Abstract: An air spring has a pair of spaced end members for mounting the spring at spaced locations on a structure. A flexible sleeve of elastomeric material is sealingly engaged with the end members and forms a pressurized fluid chamber therebetween. A post is mounted on one of the end members and extends into the fluid chamber. A shock absorbing two-piece bumper includes a rigid base which is formed with an axial opening and is seated upon one of the end members with the post extending into the opening. An elastomeric member is mounted within the axial opening of the rigid base member and is snap-fitted onto the post. The upper end of the elastomeric member extends outwardly over the upper end of the base to engage the opposite end member upon the air spring failing or experiencing a large deflection. The two-piece bumper provides a high load carrying capability with low deflection and replaces the heretofore used single member elastomeric bumper.

Abstract: An air spring has a pair of spaced end members for mounting the spring at spaced locations on a structure. A flexible sleeve of elastomeric material is sealingly engaged with the end members and forms a pressurized fluid chamber therebetween. A post is mounted on one of the end members and extends into the fluid chamber. A shock absorbing bumper having an outer shell formed of a high strength first plastic material is mounted on the post. The shock absorbing bumper shell is formed with a plurality of internal compartments containing one or more blocks formed of a second plastic material. The second plastic material preferably is a thermoplastic and is stronger in compression than the first plastic material of the outer shell. The relatively stronger but stiffer blocks are surrounded by the relatively softer plastic material of the outer shell and provides a bumper having extremely high compressive strength and a high resistance to breakage or fracture.

Abstract: An electro-rheological (ER) fluid damper control system employs fuzzy logic to attain real time control in a highly responsive manner. The ER fluid damper is interposed in a vehicle between its sprung mass (vehicle body) and unsprung mass (suspension). Signals corresponding to the velocity of the sprung mass and the relative velocity between the sprung and unsprung masses are generated by pairs of accelerometers and electronic integrators. A fuzzy rule, taking into account weighted values of these input signals, is applied to the signals to determine an output value which, in turn, establishes a control signal for application to the electrodes of the ER fluid damper. As the velocity signals change, the voltage applied to the electrodes also changes, thus adjusting the fluid viscosity and mechanical responsiveness of the ER fluid damper.

Abstract: A rock, stump and other debris digger has a plurality of tines for digging, dislodging, and lifting the rock, stump or other debris and a plurality of grapple forks pivotally affixed to the digger frame for grabbing the rock, stump or other debris by pivoting the forks until the rock or debris is pinned therebetween so as to be secured for lifting, moving and/or positioning. The rock digger is attachable to a front end loader, skid steer loader or similar vehicle for use in farming, landscaping, construction, road maintenance, and demolition situations.

Abstract: A monitoring assembly for a pneumatic tire includes an electronic monitoring device having at least one sensor disposed in a protective body. The protective body includes an encapsulation layer that encapsulates the substrate and sensors, a cushion, and a skin on the outside of the cushion. The protective body is substantially spherical allowing the assembly to roll about the inside of a tire without being permanently connected to the tire. A breathing tube through the protective body is provided so that a pressure sensor can sense the pressure within the pneumatic tire. The breathing tube may be filled with a transfer gel to prevent the breathing tube from being clogged. The monitoring assembly may further include wings that help position the monitoring assembly within the tire. The antenna of the monitoring device may be disposed within one of the wings.

Abstract: A method for designing pneumatic tires for rolling conditions employs a finite element tire model configured by an operator. A first set of variables is applied to the tire model and steady state footprint conditions resulting from such application of the variables to the tire model are compared against predetermined footprint constraints to determine if the steady state footprint conditions and the footprint constraints have converged. If they have not, the set of control variables is incremented and the comparison is undertaken again until the steady state footprint conditions in the footprint constraints have converged. The concept of the invention is presented with particular application to a determination of the abrasion energy dissipation or wear potential, cornering stiffness, and residual aligning torque.

Abstract: An air spring has a pair of spaced end members for mounting the spring at spaced locations on a structure. A flexible sleeve of elastomeric material is sealingly engaged with the end members and forms a pressurized fluid chamber therebetween. A post is mounted on one of the end members and extends into the fluid chamber. A shock absorbing bumper formed of a high strength plastic is snap-fitted on an enlarged top of the post. One or more bumper extensions are stackable and matable on top of the bumper so as to allow for height adjustment without bumper removal.

Abstract: An aspirator for inflating inflatable devices such as aircraft emergency evacuation slides and life rafts using a quantity of primary gas that is stored in a tank that within the aspirator entrains a secondary gas, typically outside air, as the primary gas flows through the aspirator thereby producing sufficient gas to inflate a large inflatable structure or device as described above. The aspirator typically has injectors therein which act to promote the entrainment of large quantities of the secondary fluid using small quantities of the primary fluid thereby resulting in a large combined flow of gas forcibly flowing into the inflatable structure.

Abstract: A track (10) for a vehicle is typically carried by a plurality of wheels (12, 14, 16). Tread-wheel vibration is created when the track (10) passes between a wheel and the ground over which the vehicle is traveling. A track (10) includes a plurality of external lugs (32) that engage the ground when the track (10) is in use. Each external lug (32) has a tread angle (a) indicating the angle at which the lug is disposed to the longitudinal axis (34) of the track (10), a tread pitch (P) and a lug width (H). A wheel (16) contacting the interior of the track (10) has a width (B). A tread design that minimizes tread-wheel vibration has the pitch (P) of the lugs (32) substantially equal to the wheel width (B) multiplied by the tangent of the tread angle (a).

Abstract: An improved lift mechanism that is portable and towable, and has a telescopic and angularly adjustable load carrying boom, four telescopic support legs with pivotable wheels thereon, and a low center of gravity frame of a two part construction pivotally connected together and having a tilt indicator warning thereon.