Abstract: An apparatus (10) including a protection device (14) has a front panel (74) presented towards an occupant (20, 20a) and is inflatable between a vehicle surface (36, 38) and the occupant (20, 20a). A vent (100) releases inflation fluid from the protection device (14). The vent (100) has an actuated condition and a non-actuated condition prior to deployment of the protection device (14). A vent tether (154, 168) has a first end secured to the vent (100) end a second end having a releasable connection (153) with the protection device (14). A trigger tether (152,162) has a first end connected to the front panel (74) and a second end connected to the protection device (14) at the releasable connection (158). The trigger tether (152,162) Is slackened when the protection device (14) deploys less than a predetermined degree such that the releasable connection (158) remains intact to allow the vent tether (154,168) to place the vent (100) in the actuated condition.

Abstract: A vehicle height adjustment apparatus includes: vehicle height adjustment units respectively provided to correspond to wheels of a vehicle body, and adjusting a vehicle height in response to the supply and discharge of a working fluid; a supply source of the working fluid; opening and closing valves interposed between the vehicle height adjustment units and the supply source; and a control unit adjusting a vehicle height for each of the vehicle height adjustment units to at least one of a first vehicle height suitable for at least one of boarding and deboarding, and a second vehicle height suitable for travelling, wherein when the control unit acquires preparation information indicative of the transition of a preparation state to at least one of boarding and deboarding preparation states, the control unit adjusts the vehicle height adjustment units from the second vehicle height to the first vehicle height.

Abstract: A motor vehicle steering column includes an inner jacket pipe that receives a steering spindle, which is received in a longitudinally adjustable manner in an outer jacket pipe held on a steering console and having a hollow cross-section. The steering column also includes a clamping device, by means of which the inner jacket pipe can be releasably secured in its adjusted longitudinal position relative to the outer jacket pipe. The outer jacket pipe has a recess at least over a longitudinal region, whereby its hollow cross-section can be altered by the clamping device.

Abstract: An active bolster for an automotive vehicle has a outer trim panel with a welding track. An expandable bladder member has a central section configured to attach to a support structure of a vehicle, a welding flange along a peripheral edge, and a pleated region between the central section and the welding flange. The welding track and the welding flange are joined by a hot weld to form a sealed chamber. The welding track includes a plurality of radially-spaced stepped pits. Each pit has an upper section defining a first opening with a respective first cross-sectional area and a lower section defining a second opening with a respective second cross-sectional area smaller than the respective first area. A perimeter of each upper section is melted by the hot weld and a perimeter of each lower section is not melted by the hot weld.

Abstract: A suspension system for a vehicle includes a right front wheel, a left front wheel, a right rear wheel and a left rear wheel. A suspension system for the vehicle includes a first cylinder supporting the vehicle at the right front wheel in fluid communication with a second cylinder supporting the vehicle at the left front wheel, wherein the first and second cylinders form a virtual articulated front axle. The suspension system also includes a third cylinder supporting the vehicle at the right rear wheel and a fourth cylinder supporting the vehicle at the left rear wheel. The suspension system includes two spool valves in fluid communication with the first and second cylinders and intermediate the first and second cylinders. When one of the rear wheels is unweighted, an associate one of the spool valves closes and fluid flow between the first and second cylinders is blocked to create a virtual locked axle.

Abstract: There are provided an operational member and a body portion supporting the operational member rotatably, clockwise or counterclockwise, from a home position and movably in a vehicle longitudinal direction from its rotated position. The body portion is configured to allow the rotated or moved operational member to return to the home position automatically. A shift range is changed to a neutral range when the operational member is rotated from the home position, and the shift range is changed to a traveling range (a drive range or a reverse range) when the operational member is moved in the vehicle longitudinal direction from the rotated position after the operational member is rotated from the home position. Herein, changing of the shift range to the drive range or the reverse range depends on the direction of the rotation of the dial from the home position.

Abstract: A laterally tiltable, multitrack vehicle is disclosed. The vehicle includes a vehicle body and at least three wheels, first and second wheels of the three wheels being assigned to a common axle to form a first wheel pair. The vehicle includes at least one wheel control part suspending each of the first and second wheels of the wheel pair from the vehicle body. At least one resilient element supports each wheel control part on the vehicle body. The resilient element has a non-linear spring characteristic with a spring rate which increases in a compression direction and decreases in a rebound direction. The vehicle may be a motor vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a vehicle body frame, a power unit supported by the vehicle body frame, a steering system supported by the vehicle body frame, a pair of driving wheels spaced apart from each other in a vehicle width direction, a transmission unit that transmits a driving force generated by the power unit to the pair of driving wheels and causes the pair of driving wheels to always rotate at the same rotation speed, and a vehicle body vibration control damper extending between a first portion and a second portion spaced apart from each other, each of the first portion and the second portion being located on the vehicle body frame or a member fixed to the vehicle body frame, and generating a damping force relative to the vibration that changes a distance between the first portion and the second portion.

Abstract: A suspension assembly having a frame hanger, a first control arm mounted between the frame hanger and an axle attachment member, a second control arm mounted to the frame hanger and to the axle attachment member, wherein the second arm extends from a centerline of the first control arm at an angle alpha such that the first control arm and the second control arm are not parallel to each other, wherein the centerline of the first control arm and the centerline of the second control arm extend to intersect at a point that is at a virtual center of rotation.

