Abstract: A rod guide assembly for a shock absorber includes a sintered metal rod guide and a seal. The sintered metal rod guide has a seat. The seal is disposed in the seat and secured to the sintered metal rod guide with a plurality of stake holds.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a shock absorber includes inserting a floating piston into a tube, disposing oil into the tube, and inserting a piston-rod assembly into the tube. The piston-rod assembly has a piston coupled to a rod. The method includes inserting a rod guide assembly into the tube. The rod guide assembly includes a sintered metal rod guide having a seat and a seal disposed in the seat. The rod extends through the seal. The method also includes deforming a wall of the tube into engagement with the sintered metal rod guide to provide a piston-cylinder assembly and inhibit axial movement of the rod guide assembly relative to the tube. The method further includes pressurizing the piston-cylinder assembly and forming a flange portion of the tube over an upper surface of the sintered metal rod guide.

Abstract: It is described herein a modular fluid cooling assembly. The modular fluid cooling assembly may be assembled from a number of fluid cooling modules and a number of fitting connectors. Each fluid cooling module may comprise a hollow cylinder, an inlet fitting, and an outlet fitting. The hollow cylinder may have an inlet end to which the inlet fitting is connected, an outlet end to which the outlet fitting is connected, a central axis, and a cylinder wall having a cylinder wall thickness in a range of between 0.025 inches and 0.25 inches. Each fitting connector may fluidly connect the inlet fitting of one cooling module to the outlet fitting of another cooling module. The number of fluid cooling modules may be an integer greater than or equal to 1 while the number of fitting connects may equal the number of fluid cooling modules minus 1.

Abstract: An aftermarket vehicle turn signal assembly and a method of retrofitting the turn signal assembly to a grille of a vehicle are disclosed. The turn signal assembly enables users to customize their vehicles by repositioning a turn signal from a factory original fender location, for example, to an aftermarket opening formed on the grille. Using special drill templates designed for a specific vehicle, a user can locate a position for a hole, and later drill a hole into the grille of a vehicle. A user can then insert an aftermarket turn signal assembly into the hole, and secure the turn signal assembly to the grill. The user can then remove the factory original turn signal light source from the original fender location, and place the light source within the aftermarket turn signal assembly.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for determining vehicle battery health. In some embodiments, an example method may include receiving, from a first vehicle, a first value for a first data type and a second value for a second data type, the first data type and the second data type relating to a battery of the first vehicle. The example method may also include determining, for the first data type and the second data type, a minimum possible value, a maximum possible value, and an offset indicator, wherein the offset indicator provides an indication of a significance of the first value and the second values relative to the minimum possible value and maximum possible value for the first data type and the second data type respectively. The example method may also include determining a weight for the first data type and a weight for the second data type.

Abstract: A bill cap or baseball cap has a crown and a bill as conventional. Additional, the bill cap has an elastic panel affixed at an edge thereof to front and left side edges of the bill. The elastic panel is capable of being flipped between an upward position in which the panel extends upwardly from the bill, and a downward position in which the panel extends downwardly from the bill. In the downward position the panel provides additional shading for the eyes of the wearer and/or privacy for the wearer when viewed from the side, thus providing additional anonymity for the wearer such as from paparazzi.

Abstract: A connector and process for coupling a tube and the resulting assembly is disclosed. A receptacle includes pilot in a mounted position. The pilot is slidable from a mounting position to a final position while the pilot urges legs of a retention clip into a spread condition during a transition between the mounting position and the final position. In the final position, the pilot permits legs of the retention clip to retract to a relaxed condition and an indicator piece is visible.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising an interface, a memory and a processor. The interface may be configured to receive sensor data samples during operation of a vehicle. The memory may be configured to store the sensor data samples over a number of points in time. The processor may be configured to analyze the sensor data samples stored in the memory to detect a pattern. The processor may be configured to manage an application of brakes of the vehicle in response to the pattern.

Abstract: A swing-away spare tire carrier assembly and system are designed to reduce shipping costs from the manufacturer to the end user, as well between the manufacturer and distributors. A swing-away tire carrier assembly has two vertical pieces that connect the tire to the swing-away horizontal arm. The vertical pieces comprise a vertical support stub that is mounted to the swing-away horizontal arm, and a detachable center bracket that holds the tire and is bolted to the shorter vertical support stub. As the center bracket is shipped detached to the vertical support stub, the shipping container for embodiments described herein are smaller compared to shipping containers for conventional tire carriers. A reinforcing member is laced within the vertical support stub and provides for additional welding joints to be formed between the horizontal and vertical surfaces.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising a sensor interface, a memory and a processor. The sensor interface may be configured to receive sensor data samples during operation of a vehicle. The memory may be configured to store the sensor data samples over a number of points in time. The processor may be configured to (i) analyze the sensor data samples stored in the memory to detect a pattern, (ii) determine time efficient operational parameters for the vehicle in response to (a) a destination and (b) an estimated travel time to the destination. The estimated travel time may be based on current conditions of the vehicle indicated by the pattern. The time efficient operational parameters may be selected to decrease the estimated travel time. At least one of the sensor data samples may comprise telemetry data.

