Abstract: An embodiment for disposing a sleeve on a fluid conduit includes positioning a sleeve through lead rollers, pressing sleeve edges to flatten the sleeve against its normal geometry, aligning the flattened sleeve with opposing guide channels defined in an passage through a sleeve guide, feeding the sleeve through the passage, and compressing the sleeve in the passage, letting the edges of the sleeve ride against the guide channels to open the sleeve. A length of the compressed sleeve exiting the guide may be cut using a heated device that fuses the sleeve material, leaving the sleeve clear to receive a fluid conduit. A collar may be disposed around an end of the cut sleeve and over the conduit, then compressed, with an end of the sleeve captured between the collar and end of the conduit. This compressing may define at least one raised portion in the collar.

Abstract: A rubber-metal bonded article with an adhesion promoter in the rubber selected from neoalkoxy zirconates and polyimides. Articles requiring compressed rubber exhibit improved retention of compressive strain after assembly of the article and activation of the adhesion promoter. Also claimed is a method wherein a rubber composition may be fully cured, then assembled between two substrates under compression, then the adhesion promoter activated to form the bond.

Abstract: Diagnostic and response systems and methods for a fluid power system acquire data from pressure and temperature sensors disposed in the fluid power system, analyze the data in a failure algorithm to build a history of cumulative damage to hoses in the fluid power system, communicates an indication of potential imminent hose failure to a central location when a level of the cumulative damage indicates imminent failure of a hose, analyze the information at the central location to determine an appropriate response, and transmit information about the fluid power system, including location, and identification of the hose about to fail to a response unit. The response unit responds to the location and replaces the component prior to failure, or the communication might include information that the hose has failed, such that the response unit replaces the failed hose to return the fluid power system to normal operation.

Abstract: An immersion heater including an encapsulated, semi-conductive, heating element. The heating element may be a non-metallic, carbon-based material in the form of a monofilament, a yarn or bundle of semi-conductive fibers which may be twisted, braided fibers or yarns, or the like. The encapsulation may be in the form of a tube of one or more layers of encapsulation material(s) with the heating element inserted therein. Alternately, the heating element may be thermoplastic with semi-conductive carbon additive, and the heating element may be coated with one or more external layers of insulating encapsulation material(s). The encapsulation material may be a rubber or thermoplastic material with sufficient chemical resistance to be immersed in a reservoir of fluid subject to freezing or thickening at low temperatures, such as DEF. The heater may be thermoformed into a predetermined fixed shape.

Abstract: A method for preparing a “preblend” of nanostructured carbon, such as nanotubes, fullerenes, or graphene, and a particulate solid, such as polymer beads, carbon black, graphitic particles or glassy carbon involving wet-mixing and followed by optional drying to remove the liquid medium. The preblend may be in the form of a core-shell powder material with the nanostructured carbon as the shell on the particulate solid core. The preblend may provide particularly improved dispersion of single-walled nanotubes in ethylene-?-olefin elastomer compositions, resulting in improved reinforcement from the nanotubes. The improved elastomer compositions may show simultaneous improvement in both modulus and in elongation at break. The elastomer compositions may be formed into useful rubber articles.

Abstract: A motor-generator system comprising an internal combustion engine, a motor-generator in driven engagement with the internal combustion engine by an endless belt, the motor-generator, a controller detecting a speed signal of the internal combustion engine, a driver input signal, a battery state signal and a motor-generator signal, the motor-generator operable to provide a motoring torque or a load torque to the internal combustion engine at a predetermined frequency according to a controller command, and the controller controlling the motor-generator torque at a frequency greater than 1 Hz such that when the internal combustion engine accelerates the motoring torque is applied to speed the motor-generator rotation and when the internal combustion engine decelerates the load torque is applied to slow motor-generator rotation such that motor-generator rotation is controlled to attenuate a system vibration.

