Abstract: Liner (1) with a plurality of shock absorbing elements (7) being distributed over the entire surface, said shock abosrbing elements (7) being decoupled from the vehicle bottom (3) with the aid of a decoupling layer (9). Between these light-weight shock absorbing elements (7) a spring layer (8) is arranged, which interacts with a heavy layer (2) arranged on the passenger compartment side as an acoustically effective spring-mass-system. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the spring layer (8) comprises an air spring. The shock absorbing elements (7) take up around 40% to 60% of the entire surface.

Abstract: A driver's seat and an engine are disposed side-by-side to maximize the advantages of a mid-engine vehicle layout. A driver's seat is offset leftwards with respect to a center line of a vehicle body in a one-seater vehicle, and a power unit integrally provided with the engine and transmission is disposed on the right of the center line of the vehicle body. When viewed from the side of the vehicle, the seat and the power unit overlap each other. Thus, the inertial moment about a yaw axis of the vehicle is minimized to enhance the turning performance and moreover, the distribution of load to front wheels Wf and rear wheels Wr is made uniform to enhance the performance of the vehicle when in motion.

Abstract: A cruise bar is provided for use with a lawn tractor. The lawn tractor includes a frame, a driving device for use in driving the lawn tractor, a first drive wheel for use in driving the lawn tractor, a console that is operatively connected to the frame, and a first control lever for use in controlling the speed and direction of the lawn tractor. The cruise bar is used to limit the motion of the first control lever. The first control lever is operatively connected to the driving device and to the first drive wheel. The first control lever is selectively moveable in a first direction. The cruise bar limits the motion of the first control lever in the first direction and is operatively connected to the console. The cruise bar may be adjusted relative to the first control lever thereby providing a method for limiting the top speed of the lawn tractor.

Abstract: A gas bag module comprises a housing, a gas bag arranged therein, a gas generator for filling the gas bag with compressed gas, and a cover formed by at least one cover part. The cover closes the housing and, after activation of the gas generator, is swiveled from a closed position into an opened position in order to allow the gas bag to emerge from the housing. The cover part, on opening, is swiveled around a swivel axis at least partially beneath a surface which is defined by an outer face of the cover part in the closed position.

Abstract: A power-assisted wheelbarrow applies an assisting function using an electric motor. Handle shafts connecting to the rear end portions of two handles are covered with grips which are allowed to move axially relative to the handle shafts. More than one steel balls are fitted between the handle shafts and the grips. At the sides of the grips or the handles, pushing force detecting sensors are disposed for detecting the axial movements of the grips relative to the handle shafts in accordance with the pushing forces applied to the grips. The operation of the electric motor is controlled on the basis of the detected values of the two pushing force detecting sensors. As a result, the assisting force by the electric motor can be effectively applied to the wheel of a manual-push type single-wheeled carrier so that manual labor can be reduced while minimizing the consumption of a battery.

Abstract: A two position motor vehicle safety screen is adapted to be mounted in either a front or rear position within the vehicle interior. The screen is fixedly secured in the front position by a pair of short length upper securing straps, each of which has its forward end attached to the screen and its rear end secured to the vehicle roof by a quick release connector and a pair of relatively long bottom securing straps each of which has its forward end releasably attached to the screen and its rear end pivotally attached to an anchorage fitting in the vehicle floor. In the rear position, the screen is secured in position by the upper straps and also by means of a pair of hook forming attachment lugs depending from the bottom end of the screen and which are arranged to releasably interlock with the anchorage fittings, in which position the bottom securing straps are disengaged from the screen and swung inwardly to a storage position in front of the screen.

Abstract: A vibration mitigation assembly for mitigating vibration of a bridge as a vehicle travels across the bridge is provided. The vibration mitigation assembly includes a plurality of adjustable actuator assemblies having a first fluid chamber and a second fluid chamber interconnected by a valve. The actuator assemblies being connected to the vehicle and motion sensors being attached to the vehicle to measure vibration of the vehicle. In response to the motion data, a controller outputs a control signal to the valve to vary the flow rate of the fluid between the first and second chambers such that the amount of vibration energy dissipated by the vibration mitigation assembly is selectively varied whereby both a stiffness of the adjustable actuator assemblies and the amount of damping are continuously adjusted to prevent resonant coupling between the vehicle and the bridge over which the vehicle is traveling.

