Abstract: A drive force transmission device has an outer clutch plate and an inner clutch plate, which are rotatable relative to each other about a common rotational axis. The inner and outer clutch plates become frictionally engaged with each other with lubricant oil provided in between. The outer and inner clutch plates each have a sliding surface. The sliding surfaces face each other. A diamond-like carbon film is formed on the sliding surface of the outer clutch plate. Fine grooves are formed in the sliding surface of the inner clutch plate. The proportion of the sliding area to the sliding surface of the inner clutch plate at the initial stage of use is 55 to 90%.

Abstract: An adjustable steering apparatus includes: a movable bracket to which a steering jacket including a steering wheel is fixed and to which a movable telescopic member having a tooth portion is fixedly mounted; a stationary bracket which is disposed externally of the movable bracket and fixed to a vehicle body, and to which a stationary tilt member having a tooth portion is fixedly mounted; a movable tilt member having a tooth portion meshingly engageable with the tooth portion of the stationary tilt member; and a stationary telescopic member having a tooth portion meshingly engageable with the tooth portion of the movable telescopic member. An elastic body for release from meshing engagement is disposed on an outer side of the stationary bracket, the elastic body being capable of urging the movable tilt member away from the stationary tilt member.

Abstract: A parallel shaft gear mechanism (19a) for a steering assist of the present electric power steering apparatus (1) includes an idle gear (26) rotatably supported via a rolling bearing (39), on an outer peripheral surface (37d) of an intermediate shaft (37) supported by a rack housing (15). The idle gear (26) is arranged in an annular synthetic resin member (43) fixed on the outer peripheral surface (44a) of an outer ring (44) of the bearing (39). On the outer peripheral surface (44a) of the outer ring (44), a regulating portion (53, 53A, 53B, 53C, 53D, 53E, 53F, 53G, 54, 54A, 54B, 54C, 54D, 54E, 54F, 55, 56, 56A, 56B, 59, 59A, and 59B) for regulating relative rotation between the outer ring (44) and the synthetic resin member (43) is arranged. The synthetic resin member (43) is formed in a manner to cover the regulating portion on the outer peripheral surface (44a) of the outer ring (44), as a result of a molding process using a mold.

Abstract: A motor drive circuit (43) outputs a voltage corresponding to a duty ratio of a PWM signal, to an assist motor (30) by controlling electric power supplied from a direct-current power supply (Batt) through PWM. When an MPU (41) that controls the motor drive circuit (43) determines that a determination current value (Ij) obtained by adding a shaft force correction current value (In) to a motor current (I) exceeds a current threshold value (It), the MPU (41) decreases the duty ratio of a low-voltage switching element of the motor drive circuit (43) by multiplying the duty ratio by a duty limit value (Gd). When the MPU (41) performs the determination, the MPU (41) increases the shaft force correction current value (In) based on the vehicle speed (V) of the vehicle.

Abstract: A station address displayed in a display field coincides with a station address of a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) to which a personal computer is connected. Further, bit addresses of respective output variables are displayed in a display field. For example, a corresponding bit corresponding to a check box whose address of the output variable is 00L1E and whose station address of the destination PLC is 2 is an output schedule definition bit in an output schedule definition frame stored in a first storage. Therefore, a value of the output schedule definition bit is defined as 0 (: output is not scheduled). When an OK button is clicked, respective output schedule definition frames defined correctly are transferred to a PLC and then are stored in the first storage respectively.

Abstract: A steering device for a vehicle includes a planet gear mechanism which can vary transmission ratio, and a lock mechanism for fixing the transmission ratio. The planet gear mechanism includes a first sun gear connected to a steering member, a second sun gear connected to turning wheels, a planet gear which is meshed with both the first and second sun gears and a carrier in an annular shape which supports the planet gear. The lock mechanism includes a restraining member which is engageable with the carrier thereby to restrain rotation of the carrier.

Abstract: An energy absorbing steering apparatus S of the invention includes: a lever 48 which interconnects steering-side outer segments 46, 47 sandwiching therebetween steering-side inner fixed segments 42, 43 disposed upwardly of a steering column C thereby to be relatively moved together with fixed portions 42b, 43b of the steering-side inner fixed segments 42, 43 and to relatively move fixed portions 46b, 47b of the steering-side outer segments 46, 47 when the steering column C is moved relative to a vehicle body; and an actuator 50 disposed laterally of the steering column C and operative to release the lever 48 from the connection with the steering-side outer segment 47.