Abstract: A vehicle seat sliding apparatus includes: an upper rail configured to freely support a seat thereabove; a lower rail supporting the upper rail in a relatively movable manner; a locking mechanism capable of switching between a lock state where the relative movement of the upper rail with respect to the lower rail is regulated and an unlock state where the relative movement is allowed; and an unlock operation prevention mechanism regulating an unlock operation of the locking mechanism based on a deployment pressure of an airbag which is disposed in a seat cushion.

Abstract: An air bag module (5) having an air bag (10), a receiving and retaining element (20) to receive and hold the air bag and an inflator to fill the air bag. To increase the thermal stability the air bag (10) and/or the receiving and retaining element (20) consist at least in part of a radiation crosslinked plastic, in particular of a radiation crosslinked thermoplastic.

Abstract: An axle assembly for a work vehicle may generally include a hub, a casing at least partially received within the hub, and a shaft configured to be received within the casing. The hub defines a tapered inner surface and the casing defines a tapered outer surface. The tapered inner surface of the hub defines a first keyway portion defining a first keyway surface, and the tapered outer surface of the casing defines a second keyway portion defining a second keyway surface. The tapered surfaces of the hub and the casing together define a tapered interface and a keyway. The first and second keyway surfaces of the keyway extend in a direction non-parallel to the tapered interface.

Abstract: A rear sub frame comprising a pair of side members, a front cross member, and a rear cross member. The front cross member is configured in substantially a V shape in a front view such that the front cross member slants continuously from both end portions thereof toward a central portion, in a vehicle width direction, thereof which is located below a rear differential, and that a center position, in the vehicle width direction, of a bottom portion of the front cross member which corresponds to an apex portion of the V shape is offset from a center of a vehicle body in the vehicle width direction toward a specified side which matches an offset-arrangement side of a ring gear arranged in the rear differential.

Abstract: A wheel suspension for a wheel of a motor vehicle includes a wheel guide arm to which a wheel of the motor vehicle may be rotatably mounted remotely from the vehicle structure of the motor vehicle. The wheel guide arm may be attached via a point of attachment to an articulation member. The articulation member may be connected to the vehicle structure via at least one connecting member and be movably mounted relative to the vehicle structure. The wheel guide arm may be attached at the point of attachment to the articulation member via a changeable rotary joint. The rotary joint may be rotatable in a first switch position and fixed in terms of rotation in a second switch position.

Abstract: A frontal passenger airbag module is provided in association with the forward part of the instrument panel adjacent the windshield. The module includes a passageway through which the airbag may be deployed. The module is movable between an operational position in which the airbag may be deployed through the a breakaway opening in the instrument panel and a stowed position in which the module is moved vehicle-rearward such that the passageway is no longer adjacent the breakaway opening and the module no longer encroaches on the crush space provided for pedestrian protection. The vehicle includes an impact sensor for determining if an impact event involves a pedestrian. If it is determined by the sensor that a pedestrian has been involved, the module is moved to its stowed position. If it is determined by the sensor that no pedestrian has been involved, then the module remains in its operational position.

Abstract: A torsion beam for an anti-roll bar of a motor vehicle is provided having a main body which is produced from a carbon fiber material, and at least one non-metallic bearing layer which is applied on the main body in order to form one sliding bearing side of an anti-roll bar bearing. As a result of the protection of the main body provided by the bearing layer against abrasive wear in the anti-roll bar bearing, the main body can be produced from the carbon fiber material, with the result that a lightweight and durable anti-roll bar for driving stability of a motor vehicle is made possible.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a vehicle pedestrian protection airbag arrangement (7) comprising an airbag (9), a housing (8), an inflating device (10) and a lid (11), the airbag (9) being arranged to be inflated by the inflating device (10) in the case of a collision with a pedestrian when the airbag arrangement (7) is mounted in a vehicle (1). The lid (11) has a first side (11a), facing away from the housing (8) and a second side (11b), facing the housing (8) when the lid (11) is mounted against the housing (8). The housing has a front wall and a rear wall, in which housing the airbag is stored before inflation. The airbag arrangement (7) further comprises at least one attachment means (12a, 12b, 13a, 13b) running between the lid (11) and at least one other part (8, 9) comprised in the airbag arrangement (7). When the airbag (9) is inflated, it is at least partly positioned between the lid (11) and the housing (8).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a vehicle provided with a sprung mass, including a vehicle frame, at least one axle provided with first and second ends, and a suspension system provided with a mechanical springs and leveling springs. The mechanical springs connect the axle ends to the frame and are provided with a spring rate in a rebound direction that is greater than or substantially equal to a spring rate in a jounce direction. The leveling springs are configured to support the sprung mass at one or more sprung mass load points, whereby the first and second mechanical springs may become substantially unloaded by the sprung mass of the vehicle at the one or more sprung mass load points.

Abstract: A deployable structure to provide protection when vehicles roll over, which is made up of a “V” shaped structure (1) closed at the top where both the lateral vertical bars (4) and the uppermost horizontal bar (7) can fold and unfold telescopically, resulting in an increase in the width and the height of the structure when changing from the folded to the unfolded positions. The lower end of the tubular vertical lateral elements (4) of the structure are conveniently coupled to the chassis of the vehicle (2) in question, with the structure (1) being deployed when a certain tilt of the vehicle is detected by means of a tilt sensor using an activation control or algorithm.

Abstract: A vehicle may include a CVT unit or a power source which requires ambient air. An air inlet for an air intake system coupled to the CVT unit or the power source which requires ambient air may be provided in a side of a cargo carrying portion of the vehicle. The vehicle may include a rear radius arm suspension.