Abstract: The outlet duct extending outward from the air cleaner case is also extended inward into the air cleaner case with the same inner diameter such that the length of the part extending into the air cleaner is 10% to 25% of the axial length of the air cleaner element. By this, the distance from the opening of the outlet duct in the air cleaner case to the air flow sensor located in a downstream zone can be increased in an automobile engine, turbulence in the intake air flow can be considerably weakened at the air flow sensor, and air flow measurement not fluctuating widely can be obtained with an air flow measuring device having the same calibration program even when an air cleaner element of different type, i.e. of single type or double type, is used in an air cleaner case of the same design.

Abstract: The invention provides a roll-over suppressing control apparatus for a vehicle which can make a decision of a start of roll suppressing control appropriately in response to the degree of the possibility of turning over on its side of the vehicle. The roll-over suppressing control apparatus includes a braking mechanism for braking wheels of the vehicle, a roll rate sensor for detecting a roll rate of the vehicle, and a roll-over suppressing control section for controlling the braking mechanism so that, if the roll rate detected upon turning of the vehicle becomes equal to or higher than a control starting threshold value, then it is decided that the vehicle is in an excessively rolling state and braking force is applied to the wheels. The control starting threshold value is set to different values depending upon different types of turning of the vehicle (depending upon whether the turning is sudden steering back turning, moderate steering back turning or one-directional turning).

Abstract: Electric-motor drive control means controls a clutch engaging/disengaging actuator including two electric motors. When a vehicle starts moving or changes gears, the electric-motor drive control means drives both of the two electric motors in drive modes that require high responsiveness from an automatic clutch device and drives the two electric motors alternately in other drive modes that do not require high responsiveness. Malfunctions of the electric motors are detected during the operation. When one of the electric motors malfunctions, a warning is issued and the actuator is driven with the other electric motor that is normal. When both of the electric motors malfunction, a warning prompting a driver to stop the vehicle is issued.

Abstract: There are provided a diesel engine that injects fuel into air compressed in cylinders and combusts the fuel by spontaneous ignition, and a control unit that sets the fuel injection timing to an earlier time point than the compression top dead center to premix air and fuel and combusts the air-fuel mixture compressed in the cylinders by spontaneous ignition. The control unit injects the fuel to be injected in an early stage in a plurality of stages according to the operation state of the engine and individually adjusts the injection pressures of their respective stages according to the gas density and the gas temperature in the corresponding cylinder.

Abstract: A lane keeping assistant apparatus assists steering force when the vehicle is about to deviate from the lane to provide the driver with improved steering feeling. The lane keeping assistant apparatus includes traveling position detecting means for detecting a traveling position of a vehicle; lane center locating means for locating the width center of a lane on which the vehicle is traveling; lateral deviation amount calculating means for calculating a lateral deviation amount of the traveling position relative to the width center; a power source for providing a steering unit of the vehicle with an assist torque; assist torque determining means for determining the assist torque to be provided by the power source based on the lateral deviation amount, wherein the assist torque determining means gradually reduces the assist torque if the lateral deviation amount is being reduced by a driver's steering operation.

Abstract: A lane keeping assistant apparatus alerts the driver when the vehicle deviates from the lane center, and aims at the driver's sure recognition of lateral deviation of the vehicle from the lane and concurrently at the avoidance of driver's overreliance on the apparatus. As a solution, the apparatus generates, on a steering wheel 1 of a vehicle, a pulse-like torque in a shape and, or frequency that does not affect the vehicle dynamics. Since such a frequency input can be haptically perceived by a human with ease, it is possible to make the driver notice the operation carried out by the apparatus without generating a yaw moment on the vehicle.

Abstract: A booster unit is provided in an injector of a fuel injection system. The booster unit comprises a booster piston accommodated in a pressure chamber, and a discharge valve capable of discharging fuel in a backpressure chamber. A controller has an indication-value setting step of setting an indication value of a target pressure in a common rail in correspondence to an engine operation state, a determination step of determining whether or not the indication value of the pressure in the common rail is in a direction of reduction to be lower in comparison to a previously set indication value, and a step of prolonging an open time of a discharge valve of the booster unit when the determination step has determined that the indication value is in the direction of reduction.

Abstract: The present invention aims at providing an apparatus and method for controlling a clutch of a mechanical automatic transmission which enables smoother start of movement. To this end, range setting means sets an engine speed range in which engine output torque achieved at an accelerator position detected by accelerator position detection means defines a predetermined range including the maximum value. Clutch control means throws in a clutch while controlling a connected state of a clutch such that the engine speed detected by engine speed detection falls within the engine speed range set by the range setting means.

Abstract: A light axis adjusting apparatus for a vehicle headlamp has an inclination sensor which receives at least two ultrasonic signals transmitted toward a road surface in a vehicle width direction, and detects the inclined state of a vehicle relative to the road surface based on a receiving time difference between the respective ultrasonic signals. Processings are performed such that the inclination angle ?? of the vehicle is detected based on the results of detection of the inclination sensor; an actuator is driven based on the inclination angle ?? to correct the inclination angle of the headlamp; and the abnormality of the inclination sensor is detected based on the state of reception of the ultrasonic signals. Thus, the inclined state of the vehicle is detected constantly with high accuracy, and the light axis of the headlamp can be adjusted appropriately.

