Abstract: A rotary reciprocating drive actuator includes an assembled magnetic member has a rectangular shape surrounding the movable member in a plane orthogonal to the axis direction, the core extends in the X direction along one edge of the rectangular shape, and the pair of core parts respectively extend in the Y direction along a pair of opposing edges of the rectangular shape that are different from the one edge, the assembled magnetic member including the pair of magnetic poles, the pair of core parts around which the pair of coils are respectively wound, and the core at which the rotation angle position holding part is disposed, and winding axes of the pair of coils extend along the Y direction.

Abstract: A pump system contains a pair of pumps each of which contains a vibration actuator vibrated by electromagnetic drive and can discharge fluid due to drive of the vibration actuator. The pump system has a vibration suppression mode in which the pair of the pumps are driven so that vibration of the vibration actuators of the pair of pumps is cancelled each other and a vibration generation mode in which the pair of the pumps are driven so that the vibration of the vibration actuators of the pair of pumps is superimposed with each other.

Abstract: Provided is a biochemical reaction substrate which can achieve higher test sensitivity and shorter testing time in an allergy test, which can also reduce a required amount of blood or the like needed as a specimen and decrease the number of test steps, thereby facilitating performance of the test, and which is to be used in an allergy test in which infection risk of the test staff is reduced.

Abstract: In an apparatus, a determiner determines whether a two-MG frequency ratio of a first electrical frequency of a first MG to a second electrical frequency of a second MG is within a specific frequency-ratio range. The specific frequency-ratio range includes 1/6n where n is an integer excluding zero. An update-cycle controller controls an update cycle of a command voltage according to the determined result such that the update cycle during a specific drive of the first MG is longer than the update cycle during a usual drive of the first MG while a cycle of a carrier signal is maintained during both the usual and specific drives. The specific drive represents drive of the first MG while the two-MG frequency ratio is within the specific frequency-ratio range. The usual drive represents drive of the first MG while the two-MG frequency ratio is out of the specific frequency-ratio range.

Abstract: In an apparatus, a determiner determines whether a two-MG frequency ratio of a first electrical frequency of a first MG to a second electrical frequency of a second MG is within a specific frequency-ratio range. The specific frequency-ratio range includes 1/6n where n is an integer excluding zero. An update-cycle controller controls an update cycle of a command voltage according to the determined result such that the update cycle during a specific drive of the first MG is longer than the update cycle during a usual drive of the first MG while a cycle of a carrier signal is maintained during both the usual and specific drives. The specific drive represents drive of the first MG while the two-MG frequency ratio is within the specific frequency-ratio range. The usual drive represents drive of the first MG while the two-MG frequency ratio is out of the specific frequency-ratio range.

Abstract: An adjustable regenerative limit and warning system and method for controlling regenerative energy of a vehicle. The system includes a battery, a motor, a processor and an indicator. The motor provides regenerative energy to the battery during deceleration of the vehicle. The processor determines instantaneous or calculated traction loss of the vehicle and controls or limits the regenerative energy provided to the battery to avoid or reduce such traction loss. A drive mode having a predetermined regenerative energy capability is selected by the processor for limiting the regenerative energy. Sensors coupled with the battery sense characteristics of the battery for provision to the processor for determining a charge capability of the battery. If the charge capability for the battery is lower than the regenerative energy capable by the drive mode, the regenerative energy may be further limited and a warning or notification transmitted to a user of the vehicle.

Abstract: A brake rotor temperature determination or estimation system and method for controlling output power of a power source in a vehicle. The system includes a brake rotor, a processor, a memory, a speed sensor and a temperature sensor. The speed sensor senses a speed of the vehicle. The temperature sensor senses a temperature of a brake rotor or ambient air in a vicinity of the brake rotor. Based upon data stored in the memory and inputs from the speed sensor or the temperature sensor, the processor determines if an output power of the power source should be limited based on rotor temperature thresholds. The power limits may be defined as discrete power limits corresponding to the particular thresholds of rotor temperature or may be defined as interpolated data values along a linear or nonlinear ramp or slope.

