Abstract: A conveyer equipped with rotating discs rotatable around axes thereof relative to a mounting base. Each of the rotating discs has grooves in which rectangular wires are receivable. When an upstream and a downstream one of the rotating disc are arranged in a given angular relation to each other, one of the grooves of the upstream rotating disc is aligned with that of the downstream rotating disc to pass the rectangular wire from the upstream rotating disc to the downstream rotating disc. Upon such passing of the rectangular wire, the grooves of the upstream and downstream rotating discs hold or clamp all side surfaces of the rectangular wire, thereby ensuring the stability in retaining the rectangular wire when passed from one to another of the rotating discs, which enables the conveyer to carry the rectangular wires at high speeds.

Abstract: An in-wheel motor unit provided in a wheel of a wheel unit, includes: a motor having a rotor disposed on a radially outer side of a stator; a brake disposed on an inner side of the motor; and a housing that accommodates the motor and the brake. Further, the housing has a cylindrical partition that radially partitions a space for accommodating the motor and a space for accommodating the brake, the stator is fixed to an outer peripheral surface of the partition, and the brake is disposed on an inner peripheral side of the partition, and a fixing portion included in the brake is fixed to the housing.

Abstract: A controller for a switched reluctance motor, which includes a rotor, a stator, and coils wound around the stator and which is mounted on a vehicle as a traveling drive source, the controller including: a control unit performing regenerative control to apply a positive voltage and a negative voltage to the coils so that a current value of the coils becomes a first target current value in a predetermined regenerative region. Further, when the battery charge state value is a predetermined value or more, the control unit reduces a section where a negative voltage is applied to the coils to be narrower than that in a case where a battery charge state value is less than the predetermined value.

Abstract: A conveyer equipped with rotating discs rotatable around axes thereof relative to a mounting base. Each of the rotating discs has grooves in which rectangular wires are receivable. When an upstream and a downstream one of the rotating disc are arranged in a given angular relation to each other, one of the grooves of the upstream rotating disc is aligned with that of the downstream rotating disc to pass the rectangular wire from the upstream rotating disc to the downstream rotating disc. Upon such passing of the rectangular wire, the grooves of the upstream and downstream rotating discs hold or clamp all side surfaces of the rectangular wire, thereby ensuring the stability in retaining the rectangular wire when passed from one to another of the rotating discs, which enables the conveyer to carry the rectangular wires at high speeds.

Abstract: An electric vehicle includes front-wheel electric motor and rear-wheel electric motor driving front and rear wheels, respectively; a control unit controlling driving of those electric motors. Further, one of the electric motors is a permanent-magnet motor and the other is a magnetless motor, a maximum output of the permanent-magnet motor is smaller than a maximum output of the magnetless motor, and the control unit includes: a first drive control unit configured to drive the permanent-magnet motor when vehicle speed is in a first vehicle-speed range; and a second drive control unit configured to drive only the magnetless motor when the vehicle speed is in a second vehicle speed range, vehicle speeds in the second vehicle speed range are greater than vehicle speeds in the first vehicle-speed range.

Abstract: A controller for a switched reluctance motor is provided. The switched reluctance motor includes a rotor, a stator, and a coil wound on the stator. The switched reluctance motor is mounted on a vehicle as a drive source for propelling the vehicle. The controller includes an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to execute first control for exciting the coil at a first current value in a first exciting range. The electronic control unit is configured to, when the electronic control unit determines that the vehicle is not able to start moving even when the electronic control unit executes the first control, execute second control for exciting the coil at a second current value larger than the first current value in a second exciting range narrower than the first exciting range.

Abstract: A control system for a hybrid vehicle configured to generate a required power continuously even if a large power is required frequently. An operating mode of the hybrid vehicle is selected from HV mode and EV mode, and in the hybrid vehicle, a drive power established by generating maximum output power of the engine is smaller than a drive power established by supplying a maximum electric power to the motor from the electric storage device. A controller is configured to shift the operating mode from the EV mode to the HV mode when an SOC level of a battery falls below a threshold level, and to raise the threshold level when a required running condition in the electric vehicle mode is a condition that cannot be achieved by the engine without operating the motor given that the hybrid vehicle is propelled in the hybrid mode.

