Abstract: An electric power converter includes a semiconductor module, a cooler, and a pair of direct current bus bars. The direct current bus bars are connected to the semiconductor. The direct current bus bars serve as current paths between the direct current power supply and the switching element. The cooler is made of metal, and is electrically connected to ground. A proximal bypass capacitor is formed close to the switching element by a heat radiating plate integrated with the semiconductor module, the cooler, and an insulating layer interposed between them. The electric power converter further includes a pair of distal bypass capacitors, each of which has a larger capacitance than the proximal bypass capacitor has, and has a current path to the switching element of which a length is longer than a current path to the switching element from the proximal bypass capacitor.

Abstract: A motor control device includes: a substrate on a heat sink; switching elements providing a power converter; a drive circuit IC having a pre-driver; a control circuit IC having a current control unit; first and second temperature detectors; and a temperature estimation unit of evaluation places. When the current control unit is halted after operation and is restarted after halt, the temperature estimation unit: stores estimated temperature and the first and second detected temperature at the halt; calculates, as an estimated gain, a ratio of a temperature difference at the halt to a temperature difference at restart; and estimates temperature at the restart based on a temperature difference obtained by multiplying a temperature difference between the first detected temperature and the estimated temperature at the halt by the estimated gain, and increased temperature.

Abstract: A semiconductor device having a super junction structure includes: multiple first columns extending in a current flowing direction; and multiple second columns extending in the current flowing direction. The first and second columns are alternately arranged in an alternating direction. Each first column provides a drift layer. The first and second columns have a boundary therebetween, from which a depletion layer expands in case of an off-state. At least one of the first columns and the second columns have an impurity dose, which is inhomogeneous by location with respect to the alternating direction.

Abstract: An air conditioner for a vehicle includes a casing having therein first and second air passages through which outside air and inside air flow respectively. A heating heat exchanger is arranged in the first and second air passages to heat air. First and second air mix doors are arranged respectively in the first and second air passages to adjust a ratio between a flow amount of air passing through the heating heat exchanger and a flow amount of air bypassing the heating heat exchanger. Each of the first and second air mix doors is a slide door in which a plate door body part slides in a direction being applied by its own weight. The second air mix door slides in a sliding direction inclined relative to a sliding direction of the first air mix door by an angle toward a horizontal direction.

Abstract: A distance sensor for vehicles is provided which includes a sensor device and an electric connector for an electrical connection between the sensor device and a mating connector. The connector includes at least one first terminal pin and at least one second terminal pin. The first terminal pin has a first section leading to the sensor device and a second section extending toward an inlet opening of the connector. The second terminal pin has a first section leading to the sensor device and at least two branched second sections extending toward the inlet opening of the connector. Specifically, the second terminal pin is shaped to provide two-pin plugs, thereby permitting the size of the connector to be reduced, which facilitates ease of installation of the distance sensor to, for example, a bumper of the automotive vehicle.

Abstract: A first passage has a branch position where a second passage is branched from the first passage to move air along a reference vector. The second passage accommodates a thermal sensor. The first passage has a throttle at a downstream of the branch position. The throttle has a throttle wall surface having a normal vector directed inwardly. A width direction is perpendicular to both a flow direction of air in the throttle and the reference vector. The throttle wall surface has a specific region, in which the normal vector includes a vector component in the width direction, and an angle ? between the normal vector and the reference vector is in a range of 90 degrees<?<180 degrees.

Abstract: An occupant protection device includes (i) an electronic control unit having a control board, (ii) a parallel connection bus having two lines, (iii) multiple satellite sensors connected to the parallel connection bus, (iv) a squib connected to the parallel connection bus, and (v) an accident prevention diode located close to the squib. The control board includes an interface and a processor. Each of the satellite sensors includes a distributed system interface which is located between the two lines. The parallel connection bus is supplied with a sensor drive voltage. The electronic control unit starts to operate at least one of the occupant protection portions based on a result of the collision determination by the control board.

Abstract: A high-pressure pump includes a plunger for pressurizing a fuel, a cylinder accommodating the plunger reciprocatably in its axial direction and a pump body. The pump body defines a pressurization chamber, a low-pressure fuel passage hydraulically connecting a fuel inlet and the pressurization chamber, and a discharge passage. The pump body further defines a cylindrical space around the cylinder. The fuel flows into the cylindrical space from the low-pressure fuel passage so as to cool the cylinder. The entire outer surface of the cylinder can be surely cooled.

