Abstract: A gas composition sensor for detecting oxygen, and hydrocarbon group fuel or combustible composition produced after combustion having a zirconia solid electrolyte body, a concentration cell composed of a platinoid metal catalytic detecting electrode and a reference electrode opposite to each other and a sensing element composed of a gas diffusion limiting member coating the detecting electrode, which further comprises a pair of the sensing elements and heaters for setting both of the sensing elements to operating temperatures different from each other, whereby a specified gas component is selectively detected by operating both of the sensing elements so as to have sensitivity coefficients to the specified gas component different from each other.

Abstract: An engine combustion control apparatus includes a pressure sensor provided at each of the cylinders in an engine, for detecting the pressure in each cylinder, and a controller for calculating the state variables of the intake amount and combustion temperature in each cylinder, based on the detected pressure values, and for controlling the operational variables such as the fuel amount to be injected, fuel injection timing, and so forth, based on the calculated state variables.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for measuring atmospheric pressure in conjunction with an air-fuel ratio sensor of the type comprising a concentration cell with atmospheric air and exhaust electrodes on opposite sides of a solid-state electrolyte having oxygen ion conductivity. During an atmospheric pressure measuring cycle, oxygen ions are pumped from the atmospheric air electrode to the exhaust electrode, in a quantity which is either predetermined at a fixed value, or is sufficient to bring the cell to an equilibrium state. Atmospheric pressure is then calculated from measured emf of the cell, using an experimentally derived functional relationship. In a second embodiment, ions are pumped until a predetermined change of the concentration cell emf is achieved, and atmospheric pressure is determined based on the amount of time required to achieve such change. The atmospheric pressure measuring mode is operated on a time shared basis with the air-fuel ration detection mode.

Abstract: A semiconductor acceleration sensor is formed by a cantilever having a conductive movable electrode of predetermined mass at one end, at least one pair of fixed conductive electrodes which are stationary with respect to the movable electrode located on opposing sides of the movable electrode, and gaps provided between the movable electrode and the fixed electrodes. To prevent the movable electrode becoming fused to the contacted fixed electrode, in a first aspect of this invention, an insulating layer is provided between the movable electrode and fixed electrodes, the layer being either on the movable electrode or on the fixed electrodes and in a second aspect the movable electrode or, preferably, the fixed electrodes, are formed of a high melting point material. In such a second aspect, to improve adhesion between the high melting point material and a substrate to which the fixed electrodes are mounted, a lower melting point material is firstly coated on the substrates.

Abstract: A torque detection mechanism can be provided for a power train and its control unit without newly adding a sensor and its signal processing module. As a gear pair for the torque detection mechanism of a phase difference type, existing gears in a transmission are used, or a gear pair for this mechanism are provided adjacent to these existing gears. From phase signals sent from pickups, a phase difference signal is obtained by use of one part of existing devices in the control unit. The torque detection mechanism can be realized with the minimum number of component parts by utilizing the existing members and spaces instead of newly adding a sensor and its module. The invention can be applied to either of FF and FR cars, and has a practical structure in respect of the performance, costs and reliability.

Abstract: A crash detection apparatus of an air bag system comprises a detection unit for detecting acceleration caused therein by an automobile and outputting electric signals corresponding to the acceleration, a discrimination unit for discriminating, from the signals from the detection unit, a crash signal which is outputted on the basis of the acceleration caused by crash of the automobile, the crash signal being inputted into an inflator to inflate an air bag. The detection unit is a capacitance type semiconductor detector comprising a pair of fixed electrodes and a cantilevered movable electrode disposed between the fixed electrodes and fixed at an end thereof, and a servo control unit is electrically connected to the detection unit so as to form a negative feedback loop, of a detection signal.

Abstract: An air fuel ratio detecting arrangement using a diffusion suppressing type air fuel ratio sensor applicable to an air fuel ratio control unit for an internal combustion engine incorporating an atmospheric air pressure correction circuit in a signal processing and outputting device for correcting an output voltage signal processed therein based on a change in atmospheric air pressure which is detected when a predetermined operating condition of an internal combustion engine is satisfied. A secular change correction circuit included in the signal processing and outputting device detects a change in electromotive force of a concentration cell portion of the air fuel ratio sensor when a predetermined rich air fuel ratio is reached and corrects a reference voltage for the air fuel ratio sensor based on the detected change in electromotive force of the concentration cell portion in addition to an air calibration circuit.