Abstract: A rolling bearing device for a wheel includes a fixed bearing ring in a tubular shape which is fixed to a vehicle side, and a rotary bearing ring which is rotatably passed through the fixed bearing ring, and includes a plurality of flange portions for mounting the wheel formed on an outer periphery at one end side thereof in an axial direction, and a spigot joint portion in an annular shape protruding in the axial direction formed in a one end part thereof in the axial direction. A circular recess is formed in the one end part of the rotary bearing ring in the axial direction. Thick wall parts for reinforcement are formed on an inner peripheral surface of the spigot joint portion at positions corresponding to regions between a part between the respective flange portions.

Abstract: An angle calculation portion of a motor control apparatus determines an angle ? of a rotor, and an angular velocity calculation portion determines an angular velocity ?e of the rotor. A command current calculation portion determines command currents id* and iq* on dq axes, based on a steering torque T and a vehicle speed S. An open-loop control portion determines command voltages vd and vq on the dq axes based on the command currents id* and iq* and the angular velocity ?e, according to circuit equations of a motor. A dq-axis/three-phase conversion portion converts the command voltages vd and vq to command voltages of three phases. A three-phase voltage correction portion corrects the command voltage so that an actual time average value of a voltage applied to each phase is equal to a time average value of a voltage that is to be applied to the phase if the voltage is not decreased, in order to compensate for a decrease in the applied voltage.

Abstract: In a resolver and an electric power steering apparatus that uses the resolver, one ends of resolver coils that are provided at regular intervals with respect to the rotation center of a resolver rotor are electrically connected at one connection point, and the voltage at the connection point is maintained at a predetermined reference voltage. If at least one of the condition that the square sum Fs does not satisfy the condition F1<Fs<F2 (the square sum Fs is not within a predetermined first range) and the condition that the sum Fa does not satisfy the condition |Fa|<F3 (the sum Fa is not within a predetermined second range) is satisfied, the ECU determines that an abnormality has occurred in the resolver.

Abstract: A grinding wheel having a convex grinding surface is attached to a wheel spindle that is contactlessly supported by a casing through a controlled type axial magnetic bearing and controlled type radial magnetic bearings and that is rotated by an electric motor. A groove of a workpiece is ground by causing relative displacement of the casing. After the axial positioning of the casing is performed, the casing is radially displaced. Then, the groove is ground. The stiffness value of the axial magnetic bearing 6 is set to be lower than a normal value before the casing is radially displaced. After it is detected that the grinding surface of the grinding wheel touches the entire groove of the workpiece and that the grinding of the entire surface of the workpiece is started, the stiffness value is set back to the normal value.

Abstract: A vehicle steering system is provided which includes a variable angle ratio mechanism for changing an angle ratio of a steering angle of a steering member to a turning angle of a steering mechanism, the variable angle ratio mechanism including a first sun gear connected to a steering column, a second sun gear connected to the steering mechanism, and planetary gears each having a first toothed portion and a second toothed portion which are adapted to mesh with the first and second sun gears respectively, and are arranged to be spaced apart from each other in a tooth face width direction, the first toothed portion and the second toothed portion being formed integrally through forging.

Abstract: A brushless motor includes a stator and a rotor. The stator includes an annular stator core having teeth arranged with a spacing in a circumferential direction of the annular stator core; and coils wound around the teeth respectively. The rotor includes a rotor core and magnetic poles of segment magnets arranged annularly along a circumferential direction of the rotor core. The segment magnets are stacked at a plurality of stages in an axial direction of the rotor core. A length direction of each of the segment magnets is parallel with the axial direction of the rotor core. The following expression is satisfied: (2×?/P)+?<(360/P) where P is the number of the magnetic poles of the segment magnets at each stage, ? (electrical angle) is the effective pole angular aperture on the outer peripheral surface of the rotor core, and ? is the skew angle equivalent to a phase shift angle between the corresponding magnetic poles of the segment magnets at the adjacent stages.