Abstract: An energy absorption material for covering a rigid vehicle support surface provide impact protection for a vehicle occupant's head is a sheet of material formed into a waveform comprising a plurality of regular corrugations which have identical crests and valleys connected by inclined sidewalls. The material thickness of the crests and valleys is the same and thicker than that of the sidewall material. The crests and valleys are curved such that the inside radius of each of the crests is smaller than the inside radius of each of the valleys, so that the sidewalls adjacent a valley are laterally closer than the sidewalls adjacent a crest. The corrugations have a pitch equal to their height. This construction provides a deformation mode of the material in which the crests and valleys deform by bending and the sidewalls deform by buckling. The material can contain a plurality of perforations, covering 7%-15% of the area for sound absorption.

Abstract: An offset axle (1) for low-platform town buses. It solves the problem of making it possible to integrate disc brakes in the offset axle system without reducing the aisle width of the platform in the vehicle in the area of the axle and obtaining a sufficiently low platform level in spite of the gantry being significantly lowered owing to design requirements. Disposed eccentrically in the offset axle (1) is a differential (2) the axle shafts of which are each inserted into a drive pinion (5) of a gantry drive (3) with demultiplication effect, the drive being freely mounted in a self-centering manner between two intermediate pinions (6) each of which transmits half the drive power to a spur wheel (7) in order to drive the wheels. Owing to the two gantry drives (3), the axle shafts (4) are lower than the wheel axles by the depth of the gantry. The axle shafts (4) are mounted eccentrically on the upper edge of the interior of the axle bridge housing (8).

Abstract: A steering column including a mast jacket pivotable up and down for vertical adjustment and variable lengthwise for horizontal adjustment and a clamp for releasably capturing the position of the steering column. The clamp includes a stationary bracket, a first rack lever and a second rack lever each pivotally supported on the stationary bracket and linked to the mast jacket by a drive lug, and a pair of lock shoes supported on the stationary bracket for linear translation and pivotal movement. An intermediate link between the lock shoes and a manual control lever thrusts the lock shoes linearly toward a cam on the stationary bracket concurrent with pivotal movement of the control lever toward a locked position. The cam pivots the lock shoes concurrent with linear translation to wedge the lock shoes against respective ones of the rack levers with toothed racks on the rack shoes meshing with toothed racks on the rack levers to capture the position of the mast jacket by immobilizing the rack levers.

Abstract: A wheelchair seat assembly (16) including a seat (30,36), and back rest assembly (49). Back rest assembly (49) includes lateral pelvic supports (52) for carrying pelvic bolster pads (62), an outer shell piece (50) and an inner shell piece (28) adjustably secured to each other, torso supports (76) and a head rest assembly (88). Outer shell piece (50) has a deep concave shape while inner shell piece (28) has a shallow concave shape, which creates a gap (120). Gap (120) provides space for receiving torso supports (76) and head rest assembly (88) in a manner that these two components can be adjusted without interfering with the back rest cushion and without causing discomfort for the user.

Abstract: A steering shaft is supported for tilting-up and tilting-down movements by a pivot mechanism, and connected at its front end to a steering gear box by a joint shaft. The joint shaft passes through an opening of a dashboard and is provided with a stopper facing a rear portion of the opening. When the dashboard is driven backwards as a result of collision of the vehicle, the joint shaft having the stopper urged by the opening is driven backward along with the dashboard. Thus, the steering gear box can be moved rearwards and downwards to inhibit the forward and downward pulling of the joint shaft, thereby preventing tilting-up of the steering shaft.

Abstract: A steering column support bracket includes a molded plastic frame having a pair of laterally spaced apart side braces, a front brace interconnecting the front ends of the side braces, and an intermediate brace located between the front and rear ends of the side braces. An X-shaped truss has legs extending diagonally between the side braces and between the intermediate brace and the rear ends of the side braces.

