Abstract: An automatic transaction system has a cellular phone of a customer and an automatic teller machine (ATM) which can directly communicate with the cellular phone by infrared communication. When the customer performs a transaction by the ATM, transaction information such as transfer information registered in the cellular phone is directly inputted to the ATM and the ATM executes a transaction process by the transaction information which was directly received. When transaction data which is used in the transaction by the ATM is inputted once, transaction time in the ATM can be shortened by the simple operation.

Abstract: An automatic transaction system has a cellular phone of a customer and an automatic teller machine (ATM) which can directly communicate with the cellular phone by infrared communication. When the customer performs a transaction by the ATM, transaction information such as transfer information registered in the cellular phone is directly inputted to the ATM and the ATM executes a transaction process by the transaction information which was directly received. When transaction data which is used in the transaction by the ATM is inputted once, transaction time in the ATM can be shortened by the simple operation.

Abstract: A variable valve mechanism of an internal combustion engine capable of changing at least one of two valve physical quantities, i.e., valve operation angle and valve lift, has a valve lift adjustment mechanism that adjusts the at least one valve physical quantity with a higher precision in a region where the at least one valve physical quantity is relatively small than in a region where the at least one valve physical quantity is relatively large. Therefore, a size increase of the variable valve mechanism can be avoided, and the mechanism can easily be incorporated into the engine.

Abstract: A variable valve mechanism of an internal combustion engine capable of changing at least one of two valve physical quantities, i.e., valve operation angle and valve lift, has a valve lift adjustment mechanism that adjusts the at least one valve physical quantity with a higher precision in a region where the at least one valve physical quantity is relatively small than in a region where the at least one valve physical quantity is relatively large. Therefore, a size increase of the variable valve mechanism can be avoided, and the mechanism can easily be incorporated into the engine.

Abstract: A valve timing control apparatus of an internal combustion engine that includes a biasing device that applies bias force to a camshaft of intake or exhaust valves so as to bring the valve timing of the engine into a predetermined state when the valve timing is in a predetermined range, for example, when the valve timing is on the retard side of the engine start valve timing with which the engine is started is controlled by a controller that controls the valve timing in view of the bias force of the biasing device.

Abstract: A variable valve drive mechanism of an internal combustion engine is provided which includes a camshaft that is operatively connected to a crankshaft of the engine such that the camshaft is rotated by the crankshaft, a rotating cam provided on the camshaft, and an intermediate drive mechanism disposed between the camshaft and an intake or exhaust valve of the engine. The intermediate drive mechanism is supported rockably on a shaft that is different from the camshaft, and includes an input portion operable to be driven by the rotating cam of the camshaft, and an output portion operable to drive the valve when the input portion is driven by the rotating cam. The variable valve drive mechanism further includes an intermediate phase-difference varying device for varying a relative phase difference between the input portion and the output portion of the intermediate drive mechanism.

Abstract: A valve timing control apparatus of an internal combustion engine that includes a biasing device that applies bias force to a camshaft of intake or exhaust valves so as to bring the valve timing of the engine into a predetermined state when the valve timing is in a predetermined range, for example, when the valve timing is on the retard side of the engine start valve timing with which the engine is started is controlled by a controller that controls the valve timing in view of the bias force of the biasing device.

Abstract: A variable valve drive mechanism of an internal combustion engine is provided which includes a camshaft that is operatively connected to a crankshaft of the engine such that the camshaft is rotated by the crankshaft, a rotating cam provided on the camshaft, and an intermediate drive mechanism disposed between the camshaft and an intake or exhaust valve of the engine. The intermediate drive mechanism is supported rockably on a shaft that is different from the camshaft, and includes an input portion operable to be driven by the rotating cam of the camshaft, and an output portion operable to drive the valve when the input portion is driven by the rotating cam. The variable valve drive mechanism further includes an intermediate phase-difference varying device for varying a relative phase difference between the input portion and the output portion of the intermediate drive mechanism.

Abstract: A valve performance control apparatus has a low speed cam, a high speed cam, and an intermediate speed cam. A rocker arm is arranged between the cams and a valve. The rocker arm contacts the low speed cam. A pair of cam followers are reciprocally supported in the rocker arm to contact the high speed and intermediate speed cams. Lock members are slidably received in bores (or grooves) of the rocker arm. The lock members, when positioned in an unlocked position, permit the free reciprocation of the associated cam followers with respect to the rocker arm, which causes the valve to be driven by the low speed cam. When locked, the lock members abut against the associated cam followers and lock the cam followers to the rocker arm, which causes the valve to be driven by the cam with the largest profile. The lock member has an abutment surface, which contacts and is pressed by the cam follower.

