Abstract: An FIP (Formed In Place) gasket arrangement includes three hollow parts which are joined with each other in such a way as to sealingly separate the inside and outside thereof. Two of the parts have surfaces which are flush with each other and adjoin at a line extending between the inside and outside of the two parts. The remaining one of the parts has a surface joined with the surfaces of the two parts by interposing therebetween an FIP gasket. The two parts also have edges extending along the above mentioned line, one of the edges being partially chamferred to provide a chamber. The FIP gasket has a portion filling the chamber.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling a steering reaction force in which at least one of motion state variables of a vehicle is estimated when a steering wheel of the vehicle is operated on the basis of a vehicle model which represents a mathematical model of the vehicle having a desired performance of motion, a target value of the steering reaction force imposed on a steering wheel is determined on the basis of the estimated value of the motion state variable, and the steering reaction force imposed on the steering wheel is generated so as to become substantially equal to the target value. The steering reaction force control system achieves the generation of the steering reaction force on the steering wheel on the basis of a vehicle turning motion information as motion state variables such as a lateral acceleration of the vehicle and/or yaw rate of the vehicle.

Abstract: A system and method for automatically controlling a vehicle speed to a desired cruising speed in which after a vehicular engine is set in an acceleration state for the vehicle through an actuator under an acceleration control of the vehicle speed in response to a command operation of an acceleration switch, the vehicular engine is set so that the vehicle speed is reduced and arrives at a set cruising speed at a time of a reset of the command operation of the acceleration switch. At this time, in the vehicle speed controlling system and method, a duration in which the vehicle speed is one abruptly reduced is calculated on the basis of a control duration for which the vehicle speed is in the acceleration state under the acceleration control so that the vehicle speed is smoothly reduced and reaches the set cruising speed.

Abstract: In a device for measuring torsional torque applied to a fixed or revolving shaft made of a magnetic material by producing a magnetic circuit in which the flux path includes a section of the shaft and detecting a magnetostrictive change induced by the torque, the surface of said section of the shaft is formed with a series of parallel grooves and/or lands or protuberances inclining at a suitable angle with the longitudinal axis of the shaft to thereby cause magnetic flux in the surface layer of the shaft to extend approximately in the direction of tensile or compressive stress produced by the torque. It is preferred to form a first series of parallel grooves extending spirally and inclining 45.degree. with said axis in one section of the shaft and a second series of parallel and spiral grooves inclining 45.degree. with said axis and reverse to the first series of grooves in another section of the shaft to detect a difference between magnetostrictive changes in the respective sections.

Abstract: In a vertical MOSFET of a conductivity modulated type or a standard type, including an n epitaxial layer grown on a p.sup.+ or n.sup.+ substrate, a p type channel region, and an n.sup.+ source region, there is further provided a Schottky diode which is formed between the n epitaxial layer and a metal source electrode extending through the source region and channel region and reaching the epitaxial layer under the source and channel regions in order to prevent latch-up of a parasitic thyristor.

Abstract: A body mounting arrangement is proposed wherein a bonnet type body is mounted on a frame. The body includes a cabin and is provided with a first pair of mounting sites at a front portion thereof, a second pair of mounting sites at a front portion of the cabin floor, and a third pair of mounting sites at a rear portion of the cabin floor. First and second pairs of compression type mount rubbers are disposed between the first and second pairs of mounting sites and frame, respectively. A pair of shear type mount rubbers are disposed between the third pairs of mounting sites and frame.

Abstract: An automotive suspension system has a roll stablizer with an adjustable torsion modulus. The torsion modulus of the stabilizer is adjusted depending upon road surface conditions and other parameters. A controller is associated with the stabilizer to adjust its torsion modulus. When the vehicle is moving on a relatively smooth road surface, the torsion modulus of the stabilizer is adjusted toward to a relatively high value. On the other hand, when the vehicle travels along a rough road, the torsion modulus is adjusted toward a lower value.

Abstract: Herein disclosed is a wiper which can selectively assume a "semi-concealed mode" and a "full-concealed mode". The wiper comprises an output gear housed in a case, an output shaft having one end to which a motor arm is secured, a wiper arm assembly including a connecting rod which is pivotally connected to the motor arm, a first mechanism for transmitting rotation of the output gear to the output shaft, a bushing rotatably housed in the case and having an eccentric bore through which the output shaft is rotatably passed, a second mechanism for locking the bushing to one of the case and the output gear while changing relative angular positioning between the bushing and the output gear, and a push button arranged on the case and actuating the second mechanism when manipulated.

Abstract: In order to permit the simultaneous variation of the illumination of a clock and the illumination of instruments included in an instrument panel of an automotive vehicle or the like, a single illumination control device is connected with the ignition switch and a lighting control switch in a manner that when the lighting switch is on, the voltage applied to the bulbs which illuminate the clock and the instrument panel are simultaneously controlled while the tail lamp bulbs are constantly energized to their normal level when only the ignition switch is on, current is fed to the clock illumination bulb. The resistance inherently provided by the plurality of bulbs used in the instrument panel and tail lamp assemblies prevents illumination of the same under such circumstances.

