Abstract: An anti-skid control system for an automotive vehicle, comprises a plurality of actuators each associated with one of front-left, front-right, rear-left and rear-right road wheels, for adjusting braking forces applied to the road wheels independently of each other, sensors for detecting wheel speeds of the road wheels to generate wheel-speed indicative signals, and a controller for controlling the actuators in response to the wheel-speed indicative signals. The controller selects a lower value of the wheel-speed indicative signal values of a controlled rear wheel, subjected to a braking-force control, and its diagonal front wheel located on the vehicle diagonally to the controlled rear wheel, and controls the actuator associated with the controlled rear wheel in accordance with the lower value, during braking-force control for the controlled rear wheel.

Abstract: PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To assist the steering torque by setting the reference lines extended along a lane, and arranged in parallel with each other in a width direction of the lane, and generating the steering torque by selecting a target travel line from the reference lines corresponding to the travelling condition of a vehicle. SOLUTION: A steering controller comprises an electronic control unit(ECU) 10. The steering controller comprises a video camera 12 to pick up an image of a road surface. An image processer 14 is connected with the video camera 12. The image processer 14 extracts a white line from an image signal. An output signal of the image processer 14 is supplied to the EUC 10 to recognize an area of a lane. The steering controller comprises a steering wheel 26, and connects a steering shaft 28. A steering angle sensor 30 is mounted on the steering shaft 28, for generating an output signal corresponding to a steering angle θ of the steering wheel 26. A torque sensor 32 is mounted on the steering shaft 28, for outputting an electric signal corresponding to the steering torque T. Whereby the steering assist of high practicality can be performed. COPYRIGHT: (C)1999,JPO

Abstract: A moving vision sensor scans the image of an object by moving the transducer to create a topographic image map of the object in three dimensions. In a preferred embodiment, the vision sensors are disposed in a preset camber, caster, toe wheel alignment station within a vehicle assembly line. A first moving vision sensor maps the plane of the wheel in space for toe and camber audit and adjustment. A second moving vision sensor maps the axis of the king pin ball joint in space for caster audit and adjustment.

Abstract: An automatically guided vehicle includes a single-wheel unit including a first wheel, a paired-wheel unit including second and third wheels, a sensor for detecting a track, a control unit, etc. The first and second wheels are drive wheels that are rotated by motors, individually, while the third wheel is an idler wheel. The control unit executes an angle steering mode during a forward movement or the like and a speed difference steering mode during a sidewise or slantwise movement. In the angle steering mode, the steering angle of that wheel unit, out of the single- and paired-wheel units, which is situated on the rear side in the moving direction is fixed, and the steering angle of the wheel unit on the front side is controlled. In the speed difference steering mode, the guided vehicle is steered along the track by differentiating the respective rotational speeds of the first and second wheels with the respective steering angles of the individual wheels fixed. The control unit selects the speed difference steering mode when the steering angles are set at values such that the first and second wheels are situated on the opposite sides with respect to a line segment in the steering direction passing through the center of gravity of the guided vehicle.

Abstract: A hydrostatic drive assembly for a front wheel of a motorcycle type steered vehicle. The hydrostatic drive is configured so that the hydrostatic motor is nested behind the front fork and contained within the area encompassed by the hub of the front wheel so as to permit the use of a conventional type of front wheel and mounting arrangement.

Abstract: Summary We assessed neuromuscular block at the thumb and great toe using accelography after the administration of vecuronium in infants. Train-of-four stimuli were simultaneously applied to the ulnar and tibial nerves using cutaneous electrodes. Anaesthesia was maintained with nitrous oxide (66%) in oxygen and sevoflurane (1%). Vecuronium 0.1mg.kg-1 was used for paralysis and reversed with intravenous neostigmine 0.04mg.kg-1 with atropine 0.02mg.kg-1 when the train-of-four ratio on the right great toe returned to 25%. The mean (SD) times from initial administration of vecuronium to completion of maximal block on the thumb and great toe were 78 (21.1) s and 75 (14.3) s, respectively (p>0.05). The times from maximal block to 25% recovery of twitch height at the thumb and great toe were 46 (9.1) min and 45 (9.0) min, respectively. The reversal time from 25% to 75% of the train-of-four ratio after the administration of neostigmine was 136 (49.1)s. We conclude that neuromuscular monitoring of the great toe in infants may be a suitable alternative when the thumb is inaccessible.

