Abstract: An automatic transmission including at least one rotary member; a rotary member enclosure enclosing the rotary member; and an oil reservoir arranged below the rotary member enclosure for collecting and reserving the oil. An oil separator is located facing the outer circumference of the rotary member for separating the oil adhering to the rotary member. Because the amount of oil left on the surface of the rotary member is reduced, the amount of oil recovered in the oil reservoir is accordingly increased and the level of the oil surface in the oil reservoir is prevented from falling.

Abstract: An automatic transmission for an automotive vehicle includes a continually variable drive mechanism having one sheave assembly fixed to an input shaft and the output sheave assembly supported on an intermediate shaft, a first gearset for producing forward drive low gear and a range of continuously variable gear ratios, a second gearset for producing reverse drive, a first fixed ratio drive mechanism in the form of a chain drive providing a torque delivery path between the intermediate shaft and a ring gear of the first gearset, a second fixed drive mechanism in the form of a chain drive located in a torque delivery path between the output shaft and a front drive shaft, a transfer clutch for connecting and releasing the output sheave of the variable drive mechanism and sprocket wheel fixed to that shaft, a coast brake and forward brake for holding alternately the ring gear of the first gearset, and a reverse brake for holding the carrier of the second gearset.

Abstract: A pin-type, double acting synchronizer (18) with friction clutches (22,36 and 24,38), jaw clutches (26,30 and 28,31), a shift flange (32), self-energizing ramps (21a-21d) affixed to a shaft (12), and self-energizing ramps (45a-45d) affixed to a self-energizer member (34). Engagement of the ramps provides an additive axial force (F.sub.a) for increasing the engagement force of the friction clutches. The member (34) is secured for sliding movement with the flange and jaw members (30,31). The member (34) is resiliently connected for rotation with the flange by force limiting detent assemblies (50) until synchronizing torque reaches a predetermined amount. When the predetermined torque is reached, the force limiting assemblies allow the flange to rotate and engage stops (32h) for directing all torque in excess of the predetermined amount to the shaft in parallel with the self-energizing ramps.

Abstract: An apparatus for changing rotation of a pedal shaft for a bicycle is provided, in which forward and rearward driving forces of the pedal shaft are convertible without a load, by indirect coupling, and the bicycle can be pulled rearward under the setting conditions for forward traveling. The apparatus includes: a sprocket housing installed to be freely rotatable centering the pedal shaft, to which a ring gear and a ratchet changing ring having the first one-way stoppers are fixed; a sun gear installed to be integrally rotatable with the pedal shaft; rearward rotation of the carrier can be checked by the first one-way stoppers of the ratchet changing ring; a changing gear ring coupled with the carrier to be elastically rotatable along the circumference with predetermined rotatable angle; a fixing housing having the second one-way stoppers capable of stopping rearward rotation of the carrier; and a stopper changing ring capable of controlling the second one-way stoppers of the fixing housing.

Abstract: An apparatus for changing power direction for a bicycle is provided, which can travel the bicycle forward all the times, and simultaneously idle the bicycle, and transmit the driving force to a pedal shaft, thereby pulling back the bicycle without reverse-load.

Abstract: A slip control system for an automatic transmission includes a fluid coupling including a release side oil chamber, an apply side oil chamber and a lockup clutch unit that is applied and released on an basis of the oil pressure that is fed to at least one of the release side oil chamber and the apply side oil chamber; an oil pressure generating unit for generating the oil pressure; a vehicular running state detecting unit for a detecting vehicular running state; an electronic control unit for determining whether a slip control is to be made, on the basis of a determination upon whether the present vehicular running state, as detected by the vehicular running state detecting unit, belongs to a predetermined slip control region; and an oil pressure regulating unit for regulating the oil pressure in response to a signal coming from the electronic control unit, to make the slip control by sliding the lockup clutch unit.

