Abstract: Provided is a hard particle in which Cr and W, that are quickly diffused in Mo, are present at the same time as Ni and Mn. Specifically, the hard particle contains Cr: 5% by mass to 20% by mass, W: 2% by mass to 19% by mass, Mo: 25% by mass to 40% by mass, Ni: 10% by mass to 22% by mass, Mn: 10% by mass or less, C: 2.0% by mass or less, Si: 2.0% by mass or less, and a remainder: Fe and unavoidable impurities.

Abstract: A fluid control apparatus compact in size and high in performance, and a fuel supply system provided with the fluid control apparatus. The first valve opening direction in which a valve body of a relief valve is separated from a valve seat and the second valve opening direction in which a valve body of a discharge valve is separated from a valve seat are opposite to each other. The first valve opening drive pressure to have the valve body of the relief valve separated from the valve seat and the second valve opening drive pressure to have the valve body of the discharge valve separated from the valve seat are different from each other. The valve seat is provided integrally with the valve body. The fluid control apparatus is provided with a displacement limiting mechanism that limits the displacement of the valve body.

Abstract: A lower cam carrier is disposed over a cylinder head and a head cover is disposed thereover. The lower cam carrier has, formed as one therewith, an outer frame superposed with the edge peripheral edge of the cylinder head, and a bridging part provided between opposing sides of the outer frame part. The bridging part has a lower bearing for supporting an intake camshaft and an exhaust camshaft. The head cover has, formed as one therewith, a flange part superposed with the outer frame part and a bearing part opposing the bridging part inside the flange part 22. The bearing part has an upper bearing that, together with the lower bearing, supports the intake camshaft and the exhaust camshaft.

Abstract: By using a target voltage Vc* of a capacitor connected to the output side of a DC/DC converter and a voltage Vb of a battery connected to the input side of the DC/DC converter, a duty ratio D as a drive instruction of the DC/DC converter is calculated. By using the voltage Vb, the electromotive force Vbo of the battery, and the charge/discharge current Ib of the battery, an internal resistance Rb is calculated. According to the internal resistance Rb and the electromotive force Vbo, the current value when the battery output becomes maximum is set as the upper limit value of the optimal current range IR, the DC/DC converter is driven/controlled by limiting the duty ratio D so that the current Ib is within the range of the optimal current range IR. Thus, it is possible to appropriately convert the battery input voltage.

Abstract: A steering apparatus for a vehicle is set to a steer-by-wire mode with an electromagnetic clutch being in a disconnected state. In response to steering operation applied to a steering wheel, first and second electric motors turn left and right front wheels. When a failure arises in one of first and second turning control systems including the first and second motors, the turning characteristic of the left and right front wheels is gradually changed from a turning characteristic for steer-by-wire to that for steer-by-mechanical connection. When a failure arises in the first and second turning control systems or after the turning characteristic is changed, the electromagnetic clutch is brought into a connected state, whereby the steering apparatus is switched to a steer-by-mechanical connection mode. Even when the steer-by-wire mode is switched to the steer-by-mechanical connection mode, a driver is not given an unnatural sensation, and excellent steering stability is maintained.

Abstract: A compression-ignition type engine in which fuel is injected in a combustion chamber during the compression stroke or intake stroke before 60 degrees before top dead center of the compression stroke and in which the mean particle size of the fuel injected at that time is made a size in which the temperature of the particles reaches the boiling point of the main ingredient of the fuel, determined by the pressure in the combustion chamber, at substantially the top dead center of the compression stroke. At least when the engine is operating under a heavy load, the EGR ratio is made more than 40 percent and the air excess ratio is made approximately 1.0.

Abstract: A vehicle hand brake lever assembly for actuating the vehicle parking brake. The lever assembly includes an axially slidable plunger mounted on a support and having one end connected with a brake actuating member. The plunger and the support have a ratchet mechanism for holding the plunger at the brake applying position. The ratchet mechanism can be released by rotating the plunger about its longitudinal axis. A handle assembly is provided at the other end of the plunger and comprises a handle having a handle shaft. A sleeve fitted to a cylindrical guide member is secured to one of the sleeve and the handle shaft, and a lock member to the other. The lock member is axially slidably received in the guide member and provided with a cam profile for cooperation with a cam profile provided on the sleeve. The lock member is spring biased toward the sleeve so that the cam profiles are normally engaged with each other to thereby maintain the handle shaft at a predetermined relationship with respect to the plunger.

Abstract: A governor valve assembly for regulating hydraulic pressure by utilizing centrifugal force developed by the output shaft of a vehicle transmission when the output shaft is rotated has a first governor valve adapted for two-stage pressure regulation and a second governor valve for adapted for a single stage of pressure regulation disposed separately in a governor body supported on an output shaft. An output port of either one of the valves is communicated with a feed port of the other through a passageway in the governor body in order to obtain a three-stage hydraulic pressure characteristic.