Abstract: An active steering system for an articulated bus is provided. In an assisted steering mode, a hydraulic turntable assists in the steering action of the articulated bus. While the articulated bus is linearly driven at a high speed or the lane-changing action is performed, the assisted steering mode can provide stable driving performance. In the assisted steering mode, a better steering trajectory is achieved while a cornering action of the articulated bus is performed. By collecting the information about the driving velocity, the position of the transmission gear and the position of the steering wheel, a steering force applied to the front frame and the trailer frame is calculated. Moreover, if the control unit judges that the angle of the hydraulic turntable is optimal, a locking force is generated to assure the optimal angle of the articulated bus. The assisted steering mode also supports the action of reversing the articulated bus.

Abstract: A trailer hitch safety assembly and a method of use for inhibiting uncoupling of a trailer coupler from a towing hitch. The trailer hitch safety assembly includes a mounting ring that is received on the shank portion of a towing hitch. The trailer hitch safety assembly also includes a base having first and second base portions that are releasably connected together around the mounting ring to retain the base on the shank portion. A locking arm releasably connects to the base and extends over the coupled trailer coupler and towing hitch to inhibit uncoupling of the trailer coupler from the towing hitch.

Abstract: A trailer for a vehicle with a high voltage traction-battery. The trailer may be a self-propelled trailer to substantially match vehicle dynamics and minimize impact on the vehicle. Alternatively, the trailer may push the vehicle to simulate hill descent, or drag on the vehicle to simulate hill ascent. The trailer may provide power for the vehicle. The trailer may provide current to a vehicle electric machine. The trailer may also provide current to recharge a vehicle traction-battery. The trailer may also recharge its own traction-battery.

Abstract: A saddle type vehicle wherein restrictions in the weight and the layout are reduced for slimmer and lighter vehicle. Pivot plates are provided as separate bodies from seat rails. An upper end of a shock absorber is received by a cross member located between left and right seat rails. The cross member is a separate body from the seat rails. Both ends of the cross member are supported by recesses provided in the left and right seat rails at inner sides of the seat rails so as to face each other. The cross member is fastened to the seat rails by cross member fastening members. The seat rail is attached to a main frame at its one front-side end and to the pivot plate at its other front-side end. The main frame and the seat rail are fastened to each other in the vertical direction by a first fastening member.

Abstract: A front suspension structure includes a head pipe radially internally supporting a shaft portion forming a steering axis such that the shaft portion is rotatable about the steering axis; a front fork connected to a lower end portion of the shaft portion on a lower side of the head pipe, the front fork supporting an axle of a steering wheel; a link member having one end portion connected rotatably on an upper side of a turning member having the shaft portion, and having another end portion connected rotatably on a side of handlebars; the head pipe disposed so as to be separated frontward from a vehicle body frame; and a rocking arm having a front end portion rockably supported by the head pipe, and having a rear end portion rockably supported by the vehicle body frame.

Abstract: A mobile robot 1 having a plurality of kinds of moving forms includes a body unit 11 having a front face and a back face, four limb units 12 having a plurality of limb-side drive shafts, and front end tools 13 provided on a front end side of the limb units 12. A base end side of the limb unit 12 is connected to the body unit 11. The four limb units 12 are the same units. The body unit 11 and the four limb units 12 are movable by switching a front face side and a back face side so that a moving operation of the front face side and a moving operation of the back face side are symmetrical across the center of a thickness direction of the body unit 11.

Abstract: A road tractor semi-trailer combination 1 is equipped with a system for detecting the position of a road tractor relative to a semi-trailer. This system comprises a magnet 13 which is accommodated in the center of the bottom of the kingpin and a sensor unit 11 which is fixed to the bottom of the fifth wheel 9. The sensor unit can be displaced between a resting position at a distance from the magnet where the position of the magnet cannot be detected, and an operating position at a distance from the magnet where the position of the magnet can be detected indeed. The fifth wheel is equipped with a handle for displacing a locking pawl which locks the kingpin in the fifth wheel in coupled state of the road tractor and the semi-trailer. This handle is connected via a pulling cable to the sensor unit for displacing the sensor unit to the operating position simultaneously with the displacement of the locking pawl.

