is effected from one of the highest and lowest gears, a transient hydraulic pressure control of changing the hydraulic pressure from the first level to the second level is performed to change the friction element state so as to effect a shift change when the calculated gear ratio reaches a reference gear ratio.

Abstract: The rolling/sliding outer ring of the cam follower apparatus is made to withstand peeling very well, even in severe lubrication conditions, by forming a surface layer in the depth 0 to 50 .mu.m from the outer peripheral surface of the outer ring, such that the maximum residual compressive stress in this surface layer is between 50 and 110 kgf/mm.sup.2, the hardness of this surface layer is between Hv 830 and Hv 960, and the amount of residual austenite in the surface layer is at least 7 volume %, and formed with continuous minute irregularities on the surface with convexities of the irregularities having an equivalent roundness diameter up to 15 .mu.m for the case that the concavities of the irregularities are assumed to occupy 80% of the total surface area, while the inner peripheral surface of the outer ring is superfinished.

Abstract: A method of diagnosing a lock-up mechanism for a torque converter in an automatic transmission of an automotive vehicle includes the steps of sensing vehicle speed and engine speed, calculating a vehicle speed to engine speed ratio based on the sensed vehicle speed and engine speed, knowing when the torque converter transitions between unlock and lock are initiated, determining whether the calculated ratio is greater than a predetermined threshold when the torque converter transitions between unlock and lock, and concluding that a failure of the lock-up mechanism has occurred if the calculated ratio is not greater than the predetermined threshold within a predetermined time since transition of the torque converter.

Abstract: When an overdrive cut is performed to an automatic transmission control when climbing uphill slopes, the actuator position An is stored in overdrive cut aperture storage value C with overdrive cut demands to the automatic transmission executed until the actuator position changes by a first predetermined value Ct1. If the condition C-An>Ct1 is satisfied for a predetermined period of time T0 until timer counter TMR becomes zero, then restoration to overdrive is allowed. Accordingly, even when cruising along long uphill roads, up-shifts to overdrive are prohibited during this time and because there are no up-shifts to overdrive during this time, vehicular speed does not change in fixed periods and thus, a high-level of passenger comfort is achieved.

Abstract: A simple transmission (10) and compound transmission (100, 200, 300) having an extended range and/or number of gear ratios and minimized center distance and/or axial countershaft length is provided by the use of compounded countershafts ( 16, 116, 216, 316). Each of the compounded countershafts comprises a first portion (20) and a second portion (22) wherein the second portion telescopically surrounds the first portion and is supported for relative rotation thereon by bearing means (28, 128, 228, 328) carried by said first portion. In the compound transmission embodiments, the use of compounded countershafts allows the use of splitter-type auxiliary sections (114, 214, 314) and non-synchronized splitter jaw clutches (76).

Abstract: A planetary gear device includes a sun gear, planet gears to be meshed with the sun gear and an internal gear to be meshed with the planet gears each having a tooth profile formed to an involute curve, wherein tooth surfaces on one side of the planet gears meshing with the sun gear and tooth surfaces on the other side of the planet gears meshing with the internal gear are respectively corrected by different amounts of correction on the basis of deformation amounts of teeth of the planet gears caused by meshes with the sun gear and the internal gear so that rotary motion can be smoothly transmitted when the tooth faces of the planet gears meshed with the sun gear and the tooth faces of the planet gears meshed with the internal gear are elastically deformed by the mesh thereof.

Abstract: A motor vehicle transmission system including frictional coupling devices disposed in series connection with respective gear trains between input and output shafts, a one-way clutch disposed in series connection with each of at least one of the gear trains except the smallest gear ratio gear train, for transmitting power from the input shaft to the output shaft, and a shift controller operable during forward running of the vehicle to operate the frictional coupling devices for simultaneous slipping or partial engagement of selected frictional coupling devices, particularly, upon and immediately after starting of the vehicle.

Abstract: The invention relates to a mechanical gearing. This comprises a frame, a first shaft mounted rotatably on the frame and carrying a pair of friction wheels which are disposed at a distance from each other and which have mutually facing friction surfaces together converging outward, a second shaft which is mounted on the frame parallel to but eccentrically relative to the first shaft and which carries a friction wheel which has an internal annular friction surface situated axially between the friction wheels of the first shaft, and a closed belt of mutually abutting push links. The belt forms on mutually opposite sides surfaces co-acting with the pair of friction wheels and on a radially outermost surface forms a surface co-acting with the single belt engaging wheel.

Abstract: Power transmissions incorporate gear ratios including a plurality of forward ratios, a neutral condition and at least one reverse ratio. The establishment of each ratio is controlled by selectively engageable hydraulically operated friction devices, such as clutches and brakes. The interchange between forward ratios is controlled by the interchange of at least one friction device. The control elements to accomplish the establishment and interchange of the ratios include a pressure source, shift valve, solenoid control valves and pressure control valves. The solenoid valves are electrically actuated and the hydraulic portion of the control includes elements that permit continued operation of the transmission in selected ratios in the event of electrical discontinuance.