Abstract: An oil passage structure in a transmission casing of an automotive automatic transmission, comprises, at an outer peripheral abutting surface between the transmission casing and the oil pump cover, an opening defined in the transmission casing which is exposed to the abutting surface of the transmission casing and is communicated with the inlet port of the valve assembly provided in the bottom section of the transmission through a single vertical oil channel formed in the transmission casing by machining to provide the shortest distance between the inlet port of the valve assembly and the opening. The oil passage structure also comprises an oil groove which is integrally formed on the abutting surface by die-casting and includes a point connecting the outlet port of the oil pump through an oil passage defined in the oil pump cover, to intercommunicate the opening and the connecting point.

Abstract: In order to accomplish aforementioned and other objects, a spark ignition timing control system, according to the present invention employs means for monitoring maximum pressure point in an engine revolution cycle, where the internal pressure in an engine cylinder becomes maximum for deriving period required for fully propagating combustion in the engine cylinder on the basis of angular difference between spark ignition initiating point and the maximum, pressure point. The means predicts concentration of one of fuels in a mixture fuel on the basis of the derived propagating period. The system compares the predicted concentration with an actually measured concentration of the relevant fuel by means of a sensor to detect failure of the sensor. When failure of the sensor is detected, fail-safe operation is performed by setting the concentration data at a predetermined fixed value.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling ignition timing for an internal combustion engine having cylinder bank rows are disclosed in which the ignition timings for the cylinders belonging to one of the cylinder banks determined according to engine load and engine revolution speed and are corrected according to differences in the ignition timings for the cylinders of both cylinder bank rows so as to eliminate variations in the ignition timings between each cylinder bank row. The crank angle sensor of the ignition timing control system is installed on at least one camshaft for either exhaust or suction valves on an overhead cam at one of the cylinders belonging to either of the cylinder bank rows.

Abstract: An internally-chilled piston for an internal combustion engine is provided. This piston comprises a piston body made of an aluminum alloy and a piston head including a cylindrical member and a ring-shaped member engaging the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical member by a shrink fit bonding. The cylindrical member constitutes the central portion of the piston head, while the ring-shaped member constitutes the periphery thereof. On the surface of the ring-shaped member which contacts with the melt forming the piston body during casting, an aluminized layer is formed which chemically connects the ring-shaped member and the piston body to increase the mechanical strength of bonding therebetween.

Abstract: A vehicular height control system, according to the invention employs mutually different first and second target vehicular heights, about which normal vehicular height range is determined. The first target height is used during normal vehicle driving conditions, in which the power is supplied. On the other hand, the second target height is used during vehicular parking. The vehicular height control system according to the invention is responsive to turning OFF of the power supply to perform height adjustment utilizing the second target height to sligthly raise the vehicular height and maintains the raised height during parking. In order to maintain the vehicular height at a slightly higher level, slightly greater suspension force than that required for maintianing the vehicular height at a height level in the normal driving condition is provided. This reduces height adjustment when power supply is resumed.

Abstract: An input protection circuit for an electronic circuit includes a switching circuit operable between an ON state and an OFF state for generating an input for the electronic circuit, a first circuit responsive to an excess level of input for forming a clamping circuit across a first resistor for shunting an excess level input, a second circuit monitoring an input from the switching means for detecting a state of the switching circuit for producing an ON/OFF signal depending upon the detected state of the switching circuit, the second circuit including a second resistor which forms a series circuit with the first resistor and the switching circuits while the switching circuits is in an ON state. The switching circuits is operated to an ON position for establishing the series circuit for setting the level of the input at a minimum level and to an OFF position for opening the series circuit for setting the level of the input at a maximum level.

Abstract: An automotive vehicle electrical system has a normal operation mode and a defog or deice operation mode. In the defog operation mode, a higher output of a generator is applied to a vehicle window heater element. The defog operation mode is prevented from being activated until an engine idling gets stable even when the defog operation mode is selected, so as to improve the engine starting performance.

Abstract: An an actively controlled suspension system includes a fail-safe system which is associated with a pressure control valve and detective of failure of a control circuit to perform fail-safe operation. The fail-safe system operates the pressure control valve in response to failure of the control circuit, to fix the valve position corresponding to a working fluid pressure in a working chamber defined in a suspension cylinder disposed between a vehicular body and a suspension member rotatably supporting a vehicular wheel, at a pressure value at or in the vicinity of a predetermined initial or neutral pressure.

Abstract: A method and a system derive a value representative of an actual vehicle speed in strict correspondence to actual vehicle speed. The value can be utilized to detect wheel slippage and allows precise traction control, anti-skid brake control and so forth. The method for deriving wheel slippage, according to the present invention, includes a step of deriving a projected vehicle speed, the rate of change of which varies with road surface friction. Wheel slippage is derived from on the projected vehicle speed and instantaneous wheel speed. In practice, the method includes a step for detecting the force exerted on a vehicular wheel, which force includes a resistance variable depending upon the road surface friction .mu.. Based on the detected force, the projected vehicle speed variation pattern is derived so as to derive an instantaneous projected vehicle speed.

