Abstract: An engine system includes a combustion chamber including a cylinder, a fuel supply that supplies fuel including gasoline into the combustion chamber, circuitry configured to predict a knock will occur in the combustion chamber, and a fluid injector that injects a fluid into the combustion chamber. Further, there is circuitry configured to suppress a knock by instructing the fluid injector, when the knock is predicted to occur by the circuitry configured to predict, to inject the fluid into the combustion chamber within a period before a burned mass fraction reaches 50% after a start of combustion.

Abstract: A method and system for predicting the occurrence of a knock which will have a predetermined intensity or higher (intense knock) in an engine that burns an air-fuel mixture of gasoline fuel. The pressure in a combustion chamber is detected during an initial stage of combustion. This pressure is compared with a preset reference value to determine whether or not the cylinder inner pressure exceeds the reference value during the combustion. When the cylinder inner pressure exceeds the reference value, it is predicted that the intense knock will occur before an end of the combustion. If the intense knock is predicted, additional fuel or other material can be injected into the combustion chamber to prevent the occurrence of the intense knock.

Abstract: A control device for an engine is provided, which includes a knock intensity sensor configured to detect a knock intensity, an output adjustment mechanism configured to adjust an engine output torque, and a controller configured to control the output adjustment mechanism based on the knock intensity. The controller executes a first control in which the output adjustment mechanism is controlled to reduce the knock intensity when the number of strong knocks that is the number of times the knock intensity becomes a second determination intensity or greater is a given determination number or less and when the knock intensity is greater than a first determination intensity, and executes a second control in which the output adjustment mechanism is controlled to reduce the maximum torque more than when the number of strong knocks is the determination number or less, when the number of strong knocks is greater than the determination number.

Abstract: A control device for an engine is provided, which includes a knock intensity sensor configured to detect a knock intensity, an output adjustment mechanism configured to adjust an engine output torque, and a controller configured to control the output adjustment mechanism based on the knock intensity. The controller executes a first control in which the output adjustment mechanism is controlled to reduce the knock intensity when the number of strong knocks that is the number of times the knock intensity becomes a second determination intensity or greater is a given determination number or less and when the knock intensity is greater than a first determination intensity, and executes a second control in which the output adjustment mechanism is controlled to reduce the maximum torque more than when the number of strong knocks is the determination number or less, when the number of strong knocks is greater than the determination number.

Abstract: An engine system includes a combustion chamber including a cylinder, a fuel supply that supplies fuel including gasoline into the combustion chamber, circuitry configured to predict a knock will occur in the combustion chamber, and a fluid injector that injects a fluid into the combustion chamber. Further, there is circuitry configured to suppress a knock by instructing the fluid injector, when the knock is predicted to occur by the circuitry configured to predict, to inject the fluid into the combustion chamber within a period before a burned mass fraction reaches 50% after a start of combustion.

Abstract: A method and system for predicting the occurrence of a knock which will have a predetermined intensity or higher (intense knock) in an engine that burns an air-fuel mixture of gasoline fuel. The pressure in a combustion chamber is detected during an initial stage of combustion. This pressure is compared with a preset reference value to determine whether or not the cylinder inner pressure exceeds the reference value during the combustion. When the cylinder inner pressure exceeds the reference value, it is predicted that the intense knock will occur before an end of the combustion. If the intense knock is predicted, additional fuel or other material can be injected into the combustion chamber to prevent the occurrence of the intense knock.

Abstract: Provided are a voltage application time period measuring circuit which does not require a battery, and a power supply apparatus including the voltage application time period measuring circuit. Each of a voltage application time period memory (32) and a set time period memory (33) is a nonvolatile memory, and hence it is unnecessary to provide a battery for holding information stored in each of the memories in the outside of the voltage application time period measuring circuit (30) and a power supply apparatus cost is reduced correspondingly.

Abstract: Provided are a voltage application time period measuring circuit which does not require a battery, and a power supply apparatus including the voltage application time period measuring circuit. Each of a voltage application time period memory (32) and a set time period memory (33) is a nonvolatile memory, and hence it is unnecessary to provide a battery for holding information stored in each of the memories in the outside of the voltage application time period measuring circuit (30) and a power supply apparatus cost is reduced correspondingly.

Abstract: A structure of a liquid crystal device cutting down the power consumption is materialized. In a liquid crystal display device comprising at least two display portions of a dot matrix portion and an icon portion in the same panel, drive is carried out such that both of the display portions are displayed in a normal operation mode and, only the icon portion is displayed in a power-saving operation mode such as when the liquid crystal display device is waiting for operation or is standby. In the power-saving operation mode, the duty ratios of all of the display portions in the power-saving operation mode are lower than those in the normal operation mode, and time shared drive waveforms using the power source voltage as it is which does not require bias voltage are applied.

