Abstract: An active suspension system includes vertical acceleration sensors provided at positions where suspension systems associated with respective vehicular wheels are provided. A control unit receives vertical acceleration data of the respective suspension systems for processing the received data for deriving control command values representative of required damping magnitudes at the respective suspension systems. For this, the control unit derives angular velocity of vehicular attitude change. The control command value is thus derived on the basis of the vehicular attitude change and angular velocity.

Abstract: A pressure supply network for an active suspension system employs a strategy for predicting consumed fluid flow rate on the basis of bounding and rebounding stroke between a vehicular body and a suspension member rotatably supporting a vehicular wheel. A discharge rate of a fluid pump disposed in the pressure supply network is controlled on the basis of the predicted fluid flow rate.

Abstract: An active suspension system is provided a timing control valve in a supply line. The timing control valve is so designed as to provide a predetermined magnitude of delay in building up line pressure upon initiation of suspension control operation. A flow restriction means is further provided in parallel relationship to the timing control valve for permitting fluid flow therethrough in limited flow rate so that sudden increasing of the line pressure in the supply line can be successfully prevented.

Abstract: A four-wheel vehicle drive system, comprising an engine having an output shaft in a lateral direction of the vehicle, a power transmission gear unit including transmission input and output shafts having axes of rotation parallel with the engine output shaft, a final reduction gear rotatable about an axis parallel with the transmission input and output shafts, the transmission output shaft being in driving engagement with the final reduction gear, a gear housing rotatable with the final reduction gear, a main transaxle casing having enclosed therein the transmission gear unit, final reduction gear and gear housing, an auxiliary transaxle casing secured to the main transaxle casing, a first wheel drive gear unit to split driving power from the final reduction gear into two components and including a differential gear assembly enclosed in the auxiliary transaxle casing and operative to transmit one of the power components to a pair of road wheels, a second wheel drive gear unit enclosed in the auxiliary transaxl

Abstract: A fluid supply system is provided for an active vehicle suspension system, for supplying fluid pressure for a hollow working cylinder via a pressure control valve for adjusting suspension characteristics of the vehicle in order to suppress vehicular attitude changes and to absorb road shock vibration, the system having a pressurized fluid source unit for circulating a pressurized fluid through a fluid circuit extending via the pressure control valve and the working cylinder. A first sensor is provided for monitoring a relative displacement between the body of the vehicle and a suspension member rotatably supporting a road wheel thereof, for producing a relative displacement magnitude indicative signal. A second sensor is provided for monitoring a lateral acceleration exerted on the vehicle body. A predicted fluid flow amount through said fluid circuit is derived on the basis of the relative displacement indicative signal to produce a predicted fluid flow amount indicative signal.

Abstract: A height control system utilizing at least first and second mutually different target height ranges for selectively using in vehicular height control. The first target height range is utilized for detecting the height adjustment initiating timing and the second target height range is utilized for detecting the height adjustment terminating timing. The first and second target height ranges are variable depending upon the vehicle driving condition, such as vehicle driving speed, road surface condition and so forth.

Abstract: A jet pump structure for a fuel tank having first and second chambers therein includes first, second and third fuel pipes all of which are connected to a vacuum chamber provided within the fuel tank. The first pipe returns oversupplied fuel into the vacuum chamber, the second pipe transfers fuel stored in the first chamber into the vacuum chamber, and the third pipe receives the fuel from the first and second pipes and discharge same into the second chamber. A flow guide member is provided within the first pipe, which receives the oversupplied fuel to form same into a swirl flow. The swirl flow is ejected from the first pipe as a jet flow into the vacuum chamber to provide a vacuum therearound within the vacuum chamber. The ejected swirl flow further works to seal the vacuum chamber against the third pipe so that the vacuum generated within the vacuum chamber is prevented from being released through the third pipe to effectively suck the fuel from the first chamber.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing an improved sound field in an acoustic space. The apparatus comprises a signal source for producing a source signal. The source signal is applied to a loudspeaker for reproduction thereof. The source signal is also applied to a reverberation circuit. The reverberation circuit includes at least two reverberation signal generators which provide different predetermined time delays to the source signal for converting it to two reverberation signals. At least one phase inverter is connected to invert at least one of the two reverberation signals before the reverberation signals are reproduced.

Abstract: A height regulation system for an automotive vehicle to generally adjust a vehicular height level within a predetermined height range includes a variable pressure chamber, in which the fluid pressure is adjusted to adjust the relative distance between the vehicular body and a vehicular wheel. The system includes a control circuit including a sensor for monitoring vehicular height for detecting an actual vehicular height beyond the predetermined height range for triggering height adjustment operation. The control circuit limits the variation range of the fluid pressure within a predetermined range so as to avoid excess adjustment of the pressure at any vehicular condition.

Abstract: A material for valve seats comprising a wear resisting sintered ferro alloy formed by dispersing particles of a high speed steel in a matrix in which hard alloy particles are dispersed. Steps for forming include mixing particles of a matrix material, carbide material and a hard alloy, and blending the mixture with high speed steel particles, pressurizing and compacting the mixture after blending, then sintering them at 1000.degree. to 1200.degree. C. In the preferred method, at least one element of Fe, C, Ni, Co, Si or Mn is included as the matrix material, and at least one element of Fe, Cr, Mo or V as the carbide material and at least one element of Fe, Cr, Mo, Co, C or W as the hard alloy are prepared. Furthermore, the ferro alloy preferably includes the following amounts of the above mentioned elements, 0.5 to 2.0 wt % of C, 1 to 25 wt % of one or more of Cr, Mo, V, or W and 1 to 15 wt % of one or more of Co, Ni, Mn, or Si.

