Abstract: A valve device for a silence is disclosed. The valve device opens a bypass passage provided in the silencer to flow exhaust gas through the bypass passage when exhaust gas pressure rises to a certain pressure. The valve device includes a base having a valve opening through which exhaust gas flows, and a plate-like valve for opening and closing the valve opening. The plate-like valve is fixed to the base at its proximal portion, and is bent at both edges thereof in a certain range extending from its distal end toward the proximal portion.

Abstract: A process for forming an improved anodizing film on the surface of an aluminum alloy material. The film is impregnated with an amorphous substance which fills pores formed in the film during its growth. If the film has a flaw reaching the aluminum alloy material, the amorphous substance and aluminum form a layer of passivity which restrains the corrosion of the aluminum alloy material.

Abstract: In a fluid coupling with a baffle plate protruding on the side of an inner peripheral surface of a circulating circuit, a clutch chamber is defined between a back of a turbine impeller and a side cover covering the back of the impeller, to communicate with an outer periphery of the circulating circuit. The clutch chamber is divided by a clutch piston into an inner chamber portion on the side of the turbine impeller and an outer chamber portion on the side of the side cover. The clutch piston is axially movably connected to the turbine impeller, thereby constituting a lock-up clutch, so that a first oil passage leading to the outer chamber portion and a second oil passage leading to an inner periphery of the circulating circuit are put into alternate communication with a discharge portion of an oil pump and with an oil reservoir in a switched manner.

Abstract: A one-way clutch includes poles and springs accommodated in pockets defined in an inner peripheral surface of an outer race. The poles are urged toward an outer peripheral surface of the inner race by resilient forces of the springs, thereby inhibiting the relative rotation of the inner race and the outer race relative to each other in one direction, and permitting the relative rotation of the inner race and the outer race relative to each other in the other direction. Each of the poles has a partially columnar support projection, and an engage portion comprising a convex curved surface. The support projection is swingably supported in and substantially in face contact with a partially columnar support recess defined in the pocket. The engage portion is in line contact with the outer peripheral surface of the inner race comprising the columnar surface.

Abstract: A lockup clutch for a torque converter includes a pump extension, a receiving plate connected to the pump extension defining a hydraulic pressure chamber communicating with a portion between a pump impeller and a turbine impeller, a pressing plate opposed to the receiving plate for movement toward and away from the receiving plate, an annular friction clutch plate interposed between the receiving plate and the pressing plate and connected to the turbine impeller, a return spring for biasing the pressing plate in a retracting direction, and an escape bore permitting the inside and outside of the receiving plate to communicate with each other on the side of an inner periphery of the friction clutch plate. When the rotational speed of the pump impeller is increased to a value equal to or higher than a predetermined value, the pressing plate clamps the friction clutch plate in cooperation with the receiving plate under the action of a centrifugal hydraulic pressure within the hydraulic pressure chamber.

Abstract: A lock-up clutch of a torque converter includes an annular clutch outer mounted in a side cover, a clutch inner connected to a turbine impeller, a driving friction plate axially movably connected to the clutch outer, first and second follower friction plates connected to the clutch inner for movement toward and away from each other with the driving friction plate interposed therebetween, an inner chamber defined between the first and second follower friction plates, and an outer chamber faced by outer sides of the first and second follower friction plates. When the inside of the outer chamber is put at a pressure higher than that in the inner chamber, the follower friction plates are brought into pressure contact with the driving friction plate, and an urging force on the follower friction plates is not applied to the side cover.

Abstract: A lockup clutch for a torque converter includes a pump extension, a receiving plate connected to the pump extension defining a hydraulic pressure chamber communicating with a portion between a pump impeller and a turbine impeller, a pressing plate opposed to the receiving plate for movement toward and away from the receiving plate, an annular friction clutch plate interposed between the receiving plate and the pressing plate and connected to the turbine impeller, a return spring for biasing the pressing plate in a retracting direction, and an escape bore permitting the inside and outside of the receiving plate to communicate with each other on the side of an inner periphery of the friction clutch plate. When the rotational speed of the pump impeller is increased to a value equal to or higher than a predetermined value, the pressing plate clamps the friction clutch plate in cooperation with the receiving plate under the action of a centrifugal hydraulic pressure within the hydraulic pressure chamber.

