Abstract: A variable capacity type vane pump comprising a cam ring, a rotor placed for rotation within the cam ring. The rotor has a number of radial slots, and vances placed for radial inward and outward movement in the receptive slots each having a bottom. A pump chamber is defined between the cam ring and the rotor and it has an inlet and outlet port. The outlet port is connected through a conduit to the bottom of at least one of the slots having vanes moving inwardly in the respective slots. A restriction orifice is placed in the conduit. The cam ring is moved with respect to the rotor to vary the capacity of the vane pump in response to a pressure differential across the restriction orifice.

Abstract: An automotive suspension system includes means for monitoring bounding and rebounding strokes for producing a stroke indicative signal, and means for detecting frequency of bounding and rebounding strokes based on the stroke indicative signal. The suspension characteristics are hardened when the detected frequency is lower than a predetermined stroke frequency threshold for providing higher driving stability. On the other hand, when the detected stroke frequency is higher than or equal to the stroke frequency threshold, the suspension characteristics are switched between harder suspension characteristics and softer suspension characteristics depending upon stroke position for absorbing vibration energy and assuring riding comfort.

Abstract: A variable damping force shock absorber has a two separate bounding and rebounding fluid flow path, which the bounding fluid path is active for permitting fluid flow in a piston bounding stroke and the rebounding fluid path is active for permitting fluid flow in a piston rebounding stroke. A first flow restriction device is associated with the bounding fluid path for adjusting fluid flow path area of the bounding fluid path, which first flow restriction device is variable of magnitude of fluid flow restriction for adjusting damping characteristics for piston bounding stroke. A second flow restriction device is associated with the rebounding fluid flow path, which second flow restriction device is variable of flow restriction magnitude for adjusting damping characteristics for piston rebounding stroke. The first and second flow restriction devices are operable independently of each other.

Abstract: A valve timing control device for an internal combustion engine, comprises an engine synchronous rotary member, such as a timing sprocket, timing pulley and so forth, driven by an engine output in synchronism with engine revolution, and a camshaft.

Abstract: A variable damping force shock absorber includes a cylinder tube defining therein two axially aligned fluid chambers separated by a piston. The fluid chambers are connected via first and second fluid paths for fluid communication therebetween. A high damping force generating valve is disposed in the first fluid path. A low damping force generating valve is disposed in the second fluid path. A variable orifice is also formed in the second fluid path. The variable orifice is associated with a control valve which adjusts fluid path area of the variable orifice. The control valve is axially shiftable for adjusting the orifice area. A pressure chamber is formed opposing one axial end of the control valve, which pressure chamber is in fluid communication with one of the fluid chamber via the variable orifice.

Abstract: In a pump impeller structure employing a plurality of vanes arranged on the periphery of an impeller hub in a substantially radial direction of a pump shaft having a driving connection with the impeller, each vane including a particular geometry of a pressure surface therein. The pressure surface is formed concave in such a manner as to increase an angle defined between two tangential lines on a point of the pressure surface, form the innermost end of the vane to the outermost end of the vane, one tangential line being perpendicular to a straight line drawn in the radial direction of the impeller from the center of the pump shaft to the point on the pressure surface and the other tangential line being drawn along the contour of the pressure surface, both of the tangential lines being included in a same rotational plane of the vane.

Abstract: An oil passage structure for a rocker-arm shaft for an internal combustion engine, comprises an outer cylindrical member for rotatably supporting rocker arms and an inner cylindrical member press-fitted into the outer cylindrical member. The inner cylindrical member employs at least one concavity having a given axial length for defining at least two axial oil passages.

Abstract: A valve timing control device for an internal combustion engine includes an intermediate rotary component disposed between an input component which is driven in synchronism with an engine revolution, and a cam drive component which is rigidly connected to a camshaft. The intermediate component is variable of positions relative to the input and cam drive components in order to adjust phase relationship between the input component and the cam drive component for setting valve timing at optimal timing relative to engine revolution cycle. The device includes a hydraulic means which selectively locks the intermediate component at a selected position where optimal phase relationship relative to the engine driving condition is established.

Abstract: A shock absorber employs a seal structure which can sucessfully prevent a working fluid from causing leak flow for enhanced variation characteristics of damping force. The seal structure includes a seamless seal member applied on a piston and/or on an inner periphery of a piston rod guide member.

Abstract: A valve timing control system includes an engine revolution synchronous element driven in synchronism with engine revolution and a camshaft synchronous element rotating together with a camshaft. A phase adjusting means disposed between the engine revolution synchronous element and the camshaft synchronous element. The phase adjusting means includes movable gear member which is thrustingly movable to determine phase relationship between the engine revolution synchronous element and the camshaft synchronous element, and a hydraulic means for driving the movable gear member to a desired position. The hydraulic means is connected to a fluid pressure source via a hydraulic circuit. A check valve is disposed in the hydraulic circuit for preventing surge flow of the pressurized fluid from the hydraulic means toward the fluid pressure source.

