Abstract: The method consists of, when the instantaneous speed of the vehicle is greater than a pre-determined threshold: identifying that the vehicle travels in a straight line without torque exerted on the steering wheel; if the prior condition is met, determining an average residual torque for the steering wheel by calculating a sliding scale of measures of torque on the steering wheel; calculating a correction, if the average residual torque on the steering wheel is greater than a pre-determined minimum torque, which is proportional to the average residual torque to be applied to the torque measures on the steering wheel; calculating effective correction limited in terms of the speed of variation and amplitude in relation to the correction applied to the measures of torque on the steering wheel, said corrected measures being subsequently treated by the electronic calculator in order to control the electronic booster motor.

Abstract: A spline telescopic shaft includes an inner shaft having an outer tooth surface, and a cylindrical outer shaft having an inner tooth surface and arranged to fit to the inner shaft slidably in an axial direction of the inner shaft. Either one of the outer tooth surface and the inner tooth surface includes a first resin coating. The other of the outer tooth surface and the inner tooth surface includes a second resin coating. The second resin coating is formed by processing for sliding an intermediate member for manufacturing the inner shaft and an intermediate member for manufacturing the outer shaft in the axial direction, to transfer a part of a resin material provided in the intermediate member for manufacturing the shaft including the one tooth surface for forming the first resin coating to the intermediate member for manufacturing the shaft including the other tooth surface.

Abstract: There is provided a spline telescopic shaft having first and second shafts that are fitted to each other slidably in an axial direction. First and second splines that engage with each other are respectively provided in the first and second shafts. A resin coating that is provided on at least a tooth surface of the first spline is fitted to a tooth surface of the second spline. The resin coating is subjected to heat fitting processing for sliding the first and second shafts in the axial direction under predetermined conditions, to fit a surface of the resin coating to the tooth surface of the second spline.

Abstract: A bearing for a connecting rod includes a retainer having a plurality of pockets spaced about a circumference of the retainer, a first end that defines a first flange, and a second end that defines a second flange opposite the first flange. The bearing also includes a plurality of radial bearing elements that supports a radial load, and each of the plurality of radial bearing elements is positioned in one of the plurality of pockets. A first plurality of axial bearing elements is positioned on the first flange and receives at least a portion of an axial load, and a second plurality of axial bearing elements is positioned on the second flange and receives at least a portion of the axial load.

Abstract: A device (22) is adapted to couple a finger follower (14) and a hydraulic lash adjuster (18) for use in a valve train (10) of an engine. The hydraulic lash adjuster (18) includes a plunger (34) having a longitudinal axis. The finger follower (14) includes a pocket (30) for receiving the plunger (34) and a protrusion (54) proximate the pocket (30). The device (22) includes a first portion (66) having an outer peripheral edge (70) and an inner peripheral edge (74), which defines a first aperture (82) configured to receive the plunger (34). The inner peripheral edge (74) of the first portion (66) includes at least one radially inwardly-projecting tang (86) configured to frictionally engage the plunger (34) to substantially axially secure the first portion (66) to the plunger (34). The device (22) also includes a second portion (78) coupled to the first portion (66) and extending substantially non-parallel to the first portion (66).

Abstract: A motor control device comprising a control board for controlling driving of an electric motor, the control board including a multilayer circuit board having inner layers and outer layers, a ground pattern disposed around an output shaft of the electric motor formed on one of the inner layers, and a severed portion formed on a part of the ground pattern, so as to sever through the ground pattern in a radial direction of the output shaft. The construction reduces noise from the motor control device.

Abstract: A bearing cage defines an overall axial length and includes a first end portion defining a first contact surface extending at a radially-outermost diameter of the bearing cage a first axial contact length, and a second end portion spaced a distance from the first end portion and defining a second contact surface extending at the radially-outermost diameter of the bearing cage a second axial contact length. The bearing cage further includes a plurality of spanning members extending between the first and second end portions to define a spanning member axial contact length defined at the radially-outermost diameter of the bearing cage by at least one contact pad. The bearing cage produces a total contact ratio, defined as the ratio of the sum total of the first axial contact length, the second axial contact length, and the spanning member axial contact length to the overall axial length, of at least 0.380.

Abstract: A clutching device includes an outer race, an inner race, a plurality of rollers and an actuator plate. The outer and inner races have axial ridges to define opposed outer and inner race pockets. The rollers are positioned in the outer and inner race pockets. The clutching device further includes an axial projection coupled for rotation with one of the inner and outer race. An actuator plate is coupled for rotation with one of the inner and outer race and axially moveable between a first position wherein the actuator plate engages the axial projection and a second position wherein the actuator plate does not engage the axial projection.

Abstract: A thrust bearing assembly generally includes a cage and a plurality of rolling elements. The cage has first and second cage halves with each cage half having a respective radial segment with a plurality of circumferentially spaced openings. Each opening has an opening perimeter. The cage halves are interconnected with portions of the radial segments circumferentially between the plurality of openings abutting along a given plane and the respective openings aligned to defined rolling element pockets. The rolling elements are positioned in the rolling element pockets such that a centerline of each rolling element lies in or in proximity to the given plane. A flange extends along at least a portion of each opening perimeter to retain the rolling elements within a respective one of the rolling element pockets.

Abstract: A continuous carburizing furnace includes a furnace having a carburizing zone for performing a carburizing process on a workpiece while the workpiece is conveyed; and a plurality of regions disposed successively in a direction of conveyance upstream from the carburizing zone, the carburizing zone being provided with an intermediate door being opened and closed between the carburizing zone and the upstream side therefrom. Also included is at least a single lift mechanism for lowering the workpiece in a region other than a region of the most upstream side among the plurality of regions; and a plurality of pushers for pushing the workpiece at each of the plurality of regions to regions downstream therefrom or to the carburizing zone, the plurality of pushers being disposed so as to push the workpiece at successively lowered levels of height one after another in the direction of conveyance.

