Abstract: A bumper structure for absorbing a collision impact having a bumper, a bumper stay supporting the bumper component and a side member supporting the bumper stay via a bolts so as to be offset horizontally and downwardly relative to the bumper stay. The side member has a weakened portion opposite the mounting connection of the side member to the bumper stay, and has an extended portion extending from an end of the side member. The positions of the bumper stay, weakened area, and extended portion being such that the torque transferred to the weakened portion via the securing means is substantially equal and opposite to the torque transferred to the weakened portion via the extending portion, such that the side member is crushed into accordion-like pleats in the longitudinal direction to progressively absorb the impact.

Abstract: An autonomous vehicle controls the steering of the vehicle on a road by fuzzy control. A camera forms an image of the road, and an image processor processes the image to calculate the deviation dx between a plurality of reference points on a road and the direction in which the vehicle is traveling. Each reference point is associated with a visual point on the road ahead of the vehicle. The product of the deviation dx for each visual point and a membership function .mu. indicating the degree of importance attached to the visual point is calculated, and a total deviation equal to the sum of the products is calculated. The steering of the vehicle is controlled on the basis of the total deviation. The membership functions .mu. are varied in accordance with the time rate of change of the deviations dx.

Abstract: A system for correcting a wheel speed data produced by a wheel speed sensor, employs a filter for removing noise contained in the output of the wheel speed sensor. The filter limits variation rate of the wheel speed data so as to avoid occurrence of extraordinary variation of wheel speed as influenced by error factors, such as destruction of the wheel speed sensor or noise superimposed on the output of the wheel speed sensor.

Abstract: A self-diagnosable fuel-purging system used for a fuel processing system causes a fuel to be introduced into a canister packed with an adsorbent, such as activated carbon, onto which the introduced fuel is adsorbed, and causes the adsorbed fuel to be introduced into an engine when a negative pressure greater than a predetermined value is produced in an intake manifold upstream of a throttle valve. The fuel-purging system includes discriminating means for determining whether or not the fuel-purging system itself is normal on the basis of output signals representative of an air/fuel ratio in an exhaust gas from the engine and a temperature in the canister. The discriminating means determines abnormality of the fuel-purging system when both of the temperature in the canister and the air/fuel ratio are substantially constant while a fuel-purging condition, in which the fuel adsorbed onto the adsorbent in the canister is supplied to the engine, is detected.

Abstract: A shift control system for an automatic power transmission incorporates a storage means, responsive to an entered shifting demand, for temporarily storing instantaneous preselected shift control parameter data relative to the entered shifting demand. The control system also includes means for detecting the vehicular driving condition where no shifting demand may occur, for updating driving pattern data which is used for recollection of a driving pattern corresponding to or approximately corresponding to one of a shifting pattern or a schedule so that updating of the driving pattern data may not interfere with recollection of the driving pattern to enable appropriate selection of the transmission speed ratio at any vehicle driving condition.

Abstract: A high strength high chromium cast iron contains fine particle precipitated hard carbide. The precipitated hard carbide has an average particle size of 20 .mu.m or less and hardness of Hv 500 or more in martensite base matrix, and has area ratio in a range of 30% or more and 45% or less. The precipitated hard carbide has spheroidal ratio (surface area of sphere circumscribing the precipitated hard carbide versus actual surface area of precipitated hard carbide) of 40% or more.

Abstract: A shift control system for an automatic power transmission, utilizes a logic for utilizing a shifting sequence for operating a plurality of shift solenoids for establishing valve operation in a plurality of shift valves in a predetermined order and for draining more than one speed servo pressure. The shifting sequence being a 4-2 downshift, whereby the shift solenoids are controlled such that the second speed gear ratio is shifted to via the first speed gear ratio.

Abstract: A fail detecting system for an electromagnetic actuator avoids influence of a dither signal in detection of a failure of the electromagnetic actuator. Avoidance of influence of the dither signal is achieved by performing a comparison of a suspension control command with a driver current applied to the electromagnetic actuator in absence of the dither signal. An error value between the suspension control command and the driver current obtained through the comparison is compared with a predetermined fault detecting criterion for judging a failure of the electromagnetic actuator when the error value is greater than the fault detecting criterion.

Abstract: A system and method for detecting occurrence of engine knock in internal combustion engines are disclosed which include: at least one engine knock sensor installed in an appropriate position at each engine cylinder, a band pass filter for passing a particular component of an output signal from an engine knock sensor, a rectifier for rectifying the particular component of the output signal passed through the band pass filter and an integrator for integrating the rectified signal with a variable interval. A device is also provided whereby engine driving conditions are detected, the integration interval being varied according to engine driving conditions so that no overlap of the integration interval of one cylinder with the ignition timing of another occurs. The integrated value derived by the integrator is corrected according to the variable interval, and the occurrence of knock in synchronization with the corrected integrated value is verified.

Abstract: A suspension control system includes a plurality of suspension systems respectively disposed between a vehicular body and each road wheel thereof, the suspension systems having variable damping characteristics. Each suspension system is associated with means for adjusting damping characteristics according to a suspension control command. Each suspension control system also includes a sensor means for monitoring an inertia force exerted on the vehicular body, which inertia force affects for vehicular attitude to cause a vehicular attitude change. A control unit receives the output of the sensor means and derives a suspension control command for regulating vehicular height and vehicular attitude. The control unit is designed to detect a predetermined particular vehicle driving condition on the basis of the sensor output for deriving the suspension control command for adjusting vehicular height to a lower level than a normal height level.

