Abstract: A torque transmission device is provided wherein a rotary housing is connected to one of front and rear drive shafts which respectively drive front and rear axles of a four-wheel drive vehicle, while a rotary shaft coaxially carried by the rotary housing is connected to the other of the front and rear drive shafts. The housing receives therein a multiple disc clutch device for transmitting rotational power between the housing and the shaft through friction engagement between alternately arranged outer and inner clutch discs which are respectively rotatable bodily with the housing and the shaft. The housing also receives an axially movable piston to press the clutch discs for friction engagement. An end wall of the housing or an end cap secured thereto and a facing end surface of the piston define an axially narrow circular chamber, within which a rotor with a plurality of radially extending blade portions provided with a pair of slanted surfaces is received to be rotated by the shaft.

Abstract: A driving torque transmitting device which has a differential case to which driving torque of an engine is transmitted. Within the differential case, a pair of side gears meshed with pinion gears are disposed around right and left axle shafts so as to be axially slidable thereon. Two annular pistons are disposed between the side gears and end walls of the differential case in contact with the side gears so as to be rotatable with and axially slidable on the differential case to form two annular closed actuating chambers with the end walls of the differential case. Within the closed actuating chambers are disposed two blade plates so as to rotate respectively with the two axle shafts whereby the actuating chambers are divided into two spaces. These two spaces are charged with high-viscosity oil.

Abstract: A torque transmission device is provided wherein a rotary housing is connected to one of front and rear drive shafts which respectively drive front and rear axles of a four-wheel drive vehicle, while a rotary shaft coaxially carried by the rotary housing is connected to the other of the front and rear drive shafts. The housing receives therein a multiple disc clutch device for transmitting rotational power between the housing and the shaft through friction engagement between alternately arranged outer and inner clutch discs which are respectively rotatable bodily with the housing and the shaft. The housing also receives an axially movable piston to press the clutch discs for friction engagement. An end wall of the housing or an end cap secured thereto and a facing end surface of the piston define an axially narrow circuit chamber, within which a rotary with several radially extending blade portions is received to be rotated by the shaft.

Abstract: A device for detecting driving condition faced by an operator of an automobile. The device includes an automobile speed sensor, first arithmetic means, second arithmetic means and compensating means. The first arithmetic means computes a driving condition index by using automobile speed information. The second arithmetic means computes limit value changing according to the increment in the automobile speed. The compensating means compare the change amount of the driving condition index for a predetermined time period with the limit value and compensate the driving condition index in such a way that the change amount of the driving condition is limited to the limit value when the change amount exceeds the limit value in order to give the operator a natural feel of the road.

Abstract: There is disclosed a device for controlling steering force in a power steering apparatus having an electromagnetic control valve according to road and driving conditions. The device includes a car speed sensor, a steering angle sensor, first arithmetic means, second arithmetic means, correcting means, control current arithmetic means and controlling means. The first arithmetic means computes a driving condition index by using car speed information. The second arithmetic means computes a road condition index by using steering angle signals. The correcting means converts the driving condition index into a correction driving condition index which takes any one of several stepwise-varied values. The control current arithmetic means computes an output control current value applied to electromagnetic control valve by the controlling means. The device further includes means for detecting lateral acceleration utilized for controlling the steering force.

Abstract: A driving free distribution transmission for use with a vehicle with fourwheel drive. The vehicle has first and second drive shafts which are connected with the front and rear wheels, respectively. The transmission has a hydraulic clutch, a differential pump, a bias spring, and a selector valve. The clutch has outer and inner plates which are caused to frictionally engage with each other to transmit rotary power between the two drive shafts. The pump produces a hydraulic pressure corresponding to the difference between the rotating speeds of the drive shafts. The oil delivered by the pump is forced into a reservoir through a first passage in which a restrictor is formed. A second passage connects the pump with an oil chamber in the clutch. A third passage connects the oil chamber with the reservoir without via the restrictor. The spring always presses the outer and inner plates towards each other.

Abstract: A driving status discrimination device for a motor vehicle is provided with a microcomputer, which stores in a memory a plurality of the latest steering angle signals which are output from a steering angle detector each time the vehicle runs a predetermined distance. The microcomputer processes the steering angle signals stored in the memory to calculate a discrimination value and then, compares the discrimination value with a predetermined reference value, so that the driving state of the vehicle can be judged to be either of a mountain road driving and a town street driving. To calculate the discrimination value, the microcomputer in one embodiment searches said memory for some of the steering angle signals whose values belong to a particular one of classification intervals and calculates the ratio of said searched steering angle signals to all of the steering angle signals stored in the memory.

Abstract: A control apparatus for a power-assisted steering system includes a first sensor arranged to produce output signals respectively indicative of rotary angle and rotational speed of a steering shaft, a second sensor arranged to produce an output signal indicative of the vehicle speed, a first control valve arranged to control the quantity of fluid under pressure supplied through a servo valve into a hydraulic power cylinder from a hydraulic pressure source, a second control valve disposed within a bypass passage for providing bypass flow of fluid passing therethrough from the pressure source to a reservoir, and an electric control apparatus arranged to activate the first control valve in response to the output signals from the sensors in such a manner that the quantity of fluid under pressure supplied into the power cylinder is decreased in accordance with increase of the vehicle speed and increased in accordance with increase of the rotational speed of the steering shaft and being further arranged to activate

Abstract: A linear solenoid-operated valve which includes a housing having a first and second ports opening into a bore, and a cylindrical spool formed with a through hole and axially slidable in the bore. A slot is formed at one end of the spool so as to define in combination with the first port a bypass passageway operable to a variable degree upon axial movement of the spool. A chamfer is formed on an intermediate surface of the spool in a direction toward the through hole. A restrictor having an orifice formed therein is provided at the one end of the spool. The spool is spring-biased in a direction to close the bypass passageway, and is shiftable by an energized solenoid to open the bypass passageway.