Abstract: A switch is disposed between a power source and an activating element for activating a passenger protection apparatus. The switch detects a vehicle collision and closes its contacts to supply activating current to the activating element. A capacitor is connected in parallel with the activating element in order to charge momentarily when the switch closes. In this manner, it is possible to activate the activating element accurately because the activating element continues to be supplied with activating current by means of the charging voltage of the capacitor, even when the switch only closes for a time which is insufficient to activate the activating element.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine has a plurality of cylinders and intake passages leading to the cylinders respectively. A plurality of intake control valves block and unblock the intake passages respectively. Drive devices open and close the intake control valves mutually-independently. A detecting device serves to detect a predetermined condition of the engine under which a speed of the engine is required to vary. A control device performs a control of closing the intake control valves mutually-independently by use of the drive devices after the detecting device detects the predetermined condition of the engine.

Abstract: An electric power transmitting device transmits electric energy from one coil to another coil through an inductive coupling therebetween. One of the coils has an end bent in the axial direction of the coil. When the other coil is to be inserted into said one coil, it can be inserted in not only the axial direction of said one coil, but also a direction transverse to the axial direction through the bent end of the coil. Said one of the coils is typically housed in a holder, and the other coil in the grip of a gun-shaped, hand-held bar-code scanner. When the grip is inserted into a groove defined in the holder, the coils are magnetically coupled to each other, thus providing an inductive coupling. The bar-code scanner can easily be placed on and removed from the holder.

Abstract: A road surface detecting device has a rotary sensor for detecting the passage of teeth formed in an outer surface of a circular plate at regular intervals, which is connected to an axle of a vehicle and rotates thereabout, and generates an output signal pulsing every time when said teeth pass the rotary sensor. The output signal is inputted to a microcomputer. The microcomputer calculates period variations of the pulsing output signal and an average value of a predetermined number of the period variations. When the average value is not less than a predetermined value, the road surface is determined as being in a bad condition and when the average value is less than the predetermined value, the road surface is determined as being in a good condition; when the average value is less than the predetermined value and the most recently calculating period variation is not less than a predetermined period variation, the road surface is determined as being a rough area on a good road.

Abstract: A vehicle seat comprising a horizontal seat cushion, a support shaft projecting upward from the seat cushion, and a rotatable backrest secured on the support shaft. The vehicle seat further comprises a mechanism for regulating the rotational movement of the backrest, which can be controlled in response to a detected driving state of the vehicle. The backrest may be immovably retained at a normal position relative to the seat cushion during the usual forward driving, and allowed to rotate to a suitable position during a stop, reverse, or cornering of the vehicle.

Abstract: A drive control device for a seat in a vehicle has a driver entry detection unit, a battery capacity detection unit, a seat drive unit, and a controlling circuit unit for generating a seat drive control signal. The controlling circuit unit has a function of deciding whether or not the capacity of the battery is lower than a predetermined reference value when an entry is detected by the entry detection unit, a function of prohibiting the driving of the seat when the decision of the battery capacity decision function is affirmative, and a function of effecting the driving of the seat when the decision of the battery capacity decision function is negative. The controlling circuit unit can provide a door opening degree monitoring function and a rear monitoring function.

Abstract: A device for moving up and down and tilting a headrest of a vehicle seat having a driven shaft for moving the headrest up and down and a support member for tilting the headrest. The drive shaft is operatively connected to leg members fixed to the headrest, and provided in a backrest of the vehicle seat. The support member is provided below the driven shaft. A drive mechanism drives the driven shaft to move the headrest up and down relative to the backrest, and a tilting mechanism rotates the leg members about the support member to tilt the headrest to a back of the seat backrest.

Abstract: A road surface detecting device has a circular plate connected with an axle of a vehicle so as to be rotated with said axle, and has a large number of teeth at regular intervals in its outer periphery. A rotary sensor detecting the passage of the teeth of the circular plate, and generates a pulse signal, and a microcomputer receive the pulse signal. The microcomputer calculates instantaneous speeds of a wheel from the period of the pulse signal and calculates an average value of a plurality of instantaneous speeds obtained in the predetermined rotations of a wheel another average value of a plurality of instantaneous speeds obtained in the next predetermined rotations of a wheel is also calculated as a presumed speed of a vehicle based on one and another average values.

Abstract: In an apparatus for detecting abnormal variation of wheels of a vehicle, a plurality of rotation sensors detect variations in rotation speeds of a plurality of wheels during running of the vehicle. Detection signals produced from the plurality of rotation sensors are converted into arithmetic operation signals by means of a signal converter. An arithmetic operation processor is responsive to the arithmetic operation signals from the signal converter to compute rates of variations in the rotation speeds. The arithmetic operation processor also compares the computed rates of variations with each other to decide whether wheels exist which have a rate of variation abnormally deviating from rates of variations of the other wheels. An alarm unit is responsive to decision signals from the arithmetic operation processor to alert abnormality of the wheels having the abnormally deviating variation rate.

