Abstract: A tire slip state determination method includes: detecting rotation fluctuations of a power transmission member and a wheel body of a wheel; determining, based on an amplitude ratio of a rotation fluctuation amplitude of the wheel body to a rotation fluctuation amplitude of the power transmission member and a phase delay of the rotation fluctuation of the wheel body relative to the rotation fluctuation of the power transmission member, whether a vibration mode of the wheel body and the tire is an elastic slip mode or a sliding slip mode; and determining that the tire is in the sliding slip state when the vibration mode is the sliding slip mode. The amplitude ratio and the phase delay are calculated by using, as a tire driving radius, an effective rolling radius in a region in which a relationship between a dynamic load radius and the effective rolling radius is linear.

Abstract: A continuously variable transmission changes a gear ratio by changing a groove width between the fixed side pulley half body and the movable side pulley half body in each of the driving pulley and the driven pulley using pulley pressure. At least any of a drive shaft of the driving pulley and a driven shaft of the driven pulley includes a pulley pressure supply oil passage for supplying pulley pressure to the movable side pulley half body, a lubricating oil passage provided on a downstream of the pulley pressure supply oil passage to supply oil as a lubricating oil to an endless member, and a flow control valve that is provided between the pulley pressure supply oil passage and the lubricating oil passage and operates according to pulley pressure.

Abstract: Provided are a motor-driven vehicle capable of releasing restrictions on operating conditions and having good acceleration, regeneration, and slope climbing abilities, and a control method thereof. A motor-driven vehicle includes: an electric motor; a continuously variable transmission provided between the electric motor and a drive wheel; and a control part that executes a torque control of the electric motor and a shift control of the continuously variable transmission. The control part has a control area for the shift control in which an output torque of the continuously variable transmission at the time of a peak torque of the electric motor and the output torque of the continuously variable transmission at the time of a rated torque of the electric motor are substantially equal.

Abstract: A metal element, which is pressed and punched by a mold, includes: a neck section positioned between a pair of right and left ring slots; an ear section continuous to a radially outer side of the neck section; and a body section continuous to a radially inner side of the neck section. A locking edge extending in a right-left direction is formed at a radially outer end of the front surface of the body section, and the metal element includes a projection section extending in the right-left direction on a back surface of the body section at a position backward of the locking edge.

Abstract: Provided is a metal belt for a belt-driven continuously variable transmission in which metal elements are capable of keeping the compliance value small even when defamed. Each metal element of the metal belt includes a body portion located radially inward of metal rings, an ear portion located radially outward of the metal rings, and a neck portion sandwiched by the pair of metal rings and connecting the body portion and the ear portion. At least one of a front surface and a rear surface of the metal element has a recess at a center region in a right-left direction of the ear portion, and the depth of the recess is larger than the amount of curving in a front-rear direction of the ear portion.

Abstract: A continuously variable transmission changes a gear ratio by changing a groove width between the fixed side pulley half body and the movable side pulley half body in each of the driving pulley and the driven pulley using pulley pressure. At least any of a drive shaft of the driving pulley and a driven shaft of the driven pulley includes a pulley pressure supply oil passage for supplying pulley pressure to the movable side pulley half body, a lubricating oil passage provided on a downstream of the pulley pressure supply oil passage to supply oil as a lubricating oil to an endless member, and a flow control valve that is provided between the pulley pressure supply oil passage and the lubricating oil passage and operates according to pulley pressure.

Abstract: Among a plurality of layers of metal rings, an inner circumferential projection is formed on an inner circumferential surface of at least one metal ring, and an outer circumferential projection is formed on an outer circumferential surface of the outermost metal ring. Thus, cracks extending from a surface of the metal ring can be arrested by the inner circumferential projection and the outer circumferential projection. Moreover, the outer circumferential projection of the outermost metal ring that does not abut against any other members is set to have a smaller projection height than the inner circumferential projection that abuts against other members. Thus, even if the inner circumferential projection wears by abutting against the other members, the inner circumferential projection can remain and arrest extension of the cracks; also, the projection height of the outer circumferential projection is reduced to enhance flatness of the outer circumferential surface of the metal ring.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a metal element includes performing press processing and punching processing on a band plate-shaped metal element material having a constant cross section by a mold with a main punch in contact with a rear surface of the metal element and a counter punch in contact with the front surface thereof. The main punch or the counter punch has protrusion portions which are in contact with at least a part of the ear portion or the body portion to form a recessed portion, and a bulging portion bulging in the longitudinal direction from the radial direction inner edge of ear portions of the metal element or the radial direction outer edge of a body portion thereof, which is formed by the material extruded from the recessed portion by the protrusion portion.