Abstract: A laser welding method for coil wires includes welding two coil wires by irradiating a laser beam to an upper end edge of butted surfaces of side surfaces of tip end portions of the two coil wires. At this time, a molten pool is formed at the center of a welding portion on the upper end edge by scanning the laser beam in a plurality of continuous loop shapes from one or both welding end portions, and welding is performed to make the molten pool at the center portion of the welding portion greater in welding depth than other molten pools by controlling at least one among a movement pitch, a loop area, a laser scanning speed, and a laser power of loops of the laser beam.

Abstract: A vehicle includes an engine, a generator, and a motor. The engine burns a gaseous mixture in a cylinder to output a drive force. The generator generates electricity by being rotated by the drive force outputted from the engine. The motor drives by utilizing electric power generated by the generator or electric power that has accumulated in a battery charged with electric power generated by the generator, and the motor thereby outputs a vehicle-running drive force. A case covering the motor is of larger diameter than a case covering a differential. The motor has an output shaft outputting the vehicle-running drive force, and has the output shaft disposed parallel to a vehicle width direction. The generator is disposed such that part of the generator overlaps an upper section of the case covering the differential.

Abstract: A controller for a switched reluctance motor, which includes a rotor, a stator, and coils wound around the stator and which is mounted on a vehicle as a traveling drive source, the controller including: a control unit performing regenerative control to apply a positive voltage and a negative voltage to the coils so that a current value of the coils becomes a first target current value in a predetermined regenerative region. Further, when the battery charge state value is a predetermined value or more, the control unit reduces a section where a negative voltage is applied to the coils to be narrower than that in a case where a battery charge state value is less than the predetermined value.

Abstract: An electric vehicle includes front-wheel electric motor and rear-wheel electric motor driving front and rear wheels, respectively; a control unit controlling driving of those electric motors. Further, one of the electric motors is a permanent-magnet motor and the other is a magnetless motor, a maximum output of the permanent-magnet motor is smaller than a maximum output of the magnetless motor, and the control unit includes: a first drive control unit configured to drive the permanent-magnet motor when vehicle speed is in a first vehicle-speed range; and a second drive control unit configured to drive only the magnetless motor when the vehicle speed is in a second vehicle speed range, vehicle speeds in the second vehicle speed range are greater than vehicle speeds in the first vehicle-speed range.

Abstract: A controller for a switched reluctance motor is provided. The switched reluctance motor includes a rotor, a stator, and a coil wound on the stator. The switched reluctance motor is mounted on a vehicle as a drive source for propelling the vehicle. The controller includes an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to execute first control for exciting the coil at a first current value in a first exciting range. The electronic control unit is configured to, when the electronic control unit determines that the vehicle is not able to start moving even when the electronic control unit executes the first control, execute second control for exciting the coil at a second current value larger than the first current value in a second exciting range narrower than the first exciting range.

Abstract: A control system for a hybrid vehicle configured to generate a required power continuously even if a large power is required frequently. An operating mode of the hybrid vehicle is selected from HV mode and EV mode, and in the hybrid vehicle, a drive power established by generating maximum output power of the engine is smaller than a drive power established by supplying a maximum electric power to the motor from the electric storage device. A controller is configured to shift the operating mode from the EV mode to the HV mode when an SOC level of a battery falls below a threshold level, and to raise the threshold level when a required running condition in the electric vehicle mode is a condition that cannot be achieved by the engine without operating the motor given that the hybrid vehicle is propelled in the hybrid mode.

