Abstract: A latch assembly for connecting a hood assembly to a truck includes a striker bolt that is surrounded by a sleeve that is engaged by a rotary latch. The sleeve is of shorter length than the striker bolt so that it can slide along the striker bolt. The rotary latch fixedly engages the sleeve so that any relative motion between the hood and frame translates to movement of the sleeve along the striker bolt rather than between the rotary latch and striker bolt. The sleeve arrangement thus provides wear protection to rotary latch, allows for self alignment of the hood and fender assembly along the striker bolt axis and dynamic movement of the latch during vehicle operation.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting conditions that indicate unauthorized usage of a vehicle and for responding to the conditions that indicate the vehicle is being used in an unauthorized or unintended way. A vehicle computer is used to monitor conditions of a driver and unintended usage. The computer is also used to respond to conditions that indicate an unauthorized or unintended vehicle usage has occurred.

Abstract: A brake system with an integral proximity sensor for providing an indication of a condition of the brake system. The brake system includes a brake drum, a brake shoe, a brake pad, and a position sensor. The brake pad is connected to a pad mounting surface of the brake shoe. The brake pad and brake shoe are movable from a disengaged position, where the brake pad is spaced apart from the brake drum to an engaged position, where the pad is in forcible engagement with the brake drum. The position sensor is coupled to the brake shoe for sensing the position of the brake shoe with respect to the position sensor. The position of the brake shoe with respect to the position sensor provides an indication of one or more conditions of the brake system.

Abstract: A system for routing an elongated line of an over the highway tractor having a connector for powering a component of a trailer. An elongated line, such as an electrical cable or an air hose, has a first mating connector that mates with a connector on the tractor that provides access to a source of air under pressure or electrical energy. The elongated line also includes a second mating connector that mates with a connector on a trailer. First and second releasable hooks are connected to the elongated line along the length of the line. The first and second hooks are secured to mounting points on the tractor to properly route the cable when the second connector is connected to the trailer and when the second connector is not connected to the trailer.

Abstract: A multiple purpose antenna system for installation on a highway truck to receive and transmit signals. The system includes an antenna for communication of electromagnetic frequency signals having multiple band widths, a multiplex unit coupled to the antenna having circuitry for simultaneously passing multiple signals of band widths, and a filter unit. The filter is coupled to the multiplex unit for filtering signals received from the multiplex unit into multiple sets of band width ranges. The sets include a first frequency range for use by a first receiver apparatus, a second frequency range for use by a second receiver apparatus, and a third frequency range for use by a third receiver apparatus. The filter unit may be included within a satellite electronic communications unit. The first receiver apparatus may be a weather band radio apparatus. The third receiver apparatus may be an AM/FM commercial radio.

Abstract: A moveable bumper arrangement. The moveable bumper arrangement includes an elongated bumper member, an end bumper member, and a mechanism coupled to the end bumper member. The mechanism allows substantially translational movement of the end bumper member with respect to the elongated bumper member from a first position where the end bumper member is positioned at an end of the elongated bumper member to a second position where the end bumper member is spaced apart from the elongated bumper member.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling frame rise on a heavy duty truck having a frame, a drive axle connected to the frame, and a selectively lockable suspension component disposed therebetween for maintaining the relative position therebetween. Signals indicative of at least one of the following vehicle operating parameters: engine speed, brake pressure, vehicle speed, air bag pressure, steering wheel angle, vehicle height, or throttle position are monitored and a predicted thrust is calculated that will be applied to the drive axle based on the monitored signals. The selectively lockable suspension component is locked if the predicted thrust exceeds a predetermined threshold and is also controlled with respect to other operating parameters such as whether vehicle brakes are applied, any instantaneous change in torque, vehicle operating speed, and the length of time the selectively lockable suspension component has been locked.

Abstract: A method of controlling uniformity during tire manufacture includes the steps of selecting a target attribute and assigning a target value thereto, measuring the target attribute in a subject tire at a first rotational speed approximating highway speed and measuring in the subject tire indicator attributes a second rotational speed lower than the first rotational speed. The indicator attributes are condensed via a multivariate process to determine which attributes are the most strongly related to the target attribute. Next, a plurality of predictors for the target attribute is determined, each predictor having components including at least one indicator attribute. From the plurality of predictors, at least one best predictor is selected.

