Abstract: A battery control system is provided which charges or discharges a storage battery installed in a hybrid vehicle to bring a state-of-charge of the storage battery into agreement with a target one. The system determines whether the state-of-charge lies within a given narrower range defined around the target state-of-charge and corrects the state-of-charge based on an open-circuit voltage of the battery when the state-of-charge lies within the given narrower range, thereby eliminating a cumulative error in calculating the state-of-charge of the battery caused by a variation in charge/discharge efficiency of the battery.

Abstract: A battery control system is provided which charges or discharges a storage battery installed in a hybrid vehicle to bring a state-of-charge of the storage battery into agreement with a target one. The system determines whether the state-of-charge lies within a given narrower range defined around the target state-of-charge and corrects the state-of-charge based on an open-circuit voltage of the battery when the state-of-charge lies within the given narrower range, thereby eliminating a cumulative error in calculating the state-of-charge of the battery caused by a variation in charge/discharge efficiency of the battery.

Abstract: A hybrid vehicle comprises a motor driving the vehicle's wheels, multiple batteries supplying electric power to the motor, and a generator driven by an internal combustion engine to generate electric power for charging the batteries. Battery sensors detect terminal voltages of the batteries. An ECU controls a DC/DC converter to distribute electric power to independently charge the batteries through charge lines in accordance with the shortage of charge in respective batteries when excess electrical power is available from the generator even after a required amount of electrical power from the generator is used to rotate wheels.

Abstract: A series hybrid vehicle includes a generator to be driven by an engine, a battery to be charged by the output power of the generator, and a motor for driving the vehicle using the output power sent from the generator and the output power sent from the battery. In an engine control system for the series hybrid vehicle, the values of power demanded by the vehicle when the vehicle is running (i.e., power demand values) are derived based on various engine operation indicative sensor signals, and a running state of the vehicle is estimated based on a frequency distribution of the power demand and a mean value of such power demand values. The system selects one of prestored control patterns depending on the estimated vehicle running state and controls the engine based on the selected control pattern so as to further control the output power of the generator. The system is also applicable to a parallel hybrid vehicle.

Abstract: A series hybrid vehicle comprises a generator 30 driven by an internal combustion engine 40, a battery 20 chargeable by generator 30, an electric motor 10 rotated by electric power of generator 30 and battery 20. A parallel hybrid vehicle comprises. a battery 200 chargeable by an electric motor 100, and selectively uses an internal combustion engine 400 and electric motor 100 as driving source for driving vehicle wheels 900. In these -hybrid vehicles, there is provided a sensor 21 or 201 for detecting the state of charge (SOC) of battery 20 or 200. An output of generator 30 or internal combustion engine 400 is controlled based on each the SOC and a variation the SOC.

Abstract: A charging apparatus for a rechargeable storage battery is disclosed which charges the battery at a constant current. The charging apparatus monitors a variation in voltage of the battery during charge and finds a minimum value thereof to estimate the amount of capacity of the battery consumed before charge for determining the charge time required for charging the battery fully based on the estimate of the amount of capacity and the temperature of the battery.

Abstract: A battery condition monitoring system which may be employed in an electric vehicle is disclosed. This system determines a terminal voltage of a battery under discharge of a given current and a consumption of electric energy stored in the battery and calculates a rate of change in terminal voltage of the battery relative to change in consumption of electric energy. When a difference between the rate of change in terminal voltage of the battery and a reference rate representing a rate of change in terminal voltage of a normal battery relative to change in consumption of electric energy is greater than a given value, the system determines that memory effect is occurring in the battery.

Abstract: A battery power monitoring apparatus for use in an electric automobile is provided. The battery power monitoring apparatus determines the amount of available reserve electric power remaining in a storage battery based on electric power discharged from the storage battery to an electric motor and a battery characteristic stored in a memory, representing a relation between a voltage level at which a given level of current flows from the storage battery and the then discharged electric power. The battery characteristic is updated based on the latest detected voltage of the storage battery and current flowing from the storage battery. The battery power monitoring apparatus determines that charge polarization has occurred when a voltage level of the storage battery from which the given level of current flows is increased, and prohibits the updating of the battery characteristic. With this operation, the amount of available electric power is calculated correctly even under the influence of charge polarization.

