Abstract: A spring device comprising at least one annular support plate defining a ring with a central axis; a plurality of circumferentially spaced, parallel oriented coil springs disposed about the at least one annular plate; and, a plurality of lock assemblies spaced about the plate. Each of the lock assemblies being in position within a spring cavity of one of the coil springs to allow additional springs to be provided on the spring device. In addition, the lock assemblies are dimensioned so that the coil spring is retained in a prestressed condition.

Abstract: An upper mount in a suspension system of an automotive vehicle, including a metal housing, a cylindrical body accommodated in the housing, and an outer metal sleeve bonded to the outer circumferential surface of the elastic body and fitted in the housing, wherein the elastic body has an annular sealing lip integrally formed of a rubber material and located radially outwardly of a central opening formed through an upper wall portion of the housing such that the sealing lip is held in pressing contact with an inner surface of the upward wall portion or a cylindrical wall portion of the housing, for preventing a flow of an aqueous component such as water from the central opening to the outer metal sleeve.

Abstract: A drum brake device prevents shoe clearance over-adjustment by means of a thermo-sensitive member with a lower leg opening force and provides a smaller thermo-sensitive member with a lower cost. A portion between both ends of the brake lever (50) in a direction of crossing the shoe return inhibitor (61) engages with one end of the shoe return inhibitor (61) automatically restricting the return position of the pair of brake shoes (20) and (30); the proximate portion (50a) of the brake lever (50) is pivotally supported on the brake shoe (20); and the free end (50b) side of the brake lever (50) is supported at the brake shoe (20) via the thermo-sensitive member (70).

Abstract: A brake controller, for controlling the brakes of a towed vehicle, having a control module and a power module is provided. The control module is mounted in the cab of a vehicle used for towing, in such a manner that it can be easily seen and accessed by the driver. The control module is provided with an accelerometer, which can read acceleration forces in at least two axes, and a microprocessor which polls the accelerometer and sends braking information to the power module. The control module is also provided with a gain control, to adjust the amount of brake force information, a manual braking lever and a display panel. The power module, which may be mounted in a convenient location, preferably on the towed vehicle, receives the braking information from the control module and secures power from the towed vehicle to engage its brakes.

Abstract: A fluid-sealed anti-vibration device is provided, in which a cone-shaped mounting section provided with an elastic body section which generates membrane resonance, and a cylindrical bushing section provided with an end wall and an elastic partition wall which also generate membrane resonance are integrally provided. When the fluid is filled and sealed in the cone-shaped mounting section and the cylindrical bushing section, the characteristics where a fluid is sealed in only the cone-shaped mounting section and the characteristics where the fluid is sealed in only the cylindrical busing section are coupled. Furthermore, the dynamic spring peaks and the dynamic spring bottoms, which are generated one by one in both sections, cancel each other. As a result, it is possible to realize the low dynamic spring effect in a wider frequency range by lowering the dynamic spring peak.

Abstract: A brake cable connecting apparatus ensures prevention of brake cable disengagement by a simple structure that offers simple and accurate assemblability. The brake cable connecting apparatus comprises the strut 23 engaging with the brake shoe 12 and the plate-like brake lever engaging with the brake shoe 13. The proximal portion 24a of the brake lever 24 is pivotally positioned in the wider space 23c formed between the two facing surface walls of the strut 23. The cable end 42 of the brake cable 40 is connected with the free end 24e of the brake lever 24 by the connecting pin 43. The inner cable 41 is operated to effectuate braking, and the projection 24g of the free end 24e interferes with the resilient stopper 33 of the resilient member 30 mounted on the strut 23 and is positioned on the rotating trajection of the brake lever 24.

Abstract: A parking brake assembly which includes a lever (15) for operation of a brake shoe (11, 12) to provide a parking function. The lever (15) has an automatic latching device (21, 22, 23) for automatically latching to the lever (15) an end fitting (20) on an operating cable (19). The automatic latching device (21, 22, 23) comprises a flap (22) mounted on the lever (15) which is deflected aside by the end fitting (20) as the cable (19) is fed in a first direction towards the lever (15) and which latches behind an abutment (20a) on the end fitting (20) to latch the cable (19) to the lever (15) so that subsequent movement of the cable (19) in a second direction opposite to the first direction moves the lever (15) to opoerate the parking function.

Abstract: A follower fall arrest device used with a fixed safety rope is equipped with a securing system comprising a support arm articulated on a first spindle between an active locking and an inactive unlocking position, a roller in the form of a cylindrical wheel mounted rotating free on a second spindle securedly attached to the support arm, and a centrifugal clutch mechanism arranged between a drive member of the roller and the support arm so as to occupy a disengaged position or an engaged position. The peripheral surface of the roller is equipped with a plurality of studs presenting a predetermined angle of incline so as to cause rotation of the roller in the descending direction, and sliding on the rope in the ascending direction. The body comprises a straight U-shaped channel for passage of the rope, said channel having holes for passage of the attachment means.

Abstract: A device for reducing the resonant vibrations of a helical valve spring of an internal combustion engine includes a member, such as a tension cable, attached between one end of the spring and a coil mid-section of the spring for limiting the movement of the coil mid-section away from the one end of the spring to about the distance between the coil mid-section and the one end of the spring when the spring is in a condition corresponding with a condition at which the spring is in static equilibrium.

Abstract: A low profile rod clamp comprises two halves having semi-circular channels for receiving a support rod. When the two halves of the clamp are fastened together, the outer surfaces of the rods are in contact. The positioning of the two rods adjacent one another and with surface-to-surface contact results in increased friction and the highest possible load resistance. The clamp provides the ability to raise or lower the support rods in a vertical direction, while also allowing for rotation and the ability to move the rods in a horizontal direction as well.

