Abstract: A reaction force generation unit includes an opposing member and a pressed body, which includes a base and domes, including a first dome, a second dome, and a third dome, bulging from the base. A leading end of each dome faces an opposing surface of the opposing member. When the pressing member presses the base, the leading ends of the domes move in a direction relatively close to the opposing member, where the domes become elastically deformed and cause an appropriate reaction force with respect to the handle. In a natural state where the pressed body is not subjected to any pressing force, axes of the domes are substantially parallel to each other, and acute angles formed by the axes and a normal line of the opposing surface are substantially similar to each other at a predetermined angle larger than zero degree.

Abstract: A brake system for a vehicle, the vehicle including a service brake control module and a parking brake with at least one spring brake chamber, the service brake control module controlling at least a first pressure module to brake a first set of wheels. The brake system comprises a parking brake control module configured to control the spring brake chamber to brake a second set of wheels and to control the first pressure module to brake the first set of wheels.

Abstract: A controllable hydrodynamic retarder system for a transmission including an electronic controller unit (ECU) for selecting and controlling brake torque by adjusting a retarder outlet pressure is described. The system can include an algorithm to calculate a retarder outlet pressure set point or tables or brake torque curves or profiles to allow the ECU to calculate or look up the functional relationships between the retarder RT outlet pressure, a vehicle or rotor speed, and a brake torque curve selected by the operator to provide the selected RT outlet pressure. The systems disclosed can also include a cooling system or utilize a vehicles engine cooling system. In one embodiment, the cooler can be shared between a transmission and the controllable retarder and can be adjusted to accommodate cooling requirements. The ECU can also make adjustments to the RT outlet pressure to address short term and long term RT overheating protection independent of the cooling system.

Abstract: A hydraulic bushing assembly comprises an inner tube, a travel limiter surrounding the inner tube, a first intermediate insert, a second intermediate insert spaced apart from the first intermediate insert, and an elastomeric bushing disposed around the inner tube and encapsulating the first intermediate insert and the second intermediate insert. The elastomeric bushing at least partially encapsulates the travel limiter such that a portion of the elastomeric bushing is positioned between the travel limiter and the inner tube. First and second bump stops limit displacement of the travel limiter and define first and second fluid chamber within the elastomeric bushing. A fluid passageway defined by the elastomeric bushing and an outer tube extends between the first and second fluid chambers, wherein relative movement between the inner tube and the outer tube causes fluid transfer between the first fluid chamber and the second fluid chamber.

Abstract: An input device, such as a joystick, has an operating device, a magnetorheological brake device, and a controller for activating the brake device. An operating lever is disposed on a supporting structure for pivoting around at least one pivot axis. The brake device is coupled with the pivot axis for controlled damping of a pivoting motion of the operating lever. The brake device has a rotary damper with two components, namely, an inside component and an outside component. The outside component radially surrounds the inside component and a damping gap is formed in between that is filled with a magnetorheological medium. The damping gap can be exposed to a magnetic field to damp a pivoting motion between the two contrapivoting components about an axis. One of the components has radial arms equipped with an electric coil whose winding extends adjacent to and spaced apart from the axis.

Abstract: A redundancy module for a pneumatic braking system of a vehicle, in particular a commercial vehicle, with spring brakes on at least one axle, includes: a parking brake pressure port for receiving a parking brake pressure; a spring brake port for providing a spring brake pressure; a redundancy pressure port for receiving a redundancy pressure; and a piston assembly, with a reverse piston having a parking brake pressure control surface, a spring brake control surface, and a redundancy pressure control surface. The parking brake pressure acting on the parking brake pressure control surface causes a control of the spring brake pressure in a same direction. The redundancy pressure acting on the redundancy pressure control surface causes an inverse control of the spring brake pressure.

