Abstract: A rod-lock mechanism is provided in an automatic transmission for a vehicle. The rod-lock mechanism has an engaging pin which will be engaged with a rod when the rod is in its initial position, so as to hold the rod in its initial position. The rod-lock mechanism further has an electric actuator for driving the engaging pin when electric power is supplied, so that the engaging pin is brought out of engagement from the rod. A forced parking current supply unit controls electric power supply to the electric actuator. When the electric power is supplied to the electric actuator, the rod is moved in a direction of a parking position to bring a vehicle into a parking condition.

Abstract: A reference position detecting apparatus includes an electric motor and a motor control unit. The electric motor includes a plurality of first coils and a plurality of second coils. The electric motor further includes a rotor that rotates when at least one of the plurality of first coils and the plurality of second coils is supplied with electricity. The motor control unit controls electricity supplied to either one of the plurality of first coils and the plurality of second coils to rotate the rotor to a limit position in a movable range of an object.

Abstract: A shift control system rotates an actuator to cause a wall of a detent plate to contact a roller of a detent spring, and detects the position of contact so as to detect the position of the wall of the detent plate. This wall position is set as a reference position of the actuator. Accordingly, the rotation of the actuator can appropriately be controlled even if an encoder which can only detect relative positional information is employed, and thus the shift range can appropriately be switched.

Abstract: An SBW device includes a capacitor, which stores an electric power. When an abnormality occurs in a battery or an electric power supply system, an actuator of the SBW device receives an electric power from the capacitor and changes a shift range of an automatic transmission to a P range at least once. Furthermore, when a lever of a P range releasing arrangement is operated, the P range of the automatic transmission is released.

Abstract: A shift control system rotates an actuator to cause a wall of a detent plate to contact a roller of a detent spring, and detects the position of contact so as to detect the position of the wall of the detent plate. This wall position is set as a reference position of the actuator. Accordingly, the rotation of the actuator can appropriately be controlled even if an encoder which can only detect relative positional information is employed, and thus the shift range can appropriately be switched.

Abstract: A shift range switching device is provided to a shift-by-wire system for an automatic transmission device. The shift range switching device includes a range switching unit for switching a shift range of the automatic transmission device between a P range and the other range. The shift range switching device further includes an actuator including an electric motor and a reduction device. The reduction device transmits driving force of the electric motor to the range switching unit for actuating the range switching unit as instructed. The reduction device has a variable reduction ratio. The reduction device transmits the driving force in switching of the shift range from the P range to the other range at a reduction ratio, which is greater than a reduction ratio in switching of the shift range from the other range to the P range.

Abstract: A shift control system rotates an actuator to cause a wall of a detent plate to contact a roller of a detent spring, and detects the position of contact so as to detect the position of the wall of the detent plate. This wall position is set as a reference position of the actuator. Accordingly, the rotation of the actuator can appropriately be controlled even if an encoder which can only detect relative positional information is employed, and thus the shift range can appropriately be switched.

Abstract: A shift-by-wire control system includes a parking lock device that brings an output shaft of an automatic transmission device to a lock state when a range switching unit switches to the P-range. The parking lock device brings the output shaft to a lock-release state when the range switching unit switches to another shift range. An electric motor actuates the range switching unit and the parking lock device in accordance with an instruction of an operator. A manual device transmits manual operation force of the operator to the parking lock device when the electric motor stops. The manual device includes a one-way transmission unit permitting transmission of the manual operation force in a direction toward the lock state, and prohibiting transmission of the manual operation force in a direction toward the lock-release state.

Abstract: A shift-position changing apparatus for an automatic transmission mounted in a vehicle includes a shift-position changing unit that moves a mechanical element using an actuator in response to the operation to change a shift-position to another shift-position instructed by the operation from among a plurality of shift-positions; and a setting member that places the mechanical element within a predetermined range independently of the operating state of the actuator.

Abstract: A radial inner portion of a rotor core, where a rotor core and a rotor shaft are connected, has an electromagnetically excessive capacity. A recess is provided at the radial inner portion of the rotor core. The recess is a cylindrical bore retracting in the axial direction from the front surface of the rotor core, facing to a reduction gear unit, toward the rear surface of the rotor core. A sun gear bearing, supporting a sun gear of the reduction gear unit, is disposed at least partly in the recess. Extending the sun gear bearing in the axial direction brings the effects of preventing inclination of the sun gear, improving transmission efficiency of the reduction gear unit, and producing a large output torque without increasing the overall size.

Abstract: A synchronous motor control system includes a motor including a stator having a plurality of sets of stator teeth and phase coils, a rotor having a plurality of rotor teeth disposed opposite the stator teeth and a stopper for restricting the rotation angle of the rotor relative to the stator and a control unit for sequentially controlling electric supply to the phase coils to rotate the rotor to a prescribed rotation position. The motor is controlled by the control unit to operate through the following steps of supplying current to a specific group of the phase coils, sequentially supplying current to the phase coils to rotate the rotor in one direction at a speed not to step out of synchronization to rotate the rotor until it is stopped by the means for restricting, and sequentially supplying current to the phase coils to rotate the rotor in the other direction at a speed not to step out of synchronization until the number of times of current supply becomes a prescribed number.