Abstract: The invention provides a hybrid vehicle and a control method thereof with which, in a case where a vehicle speed V obtained by a vehicle speed sensor equals or exceeds a first determination vehicle speed V1 at a time of occurrence of an internal combustion engine-related abnormality, which is when an abnormality relating to motors MG1 and MG2 is determined not to have occurred but an abnormality relating to an engine is determined to have occurred while the engine is operative, the motors MG1 and MG2 are controlled such that traveling torque is output to a ring gear shaft serving as a drive shaft from the motor MG2 while the engine is motored by the motor MG1 such that a crankshaft rotates at a target rotation speed until the vehicle speed V subsequently falls to or below a second determination vehicle speed V2.

Abstract: An adjustable regenerative limit and warning system and method for controlling regenerative energy of a vehicle. The system includes a battery, a motor, a processor and an indicator. The motor provides regenerative energy to the battery during deceleration of the vehicle. The processor determines instantaneous or calculated traction loss of the vehicle and controls or limits the regenerative energy provided to the battery to avoid or reduce such traction loss. A drive mode having a predetermined regenerative energy capability is selected by the processor for limiting the regenerative energy. Sensors coupled with the battery sense characteristics of the battery for provision to the processor for determining a charge capability of the battery. If the charge capability for the battery is lower than the regenerative energy capable by the drive mode, the regenerative energy may be further limited and a warning or notification transmitted to a user of the vehicle.

Abstract: A brake rotor temperature determination or estimation system and method for controlling output power of a power source in a vehicle. The system includes a brake rotor, a processor, a memory, a speed sensor and a temperature sensor. The speed sensor senses a speed of the vehicle. The temperature sensor senses a temperature of a brake rotor or ambient air in a vicinity of the brake rotor. Based upon data stored in the memory and inputs from the speed sensor or the temperature sensor, the processor determines if an output power of the power source should be limited based on rotor temperature thresholds. The power limits may be defined as discrete power limits corresponding to the particular thresholds of rotor temperature or may be defined as interpolated data values along a linear or nonlinear ramp or slope.

Abstract: Over rotation limitation control is performed to control an engine rotation speed so that a rotation speed of a pinion gear of a planetary gear set will not exceed a limit value, when a travel mode is changed to a limp-home travel mode in response to an abnormality in an inverter for a first motor generator. With this over rotation limitation control, a difference between rotation speeds of a ring gear coupled to a wheel side and a carrier coupled to an engine side. Thus, when the limp-home travel mode is performed due to the abnormality in the inverter for the first motor generator, a secondary failure, in which the pinion gear burns out and the planetary gear set fails, is prevented.

Abstract: A relay includes contacts, a driving coil, a moving part, and a resistor. The driving coil generates a magnetic force in accordance with a command signal. The moving part is configured to be driven by the magnetic force to open and close the contacts. The resistor has a predetermined electrical resistance. When the command signal is at a first level, the relay is set to a first on-state in which the contacts are closed through the resistor. When the command signal is at a second level higher than the first level, the relay is set to a second on-state in which the contacts are closed through the moving part without the resistor.

Abstract: A drive control system for a vehicle has a power train including an internal combustion engine, a transmission and wheels. In the power train, a motor-generator is provided as a drive power source between the transmission and the wheels. A clutch is provided between the transmission and the motor-generator. A control unit controls an operation state of the clutch to either a drive power transfer state or a drive power interruption state in correspondence to a location of failure, when a failure arises in the power train, which includes an engine system, a transmission system and a motor-generator system. The control unit further controls the clutch to the drive power interruption state when the failure arises in the engine system or the transmission system. The control unit controls the clutch to the drive power transfer state when the failure arises in the motor-generator system.

Abstract: In a motor vehicle with idle stop function, upon satisfaction of preset engine restart conditions (step S205), automatic engine restart control refers to a preset map representing a variation in amount of fuel Q1, which is to be initially injected into a cylinder Cyin stopping in an intake stroke, against the piston stop position Pin of the cylinder Cyin, and specifies the amount of fuel Q1 corresponding to the detected piston stop position Pin of the cylinder Cyin (step S220). The automatic engine restart control then controls an injector to inject the specified amount of fuel Q1 into an intake port of the cylinder Cyin (step S230). Under the condition that the piston stop position Pin of the cylinder Cyin suggests low gas intake performance, the increased amount of fuel Q1 is injected into the intake port of the cylinder Cyin. This arrangement desirably reduces a misfire rate at the timing of first combustion and thereby improves the startability of an engine.