Abstract: The rebound spring structure includes: a rebound spring; a lower rebound collar configured to hold an end on one side of the rebound spring; and an upper rebound collar configured to hold an end on the other side of the rebound spring, the rebound spring structure being positioned around a rod configured to move relative to a cylinder. The lower rebound collar is held by a piston rod. The upper rebound collar is movably fitted to the piston rod. The upper rebound collar includes a recess on an upper disk part configured to restrict movement of the rebound spring to the other side, the recess being configured to facilitate movement of the upper rebound collar in a circumferential direction of the piston rod.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a wind turbine tower comprising a tower vibration damper (100) with a tuned mass damper and one or more impact damping units (113, 114, 115, 200, 300, 400). The tuned mass damper comprises a pendulum structure (101, 208), a chamber connecting a friction media (112) to the pendulum structure (101, 208) is at least partly immersed, and a suspension arrangement (103-111) suspending the pendulum structure (101, 208) inside the wind turbine tower such that the pendulum structure (101) is allowed to displace from a neutral position towards the outer boundary (102) of the chamber. The impact damping units (113, 114, 115, 200, 300, 400) are positioned between the pendulum structure (101, 208) and the outer boundary (102), such that the outer boundary (102) of the chamber and the pendulum structure (101, 208) may collide via the impact damping units (113, 114, 115, 200, 300, 400).

Abstract: An off-road vehicle has two front wheels and two rear wheels, the rear wheels being connected to a spool gear driven by a motor. The vehicle also has a left front brake, a right front brake and a single rear brake. Speeds of left and right front wheels are respectively monitored by left and right front speed sensors. A single sensor monitors a common speed of left and right rear wheels. Two user actuated braking input devices, for example a hand lever and a foot lever, may be used independently or concurrently to provide a braking command. An anti-lock braking system may use speed measurements from the various speed sensors to control selective application of pressure on the left front brake, the right front brake and the rear brake.

Abstract: A main orifice plate assembly may be configured to transition a multi-actor damping system from a first damping actor configuration to a second damping actor configuration. The multi-actor damping system may be used in a shock strut assembly to alter a damping curve of the shuck strut assembly. The main orifice plate assembly may be a part of a main orifice assembly including an orbital cam. The main orifice plate may include a flow restrictor. The flow restrictor may be configured to retract or deploy in response to main orifice plate rotating about the orbital cam. The first damping actor configuration may correspond to a first damping curve. The second damping actor configuration may correspond to a second damping curve. The first damping curve being different than the second damping curve.

Abstract: A placing table includes a measuring-unit that measures a vertical position of an orifice member placed on the placing table, a position-regulating-portion that engages with a part of the orifice member of a type corresponding to the table, and an orifice-member-determination-unit that determines a placed state and type of the orifice member based on a measurement result obtained by the measuring-unit. When the corresponding type of the orifice member is placed in a correct posture, the position-regulating-portion engages with the orifice member and seats the orifice member on the table over the entire circumference of the lower end portion thereof. When a different type of orifice member is placed or when the corresponding type of orifice member is placed in an incorrect posture, the position-regulating-portion does not engage with the orifice member and lifts at least a part of the orifice member from the table.

Abstract: An energy absorption device for safety nets and/or for rope constructions, in particular an impact damping device and/or a shock damping device and/or a traction rope brake device, has a brake unit which comprises at least one deflection element and at least one brake element extending at least section-wise around the deflection element and which is configured for an at least partial absorption and/or conversion of kinetic energy in at least one load case, in particular an impact case, and has a connection unit, which is configured for a fixation of the brake unit in at least one location of use, wherein the brake element is guided around the deflection element in a U-shape, wherein the brake element includes at least one first brake portion and at least one second brake portion, the brake portions differing from one another at least in regard to their local load capacities, and the first brake portion including at least one material recess, in particular an oblong hole.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for continuous monitoring and controlling of aircraft braking that can reduce brake wear and aircraft operating costs through the retention of carbon brake powder from the brakes or addition of carbon powder in a device mounted with respect to the brake disc stack. The use of carbon powder reduces brake wear by providing small particles between the brake discs, acting as a buffer between the brake discs when the brake stack is clamped together. Moreover, when carbon powder or small particles are used at application, such use reduces the roughness of the carbon surface and reduces the number of large particles from braking off the carbon surface, thereby reducing brake wear. Adaptive or selective braking may be used in conjunction with carbon powder to further reduce carbon brake wear.

