Abstract: A mechanism and the like configured to reduce a shock involved in the connection of the engine is made no longer necessary for a hybrid vehicle, and an increase in the number of parts of the hybrid vehicle is inhibited. A clutch is connected between an electric motor and an engine in a case where a difference between a current engine speed and a target engine speed is not greater than a first predetermined value. The absolute value of a difference between the current engine speed and a moving average value of the engine speed at intervals of a predetermined length of time is not greater than a second predetermined value which is used for a settling judgment. The engine speed shows a predetermined inclination representing a decreasing trend.

Abstract: A support structure for a water-cooled internal combustion engine supported by a body frame of a motorcycle 2 includes a cooling device that circulates cooling water through an inside and an outside of at least a cylinder head of the engine, a thermo-valve that controls the cooling water circulating in the cooling device, and a thermo-valve case that accommodates the thermo-valve and that is integrally molded with the cylinder head such that a part thereof bulges from a side surface of the cylinder head. A support portion formed on the cylinder head is fixed to the body frame and is integrally molded so as to stride between the cylinder head and the thermo-valve case, whereby the support portion is solidly formed and an area around a thermo-valve case can be reinforced by the support portion.

Abstract: An intake air routing device for an engine having a plurality of cylinders, includes a pair of half case bodies forming an air chamber, an air filter arranged in the air chamber and configured to purify outside air received via an intake duct, and a plurality of intake passages extending from the air chamber. The plurality of intake passages are connected with respective intakes ports of the engine. A partition plate is disposed in the air chamber, and is formed separately from the case bodies. The partition plate is arranged in the air chamber such that it extends in the air chamber by a predetermined length in a direction intersecting with a direction where the intake passages are lined up so as to partition the intake passages from each other. Such intake air routing device reduces intake interference while maintaining a small size of the intake air routing device.

Abstract: A cylinder head includes a combustion chamber recess on a lower surface, an exhaust port with downstream and upstream side channels, and downstream and upstream liners respectively inserted into the downstream and upstream side channels. The downstream side channel has an open end at a side surface of the cylinder head and an opposite end sealed by a bottom wall. The upstream side channel has an end open to the combustion chamber recess and an opposite end connected to a side portion of the downstream side channel. The downstream side liner includes a generally tubular member with a linear axis and has an insertion end abutting the bottom wall. The downstream side liner has a connecting hole in a side portion facing the upstream side channel and engaged by the upstream side liner, which also includes a generally tubular member.

Abstract: Methods of assessing driver behavior include monitoring vehicle systems and driver monitoring systems to accommodate for a slow reaction time, attention lapse and/or alertness of a driver. When it is determined that a driver is drowsy, for example, the response system may modify the operation of one or more vehicle systems. The response system can modify the control of two or more systems simultaneously in response to driver behavior.

Abstract: A vehicle front body structure includes a pair of damper housings, a pair of damper bases, and a dashboard upper. Each of the damper bases includes a damper base upper wall, three damper fixing portions, three dash upper fixing portion, and a ridge line portion extending along the outer circumference of the damper base upper wall. The three damper fixing portions and the three dash upper fixing portions are alternately disposed on an imaginary circle. Sections of the ridge line portion outside each of the dash upper fixing portions and each of the dash upper fixing portion are located outside the imaginary circle, and each of sections of the ridge line portion between the damper fixing portion and the dash upper fixing portion intersects the imaginary circle so that the ridge line portion is formed in a substantially star shape in plan view.

Abstract: A motorcycle is provided with vehicle frame, an internal combustion engine operatively attached to the vehicle frame, and an exhaust system for routing exhaust gas from the engine therethrough. The motorcycle also includes a body cover that covers at least a lateral side portion of the engine and constitutes an outer face of the vehicle, and a heat shield having a face closely adjacent and visually continuous to the body cover, the heat shield covering a lateral side portion of the exhaust system. The heat shield and the body cover cooperate to configure the external face of the vehicle, and the heat shield is mounted to the exhaust system. The body cover is formed of a plastic material, and the heat shield is made of metal. The body cover and heat shield cooperate to provide an improved vehicle appearance.

