Abstract: A clutch disk assembly 1 includes an output rotary member 4, an intermediate member 3, first springs 7, a damper 8, plates 12 and 13, and third springs 5. The intermediate member 3 is disposed radially outside the output rotary member 4. The first springs 7 are arranged between the output rotary member 4 and the intermediate member 3, and are circumferentially compressed when a hub and the intermediate member 3 rotate relatively to each other in a first stage of relative rotary displacement. A damper 8 is disposed between the output rotary member 4 and the intermediate member 3, and includes second springs 10 that are not compressed in the first stage of relative rotary displacement but are compressed in a second stage of relative rotary displacement. The torsion angle corresponding to the second stage is larger than a torsion angle corresponding to the first stage. The plates 12 and 13 are arranged on the axial side of the intermediate member 3.

Abstract: In a vehicle having an automatically actuatable clutch arranged in the drive train between engine and transmission, the clutch is released or maintained released in the event of a brief interruption in the power supply to the clutch control device while activation of the clutch control device still exists.

Abstract: An advantage of the present invention is the provision of a friction material having a porous structure and a large static coefficient of friction, that is made to have a porous structure so as to improve heat resistance but which does not exhibit time-varying characteristics in friction at the beginning of engagement.A friction material 120 is provided on the surface thereof with small holes 160 each of which is 0.02 mm.sup.2 to 0.2 mm.sup.2 in size and whose area ratio to the whole surface area of the friction material 120 is not less than 5% and whose ratio of depth to the thickness of the friction material 120 is not less than 20% and holds oil in the small holes 160.

Abstract: A lockup clutch at a hydrodynamic torque converter is constructed with a torsional vibration damper which has a drive-side transmission element and a driven-side transmission element which is rotatable relative to the latter. Both of the transmission elements are provided with driving devices for driving elastic elements of a damping device. A carrier for a compensation flywheel mass is associated with the driven-side transmission element, wherein the carrier is connected with the turbine wheel on the one hand and with the driven-side driving device of the elastic elements on the other hand so as to be fixed with respect to rotation relative thereto and is provided at least with a cutout for receiving the compensation flywheel mass. The cutout has a guide path at least in its area of contact with the compensation flywheel mass, which guide path allows a movement of the compensation flywheel mass with at least one component perpendicular to the radial direction at the carrier.

Abstract: A clutch cover assembly 1 is provided with a biasing mechanism 24 disposed between a pressure plate 22 and a fulcrum ring 23 for biasing the fulcrum ring 23 axially away from the pressure plate 23. The biasing mechanism 24 includes a first support plate 31, a second support plate 32, and return springs 33. The first and second support plates 31 and 32 are movable relative to each other in the circumferential direction. The first and second support plates 31 and 32 include first and second tilted surfaces 31a and 32a, respectively, that abut on each other. The return springs 33 are disposed in an inner circumference of the first and second support plates 31 and 32. Each return spring 33 is a tension spring which biases the first and the second support plates 31 and 32 relative to each other in the circumferential direction. Thus, clutch cover assembly 1 is equipped with a wear compensation mechanism that has a simplified biasing mechanism 24 located between the fulcrum ring 23 and the pressure plate 22.

Abstract: A hydrodynamic torque converter with a lockup clutch in which links are provided at turbine blades for engagement of a driver provided at a piston. The transmission of torque from the converter housing via the piston is conducted via the driver to the link of the turbine blade and in turn to the outer torus of the turbine blade and via a turbine hub, to a driven shaft. A torsional vibration damper is arrangeable between the piston and the link of the turbine blade.

Abstract: A hydrodynamic torque converter has a converter circuit having at least a pump wheel and a turbine wheel, wherein each of these wheels has a blade amazement to form flow chambers, each of these blades being provided at its free end with a stiffener acting as part of a toroid. A choke element is provided which can move by a predetermined depth into the associated blade arrangement and serves to regulate the through-flow cross section for the hydraulic fluid of the converter circuit which is supplied in that it is connected via a line system to a supply arrangement. The choke element is arranged in the toroid and is provided with at least one choke projection which penetrates into a corresponding cutout in the toroid and can move into at least one associated flow chamber.

