Abstract: A gear drive, including a first shaft, a first gear wheel on the first shaft, a second shaft a certain distance away from the first shaft, and a second gear on the second shaft. The second gear wheel engaged with the first gear wheel by way of helical gearing. A third gear wheel is mounted on the second shaft a certain axial distance away from the second gear wheel to compensate for backlash. The third gear wheel also engages with the first gear wheel by way of helical gearing and being axially shiftable with respect to the second gear wheel. An expansion element is arranged so as to change a distance between the second gear wheel and the third gear wheel as a function of temperature.

Abstract: To positively prevent a pressure medium sealed into an outer tube from leaking out from a clearance relative to an oil damper, there is provided a seal construction of a shock absorber 1 with leveling function wherein a seal mechanism 3 is disposed in an outer tube 2 to slidably insert a shock absorber 4 thereinto, a piston rod 5 extending from the shock absorber 4 is connected on the outer tube 2 side, a pressure medium sealed into the outer tube 2 is heated by a heating means 7 and leveling is carried out while controlling the support force exerting on the shock absorber 4, the seal construction being constituted that a free piston 15 is interposed opposite to the seal mechanism 3 between the outer tube 2 and the shock absorber 4, and the seal mechanism 3 and the free piston 15 compart and form a lubricating oil chamber 16 therebetween whereas the free piston 15 is always biased toward the lubricating oil chamber 16.

Abstract: A hydraulic brake system for a bicycle having a frame, a handlebar, and front and rear wheels, includes a master hydraulic cylinder mountable on the handlebar and a handle mechanism operatively connected to the master hydraulic cylinder in order to actuate same. A first hydraulic cylinder actuator is mountable on the frame adjacent the rear wheel and is operatively connected to the master hydraulic cylinder. A rear wheel brake pad is connected to the hydraulic cylinder actuator and is operable thereby. There is a second hydraulic cylinder actuator mountable on the frame adjacent the rear wheel and connected to the rear wheel brake pad. A third hydraulic cylinder actuator is mountable on the frame adjacent the front wheel and is operatively connected to the second hydraulic cylinder actuator so as to be operable by the latter and a front wheel braking device is connected to the third actuator. This braking device brakes the front wheel when the rear wheel braking device is in its braking position.

Abstract: Disclosed is a hydraulic antivibration mount. The mount has an annular rubber spring et in an outer metal casing, encasing an inner metal portion having a central mounting means. The outer metal casing is crimped over the flange of an end cap. Located with the end cap and retained within the crimped portion is a flexible diaphragm. Also retained within the crimped portion is a damper plate dividing the interior of the mount into an upper chamber A and a lower chamber B to be filled with fluid. The damper plate is formed from an upper plate and a lower plate. The upper and lower plates form a flow channel between the two plates which extends at least partially around the circumference of the damper plate, the flow channel permitting communication between the upper and lower chamber. The upper plate has an opening communicating to the upper chamber with an integral tab extending from the opening into the flow channel to block the channel.

Abstract: A magnetorheological piston includes a body having a substantially magnetically energizable passageway and a substantially magnetically non-energizable passageway. The substantially magnetically non-energizable passageway has a valveless passageway throat and has a flow cross-sectional area which has a minimum at the passageway throat and which is larger away from the passageway throat. A magnetorheological damper includes a cylinder and the above-described magnetorheological piston, wherein the piston is positioned in, and slideably engages, the cylinder.

Abstract: A transfer case having an input shaft, an output shaft, and a planetary gearset connected therebetween. The planetary gearset includes a first sun gear, a second sun gear, a carrier coupled for rotation with the input shaft, a ring gear coupled for rotation with the output shaft, and meshed pairs of first and second pinions rotatably supported on the carrier with each first pinion meshed with the first sun gear and each second pinion meshed with the second sun gear and the ring gear. The transfer case further includes a powershift clutch assembly comprised of a first range clutch located between the carrier and the ring gear, a second range clutch located between the first sun gear and a stationary member, and a third range clutch located between the second sun gear and the stationary member.

