Abstract: A vehicle torque converter for forming a circulation path of an oil and transmitting a rotary torque is provided which includes an impeller, turbine and stator, each having a plurality of blades. Each blade of the stator is divided into a radially inner half portion and a radially outer half portion in a radial direction of the circulation path. The radially inner half portion has a front edge that is set back from a front edge of the radially outer portion, and is inclined with respect to a direction of a rotation axis of the torque converter by a larger angle than the radially outer half portion.

Abstract: An auxiliary brake apparatus is provided that includes an exhaust brake system for restricting a channel area of an exhaust passage so as to increase a resistance to rotary motion of an engine, and a retarder disposed between an automatic transmission and vehicle wheels, for generating a braking force that resists an engine brake torque transmitted to the automatic transmission.

Abstract: An electronic control system for an automotive vehicle includes communication portion provided between first and second control units and, specification information presenting portion arranged at the side of the first control unit for presenting specification information of the second control unit to the second control unit via the communication portion, specification information analyzing portion arranged at the side of the second control unit for analyzing the specification information, and control content setting portion arranged at the side of the second control unit for setting content of control depending upon the specification information on the basis of a result of analysis by the specification information analyzing portion. From the first control unit to the second control unit, the content of control of the second control unit is set depending upon the specification information by presenting the second control unit via the communication portion.

Abstract: An engine compartment cooling fan provided in an engine compartment is controlled by a control unit, to be placed in its ON or OFF state, on the basis of an output from an engine compartment temperature sensor. The control unit continues the control of the engine compartment fan for a predetermined period of time after a key switch is turned off, with power supplied from a battery through a by-pass line. This permits the engine to be re-started without difficulty even after a short time of stop of the vehicle. Upon lapse of the predetermined time, the control unit disconnects the power supply through the by-pass line and stops its operation. Since there is no power consumption after the end of the operation of the cooling fan, unnecessary consumption of the battery can be avoided.

Abstract: A spring untangling apparatus for separating tangled coil springs comprises a box having spring inlet and outlet apertures at opposed walls thereof. A spring inlet duct is led to the spring inlet aperture. A vibration device is provided for vibrating the spring inlet duct to cause the tangled coil springs in the inlet duct to move toward the spring inlet aperture. The box is configured so that the tangled coil springs are placed in order so that clusters of the tangled coil springs are led into the box one cluster after another. An air jet nozzle is arranged for forcing the tangled coil springs into the box through the spring inlet aperture with an aid of compressed air, and another air jet nozzle is arranged for blowing up the tangled coil springs in the box to violently hit the same against inner walls of the box thereby untangling the same.

Abstract: A downshift control device for an automatic transmission is provided in which a drive command is generated to a shift actuator when a shift command to change a gear ratio of the transmission is generated, to switch a shift valve and change oil paths, thereby to release a first engaging element that has been engaged in a first gear position established by the automatic transmission before the shifting operation, and engage a second engaging element that has been released in the first gear position, so as to establish a second gear position after the shifting operation.

Abstract: An automatic transmission learning control apparatus comprises a memory for storing parameters in memory locations specified for respective gear shift operation modes. A physical quantity related to a gear shift operation made in the automatic transmission is measured. The parameter stored in the memory location specified by the sensed gear shift operation mode is updated in a direction to bring the physical quantity into agreement with a target value. The parameter to be updated is limited between upper and lower limits set for each of the gear shift operation modes. The parameter stored in the memory location specified by the sensed gear shift operation mode is used to control the gear shift operation.

Abstract: A control device for a toroidal type continuously variable transmission is provided which controls the speed ratio of the toroidal type continuously variable transmission depending upon a current throttle opening and a current vehicle speed. This transmission includes an input disc and an output disc having mutually facing toroidal faces with oil films formed thereon, and a friction roller disposed between the input disc and the output disc to effect power transmission therebetween such that the speed ratio is changed by controlling an angle of inclination of the friction roller. The control device of the invention determines a temperature of the oil films, and sets at least one of an upper limit and a lower limit of the angle of inclination based on the determined temperature of the oil films, so that the speed ratio is controlled within the range of the angle of inclination set by the control device.

Abstract: A hydraulic control device determines whether the transmission is being shifted down, and upon determination of the shift-down action, determines whether the vehicle is in a power-on condition or in a power-off condition. Upon determination of the power-off condition, the hydraulic control device regulates the control oil pressure applied to the engaging element, such that the oil pressure is rapidly increased from the beginning of a shifting process, and is maintained at a high level until the shifting process is about to be completed. Upon determination of the power-on condition, the control device regulates the control oil pressure such that the oil pressure is maintained at a low level from the beginning of the shifting process, and is increased just before completion of the shifting process.

Abstract: An automatic power transmission assembled with a torque converter includes a lock-up mechanism for controlling the automatic power transmission with detecting a state of progress of a shifting operation in the automatic power transmission. A driving torque of an engine is temporarily lowered at a timing in the vicinity of completion of the shifting operation.

Abstract: A sleeve is covered on an outer peripheral surface of a shaft shaped part formed integrally with a support wall fixed to a casing of a transmission, to which sleeve a pair of seal rings are fitted putting a circumferential oil groove therebetween. A groove continuously formed in the outer peripheral surface and the tip end surface of the shaft shaped part is covered with the sleeve to form an oil passage structure. Part of oil supplied from an oil passage penetrating a main shaft to a discharge space for lubricating a bearing located at the tip end of the shaft shaped part flows into the oil passage structure and is further transferred to a space between the support wall and a clutch drum to lubricate the seal ring located on the side of the support wall from the outside.

