Abstract: A chair situated upon a single wheel in such a relationship to achieve a low center of gravity. The chair is secured between parallel elongated handle members, extending from the front to the back of the chair which enables the safe transportation of a handicapped person and cargo by two other people over rugged terrain where conventional devices for handicapped individuals are unsuitable. The chair is convertible to a four-wheeled chair which makes it practical to use for camping trips in the wilderness.

Abstract: A device for setting the handbrake cable (26) of an automotive handbrake, said handbrake cable (26) including a threaded member (27) fixed at one end and a nut (28) threaded onto said threaded member (27) and in the set condition of the handbrake said nut (28) engaging against a seat (29) to maintain tension in said handbrake cable (26), said device including gripping means (69) to grip said threaded member (27) and retracting means (48, 49) to retract said gripping means (69) to a retracted position to apply a tensile bedding load to said cable (26) which bedding load exceeds the required set load of the cable (26) in the set condition, return means (48, 49) to return said threaded member (27) from said retracted position to reduce the tensile load on said cable (26) to said set load, rotating means (20, 60) to rotate said nut (28) down said threaded member (27) to engage said seat (29) whereafter said gripping means (69) releases said threaded member (27).

Abstract: The line backer is a device that assists the driver in backing up to a trailer by himself. It eliminates the frustrations of climbing in and out of the vehicle and walking back to check the alignment. It also can eliminate damage to the vehicle and the trailer that is so often seen. It works by a retractable cable that hooks from the vehicle and attaches to the trailer. While backing up to the trailer there are two led lights that are facing the driver, that signals which direction to turn and when to stop. The retractable cable is electrically grounded and passes between a left and a right contact which are charged by the battery and wired to the led's. Since the retractable cable will touch a left or right contact and, thereby, power a respective left or right led light, the driver can adjust his approach angle to the trailer by keeping the lights off with the retractable cable staying in between the contacts.

Abstract: A magneto-rheological (“MR”) damper having a damper body tube containing an MR fluid. A piston assembly is disposed in the damper body tube and forms an annular flow gap between the piston assembly and the damper body tube. The piston assembly has a piston core containing ferrous material and an electromagnetic coil mounted on the piston core for generating a magnetic field. The damper further includes a ferromagnetic member positioned outside of the damper body tube substantially adjacent the piston assembly for providing at least a part of a magnetic flux return path for the magnetic field.

Abstract: A motor vehicle has a transmission controlled by an electronic transmission unit and an internal-combustion engine controlled by an electronic engine unit. The transmission unit normally shifts the selected gear by controlling actuators in the transmission, as a function of the adjustment of a gear selection switch. In an emergency, which can be detected by the engine unit via a communication connection with the transmission unit, and in which the adjustment of the gear selection switch is not detected by the transmission unit and/or the selected gear cannot be shifted in the transmission, the engine unit enforces a limitation of vehicle acceleration.

Abstract: A scraper assembly for use with a disc brake including a scraper blade which continually engages with the braking surface of the disc brake to remove dirt, oil and other extraneous materials from the braking surface to increase the coefficient of friction of the braking surface. A weight is provided for biasing the scraper blade with a substantially constant force into engagement with the braking surface. The scraper blade and weight are disposed in a channel which guides and supports the scraper blade into a position in which the blade is engaged with the braking surface.

Abstract: A signal conditioning circuit is provided for a plurality of pressure signals generated by individual pressure sensors mounted upon a hydraulic control valve. The signal conditioning circuit sequentially samples each of the pressure sensors and multiplexes the individual pressure signals into a single analog pressure signal. The signal conditioning circuit includes a differential amplifier that is compensated for offset and linearity as a function of which particular pressure sensor is being sensed.

Abstract: An electromechanical wheel brake device for a motor vehicle, having an electric motor for driving two planetary gears, connected in series with one another, which actuate the wheel brake device via a threaded roller gear. The planetary gear is provided with a first electromagnetic coupling, with which a sun wheel of the second planetary gear can be locked, or can be connected in a manner fixed against relative rotation to a sun wheel of the first planetary gear, and with a second electromagnetic coupling, with which a ring gear of the second planetary gear can be stopped or can be connected in a manner fixed against relative rotation to a ring gear of the first planetary gear. By means of the electric motor, by switching of the two couplings, the rolling thread drive can be driven fast to overcome an air gap, slowly and with major speed reduction for the ensuing exertion of a high braking force, and fast for releasing without a reversal of the direction of rotation of the electric motor.

Abstract: A brake fluid pressure retaining apparatus RU is mounted on a vehicle equipped with an automatic transmission CVT and a driving motor control unit DCU. The driving motor control unit switches the magnitude of creep driving force between a greater condition and a smaller condition in accordance with a depression of the brake pedal, so that the driving force is made smaller at a depression of the brake pedal than at a release of the brake pedal. The brake fluid pressure retaining apparatus continuously retains brake fluid pressure within a wheel cylinder WC after releasing a brake pedal BP. The retained brake fluid pressure is released after the driving force increases to the greater condition and when a first setting time TM1 passes.

