Abstract: An air conditioner for air conditioning the interior of a compartment includes a compressor and an electric motor. The compressor compresses refrigerant gas and changes the displacement. The electric motor drives the compressor. A motor controller rotates the motor at a constant reference speed. A detection device detects information related to the thermal load on the air conditioner. A current sensor detects the value of current supplied to the electric motor. A controller controls the compressor based on the detected thermal load information and the detected current value. The controller computes a target torque of the compressor based on the thermal load information. In accordance with the computed target torque, the controller computes a target current value to be supplied to the electric motor. The controller further controls the displacement of the compressor such that the detected current value matches the target current value.

Abstract: A compressor has a pulley for transmitting torque from an external drive source to a rotary shaft to drive a compression mechanism. The pulley has a pulley body. The compressor has a mass body located in a range that is radially inward of the outer circumference of the pulley. The mass body swings about an axis that is spaced from the rotation axis of the pulley body by a predetermined distance and is substantially parallel to the rotation axis of the pulley body.

Abstract: The present invention provides a rotating apparatus. The rotating apparatus includes a rotor and a motor generator. The rotor includes a belt holder on its outer circumferential surface. The belt holder transmits power between an engine and the rotor. The motor generator is accommodated in and operably connected to the rotor. The motor generator selectively functions as at least one of a motor and a generator. The motor generator is arranged inside the belt holder such that the motor generator is surrounded by the belt holder.

Abstract: A compressor includes a compressor main body and a power transmission mechanism. The power transmission mechanism includes a pulley and a hub. The pulley has a first inner cylinder and a second inner cylinder, which are apart from each other in the axial direction of the pulley. A one-way clutch is located on a power transmission path between the first inner cylinder and the hub. A bearing is located between the first inner cylinder and the hub. A bearing is located between the second inner cylinder and a housing of the compressor main body. A power transmission pin for discontinuing an excessive power transmission is located on a power transmission path between an engine of a vehicle and a drive shaft.

Abstract: A mechanical rotational device includes a housing. An end portion of a rotary shaft protrudes from a front wall of the housing. An electric rotational device is coaxial with the rotary shaft and is coupled to the end portion of the rotary shaft. The electric rotational device functions as at least one of a motor and a generator. A rotational member is coupled to the rotary shaft and has a power transmitting mechanism for transmitting power between the rotational unit and an external device. A one-way clutch is located in the power transmitting path between the rotary shaft and rotational member. The one-way clutch is located inward of the rotational member. The electric rotational device is located on or forward of the housing. At least part of the electric rotational device is located outward of the power transmitting mechanism.

Abstract: An air conditioning system for a vehicle that is driven by a vehicular power source. The system has a compressor selectively operable by the vehicular power source and an electric motor. The electric motor is used as a drive force of the compressor when the vehicular power source is in a non-operative state. The compressor compresses refrigerant gas introduced into a suction chamber from an external refrigerant circuit. A displacement of the compressor is variable, based on a differential pressure. The compressor has a control valve that is disposed on a refrigerant passage communicating with the crank chamber. The control valve has a valve plunger for changing an opening size of the control valve to adjust pressure in the crank chamber. The air conditioning system comprises pressure sensing member, actuator, and controller. The pressure sensing member is disposed in the control valve and applies biasing force to the plunger based on pressure in the external circuit.

Abstract: A one-way clutch unit has a one-way clutch having rollers serving as engaging members and a retainer for retaining the rollers and a ball bearing axially adjacent to the one-way clutch and having balls and a retainer for retaining the balls. And in order to reduce the number of component parts and the axial length of the unit, the one-way clutch unit has a one-piece outer ring having a first outer ring part for the one-way clutch and a second outer ring part for the ball bearing, which parts are integral with each other. The one-way clutch unit also has a one-piece inner ring having a first inner ring part for the one-way clutch and a second inner ring part for the ball bearing, which parts are integral with each other.

