Abstract: An electric power steering apparatus includes a control unit that calculates an assist controlled variable based on a plurality of types of state variables indicating steering statuses and controls a motor that serves as a generation source of an assist force applied to a steering mechanism of a vehicle based on the assist controlled variable. The control unit is configured to separately set limit values, which limit a change range of the assist controlled variable according to the respective state variables used to calculate the assist controlled variable, to the respective state variables, add up the limit values to generate ultimate limit value for the assist controlled variable, and perform limitation processing to limit the ultimate limit value for an assist controlled variable having a sign opposite to a sign of a steering torque that is one of the plurality of types of state variables.

Abstract: In a warning device for a vehicle, a basic target current value setting unit sets a basic target current value based on a steering torque and a vehicle speed. When a lane deviation determining unit determines that there is a high possibility that a vehicle will deviate from a lane, a warning vibration wave generator generates a warning vibration wave containing a plurality of frequency components. A target current value is computed by adding the warning vibration wave to the basic target current value. A motor current to be applied to an electric motor is controlled so as to approach the target current value.

Abstract: A steering device includes a fixed bracket which includes a first plate, a movable jacket which rotatably supports a steering shaft, a movable bracket which includes a second plate, a suspension mechanism and a resin pin. The suspension mechanism includes a suspension shaft connecting the first plate and the second plate, and is configured to move in a column movement direction along with the second plate at the time of the secondary collision. The resin pin is inserted into a first hole provided in the first plate and a second hole provided in the second plate, and is configured to be broken at the time of the secondary collision. The resin pin has a predetermined amount of play in a direction orthogonal to the column movement direction with respect to at least one of the first hole and the second hole.

Abstract: There is provided an reliable electric power steering system. The electric power steering system includes a torque sensor that outputs a detection signal corresponding to a steering torque, and a controller. The controller computes a detected steering torque value based on the detection signal, and a torque differential value, which is a first-order time differential value of the detected steering torque value. The controller computes a current command value by providing compensation to a basic current command value based on the detected steering torque value with the use of a compensation value based on the torque differential value. When the detected steering torque value is held for a predetermined period, the controller holds the torque differential value at a value computed before the detected steering torque value is held, during the period in which the detected steering torque value is held.

Abstract: A four-wheel drive vehicle includes front wheels, rear wheels to which a driving force of an engine is transmitted via a propeller shaft, a dog clutch that enables blocking of transmission of the driving force from the engine to the propeller shaft, and a multi-disc clutch that enables blocking of transmission of the driving force from the propeller shaft to the rear wheels. During two-wheel driving in which the transmission of the driving force through the dog clutch and the multi-disc clutch is blocked, an ECU in the four-wheel drive vehicle calculates an estimated driving force estimated to be transmitted to the front wheels based on a vehicle speed and an amount of acceleration operation. The ECU allows the multi-disc clutch to transmit the driving force when the estimated driving force is larger than a driving force threshold defined according to a slip limit torque for the front wheels.

Abstract: In a sliding shaft, an outer circumferential surface of a male shaft is coated with a resin coating layer formed by a fluidized bed powder coating method using a powder coating material containing a base resin and at least either a carbon black or a metal oxide as an antistatic agent. A steering device includes this sliding shaft as an intermediate shaft transmitting steering force.

Abstract: In a sliding shaft, an outer circumferential surface of a male shaft is coated with a resin coating layer formed by a fluidized bed powder coating method by using a powder coating material containing a base resin and an aliphatic compound. A steering device includes this sliding shaft as an intermediate shaft transmitting steering force.

Abstract: Provided are a method for measuring a bearing cup gap in a universal joint that enables bearing cups to be easily and accurately assembled to a yoke member, and a manufacturing method for a universal joint, to which the measuring method is applied. The measuring method is used for a universal joint including a yoke member, bearing cups, and a joint spider member to measure gaps between bottom surfaces of the bearing cups and the joint spider member. The method includes acquiring first relationship data, acquiring second relationship data, acquiring a displacement amount of the pair of bearing cups, and calculating a gap between bottom surfaces of the bearing cups and end surfaces of a pair of shaft portions based on the first relationship data, the second relationship data, and the displacement amount.

Abstract: A first plate of a stationary bracket has long holes which extend parallel to a column movement direction, and through which large-diameter portions of suspension bolts are passed. The inner circumferences of the long holes include: recessed curved surface portions of end portions in a direction opposite to the column movement direction; first inner edge portions which are on the side of a middle position between the long holes; and second inner edge portions. In a secondary collision, when the one suspension bolt slides over the first inner edge portion of the long hole, for example, a gap is formed between the other suspension bolt and the second inner edge portion of the long hole.

Abstract: In a steering system configured such that occurrence of a half lock is suppressed, when a body portion of a tooth member is pressed in a lock operation of locking the position of a steering column, the tooth member is extended to move a pair of second tooth row forming portions away from each other obliquely with respect to a lateral direction of an elongate tilt hole along the outer surface of a fastening side plate.

Abstract: A grinding machine includes a wheel spindle stock in which a wheel spindle is rotatably provided. The wheel spindle moves between first and second spindles so that a third rotation axis of the wheel spindle moves in the direction perpendicular to first and second rotation axes on an XZ plane extending through the first and second rotation axes. The grinding wheel that is held by the wheel spindle grinds a first workpiece as the wheel spindle stock moves toward a first headstock, and grinds a second workpiece as the wheel spindle stock moves toward a second headstock.

