Abstract: An embodiment is a system including an external passenger seating unit comprising at least one seat; and a translation mechanism for translating the external passenger seating unit between a first position in which the external passenger seating unit is stowed in a payload bay of an aircraft and a second position in which the external passenger seating unit is deployed external to the aircraft for accommodating at least one passenger.

Abstract: A method for integrating and fitting at least one item of equipment and/or at least one line in a technical bay of an aircraft, comprising the steps comprising attaching the equipment and/or the line(s) on an integration module outside the fuselage of the aircraft, introducing the integration module into the fuselage of the aircraft via an opening of a baggage hold, and securing the integration module to a structure of the aircraft. An integration module is provided which comprises a chassis bounding a volume in which are positioned and attached at least one item of equipment and/or at least one line and having a cross section that is approximately identical to that of a baggage container and a length which is less than or equal to that of a baggage container.

Abstract: The invention presents a vehicle transportation system on the highway. This system can transfer the moving vehicles such as cars, sport utility vehicles (SUVs), and multi-purpose vehicles (MPVs) from one site of the highway to another site. The system can decrease fuel consumption and lower the amount of the exhausts from the vehicles for good environment protection. It also cuts the operating cost for the vehicles' owners.

Abstract: A motorized-wheelchair trailer has a trailer chassis (1) with two wheels (2) for trailing behind a four-wheel or three-wheel motorized wheelchair trailer (4). A first coupling member (6) is on a tow bar (7) at a tow-directional distance behind rear wheels (9) of the motorized wheelchair and a second coupling member (8) is on a trailer tongue (3) at a tow-follower distance ahead of the two trailer wheels for providing predetermined turn-directional towing of the trailer chassis. The two wheels can be on fixed axles (10) for fixed turn-directional towing or on steerable trailer axles (11) for steerable turn-directional towing. The trailer chassis is built to carry weight that is towable by the motorized wheelchair. The trailer chassis can have a passenger seat (17) to carry a passenger and/or cargo space to carry shopping, luggage and other items selectively.

Abstract: Articulated bus, in particular of the type with a low floor, whereby said bus has a pulling vehicle (1), a pulled vehicle (2) and an articulated mechanism which connects both vehicles to one another and which contains a rotary junction (3) with a lower part (13) which is connected to the pulling vehicle (1) and an upper part (14) mounted thereupon in a rotating manner around an upward axis of rotation to which the pulled vehicle (2) is connected, whereby the connection between either of these parts (13 and 14) of the rotary junction (3) and the accompanying vehicle (1 or 2) is a hinged joint (20, 22 to 27) with an axis which is diametrically offset from the rotary shaft of the rotary junction (3), characterized in that the hinged joint between a vehicle (1 or 2) and either of the parts (13 or 14) of the rotary junction (3) contains two flexible supporting arms (18), which are situated on either side of the rotary shaft of the rotary junction (3), and which are each fixed to an end of the vehicle (1 or 3) on t

Abstract: A damping system having a fluid-operated friction device located at the hinge connection of an articulated vehicle that provides progressively increased damping to movements about the yaw axis after the speed of the vehicle increases beyond a predetermined speed.

Abstract: An articulated vehicle such as, a bus having a lead car and a trailer coupled to each other through the intermediary of a central ball joint in the central longitudinal plane of the vehicle. The central ball joint transmits only horizontal forces between the lead car and the trailer and can therefore be supported through comparatively lightweight elements which require little space. The transmission of vertical forces between the lead car and trailer is effected through arms located on both sides of the joint. A cardan shaft is extended along the longitudinal center plane of the articulated vehicle from the lead car to the trailer.

Abstract: A hinge connection for an articulated vehicle having a front section provided with two longitudinally spaced nondriven axles and a rear section provided with a single driven axle. The hinge connection is characterized in that it includes a pair of hinge members which, together with a linkage mechanism, are connected to a transversely extending shaft member so as to provide angular movement of each section of the vehicle about a pair of mutually perpendicular axes while ensuring that the longitudinal center axis of the shaft member always bisects the angle between the front and rear sections when the vehicle is in a turn.

Abstract: An articulated omnibus having a two-axle leading member, a single-axle trailing member, and an engine aft of the trailing member axle. The forward wheelbase between the front and center axles is approximately equal to the rear wheelbase between the center and rear axles. The front overhang is about 1/6 to 1/7 of the forward wheelbase, and the rear overhang is about 1/2 to 1/3 of the forward wheelbase. Passenger entrances near the front and center axles have thresholds lower than the central portion of the forward member. A driver's seat and compartment are located above the front axle.

Abstract: A drive and control system for articulated vehicles which has the capacity of operating the vehicle either in a push-mode, with only the wheels of the rear section being driven, or in a hybrid mode in which a portion of the power is applied to the rear wheels of the forward section. The hybrid mode of operation is employed under conditions tending to promote jackknifing and/or loss of rear tire traction. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the tendency to jackknife is monitored by effectively sensing the transverse component of the connection force between the forward and rear vehicle sections. The distribution of power between the rear driving wheels and driving wheels of the forward section may be controlled as a function of the magnitude and direction of the connection force. A specially adapted articulation connection is provided to sense the magnitude and direction of the connecting force.