Abstract: An improved portable golf cart cover made from lightweight material enabling the cart cover to fit within a small storage bag that may conveniently be hung from a user's golf bag or stowed within one of its pockets. The cart cover may weigh 1.5 pounds or less and fit within a cylindrical storage bag. The cart cover may be fabricated from polyvinylchloride (PVC) film material or polyethylene (PE) material. The cart cover seams may be heat bonded, chemically bonded or attached by other means known in the art. The cart cover may be of such low cost that it could be termed disposable. Attachments may releasably secure the cart cover to the upper rear frame and wheel well structures of the golf cart. The cart cover may include provisions for advertising on the non-transparent surfaces thereof.

Abstract: An apparatus for increasing the fuel efficiency of a vehicle is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a bladder forming a deflector to attach to a front bumper of the vehicle to divert air around the vehicle. The deflector works to reduce the drag forces on the vehicle's front bumper by promoting more streamline or laminar air flow around the body of the vehicle. Such drag force reduction translates into greater vehicle fuel efficiency.

Abstract: A compression-molded, composite panel for a vehicle interior is provided. A substantially continuous facing material layer has an outwardly-facing surface for display in the interior of the vehicle. The facing material layer is bonded to the outer surface of a first skin of the panel by press molding. The press molding forms a first portion of the panel and a second portion of the panel pivotally connected to the first portion. A living hinge includes a portion of the facing material layer which allows the second portion of the panel to pivot between different use positions relative to the first portion of the panel. A score line formed by the press molding in the outwardly-facing surface of the portion of the facing material layer at least partially defines the living hinge and functions as a style line to mask facing material damage or imperfections at the outwardly-facing surface.

Abstract: The strength and rigidity of a high-strength-vehicle-body-member main part can be effectively improved.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure include a composite panel and a method of manufacturing the composite panel. The composite panel includes first and second fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) layers. The composite panel also includes a core layer disposed between the first and second FRP layers. The core layer includes one of: a honeycomb material and a foam material. The composite panel further includes an exterior layer disposed on a surface of the first FRP layer opposite the core layer and an interior layer disposed on a surface of the second FRP layer opposite the core layer. The layers are cured together in one processing step.

Abstract: A track for a snow groomer having a plurality of grousers spaced apart, extending crosswise to the traveling direction of the track, and each having a grip portion configured to grip the terrain, and a blunt edge opposite the grip portion. A chain is connected to the blunt edges of the grousers so as to be engaged, in use, by a drive sprocket of a snow groomer.

Abstract: A car body, for example, a front or rear frame is provided. The car body includes at least one crossmember and at least one pair of left and right braces that are arranged at least substantially symmetric to the crossmember. The car body also includes a shear element that is designed for absorbing shear forces during a collision and that is mounted on a brace of the pair, wherein no shear element is provided symmetrically thereto on the other brace of this pair.

Abstract: In the coupling of bi-directional, non-freewheeling-type DC motors to the pulling spool of a canopy deployment strap and to a take-up roller, ratchet gears assure automatic alignment and synchronization of the deployment and retraction mechanisms. The reverse direction rotation of the unwinding motor can be uninhibited through the slipping of its ratchet gear when the winding motor is slow to take up the pulling strap or the tarp being wound thereon. The slipping provides sufficient slack to accommodate changes of spool and roller diameters as more material is successively wound thereon. A friction brake acting against a flange of the spool keeps it from spinning freely when not engaged by the motor.

Abstract: A utility vehicle according to the present invention includes a front seat, a rear seat, and a cargo bed in order from the front side, wherein the cargo bed is changeable between an expanded state in which the cargo bed is expanded forward into a rear riding space on the front side of the cargo bed and a non-expanded state in which the cargo bed is not expanded in the rear riding space, a pair of left and right rear doors partitioning the rear riding space and left and right exteriors of a vehicle body in the non-expanded state is provided, and the rear doors serve as expansion side walls partitioning an expanded part of the cargo bed and the left and right exteriors of the vehicle body in the expanded state.

Abstract: A releasable tunnel brace for releasably connecting a first side panel to a second panel of a vehicle is disclosed. One or both ends of the brace include a fastener-receiving aperture. The aperture has a round portion and an elongated slot extending therefrom. The round portion can allow the head of a shoulder bolt fastener to pass therethrough. The elongated slot is defined by a pair of opposed walls. The shoulder of the shoulder bolt fastener can pass between the opposed walls. In the event of a side impact, the brace is pushed vehicle inward and the bolt slides through the elongated slot and into the round portion where it is allowed to be released from its attachment position. The brace provides maximum torsion stiffness while withstanding only a minimum amount of lateral force before it releases and thus minimizes local deflection in the event of a side impact.