Abstract: A solenoid valve is provided which can be reduced in size while allowing a plunger and a shaft to slide smoothly. A solenoid valve includes a solenoid portion with a plunger that moves in an axial direction using a magnetic force generated by a solenoid coil. The solenoid portion has a cover member that houses the plunger, a shaft that is movable in the axial direction along with the plunger, and a core member that attracts the plunger in the axial direction. The shaft is supported by a first bearing portion formed on a cylindrical portion of the core member and a second bearing portion formed on a second bottom portion of the cover member such that the shaft is movable in the axial direction.

Abstract: A steering column device is provided with a suspension mechanism which is supported on a fixed bracket, suspends a movable jacket through a movable bracket, and can move in a column movement direction at the time of a secondary collision. The suspension mechanism includes a suspension bolt which is inserted into a first plate of the fixed bracket and a second plate of a tilt bracket and is screwed into a nut. A leaf spring which is interposed between a head portion of the suspension bolt and the second plate in a state of bringing a stepped portion of the suspension bolt into contact with the second plate biases the first plate to the second plate side. Further, the second plate is pinched between the stepped portion and the nut.

Abstract: When a steering speed reaches a steering speed determination threshold, a steering speed gain is set to “0”. As a result, a final basic assist controlled variable becomes “0”, and application of an assist force to a steering system is stopped. Therefore, repetition of so-called reverse assist that is a cause of occurrence of an unintended steering behavior, such as self-excited vibration, is stopped. Accordingly, the steering behavior is improved.

Abstract: A ball screw nut of a ball screw device is fastened to a motor shaft by engaging a male thread portion thereof with a female thread portion of the motor shaft. In a case where, in a movement pathway for balls, an area where the balls roll under load from a rack shaft and the ball screw nut is set as a load area, an area that does not receive the load is set as a no-load area, and areas for transition from the load area to the no-load area are set as transition areas, the male thread portion is formed such that the transition area on the nut-side joint portion-side closest to a seating surface does not overlap phase ranges of cut portions in a state where the ball screw nut is fastened to the motor shaft.

Abstract: A machining apparatus includes: a workpiece spindle having a retainer that retains a workpiece having a noncircular peripheral surface; an adjustment unit that adjusts a retaining force between the workpiece and the retainer; a phase determination member that can determine a phase of the workpiece; and a phase determination detection unit that detects completion of the phase determination. The retaining force is a retaining force for phase determination until the phase determination is completed, and the retaining force is switched to a retaining force for machining which is larger than the retaining force for phase determination after the phase determination is completed.

Abstract: The pressure reduction valve includes: a cylindrical portion, a piston and a spring. The cylindrical portion includes an inlet communicating with the primary side flow path and an outlet communicating with the secondary side flow path. The piston fitted into the cylindrical portion is slidable along an axis direction of the cylindrical portion within the cylindrical portion, and defines, within the cylindrical portion, a space communicating with the inlet and the outlet. The spring applies, to the piston, a force acting toward the space. The outlet is displaced in one direction from the center of the piston when seen in the axis direction. The force applied to the piston by the spring is distributed so as to deviate from the center of the piston to the side of the outlet.

Abstract: For machining a concave-convex gear in which concave teeth of the concave-convex gear and convex teeth of a mating gear are formed in a circumferential direction, to allow torque transmission to or from the mating gear, in a trajectory extracting step a relative movement trajectory of each convex tooth of the mating gear with respect to the concave-convex gear at the time when torque is transmitted is first extracted as a machining target. Then, in a machining step, the concave teeth of the concave-convex gear are machined on a disc-shaped workpiece by moving at least one of the disc-shaped workpiece and a working tool such that a relative movement trajectory of the working tool with respect to the disc-shaped workpiece coincides with the relative movement trajectory of each convex tooth of the mating gear with respect to the concave-convex gear extracted in the trajectory extracting step.

Abstract: In an abnormality detection system for a rotation angle sensor, a fact that an abnormality has occurred in one of sine signals (S1, S2) or in one of cosine signals (S3, S4) is detected based on a sum of the electrical signals (S1, S2), and a sum of the electrical signals (S3, S4) (first detection result). A fact that an abnormality has occurred in one of the positive sine and cosine signals (S1, S3) or in one of the negative sine and cosine signals (S2, S4) by comparing a first temperature computed using a correlation between an amplitude and a temperature and based on the electrical signals (S1, S3), a second temperature computed using a correlation between the amplitude and a temperature and based on the electrical signals (S2, S4), and a third temperature detected by a temperature sensor with each other (second detection result). A microcomputer identifies which of the electrical signals is abnormal by comparing the first and second detection results with each other.

Abstract: A torque detector includes: a magnetic flux collecting unit including a magnetic flux collecting holder formed in an annular shape by resin molding and a magnetic shield formed by bending a metal plate and attached to an outer peripheral face of the magnetic flux collecting holder; and a sensor housing formed integrally with the magnetic flux collecting unit. The magnetic shield has a shield body, a shield end portion, and a bent portion. A second angle formed between an outer side face of the shield end portion and a radial direction is smaller than a first angle formed between an outer peripheral face of the shield body and the radial direction.