Abstract: Known shock-absorbing elements are provided with overflow throttles equipped with sealing disks. These overflow throttles have different opening characteristics for the two directions which cannot be changed. The aim of the invention is therefore to provide a novel overflow throttle that can be freely selected and changed. To this end, the overflow throttle consists of a first (13) and a second overflow throttle (13) that are spatially separate and that are allocated to respective pressure chambers (10, 11). Both overflow throttles are provided with sealing disks (23) and are oriented opposite to the sense of the direction of flow. Every overflow throttle (13) is linked with the other pressure chamber (10, 11) via at least one through bore (35) that evades the opposite overflow throttle (13).

Abstract: A through-bore is provided in an outer wall of a passage defining structure defining a liquid passage faced by at least a portion of a vibration generating section, and opens at its inner end into the liquid passage. A vibration absorbing device includes an occluding member mounted to the outer wall to occlude the through-bore, an elastic membrane with its one end facing the liquid passage and other end facing a space defined between the elastic membrane and the occluding member, and a retaining member mounted to the occluding member for retaining the elastic membrane between the retaining member and the occluding member. Thus, a variation in pressure of a liquid in the liquid passage which is induced by the vibration generated in the vibration generating section is absorbed by flexing of the elastic membrane, whereby an exciting force applied from the liquid to the passage defining structure is effectively reduced, and a vibration sound radiated from the passage defining structure is reduced.

Abstract: A rotary damper (10) includes a stationary member (12) and a rotating member (14) provided within the stationary member (12) so that a gap (16) is defined between the rotating member (14) and the stationary member (12). The rotating member (14) further includes a central shaft (18) provided therein. A viscous fluid (19) is provided in the gap (16) and has an associated shear that provides a velocity damping within the gap (16). A differential growth in the gap (16) caused by temperature variation compensates for temperature damping variation. A compliant member (20) is provided within the stationary member (12) for providing thermal compensation. A secondary hermetic seal (26) is provided on the stationary member (12) for permitting limited rotation, defining a vacuum environment and preventing viscous fluid leakage to an external environment.

Abstract: An electromechanical brake assembly 10 having a pair of selectively movable and dissimilar self energization wedge members 24, 26 which are respectively and independently controlled by motors 30, 34, and which have respectively dissimilar angles of inclination 60, 62, thereby providing a controllably varying amount of self energization.

Abstract: An air spring includes a flexible member which, on the one hand, is attached to a housing and, on the other hand, to a roll-off piston and which encloses an air volume. The surface of the housing, which faces toward the air volume of the air spring, is charged with the air pressure of the air volume; and, the air spring can be connected to the chassis of a motor vehicle with the interposition of an elastic bearing. The housing includes at least two parts of which a first part serves as the connection of the air spring to the chassis of a motor vehicle and a second part serves as the attachment of the flexible member; and, the elastic bearing is configured to have an annular shape and is mounted between the two parts of the housing.

Abstract: This invention provides a dynamic damper 10, in which convex portions 21 protruded in the direction of the inside diameter are provided at a plurality of positions along the circumference of the outer pipe 20 and an elastic body 40 is held between the convex portion 21 and the outer circumference of the weight 30. A stopper portion 32 capable of engaging the convex portion 21 of the outer pipe 20 in the axial direction of the pipe is provided on the weight 30. An insertion guide face 23 provided at an end portion in the axial direction of the convex portion 21 of the outer pipe 20, and the convex portion 21 of the outer pipe 20 makes the insertion guide face 23 slide against the stopper portion 32 of the weight 30 to enlarge the diameter of the convex portion elastically to surpass the stopper portion 32 so that it fits to the outer circumference of the weight 30.

Abstract: A damper mechanism includes an outer pipe and an inner member. The outer pipe has first inward convex portions, second inward convex portions, and concave grooves extending along the axial direction and alternately formed in the circumferential direction at the inner periphery thereof. Outward convex portions are formed in the circumferential direction at a plurality of portions on the outer periphery of the inner member. An elastic body is provided between the outer pipe and the inner member. The elastic body includes thick wall portions and thin wall portions. The thick wall portion is provided between one side face of the outward convex portion and the first inward convex portion. The thin wall portion is provided between the other side face of the outward convex portion and the second inward convex portion.

Abstract: A brake booster amplifies driver brake pedal input into an output force and travel for operating a master cylinder. A power unit builds and stores high pressure fluid to provide boost. Inlet and outlet solenoid valves regulate pressurized fluid to the amplifying mechanism. In one embodiment, a single boost chamber provides fluid pressure to operate the master cylinder and to provide a brake pressure indicative opposing force to driver input. One travel sensor monitors the position and movement of an input rod and piston, and a second travel sensor monitors the position and movement of an output piston. An ECU monitors system parameters and controls a motor pump, inlet and outlet valves and peripherals. In another embodiment, the opposing force to the brake pedal input is provided by a separate pressure fluid chamber located within and movable with the output piston. Boost chamber pressure and, optionally, output piston travel are monitored to provide a braking force indication.

Abstract: A braking force control device, wherein wheel speed is detected and a slope of a braking force with respect to slip speed of the wheel is estimated on the basis of the detected wheel speed, a braking operation by which a brake pedal is depressed is detected and, on the basis of the detected braking operation conditions and estimated slope of the braking force, braking of the braking device to brake the wheels by a braking force generated in response to the braking operation by which the brake pedal is depressed is assisted.

Abstract: This invention provides a dynamic damper comprising an outer pipe 20, a weight 30 disposed inside the outer pipe 20 and an elastic body 40 interposed between the outer pipe 20 and the weight 30. The outer pipe 20 contains slit 21 crossing the circumferential direction of the outer pipe 20 and the slit 21 may be filled with elastic filler 50.