Abstract: A tire having an electroluminescent device includes an electroluminescent lamp, a driver, and a power supply including a piezoelectric fiber matrix for pulsing the device to flash and for generating power to energize the device. The device may be integrated in a rubber patch that is mounted to the tire sidewall, cured to the tire sidewall, or mounted in a recess or other prepared location.

Abstract: The invention concerns a device for the application (1) of at least one cable onto a rotating receiving surface (2) revolving at a speed V2, comprising means (10) for feeding the cable that comprise at least one capstan (11) revolving at a speed V1, means (20, 30) to displace the cable transversely relative to the receiving surface (2) and means (40) to position the cable on said receiving surface, characterized in that the means (20, 30) to displace the cable transversely effect said displacement by the combination of a rotary movement about an axis perpendicular to the cable travel direction with a pivoting movement in a plane containing the axis of said rotation, the extent of pivoting being determined by the ratio between the speeds V1 and V2.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for fastening an electronic monitoring module onto a tire comprising a patch (12) of rubber mix, an upper surface of which bears at least one rigid insert (18, 19) having a threaded recess (181, 191) intended to cooperate with a screw (14, 15) and a lug (131, 132) on a casing (13) bearing the electronic monitoring module.

Abstract: A resilient tire that supports a load without internal air pressure includes a ground contacting tread portion and sidewall portions extending radially inward from said tread portion and anchored in bead portions adapted to remain secure to a wheel during rolling of the tire. A reinforced annular band is disposed radially inward of the tread portion. The band comprises an elastomeric shear layer, at least a first membrane adhered to the radially inward extent of the elastomeric shear layer and at least a second membrane adhered to the radially outward extent of the elastomeric shear layer. Each of said membranes has a longitudinal tensile modulus sufficiently greater than the shear modulus of said shear layer so that when under load the ground contacting portion of the tire deforms to a flat contact region through shear strain in the shear layer while maintaining constant the length of the membranes.

Abstract: The invention relates to a mold and a process for molding a tread 11 and a tire having a tread, the tread including a running surface 12, lateral surfaces 13, axial recesses 15 opening axially on to at least one of the lateral surfaces, the process including steps of inserting into the uncured tread projections 5 which mold the axial recesses 15, and of then removing them from the vulcanized tread, the process being characterized in that the projections 5 are inserted in the direction of the thickness of the tread 11 and are removed in the direction of the width of the tread 11.

Abstract: The invention concerns a tire whose crown contains a ply of circumferentially oriented cords. That ply is so arranged that in sensitive zones, as, for example, at the side ends of the adjacent crown reinforcing ply, the laying pitch of the circumferentially oriented cords is markedly increased. That considerably lessens the risk of damage to the circumferentially oriented cords in those zones.

Abstract: A multi-layer cable having an unsaturated outer layer, usable as a reinforcing element for a crown reinforcement of a tire, comprising a core of diameter d0 surrounded by an intermediate layer (C1) of four or five wires (N=4 or 5) of diameter d1 wound together in a helix at a pitch p1, this layer C1 itself being surrounded by an outer layer (C2) of P wires of diameter d2 wound together in a helix at a pitch p2, P being less by 1 to 3 than the maximum number Pmax of wires which can be wound in one layer about the layer C1, this cable having the following characteristics (d0, d1, d2, p1 and p2 in mm): (i) 0.10≦d0<0.50; (ii) 0.25≦d1<0.40; (iii) 0.25≦d2<0.40; (iv) for N=4: 0.40<(d0/d1)<0.80; for N=5: 0.70<(d0/d1)<1.10; (v) 4.8 &pgr;(d0+d1)<p1<p2<5.6&pgr;(d0+2d1+d2); and (vi) the wires of layers C1 and C2 are wound in the same direction of twist.

Abstract: A tire (1) comprising, viewed in meridian section, two beads (12) with generatrices which are inclined towards the outside, the upturn (130) of said reinforcement (13) being formed by the lateral (30) and radially inner (32) sides of a wedge-shaped profiled element (3) of high Shore A hardness and having an end located firstly axially to the outside of a straight line P2 perpendicular to the axis of rotation and passing through the center of gravity of the annular anchoring element (14) and secondly axially to the inside and radially to the outside of the straight line P1 passing through said center of gravity and forming with the axis of rotation an angle of between 30° and 60°, and the ratio e1/e2 of the thickness e1 between the carcass reinforcement upturn (130) and the annular anchoring element (14) to the thickness e2 between the carcass reinforcement upturn (130) and the outer wall of the bead, measured on the straight line P1, satisfying the relationship: 0.05≦e1/e2<1.0.