Abstract: A cylindrical honeycomb structure formed by spirally winding a strip metal flat sheet and a strip metal corrugated sheet overlapped thereon. The metal flat sheet is welded, at each turn, to the metal corrugated sheet at a plurality of axially arranged welding positions on each portion where the metal flat sheet contacts the metal corrugated sheet. Letting L be the axial length of the honeycomb structure and D be the diameter of the honeycomb structure, the maximum value L1 of distances between adjacent welding positions satisfies at least one of relationships given by L1≦/D/2 and L1≦/L/2, or the distance L2 between the outermost welding positions in the axial direction of the honeycomb structure and the outer end face of the honeycomb structure satisfies at least one of relationship given by L2≦/D/20 and L2≦/L/10.

Abstract: A torque converter includes a pump impeller, a turbine impeller, a stator impeller disposed between the pump impeller and the turbine impeller, and a free wheel which is interposed between the stator impeller and a stationary case and operable to lock the stator impeller in order to allow the stator impeller to bear a reaction force generated with the amplification of torque between the pump and turbine impellers. In this torque converter, a stator shaft connected to the stator impeller is disposed with its tip end being passed through a turbine shaft to protrude outside the turbine shaft. The free wheel is interposed between the tip end of the stator shaft and the stationary case. Thus, it is possible to reduce the diameter of the stator impeller and thus, the diameter of the entire torque converter, irrespective of the presence of the free wheel inhibiting the rotation of the stator impeller.

Abstract: A torque converter includes a turbine impeller integrally connected to a pump impeller, a side-cover having a boss and covering the turbine impeller, and a turbine shaft extending through the boss and connected to the turbine impeller. A radial bearing and a one-way clutch are disposed axially adjacent to each other between the boss of the side-cover and the turbine shaft. The radial bearing serves to retain the boss and the turbine shaft concentrically, and the one-way clutch connects the turbine shaft and the side-cover to each other, when a back load is applied to the turbine shaft. Therefore, a load received by a clutch element of the one-way clutch such as a sprag between the turbine shaft and the side-cover is equalized. Thus, when a back load is applied to the turbine shaft, a slipping between the turbine impeller and the pump impeller is prevented, thereby providing a good engine brake effect.

Abstract: A one-way clutch includes poles and springs accommodated in pockets defined in an inner peripheral surface of an outer race. The poles are urged toward an outer peripheral surface of the inner race by resilient forces of the springs, thereby inhibiting the relative rotation of the inner race and the outer race relative to each other in one direction, and permitting the relative rotation of the inner race and the outer race relative to each other in the other direction. Each of the poles has a partially columnar support projection, and an engage portion comprising a convex curved surface. The support projection is swingably supported in and substantially in face contact with a partially columnar support recess defined in the pocket. The engage portion is in line contact with the outer peripheral surface of the inner race comprising the columnar surface.

Abstract: A double exhaust pipe for an engine includes an inner pipe shell, and an outer pipe shell in which the inner pipe shell is accommodated. The inner pipe shell is secured at one end thereof to the outer pipe shell and slidably fitted at the other end thereof to an inner peripheral surface of the outer pipe shell. A heat-insulating space is provided between the inner and outer pipe shells to extend from the one end to the other end of the inner pipe shell. In this double exhaust pipe, the inner pipe shell has a bulged portion formed at the other end thereof. The bulged portion has a spherical outer surface slidably and oscillatably fitted to an inner peripheral surface of the outer pipe shell. Thus, even if the free end of the inner pipe shell is inclined upon thermal elongation of the inner pipe shell, the bulged portion at the free end can always be smoothly slipped on the inner peripheral surface of the outer pipe shell.

Abstract: A transmitting system for a small-sized vehicle having an engine and a multi-stage transmission comprising a crankshaft of the engine, an input shaft of the multi-stage transmission, a shifting clutch and a primary reducing device. The input shaft is disposed in parallel to the crankshaft and the crankshaft and input shaft are connected to each other through a fluid transmitting means. The fluid transmitting means including a pump impeller leading to the engine, and a turbine impeller leading to the multi-stage transmission. The fluid transmitting means and the shifting clutch are mounted on the crankshaft of the engine and connected in series to each other. One of the fluid transmitting means and the shifting clutch is connected to the crankshaft, and the other is connected to the input shaft of the multi-stage transmission through the primary reducing device.

Abstract: In a transmitting system for a small-sized vehicle in which a crankshaft and an input shaft of a transmission are connected to each other through a fluid transmitting device such as a torque converter. A primary reducing device, the fluid transmitting device and a shifting clutch are disposed on the crankshaft sequentially from one side of a crankcase supporting the crankshaft with a bearing interposed therebetween toward the outside, and the axial movements of the input member, the pump impeller and the turbine impeller on the crankshaft are restrained by the bearing and a nut threadedly fitted at a tip end of the crankshaft. Thus, a creep phenomenon of the fluid transmitting device can be eliminated by controlling the shifting clutch, and the shifting operation of the transmission can be conducted lightly. Moreover, the transmitting system is of a simple construction and improved in assemblability.