Abstract: A lock-up control device controls an engaging force of a lock-up clutch, which shares engine output with a torque converter to transmit it toward an input shaft of a transmission of a car. First, target driving force is produced based on accelerator pedal opening and car velocity. Then, required torque is produced based on a gear ratio and the target driving force. Target engine speed is produced based on the required torque, wherein the target engine speed is set to avoid occurrence of abnormal sounds and abnormal vibrations. Thus, the lock-up clutch is controlled in such a way that real engine speed does not become less than the target engine speed in case of a gear change corresponding to a shift-up operation, for example. Basically, the lock-up clutch is controlled to have engaging force, which is made as maximal as possible to improve fuel efficiency. In other words, the lock-up clutch is controlled to be as tightly as possible.

Abstract: A driverless vehicle operating system for controlling operation of a vehicle equipped with a manual transmission includes a shift control mechanism controlling operation of a shift lever for the manual transmission, a clutch control mechanism controlling operation of a clutch, which operationally connects the manual transmission and an engine of the vehicle, and an accelerator pedal control mechanism controlling operation of an accelerator pedal of the vehicle. The system also includes an operator input device, an engine speed sensor, and a vehicle speed sensor. An electronic control unit receives input from the shift control mechanism, the clutch control mechanism, the accelerator pedal control mechanism, the operator input device, the engine speed sensor and the vehicle speed sensor, and controls the shift control mechanism, the clutch control mechanism, and the accelerator pedal control mechanism based on the received input.

Abstract: The connector (4) includes a plate (41) covering an aperture (40) in a hood (2), and a feed duct (5) for the hydraulic clutch control unit (9), and the plate (41) carries a deformable clip (30) having a hooking portion (34, 35) for cooperation with the edge of the aperture (40) in the hood (2).

Abstract: A clutch pad assembly 10 includes a first friction portion 31, a second friction portion 32 and a cushioning plate 35. The first friction portion 31 has a first core plate 34 and a first friction member 35 fixed to the first core plate 34. The second friction portion 32 has a second core plate 36 spaced in the disk axial direction from the first core plate 34, and a second friction member 37 fixed to the second core plate 36. The cushioning plate 35 has a cushioning portion 40 disposed between the first and second core plates 34 and 36. The second core plate 36 has an engagement portion 47 engaged with the cushioning portion 40. In an alternate embodiment, a clutch pad assembly 10 includes a pair of annular friction members 131 and 132, cushioning plate 133 and a pair of core plates 134 and 136. The cushioning plate 133 has a plurality of cushioning portions 141, 142 arranged between the paired friction members 131 and 132.

Abstract: A compressor mounted on a vehicle is disclosed. The compressor includes an apparatus for transmitting rotational power from an engine to drive shaft of the compressor via a pulley. The apparatus has a spring coupled to one of the pulley and the drive shaft. A deformable ring is coupled to the other one of the pulley and the drive shaft. The deformable ring is deformed by heat. The spring and the deformable ring are being held in abutment against each other by the force of the spring so as to transmit the rotational power to each other. A contact ring is interposed between the spring and the deformable ring. The contact ring has a rigidity larger than that of the deformable ring. The spring and the contact ring frictionally contact one another to generate the heat that deform the deformable ring when load generated in the drive shaft is in excess of a predetermined value.

Abstract: A hydrodynamic coupling device includes a hydrodynamic circuit having at least an impeller wheel and a turbine wheel and a lockup clutch having an axially movable piston and a torsional vibration damper. The torsional vibration damper has a drive-side transmission element and a driven-side transmission element which is rotatable relative to the latter, each of which is provided with driving means for elastic elements of the torsional vibration damper. A first driving device is provided at a radial outer area of the turbine wheel. For an arrangement of the elastic elements substantially radially outside of the impeller wheel, the first driving device extends beyond this impeller wheel. The second driving device has at least one area radially outside of the elastic elements which receives a friction facing or which serves as a friction surface for the friction facing.

Abstract: A bicycle hub transmission includes a hub axle, a driver rotatably mounted to the hub axle, a slave rotatably mounted to the hub axle, a power transmitting mechanism disposed between the driver and the slave for changing a rotational speed of the driver and for communicating rotational power from the driver to the slave, a clutch mechanism for selectively engaging and disengaging the slave and the driver, and a clutch switching mechanism for controlling the operation of the clutch. The clutch switching mechanism includes an elongated weight member having a first end and a second end, wherein the second end pivots radially outwardly around the first end in response to centrifugal force created by rotation of the weight member around the hub axle. A control member is operatively coupled to the clutch mechanism and is rotatable about the hub axle between an engaging position for causing the clutch to engage the driver and the slave and a disengaging position for disengaging the driver and the slave.