Abstract: Herein disclosed is a bumper assembly for a vehicle, particularly for a truck or the like. The bumper assembly comprises an elongate main bumper part, a side bumper part bolted to each longitudinal end of the main bumper part at generally right angles, and a reinforcing stay having one end bolted to the main bumper part and the other end bolted to the side bumper part in a manner to form a diagonal beam in building construction.

Abstract: A navigation system and method for guiding a vehicle along a selected route of travel to a destination from a starting point using a display unit. In the navigation system, a positional relationship between a start road branched from a first known branching point (a start intersection from which a guidance of the vehicle along the selected route of travel is initiated) and entrance direction of the vehicle toward the first known branching point is clearly and distinguishably displayed on the screen of the display unit after the selection of the route of travel from the starting point to the destination so that the vehicle can corectly enter the start road at the first known branching point even if it has reached the first known branching point via any arbitrary route of travel from the starting point.

Abstract: A fuel-level detecting system for detecting residual fuel in a fuel tank includes two fuel-level detecting sensors, one of which is disposed within one chamber of the fuel tank, the other of which is disposed within the other chamber of the fuel tank. This system can more accurately detect actual fuel-level by indicating a value in accordance with current running through a closed circuit formed by the fuel-level detecting sensors and so forth.

Abstract: A drum brake shoe is provided with a plurality of reinforcements which are arranged at irregular intervals on the inner periphery of a rim.

Abstract: A filter traps particles in exhaust from an engine. When the degree of clogging of the filter is unacceptable, the flow of intake air into the engine is throttled to increase the temperature of exhaust from the engine and thereby to burn off the particles trapped by the filter. During throttling of the intake air flow, the pressure of the intake air may be adjusted in accordance with an engine operating condition. An arrangement for finely adjusting the degree of throttling of the intake air may be added. In cases where the exhaust is recirculated through the engine, the rate of the exhaust recirculation is reduced when the intake air flow is throttled to burn off the trapped particles.

Abstract: In a motor vehicle having in an engine room a carbon canister for adsorbing a vapor from a fuel tank, there is provided a vapor diffusing device which comprises a front side channel member extending in the engine room from a front portion of the vehicle toward a passenger room of the same, a structure incorporated with a part of the channel member to define an enclosed chamber, a first arrangement for fluidly connecting the interior of the enclosed chamber with a purge air opening of the carbon canister, and a second arrangement for defining a vapor diffusing opening through which the interior of the enclosed chamber is exposed to the interior of the engine room.

Abstract: According to the present invention, an instrument panel and a stay are assembled with a device which slidably holds the stay relative to the instrument panel, the device preferably including a hook formed on the stay and a temporary latch formed on the instrument panel.

Abstract: An automotive vehicle suspension having a damper with variable damping characteristics, specifically, an adjustable damping force. A controller responds to an application and release of the vehicle brakes by increasing the damping force, to suppress nose-dive of the vehicle at the beginning of braking and to suppress pitching motion of the vehicle at the end of braking.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling a power supply to a glow plug for a vehicular internal combustion engine to preheat the glow plug, in which in addition to the conventional power supply circuit to the glow plug which allows the power supply current to flow into the glow plug so as to preheat the glow plug at an earlier stage when an engine key is inserted into an engine key switch apparatus, a cancel circuit is provided which halts the function of the glow plug power supply circuit for a predetermined period of time when a power supply is connected to the glow plug power supply circuit.

Abstract: An automatic Loran-C signal detecting apparatus samples a received signal at a constant high sampling frequency of which the Loran-C carrier frequency is a harmonic. The polarity of the sampled signal at each sampling frequency cycle is stored in a corresponding memory cell for every two successive periods of the Loran-C signal. All of memory cells are previously loaded with a value m. A control unit determines whether the polarity of the sampled signal is positive or negative and adds +1 to the value m of the memory cell when the sampled signal is positive and adds -1 to the value m of the memory cell when the sampled signal is non-positive. After a given number of Loran-C signal cycles, the accumulated polarity totals are compared to a range around the original value m to detect which memory cells, i.e. which sampling times, coincide with Loran-C pulses. The polarity of the Loran-C pulses thus detected can then be checked to identify the sending station of each group of Loran-C pulses.

Abstract: An exhaust purification apparatus includes a regenerative burner for repetitively regenerating a trap element located in the exhaust system of an internal combustion engine. The regenerative burner has a combustion chamber adapted to permit flow of exhaust gas from the engine exhaust conduit to the trap element. A hollow member is disposed within the combustion chamber to define an evaporation chamber therein. The hollow member has a side wall formed with a number of flame holes to permit fluid flow from the evaporation chamber into the combustion chamber. The evaporation chamber has a supply of air-fuel mixture through a mixture conduit having an end terminating in a discharge outlet opening into the evaporation chamber. The mixture conduit has a portion extending through the combustion chamber to promote fuel evaporation during a trap regeneration operation.