Abstract: An electric caliper for a brake system includes a cylindrical housing having a bore, a bridge extending from the housing, and a pair of friction elements operatively disposed under the bridge. The electric caliper also includes a motor disposed within the bore and a planetary gear system disposed within the bore and operatively connected to the motor. The electric caliper further includes a ball screw disposed within the bore and positioned around the motor and operatively connected to the planetary gear system. The electric caliper includes a piston operatively connected to the ball screw. Displacement of the piston causes the friction elements to operatively engage a disc disposed between the friction elements.

Abstract: A first pump (21) which supplies a required flow amount for speed ratio control and a second pump (22) which supplies a flow amount which is re-cycled to an oil cooler in order to cool the oil are driven at the same time by a common motor (23). A required discharge amount for the first pump (21) is calculated depending on driving conditions and a required discharge amount for the second pump (22) is calculated depending on driving conditions. The motor (23) is controlled to a rotation speed so that a discharge amount is produced which satisfies the larger of the two required pump discharge amounts calculated above. In such a way, pump rotation speeds are controlled so that the required discharge amount is produced depending on driving conditions which enables reductions in electricity consumption and noise.

Abstract: A system for controlling operation of an internal combustion engine includes a control computer responsive to a number of engine/vehicle operating conditions to control engine operation to thereby control engine speed and engine or vehicle acceleration. In one embodiment, the control computer is configured to determine an engine or vehicle acceleration limit value based on current engine or vehicle speed, and an engine speed limit value based on current engine load, and to control engine fueling and/or speed to thereby limit engine speed to the engine speed limit value and/or engine/vehicle acceleration to the engine/vehicle acceleration limit value.

Abstract: A pressure controlling system for a CVT of the belt with bevelled pulley type is proposed in which, on detection of a shift from the neutral or park position, the pressure in the primary and secondary pulleys is raised to a first level. This ensures that the variator (1) can transmit the full torque on initiation of a drive operation.

Abstract: A transaxle drive differential assembly powered by an input drive and connected to a pair of axle shafts. The differential assembly includes a housing comprised of a first housing section and a second housing section wherein at least one of the housing sections has a bearing surface. A ring gear, drivingly linked to the input drive, has an inner circumference which is supported on the bearing surface. A differential is drivingly linked to the ring gear and is adapted to drive the pair of axle shafts.

Abstract: The power train of a motor vehicle employs a torque transmitting apparatus having a hydrokinetic torque converter with a lockup clutch and a torsional damper between the output member of the clutch and the hub of the turbine in the cover of the torque converter. The torque capacity of the damper is less than the nominal torque of the engine whose output element drives the cover of the torque converter. The lockup clutch is designed in such a way that the transmission of torque from the cover to the damper can be regulated in several stages, one of which involves the transmission of torque within a range of between about 10% and 60% of the maximum torque transmitted by the engine and another of which involves the transmission of torque corresponding to not less than 60% of the maximum torque transmitted by the engine.

Abstract: When the solenoid valves constituting the transmission ratio control valve should fail electrically, the toroidal continuously variable transmission shifts the transmission ratio toward the speed increasing side to avoid possible dangers of a car while traveling and at the same time cancels variations of the spool valve movement caused by the control oil pressures of the solenoid valve. The two solenoid valves that control the oil pressures acting on the both ends of the transmission ratio control valve having a spool valve are of opposite types, a normally open type and a normally closed type. The duty A and duty B for these solenoid valves are set to equal values (S11). Even when any of the solenoid valves are electrically failed, the transmission ratio of the toroidal speed change unit in the toroidal continuously variable transmission is shifted toward the speed increasing side, which is a safe side for the running car.

Abstract: A rotor (2, 3) is provided with bearing trunnions (4, 5). The rotor is made of a material with limited strength properties, such as aluminum. At least one of the bearing trunnions (4) comprises a concentric sleeve (20) made of steel at one end of the rotor. The inner end (21) of the sleeve (20) is radially attached to the rotor end (22) by a trunnion (4) protruding into the sleeve, or by a groove (40) in the rotor end (22), into which groove the inner end (21) of the sleeve protrudes. The outer end of the sleeve (20) is kept by a screw (25, 27) screwed into the rotor (2, 3) and provided with a screw head (24) pressed axially in the direction towards the rotor end (22).

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for reducing the temperature of an axle assembly by moving the lubricating fluid from the hotter to the cooler portions of the axle assembly. The axle assembly has an axle housing with a central portion and opposing legs extending from the central portion. A pair of shafts is disposed within the legs. Each of the shafts has an outer surface and first and second opposing ends, with at least a portion of the first ends located within the central portion. A differential gear set is arranged within the central portion and engages the first ends. To cool the lubricant, at least one helical protrusion extends from the outer surface of the shafts at a location adjacent to the differential assembly. The helical protrusions move the lubricating fluid from the first end in the hot central portion of the axle housing to the cooler second end at the extremity of the axle.

Abstract: A planetary gear device (20) comprises a front-stage side planetary gear mechanism (21) and a rear-stage side planetary gear mechanism (23). The rear-stage side planetary gear mechanism (23) comprises an internal gear (25), a carrier (29) rotatably supported by a pair of main guide bearings (26,27) disposed on both sides of the internal gear (25), a plurality of planetary gears (31) rotatably supported on a plurality of planetary shafts (30) extending between a pair of carrier parts (28A,28B) of the carrier (29), a sun gear (33) formed on an outer circumferential surface of a pinion shaft extending in a direction of a device axial line (20a) to pass through the carrier (29), and an output shaft (34) connected to the carrier (29) and extending in the direction of the device axial line (20a).

