Abstract: An airbag has an inflator at a base side thereof, and the inflator ejects gas to inflate the airbag such that a distal side thereof is deployed in a direction away from the base side. The airbag includes a left half airbag to be deployed on a left side of an occupant and a right half airbag to be deployed on a right side of the occupant. The airbag further includes a constraining device for constraining lateral widths of the left half airbag and the right half airbag when the airbag is deployed.

Abstract: The present invention has been made to provide a hybrid-vehicle power train efficiently utilizing a motor in accordance with a vehicle speed range. A hybrid-vehicle power train connected to an engine comprises a motor, a CVT unit, a planetary gear unit having at least two input elements, namely, first and second input elements and an output element, a first clutch for engaging/disengaging the first input element with/from a final shaft of the power train, and a second clutch for engaging/disengaging the output element with/from the final shaft of the power train. An input shaft of the CVT unit is connected to the engine and is drivingly connected to the second input element. An output shaft of the CVT unit is connected to the first input element. The motor is connected to the output shaft of the CVT unit.

Abstract: An airbag apparatus having a retainer that can be employed with various embodiments of a horn switch that is turned on by the floating movement of a module cover. The apparatus includes an opening formed on a leg section of a module cover and a hook of a retainer, a predetermined gap is formed, thereby the module cover can be vertically moved. When the module cover is pressed, a horn switch is pressed so as to be turned on. Because a horn-switch supporting member is a separated part from the retainer, the retainer can be common to various models of the airbag apparatus having the module cover different in size and shape by changing only the horn-switch supporting member.

Abstract: An airbag for protecting an occupant in a vehicle includes a left half airbag to be inflated toward a front left side of the occupant; a right half airbag to be inflated toward a front right side of the occupant; and at least one tie panel for connecting the left and right half airbag. The left and right half airbags contact with each other when the airbag is inflated.

Abstract: An air bag having a connecting piece that connects a rear section and a front section, in which the outer surface of the front section is smooth, and connection of the panels by sewing is facilitated. The air bag includes a front upper panel, a front lower panel, and a rear panel that constitute an outer shell, and a mid panel is placed therein. The front upper panel includes a body portion, and an extending piece extending from one edge of the body portion. A lower edge of the mid panel and a lower edge of the extending piece are sewn together at seams inside the air bag. Seams to and to formed by sewing the edges are placed inside the air bag. As a result, seams are not exposed on the front face and side faces of the air bag, and the faces are smooth.

Abstract: An air bag device is provided comprising an air bag, a retainer to which the air bag is mounted, a module cover covering the air bag, a protruding member protruding from the module cover towards the retainer, and a restricting member positioned along the outer side of the protruding member. The restricting member restricts displacement of the module cover during air bag inflation.

Abstract: An bag apparatus of which the entire body or the module cover moves smoothly and is easily positioned with high accuracy is provided. The air bag apparatus is disposed at the central region of the steering wheel, and includes a module cover having three attaching portions. In addition, horn switches are disposed under the attaching portions. Each of the horn switches includes a movable terminal having a guide hole. The three horn switches are disposed at vertexes of a triangle. The opening of each of the horn switches extends perpendicularly to the line which passes through between the other two horn switches.

Abstract: A hybrid-vehicle drive unit supports a motor-generator with high precision, improving the efficiency of the motor-generator, and reducing the size of the motor-generator, independent of any influence of centering precision of the crank shaft and of deformation of the torque converter. According to the invention, a motor housing is disposed between a converter housing and an internal combustion engine, and a bearing is fitted to a lateral wall provided in a front portion of the motor housing. Rotor supporting members are independently supported by the bearing. Eccentric rotation of the crank shaft resulting from explosive vibrations of the engine is counteracted by two flex plates. Owing to a predetermined clearance, one of the rotor supporting members as a separate component is free from the influence of deformation of the torque converter.

Abstract: An air bag device is provided comprising an air bag, a retainer to which the air bag is mounted, a module cover covering the air bag, a protruding member protruding from the module cover towards the retainer, and a restricting member positioned along the outer side of the protruding member. The restricting member restricts displacement of the module cover during air bag inflation.

Abstract: An bag apparatus of which the entire body or the module cover moves smoothly and is easily positioned with high accuracy is provided. The air bag apparatus is disposed at the central region of the steering wheel, and includes a module cover having three attaching portions. In addition, horn switches are disposed under the attaching portions. Each of the horn switches includes a movable terminal having a guide hole. The three horn switches are disposed at vertexes of a triangle. The opening of each of the horn switches extends perpendicularly to the line which passes through between the other two horn switches.

Abstract: An airbag apparatus having a retainer that can be employed with various embodiments of a horn switch that is turned on by the floating movement of a module cover. The apparatus includes an opening formed on a leg section of a module cover and a hook of a retainer, a predetermined gap is formed, thereby the module cover can be vertically moved. When the module cover is pressed, a horn switch is pressed so as to be turned on. Because a horn-switch supporting member is a separated part from the retainer, the retainer can be common to various models of the airbag apparatus having the module cover different in size and shape by changing only the horn-switch supporting member.