Abstract: When stopping operation of an electric power steering apparatus, a motor relay is kept in an on-state even after a power supply relay is in an off-state. A drive control portion sets a target value of a d-axis current to a value other than zero and sets a target value of a q-axis current to zero, and performs a processing same as that at the time of rotating a motor. MOS-FETs contained in a motor driving circuit are controlled such that each of driving currents of the two phases or more is not zero and the brushless motor does not rotate even supplied with these driving currents. Electric charge accumulated in a capacitor is discharged via the MOS-FETs each in an on-state, a motor relay and the windings of the brushless motor. The electric charge accumulated in the capacitor may be discharged via the excitation coil of the motor relay.

Abstract: An angle-adjustable hinge provided with a first member provided with a case portion holding an approximately disc-shaped gear member having a non-circular through hole as to freely rotate, a second member having a fitting shaft portion detachably inserted to the through hole of the gear member, a wedge-shaped window portion formed on the case portion, and a floating wedge member, movably disposed within the wedge-shaped window portion, in which one side face is a toothed face to engage with the gear member and another side is a contact face to contact a wedge face of the wedge-shaped window portion, to restrict the gear member from oscillation in one direction against the case portion by the engagement of the toothed face with the gear member and the contact of the contact face and the wedge face.

Abstract: A carburizing apparatus that can reduce cost and shorten the carburizing time is provided. A single coil for raising temperature, a plurality of coils for soaking, and a conveying mechanism that conveys a treatment object from a position of induction heating with the coil for raising temperature to positions of induction heating with the coils for soaking are provided inside a container for carburization treatment. The rated capacity of a power source for raising temperature that is connected to the coil for raising temperature is higher than the rated capacity of a power source for soaking connected to the coil for soaking.

Abstract: A furnace includes a carburizing zone in which carburizing processing is performed upon workpieces loaded upon trays during the conveyance, and a plurality of regions which are arranged at the upstream side of the carburizing zone. Along with a tray upon which workpieces are loaded being mounted upon each one of the plurality of pallets, these pallets are movable along a linear conveyance direction, with the number of pallets being the same as the number of regions. The pusher device pushes the trays along the direction of conveyance. And the pusher-puller device, along with pushing the plurality of pallets all together forward along the direction of conveyance, also pulls one of the plurality of pallets backward into each of the plurality of regions.

Abstract: An electric power assist module for a steering system has an integrated housing for accommodating the torque sensor, motor and electronic control unit. A helical gear train including a pinion gear, an intermediate gear and steering gear are provided to transfer the motion from the motor to an output shaft that is coupled to an input shaft by way of a torsion bar.

Abstract: A clutching device includes an outer race, an inner race, a plurality of rollers and an actuator plate. The outer and inner races have axial ridges to define opposed outer and inner race pockets. The rollers are positioned in the outer and inner race pockets. The clutching device further includes an axial projection coupled for rotation with one of the inner and outer race. An actuator plate is coupled for rotation with one of the inner and outer race and axially moveable between a first position wherein the actuator plate engages the axial projection and a second position wherein the actuator plate does not engage the axial projection.

Abstract: Provided are a steel having excellent rolling contact fatigue life and the manufacturing method thereof. The steel consists essentially of 0.7 to 1.1% C, 0.2 to 2.0% Si, 0.4 to 2.5% Mn, 1.6 to 4.0% Cr, 0.1% or more and less than 0.5% Mo, 0.010 to 0.050% Al, bymass, and balance of Fe and inevitable impurities, is treated by quenching and tempering, has residual cementite grain sizes ranging from 0.05 to 1.5 ?m, and has prior-austenite grain sizes of 30 ?m or smaller. When the steel is used to bearing steel, the bearing life extends even under service in more severe environments.

Abstract: Disclosed are a lubricant composition to which is added as buffer particles to a lubricant polyurethane resin particles obtained by reacting and synthesizing long-chain polyol having a number-average molecular weight of not less than 500, a crosslinking agent having three or more active hydrogen groups in one molecule, and polyisocyanate as buffer particles, a speed reduction gear filled with the lubricant composition, and an electric power steering apparatus having the speed reduction gear incorporated therein, wherein noise produced by the speed reduction gear can be made lower than ever before irrespective of the magnitude of backlash in a case where a worm and a worm wheel are combined with each other and without complicating the configuration of the speed reduction gear by the buffer action of the buffer particles added to the lubricant composition, thereby making it possible to reduce noise produced in an automobile due to the electric power steering apparatus at low cost.

Abstract: A bearing device is provided with a bearing ring and a shaft body that is made of carbon steel including pearlite having a cementite layer structure, and has an end portion caulked onto the bearing ring, and in this device, at least in the end portion of the shaft body, the layer gap of the cementite in the pearlite is made greater.

Abstract: A torque sensor, which is for an electric power steering system that has an output shaft for rotating in response to rotation of an input shaft, may include a first rotor for rotating with the input shaft, a second rotor for rotating with the output shaft, a first pinion gear mounted for rotating in response to rotation of the first rotor, a first magnet mounted for rotating with the first pinion gear, a second pinion gear mounted for rotating in response to rotation of the second rotor, a second magnet mounted for rotating with the second pinion gear, a first sensor positioned for sensing an angular position of the first magnet, and a second sensor positioned for sensing an angular position of the second magnet. The first rotor and the second rotor are mounted so that there can be relative rotation between the first rotor and the second rotor.