Abstract: A bicycle front suspension for supporting a front wheel of a bicycle. The front suspension has three moveable link members on each side of the front wheel. A main link is held to an extension of the head tube. A wheel support arm is pivoted in the middle and attached to a bearing in the middle of the main link. A rear control link is attached to a bearing at the top of the wheel support arm and is also linked to a bearing at the base of the head tube. A shock absorber is attached between the wheel support arm upper end and the rear end of the main link. The result of the linkage is to cause the front wheel to move vertically as it hits a bump rather than rearwardly as is normally the case with most bicycle suspensions.

Abstract: A suspension and steering linkage for a front wheel of a tricycle type vehicle includes an upper and lower control arms joined by a pivot arm. The control arms are parallel and of the same length and are pivoted at the vehicle so as to move together in vertical arcuate movement with the wheel. A steering linkage engages the pivot arm to rotate the wheel about a near vertical axis. The wheel is mounted to exhibit camber when turned for steering. A shock strut is positioned at a distal end of the upper control arm and moves in reaction to vertical displacement of the wheel. Its position is such as to enable the shock to move through a reduced excursion with respect to that of the wheel.

Abstract: In a method for controlling a rear wheel steering device of a front and rear wheel steering vehicle, the target computed rear wheel steering angle is defined as a value smaller than the normal computed target rear wheel steering angle when the load of the steering actuator is greater than a prescribed threshold value, and which is otherwise equal to the normal computed target rear wheel steering angle, and the steering actuator is actuated according to a deviation of the actual rear wheel steering angle from the modified computed target rear wheel steering angle, typically with a duty ratio control. Thus, the rear wheel steering device can be operated in a satisfactory manner even when the output capacity of the actuator for the rear wheel steering device is limited, and the steering load is high. A high load condition typically occurs when the vehicle is stationary and when the steering wheel is turned sharply while the vehicle is traveling over a road surface having a high frictional coefficient.

Abstract: In a process for controlling a braking-force distribution in a vehicle for front and rear wheel brakes by regulating a braking liquid pressure for at least one of front wheel brakes and rear wheel brakes, based on a comparison of a rear wheel speed and a wheel speed difference target value and a difference between a front wheel speed, amounts of load variation on the front and rear wheels are calculated during braking. Correction values, corresponding to an amount of wheel diameter varied from a preset wheel diameter as a result of the displacement of the loads, are determined based on the amount of load variation. At least one of the front and rear wheel speeds is corrected by the correction values. Thus, the braking-force distribution to the front and rear wheel brakes is controlled so that the braking force is sufficient in either of the front wheels or the rear wheels due to the variation in load during braking.

Abstract: A steerable three-wheeled cart has a frame supported by a pair on non-steerable rear wheels and a steerable front wheel. The front wheel is mounted on a steerable wheel carriage that is journaled to the frame for rotation of the carriage and wheel about a generally vertical axis. A handle is pivoted to the wheel carriage to effect steering of the front wheel. The handle mounts a braking member whose braking surface is curved both longitudinally and laterally so as to conform substantially to the curvature of the front wheel. A braking force is applied to the front wheel by rocking the handle downwardly to cause the braking member to bear against the wheel while retaining the ability to steer the wheel with the handle.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for controlling a rear wheel angle of a four-wheel steering system for a vehicle, including the steps of: setting a control cycle of an actuator; dividing the control cycle into an accelerating section, a uniform velocity section, and a reduction section according to a rotating velocity of the actuator; integrating each section according to the rotating velocity of the actuator; calculating a desired rear wheel angle according to a practical rear wheel angle measured under each integral equation of each section; and executing, during the control cycle, a compensating control with respect to an error value calculated by comparing the practical rear wheel angle and the desired rear wheel angle with each other.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method of determining axle geometry, in particular toe-in, camber and castor on vehicles with independent wheel suspension. According to this method, the inclination is measured for given wheel suspension struts in at least one optional vehicle position or the inclination measurements are carried out for given wheel suspension struts out a given point of the vehicle structure in at least one optional vehicle position. The measured values determined are fed via a data line or wirelessly to a computer and either compared with vehicle-type-specific desired values or desired value ranges which are adapted in the computer to the actual vehicle position, or are converted in the computer into a neutral vehicle position and compared with the vehicle-type-specific desired value ranges or desired values related to a neutral vehicle position. The deviations between the measured values and the corresponding desired values or desired value ranges determined by this comparison are used to establish a measuring or test protocol concerning the axle geometry and/or a mechanically usable setting data record.