Abstract: A hybrid compressor system has a hybrid compressor for compressing refrigerant. The compressor is selectively driven by one of a first drive source and a second drive source. The hybrid compressor system also includes a first one-way clutch, a driver for driving the second drive source, a sensor for detecting a rotational state of the first drive source and a controller. The first one-way clutch is arranged on a first power transmission path between the compressor and the first drive source for permitting power transmission from the first drive source to the compressor. The controller is electrically connected to the driver and the sensor. When a drive source of the compressor is switched from the second drive source to the first drive source, the controller orders the driver to stop the second drive source after the rotation of the first drive source is detected.

Abstract: A control valve includes an accommodation cylinder, a coil, a stator, a plunger, and a valve body. Electromagnetic force is generated between the stator and the plunger and the plunger moves relative to the stator. The valve body adjusts the opening degree of a valve hole. A flat surface and a peripheral wall are formed in an end of the stator. The peripheral wall has a tapered cross-section with an inclined inner surface. The inclined inner surface and the flat surface define a recess. The plunger has a frustum portion. The frustum portion includes a flat distal surface and an annular inclined surface. The taper angle of the peripheral wall is equal to or less than twenty degrees. The diameter of the flat distal surface of the frustum portion is equal to or greater than eighty percent of the largest diameter of the annular inclined surface.

Abstract: A control valve has a valve housing and a valve chamber defined in the valve housing. A valve body is accommodated in the valve chamber for adjusting the opening degree of a supply passage. A pressure sensing chamber is defined in the valve housing. The pressure at a pressure monitoring point in a refrigerant circuit is applied to the pressure sensing chamber. A bellows is located in the pressure sensing chamber. The bellows has a movable end. A transmission rod is slidably supported by the valve housing. The transmission rod includes the valve body. A support spring is located between the inner wall of the pressure sensing chamber and the movable end of the bellows. The spring supports the movable end such that the movable end can be displaced. The movable end of the bellows includes a protrusion such that the spring and the movable end of the bellows are fitted to each other.

Abstract: An air-conditioning system for a vehicle, including a refrigerant circuit and an engine, has a battery, a compressor, an electric motor and a load torque control mechanism. The battery supplies electric power. The compressor is operative to compress refrigerant gas for the air-conditioning system. The electric motor is electrically connected to the battery. The motor is driven due to the electric power, and is operatively coupled to drive the compressor when the motor is energized. The load torque control mechanism responsive to the operating condition of the engine to control the load torque of the compressor below a predetermined value during times when the motor is driving the compressor.

Abstract: A compressor includes a discharge chamber and a retaining passage, which is located downstream of the discharge chamber. A control valve controls the displacement of the compressor in relation to the pressure difference between a first pressure monitoring point in the discharge chamber and a second pressure monitoring point in the retaining passage. A pressure introducing passage connects the retaining passage to the control valve. The pressure introducing passage has an opening to the retaining passage. An inlet member is located in the retaining passage to cover the opening. The inlet member has a pressure introducing port that functions as the second pressure monitoring point. The pressure of the refrigerant in the retaining passage is supplied from the pressure introducing port to the control valve through the pressure introducing passage. The inlet member easily alters the position of the pressure introducing port in the retaining passage.

Abstract: A compressor provided with a torque limiter constructed such that, in view of possible occurrence of accidental locking of the compressor, in the case where a one-way clutch is used in place of an electromagnetic clutch in order to permit a refrigerant compressor for a vehicle air-conditioning system to be driven by an electric motor instead of an internal combustion engine, when an excessive torque is to be transmitted by the one-way clutch, rollers ride over wedge surfaces and fall into pocket sections, or sprags are reversed to roll-over.

Abstract: When an electric appliance unit functions as an electric motor, a rotary shaft is rotated by electric current supplied to the electric appliance unit. When the electric appliance unit functions as a generator, the generator generates electricity as the rotary shaft rotates. A first rotation permitting mechanism is located between the rotor and the rotary shaft to permit the rotor and the rotary shaft to rotate relative to each other. A one-way clutch is located between the rotor and the rotary shaft. The one-way clutch permits the rotary shaft to rotate in one direction relative to the rotor and prevents the rotary shaft from rotating in the other direction relative to the rotor. A second rotation permitting mechanism is located between the housing and the rotor. The second rotation permitting mechanism permits the rotor to rotate relative to the housing. Power transmitted from the external drive source to the rotor is transmitted to the rotary shaft via the one-way clutch.