Abstract: A power steering system is disclosed which automatically corrects unexpected variations in the path of a vehicle without requiring a driver to make corrections. A rotary valve in the power steering system includes an inner sleeve connected to a steering wheel, an outer sleeve connected to a pinion shaft meshed with a rack bar, and a torsion bar coupled to the inner sleeve and the pinion shaft. The rotary valve switches oil passages communicating with a power cylinder by means of relative rotation between the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve to thereby assist in steering. The outer sleeve and the pinion shaft are connected to each other for slight relative rotation through an elastomer or resilient connecting member. If an unexpected variation in path is produced in the vehicle, the outer sleeve is rotated by the operation of a torque motor which causes the operation of the rotary valve, thereby moving the power cylinder whereby a steering force is produced for correcting the variation in path.

Abstract: A vehicle steering system, suitable for steering the rear wheels of a four wheel steering vehicle, comprising a steering rod received in a housing assembly so as to be moveable in the longitudinal direction, an indicator member is connected to the steering rod by way of a connecting arm member extending radially from the steering rod so that the steering output of the steering system may be detected by cooperation between a sloping surface provided in the indicator member and a stroke sensor mounted on the housing assembly and engaged to the sloping surface and/or so that the rotation of the steering rod around its central axial line may be prevented.

Abstract: An electric power steering system which additionally includes a radial arm extending from a steering rod, an axial shaft extending in parallel with the axial center line of the steering rod, an axial bore formed in the casing of the system for guiding axial movement of the axial shaft substantially without any play, and a spring member urging the axial shaft against a side wall of the axial bore. Thus, rotation of the steering rod around its axial center line may be prevented with a relatively small force. Therefore, no excessive force needs to be applied to the axial shaft, and the axial shaft would not encounter any substantial resistance to its axial movement.

Abstract: A front and rear wheel steering system for a vehicle which transmits a steering input from a front wheel steering gear box to a rear wheel steering gear box via a coupling shaft as a rotation thereof around its longitudinal line and varies a steering gear ratio of rear wheels to front wheels according to the speed of the vehicle. A steering rod for steering the rear wheels with its longitudinal movement is provided with a crank portion which is engaged with a swing shaft pivotally attached to the coupling shaft via a pivot shaft perpendicular thereto so as to perform a gyrating motion around an extension line of the coupling shaft and thereby move the steering rod along its longitudinal direction to achieve a steering action of the rear wheels.

Abstract: An electric power steering system which additionally includes a radial arm extending from a steering rod, an axial shaft extending in parallel with the axial center line of the steering rod, an axial bore formed in the casing of the system for guiding axial movement of the axial shaft substantially without any play, and a spring member urging the axial shaft against a side wall of the axial bore. Thus, rotation of the steering rod around its axial center line may be prevented with a relatively small force. Therefore, no excessive force needs to be applied to the axial shaft, and the axial shaft would not encounter any substantial resistance to its axial movement.

Abstract: A four-wheel-steering system includes a rear wheel steering mechanism for turning rear wheels in response to energization of an actuator. A locking device is responsive to de-energization of the actuator for locking gears and a rack shaft to prevent the rear wheels from being turned. The locking device includes a longer arm on which first and second gears are rotatably mounted, a shorter arm pivotally coupled to the longer arm, a stopper coupled to the shorter arm and engageable with the second gear, and a spring acting on the stopper for normally urging the stopper into engagement with the second gear, the actuator comprising an electric motor angularly movable with respect to the second gear.

Abstract: A rear wheel steering device in a four-wheel-steerable vehicle includes a rod member having opposite ends coupled to tie rods for turning rear wheels, an electric motor, and a screw mechanism for converting rotation of the electric motor to axial motion of the rod member. The stator and rotor of the electric motor are disposed coaxially with the rod member, the motor and the screw mechanism being juxtaposed with respect to each other in the axial direction of the rod member. The screw mechanism comprises a threaded portion on the rod member and a nut engaging the threaded portion, the nut being axially pre-loaded.

Abstract: A steering system for a motor vehicle having front road wheels and rear road wheels which are steerable includes a rear wheel steering mechanism for steering the rear road wheels based on a vehicle speed and a front wheel steered angle. The rear wheel steering mechanism, has a correcting mechanism fo varying a rear wheel steering force dependent on the vehicle speed.

Abstract: In a four-wheel steering system for steering front and rear wheels of a vehicle in opposite directions in a low vehicle speed range, a rear wheel steering method steers the rear wheels more greatly in a predetermined low vehicle speed range in which a vehicle is usually steered by large angles than in a very low vehicle speed range lower than the predetermined range. The method insures a small turn of the vehicle while suppressing a change in the radius of a turn relative to the operation of a steering wheel immediately after the start of the vehicle.

Abstract: A four-wheel steering motor vehicle adapted to prevent a steering ratio of the rear wheels to the front wheels from varying at the time of sudden braking when the pressure of a brake liquid is reduced by an antilock brake unit.

Abstract: The steering operation of a motor vehicle with steerable front and rear road wheels is controlled by steering the rear road wheels with an actuator such as an electric motor which produces a steering force dependent on a deviation of the actual rear wheel steering angle from a target rear wheel steering angle. The rear road wheels are thus controlled with a characteristic dependent on the coefficient of friction of a road on which the motor vehicle travels and the steering speed at which the motor vehicle is steered.