Abstract: In a front and rear wheel steering system for steering rear wheels of a vehicle at a certain ratio to front wheels of the vehicle, the rear wheel steering angle is determined according to the steering input and/or the operating conditions of the vehicle, additionally, taking into account the kind of the particular tires that are being used. In particular, it is advantageous to distinguish between normal tires and studless tires as they demonstrate significantly different properties. The kind of tires can be identified either by computing the frictional coefficient of the road surface or by a manual switch. Thus, the handling of the vehicle can be kept unchanged without regard to the kind of the tires that are being used.

Abstract: The all-wheel steering for a vehicle with a large rear overhang has the rear wheel steering operating in the opposite direction to the front wheels to reduce the turning circle. From the straight ahead starting position the rear wheel steering follows that of the front wheels with varying proportion. Initially the rate of change of the rear wheel steering is slower than the front wheel. This rate of change increases to a similar rate, for mid range steering, and finally both axles have equal but opposite steering deflections. The initial steering, with the rear wheels only slowly steered, enables the vehicle to ease into the curve without the rear end swinging out. The increasing rear wheel deflection progressively swings the rear of the vehicle outwards, after the vehicle has left its original ahead track.

Abstract: PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To adjust toe angle without any effect of backlash and with less number of workers by finding idle angle and offset amount of spoke angle and from them finding relationship between a spoke angle and a toe angle before they are adjusted and relationship between those angles to be referred and adjusting the toe angle from the obtained corrected value of the toe angle. SOLUTION: A spoke angle sensor and a toe angle sensor are assembled (ST01) and a steering wheel is cut to right and left by as much as designated angle manually (ST02). Whereby, the idle angle and offset amount of the spoke angle of the steering wheel are obtained (ST03). Then the relationship between the spoke angle and the toe angle before they are corrected is found (ST04). Then the relationship between the spoke angle and the toe angle to be referred is found (ST05). Then the steering wheel is turned to adjust it within designated spoke angle (ST06). Then the corrected value of the toe angle in the designated spoke angle is found and displayed in a display means (ST07) and the toe angle is adjusted as observing it (ST08).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for measuring the wheel inclination or "camber" of a vehicle. In a wheel assembly, e.g. in the front axle and suspension assembly of the vehicle, the wheel planes are somewhat inclined in relation to a plane perpendicular to the floor or base, the inclination representing the so called camber angle. According to the invention a simple method is proposed for determining the magnitude of the angle, independet of specific operating sites and sophisticated instruments. In a manner known per se a wheel subject to camber measurement is provided with an axial extension in the form of a pin (10) exactly coaxial with the wheel. The center line (x-x) of said pin will thus incline in relation to the floor by an angle = the camber angle. On the floor, directly in front of the set of wheels, a rod (15) or a like straight member is placed. An instrument (20) provided with two mutually perpendicular levels is placed on the rod. The instrument has a bridge pivotable about an axis (y-y) perpendicular to the center line (H-H) of the bar, said bridge, in a first step, being set with its pivot axis (y-y) truly horizontal and, in a second step, being pivoted so that its own plane becomes truly horizontal. The instrument is moved to the wheel pin (10) and the procedure is repeated. The change of inclination which the bridge is subjected to in step 2 represents the camber angle.

Abstract: Summary As‐welded hot‐ and cold‐drawn mild steel solid round bar specimens are used to determine the effect of flash on the fatigue strength of friction‐welded joints in rotating bending fatigue tests. The results obtained may be summarised as follows. The fatigue strength of the hot‐ and cold‐drawn friction‐welded joints with flash decreases with an increasing upset pressure. The fracture location of friction‐welded joints with flash is the flash toe. The upset pressure has a pronounced effect on the fatigue strength, whereas the friction pressure and burn‐off have little effect. The toe radius of the flash decreases with an increasing upset pressure, whereas the toe angle conversely increases. Stress concentration in the flash toe is therefore considered to be the main cause of the greater loss of fatigue strength in friction‐welded joints with flash than in the base metal. The fatigue strength of the hot‐drawn joints recovers to the base metal level under any welding conditions so long as the flash is ...