Abstract: Over rotation limitation control is performed to control an engine rotation speed so that a rotation speed of a pinion gear of a planetary gear set will not exceed a limit value, when a travel mode is changed to a limp-home travel mode in response to an abnormality in an inverter for a first motor generator. With this over rotation limitation control, a difference between rotation speeds of a ring gear coupled to a wheel side and a carrier coupled to an engine side. Thus, when the limp-home travel mode is performed due to the abnormality in the inverter for the first motor generator, a secondary failure, in which the pinion gear burns out and the planetary gear set fails, is prevented.

Abstract: The invention provides a hybrid vehicle and a control method thereof with which, in a case where a vehicle speed V obtained by a vehicle speed sensor equals or exceeds a first determination vehicle speed V1 at a time of occurrence of an internal combustion engine-related abnormality, which is when an abnormality relating to motors MG1 and MG2 is determined not to have occurred but an abnormality relating to an engine is determined to have occurred while the engine is operative, the motors MG1 and MG2 are controlled such that traveling torque is output to a ring gear shaft serving as a drive shaft from the motor MG2 while the engine is motored by the motor MG1 such that a crankshaft rotates at a target rotation speed until the vehicle speed V subsequently falls to or below a second determination vehicle speed V2.

Abstract: In an automatic stop device that automatically stops the operation of an internal combustion engine after a predetermined automatic stop condition is satisfied, a load acting on the engine is removed when the automatic stop condition is satisfied. When the automatic stop condition is satisfied, the between the magnitude of the load on the internal combustion engine before and after of the automatic stop condition is satisfied is determined, and an ignition timing retard amount of an ignition plug is decided such that the retard amount is increased as the difference becomes greater. The ignition timing is retarded by the retard amount substantially at the same moment as the load removing operation before the automatic stop control is initiated.

Abstract: In a motor vehicle with idle stop function, upon satisfaction of preset engine restart conditions (step S205), automatic engine restart control refers to a preset map representing a variation in amount of fuel Q1, which is to be initially injected into a cylinder Cyin stopping in an intake stroke, against the piston stop position Pin of the cylinder Cyin, and specifies the amount of fuel Q1 corresponding to the detected piston stop position Pin of the cylinder Cyin (step S220). The automatic engine restart control then controls an injector to inject the specified amount of fuel Q1 into an intake port of the cylinder Cyin (step S230). Under the condition that the piston stop position Pin of the cylinder Cyin suggests low gas intake performance, the increased amount of fuel Q1 is injected into the intake port of the cylinder Cyin. This arrangement desirably reduces a misfire rate at the timing of first combustion and thereby improves the startability of an engine.

Abstract: In an automatic stop device that automatically stops the operation of an internal combustion engine after a predetermined automatic stop condition is satisfied, a load acting on the engine is removed when the automatic stop condition is satisfied. When the automatic stop condition is satisfied, the between the magnitude of the load on the internal combustion engine before and after of the automatic stop condition is satisfied is determined, and an ignition timing retard amount of an ignition plug is decided such that the retard amount is increased as the difference becomes greater. The ignition timing is retarded by the retard amount substantially at the same moment as the load removing operation before the automatic stop control is initiated.

Abstract: A voltage supply circuit comprises an input for receiving a DC input voltage having one of plural possible levels; a DC-AC inverter for inverting the DC input voltage and which includes a boosting transformer having a winding with end terminals and an intermediate terminal and an inverter drive circuit for providing an AC current to the transformer; a connection between the input and the intermediate terminal of the boosting transformer for applying the DC input voltage to the latter; and a control circuit for controlling the inverter drive circuit, and which selects between a first condition, in which the inverter drive circuit is made operative so that a boosted voltage is provided at one end terminal of the boosting transformer, and a second condition, in which the inverter drive circuit is made inoperative, so that the DC input voltage introduced at the intermediate terminal is provided as a DC output voltage at the end terminal of the booster transformer.