Abstract: Snowblower deflector control devices, systems, and methods are provided. In one aspect, a snowblower deflector control device can be externally disposed from a machine handle of the snowblower. The control device can include a control member and a guide plate. The control member can include a longitudinal shaft and a projection disposed along the shaft. The guide plate can be adapted to receive a portion of the control member. The guide plate can include a plurality of gates disposed at spaced intervals from a first end to a second end, and the projection of the control member can be lockable within at least one gate of the plurality of gates.

Abstract: A drive device for a vehicle includes a first motor, a first case, a second motor, a second case, a right-and-left communication passage, and a sensor. The first case houses the first motor and has a left reservoir to store liquid fluid. The second case houses the second motor and has a right reservoir to store liquid fluid. The right-and-left communication passage communicates with the left reservoir and the right reservoir. The sensor is configured to detect a property of the liquid fluid and disposed in the right-and-left communication passage.

Abstract: Manipulability metrics are used to evaluate the feasibility of a vehicle occupant package design. A manipulability metric quantifies the ability of a virtual human subject to carry out an operational task in the design. Examples of specific manipulability metrics include a force metric quantifying the subject's ability apply a joint torque as a force to a component of the design, a velocity metric quantifying the subject's ability to cause the component to achieve velocity, and a dynamic metric quantifying the subject's ability to cause the component to achieve acceleration. Manipulability metrics are determined using a Jacobian determined as part of a determination of a posture of the subject carrying out the task. The manipulability metric is further determined using an endpoint direction of motion and a combination differential kinematics and static equilibrium considerations.

Abstract: A vehicle drive apparatus includes a motor, a case, a cover member, a sensor, and a separate member. The case includes a reservoir to store liquid fluid. The sensor is provided in a first communication hole of the cover member and is fixed to the cover member. A second communication hole constitutes a part of a fluid flow path extending from an inside of the case to an outside of the case. The fluid flow path has an intake port through which the liquid fluid is to be drawn. The fluid flow path includes an inside fluid flow path provided from the second communication hole to the intake port. The separate member is fixed to the cover member to define the inside fluid flow path.

Abstract: An automated vision inspection system detects whether a cushion of a side curtain airbag assembly system is twisted. The cushion is provided a plurality of markings arrayed along a longitudinal extent of the cushion. Each marking can be defined by a group of four distinct characters or indicia. Each indicium can be defined by polygonal shaped pixels which allow the inspection system to find clear edges of the marking and thereby determine marking orientation. By determining orientation, the inspection system can compare the inspected marking to a master image of the marking to determine if the cushion is in a twisted state or non-twisted state.

Abstract: An occupant sensing device that accurately detects the state of an occupant regardless of the influence of extraneous noise and outside light and the influence of a defect in detected data when lighting of auxiliary light is delayed. When a specific part detection possibility/impossibility determination unit determines that the detection of the position of a specific part, such as a head, in the latest image is impossible, on the basis of past data stored as data corresponding to images outputted from a camera earlier than the latest image in a storage unit, the position of the head is predicted and detected.

Abstract: A water electrolysis apparatus includes an anode separator having a water flow field held in fluid communication with a water supply passage and a discharge passage. The water flow field includes a plurality of water channels, an arcuate inlet buffer, and an arcuate outlet buffer. The water channels have respective ends connected to the arcuate inlet buffer through respective inlet joint channels. The inlet joint channels are oriented at an angle of 90 degrees or greater with respect to respective tangential lines at the ends of the inlet joint channels which are connected to the arcuate inlet buffer.

Abstract: An aluminum alloy sheet is manufactured by preparing a slab having a thickness of 5 to 15 mm with a continuous casting machine by a continuous casting process using molten alloy containing 0.40% to 0.65% of Mg, 0.50% to 0.75% of Si, 0.05% to 0.20% of Cr, and 0.10% to 0.40% of Fe, a remainder being Al; winding the slab into a coil; cold-rolling the slab into a sheet; subjecting the sheet to solution heat treatment in such a manner that the sheet is heated to a temperature of 530° C. to 560° C. at a heating rate of 10° C./sec or more and then maintained at the temperature for five seconds or more; quenching the sheet with water; coiling up the sheet; maintaining the sheet at a temperature of 60° C. to 110° C. for 3 to 12 hours; and then cooling the sheet to room temperature.

Abstract: A power system for a vehicle includes a hydraulic pressure generating device, a first hydraulically operated device, a second hydraulically operated device, a common oil channel, a first bifurcated oil channel, a second bifurcated oil channel, and an oil state detector. The first hydraulically operated device is configured to be operated by liquid supplied from the hydraulic pressure generating device. The second hydraulically operated device is configured to be operated by liquid supplied from the hydraulic pressure generating device. The common oil channel is connected to the hydraulic pressure generating device. The first bifurcated oil channel connects the common oil channel and the first hydraulically operated device. The second bifurcated oil channel connects the common oil channel and the second hydraulically operated device. The oil state detector is provided in the common oil channel and configured to detect the state of the liquid.

Abstract: A vehicle body frame includes a left frame member, a right frame member, a cross member, and a first patch member. The cross member is fitted in both of a left connecting hole and a right connecting hole and welded to the left frame member and the right frame member. The cross member includes a pipe member having a hollow portion which has a first end, and a second end opposite to the first end along the hollow portion. The first patch member is fitted in the first end of the hollow portion and welded to an inner peripheral face of the hollow portion such that a weld bead is provided within a range of a first welding margin provided in the first end of the hollow portion. The first welding margin is provided on the inner peripheral face of the hollow portion.

