Abstract: A connector includes a male terminal housing section having an opening for receiving a female terminal housing section of a counter-connector for connection between a male terminal disposed in the male terminal housing section and a female terminal disposed in the female terminal housing section. The connector further includes an insulator cap slidably disposed in the male terminal housing section. The insulator cap has a guide hole for the male terminal and is biased by a spring toward the opening of the male terminal housing section. The insulator cap is positioned forward of a tip of the male terminal relative to the opening of the male terminal housing section so that contact of an operator's finger to the tip of the male terminal is reliably prevented when, for example, fixing the connector.

Abstract: A flywheel assembly having a clutch disk and at least one flywheel includes the use of at least one undulated ribbon spring formed of an elongated metallic strip, folded in accordion fashion, having an arcuate shape and having a plurality of flat-spring loop sections symmetrically staggered along the arcuate shape. The spring is disposed in a fluid filled chamber within the flywheel assembly. The spring is compressed and expands in response to relative rotary displacement between adjacent parts within the flywheel assembly. The spring absorbs vibration from the adjacent parts within the flywheel assembly. Further, the spring further inhibits the flow of fluid within the fluid filled chamber further absorbing vibrations in response to rotary displacement between adjacent parts within the flywheel assembly. The spring may be disposed in a fluid filled chamber formed within the clutch disk or in other portions of the flywheel assembly.

Abstract: A vehicle power train flywheel assembly having an input-side flexible coupling and power transmission damping mechanism whereby power is transmitted from the crankshaft of an engine to a main body of the flywheel assembly via a combination viscous fluid and elastic damping device. The power trans-mission damping mechanism includes a flexible annular input plate formed from sheet metal, and a rimmed sub-plate that together with the input plate forms a viscous fluid chamber, in which an undulated ribbon spring, as the elastic damping device, is installed. During power transmission the ribbon spring is compressed between an input-side sub-plate and an output side stop plate of the flywheel assembly, and torsional fluctuations meanwhile expanding and contracting the ribbon spring are damped as the narrow duct surrounding the ribbon spring chokes the flow of viscous fluid, developing viscous damping resistance.

Abstract: A flywheel assembly comprises a flywheel having a friction surface, a flexible plate, and a stopper plate serving as a stopper mechanism. The above-described flexible plate is flexible in the bending direction and rigid in the rotational direction, and has a radially outer portion fixed to the flywheel and a radially inner portion fixable to an end of a crankshaft of an engine. The stopper plate is for restraining bending deflection of the flexible plate when it exceeds a predetermined amount.

Abstract: A flywheel assembly comprises a first flywheel connectable to an engine, a second flywheel, and an inter-flywheel viscous damping mechanism, providing viscous damping through a fluid of flywheel torsional vibrations. The second flywheel is rotatably supported on the first flywheel and has a friction facing on which a friction material presses. The second flywheel includes an annular capturing channel provided radially inward of the friction facing for capturing fluid from leakage driven on the friction facing side by centrifugal force, and a plurality of through-holes, extending from the capturing channel to a space between the flywheels, for guiding fluid captured by the capturing channel to the space.

Abstract: A shielded cable connecting terminal includes a conductor, a cable sheath insulating the conductor, and a conductive braid wound around the cable sheath. The terminal further comprises: a terminal body having an electrically connecting portion connectable to a mating terminal at one end and a cylindrical portion connectable to the end of the shielded cable at the other end; and a conductive pipe for receiving the conductor of the shielded cable therein and fitting into the cylindrical portion. A collar is disposed on the conductive pipe into which the shielded cable is inserted and an insulating portion is formed on the edge surface of the collar. As a result, short-circuiting caused by possible contact between fraying strands of the braid of the shielded cable and the terminal is avoided. Further, the use of the inexpensive conductive pipe lowers the overall cost of the terminal.

Abstract: To provide a connector with a terminal retaining mechanism which positively prevents an incomplete fit of a terminal retaining member. The connector includes an outer housing connectable to a mating connector is mounted on an outer side of an inner housing receiving terminals, the outer housing is slidably mounted on the inner housing. A retaining member for the terminals is slidingly moved to be engaged in the inner housing through a window hole formed in the outer housing. The retaining member is projected from the window hole when the retaining member is out of engagement with the terminals, and the retaining member is received in the inner housing when the retaining member is engaged with the terminals, thereby allowing the outer housing to slide in a terminal-connecting direction.

Abstract: A flywheel assembly comprises a first flywheel connectable to an engine crankshaft, a second flywheel on which a clutch mountable, rotatably supported by the first flywheel, and a replaceable inter-flywheel drive-driven plates/damper unit. The unit is composed of a drive plate sandwich detachably connected to the first flywheel, a composite driven plate disengageably engaged with the second flywheel, and a viscous damper. The viscous damper connects the drive and driven plates, and the compound damper/drive-driven plates unit is replaceable as a whole.