Abstract: A collapsible steering column includes a bellows tube with a corrugated portion in which the radius varies regularly along the length of the tube. A connective portion is located at both ends of the bellows tube, and transfer portions are located between each of the connective portions and the corrugated portion. By inserting a reinforcement into the end portion of the bellows tube, the strength and rigidity of the connective portion increases. Press forming, stamp forming, rivet forming, and/or adhesive methods are applied to connect the end portion of the bellows tube and the reinforcement.

Abstract: A manual power transmission includes a transmission casing, input and output shafts coaxially aligned with each other and a layshaft accommodated within the transmission casing and positioned below the input and output shafts. The input and output shaft has a plurality of gears of a varying size or diameter mounted thereon and associated with gearshifting positions and the layshaft has a corresponding number of countergears of a varying size or diameter mounted thereon and paired with the gears on the input and output shafts. Some of the countergears which serve as an idle gear are so juxtaposed in a direction axially of the layshaft that an envelope enclosing all of the those countergears while touching respective outer perimeters of those remaining countergears represents a generally barrel shape having a generally intermediate portion thereof bulged radially outwardly with respect to the layshaft.

Abstract: A vehicle driveline clutch using a ball ramp actuator supplying a clamping force on a clutch disc in response to an electromagnetic field where the clutch clamping force is maintained and increased with clutch slip using a plurality of one-way clutches acting in a pair of planetary gearsets with a one-way clutch acting on each planet gear and supported on a carrier ring which is frictionally connected to a ball ramp control ring upon energization by a clutch control unit of an electrical coil thereby creating relative rotational motion between the control ring and an actuation ring causing a plurality of rolling elements to travel along identical opposed variable depth ramps thereby creating an axial separation force between the control ring and the actuation ring generating the clamping force on the clutch disc.

Abstract: A device for controlling the gear ratio of a continuously variable transmission. The theoretical rotational speed or transmission ratio is fed to the signal input of a set-value filter (44). The time constant (T.sub.-- RS) of the set-value filter (44) is adaptively controlled so that the change in transmission ratio takes place in accordance with a transition function whose limit is defined by a maximum variation speed. The principal advantage of the invention is that the vehicle is not slowed when shifting down to lower transmission ratios.

Abstract: A control system for controlling a lock-up clutch of a torque converter employed in an automatic transmission of a vehicle, the lock-up clutch being controllable by a pressure differential between apply and release pressures comprises a detector for detecting a demand of change (decrease/increase) in the pressure differential, a pressure-differential setting circuit for setting a target pressure differential in response to the demand of change in the pressure differential, and a pressure-differential filter having a desired dynamic characteristic and being responsive to the target pressure differential for outputting a filtered pressure-differential command value via a filtering process based on the desired dynamic characteristic.

Abstract: A pin-type, double acting synchronizer (22) with friction clutches (26,50 and 28,52), jaw clutches (30,34 and 32,36), a shift flange (42), self-energizing ramps (13b,13c,13d,13e) affixed to a shaft (12), and self-energizing ramps (45a,45b,45c,45d) affixed to a self-energizer member (44). Engagement of the ramps provides an additive axial force (F.sub.a) for increasing the engagement force of the friction clutches. The member (44) is secured for rotation with and sliding movement relative to the flange (42). Spring washers (46,48) react in opposite directions between member (44) and the jaw members (34,36) for limiting the amount of additive axial force (F.sub.a).

Abstract: An adjustment mechanism for a frictional clutch for a motor vehicle includes a stationary annular cam, a rotating annular cam, a cam spring, an axially oriented friction pin, and a cam location finger. The stationary annular cam is centered about an axis of rotation and is rotatably fixed relative to a clutch pressure plate. The stationary annular cam has a plurality of cam surfaces. The rotating annular cam is also centered about the axis of rotation and is rotatable relative to the stationary annular cam. The rotating annular cam has a plurality of cam surfaces which engage the cam surfaces of the stationary annular cam. The engaged cams are configured for placement between the pressure plate and the biasing member.

Abstract: A hybrid drive system for a motor vehicle, including a drive power source consisting of an engine operated by combustion of a fuel, and an electric motor operated with an electric energy, and a controller for selectively establishing a plurality of operation modes in which the drive power source is placed in respective different operating states, and wherein the controller includes a drive force control device for controlling the hybrid drive system so as to produce a substantially constant drive force for driving the vehicle, under the same running condition of the vehicle, irrespective of the currently established operation mode.