Abstract: PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a wheel controller which automatically set and change a set relief pressure of a front wheel pump according to construction face states and mixing material quantity. SOLUTION: A front wheel speed control valve 34 for controlling a front wheel speed is provided between a front wheel pump 31 and a front wheel motor 36. A pilot line 41 is drawn out between the front speed control valve 34 and the front wheel motor 36 so as to communicate with a discharge control part 32 of the front pump 31. A pressure sensor 42 for detecting a front wheel load pressure is provided in the pilot line 41 as a sensor for detecting the states of the construction face and the quantity of hopper mixing materials. A variable valve 45 for variably controlling a set relieve pressure of the front wheel pump 31 is provided in the pilot line 41. The variable relief valve 45 is an electromagnetic proportional relief valve and the set relief pressure of the front pump 31 is variably controlled by a digital controller 11 according to the front wheel load pressure signal detected by the pressure sensor 42. COPYRIGHT: (C)1998,JPO

Abstract: PURPOSE:To excellently maintain the rectilinear advancing ability of a vehicle even if a tire supported through a vehicle suspension moves vertically during the rectilinear running of the vehicle. CONSTITUTION:In setting the characteristic of the variation of a toe angle caused by the vertical movement of a tire to a car body of a vehicle suspension, the characteristic of the variation of the towing angle is set up so that the toe angle may vary with the vertical movement of the tire so as to cancel the change of the cornering force of the tire based on the change DELTAW of a tire load due to the vertical movement of the tire to the car body during the running of a vehicle by the change of the cornering force of the tire based on the change DELTASA of a slip angle due to the change of the toe angle of the tire.

Abstract: The structure for increasing the ride comfort and maneuvering stability by absorbing the vibration and shock transmitted from the wheel and reducing the change of toe angle on turning of the vehicle, has a bush(20) of the trailing arm(2) for supporting the vertical rolling, mounted at the both ends of the support shaft(1) The structure comprises a stopper(10) combined with the bush(20); a projection(12) formed at a side of the stopper for displaying the different spring characteristics according to the outer force in front/rear directions; elastic hole(13) connected with the surface of the bush in opposition to the projection

Abstract: The bicycle has a frame in two parts (7,18) turning independently round an axis (CC). This axis is inclined at an acute angle ( delta ) to the ground surface (20) (29-65 degrees). The angle ( beta ) between the hand lever (9) and the front frame part (7) is 30-140 degrees. The angle ( alpha ) between the front and rear parts of the frame is 60-200 degrees. The motion paths (a...a') of the pedal axles (3,3') are symmetrically below the axle (2) of the front wheel (1), which is also the drive wheel and steered wheel. They are along the axis (CC). The drive lever also forms the drive force adding mechanism through its connection with the front frame part via a spring tension device.

Abstract: CASE REPORT and the patient noticed that he was unable actively to extend the interphalangeal joint of the affected toe. A 17-year-old man injured his .right great toe in a He was seen in the fracture clinic of Queen’s Medical soccer match. He described kicking an opponent Centre the next morning. Clinical examination revealed directly on the shin with the tip of his right foot. He a swollen, bruised great toe, which was held with the experienced a hyperflexion injury of his great toe interphalangeal joint in a mildly flexed position. There inside his boot and felt a sudden sharp pain. He had to was no neurovascular deficit and he had a full range stop playing. The toe swelled up almost immediately of passive movements of the interphalangeal joint.

Abstract: A new type of omnidirectional holonomic vehicle has been proposed. The vehicle has a pair of driving wheel which configuration has a offset distance between a steering axis and a wheel axis. The wheel of this style is known as a nonholonomic system and is usually used for a caster wheel. In the case of proposed vehicle, a wheel of this style is used as a driving wheel by actuating a wheel axle and a steering axle independently. We first present a concept of the offset steered driving wheel", then describe kinematic models of the single driving wheel and a holonomic vehicle with proposed driving wheels. To avoid the nonholonomic characteristics of the wheel, we have introduced a control method in which an orientation of the wheel is neglected to be controlled. Therefore only translational velocities of the steering axle of the wheel are controlled so as to realize reference velocities. By using proposed wheel mechanism and the control method, the wheel can achieve a reproduction of caster motion. The vehicle with a couple of proposed driving wheels achieves omnidirectional and holonomic movements. Finally, proposed control methodology which based on kinematic models of the driving wheel and the vehicle has tested by a prototype vehicle. Experiments of the prototype vehicle have shown successful performances.