Abstract: There is provided a solid oxide fuel cell module comprising a substrate with an internal fuel flow part provided therein, at least a face thereof, in contact with cells, and interconnectors, being an insulator, a plurality of the cells each made of an anode, an electrolyte, and a cathode, stacked in sequence, formed on a surface of the substrate, and the interconnectors each electrically connecting in series the cells adjacent to each other, wherein the respective cells are varied in area along the direction of fuel flow, and solid oxide fuel cell bundled modules using the same. With the solid oxide fuel cell module of a multi-segment type, according to the invention, it is possible to aim at higher voltage and to attain an improvement in power generation efficiency and current collecting efficiency.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a solid oxide fuel cell module involves the steps of co-sintering the respective fuel electrodes, and the respective electrolytes, subsequently forming a dense interconnector out of a dense interconnector material, or an interconnector material which turns dense by sintering in at least parts of the solid oxide fuel cell module, in contact with the respective fuel electrodes, and the respective electrolyte, and forming an air electrode on the respective electrolytes before electrically connecting the respective electrodes with the respective first parts of the interconnectors electrically connecting the respective electrodes with the respective first parts of the respective interconnectors via respective second parts of the interconnectors which have a density less than the respective first parts.

Abstract: There is obtained a segmented-in-series solid oxide fuel cell provided with a current turnaround structure and containing a porous electrically insulating substrate having a fuel flow path extending from a fuel feed port to a fuel discharge port, provided therein, and a pair of the top and back surfaces, in parallel with the fuel flow path, together with a pair of side-faces of the porous electrically insulating substrate, in the transverse direction thereof, provided on the exterior thereof, wherein solid oxide fuel cells made up by sequentially stacking an interconnector adjacent to a fuel electrode layer, the fuel electrode layer, an electrolyte layer, and an air electrode layer, and an interconnector adjacent to the air electrode layer in that order so as to be in parallel with the fuel flow path are disposed at intervals on the pair of the top and back surfaces, respectively.

Abstract: There is provided a method of manufacturing a solid oxide fuel cell module comprising a plurality of cells each made up of a fuel electrode, an electrolyte, and an air electrode sequentially formed on a surface of a substrate with an internal fuel flow part provided therein, at least a face of the substrate, in contact with the cells, and interconnectors, being an insulator, and the cells adjacent to each other, being electrically connected in series through the intermediary of the respective interconnectors, said method of manufacturing the solid oxide fuel cell module comprising the steps of co-sintering the respective fuel electrodes, and the respective electrolytes, subsequently forming a dense interconnector out of a dense interconnector material, or an interconnector material turning dense by sintering in at least parts of the solid oxide fuel cell module, in contact with the respective fuel electrodes, and the respective electrolyte, and forming an air electrode on the respective electrolytes before el

Abstract: There is provided a solid oxide fuel cell module comprising a substrate with an internal fuel flow part provided therein, at least a face thereof, in contact with cells, and interconnectors, being an insulator, a plurality of the cells each comprised of an anode, an electrolyte, and a cathode, stacked in sequence, formed on a surface of the substrate, and the interconnectors each electrically connecting in series the cells adjacent to each other, wherein the respective cells are varied in area along the direction of fuel flow, and solid oxide fuel cell bundled modules using the same. With the solid oxide fuel cell module of a multi-segment type, according to the invention, it is possible to aim at higher voltage, and to attain improvement in power generation efficiency, and current collecting efficiency.

Abstract: A shift control method for an automotive automatic transmission is provided, which reduces a shift shock particularly at the time of a skip down-shift, and shortens a required shifting time period. An electronic control unit of a shift control apparatus releases the engagement of a clutch of a subsidiary transmission mechanism and engages a one-way clutch so as to establish a gear position not used in the normal speed change when a shift command from the fifth shift position to the third shift position is issued, gradually decreasing a valve opening duty ratio of an electromagnetic valve associated with a brake of a main transmission mechanism from an initial value D.sub.HLi before this gear position is established, determines an average turbine rotation speed changing rate dD.sub.TAVE /dt from the detected turbine rotation speed (S203), and learning correction of the initial value D.sub.HLi is made if the changing rate deviates from a target range (S204-S208).

