1. A vehicle comprising:
an engine case containing at least a portion of an engine;
a speed-changing transmission selectively driven by the engine, the speed changing transmission including a shift shaft and a dog; and
a shift control device arranged to perform shift control of the speed-changing transmission, the shift control device including a shift actuator and an actuation force transmission mechanism, the shift actuator being configured to be stroked by a predetermined amount to move the shift shaft and the dog into and out of engagement,
the actuation force transmission mechanism being disposed outside the engine case and being interposed between the shift actuator and the shift shaft, and the actuation force transmission mechanism including:
first and second coupling parts being sized and configured to be coupled together to provide movement relative to each other;
a biasing mechanism arranged to urge the first and second coupling parts toward a neutral position; and
a stopper mechanism arranged to stop the relative movement of the first and second coupling part when one of the first and second coupling parts is moved relatively from the neutral position against urging force of the biasing mechanism and contacts the stopper mechanism; wherein
the actuation force transmission mechanism is arranged to receive a rotational movement input from the shift actuator and output a rotational movement to the shift shaft.
2. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the first and second coupling parts are coupled so as to slide relative to each other.
3. The vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the biasing mechanism includes a compression spring.
4. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the first and second coupling parts are coupled for at least rotational movement relative to each other.
5. The vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the biasing mechanism includes a leaf spring having an elongated, rod shape.
6. The vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the actuation force transmission mechanism is disposed on the shift shaft.
7. The vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the actuation force transmission mechanism is disposed on a gear shaft of a speed reduction mechanism coupled to the shift actuator.
8. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the shift actuator is coupled to the shift shaft via a coupling mechanism arranged to transmit an actuation force of the shift actuator to the shift shaft, the actuation force transmission mechanism is held by the coupling mechanism.
9. The vehicle according to claim 8, wherein the transmission mechanism is provided in a case held by the coupling mechanism.
10. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the shift actuator is coupled to the shift shaft via a coupling mechanism arranged to transmit an actuation force of the shift actuator; the coupling mechanism being of adjustable length.
11. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein one of the first and second coupling parts is operatively connected to the shift shaft and the other of the first and second coupling parts is operatively connected to the shift actuator.
12. A vehicle comprising:
an engine case containing at least a portion of an engine;
a speed-changing transmission selectively driven by the engine, the speed changing transmission including a shift shaft and a dog; and
a shift control device arranged to perform shift control of the speed-changing transmission, the shift control device including a shift actuator and an actuation force transmission mechanism, the shift actuator being configured to be stroked by a predetermined amount to move the shift shaft and the dog into and out of engagement;
the actuation force transmission mechanism being disposed outside the engine case and being interposed between the shift actuator and the shift shaft, and the actuation force transmission mechanism including:
first and second coupling parts being sized and configured to be coupled together to provide movement relative to each other;
a biasing mechanism arranged to urge the first and second coupling parts toward a neutral position; and
a stopper mechanism arranged to stop the relative movement of the first and second coupling part when one of the first and second coupling parts is moved relatively from the neutral position against urging force of the biasing mechanism and contacts the stopper mechanism; wherein
the transmission mechanism is arranged such that, when a resistive force acts against the movement of the transmission mechanism, the first coupling part moves relative to the second coupling part against the urging force of the biasing mechanism until the first coupling part is stopped by the stopper mechanism, and wherein in response to a continuing resistive force, the first and second coupling parts move together upon the first coupling part being stopped by the stopper mechanism.
13. The vehicle according to claim 12, wherein the first and second coupling parts are coupled so as to slide relative to each other.
14. The vehicle according to claim 13, wherein the biasing mechanism includes a compression spring.
15. The vehicle according to claim 12, wherein the first and second coupling parts are coupled for at least rotational movement relative to each other.
16. The vehicle according to claim 15, wherein the biasing mechanism includes a leaf spring having an elongated, rod shape.
17. The vehicle according to claim 15, wherein the actuation force transmission mechanism is disposed on the shift shaft.
18. The vehicle according to claim 17, wherein the actuation force transmission mechanism is disposed on a gear shaft of a speed reduction mechanism coupled to the shift actuator.