Abstract: A swingarm supporting structure can prevent rigidity of a case from becoming excessive and can improve a degree of freedom of design. The swingarm supporting structure includes: a case in which a power unit is stored; and a bracket for freely pivotally supporting a swingarm up and down through a pivot shaft. The swingarm supports an axle, and the bracket is detachably fixed to the case in a fixed direction intersecting the pivot shaft.

Abstract: A vehicle is shown such as a snowmobile, where a frame includes a tunnel and a front frame portion comprised of cast halves. A suspension system is comprised of upper and lower control arms connected to the front frame portion. Some of the frame components are adhesively fixed together. A powertrain is supported by the frame, and is comprised of an engine and a clutch. The clutch includes a clutch guard supporting an oil container. The engine has an exhaust system which extends through the front frame portion. The snowmobile also has a rear snow deflector.

Abstract: The invention provides a steering system comprising a controlled element which is movable in a neutral area comprising a neutral position and in areas on opposite sides of the neutral area based on a steering input and a handle for requesting a desired position for the controlled element. The handle is movable between set-points in a center zone comprising a center set-point and set-points on opposite sides of the center zone. Furthermore, a steering unit is arranged to receive set-points from the handle, to determine a corresponding controlled position of the controlled element, and to move the controlled element to said controlled position. In order to prevent or reduce jerks, the steering unit is adapted to vary a speed by which the controlled element is moved to the controlled position. The speed is variable in dependence of the received set-point.

Abstract: A bearing for a ball screw drive may include a ball nut that is rotatable about a longitudinal axis and intended to receive a threaded spindle concentrically. The ball nut may be arranged in an inner ring and at least partially in an intermediate ring and an outer ring of the bearing. A belt pulley may be connected to the intermediate ring for rotation therewith, wherein an outer circumferential surface of the inner ring may be convex in some regions and an inner circumferential surface of the intermediate ring may be concave in some regions. The ball nut may be arranged in the bearing so as to be tiltable with respect to the belt pulley. The inner ring may be connected to the ball nut for rotation therewith and may be immovable in an axial direction. The intermediate ring may be connected via spring elements to the inner ring for rotation therewith.

Abstract: A rack housing includes first and second rack housing members aligned in the axial direction of the rack shaft and coupled to each other in the vicinity of a speed reducer. A speed reducer casing is provided in its outer wall with a through hole. A belt tension adjusting mechanism includes: an adjusting shaft rotatably attached to the speed reducer casing; an eccentric shaft attached to the outer periphery of the adjusting shaft so as to be rotatable together with the adjusting shaft; two bearings disposed on the outer periphery of the eccentric shaft and axially away from each other; and a tension pulley rotatably attached to the outer periphery of the eccentric shaft via the bearings. A first end of the adjusting shaft is exposed to the outside of the speed reducer casing through the through hole.

Abstract: In construction of an electric drive device such as an electric power steering device or the like, there is employed a cylindrical metal housing that has therein in order first, second, third and fourth spaces coaxially arranged to respectively house therein a power circuit part, a power conversion circuit part, a control circuit part and an electric motor, a circular heat transfer metal substrate is arranged in the cylindrical metal housing between the first and second spaces and the circular heat transfer metal substrate has a cylindrical outer wall that is in contact with a cylindrical inner surface of the cylindrical metal housing, one flat surface to which a basal metal plate of the power circuit part is intimately connected and another flat surface to which a basal metal plate of the power conversion circuit part is intimately connected.

