Abstract: A brake system for a motor vehicle is proposed, in which at least the braking force distribution between the front and rear axles is influenced by an automatic electronic controller. In the event of a defect in a rotational speed sensor of a front wheel or a rear wheel, emergency operating measures are proposed, which maintain the functionality of the braking force distribution controller even after a defect has occurred.

Abstract: A regenerative braking apparatus for a battery operated vehicle includes rotation direction detection devices for detecting the rotation directions of respective axles of two front wheels, a current direction judgment device for judging respective field current directions of two propulsion motors based on respective outputs from the rotation direction detection devices, and a current direction control device for controlling the field current direction of the propulsion motors based on the output from the current direction judgment device. In this way, even when close to the steering angle for inner wheel stop turning, concern for external action rotation of the propulsion motor for driving the inner wheel is eliminated, enabling control of regeneration at the time of turning to be carried out with good efficiency.

Abstract: An inverted strut damper includes an external cylinder which has an expanded midsection and a vertically moveable damper tube arranged concentrically within the outer cylinder. The outer cylinder and tube arrangement form a lubricating oil supply reservoir. Disposed at a top and a bottom of the outer cylinder is a respective oil seal and bearing arrangement. The upper bearing is adjacent to the lubricating oil reservoir and upon upper movement of the damper tube, oil is supplied to the upper bearings and seal.

Abstract: A braking control system for agricultural tractors wherein individual front and rear wheel hydraulic brakes are operated by a hydraulic braking control unit which is controlled by an electronic control unit to cause it to vary the braking pressure to the individual brakes relative to a reference value set by operation of a brake operating pedal by the tractor operator. The braking control unit varies the braking pressure at the individual wheel brakes in dependence on the associated wheel speed and the tractor ground speed.

Abstract: Fluid-filled vibration damping device wherein two mutually spaced-apart mounting members are connected by an elastic body, which cooperates with a movable member to at least partially defines a fluid-filled pressure-receiving chamber, and the movable member partially defines a working air chamber on its side remote from the pressure-receiving chamber and is oscillated by a periodic change of an air pressure applied to the working air chamber through a pressure inlet, so as to cause a periodic change of the pressure of the fluid in the corresponding pressure-receiving chamber, for thereby controlling a damping characteristic of the damping device.

Abstract: A brake apply system includes a modulator that has a first bore carrying a power driven dual-effect piston. The piston has a base piston surface and an augmentation piston surface. A wheel brake is hydraulically connected to the modulator through an open fluid communication route that is provided between the wheel brake and the base piston surface. A selectively open fluid communication route is provided between the wheel brake and the augmentation piston surface with a check valve mechanism positioned in the selectively open fluid communication route. An augmentation chamber is defined adjacent the augmentation surface of the dual-effect piston. The modulator includes a second bore carrying a valve mechanism that provides an open flow path between the augmentation chamber and a reservoir when pressure at the wheel brake is relatively high and that significantly restricts the flow path when the wheel brake pressure is relatively low.

Abstract: A brake control system includes a master cylinder for developing a brake fluid pressure in response to brake pedal displacement, wheel cylinders mounted to front and rear wheels and adapted to develop a braking force, an actuator for feeding the brake fluid pressure to the respective wheel cylinders, and a controller adapted to enable the actuator to provide a controlled brake fluid pressure to the respective wheel cylinders. Two switch valves are adapted to normally prevent fluid communication between the master cylinder and the wheel cylinders and in the event of a system failure, permit fluid communication between the master cylinder and the wheel cylinders and prevent fluid communication between the actuator and the wheel cylinders. The switch valves are mounted solely to the wheel cylinders of the front wheels.

Abstract: A bicycle brake mechanism is provided that protects a bicycle brake lever axle from bending. The bicycle brake mechanism of the invention employs a conventional brake mounting base, brake axle, and brake lever arm on a conventional bicycle frame. However, the invention employs a brake adapter of special construction which is interposed between each brake lever arm and the brake axle upon which it is mounted to isolate the brake axle from forces tending to bend the brake axle out of axial alignment. The adapter is rigidly connected to the brake mounting base and to a retaining structure which allows the brake lever arm mounted on the brake axle to rotate and apply the bicycle brakes in a conventional manner. The structure and location of the adapter isolate the brake axle or brake boss from forces that would otherwise bend the brake axle in a plane passing through the axis of rotation of the brake lever arm.

Abstract: The invention relates to a hydraulic brake system of a vehicle comprising one wheel brake valve preceding each wheel brake cylinder and one return feed pump connected parallel to each of the wheel brake valves and connected to the suction sides of the wheel brake cylinders. For anti-lock control, the return feed pump is put into operation, and by clocked triggering of a wheel brake valve of a vehicle wheel that is tending to lock, the brake fluid pressure in the wheel brake cylinder of this vehicle wheel is modulated. To realize a traction control device, the invention sets forth a switchover valve in a brake line from the master brake cylinder to the wheel brake cylinder of a driven vehicle wheel.

Abstract: An arrangement for removably attaching a drive shaft of a track belt to an output shaft of a transmission allows the drive shaft to be mounted and removed easily and rapidly with respect to the output shaft. A driving pulley of a V-belt transmission is mounted on the right end of a crankshaft of an engine. A gear box is disposed proximately on the right side of a driven pulley of the transmission. An input shaft of the gear box supports the driven pulley. An input shaft, an idle shaft, and a final shaft are disposed in the gear box. The outer periphery of the output shaft is sealed with a seal. The output shaft is formed as a hollow shaft projecting and opening to one side of the gear box. The inner surface of the hollow output shaft is splined, and one end of the drive shaft is inserted into the hollow portion of the output shaft. Further, splines formed on the outer periphery of the one end of the drive shaft are brought into engagement with the splines formed on the inner surface of the output shaft.