Abstract: A vehicle may have a power train, a sensor interface, a storage device and a processing device. The sensor interface may receive sensor data samples during operation of a vehicle. The storage device may store the sensor data samples over a number of points in time. The processing device may analyze the sensor data samples stored in the storage device to detect a pattern and adjust an amount of power applied to the power train of the vehicle in response to the pattern. The pattern may be used to predict future conditions for the vehicle. The amount of power may be adjusted to improve power-resource-consumption efficiency.

Abstract: A vehicle comprising a power train, a drive train, a solar array, a sensor interface, a storage device and a processing device. The sensor interface may be configured to receive sensor data samples during operation of the vehicle. The storage device may be configured to store the sensor data samples over a number of points in time. The processing device may be configured to (i) analyze the sensor data samples stored in the storage device to detect a pattern, (ii) monitor an amount of solar power converted using the solar array, (iii) determine an energy usage for traveling a route based on the pattern and (iv) adjust an amount of power applied to the power train in response to the energy usage for traveling the route. The amount of power applied to the power train may be adjusted in response to the amount of solar power.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising an interface, a memory and a processor. The interface may be configured to receive sensor data samples during operation of a vehicle. The memory may be configured to store the sensor data samples over a number of points in time. The processor may be configured to analyze the sensor data samples stored in the memory to detect a pattern. The processor may be configured to manage an application of brakes of the vehicle in response to the pattern.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising an interface, a memory and a processor. The interface may be configured to receive (i) sensor data samples during operation of a vehicle and (ii) data from a telemetry system. The memory may be configured to store the sensor data samples over a number of points in time. The processor may be configured to (i) analyze the sensor data samples stored in the memory to determine (a) operational parameters of the vehicle and (b) information associated with a second vehicle and (ii) adjust the operational parameters in response to the information associated with the second vehicle. The data from the telemetry system and the information associated with the second vehicle may be used to determine an amount of space between the vehicle and the second vehicle. The operational parameters may be adjusted to keep the amount of space within a pre-determined range.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising an interface, a memory and a processor. The interface may be configured to (a) receive (i) sensor data samples during operation of a vehicle and (ii) data from a telemetry system and (b) connect to a remote database. The memory may be configured to store (a) the sensor data samples over a number of points in time and (b) the data from the telemetry system. The processor may be configured to (i) analyze the sensor data samples stored in the memory to determine current conditions and (ii) associate the current conditions with a route segment traveled by the vehicle. The route segment is identified according to the data from the telemetry system. The current conditions associated with the route segment are uploaded to the remote database to enable historical route information for a plurality of route segments.

Abstract: A fluid routing device (20) directs the transportation of a fluid. The fluid routing device includes a housing (22) having an opening (40) with a seat (38), and a valve (42) opening and closing the opening. The valve includes a first permanent magnet (56) having a first magnetic coercivity and a first polarity and a second permanent magnet (58) having a second magnetic coercivity lower than the first magnetic coercivity of the first permanent magnet such that the second permanent magnet has a second polarity capable of switching between a complimentary configuration oriented in a common direction as the first polarity, and a reversed configuration oriented in an opposite direction from the first polarity. A coil (59) surrounds at least the second permanent magnet. The coil is configured to orient the second polarity in the complimentary configuration when electric current passes in a first direction and in the reversed configuration when electric current passes in a second direction.

Abstract: Described herein are devices, systems, and methods for managing the power consumption of an automotive vehicle, and thereby for optimizing the power consumption of the vehicle. The devices and systems for managing the power consumption of the vehicle typically include power management logic that can calculate an applied power for the vehicle engine based on information provided from the external environment of the vehicle, the operational status of the vehicle, one or more command inputs from a driver, and one or more operational parameters of the vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicle comprising a drive train, an internal combustion engine, a sensor interface, a storage device and a processing device. The sensor interface may be configured to receive sensor data samples during operation of a vehicle. The storage device may be configured to store the sensor data samples over a number of points in time. The processing device may be configured to (i) analyze the sensor data samples stored in the storage device to detect a pattern and (ii) manage fuel supplied to the internal combustion engine in response to (a) current conditions and (b) operational parameters of the vehicle. The pattern is used to determine the current conditions. The fuel supplied to the internal combustion engine is managed to enable efficient fuel usage.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising a sensor interface, a memory and a processor. The sensor interface may be configured to receive sensor data samples during operation of a vehicle. At least one of the sensor data samples may be driver-related. The memory may be configured to store the sensor data samples over a number of points in time. The processor may be configured to (i) analyze the sensor data samples stored in the memory to detect a pattern and (ii) generate a likelihood that a particular driver is operating the vehicle based on the pattern detected.

Abstract: A method for implementing vehicle platooning includes: linking, by a handoff control module, a plurality of vehicles to form a platoon; selectively assigning, by the handoff control module, a first vehicle of the plurality of vehicles as a lead vehicle and remaining ones of the plurality of vehicles as lag vehicles, wherein at least one driving function of the lag vehicles is controlled in accordance with the lead vehicle; determining, by the handoff control module, a first lead vehicle interval for the first vehicle as the lead vehicle; and in response to the first lead vehicle interval expiring, selectively assigning, by the handoff control module, the first vehicle as a lag vehicle and a second vehicle of the plurality of vehicles as the lead vehicle for a second lead vehicle interval.