Abstract: An auxiliary braking mechanism is operated to increase a braking effect, only after it is determined whether adding the auxiliary braking mechanism during vehicle braking by a main braking mechanism will increase the braking effect. In the case where a main braking force is generated on a tire by pressing of friction material in a caliper on a disc rotor, and an approximate speed from an acceleration sensor is smaller than a predetermined value, while an outside temperature from an outside temperature sensor is within a predetermined temperature range including the freezing point, an auxiliary brake ECU estimates that water or a mixture of water and ice are present on a frozen road surface, determines that a road surface ? can be increased through operation of the auxiliary braking mechanism, and scatters sand on the road surface using a particle scattering device. Thus, it is possible to prevent lowering of the road surface ? by scattering sand on the completely frozen road surface.

Abstract: A slip-stop device to be mounted on a vehicle is proposed. It includes a tank in which is stored a liquid. The liquid is heated by a heater. A control unit detects the temperature of the road surface on which the vehicle is traveling based on temperature information from temperature sensors to determine whether the road surface is frozen, and whether a particular wheel of the vehicle is slipping. If it determines that the road surface is frozen and the wheel is slipping, the control unit activates a motor-driven pump to spray heated liquid on the frozen road to melt the ice covering the road, thereby increasing the roughness of the road surface. The liquid should be non-freezing liquid such as water that has been subjected to non-freezing treatment or alcohol.

Abstract: A slip stop device is proposed which can scatter a slip stop material between each tire and the road surface even when the steering wheel is turned or during “nose dive”. The slip stop device includes a nozzle through which the slip stop material is discharged and a container from which the slip stop material is supplied to the nozzle. The nozzle and the container are mounted on an axle carrier supporting a wheel with the nozzle oriented such that the slip stop material is scattered therethrough into a space between the tire and the road surface. The nozzle and the container are provided sufficiently close to each other so that the slip stop material can be instantly scattered through the nozzle when the valves are opened with practically no time lag.

Abstract: A brake squeal control device is proposed which carries out squeal control by specifying travel state and temperature conditions in which brake noise tends to be produced. The brake squeal control device is adapted to feed detection signals from a sensor group that indicates the travel state of the vehicle from a stepping force sensor or wheel speed sensors, and a sensor group that indicates the temperature state from an engine cooling water temperature sensor, a car compartment temperature sensor, a caliper temperature sensor or an outer air temperature sensor to a control circuit. If conditions corresponding to an “in-the-cold” and “first-in-the-morning” states are detected by computing in the control circuit, a solenoid valve is turned on and off to suppress brake squeals.

Abstract: The aim is to stably control the lateral movement of a vehicle even on a road where the frictional coefficient is extremely small, such as on a frozen road, thereby improving the turnability and travelling stability. The device includes a frictional force adding means for increasing the frictional force of wheels to a road surface by scattering particulates and a controller which calculates the target lateral movement value and the actual lateral movement value based on the signals from wheel speed sensors, a steering angle sensor and a yaw rate sensor and actuates the right or left frictional force adding means according to the difference between these two values to increase the frictional force, thereby stabilizing the lateral movement.

Abstract: A vehicle movement stabilizing device is provided which in effectively functioning braking, acceleration and turning movement during travel of the vehicle by activating the frictional force adding means, reliably controls the start and end of the operation of the frictional force adding means and prevents repetition of unnecessary operations. The vehicle movement stabilizing device is provided with frictional force adding means for increasing the frictional force of the wheels to the road surface by scattering particles and a controller. The controller is structured to start the operation of the frictional force adding means when it detects the operation start conditions based on signals from wheel speed sensors, a hydraulic pressure sensor and a step-in force sensor during braking, and to stop its operation if signals indicating disappearance of the state are detected, thereby preventing repetition of unnecessary operations.

Abstract: A slip stop device for a vehicle is proposed in which slip stop material can be easily resupplied and it can be reliably scattered near the ground contact portions of tires. A cartridge for storing the slip stop material includes a tubular container having its opening at its top end closed by a film. By inserting a pipe connecting to piping for supplying positive pressure and a pipe connected to a piping for discharging the slip stop material into the cartridge through the film, the slip stop material can be easily resupplied without spilling out. Also, it is possible to reliably scatter the slip stop material stored in the cartridge near the ground contact portions of tires.

Abstract: A leaf spring for urging a spool toward a flange part of a yoke is provided between a guide fixed to a housing and the spool. Owing to the urging force of the leaf spring, the spool is pressed against the flange part of the yoke, and the yoke can be pressed against the cover through the spool. Thus it is possible to prevent the spool and the yoke from loosening. Further because the leaf spring is provided for each magnet valve, the leaf spring can be commonly used for respective modes of a fluid control apparatus and thus the cost can be reduced.

Abstract: A leaf spring for urging a spool toward a flange part of a yoke is provided between a guide fixed to a housing and the spool. Owing to the urging force of the leaf spring, the spool is pressed against the flange part of the yoke, and the yoke can be pressed against the cover through the spool. Thus it is possible to prevent the spool and the yoke from loosening. Further because the leaf spring is provided for each magnet valve, the leaf spring can be commonly used for respective modes of a fluid control apparatus and thus the cost can be reduced.

Abstract: An electromagnetic valve has a plunger as an armature of an electromagnetic actuator and a ball as a movable valve member. The plunger and the ball are separated to permit the ball to move freely in response to a pressure difference between an inlet and an outlet when the coil attracts the plunger. If the plunger undesirably moves by a pressure difference between both ends of the plunger, the ball can keep a closing condition during a suction pressure that is higher than a pressure in the inlet. Therefore, an undesired communication between a master reservoir and a pump is avoided.

Abstract: In a brake apparatus provided with an actuator for controlling brake fluid pressure applied to a wheel cylinder, a non-return valve disposed in a conduit connected to a master cylinder so as to allow brake fluid to flow toward the master cylinder. The non-return valve includes a ball serving as a valve body which seats on a valve seat formed between a small diameter portion and a large diameter portion in the conduit. After the ball is installed in the large diameter portion of the conduit, an opening part of the large diameter portion is closed by a lid while limiting a movement range of the ball so that a center of the ball does not reach an axis of a conduit perpendicularly connected to the large diameter portion.