Abstract: An engine has a crankshaft, a combustion chamber and a valve that selectively opens and closes the combustion chamber. The valve has a timing relationship to the crankshaft and lift characteristic. A control device hydraulically alters at least one of the timing relationship and the lift characteristic. A lubricant passage is connected with the control device to supply oil to a mechanism that is formed by engine parts slidably contacting one another within the engine. An auxiliary passage is provided for supplying the oil to the mechanism. Oil supplied from an oil pump to said auxiliary passage is restricted by an electromagnetic valve that is actuated based on the instruction from an electric controller when engine speed is lower than a predetermined value.

Abstract: An engine has a crankshaft, a combustion chamber and a valve. The valve opens and closes the combustion chamber. The valve has a lift characteristic that is altered by a control device according to a change of hydraulic pressure therein. The engine has a lubricant passage that is connected with an oil pump and supplies oil to a mechanism formed by parts slidably connecting one another within the engine. A hydraulic pressure passage extends into an interior of the control device to exchange the hydraulic pressure with the control device, thereby the control device is actuated to alter the lift characteristic. The oil pump supplies the oil to the pressure passage when connected with the pressure passage. The oil pan supplies the oil to the pressure passage when connected with the pressure passage. A switching valve selects one of the oil pump and the oil pan to connect the selected one with the control device based on the engine speed.

Abstract: There is disclosed a valve performance controller for an internal combustion engine. A camshaft is provided with a plurality of cams having different cam profiles. Changeover of the cams is performed through operation of a valve lift control mechanism. Also, a valve timing control mechanism is provided on the camshaft. The valve timing mechanism has a pulley, which is connected to a crankshaft of the engine via a timing belt. The pulley is connected to the camshaft via a ring gear. Through movement of the ring gear along the axis of the camshaft, the relative rotational phase between the pulley and the camshaft is changed. At least during cam changeover operation, oil is charged and retained within the hydraulic chamber located on both sides of the ring gear in the moving direction thereof. This structure reduces an impact which acts on the timing belt upon changeover of the cams.

Abstract: A ceramic-metal composite joint body wherein a projection of a ceramic member is connected to a metal member, having a construction such that a ratio D between a circularity c of an outer portion of the projection and an outer diameter d of the projection: i.e., D=(c/d).times.100(%), is set to less than 0.03%. In this invention, since the ratio D=(c/d).times.100(%) is set to less than 0.03%, a stress concentration generated at a connection edge of the projection of the ceramic member can be reduced, and thus a ceramic-metal composite joint body having good reliability and durability can be obtained.

Abstract: A machining method of a ceramic turbine rotor having a hub portion integrally formed with a plurality of radial blades, the hub portion having a front end to be centered during a finishing process of the radial blades and a rear end coaxially connected to a metallic support shaft, which machining method includes the steps of grinding the front distal end of said hub portion to form a tapered surface thereon; engaging the tapered surface of said hub portion with a corresponding tapered surface of an attachment mounted on a spindle of a headstock or a tailstock; and finishing the radial blades of said rotor in a desired form.

Abstract: A ceramic turbo charger rotor having a blade portion including a shroud tip portion and a top portion, a back plate portion arranged rear of the blade portion, and a shaft portion arranged to the back plate portion is manufactured by working only a part of a back plate portion as a standard surface or by working only a top surface of the tip portion as a standard surface while no working is applied for the back plate portion, so as to reduce a total manufacturing cost.

Abstract: A ceramic turbo charger rotor having a bearing structure in which an inner race of an angular ball bearing and a spacer are assembled to a journal shaft as one unit in such a manner that one end of the spacer is assembled to a turbine-side connecting portion of the journal shaft by a pressure inserting manner and the other end of the spacer is assembled to a compressor-side connecting portion of the journal shaft by a clearance fitting manner. Therefore, the deviation between a center axis and a rotational axis of the rotor caused by the pressure insertion of the spacer is released at the compressor side and the amount of the unbalance before correcting of the rotor is remarkably reduced.

Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a ceramic turbo charger rotor, wherein an inner race of an angular ball bearing and a spacer are integrally secured to a journal portion of a metal shaft for connecting a ceramic turbine rotor and a metal compressor rotor, the inner race and the spacer are inserted to the journal portion of the metal shaft under a condition such that a tensile load is applied to the metal shaft.