Abstract: A bearing locking mechanism capable of surely preventing dropping of a bearing, without increasing size of a transmission, is provided. In a bearing locking mechanism in which a bearing G3c of a rotating body G3b axially supported by a transmission case 7 rotationally is prevented from dropping from the transmission case 7, a transmission 1 is equipped with a brake B1 provided so as to be adjacent to the bearing G3c, the brake B1 is equipped with a fixing member B1a to be fixed to the transmission case 7, and the bearing G3c is prevented from dropping from the transmission case 7 by the fixing member B1a engaging with a side surface in an axial direction of the bearing G3c.

Abstract: A control system that performs control of an electric motor is described. The control system may include a rotating body inertia torque computing unit that uses a rotational state of a vehicle wheel when braking is applied to the wheel to calculate an inertia torque of rotating bodies residing within a span behind the wheel, among members that rotate by the driving force of the electric motor. The control system also may include a controller that performs control of the electric motor to cancel the inertia torque of the rotating bodies based on the calculation result from the rotating body inertia torque computing unit.

Abstract: A power supply device structure wherein connection terminals of a battery case are held in a floating state inside the battery case, without using screws or soldering. A battery pack for mounted to and detached from a vehicle includes the battery case for accommodating battery cells for supplying electric power to an electric motor. Battery case side terminals are accommodated in an insulator block. A plurality of ribs, project from a wall part of the battery case and are disposed along an outer surface of the insulator block. The insulator block is provided at its outer circumference with two flanges and an intermediate part located therebetween. The outer circumferential surface of the intermediate part is loosely fitted in an opening of the battery case, with a gap therebetween.

Abstract: A cowl structure that is small in size and light, and that is effective in preventing air discharged from a radiator from being applied to the legs of the rider. An upper cowl includes ridges projecting laterally outwardly in the transverse direction of the vehicle, slanted surfaces extending from the ridges in the forward direction of the vehicle and directed toward the center of the vehicle, and rear slanted surfaces extending from the ridges in a rearward direction of the vehicle and directed toward the center of the vehicle. The air discharged from the radiator is not applied to the legs of the rider. Since the action is achieved simply by deforming the upper cowl, the cowl can be reduced in size and weight.

Abstract: A terminal base of a power supply device for electric vehicle wherein electrical connection terminals on the vehicle body side can be easily connected to electrical connection terminals on the battery pack side. A base is provided with an opening for accepting an insulator board on which male-side terminals are held. The opening is provided with first lower and upper guides and with second lower and upper guides. A first edge of the insulator board is clamped by the first lower and upper guides from the lower and upper sides. A second edge opposed to the first edge of the insulator board is clamped by the second lower and upper guides from the lower and upper sides. In this manner, the insulator board is supported in a floating state. The tip of each of the male-side terminals is beveled for mating with the female-side terminals during connection.

Abstract: An airbag apparatus includes a fixing bracket fixed to an upper portion of the side wall of a vehicle. The fixing bracket has an inflator support portion that supports an inflator, a fastening portion fastened and fixed to the upper portion of the side wall of the vehicle at a position below the inflator, and a restraining wall that extends along the axis direction of the fastening portion under the inflator. An airbag body is disposed between the inflator and an upper wall portion of the restraining wall, and the airbag body is compressed by the inflator and the upper wall portion and held between the inflator and the upper wall portion. The restraining wall restrains displacement of the airbag body so that the airbag body does not overlap a fastening operation area into which the fixing bracket is fastened.

Abstract: A lubricating structure of a transmission is capable of supplying more lubricating oil to the vicinity of one end portion of a shaft, which rotates in a transmission, than lubricating oil supplied to the remaining mechanisms of the transmission. An internal space of the shaft rotating in the transmission has a pipe inserted thereto with a gap provided therebetween, a large-diameter portion having two shaft lubrication holes, a stepped portion, and a small-diameter portion having a shaft lubrication hole. The pipe has a first pipe lubrication hole in communication with the gap and a second pipe lubrication hole in communication with the small-diameter portion.