Abstract: A lock-up control device is provided to control engaging force of a lock-up clutch, which shares engine output with a torque converter to transmit it toward an input shaft of a transmission. Herein, input shaft torque is estimated based on engine speed and engine intake negative pressure, while engine torque is estimated based on engine speed and throttle opening. A weight coefficient is produced based on an amount of variations of the engine torque when the amount of variations is greater than a prescribed value. Then, weighted mean engine torque is calculated by the input shaft torque and engine torque in accordance with the weight coefficient. Thus, the lock-up control device controls the lock-up clutch based on the weighted mean engine torque in such a way that the engaging force of the lock-up clutch is increased in response to the rise timing of the weighted mean engine torque.

Abstract: The invention encompasses a friction-in-oil device having a plurality of coaxial disks comprising metal rotor or driving disks, metal stator or driven disks, and loose disks of carbon/carbon ("C/C") composite material, each loose C/C disk lying between a metal rotor or driving disk and a metal stator or driven disk. Each loose C/C disk is centered by a bearing surface formed in an adjacent metal rotor or stator disk, which bearing surface has passages for feeding oil to the interface between the loose C/C disk and the metal rotor or stator disk.

Abstract: A differential locking system of an axle driving apparatus wherein left and right axles are rotatably supported within a housing consisting of an upper half housing and a lower half housing. The inner ends of the axles are facing each other and are rotatably inserted within a differential input gear. An engaged plate member is disposed at the right of the differential input gear. Engaged recesses of the differential input gear and engaged recesses of the engaged plate member are connected with each other. A pair of differential pinions are pivoted within the differential input gear, perpendicular to the axles. Both sides of each differential pinion are engaged with differential side gears fixed around the right and left axles, respectively. Pin passing holes are bored in the right differential side gear. A thrust collar is disposed on the right axle outside of the right differential side gear. A shifter fixing the differential locking pins is axially slidably disposed around the thrust collar.

Abstract: A clutch disk assembly includes two pieces of friction facings, cushioning plates 12, clutch plate 3, retaining plate 4, a plurality of connecting pins 11, hub and rivets 17. The cushioning plates 12 are disposed side by side in a circular direction between two pieces of friction facings. Each of the cushioning plates 12 includes a cushioning part 16 disposed between two pieces of friction facings, and an installation part 15 in which two holes 15a are formed apart each other in a circular direction. The connecting pins 11 fixedly couple the outer circumferential portions of plates 3 and 4 to each other. The rivets 17 are inserted in the holes 15a to fix the cushioning plates 12 to the outer circumferential edge of the clutch plate 3. The locations of the connecting pins 11 in a circular direction are located between two adjacent holes 15a of the cushioning plates 12 in a circular direction. The locations of the connecting pins 11 reduce the stresses in the installation parts 15 of the cushioning plates 12.

Abstract: A bicycle hub transmission includes a hub axle, a driver rotatably mounted to the hub axle, and a slave rotatably mounted to the hub axle. The driver includes a first driving member and a second driving member axially aligned with the first driving member and nonrotatably coupled to the first driving member, wherein the slave is at least partially disposed within the second driving member. At least one of the first driving member and the second driving member define a housing space, and a power transmitting mechanism is disposed at least partially in the housing space for changing a rotational speed of the driver and for communicating rotational power from the driver to the slave.

Abstract: A transmission mechanism having a PTO transmission system and a traveling transmission system and used for a working vehicle, which is so constructed that a input shaft 8 is coaxially freely perforated through a hollow traveling clutch shaft 13, both ends of input shaft 8 projects from the traveling clutch shaft 13, one projecting portion is journalled between a bearing wall 1b of a front transmission casing 1 and a front bearing plate 4 for covering an opening at the front end of the wall 1b, and a selecting device A including a forward and rearward movement switching clutch B, as an embodiment of an auxiliary speed change device, is disposed at this projecting portion.