Abstract: A continuously variable transmission includes a primary shaft, a secondary shaft, a primary pulley, a secondary pulley, a first power transmission member, a primary sprocket, a secondary sprocket, a second power transmission member, and a power transmission switch. The first power transmission member has a loop shape and is wrapped around the primary pulley and the secondary pulley. The primary sprocket is disposed on the primary shaft. The secondary sprocket is disposed on the secondary shaft. The second power transmission member has a loop shape and is wrapped around the primary sprocket and the secondary sprocket. The power transmission switch disables power transmission by the second power transmission member when the first power transmission member is in a normal condition and enables the power transmission by the second power transmission member when the first power transmission member is in an abnormal condition.

Abstract: When an operator takes his foot from an accelerator pedal, a returning speed of the accelerator pedal is calculated from a signal of an accelerator sensor. In case where the returning speed is larger than a reference value, it is judged that the operator intends to decelerate a vehicle with an engine brake applied and the speed ratio of the continuously variable transmission is fixed to a value at the moment when the operator releases the accelerator pedal. As a result, the vehicle decelerates while the engine brake is exerted. In case where the returning speed is smaller than the reference value, it is judged that the operator intends to run the vehicle by inertia and the speed ratio of the transmission is changed to a speed ratio on an overdrive side so as to allow a coasting operation.

Abstract: A shift control apparatus of a transmission for a vehicle having an input shaft driven by an engine and an output shaft connecting with a drive wheel for automatically changing a speed ratio between the input shaft and the output shaft, comprises accelerator pedal operating amount detecting means for detecting an operating amount of an accelerator pedal, road gradient detecting means for detecting a gradient of a road on which the vehicle travels, vehicle speed detecting means for detecting a vehicle speed, kick-down mode establishing means for establishing a kick-down mode when the operating amount of the accelerator pedal exceeds a threshold value and control means for changing the threshold value based on the road gradient and the vehicle speed.

Abstract: A shift control apparatus of a transmission for a vehicle having an input shaft driven by an engine and an output shaft connecting with a drive wheel for automatically changing a speed ratio between the input shaft and the output shaft, comprises accelerator pedal operating amount detecting means for detecting an operating amount of an accelerator pedal, road gradient detecting means for detecting a gradient of a road on which the vehicle travels, vehicle speed detecting means for detecting a vehicle speed, kick-down mode establishing means for establishing a kick-down mode when the operating amount of the accelerator pedal exceeds a threshold value and control means for changing the threshold value based on the road gradient and the vehicle speed.

Abstract: When an operator takes his foot from an accelerator pedal, a returning speed of the accelerator pedal is calculated from a signal of an accelerator sensor. In casewhere the returning speed is larger than a reference value, it is judged that the operator intends to decelerate a vehicle with an engine brake applied and the speed ratio of the continuously variable transmission is fixed to a value at the moment when the operator releases the accelerator pedal. As a result, the vehicle decelerates while the engine brake is exerted. In case where the returning speed is smaller than the reference value, it is judged that the operator intends to run the vehicle by inertia and the speed ratio of the transmission is changed to a speed ratio on an overdrive side so as to allow a coasting operation.

Abstract: Radioactive stents used in angioplasty on sclerotic coronary arteries without the risk of restenosis can be produced by ion injecting 133Xe into the surfaces of stents as a nuclide that has a shorter half-life and emits a smaller maximum energy of &bgr;-rays than 32p Uniform ion injection is accomplished using an apparatus capable of uniform irradiation of the stents with 133Xe ion beams. The source of 133Xe is a nuclear fission product generated from 235U in the fuel rods in nuclear reactor.