Abstract: In a fuel injection pump including a plunger barrel provided with a fuel pressure chamber, a plunger which reciprocates within this plunger barrel to take in fuel from a fuel reservoir chamber and deliver this fuel from the fuel pressure chamber under pressure, and a timing sleeve which is positioned between the plunger and the plunger barrel such that it slidably mates with the outside of this plunger, and on which a spill port is formed; a fuel injection pump is characterized by an impingement-cushioning cavity being formed on the surface of the inside wall of the plunger barrel in a position opposite the spill port of the timing sleeve along with the peripheral surface of the timing sleeve being formed in a certain shape corresponding to this impingement-cushioning cavity.

Abstract: A method of applying to surfaces of component parts of an evaporator hydrophilic coatings which do not emit offensive odors under operating conditions, or at other times. The method provides coatings in which water glass and colloidal silica are attached to the surfaces in the form of solids in an amount of 0.010 to 0.066 g/m.sup.2.

Abstract: In a control apparatus for actuating a vehicle safety device in response to the specific change in the magnitude of acceleration/deceleration of the vehicle which occurs upon a collision, the output signal from the acceleration/deceleration sensor is processed to obtain detected vehicle speed data relating to the running speed of the vehicle, and the maximum value of a positive-going peak in the change in the detected vehicle speed data is detected to determine a reference level used for discriminating the occurrence of collision. The magnitude of the detected vehicle speed data is compared with the reference level, whereby it is discriminated whether or not a collision has occurred on the basis of the condition of the change in the detected vehicle speed.

Abstract: A differential device includes a pair of propeller shafts extending into a housing, a pair of side gears connected respectively to the propeller shafts, and at least one pair of element gears having screw gear portions meshing respectively with screw gear portions of the side gears. The element gears have respective coupling gear portions meshing with each other. In order to improve a drive torque distribution, either pitch diameters or helix angles of the screw gear portions of the two side gears are different from each other. In order to reduce the overall diameter of the differential device, a spline portion and the screw gear portion of at least one of the two side gears are spaced from each other along an axis of the side gear, the spline portion serving to connect the side gear to the mating propeller shaft.

Abstract: A system for checking a malfunction in a controller. The controller includes a microcomputer connected between an input and output terminal of the controller. The microcomputer is programmed to perform a normal control mode, to perform a self-checking mode, and to judge whether conditions of entry into the self-checking mode are met so as to select one of the two modes. An external circuit is connected between the input and output terminals of the controller so as to establish a predetermined relation between the voltage levels of the input and output terminals. In the self-checking mode, the microcomputer outputs a control signal for setting the output terminal to one of high and low logic voltage levels.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling a blower motor composed of a brushless motor is operative to control the blower motor, in the pulse width modulation (PWM) mode, with a number of pulses which are inversely proportional to a setting speed so as to reduce the motor operation noise and power consumption. An appropriate selection of the waveform to be supplied to the blower motor or the disturbance of the exciting timing of an exciting coil of the blower motor is effective to prevent the occurrence of a resonance phenomenon caused by vibrations produced by the blower motor.

Abstract: A jointing structure of a rotor and a shaft has a rotor made of aluminum alloy having a through-hole at a center thereof, and a shaft made of steel which is to be press fitted into the through-hole of the rotor, the shaft being formed at least at a part of a surface to be jointed with the through-hole of the rotor with a hump and valley portion along an axis thereof, the outer diameter of the hump portion being larger than the inner diameter of the through-hole, the hump and valley portion of the shaft being press fitted into the through-hole of the rotor.

Abstract: In a vehicle safety device control apparatus having an energy reservoir, a current regulator for regulating the current supplied from the energy reservoir to a firing element of the safety device, and a controller for controlling the current regulator so as to supply energy for actuating the firing element in response to a vehicle collision, the current regulator is also controlled so as to supply a check current with a level insufficient to actuate the firing element to the fired element so as to produce a detection signal indicative of the condition of the firing element. The condition of the detection signal is checked by a first discriminator and the conditions of the channel and the firing element are determined. In the case where the capacity of the energy reservoir is not sufficient, the output voltage of the energy reservoir falls sharply when the check current is drawn therefrom. A second discriminator is provided to discriminate whether or not the capacity of the energy reservoir is sufficient.

Abstract: A compressor has a cylinder formed of an aluminum alloy, and a moving member slidably received within the cylinder. Hard particles are dispersed in the inner peripheral surface portion of the cylinder. The hard particles are formed of a chemical compound such as a nitride and a carbide. The cylinder is manufactured by preparing a first green compact formed of a mixture of a powdery material for the aluminum alloy and the hard particles and a second green compact formed solely of the powdery material, preparing a billet having an inner layer formed of the first green compact, and an outer layer formed of said second green compact, placing the billet in a preheated state into a container and further heating same therein, and fitting a mandrel through a central bore of the billet and pressurizing the billet to extrude same through a die hole in a die.

Abstract: A differential device for a vehicle includes a pair of shafts extending into a housing, a pair of side gears connected respectively to the shafts, and at least one pair of element gears having respective screw gear portions meshing with respective screw gear portions of the side gears. The element gears have respective coupling gear portions in mesh with each other. The pair of element gears are received in an opening formed in the housing. Each of the element gears is rotatably supported on a journal pin which is removably supported at its opposite ends on a pair of opposed receiving surfaces respectively defining the opposed ends of the opening which are spaced from each other in a direction of the periphery of the housing. A friction-adjusting washer is interposed between the end face of the element gear and the receiving surface.