Abstract: A flywheel assembly comprises a first flywheel connectable an engine, a second flywheel, and an inter-flywheel viscous damping mechanism, providing viscous damping through a fluid of flywheel torsional vibrations. The second flywheel, is rotatably supported on the first flywheel and has a friction facing on which a friction material presses. The second flywheel includes an annular capturing channel provided rapidly inward of the friction facing for capturing fluid from leakage driven on the friction facing side by centrifugal force, and a plurality of through-holes, extending from the capturing channel to a space between the flywheels, for guiding fluid captured by the capturing channel to the space.

Abstract: In a built-up flywheel comprising a first flywheel (12), a second flywheel (30) and a clutch covering body (32), a cooling mechanism is provided which has a cooling port (52) formed in the inner periphery of said second flywheel (30) and a cooling groove (50) arranged generally radial at the front surface of said second flywheel (30) so as to rake the air inside said clutch covering body (32) discharged from said cooling port outwards in a radial direction. The cooling port (52) forms a circulating route of the cold air, so that the atmospheric cold air can be effectively supplied into the clutch covering body (32), and the frictional face of the second flywheel (30) can be cooled. Moreover, the cooling groove (50) works to discharge the air inside the clutch covering body (32) positively outside through the cooling port (52), rendering the pressure inside the clutch covering body (32) negative, whereby the atmospheric cold air can be further positively supplied into the clutch covering body (32 ).

Abstract: A liquid viscous damper having drive plates (3) and driven plates (23) in a case (1). The drive plates (3) have an annular housing (35) mounted thereon and slidable relative to drive plates (3) in a circumferential direction. A maximum torsional torque limiting stopper mechanism is installed between the housing (35) and the driven plates (23). A torque limiter (51), including balls (52), ball engaging concave portions (53) and urging springs (55) are positioned between the casing (1) and the drive plates (3). The ball engaging concave portions (53) are formed on a sliding surface of the casing (1) and the balls are urged by the urging springs (55) to be pressed onto the sliding surfaces of the case (1) so as to engage with the ball engaging concave portion (53) by a specified pressure for disengagement from concave portions (53) when excessive impact torque is applied.

Abstract: A viscous-fluid disc damper includes an input-side drive plate having a containing space, an output-side driven plate disposed in the containing space, and a viscous fluid medium damper mechanism arranged between both plates for absorbing torsional torque. The damper mechanism has a fluid housing provided in the peripheral portion of the drive plate and opening radially toward the center, choke projections provided on the periphery of the driven plate which project into the fluid housing, sliders slidably located in the fluid housing and fitted over the choke projection, and choke tabs formed in the fluid housing. The flow passage of the choke tab is smaller than that of the choke projection. The viscous-fluid disc damper can include a fluid storage for compensating fluid within the fluid housing, via a connecting path between the fluid storage and the fluid housing.

Abstract: A viscous liquid damper having a damper for developing a torsion torque in between an output-side driven plate (23) and an input-side drive plate (3), and a liquid chamber located between the drive plates (3) is partitioned into front and rear divided chamber (38 & 39) in rotation direction. In order to allow absorption of vibrations of different kinds without mutual confrontation in such a damper; an outward facing projection (41) is formed on the drive plate (3), a slider (40) is mated with the drive plate (3) in such a manner as slidable in the rotation direction, a main choke (A1) is formed between the slider (40) and the projection (41), stoppers (40a) able to mate with the projection (41) are formed on circumferential both ends of the slider (40), and a sub-choke (S2) connecting the both divided chambers (38 & 39) is formed separately from the main choke (S1).

Abstract: A viscous liquid damper in which a projection (27) protruding in a notch (20) of a flange (2) is formed on a side plate body (3), so that a liquid chamber in the notch (20) is partitioned into circumferential front and rear divided-chambers (28 & 29) and a main choke (A1) is formed. In order to allow absorption of vibrations of different kinds without mutual confrontation in such a damper; a slider (23) is mated with a bottom edge of the notch (20) in such a manner as slidable in a rotation direction, the main choke (A1) is formed between the slider (23) and the projection (27), stoppers (25) able to mate with the projection (27) are formed on circumferential both ends of the slider (23), and a movable sub-choke (A2) having a flow sectional area smaller than that of the main choke (A1) is formed in the slider (23).

Abstract: A release device for a clutch comprising a cylinder disposed within a clutch housing and having a cylindrical intermediate wall portion projecting toward a release bearing, a piston having a cylindrical hollow portion and connected to the release bearing, the intermediate wall portion being slidably fitted in the hollow portion through a main seal, an operation chamber defined by a part of the hollow portion, the operation chamber facing the front end of the intermediate wall portion, an external hydraulic mechanism connected to the operation chamber, the cylinder further having an inner wall portion and an outer wall portion, both of a cylindrical shape, which fit in the piston, an auxiliary seal provided between each of the wall portions and the piston, and a drain oil passage formed in the cylinder which connects internal spaces between the inner and intermediate wall portions of the cylinder and between the outer and intermediate wall portions of the cylinder to a discharge site outside the clutch housing