Abstract: In an hydraulic pressure supply apparatus for a transmission, it is configured to have a first hydraulic control valve supplying signal pressure to a pressure regulation port of a regulator valve that regulates discharged pressure discharged from a hydraulic pump to line pressure; a second hydraulic control valve regulating the line pressure and supply it to a lockup clutch; a connecting section connecting a hydraulic passage connecting the first hydraulic control valve and the pressure regulation port with a hydraulic passage connected to an output port of the second hydraulic control valve; and a selecting mechanism installed at the connecting section to select higher pressure between output pressures of the first and second hydraulic control valves such that the selected one acts on the pressure regulation port.

Abstract: A vertical-type air-cooled OHV engine includes a valve operating system and has a shroud guiding cooling air, which is generated by a cooling fan driven by a crankshaft such that the cooling air flows in an up-down direction with respect to a cylinder head. Intake and exhaust valves are arranged respectively on opposite sides of a vertical plane that is parallel to an axis of the crankshaft and that includes an axis of a cylinder bore. Accordingly, it is possible to provide a vertical-type air-cooled OHV engine capable of evenly cooling both of intake and exhaust valves without changing a route of cooling air.

Abstract: A guide structure of a vehicle seatbelt includes a belt guide. The belt guide is provided at one of a left corner and a right corner defined by a left side frame, a right side frame, and an upper frame. The one corner faces a belt pulled out from a seatbelt device. The left side frame and the right side frame extend vertically. The upper frame connects an upper end of the left side frame to an upper end of the right side frame. The belt guide protrudes upwardly with respect to the upper frame and forwardly with respect to the left side frame and the right side frame so that when the belt is placed on an occupant who sits on the seat, a portion of the belt that is placed on a shoulder of the occupant is guided by the belt guide.

Abstract: A saddle riding vehicle includes a vehicle body frame, an engine, a catalytic device, and a catalyst cover. The engine is disposed on the vehicle body frame and includes a cylinder block in a forwardly inclined position. The catalytic device is disposed at a front lower portion of the engine. The catalytic device includes an exhaust gas introducer oriented substantially at right angles, and a catalyst case disposed below the exhaust gas introducer. The catalyst cover is disposed on the vehicle body frame to cover a front portion of the catalytic device from a front downward direction. The catalyst cover is provided in a space between the catalytic device and a front wheel supported by a front fork provided at a front side of the vehicle body frame. The catalyst cover includes an opening portion at a forward portion of the exhaust gas introducer.

Abstract: A control apparatus for a motor-assisted bicycle detects a pedaling torque applied to a crankshaft with a pedaling force sensor, controls a motor unit of the motor-assisted bicycle in a regenerative control process to charge a battery if the torque value of the detected pedaling torque is equal to or smaller than a predetermined level, and controls the motor unit in an assistive control process if the torque value is greater than the predetermined level. The control apparatus switches between the assistive control process and the regenerative control process depending on the torque value which is detected, increases the predetermined level if the state of charge of the battery becomes lower than a first level, and restores the predetermined level if the state of charge of the battery becomes higher than a second level which is greater than the first level.

Abstract: A shift drum drive system for a transmission includes a drive member and a power transmission device configured to transmit the rotational power of the drive member to a shift drum. The drive member and at least a part of the power transmission device being disposed on a lateral side of a crankcase on the side of one end in the axial direction of the shift drum, to reduce the area occupied by the shift drum drive system inclusive of the drive member on a lateral side of the crankcase on the side of one end in the axial direction of the shift drum, and thereby to contrive a reduction in engine size. The drive member and the shift drum are disposed so as to at least partly overlap with each other when viewed along the axial direction of the shift drum.

Abstract: In an apparatus for controlling operation of an outboard motor having an internal combustion engine to power a propeller, and a transmission being selectively changeable in gear position to establish speeds including a first speed and a second speed and transmitting power of the engine to the propeller with a gear ratio determined by established speed, engine speed is detected, it is determined whether acceleration is instructed when the second speed is established, and operation of the transmission is controlled to change the gear position from the second speed to the first speed when the acceleration is determined to be instructed, and then change back the gear position from the first speed to the second speed based on the detected engine speed, thereby enabling to control the transmission optimally.

Abstract: Disclosed is a vehicle state monitoring system in which, when a vehicle (2) has been in a driving stopped state for a reference duration or more, a message is sent to a contact address associated with a vehicular identifier of the vehicle (2). The timing for sending the message may be determined on the basis of an SOC level of a battery (23) identified from vehicle information or estimated on the basis of a length of a last driving duration identified from the vehicle information.

Abstract: A saddle riding vehicle includes a vehicle body frame, a front wheel, a rear wheel, a power unit, a shift actuator, and an actuator guard. The power unit has a transmission and a shift mechanism for the transmission. The shift actuator is to actuate the shift mechanism and is attached to a lower portion of a side face of the power unit. The actuator guard is to protect the shift actuator from an obstacle and includes a guard frame and a guard member. The guard frame extends in a forward and backward direction of the saddle riding vehicle below the shift actuator. The guard frame is connected to the vehicle body frame. The guard member is connected to the guard frame and covers a lower face and an outer side face of the shift actuator.