Abstract: Provided is a steering function-equipped hub unit for steering a rear wheel configured to be supported by a suspension device including a torsion beam and a pair of trailing arms. The hub unit includes: a turning shaft-equipped hub bearing including a turning shaft extending in a vertical direction and configured to rotatably support the rear wheel; a unit support member supporting the turning shaft-equipped hub bearing such that the turning shaft-equipped hub bearing is rotatable about a turning axis; and a steering actuator separate from the unit support member and configured to rotationally drive the turning shaft-equipped hub bearing. The steering actuator is attached to the suspension device at a position higher than a lowermost surface of the torsion beam and between a rotation support part of the suspension device and the turning shaft-equipped hub bearing.

Abstract: A metal element for continuously variable transmission and method of producing the same are provided. A rear surface of a metal element includes first contact parts formed at top positions on the outer side in the radial direction of a saddle surface on left and right sides of an ear part, a second contact part formed in a neck part, and third contact parts formed at a top position of the saddle surface on left and right sides of the body part. In a chord on the driving force transmission side of the metal belt, the first to third contact parts are able to be brought into contact with a front surface of another metal element adjacent to the rear side. A plate thickness of the metal element at the second contact part is smaller than the first contact part and is larger than the third contact part.

Abstract: A V surface of a pulley with which a metal element comes in contact includes first grooves extending spirally from a side of a rotation axis of the pulley to an outer side in a radial direction and one side in a circumferential direction, second grooves extending spirally to the outer side in the radial direction and the other side in the circumferential direction, and rhomboid protrusions surrounded thereby. An average circumferential width of the protrusions is smaller at a position on the inner side in the radial direction than at a position on the outer side in the radial direction. Therefore, at a position on the inner side in the radial direction of the V surface in which cracks easily occur, the average circumferential width of the protrusions is lower, such that cracks occurring on the protrusions are prevented by the grooves, and further extension of cracks is prevented.

Abstract: A rear surface of a metal element (23) includes first contact portions (C1) formed on both right and left end sides of an ear portion (26), a second contact portion (C2) formed in a neck portion (25), and a third contact portion (C3) formed in a central portion in a transverse direction in the vicinity of a locking edge (29) of a body portion (24). The first contact portions (C1), the second contact portion (C2), and the third contact portion (C3) can come into contact with a front surface of another adjacent metal element (23) on a rear side. A plate thickness of the metal element (23) in the second contact portion (C2) is smaller than the plate thickness of the metal element (23) in the first contact portions (C1) and is greater than the plate thickness of the metal element (23) in the third contact portion (C3).

Abstract: First and second inclined faces of an inclined face extending radially inward and rearward from a rocking edge formed so as to coincide with a front edge of a saddle face of a body part of a metal element are molded by press forming a metal element material using a mold. An inclined face-corresponding part of the metal element material, which corresponds to the inclined face of the metal element, includes a first inclined face-corresponding portion inclined rearward at a first inclination angle from a rocking edge-corresponding part, and a second inclined face-corresponding portion inclined rearward at a second inclination angle, which is larger than the first inclination angle, from a radially inner end of the first inclined face-corresponding portion. The mold includes a first inclined face-molding portion inclined rearward at the first inclination angle from a rocking edge-molding portion abutting against the rocking edge-corresponding part.