Abstract: A fluid pump unit has a flow control valve which returns a portion of a working fluid discharged from a pump assembly when rotation speed of a rotor increases to become greater than a predetermined value. The flow control valve includes an essentially cylindrical spool chamber defined in a pump case, and a valve spool movably housed within the spool chamber. The spool chamber has a pair of through openings on the side wall thereof which through openings are selectively open and closed by movement of the spool valve. The pump case is formed with a pair of drain passages which are respectively communicated with the through openings of the spool chamber independently of each other. When rotation speed of a rotor of the pump assembly becomes greater than a predetermined value, the spool valve opens the through openings to return a part of the discharged working fluid to an inlet passage through which working fluid is introduced from a fluid source into the pump assembly.

Abstract: A variable discharge pump comprises a plurality of pumping units, each pumping unit including an outlet port discharging a particular volumetric discharge of working fluid, a plurality of outlet passages respectively communicating the outlet ports of each of the pumping units. Each of the outlet passages includes a supply passage provided for supplying the working fluid to a driven apparatus and a reflux passage provided for returning the working fluid to a working fluid reservoir, both being branched from the outlet passage.

Abstract: A valve timing control system has a cylindrical gear member disposed between a rotary element rotating in synchronism with engine revolution and a rotary element rotating in synchronism with a camshaft. An intermediate gear means is provided between the rotary elements for adjusting rotational phase relationship to each other. The intermediate gear means is responsive to a fluid pressure in a pressure chamber for causing axial shifting to vary phase relationship between the rotary elements according to the axial position thereof. The pressure chamber is connected to a fluid pressure source via a fluid circuit in which is provided means for controlling fluid pressure to be supplied to the pressure chamber.

Abstract: A suspension control system is designed to adjust suspension characteristics between hard and soft for bounding and rebounding stroke independently of each other. The system has a sensor means for monitoring speed of a vehicular body as a sprung mass for producing a vehicle body speed indicative signal, which vehicle body speed indicative signal has a variable signal polarity depending upon the direction of vibration, and a sensor means for monitoring relative speed between the vehicular body and a vehicular wheel as an unsprung mass for producing a relative speed indicative signal which also has a variable signal polarity depending upon the direction of relative movement of the vehicular body and the vehicular wheel. A control unit detects a combination of signal polarities of the vehicle body speed indicative signal and the relative speed indicative signal for adjusting damping characteristics for bounding and rebounding vibration independently of each other and depending on the detected combination.

Abstract: A mounting structure for a load sensor includes a load sensor which is designed to be mounted on a suspension member which causes distortion in response to input load. The load sensor is oriented on the suspension member in a position below the position where the suspension member is connected to a sprung mass.

Abstract: A rear wheel steering mechanism is disclosed in which an eccentric shaft drivingly connected to an electric motor includes an eccentric portion, a motion transmitting body is connected to a rod assembly in longitudinal fit manner, and a spherical joint whereby eccentric motion of said eccentric portion in response to rotational motion of the eccentric shaft causes said motion transmitting body to impart at least a reciprocal motion to said rod assembly.

Abstract: In order to ensure an adequate supply of oil onto the thrust surfaces of a reciprocating type internal combustion engine piston, recesses are formed in the skirt proximate each thrust surface. The boundary defined between the surface of the skirt and the recess is defined by a rounded surface which smoothly merges the recess with the surface of the skirt, eliminates sharp edges, and permits oil to flow uninhibited out of the recess onto the thrust surfaces.

Abstract: A fluid coupling includes a valve unit for reducing working fluid introduced into a labyrinth-groove to adjust a ratio of a rotation speed of a cooling fan to that of an internal combustion engine, when the engine speed is rapidly increased. The valve unit comprises a through opening formed in one surface of a partition member which divides an internal space within a housing into two fluid chambers, and a valve plate pivotably supported on the surface of the partition member. The pivotal axis of the valve member is on a plane essentially same as that of the surface of the partition member. When no load is applied to the valve member, the valve member is positioned such that the through opening remains open, and, when force applied thereto by rotation of the housing becomes greater than a predetermined value, the valve member is moved so as to close the through opening.

Abstract: A suspension control system monitors a lateral acceleration exerted on a vehicular body. Based on the lateral acceleration, discrimination of mode of vibration of a vehicular body is performed by deriving variation rate of magnitude of lateral acceleration. The variation rate of lateral acceleration is then compared with a reference value so that suspension characteristics can be controlled on the basis of the variation rate of the lateral acceleration.

Abstract: An actuator unit for an anti-skid brake system for an automotive vehicle, employs a built-in structure, in which all components, such as an EV valve, an AV valve, a pressure accumulator, an one-way check valve and so forth, are built-in a single cast block casing. Especially, fluid flow paths are formed integrally with the casing for enabling the overall unit compact enough for facilitating in the limited space in a vehicular body.