Abstract: Systems and methods for tethering a fiber optic cable to an apparatus such as an unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) or remotely operated vehicle (ROV). The cable is a bare or tight-buffered optical fiber surrounded by a braided sheath, and is constructed so that loads experienced by the cable are not transferred from the sheath to the optical fiber. This construction enables the cable to have good tensile strength but be sufficiently lightweight so that a commercial fishing reel or any similarly scaled lightweight/portable winch system can be used, instead of large specialized deployment equipment. A tube is inserted between the sheath and the optical fiber a certain distance from the end of the cable, and then the cable and tube are inserted into a housing which attaches to the apparatus and potted using an epoxy resin.

Abstract: A vehicle suspension system includes a gas spring. The gas spring includes a cylinder and a rod movable relative to the cylinder. The rod and the cylinder at least partially define a chamber having a variable volume and containing a first pressurized gas therein. The gas spring further includes an accumulator in communication with the chamber and containing a second pressurized gas therein. The gas spring provides a first spring rate when the first pressurized gas is pressurized below a threshold pressure and a second spring rate when the first pressurized gas is pressurized above the threshold pressure.

Abstract: A trigger assembly for providing a straight pull trigger may be provided. The trigger assembly may comprise a trigger shoe, a safety plunger, and a safety blade. The trigger shoe may comprise a trigger shoe cavity disposed between a trigger shoe first side and a trigger shoe second side. The trigger shoe may further comprise a safety plunger pocket. The safety plunger may be disposed in the safety plunger pocket. The safety blade may be slidably disposed in the trigger shoe cavity and be connected to the safety plunger. The safety plunger may retract into the trigger shoe from a safety plunger first position to a safety plunger second position when the safety blade slides in the trigger shoe from a safety blade first position to a safety blade second position.

Abstract: The damper assembly includes a tubular member, a rod, a primary piston, a secondary piston, and a resilient member. The tubular member includes a sidewall and a cap positioned at an end of the sidewall. The sidewall and the cap define an inner volume. The sidewall includes a shoulder separating the tubular member into a first portion and a second portion. The resilient member is disposed between the secondary piston and the cap and thereby is positioned to bias the secondary piston into engagement with the shoulder.

Abstract: An energy storage system for a military vehicle includes a battery housing defining a lower end and an upper end, a battery disposed within the battery housing, a bracket coupled to the battery housing at or proximate the upper end thereof, a lower support supporting the lower end of the battery housing, and an upper connector extending from the bracket. The upper connector is configured to engage a rear wall of a cab of the military vehicle.

Abstract: A military vehicle includes a chassis, a cab mounted to the chassis and defining a rear wall, an engine mounted to the chassis, an electric machine coupled to the engine and generating electrical power when driven by the engine, an energy storage system receiving and storing electrical power from the generator, and power conversion hardware positioned between the energy storage system and the rear wall of the cab, the power conversion hardware including a DC-DC converter.

Abstract: A military vehicle includes a frame, axle assemblies coupled with the frame that are configured to be driven to transport the military vehicle, an internal combustion engine configured to drive the axle assemblies, an electric motor configured to drive the axle assemblies, and processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to operate the military vehicle according to different modes by generating control signals for the internal combustion engine and the electric motor and providing the control signals to the internal combustion engine and the electric motor. The modes include an economy mode, a summon mode, an environmentally reactive control mode, a weaponry status control mode, a boost mode, an escape mode, an optimized idle control mode, a transmission control mode, a supplemental electric vehicle mode, and a convoy mode.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a wheel assembly, a chassis, and a damper assembly coupling the wheel assembly to the chassis. The damper assembly includes a housing including a wall defining a first aperture and a second aperture, a first tubular member coupled to the housing, a second tubular member slidably coupled to the housing and extending between the wall and the first tubular member, a piston coupled to the second tubular member, the piston engaging an inner surface of the wall and an outer surface of the first tubular member, and a conduit fluidly coupling the first aperture and the second aperture.

Abstract: A military vehicle includes a passenger capsule, a driver seat, a passenger seat, and a belly deflector. The passenger capsule includes a roof, a floor, and sidewalls that define an interior. The sidewalls include mounting interfaces positioned along bottom edges thereof and extending directly therefrom past the floor. The driver seat and the passenger seat are disposed within the interior of the passenger capsule. The belly deflector is positioned beneath the floor. The belly deflector has lateral ends that are coupled to the mounting interfaces such that the lateral ends of the belly deflector are engaged with the passenger capsule. The belly deflector is spaced from the floor such that the floor is configured as a floating floor. The floor and the belly deflector provide two levels of underbody protection.

Abstract: A military vehicle includes a chassis, an axle, a suspension system, and a driveline. The chassis includes a passenger capsule, a front module coupled to a front end of the passenger capsule, and a rear module coupled to a rear end of the passenger capsule. The axle is supported by the rear module. The suspension system is positioned between the rear module and the axle. The suspension system includes a first gas spring, a second gas spring, a first damper, and a second damper. The first damper and the second damper are cross-plumbed to provide a fluid body roll control function. The driveline is configured to drive the axle. The driveline includes a component having a housing that functions as a structural component of the rear module. The first gas spring, the second gas spring, the first damper, and the second damper are directly coupled to the housing.