Abstract: An end surface of a rotor core is offset from an end surface of a stator core by a predetermined amount in an axial direction going away from Hall ICs. In an operating condition of the motor, magnetomotive forces generating from the stator core induce a thrust force acting on the rotor core. The gap (i.e. distance) between the magnet and the Hall ICs does not exceed a pre-designated appropriate distance, and is stably maintained at a constant level (or range). In other words, the gap (i.e. distance) between the magnet and the Hall ICs can be accurately maintained at the pre-designated appropriate distance by utilizing the magnetic attraction force generating from the stator core.

Abstract: An actuator for a valve lift controller comprises a case forming a first and second spaces therein. The first space is supplied with lubricating fluid. The actuator further comprises a feed screw mechanism including a cylindrical spindle and a screw, and converts a rotational movement of the spindle to a linear movement of the screw. The spindle includes a first end portion open to the first space and a second end portion closed to the second space therein. The screw straddles borders between an interior of the spindle, the first space, and an external space. The actuator includes a motor unit which is located in the second space and rotates the spindle. The actuator further includes a sealing member sealing a gap between the case and the spindle to separate the first and second spaces.

Abstract: A brushless synchronous motor includes a stator having a plurality of phase coils, a rotor disposed opposite the stator, a magnetic sensor for detecting a rotation angle of the rotor, a power supply circuit connected to the phase coils, a control circuit for controlling the power supply circuit so that the motor rotates synchronously. In the above motor, a circuit board includes a wiring circuit connecting the phase coils with the power supply circuit, and the magnetic sensor is directly fixed to the circuit board so that dimensional variation of the magnetic sensor relative to the stator can be minimized.

Abstract: A shift range switching apparatus connects with a motor for switching a shift range of an automatic transmission. The shift range switching apparatus includes a switching unit that is operated by the motor for switching the shift range. The shift range switching apparatus further includes a control unit that outputs a driving current to the motor for switching the shift range to one of a P range, an R range, an N range, and a D range. The control unit controls the driving current at one of a plurality of set values in accordance with a switching pattern of the shift range. The switching pattern may be defined by a combination of two of the P range, the R range, the N range, and the D range.

Abstract: An actuator for a valve lift controller linearly driving a control shaft of a changing mechanism comprises a feed screw mechanism including a screwed shaft linearly moving along with the control shaft, and a rotation spindle rotating coaxially with the screwed shaft. The feed screw mechanism converts a rotational movement of the rotation spindle into a linear movement of the screwed shaft. Moreover, the actuator comprises a unit attached to the rotation spindle, an electric power distributor located at an opposite side of the screw mechanism relative to the changing mechanism, and an stopper member restricting a movement of the unit in the axial direction from an electric power distributor to the unit.

Abstract: A brushless synchronous motor includes a stator having a plurality of phase coils, a rotor disposed opposite the stator, a magnetic sensor for detecting a rotation angle of the rotor, a power supply circuit connected to the phase coils, a control circuit for controlling the power supply circuit so that the motor rotates synchronously. In the above motor, a circuit board includes a wiring circuit connecting the phase coils with the power supply circuit, and the magnetic sensor is directly fixed to the circuit board so that dimensional variation of the magnetic sensor relative to the stator can be minimized.

Abstract: A vehicle control system for a vehicle includes a backup device which enables manual control of an automatic transmission apparatus, when a shift-by-wire device cannot electronically control the transmission apparatus. The backup device is normally restricted from operating, but released from the restricted condition when the shift-by-wire device is inoperable and a vehicle user is an authorized person. The vehicle user is checked by an immobilizer device, which also restricts the vehicle operation by disabling engine operation and by locking a steering wheel when the vehicle user is determined to be an unauthorized person.

Abstract: A shift range switching apparatus includes an automatic transmission that includes a shift range switching device having a control rod for switching an actual shift range corresponding to rotation angle of the control rod. The shift range switching apparatus further includes an electric actuator that includes an output shaft connecting with the control rod. The electric actuator switches the actual shift range by rotating the control rod via the output shaft. The shift range switching apparatus further includes an assembly regulating device that allows the electric actuator to be detachable from and attachable to the automatic transmission when the actual shift range of the shift range switching device is set at a specific shift range.

Abstract: A shift control system rotates an actuator to cause a wall of a detent plate to contact a roller of a detent spring, and detects the position of contact so as to detect the position of the wall of the detent plate. This wall position is set as a reference position of the actuator. Accordingly, the rotation of the actuator can appropriately be controlled even if an encoder which can only detect relative positional information is employed, and thus the shift range can appropriately be switched.