Abstract: In shift control apparatus and method for a hybrid transmission suitable for use in a hybrid vehicle, at least one of a target drive torque and a target input revolution acceleration to be a value within a realizable region to be set as a drive torque command value or an input revolution command acceleration is corrected in such a manner that polarities of the target drive torque and the target input revolution acceleration are left unchanged, in a case where a combination of the target drive torque with the target input revolution acceleration falls out of a realizable region on two-dimensional coordinates of the drive torque and the input revolution acceleration, the drive torque command value and the input revolution acceleration command value contributing to controls of the main power source and the motor/generators in place of the target drive torque and the target input revolution acceleration.

Abstract: A first compressor (1a) which supercharges intake air is provided in the intake passage (6, 20, 21) of an internal combustion engine (12). The first compressor (1a) is driven by the exhaust gas energy of the engine (12). A second compressor (2a) driven by an electric motor (2b), and a bypass valve (3) which bypasses the second compressor (2a), are provided in the intake passage (7, 20, 21) between the first compressor (1a) and the engine (12). The bypass valve (3) shifts from the open state to the closed state according to the operation of the second compressor (2a). At this time, the bypass valve (3) starts closing at some time after startup of the second compressor (2a) so that the intake air amount of the engine (12) is not deficient.

Abstract: A controller (31) determines whether, during previous regeneration processing of a filter (41), the previous regeneration processing was interrupted or the previous regeneration processing was completed without interruption. An amount of DPM trapped in the filter (41) is estimated on the basis of a pressure loss in the filter (41) during running following uninterrupted completion of the previous regeneration processing in the previous regeneration processing of the filter (41), whereas the amount of DPM trapped in the filter (41) is estimated on the basis of an amount of discharged DPM during running following an interruption in the previous regeneration processing in the course of the previous regeneration processing of the filter (41).

Abstract: A malfunction detection circuit that detects a cell malfunction alternately outputs the results of an overcharge detection executed during an overcharge detection period and the results of an over-discharge detection executed during an over-discharge detection period through time sharing based upon a clock signal. When the cell is in the normal range, the signal level of the signal output during the overcharge detection period is different from the signal level of the signal output during the over-discharge detection period. Thus, in the malfunction detection, the signal generated when an overcharge malfunction has occurred in the cell can be distinguished from the signal generated when an over-discharge malfunction has occurred in the cell.

Abstract: A vehicle front body structure includes a side-member front area 11F inclined outwardly in the width direction of a vehicle as directing ahead of the vehicle, a strength control mechanism C provided in the side-member front area 11F, a sub-side member 20 extending from the vicinity of a continuous base of the side-member front area 11F toward the front of the vehicle, substantially straight to an extension of a side-member rear area 11R. The front end of the sub-side member 20 is connected with the rear face of a bumper reinforcement 12. The sub-side member 20 is provided with a deformation-mode control mechanism D that allows the sub-side member 20 to be deformed inwardly in the width direction of the vehicle due to a collision input and interferes with a power unit P, forming an impact load transfer mechanism B.

Abstract: A vehicle headrest apparatus has a headrest unit mounted to an upper end of a seatback. The headrest unit has a headrest members with a head restraining member configured to be tensioned to restrain a passenger's head upon a rear-end collision. The headrest unit quickly and reliably restrains a seated passenger's head during a rear-end collision without utilizing the inertia force of the passenger's body by detecting the rear-end collision and pushing the headrest unit only outward in the forward direction of the vehicle. The headrest unit also has a swing/pushup device that to pushes the headrest members upwardly and forwardly. An auxiliary swing force adding device applies an auxiliary spring force in the deployment direction of the headrest members to increase the deployment speed of the headrest members and shorten the amount of time required to achieve initial contact between the passenger's head H and the head restraining member.

Abstract: A stator for a two rotor single stator type electric motor is described. The electric motor has inner and outer rotors that are rotated independently within and around a stator upon application of current to the stator. The stator comprises a stator core including a plurality of stator teeth that are circumferentially arranged around a common axis. Each stator tooth includes a plurality of flat magnetic steel plates that are aligned along the common axis while intimately and closely contacting to one another. The stator further comprises at least one connecting ring plate that is coaxially installed in the stator core in such a manner that the ring plate is intimately put between adjacent two of the flat magnetic steel plates of each stator tooth. The ring plate is of an endless annular member.

Abstract: A hydrogen supply passage (12) supplies hydrogen to a fuel cell stack (1) of a fuel cell power plant. Anode effluent discharged from the fuel cell stack (1) is recirculated into the hydrogen supply passage (12) through a recirculation passage (5B ). An ejector (6) provided in the hydrogen supply passage (12) exerts a suction force over the anode effluent in the recirculation passage (5B) depending on a flow velocity of hydrogen supply passage (12). The recirculation passage (5B) comprises a first branch (5C) communicating with the ejector (6) via a recirculation pump (11) and a second branch (5D) directly communicating with the ejector (6). When the suction force of the ejector (6)is not sufficient to promote the recirculation of the anode effluent, the recirculation pump (11) is operated to forcibly recirculate the anode effluent to the hydrogen supply passage (12).

Abstract: A maximum charging power when a battery is warmed up is set, and a target rotation speed is set based on the sum of the engine output required to drive the vehicle and the maximum charging power. The target charging power when the battery is warmed up, is computed based on the charge state of the battery. The target torque of the engine is set by dividing the target engine output, obtained based on the sum of the engine output required to drive the vehicle and the target charging power, by the engine rotation speed. In the battery warm-up control, the rotation speed of the engine and generator is controlled to the target rotation speed, and the torque of the engine is controlled to the target torque.

