Abstract: A vehicle steering system includes a rotation restriction mechanism that restricts a rotation amount of a steering member within a predetermined angle. The rotation restriction mechanism includes at least one plate element that is interposed between a rotatable element, which is coaxially rotatable together with a rotary shaft of the steering member, and a non-rotatable element, and that is rotatable relative to the rotary shaft. Light projecting units are provided at one of the rotatable element and the non-rotatable element, and light receiving units are provided at the other one of the rotatable element and the non-rotatable element. The at least one plate element has light transmission portions that allows transmission of light that is emitted from the light projecting units and that enters the light receiving units when a rotation angle of the at least one plate element is a predetermined angle.

Abstract: A steering angle sensor and a steering velocity detection unit respectively detect a steering angle of a steering wheel and a steering velocity of the steering wheel through driver's steering operation. A target torque setting unit, when the steering wheel is being steered from a neutral state of the steering wheel without changing a steering direction, sets a steering torque corresponding to the detected steering angle and the detected steering velocity as a target steering torque on the basis of a correspondence correlation at the detected steering velocity between a steering angle and a steering torque. An assist control unit executes control such that the set target steering torque is achieved.

Abstract: A four-wheel-drive vehicle includes a dog clutch provided between a propeller shaft and an engine, a torque coupling provided between a rear differential and rear wheels, and an ECU that controls the dog clutch and the torque coupling. When a drive mode is switched from a two-wheel-drive mode where the transmissions of torque by the dog clutch and the torque coupling are both interrupted, to a four-wheel-drive mode, the ECU sets the amount of torque that is transmitted by the torque coupling to a first torque value (T1) to increase the speed of rotation of the propeller shaft, and then sets the amount of torque that is transmitted by the torque coupling to a second torque value (T2) that is lower than the first torque value (T1), and engages the dog clutch when the rotations of first and second rotary members of the dog clutch are synchronized with each other.

Abstract: A torque detection device includes: a magnetic flux collecting unit that includes an annular holder formed by resin molding and having a through-hole that passes through the holder in a radial direction, a first magnetic flux collecting ring and a second magnetic flux collecting ring that are fitted to an inner periphery of the holder so as not to cover the through-hole, and a magnetic shield that is fitted to an outer periphery of the holder so as to cover the through-hole; and a sensor housing that is made of resin supplied onto an outer periphery of the magnetic flux collecting unit, and that is formed so as to be integrated with the magnetic flux collecting unit.

Abstract: In a circuit board, a control pattern portion in which control circuit patterns are formed and a drive pattern portion in which drive circuit patterns are formed are formed in different regions. A recessed portion is formed in a base, and the drive pattern portion is fixed to the base such that insulation between a drive circuit and the base is maintained and the control pattern portion is arranged above the recessed portion. In this way, a space in which a circuit element is able to be mounted is formed between the control pattern portion and the recessed portion.

Abstract: A torque limiter includes a shaft member, and a cylindrical member which is fitted rotatably on the shaft member. When the cylindrical member is rotated relative to the shaft member in such a state that the cap member is not screwed in the threaded hole and in such a state that the oil release passage is not opened to the outside, the other end portion of the oil release passage circumferentially moves within the circumferentially extended groove while being spaced apart from the circumferentially extended groove.

Abstract: Material powders made of a R—Fe—N compound that contains a light rare earth element as R or material powders made of a Fe—N compound are formed into a compact having a predetermined shape through compression forming. Then, the compact formed of the material powders is heated in an oxidative atmosphere to bond the material powders to each other by oxide films formed on the material powders.

Abstract: A hard magnetic material formed of material powders made of a R—Fe—N compound containing a light rare earth element as R, or material powders made of a Fe—N compound is used as material powders. There is formed a compact in which a density of the hard magnetic material powders differs between an outer face side portion and an inside portion of the compact such that a rate of progress of powder bonding due to microwave heating is higher in the inside portion of the compact than in the outer face side portion of the compact when an outer face of the compact is irradiated with microwaves. Then, the outer face of the compact is irradiated with the microwaves to cause the microwave heating, thereby bonding the hard magnetic material powders by oxide films which are formed on the hard magnetic material powders.

Abstract: A vehicle steering system includes: a steering mechanism that includes a steering member, a steering angle detecting unit and a direction detecting unit that detects a steering direction with reference to a neutral position of the steering member; a steered mechanism that includes a steered wheel and a turning actuator having a turning motor, and that is not mechanically coupled to the steering mechanism; and a control device that controls the turning motor and that, at the time of a failure of the steering angle detecting unit, controls the turning motor by determining a turning motor command value for controlling the turning motor on the basis of a detected signal from the direction detecting unit.

Abstract: A variable transmission ratio mechanism is provided on an intermediate portion of a steering shaft, and is able to change a transmission ratio between a shaft on the steering wheel side and a shaft on the steered wheel side by transmitting the sum of rotation of the first shaft and rotation of a rotary shaft of a motor to the second shaft. The variable transmission ratio mechanism is provided with a lock mechanism that restricts the operation of the variable transmission ratio mechanism. When the fact that a rate of change in torque that acts on the steering shaft exceeds a predetermined rate is detected, a period of time until the torque that acts on the steering shaft reaches a torque determination value is estimated. On the condition that the estimated time is shorter than or equal to a predetermined period of time, the lock mechanism is activated.