Abstract: The present invention improves mountability of a drive train in a hybrid vehicle by minimizing axial and radial dimensions while providing for adequate output torque of the motor/generator of the drive train. A center portion of a front cover of a torque converter extends axially and a multiple disc lock-up clutch is arranged at the inner circumferential surface of the center portion while the motor/generator is arranged at the outer circumferential surface of the center portion. A spring damper is provided at the radially inner side of a circumferential surface defined by friction plates of the lock-up clutch.

Abstract: A novel drive train includes a motor, a differential gear unit, and a counter gear mechanism for transmitting the power of the motor to the differential gear unit. A universal joint for joining the differential gear unit to an axle shaft of a vehicle is arranged outward of one axial end of the motor to eliminate interference with the motor, and the differential gear unit is arranged adjacent the opposite axial end of the motor, radially overlapping the motor to the maximum, to thereby shorten the axial distance between the motor and the differential gear unit.

Abstract: A permanent magnet type synchronous motor includes an iron core rotor having a plurality of holes which are circumferentially spaced, permanent magnets mounted in the holes, an iron core stator and coils arranged in the stator iron core. The permanent magnets are defined by a flat surface extending tangentially of the rotor, tapered surfaces formed at both ends of the flat surface and extending obliquely outward in a direction approaching each other, and an arcuate surface joining the two tapered surfaces. Each permanent magnet is supported by tapered surfaces formed at opposing ends of the holes and extending obliquely and radially outward in a direction approaching each other. When the rotor is rotated, the centrifugal force is received at the tapered surfaces of the holes, rather than at their arcuate portion.

Abstract: A permanent magnet type synchronous motor has a stator having teeth that are circumferentially aligned, and a rotor disposed radially inward of the stator. The rotor is made up of permanent magnets facing the teeth and mounted on a rotor core having protrusions that protrude radially outward between the permanent magnets. To suppress cogging, the width of the protrusions is determined such that the inter-pole core central angle .theta. is in the range: .theta..sub.MIN <.theta..ltoreq..theta..sub.MIN where .theta..sub.MIN is the angle formed between two straight lines extending from the center of the rotor shaft to midpoints of the two tooth side faces that are the farthest apart from each other among the tooth side faces of teeth facing one of the protrusions, and .theta..sub.

Abstract: A cooling circuit for a motor which includes a rotor having a rotor shaft, and a core fitted on the rotor shaft and carrying a plurality of permanent magnets arranged on its outer circumference. A stator is arranged radially outward of the rotor. The motor cooling circuit includes axially extending oil passages formed in the rotor core radially inward of the permanent magnets.

Abstract: A motor capable of suppressing the torque ripple includes a rotor, a stator and stator coils. The rotor is provided with a plurality of permanent magnets which are arranged at a constant pitch in the circumferential direction. The stator surrounds the rotor and is formed with a plurality of stator poles and a slot located between every two stator poles. The stator coils are wound on the stator and are supplied with three-phase sinusoidal current. The rotor is composed of a plurality of rotor portions which are arranged in the axial direction of the rotor. The difference between the open angle of each permanent magnet of one rotor portion and the open angle of each permanent magnet of another rotor portion is an integral multiple of 30.degree. in electrical angle. When three-phase sinusoidal current is applied to the stator coils, a torque ripple is generated.

Abstract: A drivetrain for an electric vehicle includes a motor, a pair of drive shafts, and a compact and simple transmission mechanism composed of two planetary gear units to achieve a differential function as well as a large reduction speed ratio. The transmission mechanism has an input element coupled to the motor, one output element coupled to one of the drive shafts, coupling elements coupling the units together, a fixed element, and another output element coupled to the other of the drive shafts. The torque received at the input element is increased and transmitted to one output element, and the torque is also reversed between the one output element and one of the coupling elements. After transmission through the coupling elements the torque is again reversed and then transmitted to the other output element.

Abstract: A motor casing containing a motor has an end wall with bosses and bolt receiving holes positioned radially inward relative to a stator mounted in a circumferential wall of the motor casing. A gear unit with a gear casing includes bosses and bolt holes on its periphery mating with bosses and bolt receiving holes of the motor casing to thus enable a substantial reduction in size and weight of the gear casing.

Abstract: A drive apparatus for an electric vehicle comprises a motor (1), a gear section (9) for transmitting rotation of a rotor shaft (2) of the motor to a wheel, and a case (10, 90) for accommodating the motor and the gear section. The case has a partition (12) that separates a motor chamber (m) for accommodating the motor and a gear chamber (g) for accommodating the gear section, and the partition has an orifice (53) that connects a lower portion of the motor chamber and the gear chamber. Supplying means (5) is provided for supplying oil from the gear chamber into the motor chamber in accordance with rotation of the gear section. Through the operation of the orifice, oil gathers in a lower portion of the motor chamber and, thus, the motor chamber serves as a reservoir.