Abstract: A switchable connection for a plurality of unit batteries for an electric vehicle. The unit batteries are normally connected in series through battery switches. When an impact sensor attached to a vehicle body detects an impact, a controller changes the battery switches to have a connecting state in which the unit batteries are separated into several groups.

Abstract: An electric vehicle driven by a motor is provided with a secondary battery and a generator which are controlled by a controller so that when an amount of charge of the secondary battery becomes lower than a predetermined value of the generator is put from a stopping state into an operating state and so that when the amount of charge of the secondary battery becomes higher than another predetermined value the generator is put from the operating state into the stopping state. The controller changes the predetermined values in accordance with the changing rate of the electric energy consumption of the secondary battery so that the secondary battery loses it amount of charge after the generator becomes empty of its fuel. The electric vehicle can fully perform its characteristic and the generator is effectively operated by storing excessive electric energy of the generator and effectively using the secondary battery.

Abstract: In an electric vehicle driven by an electric motor, a battery accumulator supplies electricity to the electric motor and a plurality of auxiliaries. A generating unit generates electricity in order to charge the battery accumulator. A detector unit detects at least one of various running conditions of the vehicle. A control unit supplies the electricity from the generating unit directly to the electric motor when the detected running condition indicates an overload condition, and gradually reduces the electricity supplied to the auxiliaries.

Abstract: A system for controlling the steering angle for the rear wheels of a vehicle is provided. This system includes an angle sensor for sensing a steered angle, steered angular velocity, and steered angular acceleration, a vehicle speed sensor, and a steering angle controller. The steering angle controller is adapted for controlling steering of the rear wheels so as to vary the position where the side slip angle of the vehicle becomes zero with respect to the center of gravity based on the steered angle, steered angular velocity, steered angular acceleration, and vehicle speed to improve manoeuverability of the vehicle in cornering.

Abstract: A rear wheel steer angle control system for a vehicle includes a vehicle speed sensor, a steering wheel angle sensor and a controller for controlling a rear wheel steer angle .delta..sub.r (s) with respect to a front wheel steer angle .delta..sub.f (s) in accordance with .delta..sub.r (s)/.delta..sub.f (s)=(K+Tls)/(1+T2s), where K, T1 and T2 are control parameters each of which is a function of the vehicle speed, and includes a quantity representing a distance of a zero sideslip angle position from a center of gravity of the vehicle. The quantity representing the distance of the zero sideslip angle position at which the sideslip angle is to be zero, may be fixed at a constant value, or may be adjusted in accordance with any one or more of the vehicle speed, the steering wheel angle and the time rate of change of the steering wheel angle.

Abstract: In a steering system in which both front and rear wheels are steerable, the rear road wheels are adapted to be turned in the direction opposite to the direction of turning of the front road wheels only when a steering wheel is turned with a torque or effort larger than a predetermined value.

Abstract: A method of controlling an automotive vehicle is disclosed whereby a steering characteristic of the vehicle is automatically adjustable to a feature of the driver's steering the vehicle. The feature of the driver's steering the vehicle is detected in terms of a driver's technique or habit in manipulating a steering wheel or a motion characteristic of the vehicle such as a yaw rate or a lateral acceleration resulting from a driver's manipulating the steering wheel. A pair of steerable road wheels, such as a pair of front road wheels, are steered through an angle which is proportioned to an angle through which the steering wheel is manually turned at a ratio which is variable with variation in the feature of the driver's steering the vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicle steering control system for steering both front and rear wheels is so arranged that a transfer function between a driver's steering input and a front wheel steering angle, and a transfer function between the steering input and a rear wheel steering angle are differentiated from each other so as to obtain an optimum cornering characteristic of the vehicle. The system has a steering input sensor, a vehicle speed sensor, means for determining the transfer function for the front wheels from a steering frequency and a vehicle speed, means for determining the transfer function of the rear wheels, a front wheel actuator for steering the front wheels, and a rear wheel actuator for steering the rear wheels. The means for determining the transfer function of the rear wheels may be an electronic circuit, or a hydraulic fluid flow restrictor such as an orifice, or a mechanical gearing.

Abstract: A vehicle steering system in which both front and rear road wheels are turnable in opposite directions upon low speed running and in the same direction upon high speed running, and the angle of turning of the rear road wheels for a given steering effort on a steering wheel is varied so that a large angle of turning of the rear road wheels is obtained during low speed running and a small angle of turning of the rear road wheels is obtained during high speed running.

Abstract: A wheeled vehicle is equipped with a feedforward steering control system which steers the vehicle through front or rear road wheels in accordance with a driver's steering input such as an angular displacement of a steering wheel, and a negative feedback system which senses a turning behavior of the vehicle such as a yaw rate or a lateral acceleration, and steers the vehicle through the front or rear wheels in such a negative direction as to reduce the turning behavior. The feedforward system may control the angular direction of the front or rear wheels in accordance with a linear combination of the steering input and the time derivative of the steering input, or may control the angular directions of both of the front and rear wheels in accordance with different transfer functions between the steering input and the front and rear wheel angles. The negative feedback system is combined with the feedforward system in various ways to provide desired characteristics of the turning behavior.