Abstract: A modular blow-off base valve is provided for a vehicle twin tube damper in which a valve body is inserted into the end of an inner damper tube. The valve body has a central opening into which is inserted a valve cage assembly. The valve cage assembly includes a valve cage tubular member having a blow-off valve opening which is pressed into the central opening. A valve stem forming a valve seat with the blow-off valve opening is biased into a closed position by a helical spring seated against the underside of the valve stem at one end and a spring retainer fastened to the bottom of the valve cage at its other end. An annular bleed disc, intake disc and washer disc fit over the tubular member and cover rebound openings in the valve body. When the valve cage assembly is placed into the valve body's central opening, the washer disc biases the intake disc into sealing engagement with the rebound openings in the valve body.

Abstract: Plural vibration damping devices transmit to and receive energy from a distributor that is programmed to either dissipate the vibration induced energy produced by the devices or redistribute the vibration induced energy produced by some of the devices to minimize overall vibration without introduction of energy from an external source.

Abstract: A vehicle transmission (302) is equipped with an actuator (306) for shifting the transmission and a controller (306) for issuing a command to the actuator (306), to control a shifting operation of the transmission (302). A vehicle speed sensor (305) detects a speed of a vehicle, and a gear position sensor detects a current gear position of the transmission (302). The controller (306) stores at least two start gears higher a lowest gear of the transmission beforehand, and selects one start gear when starting a vehicle. The controller (306) selects the start gear based on whether the vehicle tows another vehicle or not.

Abstract: An autonomous emergency braking system includes an accelerator pedal operated by the driver coupled to a braking system and used to control the overall vehicle speed. When a forward detection apparatus detects an imminent contact, the braking system automatically applies braking force to the vehicle while the vehicle engine speed is reduced. The amount of brake force applied is a continuous function of relative speed, relative distance, collision probability and target classification. The braking force may be reduced when the driver or passenger are unbuckled or may be disabled if the driver applies full throttle.

Abstract: A method or apparatus for controlling a braking system in a vehicle, the vehicle including an inside front wheel and outside front wheel, whereby a determination is made of whether a drifting and/or an oversteering condition exists; and, if so, a predetermined braking pressure is applied to the outside front wheel.

Abstract: It is an object of the invention to provide a rotary shift selecting apparatus for a vehicle capable of obtaining excellent operability while securing the liquid-proof ability. A rotary shift selecting apparatus for a vehicle comprising a base body 21 mounted to a vehicle frame, and a rotor 23 rotatably mounted to a supporting shaft 22 fixed to the base body 21 for selecting shift, wherein an annular fitting portion 24 which is coaxial of said supporting shaft 22 is formed between said base body 21 and said rotor 23, and an annular seal material 25/26 is interposed between said fitting portion 24 and a passing-through portion of said supporting shaft 22 of said rotor 23.

Abstract: There is disclosed herein a device which can function either as a brake or as a clutch and which relies upon the application of fluid which, under sufficient pressure, becomes essentially solid thereby providing substantial friction between a moving disk and a stationery housing. The device includes a stationery housing having therein a rotating disk within a chamber in the housing. A fluid is applied to the chamber, and when the pressure on the fluid is sufficiently increased it becomes substantially a solid thereby essentially locking together the disk and the housing to provide a braking or clutching action.

Abstract: A method for controlling the drive mechanism of a utility vehicle having a power take-off shaft, where the drive mechanism including an engine, a transmission, a power take-off shaft clutch and a controller, operates the drive mechanism in a careful and economical manner. The method of controlling the engine includes the step of issuing an instruction for engaging the power take-off shaft clutch at a low rotational speed of the engine so that the power take-off shaft clutch is engaged in a controlled manner. If the rotational speed of the engine is above a threshold, the rotational speed is automatically reduced before the engaging the power take-off shaft clutch. After fully engaging the power take-off shaft clutch, the rotational speed of the engine is automatically increased until reaching of the rotational speed of the engine required for the nominal rotational speed of the power take-off shaft.

Abstract: A wheeled vehicle comprises a frame having a steerable front wheel having an axle affixed to a front portion of said frame, and a hub rear wheel having an axle affixed to a rear portion of said frame. A unitary power module is used as a propulsion system, which includes a target sprocket and a mounting frame, with the target sprocket comprising a disk shaped assembly having an center opening to allow the unitary member to be placed about the wheel axle. The target sprocket mates to the hub (or axle) of either of the wheels to enable target sprocket to be concentrically attached to the wheel by engagement with the wheel by securing elements. The mounting frame may be aligned with and rotatably attached to the target sprocket to allow for aligned rotation of the target sprocket about the wheel axle.

Abstract: A brake cable-connecting apparatus for a drum brake, having a simplified structure and designed to permit a cable end to be steadily seated on a brake lever, thereby providing improved durability of an inner cable, and to further positively holds a brake cable in position, which otherwise would be disengaged from the brake lever. A drum brake comprises: slanted surfaces 27c, 28c for permitting an inner cable 29a to be deflected while a cable end 29b of a brake cable 29 is slid along an outer edge of a free end 26a of a brake lever 26, the cable end 29b being advanced from a direction in which the brake cable 29 is pulled, to a opposite direction in which the brake cable 29 is pulled; and, an opening formed in series with a cable-receiving groove 26b for receiving the inner cable 29a.

Abstract: A clutch assembly having multiple separator plates and friction plates. The separator plates include springs for causing sequential engagement of the friction plates and/or a gradual engagement of friction plates by tipping one of the separator plates during the initial clutch engagement. This allows for a controlled gradual engagement of the clutch in a relatively short time.