Abstract: In a control system for actuating a vehicle air-bag, a data representing change in the detected vehicle speed is calculated on the basis of the acceleration sensed by a vehicle acceleration sensor. The data is compared with a reference signal depending upon a temperature relating to that of an actuating member of the air-bag to discriminate whether or not the change in the detected vehicle speed has reached a level determined by the reference signal, whereby the complete inflation of the air-bag is ensured when a collision occurs without a time delay regardless of changes in temperature.

Abstract: In a method for automatically controlling the gear-shifting operation of a vehicle gear transmission so as to shift the transmission to a calculated target position according to the vehicle operation parameter(s), the stability of the calculated target position is discriminated and the required gear-shifting operation is carried out only when the stability satisfies a prescribed condition, whereby unnecessary gear-shifting operations can be effectively eliminated even if for some reason the calculated target gear position frequently changes.

Abstract: A system for controlling the activation of an air bag for a vehicle includes a capacitor connected to a battery via a main electric wire. The supply of electric current from the capacitor to a squib of the air bag is controlled by a first switch. Upon collision of the vehicle, the first switch is closed to allow current to flow to the squib of the air bag. The control system further includes a malfunction alarm device which is connected to the battery via an auxiliary electric wire. The supply of current from the battery to the malfunction alarm device via the auxiliary electric wire is controlled by a second switch. When an electric current path, extending between the battery and the capacitor and including the main electric wire, is interrupted, the second switch is intermittently closed to operate the malfunction alarm device.

Abstract: A vane compressor includes a cylinder having a pair of side blocks. A communication passage is formed through at least one of the side blocks. The communication passage has one end thereof opening into a discharge pressure chamber, and another end thereof opening in a rotor side end face of the at least one of the side blocks at a location corresponding to the orbital path of an end of a back pressure chamber defined in each of vane slits having a vane slidably fitted therein. The communication passage is provided therein with a valve which opens the communication passage when the difference between pressure in the discharge pressure chamber and pressure in the back pressure chamber is below a predetermined value, and closes same when the difference in pressure is above the predetermined valve.

Abstract: In an automatic transmission system having a selector and a generator responsive to the operation of the selector for generating electric information indicating the operation condition of the selector, the nature of the malfunction or trouble arising in the generator is discriminated on the basis of the change in the electric information. This discrimination may be made as to whether or not there is a malfunction condition wherein no information is obtained for any set position, whether or not there is a malfunction condition wherein the information indicating a specific position is always produced. When there is a malfunction therein, the position set by the selector is assumed by taking into account the nature of the malfunction, making it possible to control the gear-shift operation even if there is malfunction.

Abstract: In an apparatus for controlling a variable displacement compressor incorporated in an automobile air-conditioner, the displacement of the compressor is varied with a change in the target cooling temperature. The change rate of the target cooling temperature thus changed is limited to such an extent that a sudden change in displacement of the compressor is prevented to maintain the drivability of an automobile and to change the cooling power of the evaporator gently, thereby keeping a pleasant feeling during the temperature regulating operation. The change rate of the target cooling temperature can be selected from a plurality of predetermined values to meet a current controlling condition so that the reliability of the air-conditioner is improved.

Abstract: An injection timing control device for a distributor-type fuel injection pump, has a timer piston slidable within a cylinder in response to a difference between pump chamber pressure and the force of a timer spring to thereby rotate a roller holder for varying the fuel injection timing. A movable seat member is urged by a second spring toward the timer piston, and has one end thereof disposed for urging contact with one end face of the timer piston, which has a total effective pressure receiving area at which the pump chamber pressure acts on upon the timer piston. The total effective pressure receiving area is decreased while the seat member abuts against the one end face of the timer piston.

Abstract: A hydraulic control circuit adequate to control a main hydraulic actuator and auxiliary hydraulic actuators. The main actuator drives farm machinery mounted to an agricultural tractor or the like. The auxiliary actuators drive farm attachments independent of said farm machinery. At least two hydraulic pumps and at least two sets of control valves are connected in series. The exit of one hydraulic pump is connected with the other hydraulic pump via a check valve. Said one hydraulic pump is connected with a tank via an openable valve upstream of the check valve. The upstream set of control valves is used to control the auxiliary hydraulic actuators needing more flow rate than the downstream set of control valves. The openable valve has an offset valve at its one end to determine the direction of flow. The openable valve is either opened or closed by the pressure admitted from the downstream side of the upstream set of control valves.

Abstract: An electromagnetic valve includes a tubular valve member fitted on a cylindrical guide member for sliding movement therealong. The guide member has an axial introduction passage leading to a valve seat of the valve member via a communication passage. When the valve member is disengaged from the valve seat, a high-pressure fluid in the introduction passage is spilled into a low pressure chamber provided around the guide member. The electromagnetic valve is incorporated in a unit fuel injector so as to control the spilling of the fuel pressurized by a pump mechanism. In the unit fuel injector, the pump mechanism, the electromagnetic valve and an injection nozzle mechanism are mounted on a linearly-extending body and disposed on the axis of said body. A plunger of the pump mechanism and a nozzle of the injection nozzle mechanism extend along the axis of the body. The electromagnetic valve is disposed between the pump mechanism and the injection nozzle mechanism.