Abstract: A throttle value spindle (3) is rotatably fixed to a throttle body (1). A recess is provided within the throttle body at one side of the throttle value spindle along the axial direction of the throttle valve spindle. A holder (6) is fixed to the throttle valve spindle within the recess and has brushes (7) at the opposite side of the throttle valve spindle, which rotates together with the throttle valve spindle. Resistors (12) are mounted on a ceramics circuit board (8) fixed on a housing (12). The housing engages with the recess in such a manner that the resistors contact with the brushes. When the brushes slide on the resistors corresponding to the rotation of the throttle value spindle, an electric signal is outputted continuously from the resistors.

Abstract: The invention relates to a gas sensor for measuring an air-fuel ratio of an air-fuel mixture of an internal combustion engine and to a method of manufacturing the gas sensor. The sensor of the invention comprises: a solid state electrolyte layer made of an oxygen ion conductive metal oxide; a first electrode of a porous thin film having the catalyst function which was coated on one surface of the solid state electrolyte layer; a second electrode of a porous thin film having the catalyst function which was coated on the other surface of the solid state electrolyte layer; an electrode shielding layer made of a sintered material of ultra fine particulates whose average grain diameter is 1 .mu.m or less which covers the surface other than the region of a predetermined area of the second electrode; and a gas diffusion layer made of a porous electric insulative metal oxide which covers the region of the predetermined area of at least the second electrode.

Abstract: An air-fuel ratio control apparatus for an internal combustion engine includes a solid electrolyte having a first electrode disposed on one surface thereof to contact with the atmosphere and a second electrode disposed on the other surface thereof to contact with the exhaust gas from the engine through a diffusing resistor, and means for applying a voltage across the first and second electrodes to detect an oxygen pump current flowing in the solid electrolyte whereby a correction factor relating to a change in the diffusion coefficient of the diffusing resistor is computed so that the oxygen pump current detected by the detecting means is corrected in accordance with the correction factor and the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas is determined in accordance with the corrected oxygen pump current, thereby controlling the quantity of fuel supplied to the engine in accordance with the determined air-fuel ratio.

Abstract: A piezoelectric detector for detecting a physical quantity comprising, a piezoelectric device having a first electrode and a second electrode for modulating a carrier A.C., signal a excitation power source for supplying the carrier A.C. signal to the first electrode so as to excite the piezoelectric device, a weight mechanically coupled to the piezoelectric device so as to add the physical quantity to the piezoelectric device, an A.C. amplifier for amplifying a modulated output from the second electrode, and a demodulator for demodulating an amplified output from the A.C. amplifier. The piezoelectric detector measures the physical quantity while having a very low frequency range which D.C. includes.

Abstract: An air/fuel ratio (A/F) sensor for detecting the A/F over a wide range covering a lean region and a rich region which are partitioned by the stoichiometric A/F comprises a solid electrolyte made of an oxygen ion conductive metal oxide, first and second electrodes sandwiching the solid electrolyte and being operable by a predetermined voltage applied thereacross to ionize oxygen near the solid electrolyte and diffuse oxygen ions into the solid electrolyte, and a gas diffusion layer in the form of a porous sintered layer covering the second electrode and made of electrically insulative metal oxide fine particles having a mean particulate size of 1 .mu.m or less so that oxygen or molecules of other gas components in the exhaust gas can move through pores of the gas diffusion layer.

Abstract: In an apparatus of the type in which the air-fuel ratio of an engine is detected by an air-fuel ratio sensor and the air-fuel ratio is feedback-controlled in accordance with the detection result to operate the engine at a desired air-fuel ratio, a change of the output characteristic of the air-fuel ratio sensor is always corrected for.

Abstract: An oxygen sensor is disclosed in which an airtight reference chamber isolated from a surrounding space is formed on one main surface of a solid electrolyte, a current is supplied to the solid electrolyte to pump out oxygen from the reference chamber in such a manner that oxygen in the reference chamber is ionized and then passes through the solid electrolyte, means is provided for transferring oxygen from the surrounding space to the reference chamber in such a manner that oxygen in the surrounding space is ionized and then passes through the solid electrolyte, and the oxygen concentration in the surrounding space is detected on the basis of the current supplied to the solid electrolyte.