Abstract: Provided is a metal belt for a belt-driven continuously variable transmission in which metal elements are capable of keeping the compliance value small even when defamed. Each metal element of the metal belt includes a body portion located radially inward of metal rings, an ear portion located radially outward of the metal rings, and a neck portion sandwiched by the pair of metal rings and connecting the body portion and the ear portion. At least one of a front surface and a rear surface of the metal element has a recess at a center region in a right-left direction of the ear portion, and the depth of the recess is larger than the amount of curving in a front-rear direction of the ear portion.

Abstract: A metal element, which is pressed and punched by a mold, includes: a neck section positioned between a pair of right and left ring slots; an ear section continuous to a radially outer side of the neck section; and a body section continuous to a radially inner side of the neck section. A locking edge extending in a right-left direction is formed at a radially outer end of the front surface of the body section, and the metal element includes a projection section extending in the right-left direction on a back surface of the body section at a position backward of the locking edge.

Abstract: A hybrid drive apparatus is provided to allow setting a variety of driving modes while achieving improvement in transmission efficiency. The hybrid drive apparatus includes an engine, first and second motor generators and a planetary gear mechanism. An output shaft of the first motor generator, an output shaft of an engine and an output shaft of the second motor generator, and an input shaft of the continuously variable transmission mechanism are coupled respectively to a sun gear, ring gear and carrier of the planetary gear mechanism. The hybrid drive apparatus includes first, second and third clutches which can switch engagement/disengagement respectively between the output shaft of the engine and the ring gear, between the carrier and the ring gear, and on the input shaft of the continuously variable transmission mechanism.

Abstract: In a first process, a tangential friction coefficient of a non-slippage side pulley of a drive pulley and a driven pulley is estimated from a tangential friction coefficient and a winding diameter of a slippage side pulley. In a second process, torque transmitted by a metal belt is calculated from the tangential friction coefficient and the winding diameter. In a third process, a required axial thrust of the non-slippage side pulley is calculated from the torque and the winding diameter. In a fourth process, the gear ratio is changed by reducing a ratio holding axial thrust of the non-slippage side pulley toward the required axial thrust. Therefore, the gear shifting can be performed merely by reducing the axial thrust of the non-slippage side pulley, and thus it is possible to improve the durability of the pulleys or the metal belt and to reduce a load of a hydraulic pump.

Abstract: Among a plurality of layers of metal rings, an inner circumferential projection is formed on an inner circumferential surface of at least one metal ring, and an outer circumferential projection is formed on an outer circumferential surface of the outermost metal ring. Thus, cracks extending from a surface of the metal ring can be arrested by the inner circumferential projection and the outer circumferential projection. Moreover, the outer circumferential projection of the outermost metal ring that does not abut against any other members is set to have a smaller projection height than the inner circumferential projection that abuts against other members. Thus, even if the inner circumferential projection wears by abutting against the other members, the inner circumferential projection can remain and arrest extension of the cracks; also, the projection height of the outer circumferential projection is reduced to enhance flatness of the outer circumferential surface of the metal ring.

Abstract: A V surface of a pulley with which a metal element comes in contact includes first grooves extending spirally from a side of a rotation axis of the pulley to an outer side in a radial direction and one side in a circumferential direction, second grooves extending spirally to the outer side in the radial direction and the other side in the circumferential direction, and rhomboid protrusions surrounded thereby. An average circumferential width of the protrusions is smaller at a position on the inner side in the radial direction than at a position on the outer side in the radial direction. Therefore, at a position on the inner side in the radial direction of the V surface in which cracks easily occur, the average circumferential width of the protrusions is lower, such that cracks occurring on the protrusions are prevented by the grooves, and further extension of cracks is prevented.

Abstract: A metal element for continuously variable transmission and method of producing the same are provided. A rear surface of a metal element includes first contact parts formed at top positions on the outer side in the radial direction of a saddle surface on left and right sides of an ear part, a second contact part formed in a neck part, and third contact parts formed at a top position of the saddle surface on left and right sides of the body part. In a chord on the driving force transmission side of the metal belt, the first to third contact parts are able to be brought into contact with a front surface of another metal element adjacent to the rear side. A plate thickness of the metal element at the second contact part is smaller than the first contact part and is larger than the third contact part.