Abstract: The invention comprises a frictional damping strut. The strut comprises an inner cylinder that slides within an outer casing. A spring biases the inner cylinder away from the outer casing in an axial direction. A first wedge member cooperatively engages a second wedge member. The first wedge member having a frictional engagement with the inner cylinder such that when the inner cylinder is pressed into the outer casing the first wedge member bears upon the second wedge member causing the first wedge member to radially expand, thereby increasing a frictional force between the first wedge member and the inner cylinder. A second spring preloads the first wedge member against the second wedge member. A belt tensioner may incorporate the damping strut to preload a belt and damp belt oscillations.

Abstract: A vacuum booster apparatus used for a brake apparatus positively decreases a degree of opening of a throttle valve when it is required while an unnecessary decrease in the degree of opening of the throttle valve is positively prevented. A first pressure chamber of a vacuum booster is connected to an intake pipe of the engine on a downstream side of a throttle valve. A second pressure chamber of the vacuum booster is selectively connectable to one of the first pressure chamber and atmosphere. The vacuum booster boosts an operating force applied to a brake operating member based on a pressure difference between the first pressure chamber and the second pressure chamber. A throttle-opening-degree control device controls a negative pressure in the first pressure chamber by controlling the degree of opening of the throttle valve.

Abstract: A protective boot having a bellows portion, a cylindrical portion, a guide-bore-side mounting portion, a thick-walled portion, a thin-walled portion, a pin-side mounting portion and an air passage groove. In an operation for mounting of the protective boot, the pin-side mounting portion is inclined radially inward through the thin-walled portion while being slidably moved along the sliding pin, to thereby effect an escape of air contained in an annular space between the sliding pin and the boot through the air passage groove. The thick-walled portion prevents the pin-side mounting portion from bending radially inward to an undesirable extent. Thus, the operation for mounting of the protective boot can be smoothly conducted.

Abstract: A brake device has a cam and a switch. The cam is securely attached to the steering bar of the electric scooter. The cam has a circular periphery with a plain portion and a notch. The switch is secured to the body of the electric scooter and is electrically connected to the actuator. The switch has an arm with a distal end abutting either the plain portion or the notch according to whether the scooter is turning or traveling straight. With such a brake device, the scooter will be automatically slowed down when the scooter is turned right or left.

Abstract: Guide pins for retaining a caliper in an anchor of a disc brake assembly. The guide pins are characterized by a cylindrical body having a first end and a second end with a first diameter section that extends from the first end separated by a shoulder from a second diameter section that extends from the second end. The cylindrical body has a threaded axial bore that extends from a face on the second end toward the first end. A bolt has a shaft with threads thereon which mate with the threaded axial bore in the cylindrical body. A bushing is concentrically located on the shaft and in a corresponding axial opening in an ear that extends from the anchor. Torque applied to the bolt acts on and brings the bushing into engagement with the face on the second end of the cylindrical body however as the bushing has a greater length than the width of the axial opening of the ear, a desired gap is developed between a head on the bolt, the second end and the ear.

Abstract: Wheeled personal mobility vehicles with extremely thin stowed profiles are provided, which in one embodiment, include a plurality of movable, collapsible wheel axle assemblies which are supported on a support frame and movable between an operative state where the wheels provide rolling support, and a collapsed state where the wheels are moved into the side elevational profile of the device. The embodiment provides for both integrated propulsion and steering linkage to the wheels when they are manually moved into their operative position, along with a collapsible steering mechanism, a support base and at least one collapsible seat. This embodiment may also provide for pedal power, battery, fuel cell or motive power as well as remote control operation.