Abstract: A circular multi-wave composite compression spring (10) is formed from a carbon fiber (58) reinforced laminate. The circular compression spring (10) is comprised of unidirectional graphite fibers (58) encased in a polymeric resin of generally rectangular cross-section such that adjacent crests (14) and troughs (16) of the waves in adjacent turns (12) of the spring (10) contact each other along a radial line generally extending from the longitudinal axis (30) of the spring (10). The line contact provides for increased fatigue life and more stable loading of the spring (10) under compression. The carbon fiber reinforced laminate provides comparable strength characteristics similarly configured springs fabricated from conventional materials while providing significantly reduced weight. Furthermore, the composite spring (10) offers increased performance parameters such as increased linearity response over a wider spring deflection range and with insignificant hysteresis.

Abstract: An externally mounted bracket system for disc brakes, as especially associated with the drive trains of heavy duty vehicles, wherein a generally T-shaped bracket plate may be secured to the housing of either a transmission or a rear axle, and a fluid pressure brake cylinder and associated braking calipers are mounted to the bracket plate, whereby the bracket system is readily installed adjacent a rotor disc, and is easily accessible for adjustment or repair.

Abstract: Electrorheological systems of improved temperature range are obtained by including within the system a solid polymer insoluble in a low molecular weight activating material and in the hydrophobic medium of the fluid. The polymer contains hydrophilic functionality, and in the polymer a portion of the low molecular weight polar activating material is sorbed in an amount which reversibly increases with increasing temperature.

Abstract: A spring plate intended to form part of a drum brake shoe hold-own device of the general kind in which a retaining pin anchored, in use, on the brake back plate and passing through an opening in the brake shoe web, cooperates with the spring plate to limit movement of the web away from the backplate against which it normally rests. The spring plate has a pair of arms of which respective opposed major generally planar faces are superposed so that, in use, in a brake, mutual abutment of the faces limits movement of the shoe away from the back plate.

Abstract: A vehicle brake control valve includes a piston assembly which is movable a stepped cylindrical bore of a valve housing in response to an actuating force against the force of a spring. The piston assembly includes port control edges which control communication between a brake pressure chamber which can be connected to the vehicle brakes, a reservoir, and a pump. Both the pump and the actuating force contribute to the brake pressure which builds up in the brake pressure chamber. The piston assembly includes an actuator piston and an annular piston that sealingly slides within a larger portion of the stepped bore. After the actuator piston moves a pre-set distance (H) it carries with it the annular piston. The annular piston, the actuator piston and a wall of the larger diameter portion of the stepped bore enclose a fill pressure chamber which is separated from the brake pressure chamber to achieve two-stage pressure build-up during manual braking (emergency braking) when the pump is inoperative.

Abstract: A compact brake pressure controller that can be produced at relatively low cost and which is capable of pressurizing a wheel cylinder quickly through use of a hydraulic pump includes shut-off valves provided between a master cylinder and pressure increasing valves, and suction valves alternatively permitting and preventing brake fluid flow through the suction paths. Restricted passages are also provided between the shut-off valves and the pressure increasing valves. As applied to traction control, when the speed of the driving wheels exceeds the speed of the driven wheels by an amount in the excess of a first predetermined value, the suction valves are opened and the hydraulic pumps are driven to supply brake fluid in the master cylinder to the wheel cylinders.

Abstract: The invention relates to an arrangement which includes an air spring (2), an ancillary volume (4) and a connecting line (6) which connects the air spring (2) and the ancillary volume (4) to each other. A valve (12), which is actuated by air pressure, is disposed in the connecting line (6). The valve (12) includes a cylinder (14) having a chamber (16) wherein a hollow piston (18) is mounted so as to be axially movable. In an open position of the hollow piston (18), the valve (12) clears the connecting line (6); whereas, the connecting line (6) is blocked in a closed position of the hollow piston (18). The invention also relates to a valve which is actuated by air pressure.

Abstract: To provide a deceleration controlling apparatus for an automotive vehicle, which may perform a deceleration control that is effective in a breakdown of a throttle valve kept opened, without increasing a cost, the deceleration controlling apparatus for an automotive vehicle, includes: an engine, an accelerator pedal and a brake system which are mounted on the vehicle; an automatic transmission connected to the engine; a throttle valve for adjusting an amount of intake air of the engine; an accelerator opening degree sensor for detecting an opening degree of the accelerator pedal to output an accelerator opening degree signal; a throttle valve controlling unit for electrically controlling an opening degree of the throttle valve in response to the accelerator opening degree signal; a throttle opening degree sensor for detecting an opening degree of the throttle valve to output a throttle opening degree signal; a throttle-open breakdown detecting unit S3 for detecting a breakdown of throttle-open of the throttle

Abstract: A fluid-filled vibration damping device having a plurality of fluid chambers which are filled with a non-compressible fluid, and orifice defining means which has an orifice-defining surface defining an orifice passage through which the fluid is forced to flow, so as to damp input vibrations based on flows of the fluid through the orifice passage, wherein the improvement comprises: a water-repellent coating layer which is formed by a surface treatment and which covers at least a portion of the orifice-defining surface of the orifice defining means.

Abstract: A dust cover for placement between a vehicle wheel and a vehicle hub includes an outer perimeter, a central protrusion defining an opening for receiving a spindle of the vehicle hub and a plurality of lug openings, and a concave intermediate portion extending radially between the central protrusion and the perimeter. The intermediate portion has an outboard side surface configured to engage inboard sides of wheel spokes when the dust cover is mounted between the wheel and the hub of the vehicle. Fins are preferably defined on an inboard side surface of the intermediate portion. At least part of the outboard side surface is colored to provide a desired appearance between the wheel spokes at an outboard side of the wheel.