Abstract: A toroidal continuously-variable transmission includes a tilt rotation stopper structure to limit a range of rotation of a trunnion supporting a power roller in a toroidal cavity between input and output disks, so as to prevent contact points of the power roller with the input and output disks from deviating from respective rolling contact surfaces. The tilt rotation stopper structure includes a link-side stopper provided in a lower or upper link in a region separated from a left and right tilt rotation synchronizing wire, and a trunnion-side stopper provided in a side of an axial movement limiting member.

Abstract: A Nd—Fe—B type rare earth magnet alloy is provided with hard magnetic phases each of which has a size equal to or less than 80 nm, soft magnetic phases each of which has a size equal to or less than 80 nm, with the hard and soft magnetic phases being present in a mixed structure, and partly anisotropic regions wherein axes of easy magnetization of the hard magnetic phases are aligned in one direction and each having a size equal to or greater than 0.1 &mgr;m. Such a magnet alloy is obtained using a strip casting method or ultra cooling method and serves as material for an anisotropic exchange spring magnet to be applied to a motor.

Abstract: A catalyst composition contains a perovskite composite oxide of the type expressed by a rational formula ABO3, wherein A consists of two types of constituent elements of A′ and A″ and B consists of two types of constituent elements of B′ and B″, and the perovskite composite oxide is expressed by a general formula A′1-xA″xB′1-yB″yO3. The A′ is La or Ce, the A″ is at least one element selected from the group consisting of La, Ca, Sm, Ce, Sr, Ba and Pr, the B′ is at least one type element selected from the group consisting of Co, Fe, Mn and Gd, and the B″ is any one type of a noble metal such as Ru, Rh, Pd, Pt, or the like. This catalyst composition can be employed as a reforming catalyst of the alcohol or the hydrocarbon-based gas to produce hydrogen gas for a fuel cell, or as an electrode catalyst.

Abstract: A power converter that is arranged in series with a motor to form a unitary structure through which an output shaft extends is provided with a plurality of coolers and a power semiconductor module mounted on a cooling surface of at least one of the plurality of coolers to supply electric power to a motor. Each of the plurality of coolers is disposed along an extending direction radially extending from an output shaft to be perpendicular to the output shaft. The cooling surface is provided along such an extending direction.

Abstract: A rare earth magnet to be used in a motor. The rare earth magnet comprises rare earth magnet particles.

Abstract: A hydrogen storage material of the present invention comprises a molecule including space formed with a planar sheet constituted by six-membered rings of carbon atoms. Further, in the hydrogen storage material, at least one opening is formed in the sheet. Thereby, it is possible to utilize an internal space of the hydrogen storage material, and hydrogen can be efficiently stored therein.

Abstract: An automatic brake system for a vehicle is disclosed. Based on a possibility that a potential collision with an obstacle preceding the vehicle can avoided by braking, and a possibility that the potential collision can be avoided by steering, the system automatically controls a braking operation for collision-avoidance. A condition of starting the automatic braking operation and a characteristics of the operation are determined based on calculation or estimation of a condition of the path where the vehicle is traveling, such as a relative speed, widths of spaces on sides of the obstacle, and steering characteristics.

Abstract: A price revising system is devised to assist a purchaser to revise a trading contract on a commodity when the prices of materials, parts, etc. for a commodity changes due to changes in market conditions. The price revising system supports the trading contract by prompting the entry of the selling party data, the commodity, and a price fluctuation amount and then calculating a monetary effect with respect to an existing or future order of the commodity according to the fluctuation amount. The price revising system then allows the ordering party to check the monetary effect and communicate the monetary effect to the seller(s). The price revising system then creates a price revision to detailed price data according to the fluctuation amount for the commodity, presents a display prompting the selling party to approve the price revision, and executes the price revision in accordance with information indicating that the selling party has approved the price revision.

Abstract: In an intake passage (1) of an internal combustion engine (8), a compressor (4) combined with an electric motor/generator (4a) is provided. A bypass valve (6) connecting upstream and downstream portions of the intake passage (1) to bypass the compressor (4) is further provided. When a required intake air flow rate of the engine (8) is smaller than a threshold value, the engine (8) operates by natural aspiration of intake air and the electric motor/generator (4a) generate electric power by using rotational energy of the compressor (4) which rotates due to the flow of intake air. By increasing the opening of the bypass valve (6) as the required intake air flow rate diverges from the discharge flow rate of the compressor (4) the intake air flow rate is accurately controlled while satisfying the power generation requirement.

Abstract: A fuel cell system including a fuel cell, an air compressor for supplying compressed air to the fuel cell, an expander for recovering energy from the air discharged from the fuel cell, and a heat exchanger for exchanging heat between the air discharged from the compressor and the air discharged from the fuel cell. The air discharged from the fuel cell is supplied to the expander after flowing through the heat exchanger.

Abstract: An exhaust gas purification system for an internal combustion engine (1) is provided which comprises a Nox trap catalyst (13) and an air/fuel ratio controller (20) for controlling the exhaust gas purification system so that an exhaust air/fuel ratio is made rich in a premix combustion mode when it is the time for purifying trapped NOx of the NOx trap catalyst and the NOx trap catalyst is activated (S13) and that the exhaust air/fuel ratio is made rich in a diffusion combustion mode when it is the time for purifying trapped NOx of the Nox trap catalyst and the Nox trap catalyst is not activated (S15). An exhaust gas purification method is also provided.