Abstract: An improved system and method for automatically controlling a vehicle speed to a desired cruising speed are disclosed in which a vehicle speed is detected, a target vehicle cruising speed is set on the basis of a vehicle driver's intention, a driving characteristic of a vehicular system is derived, a membership function in a fuzzy estimation is set according to the derived driving characteristic, and the fuzzy estimation is carried out using the membership function to set a controlled variable of an actuator of an engine output, the actuator controlling the engine output using the set controlled variable, with the detected vehicle speed and set target cruising speed as input information. The driving characteristic includes an operating state of a vehicular transmission connected to the engine output in a first preferred embodiment.

Abstract: An antenna unit for an automotive vehicle is provided. This antenna unit is adapted to be located in a non-visible position on a vehicle and includes an grounding plate, a radiating conductive plate, and a loop antenna element which is interposed between the plates and is fixed thereto. The loop antenna is formed by two bars which have configurations symmetrical to each other. One end of each bar is folded at a right angle relative to the other end thereof. The ends of the bars are connected by elastically deformable connectors to define a loop and are electrically connected by a wire. By adjusting a length of the wire, easy tuning of the resonance frequency of the antenna unit can be obtained. The deformation of the connector absorbs shock given to the antenna unit by road obstacles such as stones or mud and guards it against impact damage.

Abstract: An anti-skid brake control system derives a projected vehicular speed representative data by summing a time dependent acceleration and deceleration value and a latched wheel speed data which is periodically updated. The time dependent acceleration and deceleration value is derived by integrating a vehicular acceleration/deceleration gradient indicative data. According to one particular feature of the invention, the integrated value is reset for minimizing error to be accumulated at a given timing. For detecting reset timing of the integrated value, the instantaneous wheel speed data is continuously compared with a predetermined zone which is set about the projected vehicular speed representative data. Namely, resetting of the integrated value is performed by detecting entry of the wheel speed data into the predetermined zone.

Abstract: A steering column assembly includes a steering column having an upper steering column tube and a lower steering column tube which are telescopically connected at their lower and upper portions respectively, a stationary bracket fixed to a vehicle body and an energy absorption bracket fixed to the stationary bracket. The energy absorption bracket fixedly receives the upper steering column tube which extends therethrough. The energy absorption bracket gets plastically deformed in response to an impact load exceeding a predetermined value to allow the upper steering column tube to displace downward with respect to the lower steering column tube. The impact load is applied to the energy absorption bracket through the upper steering column tube in the direction along the axis of the steering column. The applied impact load is absorbed through the plastic deformation of the energy absorption bracket.

Abstract: A washer-type pressure sensor employs a cross-sectionally channel-shaped pressure plate which defines a space in which an assembly of a center electrode, piezoelectric elements, the other pressure plate and insulating members can be housed. With such construction, the insulating member surrounding the assembly of the center electrode, the piezoelectric elements, the outer pressure plate is not subject to corrosive liquid leaking from the inside of the engine. Therefore, life of the pressure sensor can be significantly expended.

Abstract: In order to accomplish aforementioned and other objects, a spark ignition timing control system, according to the present invention, is adapted to perform spark ignition timing control for an internal combustion engine combustioning a blended fuel, such as gasoline/alcohol mixture fuel. The control system performs MBT control by adjusting spark advance angle toward a maximum pressure point in feedback manner. The spark advance angle derived in MBT control is modified with a correction value derived on the combustion propagation speed which is variable depending upon blending ratio of one of the fuels in the blended fuel.

Abstract: A deviation of an actual reduction ratio from a desired reduction ratio is computed. A proportional and integral control is carried out so as to reduce the deviation in good response. A proportional term control gain and an integral term control gain are given different values for downshifting and upshifting, respectively, so as to provide a quick response in downshifting and a gradual response in upshifting.

Abstract: A torque detecting device has a measuring shaft, an excitation device and a detector for detecting a magnetostriction passing through said measuring shaft. The device is able to measure the torque with accuracy even if a temperature gradient is produced in the axial direction of the measuring shaft by making the measuring shaft from a material having specified electromagnetic characteristics at least in a part in which said magnetostrictive force is detected.

Abstract: A magnetostriction type torque sensor employs a plurality of detector coils arranged in axial arrangement along an objective rotary body. The detector coils are so designed and arranged as to compensate influence of temperature, particularly the error caused due to axial temperature gradient caused in the objective rotary body.

Abstract: A traction control system has a plurality of wheel speed sensor means for producing wheel speed indicative signals respectively representative of wheel speeds of associated vehicular wheels. Wheel slippage is detected by comparing wheel speed measured by the wheel speed sensor means and an approximated vehicle speed indicative value. The approximated vehicle speed indicative value is derived based on one of wheel speed selected depending upon a vehicle speed.

Abstract: In order to shorten considerable time lag, which allows racing of an engine and lowers the transmission output torque peak, an accumulator back-up pressure acting on an accumulator for a start-up friction element is increased momentarily to quickly move a servo piston after a manual selector valve has been shifted from N range position to D range, for example, until the friction element is brought into the intial engagement stage. Subsequently, the accumulated back-up pressure is lowered to soften the frictional engagement.