Abstract: A hybrid vehicle may run with only the power from a motor MG2, while an engine is at a stop. In this state, the control procedure drives a motor MG1 to rotate a crankshaft at an idling engine speed for a predetermined time period, when at least one of an observed oil temperature in a sump, an observed temperature of the motor MG1, an observed temperature of the motor MG2, an observed revolving speed of the motor MG1, and an observed revolving speed of the motor MG2 is not less than a corresponding preset value. Rotation of the crankshaft at the idling engine speed results in driving an oil pump to feed a supply of lubricating oil to mechanical part of the power output apparatus including a power distribution integration mechanism.

Abstract: A control device for a hybrid vehicle, which has; a first prime mover and a second prime mover for transmitting a power to a wheel; a power distribution device for distributing the power of said first prime mover to the wheel and to a rotary device; a transmission arranged on a power transmission route from said second prime mover to the wheel; and a gear ratio control device for controlling a gear ratio of the transmission; characterized in that comprising a sub control device for controlling a status of said transmission to enable suppression of decline in a driving performance of the vehicle, even when the function of said gear ratio control mechanism declines.

Abstract: A hybrid drive unit for vehicles, in which a power distribution device is arranged in a power transmission route between an engine and a wheel, in which the power distribution device has a first to fourth rotary elements capable of rotating differentially with one another, in which a first motor generator is connected to the second rotary element and a wheel is connected to the fourth rotary element, and which is capable of steplessly controlling a speed change ratio of the first rotary element and the fourth rotary element of the power distribution device comprising: a second motor generator connected to the third rotary element of the power distribution device; a third motor generator connected to the wheel in a power transmittable manner; and an electric circuit for allowing exchange of electric power among individual motor generators.

Abstract: A torque fluctuation absorbing apparatus includes a flywheel coupled to an engine crankshaft, a damper assembly disposed between the flywheel and the driven-side input shaft and including a pair of drive plates, a driven plate and spring dampers, and a torque limiter disposed between the flywheel and the damper assembly and including a pair of linings that are adapted to slip when receiving at least a predetermined amount of torque. In fabricating the apparatus, the drive plates and the linings are centered with each other and assembled into a damper-torque limiter assembly, while the lining support plate is centered with respect to the flywheel, such that the damper-torque limiter assembly is fixed at the lining support plate to the flywheel.

Abstract: A failsafe hydraulic circuit designed to avoid simultaneous engagement of two friction engagement elements (e.g., clutches, brakes, etc.) incorporated in a speed change apparatus of a motor vehicle or the like. If a first failsafe valve is in the open position state and a first engaging pressure is supplied to a first hydraulic servo via the first failsafe valve, the first engaging pressure is also input to a first oil pressure switch via a second failsafe valve being in the closed position state. Therefore, using the first oil pressure switch, it can be detected that the first engaging pressure is supplied to the first hydraulic servo. Furthermore, if the first engaging pressure is, for example, greater than the set pressure of the first oil pressure switch, this situation can also be detected. Such detections provide confirmation of normal operation of the first failsafe valve and the second failsafe valve.

Abstract: The drive unit for a vehicle has an engine driving control element for driving a first motor on the basis of an engine driving signal, and driving a second motor so as to restrain a reaction force in a power distributing planetary gear due to the driving of the first motor in a state in which the stepped speed change gear connects the second motor and an output shaft by brakes. Further, the drive unit has an electrically operated oil pump for generating an operating oil pressure of the brakes, and also has a control section having an electrically operated oil pump operation control element for operating the electrically operated oil pump prior to the control of the engine driving control element on the basis of an engine starting signal outputted in a vehicle stopped state.

Abstract: A power transmission system comprising: a power synthesizing mechanism connected in a power transmitting manner to an electric motor and a power generator; and a speed change mechanism for changing the rotating speed of the electric motor to transmit the motor torque to the power synthesizing mechanism. An arranging region for the electric motor and an arranging region for the power generator do not overlap on each other in the axial directions of the output shaft of the electric motor and the rotary shaft of the power generator.

Abstract: A rotation of an input shaft is accelerated and transmitted to a drive shaft of an oil pump through gears. The oil pump is provided with a lubricant hole and part of the lubricant discharged from a discharge side oil chamber is supplied to a first sliding face of a radial bearing through the lubricant hole. By provision of a cutout portion in an oil sump and a first rib, part of the lubricant supplied from the input shaft to a bearing through a plurality of oil passages and the oil sump is supplied to a second sliding face which rotatably supports a thrust washer.

Abstract: A drive apparatus for a hybrid vehicle is provided with a first motor generator, a power splitting mechanism portion, and a second motor generator. The first motor generator functions mainly as a generator. The power splitting mechanism portion divides the power generated by the engine into power for the first motor generator and power for driven wheels. The second motor generator has an outside diameter that is smaller than the outside diameter of the first motor generator and is arranged on the side of the first motor generator opposite the engine. The second motor generator functions mainly as a motor and generates power to assist in driving the driven mechanism portion which has an outside diameter smaller than the outside diameter of the second motor generator and which reduces the rotation speed of the second motor generator is provided on the side of the second motor generator opposite the engine.

Abstract: A drive unit for a vehicle structured so as to be able to attain an interrupting state of inertia of a drive motor under a predetermined condition. Therefore, the drive unit for a vehicle has a drive motor able to transmit driving force to a drive wheel, and an operation lever for selecting a shift range for switching the drive motor between drive and non-drive. Further, the drive unit for a vehicle has a control section having a shift position detector for detecting the shift range selected by the operation lever. The drive unit for a vehicle also has brakes for attaining a neutral state by interrupting the power transmission between the drive motor and the drive wheel when the selection of a parking range is detected by the shift position detector. Thus, a state for applying no inertia of the drive motor to a parking device, is obtained even when the parking device is operated during a slight speed running.

Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a gate signal generator for generating a gate signal in accordance with the data signal; a pre-pit signal generator for generating a pre-pit signal from a signal read from the recording medium; a gate circuit for generating a pre-pit pulse train by allowing the pre-pit signal to pass therethrough in response to the gate signal; a pulse extractor for extracting pulses of predetermined waveform from the pre-pit pulse train; and a synchronization signal generator for generating a recording synchronization signal based on the pulses of predetermined waveform.

Abstract: A control device for a hybrid vehicle, which has; a first prime mover and a second prime mover for transmitting a power to a wheel; a power distribution device for distributing the power of said first prime mover to the wheel and to a rotary device; a transmission arranged on a power transmission route from said second prime mover to the wheel; and a gear ratio control device for controlling a gear ratio of the transmission; characterized in that comprising a sub control device for controlling a status of said transmission to enable suppression of decline in a driving performance of the vehicle, even when the function of said gear ratio control mechanism declines.

Abstract: A hybrid vehicle 20 may run with only the power from a motor MG2, while an engine 22 is at a stop. In this state, the control procedure drives a motor MG1 to rotate a crankshaft 26 at an idling engine speed for a predetermined time period, when at least one of an observed oil temperature in a sump 62, an observed temperature of a motor MG1, an observed temperature of another motor MG2, an observed revolving speed of the motor MG1, and an observed revolving speed of the motor MG2 is not less than a corresponding preset value. Rotation of the crankshaft 26 at the idling engine speed results in driving an oil pump 60 to feed a supply of lubricating oil to mechanical part of the power output apparatus including a power distribution integration mechanism 30.

Abstract: An output of an internal combustion engine is transmitted to an output shaft by controlling a control motor to change a speed without speed steps, in a power distribution planetary gear. An output of a drive motor is input to the output shaft by changing the speed into two-step decelerated rotation by means of an automatic transmission. The transmission produces a desired torque by decelerating the speed by a large degree when a vehicle speed is low, and produces a desired number of revolutions by decelerating the speed by a small degree when the vehicle speed is high.

Abstract: The information recording apparatus records information by irradiating a laser beam onto a recording medium such as a DVD-RW and forming recording marks on the disc. Prior to the actual recording, the controller performs a test recording in which predetermined test recording data is recorded on the recording medium. In the test recording, the data is recorded by generating a recording pulse signal based on the recording data and thereby driving a light source. While the test recording is performed, the level of a cooling pulse in the recording pulse signal is varied. Then, the test recorded data is reproduced to generate a reproduced signal. A waveform of the reproduced signal is evaluated, and a cooling level that provides a target asymmetry value is set as an optimum cooling level. Thus, the subsequent actual recording can be performed according to the optimum cooling level determined based on characteristics of the recording medium to be used for the actual recording.

Abstract: In a pickup device used for a drive apparatus of an optical disc, a storage element is provided. The storage element stores individual characteristic information associated with the pickup device. For example, the storage element stores the individual characteristic information associated with the level of the recording light waveform which is output from the LD provided in the pickup device. In recording information, the microcomputer in the drive apparatus obtains the individual characteristic information from the storage element in the pickup device and executes information recording by using an optimum write strategy determined in consideration of the individual characteristic information. Accordingly, the difference in characteristics of pickup devices is removed, and improvement and stabilization of the recording characteristic can be realized.

Abstract: A pickup device has various controlled elements such as a light source and a sensor which need to be electrically controlled. The controlled elements are connected with an in-pickup control element via internal signal lines and are controlled by control signals supplied from the in-pickup control element. The in-pickup control element is connected with an external microcomputer via a connector and an external signal line and receives a control signal or the like from the microcomputer. With this structure, the controlled elements in the pickup device are basically controlled, not by the external microcomputer, but by the in-pickup control element. Therefore, the signal lines for supplying the control signals to the controlled elements can be short signal lines only in the pickup.

Abstract: The information recording and reproducing apparatus drives the light source based on the recording data to irradiate the laser pulses on the storage medium and forms the recording marks. The level of the laser pulse is varied between the write power level necessary to form the recording marks and the bias level during the mark periods. Since the bias level is set to be lower than the read power level necessary to reproduce recording marks, the quantity of the laser light irradiated onto the storage medium during the recording may be reduced, and the adverse effect due to the heat accumulation or the heat distribution can be diminished. As a result, the recording marks of appropriate shape can be formed on the storage medium, and the information recording accuracy can be improved.

Abstract: A structure for wiring a wire harness between an automobile body and a mobile article is provided. The wire harness is wired by being bent between the mobile article which is configured for movement relative to the automobile body, and is flexibly moved in accordance with the motion of the mobile article. The structure includes a spiral tube made of a synthetic resin which is wound and sheathed on an electric wire group of the wire harness that is bent and wired at a transition portion between the automobile body and the mobile article. The sheathing material may be used for the transition portion of the wire harness wired from an automobile body to a mobile article such as door, seat and the like.

Abstract: A torque fluctuation absorbing apparatus includes a flywheel coupled to an engine crankshaft, a damper assembly disposed between the flywheel and the driven-side input shaft and including a pair of drive plates, a driven plate and spring dampers, and a torque limiter disposed between the flywheel and the damper assembly and including a pair of linings that are adapted to slip when receiving at least a predetermined amount of torque. The apparatus is provided with a structure for reducing misalignment of the torque limiter during assembling thereof. For example, the torque limiter further includes a lining support plate to which the linings are fixed, and the linings are interposed between the drive plates.