Abstract: A breech lock coupling comprising a stem receivable in a hose, a ferrule configured to receive the stem and hose, a connector, the ferrule comprising a plurality of ferrule lugs on an inner surface, each ferrule lug separated from an adjacent ferrule lug by a ferrule lug gap, the connector comprising a plurality of connector lugs on an outer surface, each connector lug separated from an adjacent connector lug by a connector lug gap, each ferrule lug gap arranged to receive a connector lug and each connector lug gap arranged to receive a ferrule lug upon engagement of the ferrule with the connector, each connector lug axially alignable with a ferrule lug upon rotation (R) of the connector within the ferrule, the connector engages a stem end, a fastener for fixing a connector position relative to the ferrule.

Abstract: A heated fluid conduit comprising a fluid conduit having a body with a conductive material disposed therein, the conductive material comprising two conductors in adjacent relation, the conductive material comprising a woven material, a first crimp connector on the end of a conductor, and a second crimp connector on the end of the other conductor, and both crimp connectors on the same end of the body, the conductors electrically connected in series by a third crimp connector at the other end of the body conduit, means for coupling an electrical power supply to each conductor to provide a voltage across said conductors and an electrical current therethrough, heating said fluid conduit.

Abstract: This disclosure relates generally to couplings used in mining and other applications. An extraction device for removing an adapter from a port formed in a structure is provided. The extraction device may include an end wall and a side wall. The end wall may define an external face of the extraction device. The side wall may extend axially away from a periphery of the end wall. The side wall may terminate at an end face of the extraction device. The end face may have a larger dimension than the port so as to abut the structure adjacent to a periphery of the port. The side wall may include an inner surface and an outer surface. The inner surface may have a threaded portion.

Abstract: A belt and sprocket system comprising a tensile cord disposed within a belt body, at least two teeth projecting from the belt body, the belt comprising a pitch length measured between the at least two teeth on the belt, one of the at least two teeth having a tooth tip and a profile comprising a first radius and a second radius and a third radius disposed between a first linear segment and a second linear segment, the sprocket having a groove for receiving one of the at least two teeth, the groove profile comprising a first radius and a second radius and the third radius and a fourth radius, each of which is connected in series to the others and each of which is unequal in length to the other radii, the tooth having a width that is approximately 35% of a pitch length at 90% of a tooth height so as to result in an interference fit between the one of at least two teeth and groove at 90% of the tooth height; and a volume between the tooth tip and the groove.

Abstract: A starter generator system comprising an engine driving a first belt and engaged with a second belt through a one-way clutch, a starter generator configured to be driven by the engine through the second belt or to drive the engine through the second belt according to an engine condition, and an accessory engaged with the second belt through an accessory clutch, the accessory drivable by the first belt or the second belt.

Abstract: An isolating decoupler comprising a shaft, a pulley having an inner surface, a pulley rotationally engaged about the shaft, a torsion spring having a first section having a major diameter and a second section having a minor diameter, the major diameter is greater than the minor diameter, the torsion spring engaged with the shaft, a wrap spring having an outer diameter greater than an inner surface diameter, the wrap spring frictionally engaging the inner surface, the wrap spring loaded in an unwinding direction, the torsion spring having an end fixedly connected to the wrap spring, the torsion spring loaded in an unwinding direction whereby the diameter of each coil of the torsion spring decreases in a progressive sequence as a load increases, the first section is disposed radially inboard of the wrap spring such that the first section moves radially outward to clamp the wrap spring during a load condition.

Abstract: A belt drive system comprising a belt having a plurality of longitudinally spaced belt teeth, the belt further comprising a longitudinal groove extending in the endless direction of the belt through the belt teeth, a sprocket comprising a plurality of sprocket teeth on an outer circumference of the sprocket, each of the sprocket teeth extending parallel to the rotation axis, and each sprocket tooth configured to be received between adjacent belt teeth, and a first planar fin extending from at least one side of a sprocket tooth, the first planar fin configured to cooperatively engage the longitudinal groove, the first planar fin extending in a direction normal to a sprocket axis of rotation, the first planar fin having a width no greater than 20% of a sprocket groove width (W).

