Abstract: A vehicle axle includes an axle housing defining a cavity. The axle includes a pair of outer drive shafts, each being coaxially received in a respective housing cavity and slidable therein, each outer drive shaft defining a splined cavity. The axle includes a pair of inner drive shafts, each having a splined end coaxially coupled to a respective outer drive shaft splined cavity such that a respective outer drive shaft is slidably movable therein. A piston is attached to the inner end of each outer drive shaft and separates an inner fluid chamber from an outer fluid chamber. A fluid channel includes opposed ends in communication with respective fluid chambers. A force absorption container is in fluid communication with each fluid channel and includes a compression spring, wherein the spring is compressed when movement of the piston pushes fluid through the channel into the force absorption container.

Abstract: The VCR (video cassette recorder) inserts an index signal into a video signal at the time of recording, when information which will later become inaccurate at the time of playback is included in the video signal. The index signal prevents the VCR from using the inaccurate data at the time of playback. Further, tile VCR displays a message automatically when the broadcast signal selected by the user has no second audio signal, thereby allowing the user to grasp the reason why the receiver is producing no sound. Further, the main audio signal may be selected automatically, instead of the second audio signal, allowing the VCR to produce the sound.