Abstract: A military vehicle includes an engine configured to drive a front-end accessory drive and a tractive element, an energy storage system including a battery and a controller configured to control the flow of electricity to and from the energy storage system, a first motor/generator, and a second motor/generator. The first motor/generator is electrically coupled to the energy storage system and configured to selectively draw power from the energy storage system to drive the front-end accessory drive and be driven by the front-end accessory drive to generate electricity and supply electricity to the energy storage system to charge the battery. The integrated motor/generator is electrically coupled to the energy storage system and configured to selectively draw power from the energy storage system to drive the tractive element and be driven by the engine to generate electricity and supply electricity to the energy storage system to charge the battery.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a frame, a front cabin, an armor component, and a retainer. The front cabin is coupled to the frame and selectively repositionable between an in-use position and a maintenance position. The retainer is coupled to the armor component and defines a slot extending laterally across a portion of the retainer. The vehicle is reconfigurable between an A-kit configuration and a B-kit configuration. In the A-kit configuration, the armor component is removed from the vehicle. In the B-kit configuration, the armor component is coupled to the front cabin. The retainer is offset the armor component by a retainer spacer.

Abstract: A front end accessory drive (FEAD) for a military vehicle. The FEAD includes a first belt, a second belt, multiple accessories, an electric motor-generator, at least one other accessory, and a sprag clutch. The accessories and the electric motor-generator are coupled with the first belt. The at least one other accessory, the first belt, and the second belt are coupled with the sprag clutch. The second belt is configured to couple with an output shaft of an engine of the military vehicle and be driven by the output shaft of the engine to drive the sprag clutch. The sprag clutch is thereby configured to drive the at least one other accessory and the first belt, and the first belt is thereby configured to drive the plurality of accessories, and the electric motor-generator.

Abstract: A driveline includes a driver configured to be positioned between an engine and a transmission. The driver includes a housing, a motor/generator, and a clutch. The housing includes an engine mount configured to couple to the engine and a backing plate configured to couple to the transmission. The motor/generator is disposed within the housing and configured to couple to an input of the transmission. The clutch is disposed within the housing and coupled to the motor/generator. The clutch is configured to selectively couple an output of the engine to the motor/generator. The clutch is configured to be spring-biased into engagement with the engine and pneumatically disengaged by an air supply selectively provided thereto.

Abstract: A military vehicle include a driveline. The driveline includes a first driver including an engine, an energy storage system, an accessory drive coupled to the engine, a transmission coupled to at least one of the front axle or the rear axle, and a second driver coupled to the engine and the transmission. The accessory drive includes a plurality of accessories and a first motor. The first motor is electrically coupled to the energy storage system. The first motor is positioned to facilitate selectively driving the plurality of accessories. The second driver includes a second motor electrically coupled to the energy storage system.

Abstract: A military vehicle includes a chassis, a front end accessory drive (FEAD), and circuitry. The chassis includes an engine and an integrated motor generator (IMG). The FEAD includes multiple accessories and an electric motor-generator. The circuitry is configured to operate the military vehicle according to different modes. The circuitry is configured to receive a user input indicating a selected mode of the modes, and operate the chassis and the FEAD of the military vehicle according to the selected mode. The modes include an engine mode and an electric mode. In the engine mode, the engine drives the FEAD and the tractive elements of the military vehicle through the IMG for transportation. In the electric mode, the engine is shut off to reduce a sound output of the military vehicle and the IMG drives the tractive elements of the military vehicle for transportation and the electric motor-generator drives the FEAD.

Abstract: Instruments, methods, and kits are disclosed for performing fast thermocycling.

Abstract: A military vehicle includes a passenger capsule having a front end and a rear end, a front module coupled to the front end of the passenger capsule, a rear module coupled to the rear end of the passenger capsule, a generator, and an export power kit. The front module includes a front subframe, a prime mover, a front axle assembly, and a front differential coupled to the front axle assembly. The rear module includes a rear subframe, a rear axle assembly, and a transaxle coupled to the rear axle assembly, the prime mover, and the front differential. The generator is configured to be driven by the prime mover to generate electricity. The export power kit is coupled to the generator and configured to facilitate exporting power off of the military vehicle.

Abstract: A military vehicle includes an engine, an energy storage system, an accessory drive coupled to the engine and including an air compressor and a first motor, a second motor coupled to an axle, and a clutch positioned between the engine and the second motor. The clutch is spring-biased into engagement with the engine and pneumatically disengaged by an air supply selectively provided thereto based on operation of the air compressor. In an engine mode, (i) the clutch does not receive the air supply such that the engine is coupled to the second motor and (ii) the engine drives (a) the accessory drive and (b) the axle through the second motor. In the electric mode, (i) the first motor drives the air compressor to compress air to facilitate supplying the air supply to the clutch to disengage the clutch and decouple the engine from the second motor and (ii) the second motor drives the axle.

Abstract: A vehicle is operable in three modes of operation. The vehicle includes a first electromagnetic device, a second electromagnetic device electrically coupled to the first electromagnetic device, and an engine coupled to the first electromagnetic device and configured to drive the first electromagnetic device to provide electrical energy. In each of the three modes of operation, whenever the engine drives the first electromagnetic device to provide the electrical energy, the first electromagnetic device operates without providing the electrical energy to an energy storage device.