Abstract: A transaxle including a self-adjusting brake mechanism. The transaxle includes a housing and a speed reduction mechanism including a plurality of interconnected shafts rotatably disposed in the housing. A brake assembly is mounted on the housing for applying braking force to one of the shafts, the braking mechanism including a threaded mounting member and a brake lever having an opening rotatably disposed around the threaded member. An adjustment nut is threadedly disposed on the mounting member and has a portion thereof disposed within the brake lever opening, the adjustment nut operable when rotated in a given direction to adjust the brake to compensate for wear. The brake lever opening has a pawl that cooperates with a plurality of ratchet teeth on the adjustment nut to adjust the brake mechanism for wear.

Abstract: A transmission for a working vehicle like a tractor of the invention is housed in a transmission housing 1 interposed between an engine and a rear axle housing 2. An interior of transmission housing 1 is divided into a front chamber A and a rear chamber B through a partition wall 1a. In front chamber A is disposed a main-clutch system partition centering a traveling-input shaft 7. In rear chamber B is disposed a speed-changing system as a combination of reversing arrangement and multi-speed-changing arrangement. In a rear opening of housing 1 is disposed a bearing plate 3. In rear chamber B, a first speed-changing shaft 8, a second speed-changing shaft 9 and a front transmission output shaft 10 are supported in parallel between wall 1a and plate 3. A regular speed-reduction gear train and a reversing speed-reduction gear train are interposed between shafts 8 and 9, so that shafts 8 and 9 can be connected with each other through one of the gear trains by a first clutch device C1 on shaft 8.

Abstract: A novel multi-speed wheel hub having a housing, an input member, including a sun gear, disposed in the housing, a planet carrier, including a plurality of planet gears, disposed about the sun gear. There is also a ring gear disposed about the planet gears. The multi-speed wheel hub includes a shifting system including a piston. A first shift ring is mechanically coupled to the piston by a plurality of first push rods and a second shift ring is mechanically coupled to the first shift ring by a plurality of second push rods. The piston activates the first and second shift rings, such that, when the first shift ring is engaged and the second shift ring is disengaged, the ring gear is locked to the housing so that a torque is transmitted from the sun gear through the planet carrier to the wheel.

Abstract: An electric-power-assist transmission and a shaft control method which allow good operability to be obtained. A main clutch is put in an engaged or disengaged state in a manner which is mechanically coupled with the rotation of a shift spindle. At normal times, the rotational direction and the rotational speed of the shift spindle rotated by a driving motor are controlled in accordance with a first control procedure. However, with the main clutch in a disengaged state, as the rotational speed of the engine exhibits a predicted change, the rotational direction and the rotational speed of the shift spindle are controlled in accordance with a second control procedure which is different from the first control procedure.

Abstract: By determining the abrasion of a gear clutch during the operation of a construction machine and ascertaining the present abrasion state, it is possible to systematically predict the replacement time of a clutch disc and also to ascertain the presence of an abnormally worn clutch disc.

Abstract: A band brake for selectively holding a rotating element motionless includes means for evenly distributed application of force to the band brake. In some embodiments of the invention ball or roller bearings are used to apply evenly distributed forces to the band brake. In other embodiments of the invention, the band brake has variable thickness and the thicker portions are wedged between a rotating member and some outer member to hold the rotating member motionless. In at least one embodiment, selectively movable pairs of mirror-image ball or roller bearings are used to apply braking force directly to a rotating element.

Abstract: The power train of a motor vehicle has an automated clutch which can transmit torque from a prime mover to a transmission in response to signals from an electronic control unit. The latter causes the clutch to transmit a constant torque during a first interval, to thereupon transmit a gently varying torque during a second interval if the operator of the motor vehicle fails to carry out certain necessary operations prior to elapse of the first interval, and to thereafter transmit a pronouncedly varying torque during a third interval if no remedial undertakings were completed during the second interval. The third interval is cut short if the engine tends to choke, and the full or shortened third interval can be followed by a fourth interval corresponding to the first interval or by a further interval corresponding to the second interval.

Abstract: A transfer case for a four-wheel drive vehicle having a planetary gear assembly which integrates a gear reduction unit and an interaxle differential into a common assembly. A synchronized range clutch is operably associated with the input to the planetary gear assembly and can be selectively shifted on-the-fly for establishing high-range and low-range speed ratios. A synchronized mode clutch is operably associated with the output of the planetary gear assembly and can be selectively shifted on-the-fly for establishing two-wheel, full-time four-wheel and locked four-wheel drive modes.

Abstract: An electro-hydraulic transmission control has a pair of solenoid valves which are energized individually to provide a forward drive or a reverse drive. A mode mechanism downstream of the solenoid valves is actuated to a forward or reverse mode depending on which solenoid is actuated. The hydraulic fluid downstream of the solenoid valves is also effective to actuate one of two disable valves. When the forward solenoid is selected, the reverse disable valve is actuated and vice versa. In the event that hydraulic pressure is inadvertently directed to the forward and reverse drives simultaneously, both disable valves are actuated and the transmission control is placed in neutral.

Abstract: A speed ratio control operation of an automatic transmission for a vehicle is controlled by using an oil pressure supplied from a oil pump (16). At least a circuit (22) which sets a rotation speed of the oil pump (16) to a first pump rotation speed in order to maintain a necessary minimum line pressure to control a variable mechanism, a stationary vehicle condition determination circuit (24) which determines that the vehicle is operating under the conditions that the brake is operated and vehicle speed is below a fixed value, and a circuit (23) which sets a second pump rotation speed which is lower than the first pump rotation speed when stationary vehicle conditions are met are provided. The rotation speed is lowered to the second pump rotation speed when the vehicle stationary conditions are met which results in reduced energy consumption and reduced noise pollution.