Abstract: An apparatus for deploying an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (12) includes a pressure vessel (16) containing inflation fluid, and a source of thermal energy which heats the inflation fluid. An initiator assembly (17), when actuated, initiates an outlet flow of the inflation fluid from the pressure vessel (16). The initiator assembly (17) includes a first actuatable device (18) which varies the degree to which the thermal energy can heat the inflation fluid, and further includes a second actuatable device (20) which causes the source to release the thermal energy to heat the inflation fluid. The initiator assembly (17) is actuated in a selected one of a plurality of differing stages. The differing stages correspond to a plurality of differing deployment conditions, and include a "softest" stage in which only the first actuatable device (18) is actuated.

Abstract: A cart for maintaining items specifically used in the printing industry includes four upright support members disposed in pairs substantially parallel and spaced apart from one another to define the corners of a box shape having a rectangular plan view. Rectangular frame members are horizontally disposed, one spacedly above the other and connected at each one of the four respective corners to one of the four upright support members. A plurality of hanger brackets are connected to and depend from the rectangular frame members and are suitably sized and shaped to receive and retain, in a suspended, substantially vertical position accessories, tools and supplies commonly used in the printing industry.

Abstract: The invention provides braking systems and methods for slowing or stopping a roller skate having a plurality of wheels. In one exemplary system, at least one braking surface is spaced-apart from the wheels. A rotatable wheel engaging member is positioned between the braking surface and at least one of the wheels. The rotatable wheel engaging member is caused to rotate when moved against at least one of the wheels when rotating. Further, the rotatable member has an engaging surface which moves against the braking surface upon rotation of the rotatable member by the wheel to slow or stop the wheel.

Abstract: An apparatus (10) for inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (36) includes a container (12) defining a chamber (14) for storing a quantity of inflation fluid (78) under pressure. First and second outlet passages (60, 62) in the container (12) can each direct flow of fluid (78) out of the chamber (14) to the inflatable device (36) for inflating the inflatable device. The first outlet passage (60) has a first flow area. The second outlet passage (62) has a second flow area less than the flow area of the first outlet passage (60). A first burst disk (70) on the container (12) blocks the first outlet passage (60). A second burst disk (72) on the container (12) blocks the second outlet passage (62). The apparatus (10) includes means (80) for rupturing the first burst disk (70) to direct flow of fluid out of the chamber (14) through the first outlet passage (60) without rupturing the second burst disk (72).

Abstract: An apparatus (10) for inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, such as an air bag, includes a housing (20) defining a chamber (22), inflation fluid at a predetermined pressure in the chamber (22), and an initiator (34) for initiating the release of the inflation fluid from the chamber (22). The initiator (34) includes a capacitor (120, 240, 270), the capacitance of which changes with a change in pressure in the chamber (22). The apparatus (10) includes means, such as an electrical circuit (280), for sensing a change in the capacitance of the capacitor (286).

Abstract: A vehicle suspension comprising first and second arms mountable to a vehicle frame for vertical swinging movement adjacent opposite sides of the vehicle frame, each of which mounts an axle for rotatably supporting at least one ground-engaging wheel thereon. Air springs are mounted between the arms and the frame in load-transmitting relation therebetween. An improved axle lift mechanism for lifting the axles and the at least one wheel responsive to relief of air pressure in the air springs is provided which comprises first and second telescoping guide members mountable to the frame, each of which have a distal end adapted to be positioned adjacent opposing sides of the frame and being movable between a retracted position and an extended position. A first lever mechanism is adapted to be mounted to the frame, and is mounted to the distal end of the first telescoping guide member and to the first arm.

Abstract: A head-protecting curtain in a motor vehicle is stored folded at the roof rail. In the event of a collision, the curtain is moved in the interior into a protecting position in front of a vehicle door, whereupon it then covers at least an upper area of the door opening and is stretched horizontally. The head-protecting curtain has at least two curtain sections that remain connected during the impact, said sections being separable from one another after the impact, starting at the bottom edge of the head-protecting curtain, along a parting line for at least part of the height.