Abstract: A method of operating a navigation system in a vehicle may entail invoking an off-road mode of the navigation system; displaying a first off-road terrain on a navigation system display; displaying a first present location of the vehicle on the display, inputting a first user-input off-road destination into the navigation system; inputting a first user-input off-road waypoint into the navigation system; displaying straight line trajectories between the start point, the first user-input off-road waypoint and the destination on a display of the navigation system and displaying a first real-time path of on-screen breadcrumbs as the vehicle travels off-road in current or real-time; shifting on the display, each user-entered off-road waypoint to a closest on-screen breadcrumb of the first real-time path; shifting on the display, the user-entered destination to the closest on-screen breadcrumb; and storing the first real-time path in a memory of a navigation control unit.

Abstract: In a drive system of a vehicle, the drive power of an engine is divided by a planetary gear set to drive two power transfer shafts. One of the two shafts includes a continuously variable transmission unit and a clutch. The output sides of the two shafts are coupled to a common power output shaft, which is coupled to an AC motor. In a power transfer condition of the clutch, the vehicle is driven with only the output drive power of the engine or both drive powers of the engine and the AC motor. In a power interruption condition of the clutch, the vehicle is driven with only the drive power of the AC motor. The kinetic energy generated at deceleration of the vehicle is converted into electric energy by the AC motor thereby to perform regenerative braking.

Abstract: A control system for multiphase rotary electric machines is provided. The control system carries out control of the output of a multiphase rotary electric machine by operating switching elements of an inverter, so that more appropriate measure can be taken when malfunction has occurred in the inverter. A rotary shaft of an internal combustion engine, a rotary shaft of a generator and a rotary shaft of a motor are linked through a torque-splitting mechanism. The control system carries out failsafe processes, at the occurrence of short circuit in a switching element of the inverter, to control load torque of the generator so as to prevent rotation of a rotary shaft of the internal combustion engine in a non-operative state, which rotation is induced by a motive force of the motor.

Abstract: The vehicle-use start control system includes a control section which initializes a control signal outputted from the control section when a power supply voltage supplied is lower than or equal to a predetermined initialization voltage, and sets a voltage level of the control signal depending on the detected shift range of the automatic transmission, and a latch section which outputs a start permission/inhibition signal a voltage level of which is indicative of starting of an engine of the vehicle being permitted or inhibited. The latch section latches the voltage level of the start permission/inhibition signal when the power supply voltage is predicted to be lower than or equal to the initialization voltage during the start processing period.

Abstract: A ring-like groove 140 for accommodating a seal ring 130 is formed in fitting surfaces 12c and 13c of pressure introduction portions 12b and 13b for introducing a pressure from a measured member 200 to a sensing portion. The pressure introduction portions 12b and 13b are fitted to the measured member 200 through the seal ring 130. Projection portions 141 are formed on the side surface of the groove 140 and a part of the seal ring 130 is pressed at these projection portions 141 into the groove 140. The seal ring 130 is thus retained inside the groove 140.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a current detection cell including a current detection device and a main cell including a power device with a means for preventing the current detection cell from being damaged by an external surge. The main cell including a first IGBT as the power device and the current detection cell including a second IGBT as the current detection device are created as a semiconductor device on a P+ substrate. A surge protection resistor is connected to the emitter of the second IGBT of the current detection cell. If a surge current caused by the external surge makes an attempt to flow through the second IGBT of the current detection cell, the surge protection resistor will limit the magnitude of the current. Thus, the magnitude of the surge current will not become a very large value.

Abstract: In a rotary electric machine stator, a stator coil is formed of plural U-shaped conductor segments. Each of the conductor segments has a U-shaped turn portion disposed at one end of a stator core to form one of said coil ends, a pair of in-slot portion extending from the turn portion and inserted into slots and end portions extending from the in-slot portions to form the other coil end. One of the end portions of one of the U-shaped conductor segments extends straight in an axial direction, and the other bends in a circumferential direction by a predetermined angle to provide a wide cooling surface.

Abstract: In a refrigerant cycle having a gas refrigerant bypass passage through which high-temperature gas refrigerant is introduced from a compressor into an evaporator while bypassing a condenser, a super-heating degree of gas refrigerant discharged from the compressor is determined according to signals from a pressure sensor and a temperature sensor disposed at a refrigerant discharging side of the compressor. According to the super-heating degree of gas refrigerant discharged from the compressor, refrigerant staying in the condenser is controlled so that refrigerant amount circulating in the refrigerant cycle is suitably controlled. Thus, heating capacity of the refrigerant cycle using the gas refrigerant bypass passage is improved, while the compressor is protected.