Abstract: A shift control ECU includes the steps of storing a position of a shift lever; starting a count-up timer when the shift lever comes to a neutral position; and recognizing a driver's request for the neutral position when a count-up timer value attains TN(1) if the stored shift lever position is a home position and when a count-up timer value attains TN(2) if the stored shift lever position is not the home position. Here, TN(1) is set to be smaller than TN(2).

Abstract: An electric steering system is provided with: a steering torque detection unit which detects a steering torque acting on the shaft; a brushless motor which includes a rotor and a stator having multi-phase stator coils, and generates an assisting torque for assisting the steering torque; a current supply switching unit which drives the brushless motor; a rotary angle estimation unit which outputs an estimated rotary angle; a determination unit which determines whether or not the estimated rotary angle is appropriate by comparison with a direction of the steering torque; and a steering control unit which drives the brushless motor in accordance with the estimated rotary angle determined to be appropriate by the determination unit to control generation of the assisting torque.

Abstract: An electric power steering device is configured to transmit an auxiliary torque to a steering unit of front wheels, and includes: an operator; an electric motor configured to generate the auxiliary torque in accordance with at least a steering torque generated by input from the operator; the steering unit of front wheels which includes a pinion shaft; and a rotation terminating mechanism which provides a motion terminating end of the operator, the rotation terminating mechanism being disposed between the operator and the pinion shaft.

Abstract: A rack-and-pinion steering apparatus in which a steering gear box for transmitting an operation of a steering wheel to road wheels includes a pinion operatively connected to the steering wheel, a rack bar which has a rack meshing with the pinion, and which is operatively connected to the road wheels, a housing slidably supporting the rack bar, a cylindrical rack guide slidably fitted into a guide hole formed in the housing, and a spring member causing the rack guide to abut on a rear part of the rack bar opposite to the rack by biasing the rack guide. A reaction force, which the rack guide receives from the rack bar, acts on the rack guide in such a way as to cause a rotational moment of the rack guide about an axis different from an axis of the rack guide.

Abstract: A motor rotation angle detection device, comprising a resolver which detects a rotation angle of a motor generating an assist torque for steering road wheels. The resolver includes an annular rotor disposed inside an annular stator with an air gap interposed in between an outer circumferential surface of the rotor and an inner circumferential surface of the stator, so that the stator and the rotor are rotatable relative to each other, wherein a rotor supporting member is connected to a rotary shaft of the motor, and the rotor extends out from an axial end portion of the rotor supporting member so as to surround an outer periphery of the rotary shaft. With the such a motor rotation angle detection device, it is possible to stabilize the magnetic permeability of the rotor, and accordingly to increase an accuracy with which the rotation angle of the motor is detected.

Abstract: A magnetostrictive torque sensor includes first and second magnetostrictive films which are provided at a shaft and have different magnetic anisotropies; a first measurement coil and a second measurement coil which face the first magnetostrictive film; and a third measurement coil and a fourth measurement coil which face the second magnetostrictive film. A torque applied to the shaft is measured based on a variation in magnetic characteristics of the first and the second magnetostrictive films; and a failure of the magnetostrictive torque sensor is detected based on a first difference between output values from the first and the second measurement coils and a second difference between output values from the third and the fourth measurement coils. An electric steering system includes the magnetostrictive torque sensor for measuring a steering torque of the system; and an electric motor driven based on the measured magnetostrictive torque for steering the vehicle.

Abstract: A shift control ECU includes the steps of storing a position of a shift lever; starting a count-up timer when the shift lever comes to a neutral position; and recognizing a driver's request for the neutral position when a count-up timer value attains TN(1) if the stored shift lever position is a home position and when a count-up timer value attains TN(2) if the stored shift lever position is not the home position. Here, TN(1) is set to be smaller than TN(2).

Abstract: A magnetostrictive torque sensor system stabilizes and detects steering torque applied to a steering shaft.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a curable which has good storage stability and can give cured products retaining the high elongation characteristic originating from the polyether polymer and showing a high gel fraction and good weatherability. Thus, the present invention provides a durable composition which comprises the following two components: a polyether polymer having at least one crosslinkable functional group and a vinyl polymer which is compatible with said polyether polymer having at least one crosslinkable functional group at a polymer terminus. Further, the present invention provides a curable composition which comprises the following three components: a polyether polymer having at least one crosslinkable functional group, a vinyl polymer incompatible with said polyether polymer and having at least one crosslinkable function group, and a compatibilizing agent capable of compatibilizing said polyether polymer and said vinyl polymer with each other when added to a mixture thereof.

Abstract: In the case where a start command of an engine is given with a gearshift lever being operated to a parking position, when a cooling water temperature Tw is lower than a threshold value Twref, and a stop time tst of the engine is a threshold value tstref or longer (S110 and S120), a relatively large predetermined torque T2 is set to a power-holding torque Tg (S140), and the power-holding torque Tg added to a torque for canceling a reaction torque is output from a second motor to motor and start the engine. This allows the engine to be started with a backlash between gears being eliminated even when resistance in motoring the engine is relatively large.