Abstract: In a wheel support device, a through-hole is formed so as to pass through a hub spindle in its axial direction, an outer ring shaft portion passed through the through-hole is formed in the outer ring, a first connecting portion of which the inner diameter gradually increases toward an axial outer side is formed in the inner periphery of the hub spindle, which defines the through-hole, a second connecting portion that is arranged radially inward of the first connecting portion and of which the outer diameter gradually increases toward the axial outer side is formed in the outer ring shaft portion so as to correspond to the first connecting portion, and the first connecting portion and the second connection portion have spline teeth that mesh with each other.

Abstract: A stator is fixedly fastened at its outer periphery by a cylindrical and thin metal collar. One end of the collar is engaged with a pump housing. Multiple metal nuts are embedded in insulators fitted to stator cores through insert molding. The stator of a brushless motor is fixed by screwing bolts passed through the pump housing from a pump plate, to nuts embedded in the insulators.

Abstract: Each tooth of a worm wheel has a first tooth flank in which a helical surface portion is arranged on one side in a rotational axis direction of the worm wheel and a concavely curved surface portion is arranged on the other side in the rotational axis direction, and a second tooth flank in which a concavely curved surface portion is arranged on the one side in the rotational axis direction and the helical surface portion is arranged on the other side in the rotational axis direction.

Abstract: A roller bearing cage includes ring portions and pillar portions extend in an axial direction to connect the ring portions and disposed along a circumferential direction to define pocket portions. The pillar portion includes a bent portion formed in the vicinity of an axial center of the pillar portion so as to protrude radially inwards of the ring portions. A ring portion thickness is larger than a bent portion thickness; a pillar end portion thickness is larger than the bent portion thickness; and the pillar end portion thickness is equal to the ring, portion thickness or more, where the ring portion thickness is a radial thickness of the ring portion; the bent portion thickness is a radial thickness of the bent portion; and the pillar end portion thickness is a thickness of a portion of the pillar portion connected to the ring portion and in the vicinity thereof.

Abstract: A steering apparatus includes a wire fitting bracket that is fitted to an end portion of a connecting wire for connecting an outer tube to an inner tube and that has a bracket body and a plurality of protrusions. The bracket body is fitted to a steering column-side member with a bolt, and has a bolt insertion hole through which the bolt is passed. The protrusions protrude from the bracket body, and are arranged around an axis of the bolt insertion hole. The protrusions are formed of rotation restricting protrusions that restrict rotation of the wire fitting bracket and an erroneous fitting prevention protrusion that prevents erroneous fitting of the wire fitting bracket.

Abstract: A motor control device for driving a brushless motor includes a current detecting unit which detects respective phase currents which flow into the brushless motor; a control calculation unit which calculates instruction values showing respective phase voltages to be applied to the brushless motor, and outputs the instruction values as phase voltage instruction values; a phase resistance calculation unit which calculates respective phase resistance values based on detection values of the respective phase currents detected by the current detecting unit, and the instruction values of the respective phase voltages applied to the brushless motor at the time of the detection of the detection values; a correction unit which corrects the phase voltage instruction values according to the respective phase resistance values calculated by the phase resistance calculation unit; and a driving unit which drives the brushless motor based on the phase voltage instruction values after correction by the correction unit.

Abstract: A torque detection device includes: a magnetic flux collecting unit, and a sensor housing. The magnetic flux collecting unit includes a holder, first and second magnetic flux collecting rings, and a magnetic shield. The holder has upper and lower through-holes. The first and second magnetic flux collecting rings are fitted to an inner periphery of the holder. The magnetic shield is fitted to an outer periphery of the holder so as to cover the through-holes. The sensor housing is formed integrally with the magnetic flux collecting unit by supplying resin onto an outer periphery of the magnetic flux collecting unit. The holder has a resin flow passage in its outer periphery. Resin that is supplied at the time of forming the sensor housing flows into the through-holes through the resin flow passage.

Abstract: A clutch plate in an annular shape, the clutch plate includes: a plurality of lubricating grooves on one end face and the other end face of the clutch plate in an axial direction; and a plurality of windows passing through the clutch plate in the axial direction. The lubricating grooves are formed with plastic deformation, in a same phase on both the end faces, and extended up to outer peripheral edges and inner peripheral edges of both the end faces. A plurality of intersection points where the lubricating grooves intersect with each other are positioned in other areas than at least one of the outer peripheral edges, radially outer edges of the windows, radially inner edges of the windows, and the inner peripheral edges, of both the end faces.

Abstract: When a vehicle speed is equal to or higher than a first vehicle speed threshold value or an uphill gradient is lower than a first gradient threshold value and uphill start control is cancelled, if a state where the vehicle speed is lower than a second vehicle speed threshold value and the uphill gradient is equal to or higher than a second gradient threshold value continues for a first set time, uphill start control is executed. When the vehicle speed is decreased after being once increased within a range where the vehicle speed is lower than the first vehicle speed threshold value and uphill start control is cancelled, if a state where the vehicle speed is lower than the second vehicle speed threshold value and the uphill gradient is equal to or higher than the second gradient threshold value continues for a second set time, the uphill start control is executed.

Abstract: A plurality of cage bars of a cage is configured so as to project inward in the radial direction from an inner periphery of an annular portion and to be apart from each other in the circumferential direction. The radially inner side of each pocket defined by two cage bars adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction and the annular portion is open in the radial direction. A concave portion is formed at a corner of the pocket, which is located at the radially outer side.