Abstract: The flow rate of intake air in an engine, engine speed, and automobile speed are detected. The speed-change ratio of a transmission is determined and adjusted in response to a signal which is proportional to the detected intake air flow rate and inversely proportional to the detected engine speed, and in response to the detected automobile speed.

Abstract: An automatic adjuster for automobile driver equipment, such as a seat and mirrors, which sets the equipment at target positions for specific drivers in accordance with preset data.

Abstract: In an internal combustion engine, a plurality of engine rotational speeds are detected at predetermined timings for every firing stroke in one cylinder of the engine, and an engine speed variation is calculated as a variation between the square of one of the engine rotational speed and the square of another of the engine rotational speed. A process is performed upon the sequence of the engine speed variations, thus determining an engine combustion state by the processed result.

Abstract: Apparatus for controlling a plurality of power seats in a vehicle includes a plurality of power seats, each having adjusting mechanisms for configuring the power seat in a number of different operational states. Operational state detectors then detect the operational state of each power seat. A switching device is provided for adjusting the adjustment mechanisms of the power seats to a desired operational state. Control apparatus is responsive to signals output from the operation state detection devices and the switching device for controlling the adjustment mechanisms of the power seats. The control apparatus causes each power seat to reach its desired operational state in response to the detected operational state of that seat and other power seats to prevent interference among the plurality of moving power seats.

Abstract: A torque detector for detecting a torque applied to a torque transmission shaft which is connected to a load such as a wheel of an automobile. A first rotating body is connected to one end of a driving shaft of an engine coaxially, and an annular second rotating body is disposed around a boss which projects from the center of the first rotating body so as to be coaxial and parallel with the first rotating body. An elastic member connects the inner peripheral portion of the second rotating body to the boss in the radial direction. The angular phase difference between the first and the second rotating bodies which occurs due to the deformation of the elastic member is detected, and torque is calculated from the obtained angular phase difference.

Abstract: A plurality of electrical devices are controlled by a single operation switch. A transfer switch selectively connects the operation switch with one of the electrical devices. When a push button switch is actuated, the connection of the transfer switch is controlled so as to connect the operation switch with another of the electrical devices for a predetermined period of time.

Abstract: In an internal combustion engine, a standard deviation of combustion variations generated for every firing stroke of at least one cylinder is calculated. The misfire limit of the engine is detected by determining whether or not the calculated standard deviation is greater than a reference value. When the calculated standard deviation is greater than the reference value, the controlled air-fuel ratio is decreased, while when the calculated standard deviation is not greater than the reference value, the controlled air-fuel ratio is increased, thereby attaining a lean burn system without a lean mixture sensor.

Abstract: A torque detector, particularly a torque detector for detecting a torque applied to a torque transmission shaft which is connected to a load such as a wheel of an automobile, has a driving member connected to an engine, a driven member connected to a load and driven by the driving member to be rotated, an elastic member for connecting the driving member to the driven member, a transmission for varying the rotating speed ration of the engine to the load, which is provided in the driving member or the driven member, electromagnetic pickups for detecting the angular phase difference between the driving member and the driven member which is produced due to the deformation of the elastic member, a rotating speed ratio counting circuit for detecting the rotating speed ratio of the engine to the load, which is controlled by the transmission, and a microcomputer for calculating engine torque and load driving torque from the rotating speed ratio detected by the rotating speed ratio counting circuit and the angular pha

Abstract: In a method for measuring variations in the output of an internal combustion engine, at least one of signals respectively representing an engine speed, torque, and internal cylinder pressure of the internal combustion engine during the firing strokes of the engine is obtained. A periodical and pulsating change in the obtained signal is detected. A differential value at a portion of the change of the signal having a maximum gradient is then detected. Another method provides measuring variations in the output of the internal combustion engine by calculating the difference between the maximum and minimum values of the change of the obtained signal. Still another method provides measuring variations in the output of the internal combustion engine by correcting the obtained value in accordance with the engine speed. Still another method provides measuring variations in the output of the internal combustion engine by calculating the difference between consecutive changes.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine fuel injection system includes a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the fuel or cooling water in the engine. When the detected temperature is higher than a given value, e.g., 50.degree. C., a pressure regulator for controlling the pressure of fuel supplied to a fuel injection valve is controlled so as to increase the fuel pressure irrespective of the intake pipe negative pressure and thereby increase the quantity of fuel supplied to the engine. In the case of an electronically controlled fuel injection control system, a predetermined correction quantity corresponding to the detected temperature from the temperature sensor is added to the basic fuel injection quantity calculated in accordance with given operating parameters of the engine, thereby increasing the quantity of fuel supplied to the engine.

Abstract: A torque variation in an internal combustion engine due to the combustion variations is detected at each predetermined period. An average torque variation to be compared with the detected torque variation is predetermined experimentally based on the engine speed and the intake manifold pressure and is stored in a memory. The number of the detected torque variations which exceed the average torque variation multiplied by a predetermined constant is counted, and if the ratio of the counted number to the total number of the detected torque variations is larger than a predetermined reference value, then the presence of a torque variation is determined.