Abstract: An engine-driven power generator apparatus, which includes, within a case, an engine and a power generator drivable with the engine, and in which an operation panel is provided on a front cover and an air intake louver for introducing air into the case is provided within the case, includes: a waterproof cover covering the operation panel and the air intake louver; an air guide passage of a labyrinth shape provided within the waterproof cover and communicating the outside of the waterproof cover with the air intake louver; and a brush-shaped water separation unit provided in the air guide passage and having a plurality of pins projecting in a direction intersecting flows of air in the air guide passage.

Abstract: A battery pack includes a battery case for accommodating battery cells for mounting to and detaching from an electric vehicle. Male-side terminals are accommodated in a terminal base provided on the vehicle body side with battery side terminals being provided that are connected to the male-side terminals from above. An upper surface of the terminal base is formed with vehicle body side engagement parts with battery case side engagement parts being provided that are engaged with the vehicle body side engagement parts from above. The vehicle body side engagement parts are disposed at positions deviated to one side from the vehicle-width-directional center. The battery case side engagement parts are disposed at positions deviated to vehicle-width-directionally one side of the battery case, and are formed at vehicle-longitudinal-directionally both end portions of the battery case, in order that the battery case side engagement parts can fit the vehicle body side engagement parts.

Abstract: A lubricating structure of a transmission is capable of supplying a lubricating oil with respect to a clutch promptly and stably. The lubricating structure of the transmission includes a first oil passage 53 which extends in a second input shaft 18 from one end side thereof to a first position, and the lubricating oil is supplied from the one end side, a second oil passage 54 which connects to the first oil passage 53 at the first position and extends in the second input shaft 18 to a second position, a first lubrication hole 55 which distributes the lubricating oil to the second clutch 20 at the first position, and a second lubrication hole 56 which distributes the lubricating oil to a transmission mechanism 40 at the second position.

Abstract: A vehicle driving system includes, a first drive shaft and a second drive shaft; a differential mechanism; a drive input member which inputs a power from a driving power source to the differential mechanism; and a fastening member that fastens the differential mechanism and the drive input member together, wherein the differential mechanism includes: a first sun gear; a second sun gear; a first pinion gear; a second pinion gear that is engaged to the second sun gear and the first pinion gear; and a carrier that is fastened to the drive input member and rotatably supports the first pinion gear and the second pinion gear; and, wherein a spline joint portion that causes the carrier and the drive input member to be fitted in a spline manner is provided at an outer peripheral end portion of the carrier and an inner peripheral end portion of the drive input member.

Abstract: A battery pack locked to a vehicle body for mounting to and detaching from the vehicle body. A battery case is provided with an extension part extending to above a battery cell accommodating part. The extension part includes a handle including a grip part having an orientation set so as to extend in the vehicle longitudinal direction when the battery case is mounted on the vehicle. The handle is provided on the battery case in the state of being deviated toward either of vehicle-width-directionally left and right sides. A lock device attached to a main frame of the electric vehicle is provided with a lock pin that is advanced and retracted. The extension part on the battery case side is provided with an engagement hole for accepting the lock pin, the engagement hole being formed in either of side surface portions in the longitudinal direction of the electric vehicle.

Abstract: In an apparatus for guiding an unmanned autonomous operating vehicle having an electric motor supplied with power from a battery (30) for operating a lawn mower blades, other electric motors for driving wheels, and two magnetic sensors attached at the front for detecting intensity of a magnetic field of an area wire and controlled to run about in an operating area defined by the area wire to perform operation and to return to a charging device installed on the area wire so as to charge the battery, the area wire is laid with an offset to right or left when viewed in a plane such that the vehicle is turned from a straight-running position to a direction of the offset and then is returned to the straight-running position when the vehicle runs to be connected to the charging device, thereby guiding the vehicle to the charging device.