Abstract: An electric power steering apparatus includes a transmission mechanism for transmitting an output from an electric motor for steering assist to a steering mechanism. The transmission mechanism includes a driving gear, an intermediate gear and a driven gear. An eccentric mechanism for eccentrically locating the intermediate gear is provided in order that a center axis of the intermediate gear is moved toward at least one of the axes of the driving gear and the driven gear while maintaining a parallel relation. The eccentric mechanism includes an intermediate-gear support shaft having a center axis. The intermediate-gear support shaft is supported by first and second circle holes in a manner to be rotatable about the center axis thereof for adjustment of a rotational position thereof, the first and second circle holes have their center axes aligned coaxially with each other.

Abstract: In the rolling bearing device with a sensor in this invention, a band-shaped film 111 having insulation property is affixed to an outer circumferential surface of an outer ring 101 so as to extend in the circumferential direction. On the film 111 is affixed a foil 112 composed of identical four portions and having electrical conductivity which are placed at generally equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the outer ring 101. A resistance between a first place and a second place of the foil 112 is measured by a resistance measurement section of a microcomputer. A preload calculation section of the microcomputer, upon reception of an output from the resistance measurement section, calculates a preload of the outer ring 101 based on the measured resistance.

Abstract: An electric power steering (EPS) device including a rack actuator that applies assist force to a rack shaft, a column actuator that applies assist force to a column shaft, and an ECU that controls operation of the actuators by supplying drive power to motors, each of which is a drive source of the corresponding one of the actuators. A permanent magnet motor (BLDC) is employed as the motor of the rack actuator and an induction motor, which is a non-permanent magnet motor, is used as the motor of the column actuator.

Abstract: A dynamic pressure in the coolant supplied between a rotating grinding wheel and a rotating workpiece is released by making at least one of oblique grooves on the grinding wheel pass vertically through a contact surface on which a grinding surface of the grinding wheel contacts the workpiece. Where one and the other side intersection points are defined as intersection points at which both ends of each oblique groove respectively cross extension lines of one and the other side edges parallel to a grinding wheel circumferential direction of the contact surface, the other side intersection point of each oblique groove overlaps the one side intersection point of an oblique groove next to each such oblique groove by a predetermined overlap amount in the grinding wheel circumferential direction, and the length in the grinding wheel circumferential direction of the contact surface is made to be shorter than the overlap amount.

Abstract: A cam follower (70) includes an oval rotational body (72) which is rotationally supported on a fixed pin (71), and in which an outer circumferential shape thereof is an oval, a long axis of the oval is longer than a width of the cam groove (64), and a short axis of the oval is shorter than the width of the cam groove (64), the oval rotational body (72) being biased and being rotated by a biasing spring (77) in one direction about the fixed pin (71). As a consequence, when a steering wheel (39) is in a neutral position, the outer circumferential surface of the cam follower (70) comes into contact with both side surfaces (64S) of the cam groove (64) in the width direction of the cam groove (64) and gaps therebetween can be eliminated. As a result, neutral stability of the steering wheel and steering feeling during straightforward traveling are improved.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a machining parameter optimizing apparatus deciding a tool axis attitude and a machining zone and deciding a tooling having high stiffness for any profile of a finished workpiece. A tool axis attitude deciding member 21 decides one or plural tool axis attitude. An interference dangerous zone deciding member 23 decides as an interference dangerous zone a zone possible to interfere between a tool or a tool holder and a workpiece during machining by the decided tool axis attitude. A machining simulation member 25 executes a machining simulation based on the interference dangerous zone by the decided tool axis attitude and generates the virtual tool holder in which there is no any interference, and also decides a machining zone in a way of avoiding the interference dangerous zone.

Abstract: Installed in a ball bearing which supports a rotation axis (a supported part) freely rotatable are a control unit, a memory unit wherein specified bearing initial information proper to the ball bearing is stored, and a wireless tag equipped with a radio antenna and a transmission/reception unit which transmit/receive information between this memory unit and the exterior. Then, when the bearing motion information on the motion state of said ball bearing is input to the transmission/reception unit, the control unit has a memory unit which stores the motion information. By this, a bearing, its management system, and its management method wherein an appropriate information management is easy can be provided.