Abstract: A flow rate sensor is provided. This sensor includes flow rate detecting elements and a plurality of separate circular support members. The circular support members are arranged concentrically within a passage each having a different diameter and support the flow rate detecting elements respectively so as to cover the entire stream area of a diameter section of the passage. Thus, the flow rate sensor may precisely detect the flow rate of a fluid flowing within the passage regardless of instability in the flow distribution of the fluid.

Abstract: An engine mount includes a main working chamber and an expansion chamber. Orifice passages in which electrodes are disposed, fluidly connect the main and expansion chambers. An auxiliary chamber which is hermetically separated from the main working chamber by a flexible partition is in part defined by a diaphragm the external surface of which is exposed to atmospheric pressure. The auxiliary chamber contains an ERF which develops a higher viscosity than the ERF which fills the main and expansion chambers. When a voltage is impressed on electrodes in the auxiliary chamber the viscosity of the ERF increases and the flexure of the flexible elastomeric partition is prevented.

Abstract: A transmission gear shifting control system is selective of gear ratio of an automotive automatic power transmission. The control system employes a strategy of learning of driving condition in order to select one of a plurality of vehicle driving pattern so as to adapt to the vehicular driving condition and the driver's desire, by means of neuron computer. The system monitors a plurality of vehicle driving parameters and storing driving pattern data in an associative storage for forming stored driving pattern. The driving pattern data is stored in terms of relevant one of transmission gear shifting patterns so that the transmission gear shifting pattern can be selected in response to entry of the stored relevant driving pattern. The control system is further operable for associatively recollecting one of driving pattern on the basis of the monitored driving parameters and stored driving patterns.

Abstract: An active suspension system for an automotive vehicle is provided which regulates relative displacement between a vehicle body and wheels. This suspension system includes first and second gain controllers associated with hydraulic cylinders for supressing vehicular rolling based on lateral acceleration acting on the vehicle body. The first and second gain controllers amplify the level of the lateral acceleration, monitored by a sensor, by first and second gains respectively to vary pressure of the hydraulic cylinders. The suspension system further includes a low-pass filter which restricts a frequency of a signal output from the acceleration sensor high than a preselected cutoff frequency to decrease the second gain relative to the first gain to reduce the degree of load shift for the rear wheels relative to that of the front wheels.

Abstract: An actively controlled suspension system employs a pressure control valve which is operable in response to a control signal and controls fluid pressure in the fluid chamber of a hydraulic cylinder as a replacement for the conventional hydraulic shock absorber. The pressure control valve is associated with a controller which detects bounding and rebounding acceleration and stroke speed in bounding and rebounding motion for deriving a control signal to operate the pressure control valve to absorb vibration energy to be transmitted between a vehicle body and a suspension member.

Abstract: An active suspension system includes active cylinders having a working chamber and disposed between a vehicular body and road wheels at respective of suspension systems. The system also includes vehicular height monitoring means for monitoring vehicular height at respective ones of the suspension systems for providing vehicular height indicative data. The system performs a height regulating mode operation, in which a front height adjustment command for the front suspension systems is derived on the basis of an average height data related to front-left and front-right vehicular height data, and a rear height adjustment command for rear suspension systems derived on the basis of an average height data related to rear-left and rear-right vehicular height data.

Abstract: An actively controlled suspension system employs a lateral acceleration sensor for monitoring lateral acceleration exerted on the vehicular body. The lateral acceleration is shifted frontwardly from a gravity center of the vehicle body at the neutral position or non-rolling condition. The magnitude of frontward offset of the lateral acceleration sensor is so selected as to cancel influence of phase delay when the lateral acceleration sensor is oriented at the position of the neutral gravity sensor.

Abstract: An output shaft is supported by means of a ball bearing at one end, a radial needle bearing and a thrust bearing. The ball bearing is arranged for supporting the output shaft against most part of radial load. On the other hand, the trust bearing is arranged for supporting the output shaft against the thrusting force which is exerted on the output shaft while the engine driving torque is transferred therethrough. Such construction reduces radial and thrusting stress to be exerted on the needle bearing. Therefore, the radial needle bearing to be used in the shown construction is required substantially small load capacity and thus can be satisfactorily small for allowing the transaxle unit to be designed compact.

Abstract: A control system for a four wheel steering system detects the occurrence of wheel slippage for sampling wheel speed data immediately before the occurrence of wheel slippage. The control system projects a vehicle speed on the basis of the sampled wheel speed data and a predetermined variation rate of the vehicle speed, and derives toe angle variation magnitude of a subsidiary steerable wheel on the basis of the projected vehicle speed and a steering angle of a primary steerable wheel.

Abstract: A wiper speed control system for an automotive wiper controls the operational speed of a wiper in accordance with rain conditions. The control system includes a rain sensor detecting rain conditions to produce an analog signal having an amplitude depending upon the detected rain conditions. The analog sensor signal is converted into a digital pulse signal by a converter for application to a digital circuit system. A control signal is produced by digitally processing the pulse signal. The control signal is applied to a wiper driver circuit to adjust the operational speed or timing in accordance with the control signal.