Abstract: A novel thin ITO film formed on a substrate and containing Sn at a concentration of 0.6 to 2.8 atomic %. The thin ITO film can be used as a transparent electrically conducting film. A method of producing the thin ITO film includes a step of spraying a mixed solution of an indium salt and a tin salt onto a substrate left in the atmosphere. A stannous chloride is used as the tin salt and an alcohol solution is used as the solution. The thin ITO film of a low Sn concentration (0.6, 1.3 or 2.8 atomic %) exhibits a markedly decreased absorption coefficient in a long wavelength region (??500 to 1000 nm). The thin ITO film realizes a low resistivity (about 1.7×10?4 ?·cm).

Abstract: A drive device of a motor vehicle includes a reduction device coupled to a drive shaft of an SR motor, a differential device coupled to a reduction output shaft of the reduction device, a pair of differential output shafts respectively extending left and right from the differential device, and a pair of wheels respectively coupled to the differential output shafts.

Abstract: A damper mechanism that has a simplified structure and maintains torsional characteristics of a conventional damper mechanism is provided. The damper mechanism is equipped with an input rotating body 2, an output rotating body 3, and two or more coil spring assemblies 9. The two or more coil spring assemblies 9 elastically couple the input rotating body 2 and the output rotating body 3 together in a rotational direction and serve to absorb twisting torque. Each coil spring assembly 9 has at least one coil spring 41 whose center axis is roughly linear. At least one of coil spring assemblies 9 absorbs 35% to 50% of the twisting torque.

Abstract: A damper mechanism that has a simplified structure and maintains torsional characteristics of a conventional damper mechanism is provided. The damper mechanism is equipped with an input rotating body 2, an output rotating body 3, and two or more coil spring assemblies 9. The two or more coil spring assemblies 9 elastically couple the input rotating body 2 and the output rotating body 3 together in a rotational direction and serve to absorb twisting torque. Each coil spring assembly 9 has at least one coil spring 41 whose center axis is roughly linear. At least one of coil spring assemblies 9 absorbs 35% to 50% of the twisting torque.

Abstract: A display device on a meter panel of an automobile, indicates the following distance from a vehicle to a preceding vehicle by displaying multiple blocks, and recognition of the following distance is made easy thus preventing erroneous recognition. The display includes three blocks and three sub-blocks between a vehicle symbol and a preceding vehicle symbol. The three blocks can be switched between a display state and a non-display state and the three sub-blocks are constantly in a display state. The blocks and sub-blocks are positioned so as to correspond to each other. When all three blocks are in a display state, this denotes that the following distance is ‘long’, when two of the blocks are in a display state, it denotes that the following distance is ‘medium’ and when only one block is in a display state, it denotes that the following distance is ‘short’.

Abstract: An object detecting system for a vehicle includes a radar. The radar includes an electromagnetic wave transmitting device for transmitting an electromagnetic wave in a direction of movement of the vehicle and a reflected wave receiving device for receiving a reflected wave from an object which exists ahead of the vehicle in the direction of movement of the vehicle. A determining device determines the presence or absence of an obstacle in the direction of movement of the vehicle based on the result of the detection by the radar. In the object detecting system, the radar can detect objects in a plurality of vertically different detection areas, respectively. In addition, it is clear in which areas the object has been detected. Thus, it is possible to appropriately determine whether there is a possibility that the object is an obstacle to the vehicle.

Abstract: In an auto-cruise system for a vehicle, when a distance detected by a distance detecting device becomes shorter than a reference distance based on a value detected by a vehicle speed detecting device, a speed reducing command signal is output from a distance regulating device. A travel speed control device is capable of being switched over among a cruise speed control mode for controlling the vehicle speed such that a vehicle speed is equalized to a vehicle speed set by a speed setting device upon non-outputting of a speed reducing command signal, a speed reducing control mode for reducing the vehicle speed upon outputting of the speed reducing command signal, and a speed increasing control mode for increasing the vehicle speed until it is restored to the set vehicle speed in response to the disappearing of the speed reducing command signal.

Abstract: A collision judging system for a vehicle includes a sensor for detecting a relative speed between a subject vehicle and an object, and a judging section for judging a possibility of collision of the subject vehicle with the object based on the relative speed. In the collision judging system, when an output from the differentiating device exceeds a preset value, a signal indicative of a command to prohibit the judgment of the possibility of collision in the judging section is outputted from the prohibiting-signal outputting device, thereby avoiding the unnecessary judgment of the possibility of collision in the judging section.

Abstract: In a ranging sensor system for a vehicle for calculating a physical data between a subject vehicle and an object on the basis of the time between the transmission of a signal toward the object and the reception of a signal reflected from the object, a first obtained detection data is set as an offset value in an offset value setting circuit. The offset value is subtracted from the detection data in a subtractor, and an output from the subtractor is filtered in a filter circuit. The offset value is added to an output from the filter circuit in an adder to provide a physical data after the filtering. Thus, it is possible to eliminate an error included in detection data, while insuring a responsiveness and a stability.

Abstract: A collision judging system for a vehicle comprises a subject vehicle position estimating means for estimating the position of the subject vehicle after a lapse of a preset time from a certain braking start time, on the assumption that the braking is starting at such braking start time, an obstacle position estimating means for estimating the position of an objective obstacle after the lapse of the preset time, and the judging means for judging whether or not the position of the subject vehicle estimated by the subject vehicle position estimating means and the position of the obstacle estimated by the obstacle position estimating means coincide with each other. Thus, the judgment of collision can be performed with the avoidance of the collision by the driver's operation being taken into consideration, leading to an improved feeling of driving operation.