Abstract: Disclosed is a non-contact type throttle angle sensor sensing and converting angular rotation of a throttle valve of an internal combustion engine into an electrical signal. The sensor comprises a magnetic field generating element disposed on one end of a rotatable throttle shaft, a magneto-sensitive element disposed opposite to the field generating element at a position fixed relative to a throttle body and spaced apart from the field generating element, the magneto-sensitive element generating an output whose level changes with the rotation of the throttle valve shaft relative to the throttle body, a housing forming an integral part of the throttle body to accommodate the field generating element and the magneto-sensitive element, and an electrical circuit converting the output of the magneto-sensitive element into an electrical signal, the electrical circuit including a circuit adjusting the zero level and maximum level of the output of the magneto-sensitive element.

Abstract: A novel automotive battery life diagnosis apparatus is disclosed, in which the terminal voltage, charge-discharge current and the temperature of a battery are detected, output signals from the detectors are applied to and processed in a predetermined manner by a control unit, and a life alarm is displayed on a display unit. Further, the control unit has the functions to calculate a value representing the life of the battery from the detection signals of the detectors before and after cranking of an internal combustion engine and to store an initial value of a parameter representing the battery life in the initial stage of battery operation. The initial value of the parameter is compared with the present value thereof to forecast and indicate the life of the battery on the display unit from a predetermined relationship formed by life curves between the initial value and the present value of the parameter.

Abstract: A resistor main body of a hot film exothermic resistor includes a ceramic body with leads bonded to both end portions thereof, a platinum film body formed on a ceramic body, a spiral trimming groove formed in the platinum film body, and a glass material overcoated on the platinum film body and the ceramic body. The resistor main body projects in the upstream direction of the flow of such that the ratio of a length l.sub.1 of the resistor main body to the diameter d.sub.1 of the resistor main body is 25>l.sub.1 /d.sub.1 >14, and the leads are bent adjacent both end portions. The response speed characteristics, contamination preventing capability and temperature dependency of the hot film exothermic resistor is improved over conventional devices, and the level of noise in the output signal therefrom can be reduced over conventional devices.

Abstract: An air-fuel ratio in the lean range is detected by measuring a limiting current when oxygen diffused to a first electrode is pumped to a second electrode via a solid electrolyte. A stoichiometric air-fuel ratio is detected from electromotive force between first and third electrodes when oxygen is pumped from the first electrode to the third electrode. The invention is characterized by use of such three electrodes. Furthermore, an air-fuel ratio in a rich range is detected by either sending oxygen from the first electrode to the third electrode via the solid electrolyte and measuring a current when the electromotive force between the first and third electrodes is controlled to be constant, or measuring a current when the air-fuel ratio range is judged as "rich" from this electromotive force and the polarity of the impressed voltage at the time of lean detection is reversed.

Abstract: An air-fuel ratio control apparatus is disclosed in which an air-fuel ratio sensor disposed in the exhaust system of an internal combustion engine produces a voltage signal correlated with the excess air ratio of the ambient gas surrounding it and has such an output characteristic as to produce a maximum output only when the ambient gas is filled with air, the air-fuel ratio of the internal combustion engine being controlled to a proper value on the basis of the detection signal of the air-fuel ratio sensor. The air-fuel ratio control apparatus further comprises a sampling device for sampling the maximum output (V.sub.x) when it is decided that the output of the air-fuel ratio sensor is maintained for a predetermined length of time or longer at a predetermined value or higher, a memory for storing the sample value of the maximum output (V.sub.x) produced by the sampling device and updating the preceding sample value (V.sub.x-1) to the present sample value (V.sub.

Abstract: A throttle value spindle (3) is rotatably fixed to a throttle body (1). A recess is provided within the throttle body at one side of the throttle value spindle along the axial direction of the throttle valve spindle. A holder (6) is fixed to the throttle valve spindle within the recess and has brushes (7) at the opposite side of the throttle valve spindle, which rotates together with the throttle valve spindle. Resistors (12) are mounted on a ceramics circuit board (8) fixed on a housing (12). The housing engages with the recess in such a manner that the resistors contact with the brushes. When the brushes slide on the resistors corresponding to the rotation of the throttle value spindle, an electric signal is outputted continuously from the resistors.