Abstract: A clutch assembly adapted to be fixed to the casing of a transmission includes a clutch housing having a clutch subassembly supported therein and a piston housing having a piston subassembly supported therein. The clutch housing and the piston housing are disposed in abutting relation relative to one another such that the piston subassembly is moveable within the piston housing to actuate the clutch subassembly in the clutch housing. At least one of the housings includes at least one anti-rotation lug mounted thereon and adapted to be received in a corresponding recess in the casing of the transmission. The anti-rotation lug includes an overlapping portion which overlays the other of the housings when they are disposed in abutting relation relative to one another. The anti-rotation lug also includes a slot. The other of the housings includes at least one tab extending therefrom and corresponds to the slot.

Abstract: A hydraulic chain tensioner has a stop mechanism. The tensioner includes a housing having a bore with a fluid filled chamber and a hollow piston slidably received within the bore and biased in a protruding direction by a spring. The housing has a set of teeth formed on the outside. The stop mechanism includes a rack that is connected to the piston and that extends along the side of the housing. The rack also has a set of teeth that engage the teeth of the housing.

Abstract: A power transmission chain having a plurality of links, with each link having a pair of apertures. The links are connected by rocker pins inserted in the apertures. The radius of curvature of a convex rocker contact surface of a pair of rocker pins is from approximately 0.6 to 1.6 times the pitch of the chain. In another embodiment, each of the rocker pins includes an arc-like rocker surface, a seat surface, and a flank surface that connects the above two. The aperture includes an arc-like support surface that supports the seat surface and side surface and is located with certain clearance from the flank surface. Also, the chain pitch line is located within the aperture seat surface.

Abstract: A chain tensioner having a shoe, a coil spring, and a bushing disposed through the coils of the spring. The shoe has a chain wear surface and a spring wear surface. The coil spring has a coiled section and two legs extending away from the coiled section which contact the spring wear surface of the shoe. The legs of the coil spring impart a spring force on the shoe and cause the shoe to tension a chain.

Abstract: An integrated chain tensioner having a tensioner arm that includes a first side, a second side, a first end, and a second end. The tensioner arm also includes a fluid reservoir defined by at least a portion of the first side, the second side, the first end, and the second end. Further, a pivot bore is disposed in the first end and a tensioner bore is disposed in the first side of the tensioner arm. A hydraulic tensioner is disposed in the tensioner bore such that the hydraulic tensioner is in communication with the reservoir.

Abstract: The power transmission chain of the present invention is formed of two parallel chains that are phased or offset by approximately one-half pitch. The chains are connected by struts that extend across the entire width of both chains. The power transmission chain belt of this invention provides for a restricting device in the interchain gap of the load block. Offset occurring during the speed change of a continuously variable transmission can be absorbed by the above mentioned gap. In one embodiment, the restricting device is in the form of a stop ring provided near the middle of the gap between the two side-by-side chains.

Abstract: A power transmission chain with a spring link of improved durability. The chain includes a plurality of link plates. Each of the links has a pair of pinholes. The links are interleaved and are connected by rocker joints inserted in the pinholes. Guide links are placed at the outermost sides of the inner links. A spring link with a pair of pinholes formed in it is placed between adjacent link plates. The link plate contacting parts at both ends of spring link are located outside of the link apertures. The spring links may also be placed in the chain in two different orientations.

Abstract: A hydraulic chain tensioner has a check valve vent. The tensioner includes a housing having a bore with a fluid filled chamber, a hollow piston slidably received within the bore and biased in a protruding direction by a spring, and a check valve assembly which permits fluid to flow from an external source through the valve and into the fluid filled chamber. The vent includes a disc positioned against the inlet from the external source of fluid. The disc has at least one channel formed on the surface of the disc facing the external source. The channel has a first end at the periphery of the disc and a second end at the center point of the disc.

Abstract: A hydraulic tensioner with a sealing element to provide fluid leakage from a fluid filled chamber. The tensioner includes a housing having a fluid filled chamber and a hollow piston slidably received within the chamber and biased in a protruding direction by a spring. A sealing element is positioned in a groove in the piston or is mounted in the inner wall of the chamber. The sealing element is discontinuous so as to permit the passage of fluid from the fluid filled chamber to outside of the hydraulic tensioner. Fluid leakage is limited and controlled by discontinuity size of the sealing element.

Abstract: A solenoid exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve (12) includes a first inductive coil (48) that generates a magnetic field when energized by a signal from a control unit (13). The magnetic field drives a ferromagnetic armature valve (64) open and closed--metering the flow of recovered exhaust gases from an engine exhaust manifold (14) to an engine air intake manifold (16). The exhaust gas flow rate depends upon the amount of current flowing through the first coil (48). The resistance of the first coil (48) is temperature-dependent. Therefore, to reduce changes in coil current and magnetic field strength due to temperature changes, the first coil (48) is connected in series with a thermistor (75) having a temperature coefficient of resistance that is opposite that of the first coil (48). A temperature stable resistor in the form of a second coil (72) is connected across the thermistor (75) to modify the thermistor temperature-response curve to more closely offset that of the first coil (48).