Abstract: A bypass line is provided to return an excess portion of working oil, whose pressure has been regulated by a regulator valve, to a suction side of an oil pump from a point between the regulator valve and a torque converter pressure regulator valve. An oil filter is inserted in the bypass line.

Abstract: First and second well regions of a second conductivity type are formed in a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type. An analog circuit is formed in the first well region. A digital circuit is formed in the second well region.

Abstract: In estimating the relative speed between a vehicle and an objective obstacle, a plurality of objective obstacle data are labeled, and an objective obstacle data preestimated on the basis of the past objective data is compared with an objective obstacle newly provided, thereby judging whether or not there is the same obstacle for every label. With regard to the objective obstacle data decided as being the same, the amount of variation in distance is determined for every label by comparison of the last data and the now data and divided by a sampling time to provide a relative speed. Thus, noise data can be eliminated to reliably provide a relative speed between a subject vehicle and an existent objective obstacle.

Abstract: In a vehicle equipped with a distance measuring unit capable of measuring a distance between the subject vehicle and an objective obstacle, the objective obstacle is detected along a widthwise direction of the vehicle by the distance measuring unit. Detection data detected by the distance measuring unit are developed on X and Y coordinates in which the widthwise direction of the subject vehicle is represented by an X axis; the longitudinal direction of the subject vehicle is represented by a Y axis, and the position of the subject vehicle is defined as an origin. Each of obstacle data is labeled in such a manner that the same labels are affixed to obstacle data which are in proximity to one another on the coordinates. The amount and direction of movement are calculated for every label on the basis of the last data and the current data, and a relative speed for every label relative to the subject vehicle is calculated by dividing the amount of movement by a sampling time.

Abstract: A collision preventing system for vehicles comprising a road surface friction coefficient judgement circuit for judging a friction coefficient of a travel road surface on the basis of a detection value detected by a wheel speed detector, and for outputting a judgement signal, when determination is made that the friction coefficient is equal to or less than a predetermined value, a first comparator adapted to deliver a first brake control signal indicative of a command to continuously operate each brake when there is a high possibility of collision, a second comparator adapted to deliver a second brake control signal indicative of a command to perform a pumping braking when there is a lower possibility of collision than that of the first brake control signal, and a changing-signal outputting circuit for outputting a changing-signal indicative of a command to change the operation control mode for each brake in response to the delivery of the judgement signal from the road surface friction coefficient judgement

Abstract: A motor vehicle brake system has braking force generating mechanisms mechanically separate from a brake pedal and controllable to impart braking forces to road wheels in response to detected depression of the brake pedal. The brake system has a sensor for detecting a displacement of the brake pedal and a sensor for detecting a force applied to the brake pedal. The braking force generating mechanisms are controlled by a controller based on the detected displacement of the brake pedal and the detected force applied to the brake pedal.

Abstract: Disclosed is a suspension having an improved transverse leaf spring with its longitudinal axis extending transversely of a car body. The leaf spring is operatively associated at opposite ends with the right and left wheels of a car and is curved along its intermediate length in the direction in which the car moves ahead or back. The curved portion may be along a full length of the leaf spring or along a length defines between support points on the leaf spring, and in the latter case, lengths extending from the respective support points to the ends of the leaf spring most adjacent thereto remain linear to form linear portions extending substantially perpendicularly with respect to respective suspension arm rocking shafts. Various forms of support elements are described for securing the leaf spring for only pivotal movement about one of the support points and both pivotal and linear movement about the other thereof.

Abstract: An electric brake system for a motor vehicle has a plurality of braking force generating mechanisms associated with respective road wheels and including electronic actuators mechanically separate from a brake pedal. In the event of a failure of at least one of the braking force generating mechanisms, the electric brake system selects and operates normal braking force generating mechanism or mechanisms for braking the motor vehicle stably with boosted braking forces. The braking force generating mechanisms are mechanically separate from the brake pedal and operable independently of each other. Failure detecting circuits are associated respectively with the braking force generating mechanisms, for detecting a failure of the braking force generating mechanisms and producing a failure signal representing the failure. The electric brake system includes a controller for controlling the braking force generating mechanisms in response to the signal from the brake pedal.

Abstract: In a motor disc brake system using an electric motor as a drive source of a thrust generating device that can move a piston in advancing and retracting directions, a slide bearing is interposed between a piston and a brake caliper carrying the piston for receiving a side thrust which is applied from a friction pad to the piston during braking. This serves to suppress increase in the slide resistance of the piston even under the action of such side thrust, enabling a strong braking force to be provided with use of a motor of small capacity.

Abstract: A voltage comparator circuit with hysteresis characteristics includes a voltage comparator circuit for comparing an input signal voltage with a comparison reference voltage and outputting a comparison result, a resistor element connected between the reference potential terminal and the comparison reference voltage input terminal of the voltage comparator circuit, a first constant current source for supplying current into the comparison reference voltage terminal and a second constant current source for deriving current out of the comparison reference voltage input terminal, and a control circuit for selectively activating one of the first and second current sources, in accordance with the logic level of an output of the voltage comparator circuit.