Abstract: A cover body formed with AC2B is fixed to a casing of an automatic transmission and has a hole in the shaft center thereof. The cover body is subjected over the surface of the hole to a solution heat treatment at 500 centigrade degree for 3 hours and is tempered at 180 centigrade degree fo 4 hours to acquire hardness of 90 HB of more. An iron stator shaft for supporting a stator of a torque converter is pressed into the hole in the cover body.Since the plastic deformation of the hole part of the cover body is reduced, the interference between the stator shaft and the cover body is ensured, and the stator shaft is prevented from being displaced axially even at a high temperature.

Abstract: A system for carrying out shift control of an automatic transmission in accordance with a rotational speed of an input shaft thereof during shifting comprises calculating an input torque coefficient in accordance with torque of the engine detected and a rate of time change calculated, converting the input torque coefficient calculated into a velocity ratio, calculating a rotational speed of the input shaft of the automatic transmission in accordance with the rotational speed of the engine detected and the velocity ratio, and carrying out torque-down of the engine in accordance with the rotational speed of the input shaft calculated.

Abstract: An engaging apparatus is provided that includes: outer and inner support members having respective splines that are opposed to each other in a radial direction thereof, and being rotatable relative to each other; a plurality of outer friction plates engaging with the spline of the outer support member; a plurality of inner friction plates alternately superposed on the outer friction plates and engaging with the spline of the inner support member; and a hydraulic piston mechanism for compressing a stack of the outer and inner friction plates. A spring member is inserted between circumferentially opposed faces of a driven set of the friction plates and a spline of the corresponding support member. The spring member is formed by bending an elastic material at an axially intermediate point thereof to have a long side and a short side with a circumferential spacing left therebetween.

Abstract: An automatic transmission learning control apparatus comprises a memory for storing parameters in memory locations specified for respective throttle valve position ranges. A physical quantity related to a gear shift operation made in an automatic transmission is measured. The parameter stored in the memory location specified by the throttle valve position range including the sensed throttle valve position is updated in a direction to bring the measured physical quantity into agreement with a target value. The parameter stored in the memory location specified by the throttle valve position range including the existing throttle valve position is used to control the gear shift operation. The throttle valve position ranges have a smaller width for a throttle valve position causing a greater rate of change of a torque inputted to the automatic transmission with respect to a throttle valve position change.

Abstract: A lock-up apparatus is provided which includes: a lock-up clutch that divides an interior of a hydraulic power transmitting device into an apply chamber and a release chamber and operating according to a pressure difference between the apply chamber and the release chamber; a lock-up solenoid that generates a control oil pressure that varies with a duty ratio of a power pulse signal supplied thereto; and a pressure regulating valve that selectively supplies or discharge oil to or from the apply chamber and the release chamber, through first and second oil paths, respectively, with an oil pressure of the second oil path being applied against the control oil pressure, so as to regulate the oil pressure of the second oil path. The lock-up apparatus further includes a control device that starts changing the duty ratio from an initial value at a rate of change in response to a command to start engagement of the lock-up clutch, thereby to control an engaging process of the lock-up clutch.

Abstract: A method of controlling hydraulic pressure necessary for engaging a clutch in automatic transmission comprises correcting a friction factor in accordance with the relationship between a face pressure of the clutch corresponding to hydraulic pressure as provisionally determined and the friction factor, and correcting hydraulic pressure in accordance with the friction factor as corrected.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling a lockup clutch provided in an automatic transmission having an impeller and a turbine. The pressure of the oil supplied to the lockup clutch is controlled by a lockup solenoid which is operable on a control signal having a variable duty cycle to operate the lockup clutch in a complete lockup mode to complete a mechanical connection between the turbine and the impeller and a released lockup mode to provide a hydrodynamic driving connection between the turbine and the impeller.

Abstract: In a carrier connecting structure for an automatic transmission having a brake 6 that brakes and releases a rotating member 6a by oil pressure and a planetary gear mechanism 5 having a carrier 5e supporting a planetary gear train 5d, a fixing section 5i having fixing surfaces 5g, 5h oriented in a perpendicular direction and a circumferential direction relative to a shaft line is provided on the outer circumference of this carrier 5e, a flange 6d having fixing surfaces 6b, 6c which come in contact with the fixing surfaces 5g, 5h projects from the rotating member 6a, and the fixing section 5i of the carrier 5e and the flange 6d of the rotating member 6a are fixed by a screw member 9. Thus, the automatic transmission carrier connecting mechanism is easy to assemble and highly reliable.

Abstract: A lock-up damper includes a driving plate or flange formed integrally with a radially outer flange of a lock-up piston, a driven plate fixed to an outer peripheral portion of a turbine shell, and coil springs which are mounted between the driving and driven plates, such that the inner, front and rear sides of the coil springs are supported by the driven plate, and the outer sides thereof are supported by the inner surface of the driving plate.The driven plate consists of a single annular plate having inner, front and rear support faces for supporting the coil springs, and the front and rear faces do not extend beyond two orthogonal lines that are tangent to the coil spring and extend in parallel with the lock-up piston and the outer flange, respectively.