Abstract: In a hybrid vehicle equipped with an engine and a motor that are connected to a driveshaft linked to an axle via a gear mechanism, on condition that an output torque of the motor (previous Tm2*) is not lower than a preset reference output torque Tm2ref (step S190) at a moment of a start requirement of the engine (steps S130 and S180), the drive control of the invention starts the engine (step S220). On conditions that the output torque of the motor (previous Tm2*) is lower than the preset reference output torque Tm2ref (step S190), that a torque demand Tr* is lower than a preset reference torque level Tref (step S200), and that a state of charge SOC of a battery is not lower than a preset reference charge level Sref (step S210), the drive control keeps the engine at a stop (step S140), regardless of the start requirement. This arrangement effectively reduces the potential for backlash or gear rattle in the gear mechanism due to a torque pulsation applied to the driveshaft at a start of the engine.

Abstract: A plane parallel plate 91 constituted with optical glass and disposed further frontward relative to an image-capturing element 10 is caused to swing and vibrate by alternately expanding and contracting piezoelectric elements 92a and 92c. As the plane parallel plate 91 becomes slanted relative to the image-capturing element 10, the angle of incidence of subject light 20 changes, causing the position of the subject image projected on the image-capturing element 10 to move from point A to point B. As a result, the image forming position vibrates parallel to the x-axis, thereby enabling the plane parallel plate 91 to function as a low pass filter for the spatial frequency manifesting along the x direction.

Abstract: A magnetostrictive torque sensor for detecting a torque includes an operating shaft, magnetically insulating layers, and magnetostrictive films. The operating shaft is adapted to be applied with an external torque. The magnetically insulating layers are formed of a nonmagnetic material and provided on an outer peripheral surface of the operating shaft. The magnetostrictive films are provided on outer peripheral surfaces of the magnetically insulating layers.

Abstract: For forming an annular magnetostrictive coat on an outer peripheral surface of a rotational shaft associated with a magnetostrictive torque sensor, a magnetostrictive-coat forming method comprises a step of fitting a cylindrical masking jig over the outer peripheral surface of the rotational shaft and securing the masking jig to the outer peripheral surface, a step of placing the rotational shaft in a plating tank to thereby form the magnetostrictive coat by plating on the outer peripheral surface, and a step of detaching the masking jig from the rotational shaft.

Abstract: A magnetostrictive torque sensor for detecting a torque comprises an operating shaft, a first hollow shaft, a second hollow shaft, a first magnetostrictive film, and a second magnetostrictive film. Torque acts on the operating shaft from the outside. The first and second hollow shafts are fitted and fixed separately on the operating shaft. The first magnetostrictive film is formed on an external peripheral surface of the first hollow shaft while the second magnetostrictive film is formed on an external peripheral surface of the second hollow shaft.

Abstract: Polysilazane is treated with a single or mixed solvent comprising one or more members selected from the group consisting of xylene, anisole, decalin, cyclohexane, cyclohexene, methylcyclohexane, ethylcyclohexane, limonene, hexane, octane, nonane, decane, a C8-C11 alkane mixture, a C8-C11 aromatic hydrocarbon mixture, an aliphatic/alicyclic hydrocarbon mixture containing 5 to 25% by weight of C8 or more aromatic hydrocarbons, and dibutyl ether, wherein the number of 0.5 micron or more fine particles contained in 1 ml of the solvent is 50 or less. As the treatment of polysilazane, there are illustrated, for example, edge-rinsing and back rinsing of a polysilazane film formed by spin coating polysilazane on a semiconductor substrate. The water content of the solvent is preferably 100 ppm or less.

Abstract: A magnetostrictive torque sensor includes a rotating shaft rotatably supported; magnetostrictive materials provided on a surface of the rotating shaft, magnetic permeability of which changes according to the magnitude of rotary torque acting on the rotating shaft; and at least two detection coils provided to the rotating shaft, which detect change in the magnetic permeability of the magnetostrictive materials to output in the form of electrical change. Section secondary moments of the rotating shaft at its parts on which the detection coils are respectively placed are different from each other.

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 second communications server obtains adjustment information of an adjustment unit in an exposure apparatus and information related to image forming quality (such as wavefront aberration) of a projection optical system under an exposure condition that serves as a reference, via a first communications server, and then calculates an optimal adjustment amount of the adjustment unit under a target exposure condition based on the information. In addition, the second communications server obtains adjustment information of the adjustment and actual measurement data of image forming quality of the projection optical system via the first communications server, and then calculates the optimal adjustment amount of the adjustment unit under the target exposure condition based on the information. And, the second communications server controls the adjustment unit in the exposure apparatus via the first communications server, based on the calculations results.

Abstract: A magnetostrictive torque sensor detects steering torque applied to a steering shaft by electrically detecting distortion of magnetostrictive films provided on a surface of the steering shaft. When the films are removed from the surface of the steering shaft to perform thermal desorption gas analysis, the thickness of the films is at 40 ?m, and in the thermal desorption gas analysis, the films are heated at a temperature rise rate of 5° C. per minute, in which the films contain hydrogen to satisfy at least one of the following conditions: a ratio of the weight of hydrogen desorbed by the heating from the film by the time the film reaches 150° C. to the weight of the film before the heating being at or below 3 ppm; the ratio for by the time the film reaches 300° C. being at or below 10 ppm; and the ratio for by the time the film reaches 400° C. being at or below 15 ppm.