Abstract: In a transmitting system for a small-sized vehicle in which a crankshaft of an engine and an input shaft of a multi-stage transmission are connected to each other through a fluid transmitting device, a shifting clutch is interposed between the crankshaft of the engine and the multi-stage transmission in a series relation to the fluid transmitting device. A lock-up clutch is interposed between a pump impeller and a turbine impeller of the fluid transmitting device. Thus, when the multi-stage transmission is to be shifted, the shifting operation can be conducted lightly, in spite of a creep phenomenon of the fluid transmitting device, by bringing the shifting clutch into an OFF state. Moreover, during cruising of the vehicle, the slipping of the fluid transmitting device can be inhibited by the OFF state of the lock-up clutch to enhance the transmitting efficiency.

Abstract: In a transmitting system for a small-sized vehicle in which a crankshaft of an engine and an input shaft of a multi-stage transmission are connected to each other through a fluid transmitting device, the fluid transmitting device including a pump impeller leading to the engine, and a turbine impeller leading to the transmission, a shifting clutch is interposed between the crankshaft of the engine and the multi-stage transmission in a series relation to the fluid transmitting device. Thus, a creep phenomenon of the fluid transmitting device can be eliminated, and the shifting operation of the transmission can be conducted lightly, by bringing the shifting clutch into its OFF state.

Abstract: In a transmitting system for a small-sized vehicle in which a crankshaft of an engine and an input shaft of a multi-stage transmission are connected to each other through a fluid transmitting device, the fluid transmitting device and a shifting clutch are mounted on the crankshaft. One of the fluid transmitting device and the shifting clutch is connected to the crankshaft, while the other is connected to the input shaft of the multi-stage transmission through a primary reducing device. Provided in the crankshaft are an upstream supply oil passage connected to an oil pump, a downstream supply oil passage connected to portions to be lubricated of the engine, a flow-in bore which permits the upstream supply oil passage to communicate with the inside of the fluid transmitting device, and a flow-out bore which permits the inside of the fluid transmitting device to communicate with the downstream supply oil passage.

Abstract: An exhaust manifold for an engine includes a manifold body 7 having a plurality of branch pipes and a common collecting chamber integrally connected to the branch pipes and communicating with an exhaust emission control device is divided into an upper half and a lower half at a boundary face extending in a direction of arrangement of the branch pipes. The upper and lower halves are made of steel plates and welded to each other. In the exhaust manifold, a welding mating coupler is formed by outer edges of the upper and lower halves, and a welding stepped superposing coupler is formed by inner edges of the upper and lower halves. Thus, during welding, it is possible to limit the misalignment of the upper and lower halves in a direction along the boundary face and the misalignment of the upper and lower halves in a direction perpendicular to the boundary face by cooperation of the mating coupler and the stepped superposing coupler.

Abstract: A silencer includes: a porous inner pipe provided in a peripheral wall thereof with a large number of small pores; an outer pipe surrounding the porous inner pipe; a sound absorbing material incorporated in an annular clearance between the porous inner pipe and the outer pipe; and a plurality of exhaust gas expansion chambers defined in the porous inner pipe and arranged such that an exhaust gas is sequentially passed through the exhaust gas expansion chambers. The sound absorbing material is formed of a heat-resistant fiber layer which is wound around an outer peripheral surface of the porous inner pipe with a binder interposed therebetween, and an outer peripheral surface of the heat-resistant fiber layer is press-fitted to an inner peripheral surface of the outer pipe with a predetermined interference. Thus, it is possible to prevent a reduction in sound vanish effect due to the leakage and short-circuiting of an exhaust gas and a reduction in engine power performance.

Abstract: An exhaust system in an internal combustion engine includes a flow rate regulating valve which is positioned in an intermediate portion of an exhaust gas flow passage. The flow rate regulating valve has a rotary shaft rotatably supported in a valve housing, and a rotationally biasing spring mounted between the rotary shaft and the valve housing which provides a spring force to rotationally bias the rotary shaft. In the exhaust system, an axially biasing spring is mounted separately from the rotationally biasing spring between the valve housing and the rotary shaft for biasing the rotary shaft in an axial direction. The rotary shaft is provided with an abutment surface which faces in the one axial direction, and the valve housing is provided with a limiting portion which abuts against the abutment surface to limit the axial movement of the rotary shaft.