Abstract: A power transmission chain reduces the chordal motion, or up/down motion, of the chain, which permits a reduction in the noise of the chain. In the chain, the inside flank and outside flank of the link teeth are formed to satisfy P.sub.2 .gtoreq.P.sub.1 .gtoreq.P.sub.3 and R.gtoreq.2.times.P, when P.sub.1 is the pitch between the outside flanks on the mesh pitch line of link plates 2, P.sub.2 is the pitch between the inside flanks of two other adjacent link plates that engage with teeth of the links when the chain is stretched nearly straight, and P.sub.3 is the pitch between the inside flanks when the chain is wrapped around the sprocket. R is the radius of curvature of the inside flank and P is the chain pitch.

Abstract: A dry tuned damper (10) for mounting on an outboard end of a camshaft (C), the damper (10) having an annular housing (12) defined by inner and outer annular walls (14, 16) and an end wall (18) extending transversely therebetween, with a partition (20) extending diametrically between the inner and outer walls (14, 16) to divide the housing (12) into an opposed pair of compartments (22, 24). Shoes (26, 28) are positioned in the compartments (22, 24) and are biased outwardly against the outer wall (16) by a multitude of compression spring assemblies (30) each of which comprises a concentric pair of inner and outer springs (34, 36) trapped between the partition (20) and one of the shoes (26, 28) and slidably and retained by a pin (32) that extends through the partition (20) between the compartments (22, 24) and concentrically through the opposed pair of inner springs (34).

Abstract: A part time four wheel drive vehicle has an axle disconnect in its auxiliary drive axle. The axle disconnect has a clutch sleeve non-rotatably and translatably mounted on an inner axle shaft so that the clutch sleeve translates between a first position where clutch teeth of the clutch sleeve engage clutch teeth of an outer axle shaft and a second position where the clutch teeth disengage. The clutch sleeve includes an integral annular piston that is part of a coaxial motor that shifts the clutch sleeve from one position to the other in conjunction with a return spring. The vacuum motor communicates with an external vacuum source and the axle disconnect includes a float valve for sealing a vacuum port of the vacuum motor to protect the external vacuum source against contamination if the vacuum motor is filled with lubricant in the axle housing leaking into the vacuum motor housing.

Abstract: An improved transmission brake band (10) and a method of forming the same s an improved reaction bracket (20) formed as an upraised dome (36) surrounding a reaction opening (32). An insert member (42), having a volcano-type body (44) integrally formed with a peripheral flange (46) is engaged with the dome (36) and opening (32) so that the body (44) is positioned in the opening (32) and the flange (46) is received by the dome (36).

Abstract: The free-wheel has an inner ring (30, 138) and an outer ring (32, 140). Generally bone-shaped clamping elements (18, 116) are located between the rings (30, 32; 138, 140) which are provided with an outer radial thickening (24), a central waist (22, 152) and an inner radial thickening (20, 150). A cage ring (10, 142) that guides the clamping elements (18, 116) in a synchronous manner is arranged at the height at the inner radial thickening (20, 150). The cage ring (10, 142) consists of two cage ring segments (34, 144) that have an axial distance to each other and axial webs (38, 146) that connect the same and between which pockets (14, 148) for the clamping elements (18, 116) are formed. The cage ring (10, 142) consists of a viscoelastic plastic material, in particular an elastomer.

Abstract: Improved pulse width modulation technique provides for an increased sampling rate without an increased ON/OFF rate at associated control devices. Both ON/OFF and OFF/ON edges in a PWM signal are modulated. The system then samples at twice the pulse turn-on rate to provide more frequent sampling. System response time may be decreased without an increase in the operating frequency for the associated control device. Particular application of the present invention may be found in continuously variable transmission systems which utilize PWM-controlled electohydraulic valves for ratio control, line pressure control and clutch control. A system for implementing the PWM signal has a duty-cycle calculator coupled with timing circuits to control input data reading functions and circuit enabling, leading edge and trailing edge regulators and an output pulse generator.

Abstract: A solenoid operated hydraulic control valve system including a solenoid operated valve having a specially ported spool valve to statically balance spool forces in the opened and closed positions.

Abstract: An electromechanical valve assembly is provided for regulation of hydraulic or pneumatic flow. The coil assembly of the solenoid portion of the valve is spring biased against the valve assembly. The coil assembly can be rotated through a full 360 degrees about the valve assembly to allow connection to an electrical wiring harness.

Abstract: A control strategy for obtaining optimal acceleration of a vehicle containing a dual range infinitely variable transmission. The transmission output clutch is selectively engaged in order to provide an optimal distribution of power during acceleration of a vehicle between accelerating the vehicle and accelerating the engine speed in order to obtain a higher power output from the engine.

Abstract: A chain-belt for engagement with the pulleys of a continuously variable transmission consists of interleaved sets of chain links joined for articulation by a joint which has a rocking action. The joint includes a pair of pins. A small camber is introduced into one or both of the pins to create a spring load between the pins and the links to retain the pins in the chain during handling and assembly. Each chain link includes a pair of spaced apertures adjacent the opposite ends; each aperture has a generally hour-glass shape with the enlarged ends receiving the pins. Also, each chain link has a pair of oppositely disposed tabs adjacent one end with the location of the tabs on the links alternating on adjacent links of each set. In addition the outermost two links of each set of links had a width substantially less than the width of the inner links in that same set.