19. The vehicle according to claim 12, wherein the shift actuator is coupled to the shift shaft via a coupling mechanism arranged to transmit an actuation force of the shift actuator to the shift shaft, the actuation force transmission mechanism is held by the coupling mechanism.
20. The vehicle according to claim 19, wherein the transmission mechanism is provided in a case held by the coupling mechanism.
21. The vehicle according to claim 12, wherein the shift actuator is coupled to the shift shaft via a coupling mechanism arranged to transmit an actuation force of the shift actuator; the coupling mechanism being of adjustable length.
22. The vehicle according to claim 12, wherein one of the first and second coupling parts is operatively connected to the shift shaft and the other of the first and second coupling parts is operatively connected to the shift actuator.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A microfabricated pressure sensor comprising:
a polymer film providing a raised diaphragm, the raised diaphragm being disposed on a flexible polymer substrate, said diaphragm being configured to bend in response to an applied pressure difference;
a strain gauge of a conductive material coupled to a surface of the raised diaphragm and to at least one of the substrate and a piece rigidly connected to the substrate.
2. A microfabricated shear stress sensor comprising:
a polymer film providing a raised membrane, the raised membrane being disposed on a flexible polymer substrate;
a heated hot-wire element disposed on a surface of the membrane for sensing fluid stress.
3. The pressure sensor of claim 1, wherein the surface of the raised diaphragm is exposed.
4. The pressure sensor of claim 1, wherein the strain gauge comprises a nichrome film formed on the surface of the raised diaphragm.
5. The pressure sensor of claim 1, wherein the polymer film comprises Parylene.
6. The pressure sensor of claim 5, wherein the substrate comprises polyimide.
7. The pressure sensor of claim 1, further comprising:
a plurality of additional pressure sensors disposed in an array on a surface of the substrate, each of said plurality of pressure sensors comprising:
an additional polymer film providing an additional raised diaphragm, the additional raised diaphragm being disposed on the substrate; and
an additional strain gauge of a conductive material coupled to a surface of the additional raised diaphragm and to the substrate.
8. The pressure sensor of claim 7, wherein the array is two-dimensional.
9. The shear stress sensor of claim 2, wherein the surface of the raised membrane is exposed.
10. The shear stress sensor of claim 2, wherein the heated hot-wire element comprises a nickel thermoresistor formed on the surface of the raised membrane.
11. The shear stress sensor of claim 2, wherein the polymer film comprises Parylene.
12. The shear stress sensor of claim 11, wherein the substrate comprises polyimide.
13. The shear stress sensor of claim 2, further comprising:
a plurality of additional shear stress sensors disposed in an array on a surface of the substrate, each of said plurality of shear stress sensors comprising:
an additional polymer film providing an additional raised membrane, the additional raised membrane being disposed on the substrate; and
an additional heated hot-wire element disposed on a surface of the additional raised membrane.
14. The shear stress sensor of claim 13, wherein the array is two-dimensional.
15. A fluid flow sensing device comprising:
an array of sensor nodes disposed on a flexible polymer substrate, each of the sensor nodes comprising at least one microfabricated pressure sensor and at least one microfabricated shear stress sensor;
wherein each of the at least one microfabricated pressure sensor comprises a first polymer film providing a raised diaphragm, the raised diaphragm being disposed on the flexible polymer substrate, said raised diaphragm being configured to bend in response to an applied pressure difference, and a strain gauge of a conductive material coupled to a surface of the raised diaphragm and to at least one of the substrate and a piece rigidly connected to the substrate;
wherein each of the at least one microfabricated shear stress sensor comprises a second polymer film providing a raised membrane, the raised membrane being disposed on the flexible polymer substrate, and a heated hot-wire element disposed on a surface of the membrane for sensing fluid stress.
16. The fluid flow sensing device of claim 15, wherein the array is two-dimensional.
17. The fluid flow sensing device of claim 15, wherein the first polymer film and the second polymer film comprise Parylene.
18. The fluid flow sensing device of claim 17, wherein the flexible polymer substrate comprises polyimide.