Abstract: A control system adjusts the active state of an air conditioner system for automotive vehicles on the basis of the thermal environment in accordance with an automatic operation setting program. When a user inputs a modification request for adjusting the thermal environment within a vehicular cabin by means of a button switch while the air conditioner system operates in accordance with the program, the control system modifies the active state of the air conditioner system on the basis of the user's modification requests and the present thermal environment. The active state modification values are stored in a memory to be used in the adjustment of the active state until new modification values are entered by the user.

Abstract: A system for detecting combustion state in an internal combustion engine, detects cylinder pressures in a detecting range from 120.degree. to 240.degree. of crank angle, i.e. from 60.degree. BTDC and 60.degree. ATDC positions, for respective cylinders by means of cylinder pressure sensors, to predict cylinder pressures in a range other than the detecting range in compression and expansion strokes. On the basis of these cylinder pressures, the system derives an indicated mean effective pressure P.sub.i.sup.+ i. This indicated mean effective pressure P.sub.i.sup.+ i is used for determining occurence of misfire in the engine.

Abstract: An active suspension system includes a hydraulic circuit associated with a pressure control valve for adjusting fluid pressure in a working chamber of an active cylinder. A variable orifice is provided between a control portion of the pressure control valve and the working chamber. The variable orifice is operated to provide a first full path area while a line pressure in a supply line for feeding pressurized fluid to said pressure control valve is higher than a predetermined pressure level and a second restricted path area when the line pressure is lower that the predetermined level.

Abstract: An off-board diagnostic device (master station) communicates with a plurality of electronic control units (subordinate stations) applicable to a vehicle. An initializing command (INIT) is transmitted by the diagnostic device to all electronic control units via a communication circuit. The master station (diagnostic device), then, transmits a system call command to the communication circuit to select a particular electronic control unit to be communicated with the master station. The selected electronic control unit returns a first echoback signal to the master station to inform the master station of the receipt of the system call command. Then, the master station transmits a control command (parameter set command) to the selected control unit to perform a predetermined control operation for a controlled obejct (e.g., vehicular engine). The selected control unit returns a second echoback signal to the master station in response to the control command.

Abstract: A composite material having heat resistance at elevated temperatures and excellent mechanical properties to be used for parts of automotive vehicles, especially for pistons, machine parts or aerospace materials is composed of fiber reinforced magnesium alloy as a matrix having a composition of magnesium alloy containing up to 2 to 15 wt %, but preferably 4 to 7 wt % of neodymium or corresponding amount of neodymium-type metals, for example, didymium containing at least 70 wt % of neodymium. The composite material is composed of 70 to 95 vol % of the matrix and 30 to 5 vol % of short alumina fibers as the reinforcement.

Abstract: A suspension control system for automotive vehicles automatically adjusts the damping strength of variable shock absorbers or other dampers in accordance with road surface conditions as recognized by frequency analysis of a vehicle height or vibration sensor signal. The sensor signal reflects vertical displacement of the vehicle body from the road surface and includes high-frequency components due solely to displacement of the wheels or unsprung mass relative to the road surface and low-frequency components due to displacement of the vehicle body or sprung mass. The sensor signal is filtered into these separate frequency bands, the amplitude of each of which is compared to a corresponding reference level.

Abstract: An active suspension system derives a target pressure to adjust fluid pressure in a working chamber of an active cylinder on the basis of a difference between an actual height level and a desired or target vehicular height level. Pressure supply for the working chamber is so controlled as to establish the target height. The system detects a vehicular parking state in which the vehicle speed is zero and a road wheel is locked and limits the variation range of the fluid pressure in the working chamber at the target pressure.

Abstract: A system and method for automatically controlling a vehicle's speed to a desired cruise speed, for a vehicle in which a torque converter and an automatic transmission are mounted are disclosed in which, when the vehicle speed is controlled so as to conicide with the desired cruise speed by means of an automatic (vehicle) speed control device (ASCD) associated with the vehicle engine, deviation of a present vehicle speed from a desired cruise speed is derived. When a first predetermined degree of deviation is reached, the lock-up state of a lock-up device in the torque converter is inhibited. When the deviation further reaches a second predetermined degree of deviation, the second predetermined deviation being greater than the first, the automatic transmission is operated to inhibit a maximum speed gear range (e.g. a fourth speed range is downshifted to a third speed gear range).

Abstract: A warning system for burned-out condition of automotive lamps including brake lamps, high-mount lamps and tail lamps, includes a detection circuit for monitoring the lamps to produce a first signal indicative of the presence of a burned-out lamp, and for monitoring a brake-lamp switch and a light switch to produce a second signal when the brake-lamp switch is ON and a third signal when the light switch is ON. The warning system also includes a control unit which receives the first, second and third signals and determines the identity of the lamp group including at least one burned-out lamp, and an indicator which indicates the identity of the lamp group including at least one burned-out lamp on the basis of the determination by the control unit.

Abstract: A control system is associated with both of an anti-skid brake system and a power distribution control system. The control system controls operation of the anti-skid brake system for adjusting the braking pressure in order to maintain a wheel slippage at about optimal level. The control system also adjusts an engaging force for a transfer clutch depending upon projected vehicle body speed representative value.