Abstract: A self-piercing connector comprising, a first body, a second body, the first body comprising a first cutting member for piercing a fluid conduit insulating layer to engage a fluid conduit first conductor, the second body comprising a second cutting member for piercing the fluid conduit insulating layer to engage a fluid conduit second conductor, the first cutting member having a semi-circular form and comprising portions that extend tangentially from each end of the first cutting member, the second cutting member having a semi-circular form and comprising portions that extend tangentially from each end of the second cutting member, the first cutting member and the second cutting member electrically isolated from each other, the first body comprising a first connection member for engaging a cooperating second connection member on the second body, a first body receiver for receiving an electrical conductor connectable to the first cutting member, and a second body receiver for receiving an electrical conductor

Abstract: An energy absorber for a vehicle bumper assembly having a central portion that is a multi-layer structure having a unitary front member extending between two end portions, a first layer, a second layer, and a third layer disposed between and interconnecting the first and second layers. The first layer has a first plurality of members forming a first latticework structure having a first network of open sections between the first plurality of members. The first layer extends between the two end portions and between a rear member of the first layer and the unitary front member. The second layer has a second plurality of members forming a second latticework structure having a second network of open sections between the second plurality of members. The second layer extends between the two end portions and between a rear member of the second layer and the unitary front member.

Abstract: A flexible hose or a tubing having a barrier layer of polyamide 6 having an impact modifier, and/or branched molecular structure, a flexural modulus of 1 to 2 GPa and/or a tensile elongation of 100% or more. The hose may have additional layers such as an HNBR rubber inner tube, an EVM/CPE rubber blend outer cover, a textile or wire reinforcement, or the like. Permeability to ethanol- and methanol-containing fuels is very low. Permeability to B20 biofuels is very low.

Abstract: An isolating decoupler comprising a hub for connection to a shaft, a pulley journalled to the hub, the pulley having a belt engaging surface, a composite spring having a clutch portion, a transition portion and a variable diameter portion, the composite spring engaged between the hub and the pulley, the clutch portion diameter reducible in a loading direction for a frictional engagement with the pulley in the loading direction, the frictional engagement of the clutch portion progressively releasable from the pulley in an unloading direction, the variable diameter portion having a diameter which varies according to a torque load; and an inertial member engaged with the hub through a damping member.

Abstract: A fabric for reinforcing a power transmission belt including fibers of polyarylene sulfide and a belt utilizing the fabric. The fabric may have textured or elastic core wrapped stretch yarns in the longitudinal direction. Longitudinal yarns may include PPS and textured transverse yarns include nylon. Yarns may include blends of high performance fibers and nylon or other fibers.

Abstract: A belt having an elastomeric body, a tensile cord embedded therein, and a tooth fabric having an increased value of Fabric Tensile Toughness as defined herein. The Fabric Tensile Toughness may be derived from properties of the yarns making up the fabric, such as yarn linear density, yarn ultimate elongation, yarn tensile strength, yarn packing density and weave ratio. The Fabric Tensile Toughness may be greater than 60 mJ/mm2. The belt may be a toothed belt of cast polyurethane with carbon fiber tensile cord. Also disclosed is a method of improving a known tooth cover fabric for a toothed power transmission belt involving selecting a different fabric having a higher Fabric Tensile Toughness than the known fabric and orienting the different fabric so the direction of highest Fabric Tensile Toughness is oriented in the longitudinal direction of the belt.

Abstract: A plastic panel suitable for use in an automotive vehicle or other structure is provided wherein the plastic panel includes a polycarbonate substrate, a PMMA layer and a scratch resistant coating. The polycarbonate substrate may have a thickness approximately between 2.0 mm and approximately 6.0 mm. The PMMA layer may be disposed onto the polycarbonate substrate and the PMMA layer may have a thickness approximately between 0.25 mm and approximately 3.0 mm. The scratch resistant coating is applied to both the PMMA layer and the PC substrate.