Abstract: A variable valve apparatus comprises a rocker shaft having an eccentric shaft rendered eccentric, a cam provided below the rocker shaft and rotationally driven, a support shaft disposed at a height equal to the rocker shaft, a first arm rockingly supported by the rocker shaft and capable of driving a valve, a second arm rockingly supported by the eccentric shaft and driven by the cam, and a third arm rockingly supported by the support shaft and displaced by rocking of the second arm for driving the first arm, and turns the rocker shaft in the direction of R2 to continuously change the valve opening timing and lift amount of the valve.

Abstract: An automatic slowdown control apparatus for a vehicle is disclosed wherein automatic slowdown control can be ended appropriately and automatic slowdown is prevented from being performed excessively on a road of an ascending gradient. The automatic slowdown control apparatus starts automatic slowdown control of rendering a braking mechanism operative to slow down the vehicle when the stability of the posture and/or behavior of the vehicle upon turning is deteriorated. A control end threshold value is set such that the stability of the vehicle is displaced to the instability side as the ascending gradient of the uphill road increases.

Abstract: Immediately before fuel pressure is increased by a pressure-increase mechanism, a pressure-increase control valve of each cylinder is opened in timing that does not overlap the timing of opening of an injection control valve, and the period of time for which the pressure-increase control valves is opened is gradually increased. As a result, it is possible to prevent the quantity of fuel consumed by the pressure-increase mechanism from rapidly increasing when the increase of fuel pressure is started.

Abstract: During a period in which a clutch is in a partially engaged state at the time of start of a vehicle, a transmission ECU calculates load acting on the clutch (clutch-absorbed energy). When this load is large, generation of a shift signal based on a gear shift map is prohibited, and the initial gear position is held. The clutch-absorbed energy is obtained through integration of the product of clutch transmission torque and the difference between rotational speed of an engine and rotational speed of the clutch. The clutch transmission torque is determined with reference to a clutch transmission torque map provided in the transmission ECU.

Abstract: An exhaust emission control device of an internal combustion engine includes a fuel supply unit provided in a fuel supply passage, for supplying a reducing agent directly to a NOx trap catalytic converter; an addition pressure detection unit for detecting the supply pressure of the reducing agent supplied by the fuel supply unit; and a controller for calculating the amount of NOx adsorbed by the catalytic converter. When the supply pressure of the reducing agent is almost zero, the controller prohibits calculation of NOx adsorption amount depending on the supply of the reducing agent, creates a rich state in a cylinder, carries out calculation of NOx adsorption amount depending on the created rich state, and causes release and reduction of the adsorbed NOx.

Abstract: An exhaust gas purifying system reliably detects an amount of accumulated particulates, lengthens forced regeneration intervals, and improves fuel efficiency. The exhaust gas purifying system comprises: a particulate filter 22 disposed in an exhaust system of an internal combustion engine 2 and collecting particulates from exhaust gas, and an NO2 generating unit 21 upstream of or in the particulate filter 22; a discharged particulate amount calculating unit A1 calculates an amount Me of discharged particulates on the basis of an excess air ratio ?; a burnt particulate amount calculating unit A2 calculates an amount Mb of burnt particulates on the basis of the temperature of exhaust gas in front of the particulate filter or the temperature of the particulate filter; and a particulate accumulation amount calculating unit calculates an amount Ma of accumulated particulates on the basis of the amount Me of discharged particulates or the amount Mb of burnt particulates.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a method for easily molding projections on an end edge along an opening in a housing which project towards an opposite side of the end edge to the opening, and to provide a housing structure related to the method.

Abstract: This variable valve train has a camshaft, a rocker shaft, and a rocker arm mechanism for transmitting a motion of a cam formed on the camshaft to a valve. The rocker arm mechanism includes a first arm which drives the valve, a second arm, a third arm, and a variable mechanism which rocks the rocker shaft. The first arm is rockably supported on the rocker shaft. The second arm is driven by the cam and rocks around a universal joint as a pivot on the side of the rocker shaft. The third arm is displaced to drive the first arm as the second arm rocks.

Abstract: A booster unit is provided in an injector of a fuel injection system. The booster unit includes a booster piston accommodated in a pressure chamber, and a discharge valve capable of discharging fuel in a backpressure chamber. A needle valve drive unit includes a pressure-receiving piston and an open/close valve. A return passage is connected to a discharge side of the open/close valve. A fuel discharge passage in communication with the discharge valve is combined with the return passage in a confluence portion. A check valve is provided between the confluence portion and the open/close valve. A check valve permits the fuel discharged to the return passage from a pressurization chamber to be directed to the confluence portion, and prevents the fuel discharged to the fuel discharge passage from the backpressure chamber from being directed the open/close valve.

Abstract: Parameters having a correlation with a crowded condition of a road traveled by a vehicle are inputted to an ideal fuel consumption estimation model. This ideal fuel consumption estimation model estimates an ideal fuel consumption of vehicle based on the parameters. The ideal fuel consumption of vehicle estimated by the ideal fuel consumption estimation model is outputted to an output portion.

Abstract: Parameters which change depending on driving method of a vehicle driver are inputted to a fuel consumption estimation model. This fuel consumption estimation model estimates fuel consumption of a vehicle based on the parameter. The fuel consumption of a vehicle estimated by the fuel consumption estimation model is outputted to an output portion.