Abstract: A tracking control apparatus for tracking a preceding vehicle includes information acquiring unit for acquiring information about surrounding the own vehicle, preceding vehicle determining unit for determining the preceding vehicle running ahead of the own vehicle, control unit controls the tracking control to be maintained or released, and turn signal determining unit for determining whether or not a turn signal of a turn signal unit of the preceding vehicle is active. The control unit maintains or releases the tracking control by determining the surrounding of the own vehicle concerning a traffic lane change by the preceding vehicle based on the information acquired by the information acquiring unit, when the turn signal determining unit determines that the turn signal of the turn signal unit is active.

Abstract: A vehicle driving assistance apparatus mounted in a vehicle. In the apparatus, a drivable route detection unit detects a drivable route, a vehicle state quantity detection unit detects state quantities of the vehicle, and a steering control unit controls steering of the vehicle. Further, in the apparatus, an allowable region estimation unit estimates a driving allowable region on the basis of the detected state quantities and a predetermined allowable range of behavior of the vehicle. A deviation determination unit determines that the vehicle will deviate from the drivable route when a minimum width of an overlap region of the drivable route and the driving allowable region is less than a predetermined threshold. An intervention instruction unit then outputs to the steering control unit an intervention control signal to control steering of the vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus capable of automatic steering control while reducing discomfort or stress on vehicle occupants. In the apparatus, a lane detection unit detects a lane in which the vehicle is traveling. An offset setting unit sets an offset within the lane suitable for making a driver feel less stressed. An occupant detection unit detects the presence of a designated occupant of a seat opposite a driver's seat. An offset adjustment unit, when the designated occupant is detected, adjusts the offset set by the offset setting unit to be decreased. A vehicle-path estimation unit estimates a vehicle path in the lane such that the vehicle can travel along the vehicle path from a current lateral position to a target lateral position of the vehicle. An automatic steering control unit automatically controls steering so that the vehicle travels along the estimated vehicle.

Abstract: An inter-vehicle distance control device is provided. In this control device, an inter-vehicle distance detecting section detects an inter-vehicle distance between an own vehicle and a preceding vehicle traveling in front of the own vehicle. A laterally adjacent vehicle detecting section detects another vehicle present beside the own vehicle. A cut-in detecting section judges whether or not a cut-in by the other vehicle detected by the laterally adjacent vehicle detecting section is likely to occur, before the other vehicle cuts in between the own vehicle and the preceding vehicle. An inter-vehicle distance adjusting section performs an inter-vehicle distance extension adjustment to increase the inter-vehicle distance when the cut-in detecting section judges that a cut-in is likely to occur. An inter-vehicle distance control section controls the inter-vehicle distance based on information from the inter-vehicle distance adjusting section.

Abstract: A solenoid valve has a tapered valve seat disposed between a first flow passage and a second flow passage, a reduced diameter side of the valve seat that is connected with the first flow passage, and a valve body having a closing portion that reduces its diameter toward a tip facing the valve seat. The first flow passage and the second flow passage are connected/disconnected by sliding the valve body for contacting/detaching the closing portion to the valve seat, and a groove is disposed on the closing portion facing the direction of a fluid flow.

Abstract: A driving control apparatus mounted on a present vehicle used for tracking a preceding vehicle includes: control module for controlling the present vehicle to accelerate or decelerate; vehicle detecting module for detecting the preceding vehicle; region detecting module for detecting a lateral region existing on an adjacent lane being adjacent to a present lane where the present vehicle exists, the lateral region being laterally to the present vehicle; and region determining module for determining whether or not the lateral region is an avoidance region that has a predetermined area. The control module performs an avoidance standby operation that allows the present vehicle to accelerate or decelerate based on a result of determining by the region determining module, when the vehicle detecting module detects the preceding vehicle existing on the present lane.

Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus that for automatic steering control that reduces occupant discomfort and stress is provided. A lane width of a subject lane and a current in-lane ratio are detected. If an off-lane obstacle which may place stress on the occupant is present within a prescribed area, a relative position between each off-lane obstacle and the vehicle is determined. A target in-lane ratio is determined based on the relative position. Specifically, when the off-lane obstacles are present on both the left and right sides of the subject lane, the target in-lane ratio is such that lateral distances to both off-lane obstacles are equal. When the off-lane obstacle is present on only one of either the left or right of the subject lane, the target in-lane ratio is set such that a lateral position away from the off-lane obstacle by a lateral distance set in advance is the target lateral position.

Abstract: A vehicle headlamp assembly including a housing case and a lens cover forming a light chamber, a projection lens, a shade and a light source are arranged within the light chamber in that order along an optical axis of the headlamp assembly. A radiating member includes plate-shaped radiating fins vertically placed in the light chamber, for radiating heat energy generated by the light source to surrounding air. A plate is arranged at a right angle to the radiating fins in the light chamber, for controlling air-convection flow around the radiating fins.

Abstract: A driving assistance apparatus mounted to a vehicle is disclosed. The apparatus determines whether an amount of change in tire wheel speed of each tire wheel of the vehicle exceeds a threshold. The apparatus specifies a tire wheel crossing order, which is an order in which the tire wheels of the vehicle cross over a level difference between a road and a parking lot when the vehicle crosses over the level difference. The apparatus determines whether or not the vehicle has crossed over the level difference between the road and the parking lot, based on whether a threshold-exceeding order is identical to the specified tire wheel crossing order. The threshold-exceeding order is an order in which the amounts of change in the tire wheel speed of the respective tire wheels exceed the threshold.

Abstract: A vehicle driving assistance apparatus mounted in a vehicle. In the apparatus, a drivable route detection unit detects a drivable route, a vehicle state quantity detection unit detects state quantities of the vehicle, and a steering control unit controls steering of the vehicle. Further, in the apparatus, an allowable region estimation unit estimates a driving allowable region on the basis of the detected state quantities and a predetermined allowable range of behavior of the vehicle. A deviation determination unit determines that the vehicle will deviate from the drivable route when a minimum width of an overlap region of the drivable route and the driving allowable region is less than a predetermined threshold. An intervention instruction unit then outputs to the steering control unit an intervention control signal to control steering of the vehicle.

Abstract: A headlamp for a vehicle includes: a housing having a front opening; a lens cover arranged to cover the front opening of the housing; a lamp chamber defined by the housing and the lens cover; a light source provided in the lamp chamber; a lighting control circuit that controls lighting of the light source; and a heat dissipating member arranged in the lamp chamber. Further, the lighting control circuit is formed on a substrate. The heat dissipating member has a pillar portion and a plurality of heat dissipating fins. The pillar portion has the light source mounted thereto. The heat dissipating fins are provided on an outer periphery of the pillar portion so as to be spaced from one another. The pillar portion also has a recess formed therein. The substrate is received in the recess of the pillar portion.

Abstract: In a light chamber formed in a housing case and a lens cover placed at a front part of the housing case in a headlamp assembly, a projection lens, a shade and a light source are arranged in line from the front side of the light chamber along an optical axis of the light source. A radiating member has radiating fins of a plate shape vertically placed in the light chamber, and radiates heat energy generated by the light source to surrounding air. A slit composed of a vertical slit part and an inclined-slit part is formed in each of the radiating fins. The formation of the slit generates a change of heat capacity and a temperature difference at upper and bottom parts of each of the radiating fins. The incline-slit part is extended from the top of the vertical slit part to the upper part of the radiating fin.

Abstract: The vehicle head light is provided with a heat radiating member including a pillar member provided to extend from a bottom wall of a housing, on which a light source is mounted, a heat radiating fins fixed radially to the outer periphery of the pillar member, and a guide wall provided surrounding sides of the heat radiating fins. The guide wall is sloped with respect to bottom wall of the housing so that spaces each formed by adjacent two of the heat radiating fins and the guide wall become narrower with increasing distance from the lower end of the guide wall. The guide wall is formed with slits to make air communication between the light chamber and each of the spaces, the slits being shaped to be narrower with increasing distance from the lower end of the guide wall.