Abstract: A differential drive mechanism comprises a cage (1), which is rotatable about an axis (3) and represents the input, two coaxial output shafts (12, which are rotatable in respect of the cage (1) about the axis (3), a coupling (4) which is connected eccentrically through two output shafts (12) to transmit relative contra-rotational movement between them by connections which permit relative rotation of the coupling (4) and the output shafts (12). The eccentric connection of the coupling (4) on the ouput shafts (12) includes a respective eccentric hole (9) in the inner end (10) of each output shaft (12) in which the associated end (6) of the coupling (4) is received. The ends (6) of the coupling (4) have a part-spherical engagement surface. A slipper (8) affording a complementary part-spherical internal surface is received in each eccentric hole (9) and each engagement surface is in engagement which a respective complementary internal surface.

Abstract: A pin-type, double acting synchronizer (22) with friction clutches (26,50 and 28,52), jaw clutches (30,34 and 32,36), a shift flange (42), self-energizing ramps (13b,13c,13d,13e) affixed to a shaft (12), and self-energizing ramps (45a,45b,45c,45d) affixed to a self-energizer member (44). Engagement of the ramps in response to an operator shift (F.sub.o) applied to the shift flange provides an additive axial force (F.sub.a) for increasing the engagement force of the friction clutches. The member (44) is secured for rotation with and sliding movement relative to the flange (42). Spring washers (46,48) react in opposite directions between member (44) and the jaw members (34,36) for limiting the amount of additive axial force (F.sub.a). Blocker shoulders (42d,54c and 42e,54d) prevent asynchronous engagement of the jaw clutches.

Abstract: An electro-mechanical powertrain has two motor/generator (m/g) units disposed in concentric coaxial arrangement with a plurality of planetary gearsets and a pair of friction brakes. An input shaft is driven by a prime mover through a selectively engageable clutch. The motor/generator units are controlled in combination with the planetary gearset, the prime mover and an electrical source (batteries) to provide a two-mode, input split powertrain.

Abstract: A motor vehicle friction clutch with automatic wear compensation has a wear compensation element, which wear compensation element can rotate around a clutch axis. The friction clutch also includes an adjustment device, which adjustment device includes a worm rotatably mounted on a carrier. The wear compensation element is a worm gear that meshes with the worm to advance the wear compensation element along the clutch axis to compensate for wear. Axial play in the direction of the clutch axis is provided between the worm gear and the worm to detect wear of the friction linings.

Abstract: A speed change control system for an automatic transmission which includes a plurality of frictional engagement elements and in which a first speed change unit for executing a clutch-to-clutch shift by applying/releasing two frictional engagement elements simultaneously and a second speed change unit for executing a speed change by applying a one-way clutch are connected in tandem. The decision is made upon both the clutch-to-clutch shift of the first speed change unit and the speed change, as effected by applying the one-way clutch of the second speed change unit. At the speed change time, the clutch-to-clutch shift is established before the application of the one-way clutch. According to the present invention, therefore, the clutch-to-clutch shift at the first speed change unit of the automatic transmission, as accompanied by the application of the one-way clutch at the second speed change unit, can be easily controlled to prevent the shift shock.

Abstract: A control system for an automatic transmission includes a clutch for transmitting the rotation of a fluid transmission unit to a speed change mechanism of a transmission and a hydraulic servo for applying/releasing the clutch. A stop state detector is provided for detecting the stop state of the vehicle. A release control oil pressure changer lowers the oil pressure of the hydraulic servo by a first set pressure when the vehicle stop state is detected. An in-neutral control oil pressure changer raises the oil pressure of the hydraulic servo by a second set pressure, when the difference between the input side RPM and the output side RPM of the fluid transmission unit has not changed, and lowers the same by a third set pressure when the rotational speed difference has changed. The first set pressure is different from the second and third set pressures.