Abstract: A rear wheel steering control system which determines a target rear wheel steering angle in accordance with a steering angle of front wheels of the vehicle and steers the rear wheels so that the rear wheel steering angle is maintained equal to the target rear wheel steering angle, and is arranged not to decrease the difference between the target angle and the actual rear wheel steering angle immediately to zero, but to decrease the difference gradually in accordance with a distance traveled by the vehicle, in order to prevent the rear wheels from being steered too much in a direction opposite to a steered direction of the front wheels especially when the vehicle speed is low, and thereby prevent the rear of the vehicle from bumping against an object lying alongside the vehicle.

Abstract: Extensible hydraulic cylinders are used for attaching a stabilizer bar to a vehicle body so that attaching portions of the stabilizer bar are movable toward and away from the vehicle body as the hydraulic cylinders extend and contract, whereby to adjustably change the effectiveness in accordance with variation of running condition of the vehicle.

Abstract: A hydraulic servo axially biases a rack and pinion steering housing to add an additional amount of steering to the front wheels of a vehicle in response to one of (a) the amount of steering wheel rotation, (b) the rate of steering wheel rotation, or (c) the vehicle yaw rate, to compensate for the effect of cross winds or the like.

Abstract: A swing arm suspension for automotive vehicle has a suspension arm pivotably connected to a suspension member for rotation about a substantially horizontal pivot axis. A lateral rod is connected to the suspension arm at one end thereof via a bushing and to a suspension member at the other end via another bushing. The position where the lateral rod is connected to the suspension member and to the vehicle body are offset from the pivot axis of the suspension arm. The position is chosen such that the lateral rod serves to provide roll compensating force for the suspension to satisfactorily and successfully restrict roll or compliance steering effects in the toe-out direction and to prevent positive camber. The lateral rod is adapted to be connected to the suspension member at such a position as to cause toe-in and/or negative camber.

Abstract: A hydraulic or pneumatic servo arrangement which is controlled in response to the rotation of the steering wheel is connected to member of a rear suspension in a manner to apply a bias thereto which distorts an elastomeric insulator or insulators forming part of suspension so as to steer the wheel or wheels associated with the member in the same direction as the front wheels are steered.

Abstract: A delay which may take the form of a hydraulic flow restriction (either fixed or variable with a given parameter such as vehicle speed) or a suitable electronic delay circuit, is interposed between a device which outputs a signal indicative of the front wheels being steered and a device which is operatively connected with the rear wheels and which varies the orientation of the rear wheels in a manner to "steer" same in response to the signal to control the yawing of the vehicle.

Abstract: To control the compliance steering of the rear wheels of a vehicle during cornering or the like, a link member of the rear suspension arrangements supporting each of the rear road wheels, is provided with a servo mechansim which can vary the length thereof in a manner which tends to steer the rear wheel associated therewith in the same direction as the front wheels are turned to produce the cornering.

Abstract: An automatic vehicle height-adjusting system is applied to a vehicle including a sprung mass and an unsprung mass in contact with a road surface, the sprung mass being supported on the unsprung mass via a spring or the like. The system includes a sensor, which senses the distance between the sprung mass and the road surface and generates a distance signal indicative thereof. In response to the distance signal, a first discriminator or comparator determines whether or not the distance is less than a first predetermined value, and generates a first comparison signal indicative thereof. In response to the distance signal, a second discriminator or comparator determines whether or not the distance is greater than a second predetermined value, and generates a second comparison signal indicative thereof. The second predetermined value is chosen to be greater than the first predetermined value.

Abstract: A method and system for steering a wheeled vehicle having a pair of rear steering road wheels, a pair of front steering road wheels, and a steering wheel for controlling a steering force applied to the pair of front steering wheels, wherein the pair of rear steering wheels is steered through an angle .delta.r proportioned at a ratio k to the angle .delta.f through which the pair of front steerable road wheels is steered and wherein the ratio k is given by(A-B.multidot.V.sup.2)/(C-D.multidot.V.sup.2)wherein V is a detected vehicle speed and A, B, C and D are predetermined parameters, and .delta.f is given bye.multidot..delta.f.sub.D /(1+k)when .delta.f.sub.D is the angle through which the steering wheel is turned and e is a constant.

Abstract: The pressure outputs of a power steering control valve are fed either to hydraulic cylinders (or servos) or to chambered elastomeric insulator units to, in the case of the rear wheels, produce a bias which opposes a side force produced during cornering to prevent the rear wheels from undergoing "compliance steering", while in the case of front wheels, induce same to turn through an angle slightly greater than intended by the driver to either prevent compliance steering or increase same to improve vehicle handling when cornering respectively .