Abstract: A side cover structure for enhancing the external appearance and turning performance of a saddle-ride-type vehicle. A side cover structure of a saddle-ride-type vehicle includes a head pipe with a frame extending rearwardly from the head pipe. Side covers cover the frame from left and right sides. A bent portion is bent toward the outside in a vehicle width direction from a base portion and is formed on the side cover. An opening is formed in the base plate portion positioned in the vicinity of the bent portion.

Abstract: A bicycle includes an electrical auxiliary drive, including an electric motor, a battery for storing electrical energy, which battery is connected to the electric motor, a crank mechanism having pedal cranks, which are mounted on a pedal crankshaft disposed about a crank axis, so as to be able to rotate, and a planetary gear for driving the bicycle both by the electric motor and by the muscle power of a driver, the planetary gear and the electric motor being disposed about the pedal crankshaft of the crank mechanism.

Abstract: A child bicycle seat releasably mounted to a bicycle includes a seat assembly including a child seat secured to a tube member, a front tube mounted to a front end of the tube member and having top and bottom cavities, and a quick release clamp mounted to a rear end of the tube member; a handlebar assembly including a hollow pole having two opposite lower slots, a handlebar member threadedly secured to a top of the hollow pole, and a first quick release skewer secured to both the top cavity and the lower slots to fasten the front tube and the hollow pole together; a clamp assembly including a top tube having two opposite slot members, a second quick release skewer secured to both the bottom cavity and the slot members to fasten the front tube and the top tube together. The clamp assembly has a height adjustment mechanism.

Abstract: A vehicle recovery hitch attachment device (100, 100?, 100?) includes a closed link (110) having opposed first and second radiused ends (112, 114) joined by a pair of side members (116), and a pair of eyelet members (122) respectively extending from the pair of side members (116). Each of the pair of eyelet members (122) has an opening (126) formed therethrough aligned one with the other. The first radiused end (112) is fitted over a vehicle hitch tow ball (14) and secured thereat by insertion of a locking pin (130) through the pair of openings (126) in the pair of eyelet members (122) to engage a neck portion (16) of a hitch ball (14) for subsequent coupling of the closed link to recovery equipment (30, 32). A coupling link (140) may be included and coupled to the second radiused end (114) of the closed link (110) for coupling to the recovery equipment (30, 32) or alternately inserted into a hitch receiver tube opening (22) and releasably secured therein by the locking pin (130).

Abstract: A hydraulic steering system 1 is described comprising a steering unit and a priority valve, said steering unit comprising a working port arrangement having two working ports, a supply port arrangement having a high pressure port and a low pressure port, a load sensing port, a main flow path having a main bleed and a metering device and being arranged between said high pressure port and said working port arrangement, an amplification flow path having an amplification bleed and being arranged between said high pressure port and said working port arrangement, said main bleed and said amplification bleed being controlled together by means of a steering handle and being closed in neutral position of said steering handle, wherein said priority valve comprises a priority outlet connected to said high pressure port of said steering unit, a valve element moveable in a priority direction to connect an inlet of said priority valve to said priority outlet, and a load sensing connection connected to said load sensing port

Abstract: A device for detecting rotation of a bicycle pedal mechanism and communicating that information to an electronic bicycle wheel motor controller.

Abstract: A vehicle drive system capable of selectively providing all-wheel drive and single-driven-axle modes includes a front drive unit having a planetary gearset with a grounded ring gear and a sun gear driven by the transaxle's drive spool via an input shaft, and a differential selectively coupled by a dog clutch to one of the sun gear or the planetary carrier, or neither of them, to thereby selectively provide both an available low range and a front axle disconnect. The front drive unit further defines a power take-off unit with a clutch selectively coupling the input shaft to a propshaft. The rear drive unit includes a planetary gearset with a grounded ring gear, a sun gear driven by the propshaft, and a differential selectively coupled by a dog clutch to one of the sun gear or the planetary carrier, or neither of them, to thereby likewise selectively provide both an available low range and a rear axle disconnect.