Abstract: A speed change control apparatus for an automatic transmission includes a transmission control unit for controlling gear-changing. The control unit discriminates a fluid temperature/rotational speed zone based on the hydraulic fluid temperature and the engine speed at the start of gear-changing, and detects a time period from the end of dead-stroke elimination of an engagement-side hydraulic clutch to the start of actual gear-changing. In the case that a condition for executing learning correction is satisfied and if a time period from the end of the dead-stroke elimination to the start of the actual gear-changing is longer than an upper limit, the control unit increases a learning-correction time with which a dead-stroke-elimination time for the discriminated temperature/speed zone is calculated. The learning-correction time is decreased if such a time period is shorter than a lower limit.

Abstract: In a shift control method, when a speed ratio of an automatic transmission is shifted from a third speed ratio to a first speed ratio before stoppage of a vehicle, a down shift line 3-1 in a shift pattern is shifted to a high-speed side to initiate shifting under a power-OFF condition. A third brake is released by setting the duty ratio of an electromagnetic valve of the third brake at 0% to establish a free condition (neutral condition) in an output shaft of a second transmission. While the duty ratio of an electromagnetic valve of a second clutch in a first transmission mechanism is set at 0%, the duty ratio of an electromagnetic valve of a second brake is gradually increased, so that the shifting from the second clutch to the second brake is made, and the first transmission mechanism is operatively shifted from the third speed ratio to a speed ratio corresponding to the first speed ratio.

Abstract: A degree of sporty driving, or degree of load on tires of a vehicle, is detected based on a usage degree of tire performance. A horizontal force exerted on a tire is calculated and estimated based on longitudinal acceleration and lateral acceleration. Then a ratio, of the horizontal force to a maximum limit gripping force of the tire, is determined to enable detection of the load on a tire at all times.

Abstract: A speed change control method for an automatic transmission is provided, which is capable of reducing a shift shock and a required shifting time period. A skip down-shift from a first shift position to a second shift position is effected by way of a third shift position which is not used in a normal shifting. If it is determined that a difference (N.sub.TM -N.sub.T) between the present turbine rotation speed N.sub.T and the synchronous rotation speed N.sub.TM for the third shift position becomes smaller than a threshold value .DELTA.N.sub.FM during the shifting from the first shift position to the third shift position, a control for releasing a friction engaging element 23, corresponding to a releasing side speed-changing element of the third shift position, is started prior to establishment of the third shift position, whereby a time period for establishing the third shift position is shortened, so that a shift shock and a required shifting time period are reduced.

Abstract: A speed change control method for an automatic transmission, which can achieve a smooth skip downshifting even when a driver depresses an accelerator pedal slowly in kickdown. An electronic control unit 6 calculates, at the time when a predetermined time period elapses from the time when a downshifting command from a fourth speed to a third speed is outputted, a difference between the throttle valve opening degree .theta..sub.t1 at that time and the throttle valve opening degree .theta..sub.ts at the time when the downshifting command is outputted, and a change rate (.dwnarw..sub.t1)' of the throttle valve opening degree at the time when the predetermined time period elapses. If the calculated difference is larger than the threshold value .DELTA..theta. and the calculated change rate is higher than the threshold value .DELTA.(.theta.

Abstract: A control section for controlling a gearshift position changeover mechanism of an automatic transmission includes a downshift determination section for determining whether or not a downshift on descending roads is required, and a downshift command section for outputting a downshift command signal when it is determined that downshift is necessary. The downshift determination section is provided with a learning correction section for effecting a learning correction of a determination reference based on a manipulation characteristic of a driver immediately after completion of downshift each time a downshift takes place.

Abstract: A speed change control method controls changeover between gearshift positions of an automotive automatic transmission using a detected running condition parameter and a detected degree of necessity of engine braking. The degree of necessity of engine braking is detected using a neural network receiving the detected parameter as an input. Then, a shift pattern is preferably selected by fuzzy inference based on the detected parameter and degree of necessity of engine braking.