Abstract: A vehicle control system to reduce shocks under an autonomous mode is provided. The vehicle control system is configured to select an operating mode of a vehicle from a manual mode in which a driving force and a braking force are controlled manually by a driver, and an autonomous mode in which the driving force and the braking force are controlled autonomously. A controller is configured to execute a fuel cut-off control, and a threshold selected under the autonomous mode is set in such a manner as to terminate the fuel cut-off control earlier than under the manual mode.

Abstract: A vehicle includes an engine, a generator, and a motor. The engine burns a gaseous mixture in a cylinder to output a drive force. The generator generates electricity by being rotated by the drive force outputted from the engine. The motor drives by utilizing electric power generated by the generator or electric power that has accumulated in a battery charged with electric power generated by the generator, and the motor thereby outputs a vehicle-running drive force. A case covering the motor is of larger diameter than a case covering a differential. The motor has an output shaft outputting the vehicle-running drive force, and has the output shaft disposed parallel to a vehicle width direction. The generator is disposed such that part of the generator overlaps an upper section of the case covering the differential.

Abstract: A vehicle control system is provided to ensure acceleration response while improving energy efficiency in an autonomous vehicle in which an operating mode is selected from an autonomous mode and a manual mode. A switching device is disposed between a motor and drive wheels to switch a driving mode between a direct drive mode and a differential drive mode. A controller executes a motor-idling control to keep a speed of the motor to a standby speed during propulsion in a motor-standby mode. The controller is configured to select a first standby speed of a motor idling control in a case that the vehicle is propelled in the manual mode, and to select a second standby speed that is lower than the first standby speed in a case that the vehicle is propelled in the autonomous mode.

Abstract: A vehicle control system configured to suppress engine noise in an autonomous mode is provided. An operating mode of the vehicle can be switched between a manual mode in which a driving force and a braking force of the vehicle are controlled by a manual operation and an autonomous mode in which the driving force and the braking force of the vehicle are controlled autonomously. The vehicle control system is configured to shift an upshifting point for reducing a speed ratio of a transmission to a low speed side in the autonomous mode, in comparison with the upshifting point set in the manual mode.

Abstract: A vehicle control system is provided to improve energy efficiency of a vehicle that can be operated not only manually but also autonomously. The vehicle control system is configured to deliver oil to an oil requiring site in a first feeding amount under the manual mode, and to deliver oil to the oil requiring site in a second feeding amount that is smaller than the first feeding amount during propulsion under the autonomous mode in line with a travel plan. When a required amount of oil delivered to the oil requiring site is expected to be increased based on the travel plan under the autonomous mode, the controller increases an oil feeding amount to the oil requiring site from the second feeding amount.

Abstract: Provided is a compound motor (14) comprising a magnet rotor (19) supported by bearings (B3, B4) in a rotatable manner, a winding rotor (20) supported by bearings (B5, B6) in a rotatable manner relative to the magnet rotor (19) at the inner side of the magnet rotor (19) and having rotor winding units (20b), and slip ring mechanisms (25). A space is formed in the inner circumference of the winding rotor (20). At least a part of the slip ring mechanisms (25) is arranged in the space of the inner circumference of the winding rotor (20). The bearings (B3 to B6) include bearings (B3, B6), the internal diameter of each is larger than the size of slip ring mechanisms (25) with respect to the radial direction. The bearings (B3, B6) are arranged outside the slip ring mechanisms (25) with respect to the radial direction.

Abstract: A vehicle control system is provided to ensure acceleration response while improving energy efficiency in an autonomous vehicle in which an operating mode is selected from an autonomous mode and a manual mode. A switching device is disposed between a motor and drive wheels to switch a driving mode between a direct drive mode and a differential drive mode. A controller executes a motor-idling control to keep a speed of the motor to a standby speed during propulsion in a motor-standby mode. The controller is configured to select a first standby speed of a motor idling control in a case that the vehicle is propelled in the manual mode, and to select a second standby speed that is lower than the first standby speed in a case that the vehicle is propelled in the autonomous mode.