Abstract: A battery state judging apparatus comprising a voltage detector detecting a voltage at a terminal of a battery, a current detector detecting a charge/discharge current of the battery and an arithmetic operation circuit calculating a residual capacity index of the battery relating to a value obtained by subtracting a quantity of electric charge from a reference capacity value of the battery and calculating a power consumption of the battery from the detected terminal voltage and charge/discharge current. The arithmetic operation circuit estimates a charge/discharge current as a function of the battery residual capacity index and battery power consumption and successively estimates a charge/discharge current in a predetermined power consumption pattern to successively calculate a battery residual capacity index from the estimated charge/discharge current.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for separating a doubled yarn into single yarns in order to piece a doubled yarn. The doubled yarn is separated by separating members such as a clamper opened and closed in a manner of scissors, push- and separate member having an extreme end sharpened, and a plurality of yarn separating rollers having tapered portions being placed in contact with each other. Feelers or sensors may be located to provide a yarn separation signal.

Abstract: A cleaning machine includes a frame having wheels, a suction blower having an air inlet and an air outlet and mounted on the frame, an intake opening communicating with the air inlet of the suction blower for sucking dirt containing relatively large dirt such as fallen leaves and relatively small dirt such as dust together with air by the sucking force generated by the suction blower, a dirt separator communicating with the air outlet of the suction blower by means of a duct for separating the dirt from the air blown out from the suction blower, and a dirt receptable for collecting the relatively large dirt separated by the dirt separator, and the dirt receptacle detachably attached under the main separator.

Abstract: A cleaning machine includes a frame having wheels, a suction blower having an inlet and an outlet mounted on the frame, an intake opening communicated with the inlet of the suction blower for sucking dirt containing relatively large dirt such as fallen leaves and relatively small dirt such as dust together with air, a main separator for separating the relatively large dirt, a subseparator for separating the relatively small dirt from the air having passed through the main separator, and a dirt receptacle made of an air-impermable material detachably attached under the main separator through a pivoting rod which is pivotably mounted to the frame so as to support the receptacle to the main separator and a clamp member for securing the dirt receptacle to the main separator.

Abstract: Method and Apparatus for forming a package including a steps of drafting and twisting a raw sliver to form a spun yarn, taking up at least two spun yarns in a paralleled state into the same package, and supplying the thus wound package directly to a two-for-one twister disposed in continuity with the spinning device. The spinning device and the two-for-one twister are connected to each other by a conveyor for feeding the packages from the spinning device and by a yarn supply package replacing device.

Abstract: A spinning apparatus which includes a drafting device, a twisting device and a take-up device is constituted such that the spinning apparatus further includes a guide device for guiding the fiber bundle in the separated condition in a plurality of rows and the twisting device includes a plurality of rows of twisting mechanism which can twist a plurality of rows of fiber bundle at a time.

Abstract: A cleaning device for a drafting device in a spinning machine comprises a clearer device provided at a drafting device of each of a large number of spindles provided in a row in the spinning machine, and a collecting device for fiber waste which reciprocally moves along the large number of spindles provided in a row above the clearer devices while contacting with the clearer devices and exfoliates and removes fiber waste from the clearer devices for the individual spindles.

Abstract: A method for producing a spun yarn from staple fiber sliver by supplying an additional yarn of a different nature to the staple fiber sliver while drafting same, and imparting twists thereto by the use of an air injection nozzle. The supply of the additional yarn is started after arrival of the staple fiber sliver at the air injection nozzle.

Abstract: An air spinning method and apparatus for spinning a yarn. The apparatus includes a pipe with a fiber bundle passageway, air jet nozzles for applying whirling air currents near the inlet of the pipe, and a rotating body including air discharge passages and revolving around the pipe. In the method, the fiber bundle is passed through the pipe's fiber bundle passageway. Rear ends of some fibers are separated from the fiber bundle by air currents jetted from the nozzles so as to be rotated together with air currents by the rotating body after drawn into the discharge passage. Fibers lying in the central portion of the fiber bundle, pass through the pipe's fiber bundle passageway without being influenced by the air currents jetted from the nozzles.

Abstract: A draft roller in a spinning machine in which its portion in contact with a fiber bundle, i.e. the draft portion, is made relatively large in diameter, and the roller portion adjacent to the draft portion are tapered gradually away from the draft portion so that fibers wound around the draft portion are moved therefrom to the tapered portions and can be removed easily.

Abstract: A coupling device comprising two bosses for respectively inserting therein each end of two shafts to be connected, a coupling member which is made of a resilient material and covers the bosses and a casing to fit the coupling member therein. The bosses have a plurality of toothed portions formed on outer periphery thereof and the coupling member has toothed portions identical in number and shape to the toothed portions of the bosses at inner periphery thereof so that the two bosses and coupling member are engaged with each other.

Abstract: An apron for a draft apparatus being suitable for use with a pneumatic high speed spinning frame. The apron includes a front side rubber layer, a reverse side rubber layer adhered to the front side rubber layer and core cords interposed between the two rubber layers. The peripheral borders of the apron have such a construction that one of said rubber layers is retracted from the other of the rubber layers.