Abstract: A hollow coil spring is made of a hollow wire in which a terminal sealed portion is formed on an end portion of the wire. The terminal sealed portion has a rotationally symmetric shape in which an axis passing through the center of the wire is the symmetric axis. The hollow coil spring includes an end wall portion, and an end face arc-shaped curved surface. The end wall portion includes an end face perpendicular to the axis. A distal-end-center closure portion is formed on the axis at the center of the end wall portion. A spring seat includes a base member and a sheet member. An end turn portion of the hollow coil spring is in contact with the sheet member. The end face of the end turn portion is opposed to a stopper wall of the spring seat.

Abstract: The present invention is an air shock absorber having a multiple stage design. The design includes a first algorithm for determining the compressed and extended lengths of the air shock based on the lengths of the parts for each stage. The first algorithm offers the air shock an extended length that is greater than twice its compressed length, an optimized extended length, and a construction capability based on adding stages. In particular, the extended length-compressed length relationship is a quality inherently unobtainable by current shock absorbers. The design also includes a second algorithm for determining the spring rate. The second algorithm offers the capability to both set-up the air shock with a relatively linear spring rate and make the relatively linear spring rate more linear.

Abstract: An energy damping and displacement control device is disclosed. The energy damping and displacement control device can include a contact protrusion and an energy damping pad constructed of a resilient material. The energy damping pad can have a first face oriented along a first plane. The energy damping pad can also have a second face oriented along a second plane transverse to the first plane, and toward the contact protrusion. In a static condition, the first and second faces of the energy damping pad can be separated from the contact protrusion. In a dynamic condition, displacement motion of the contact protrusion relative to the energy damping pad can be limited by contact with at least one of the first or second faces of the energy damping pad, which provides energy damping and motion displacement control of the contact protrusion in multiple axes.

Abstract: A torque transfer apparatus and method of use is described. The apparatus comprises a plurality of elements assembled together to form a ring structure oriented in a plane around a longitudinal axis. The ring structure defines a first engagement surface. A structure defining a second engagement surface is rotatable with respect to the ring structure. The ring structure is operable to be moved between a collapsed condition and an expanded condition by movement of the plurality of elements, and movement between the collapsed condition and the expanded condition engages or disengages the first and second engagement surfaces. The apparatus can be configured to transfer a driving torque (e.g. a clutch) or a braking force (e.g. a torque brake).

Abstract: A brake assembly comprising: (a) a caliper including: (i) one or more pistons, (b) one or more rotary to linear actuators that provides an axial force to move the one or more pistons, (c) a motor gear unit in communication with the one or more rotary to linear actuators, the motor gear unit including: (i) a motor, and (ii) an electromagnetic brake that prevents movement of the motor gear unit, the pistons, or both when the motor is turned off so that the brake apply is maintained.

Abstract: A friction disk includes a friction disk core having a first surface with multiple channels extending radially across the first surface. The friction disk may further include a first wear liner having two wear liner segments each configured to be coupled to the first surface of the friction disk core to form an annular liner and each including a wear surface, a non-wear surface, and a rib extending from the non-wear surface and configured to be received by one of the multiple channels.

Abstract: A vibration dampener for an archery bow includes an adjustable housing containing a chamber in which an elastomeric assembly is arranged. The assembly includes a cylindrical sleeve in which a central elastomeric member is arranged and a pair of elastomeric members coaxial with the central member at opposite ends of the chamber. The elastomeric members are pressurized to absorb vibrations in three dimensions from the bow during execution of an archery shot. The pressure applied to the elastomeric members is adjustable through use of a compression assembly.