Abstract: In a light chamber formed by a housing case and a lens cover of a headlamp assembly, a projection lens and a light source are arranged in order along an optical axis of the light source from a front side of the light chamber. Radiating fins of a plate shape is vertically placed in the light chamber and radiate heat energy generated by the light source. A heat exchange chamber is formed in a ceiling wall of the housing case above the radiating fins. The heat exchange chamber has a concave shape from the ceiling wall of the housing case, and is open toward the radiating fins side.

Abstract: An electric brake device comprises a caliper holding braking members and having an electric motor attached thereto, a reduction mechanism for transmitting an input rotation of one input element thereof from the electric motor to two output elements thereof at reduced speeds, a rotation-linear motion converting mechanism for converting the rotation of one of the output elements into a linear motion of one of the braking members, and a thrust force support member connected to the other output element and screw-engaged with the caliper, wherein the rotation-linear motion converting mechanism is supported by the thrust force support member to be movable together in a thrust direction and is provided with rotation limiting portions for limiting the rotation in a reverse direction of the one output element to a predetermined range, and wherein the thrust force support member is set to be greater in resistance to operation than the rotation-linear motion converting mechanism.

Abstract: A driving assistance apparatus mounted to a vehicle is disclosed. The apparatus determines whether an amount of change in tire wheel speed of each tire wheel of the vehicle exceeds a threshold. The apparatus specifies a tire wheel crossing order, which is an order in which the tire wheels of the vehicle cross over a level difference between a road and a parking lot when the vehicle crosses over the level difference. The apparatus determines whether or not the vehicle has crossed over the level difference between the road and the parking lot, based on whether a threshold-exceeding order is identical to the specified tire wheel crossing order. The threshold-exceeding order is an order in which the amounts of change in the tire wheel speed of the respective tire wheels exceed the threshold.

Abstract: A headlamp for a vehicle includes: a housing having a front opening; a lens cover arranged to cover the front opening of the housing; a lamp chamber defined by the housing and the lens cover; a light source provided in the lamp chamber; a lighting control circuit that controls lighting of the light source; and a heat dissipating member arranged in the lamp chamber. Further, the lighting control circuit is formed on a substrate. The heat dissipating member has a pillar portion and a plurality of heat dissipating fins. The pillar portion has the light source mounted thereto. The heat dissipating fins are provided on an outer periphery of the pillar portion so as to be spaced from one another. The pillar portion also has a recess formed therein. The substrate is received in the recess of the pillar portion.

Abstract: A heat sink includes a pillar member, to which a device that generates heat is to be mounted, and a plurality of heat-dissipating fins arranged on a side surface of the pillar member to dissipate the heat generated by the device. The heat sink further includes a ring-shaped holding member that has a plurality of grooves formed therein. The holding member is mounted to a longitudinal end of the pillar member and has each of the heat-dissipating fins inserted in a corresponding one of the grooves of the holding member, thereby holding the heat-dissipating fins to the pillar member. Each of the heat-dissipating fins has a detachment prevention portion that prevents the heat-dissipating fin from being detached from the pillar member in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the pillar member.

Abstract: The vehicle head light is provided with a heat radiating member including a pillar member provided to extend from a bottom wall of a housing, on which a light source is mounted, a heat radiating fins fixed radially to the outer periphery of the pillar member, and a guide wall provided surrounding sides of the heat radiating fins. The guide wall is sloped with respect to bottom wall of the housing so that spaces each formed by adjacent two of the heat radiating fins and the guide wall become narrower with increasing distance from the lower end of the guide wall. The guide wall is formed with slits to make air communication between the light chamber and each of the spaces, the slits being shaped to be narrower with increasing distance from the lower end of the guide wall.

Abstract: A solenoid valve has a tapered valve seat disposed between a first flow passage and a second flow passage, a reduced diameter side of the valve seat that is connected with the first flow passage, and a valve body having a closing portion that reduces its diameter toward a tip facing the valve seat. The first flow passage and the second flow passage are connected/disconnected by sliding the valve body for contacting/detaching the closing portion to the valve seat, and a groove is disposed on the closing portion facing the direction of a fluid flow.