Abstract: A housing of a compressor supports a rotary shaft. The rotary shaft is coupled to a pulley with a pulley one-way clutch and is coupled to a rotor of an electric motor with a motor one-way clutch. The pulley is supported by the housing with a pulley bearing. The electric motor overlaps a power transmission portion in the axial direction of the rotary shaft. At least two of the bearing, the pulley one-way clutch, the motor one-way clutch, and a brush device of the electric motor overlap each other in the axial direction of the rotary shaft. As a result, the size of the compressor is reduced in the axial direction of the rotary shaft.

Abstract: A control valve is used for a variable displacement compressor installed in a refrigerant circuit of a vehicle air conditioner. The control valve has a valve housing. A valve chamber is defined in the valve housing. A valve body is accommodated in the valve chamber. A pressure sensing chamber is defined in the valve housing. A pressure sensing member separates the pressure sensing chamber into a first pressure chamber and a second pressure chamber. The pressure at a first location in the refrigerant circuit is applied to the first pressure chamber. The pressure at a second location in the refrigerant circuit, which is downstream of the first location, is applied to the second pressure chamber. The pressure sensing member moves the valve body in accordance with the pressure difference between the first pressure chamber and the second pressure chamber such that the displacement of the compressor is varied to counter changes of the pressure difference.

Abstract: A torque limiter is placed between a first rotary body and a second rotary body in a power transmission path. The torque limiter has a breaking portion, a flange connected to the first rotary body and a connecting portion protruding from the flange. The connecting portion is screwed to the second rotary body at a predetermined value of fastening torque. The torque is transmitted between the first rotary body and the second rotary body in a relative rotational direction of fastening the connecting portion to the second rotary body. A portion of the flange belongs to the first rotary body after the breaking portion of the flange is broken. The portion of the flange forms a regulating surface for fastening the connecting portion to the second rotary body. The fastening torque is regulated by a contact on the regulating surface between the flange and the second rotary body.

Abstract: A control valve used for a variable displacement type compressor. The compressor has a crank chamber, a discharge pressure zone, and a supply passage. The supply passage connects the crank chamber to the discharge pressure zone. The control valve is located in the supply passage. The control valve has a valve body. The valve body adjusts the size of the opening of the supply passage in accordance with the discharge pressure. The valve body is exposed to the pressure of the supply passage. The valve body moves in accordance with the discharge pressure such that the displacement is varied to counter changes of the discharge pressure. The direction in which the valve body moves in response to an increase of the discharge is the same as the direction in which the valve body moves when the pressure of the supply passage increases.

Abstract: A housing of a compressor supports a rotary shaft. The rotary shaft is coupled to a pulley with a pulley one-way clutch and is coupled to a rotor of an electric motor with a motor one-way clutch. The pulley is supported by the housing with a pulley bearing. The electric motor overlaps a power transmission portion in the axial direction of the rotary shaft. At least two of the bearing, the pulley one-way clutch, the motor one-way clutch, and a brush device of the electric motor overlap each other in the axial direction of the rotary shaft. As a result, the size of the compressor is reduced in the axial direction of the rotary shaft.

Abstract: A compressor includes a housing, a rotary shaft, a pulley, an electric motor, a pulley one-way clutch, and a motor one-way clutch. The shaft is rotatably supported by the housing. The pulley is operably connected to the shaft and includes a power transmission portion. When power is transmitted from a vehicular engine to the power transmission portion, the pulley is rotated. The electric motor rotates the shaft and includes a rotor, which is operably connected to the shaft. At least part of the electric motor overlaps the power transmission portion in the axial direction of the shaft. The pulley one-way clutch is located between the pulley and the shaft and selectively permits and prevents power transmission between the pulley and the shaft. The motor one-way clutch is located between the rotor and the shaft and selectively permits and prevents power transmission between the rotor and the shaft.