Abstract: A brake system for a vehicle having wheels. The brake system includes a brake housing and a flow chamber housing. The brake housing includes a friction element being adapted to move to engage a portion of the wheels for inhibiting rotation of the wheels. The flow chamber housing includes a substantially circular flow chamber and a brake fluid line. The substantially circular chamber housing includes an enlarged flow chamber has a circumferential wall and a peripheral wall and a pair of opposite walls. The enlarged flow chamber is fluidly interconnected to the brake housing for supplying fluid to the brake housing for moving the friction element. The brake fluid line is connected substantially tangentially to the circumferential wall of the flow chamber housing includes a first fluid line connected to the peripheral wall of the enlarged flow chamber and a master cylinder fluid line connected to one of the pair of substantially circular flow chamber whereby oppositely facing walls of the enlarged flow chamber.

Abstract: A brake apparatus for a bicycle capable of applying a higher braking force on the front wheel (3) and a lower braking force on the rear wheel (4) given the same force exerted on the levers (7, 8) controlling the front brake (5) and the rear brake (6) so to prevent early locking of the rear wheel of the bicycle during braking while leaving the cyclist the possibility to separately control the front brake (5) and the rear brake (6).

Abstract: A front suspension fork for cycles includes an inverted U-shaped reversed arch having downwardly extending legs that are integral with the upper ends of the outer sections of the telescopic fork, thereby to define a rigid unitary slider component fork. The reversed arch is inclined rearwardly at an acute angle relative to the vertical plane of the fork. Strengthening mass portions extend forwardly from the lower ends of the arch between the inner fork sections, thereby to increase the rigidity of the slider component without interfering with brake operation.

Abstract: A braking system including (a) a hydraulically operated brake cylinder for operating a brake, (b) a master cylinder operable according to an operation of a manually operable brake operating member, to pressurize a working fluid, (c) a master-cylinder cut-off valve connected to the master cylinder, (d) a high-pressure source such as a power-operated pressure-control cylinder disposed between the master-cylinder cut-off valve and the brake cylinder and operable according to the operation of the brake operating member, to pressurize the fluid, the high-pressure source including a power-operated drive device and a pressure-control cylinder having a control piston which is operable by the power-operated drive device and which partially defines on respective front and rear sides thereof a front control-pressure chamber connected to the brake cylinder, and a rear pressure chamber which is held in communication with the master cylinder, and (e) a braking-pressure control device (200) operable to control the power-ope

Abstract: A latching assembly includes a latch mounted to a moveable member, the latch being moveable between a first position where it engages a stop of a base member to releasably secure the moveable member to the base member and a second releasing position. An actuator drives the latch between the first and second positions; and at least one spring biases the latch towards the first position.

Abstract: A braking and driving force control apparatus and method are for a vehicle having a frictional braking device for applying a braking force individually to each wheel and a regenerative braking device for generating a common braking force to a plurality of wheels. A target braking force is calculated on the basis of a driver's braking operation or traction control. The regenerative braking device is controlled so as to achieve the smallest target braking force of the target braking forces of the plurality of wheels. The frictional braking device is controlled so as to achieve the target braking force of another wheel, different from the wheel having the smallest target braking force, in cooperation with the regenerative braking device. Thus, the efficiency of regenerating energy is enhanced.

Abstract: A clamp device having a body made of a pair of half bodies connected and unified with a fixation member. One of friction plate units is elastically pushed by a first spring in a direction parting from a disc and in a rotating direction of the disc simultaneously, and the other of the friction plate units is elastically pushed by a second spring in a direction parting from the disc and in a reverse direction of the rotating direction simultaneously.

Abstract: A hydraulic intensifier generates a hydraulic pressure which is higher than the input hydraulic pressure generated in the discharge port and the outer periphery hydraulic pressure chamber. The hydraulic intensifier, provided inside a case member, has a discharge part connected with an outer periphery hydraulic pressure chamber. An input port supplies input hydraulic pressure from the exterior to an input oil chamber of hydraulic intensifier. Oil is filled in a sealed manner in outer periphery hydraulic pressure chamber.and discharge part. The hydraulic intensifier is driven by the input hydraulic pressure. The rod is locked by the elastic deformation of a thinned tube part of a sleeve body. A relatively small hydraulic locking device having a relatively high power is achieved. Furthermore, a relatively small hydraulic pressure source having reduced pressure is realized.