Abstract: A sliding spline shaft device of the present invention includes a male spline and a female spline that is fitted to the male spline in an axially slidable manner, and at least one of the splines has a surface processed layer. The surface processed layer includes an undercoat layer, an intermediate layer containing phosphate, and a topcoat layer containing solid lubricant, in this order. The undercoat layer contains iron nitride and/or iron carbide. Thus, the surface of a base material has high hardness. As a result, microscopic deformation of the sliding surface is reduced, and increase in a real contact area is suppressed, whereby stick-slip is prevented.

Abstract: A sliding spline shaft device of the present invention includes a male spline and a female spline that is fitted to the male spline in an axially slidable manner, and at least one of the splines has a surface processed layer. The surface processed layer includes an undercoat layer, an intermediate layer containing phosphate, and a topcoat layer containing solid lubricant, in this order. The undercoat layer contains iron nitride and/or iron carbide. Thus, the surface of a base material has high hardness. As a result, microscopic deformation of the sliding surface is reduced, and increase in a real contact area is suppressed, whereby stick-slip is prevented.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling the driving force of a vehicle is capable of using brakes to limit a differential operation, securing sufficient torque, and suppressing the heating and wearing of the brakes. In the vehicle, an engine generates torque to drive front wheels and/or rear wheels. A front differential allows differential rotation between the front wheels and transmits torque of the engine to the front wheels. A rear differential allows differential rotation between the rear wheels and transmits torque of the engine to the rear wheels. Disk brakes separately brake the front and rear wheels. An ABS/attitude electric control unit controls the disk brakes to limit differential rotation between the front wheels or between the rear wheels. At least one of the front and rear differentials is provided with a differential limiting mechanism.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling the driving force of a vehicle is capable of using brakes to limit a differential operation, securing sufficient torque, and suppressing the heating and wearing of the brakes. In the vehicle, an engine generates torque to drive front wheels and/or rear wheels. A front differential allows differential rotation between the front wheels and transmits torque of the engine to the front wheels. A rear differential allows differential rotation between the rear wheels and transmits torque of the engine to the rear wheels. Disk brakes separately brake the front and rear wheels. An ABS/attitude electric control unit controls the disk brakes to limit differential rotation between the front wheels or between the rear wheels. At least one of the front and rear differentials is provided with a differential limiting mechanism.

Abstract: An active suspension system includes vertical acceleration sensors provided at positions where suspension systems associated with respective vehicular wheels are provided. A control unit receives vertical acceleration data of the respective suspension systems for processing the received data for deriving control command values representative of required damping magnitudes at the respective suspension systems. For this, the control unit derives angular velocity of vehicular attitude change. The control command value is thus derived on the basis of the vehicular attitude change and angular velocity.

Abstract: An active suspension system employs a vertical acceleration sensor for monitoring vertical acceleration exerted on the vehicular body at an orientation where a suspension system is provided, to produce a vertical acceleration indicative signal. The system derives a vertical displacement speed on the basis of the vertical acceleration indicative signal. A suspension control command for stabilizing vertical vibration is thus derived on the basis of the vertical motion speed and a given gain. In order to facilitate satisfactorily high cornering stability, the system varies the gain for deriving the suspension control command depending upon a lateral acceleration exerted on the vehicular body.

Abstract: A split structure type transformer has a core upper and lower split-up secondary windings and a primary winding which are wound about the core, a single tap winding having a plurality of tap winding parts and a plurality of tap terminals, and a single tap selector. The secondary windings are respectively connectable to independent loads, with only one end of the tap winding being connected to the primary winding, and the tap terminals are respectively connected to terminals of the tap selector. A pair of tap winding parts, connected to the same terminal of the tap selector, are arranged adjacently along the axial direction of winding. Each of the tap winding part pairs may be replaced by a single tap winding part which is formed by winding a single strand having a cross-sectional area which is twice a cross-sectional area of a strand used for winding each tap winding part pair.