Abstract: A speed change control apparatus of an automatic transmission has a transmission control unit. When determining a fault of a power-on/off determining section on the basis of engine load information from an engine control unit, the transmission control unit controls an oil pressure controller by regarding an engine as being in a power-on state in upshifting and by regarding the engine as being in a power-off state in downshifting. As a result, in either of upshifting and downshifting, the moment when a disengagement-side friction element of the transmission begins to slip and the moment when an engagement-side friction element is engaged are made proper. This makes it possible to surely prevent undesired rise in the engine rotation during the speed change in upshifting and inability in speed change in downshifting, which are caused by a fault of the power-on/off determining section.

Abstract: An automatic transmission control method and apparatus for a vehicle includes a first gear change mechanism in which an input shaft is connected to an output shaft of a fluid coupling and a rotational speed of the output shaft of the first gear change mechanism is changed by selectively controlling hydraulic oil supplied to and discharged from a plurality of first frictional engaging elements. It further includes a second gear change mechanism in which an input shaft is connected to the output shaft of the first gear change mechanism, the output shaft is connected to a driving wheel member and an output shaft rotational speed of the second gear change mechanism is controlled by selectively controlling the hydraulic oil supplied to and discharged from a plurality of second frictional engaging elements.

Abstract: During downshift operation of an automotive automatic transmission in which a lower-speed clutch for establishing a lower-speed gear is engaged while a higher-speed clutch, which has established a higher-speed gear, is disengaged, to increase the turbine rotational speed Nt toward a synchronous rotation speed Ntj associated with the lower-speed gear, speed change control is carried out according to the same control method regardless of whether the engine is in a power-on or power-off state. A target change rate (Nir)' of turbine rotational speed associated with the higher-speed clutch and a target change rate (Nia)' of turbine rotational speed associated with the lower-speed clutch are set, and a change rate (Nt)' of the turbine rotational speed is detected.

Abstract: A speed change control method and apparatus for a vehicular automatic transmission having a first-speed clutch for establishing a first speed and a second-speed clutch for establishing a second speed, includes subjection of at least a duty ratio Dr of a second-speed solenoid valve for supplying oil pressure to the second-speed clutch to feedback control, so that the first-speed clutch is engaged while disengaging the second-speed clutch. This thereby increases a turbine rotational speed Nt toward the first-speed synchronous rotational speed. Further, an upper limit value Dmax of the duty ratio Dr is set, and the duty ratio Dr is subject to feedback control within a resultant duty ratio range. This thereby prevents the duty ratio Dr from being set at an excessive value caused by a delay in the rise of the oil pressure. As a result, even if a depression of an accelerator pedal is suddenly increased during a downshifting process, an interlock problem can be prevented, thereby ensuring smooth speed change.

Abstract: During downshift operation of an automotive automatic transmission in which a lower-speed clutch for establishing a lower-speed gear is engaged while a higher-speed clutch, which has established a higher-speed gear, is disengaged, to increase the turbine rotational speed Nt toward a synchronous rotation speed Ntj associated with the lower-speed gear, speed change control is carried out according to the same control method regardless of whether the engine is in a power-on or power-off state. A target change rate (Nir)' of turbine rotational speed associated with the higher-speed clutch and a target change rate (Nia)' of turbine rotational speed associated with the lower-speed clutch are set, and a change rate (Nt)' of the turbine rotational speed is detected. The transmission torque through the higher-speed clutch is controlled in a feedback manner such that the detected change rate (Nt)' coincides with the change rate (Nir)'.

Abstract: A hydraulic control device for an automatic transmission including a first frictional engaging element for achieving a low-speed side position, a second frictional engaging element for achieving a position higher in speed than the low-speed side position, a third frictional engaging element for achieving a position even higher in speed than the high-speed side position, a regulator valve for regulating pressure from an oil pump to a predetermined pressure and reducing the predetermined pressure in response to supply of a pilot pressure, and a control valve for controlling the pressure from the regulator valve to a desired hydraulic pressure, for controlling hydraulic pressures to the plural frictional engaging elements.

Abstract: A bypass line is provided to return an excess portion of working oil, whose pressure has been regulated by a regulator valve, to a suction side of an oil pump from a point between the regulator valve and a torque converter pressure regulator valve. An oil filter is inserted in the bypass line.