Abstract: A reinforcing unit for the vehicle body may include an insert member coupled to a front side member while being inserted in the front side member, and a fender apron lower reinforce member mounted in a fender apron to be coupled to the insert member, so that crash energy transmitted to the fender apron in a front offset crash of the vehicle may be transmitted to the front side member through the reinforcing unit of the vehicle body to be effectively distributed.

Abstract: A roof frame for a motor vehicle has a cowl frame with upper and lower segments and a plurality of chambers in each segment. An upper connecting surface is on top side of the free end of the lower segment. A lower connecting surface is opposite the upper connecting surface and is connected to a reinforcing element of an A pillar. The upper segment is arranged offset back from the lower segment of the cowl frame and is shortened by mechanical machining to form a step-shaped shoulder in which the outer roof frame is held.

Abstract: A vehicle front body structure includes a pair of damper housings, a pair of damper bases, and a dashboard upper. Each of the damper bases includes a damper base upper wall, three damper fixing portions, three dash upper fixing portion, and a ridge line portion extending along the outer circumference of the damper base upper wall. The three damper fixing portions and the three dash upper fixing portions are alternately disposed on an imaginary circle. Sections of the ridge line portion outside each of the dash upper fixing portions and each of the dash upper fixing portion are located outside the imaginary circle, and each of sections of the ridge line portion between the damper fixing portion and the dash upper fixing portion intersects the imaginary circle so that the ridge line portion is formed in a substantially star shape in plan view.

Abstract: The truck bed with extensible rails includes a front set of rails, a pair of side sets of rails, and a rear set of rails which selectively vertically translate from within the walls and tailgate defining a truck bed, such as those typically found in pickup trucks. The front set of rails and the pair of side sets of rails desirably vertically translate separately from the rear set of rails, and each set of rails can be selectively raised and lowered, under hydraulic power or the like, through actuation of a cabin-mounted control panel. The cabin-mounted control panel allows the vehicle operator to easily control the selective raising and lowering of the sets of rails through actuation of a hydraulic pump which is powered by the vehicle battery.

Abstract: An energy-absorbing member is mounted within a vehicle door outboard of an interior panel adjacent to a seating position. The member is rotatable between a first position wherein a maximum-stiffness axis of the member is relatively more aligned with an impact vector of an occupant of the seating position during a crash, and a second position wherein the maximum-stiffness axis is relatively less aligned with the impact vector. A controller receives signals from safety-related systems and operates an actuator to move the member between the first and second positions. Selection between the first and second position may be made at the start of a driving cycle based upon signals from an occupant sensor, stored biometric data, and/or a command from the occupant. The selection may be updated after the start of the driving cycle based upon signals from an impact sensor, a vehicle dynamics sensor, and/or a pre-crash sensor.

Abstract: A check link assembly for a vehicle closure is configured to be operable in two phases: a detent check phase and an infinite check phase. The vehicle closure is pivotably connected to a vehicle body and has a closed position and an open position. The check link assembly includes a detent assembly having a detent configured to provide a detent check position between the closed position and the open position. The check link assembly also includes a hydraulic or pneumatic strut operatively connected to the detent assembly and configured to provide check positions at all positions between the detent check position and the open position. The detent assembly and the strut are configured to operate in series as the door is pivoted.

Abstract: A trim panel retention assembly for a vehicle includes a retention bracket mounted to an inner door panel and a trim panel bracket mounted to a door trim panel. The trim panel bracket is proximate and spaced from the retention bracket such that the retention bracket deters the trim panel bracket and door trim panel from detaching from the inner door panel during a side impact collision.

Abstract: A front vehicle body structure includes a front pillar that extends in a longitudinal direction of a vehicle body, an upper frame that extends from the front pillar toward a front of a vehicle body, and a front side frame that is disposed laterally interior of the upper frame. The front side frame includes an outer face that faces laterally outward, an inner face that faces laterally inward, and an upper face that connects the inner face to the outer face. The front vehicle body structure also includes a connection member that extends upwardly from the upper face of the front side frame to the upper frame so as to connect the front side frame and the upper frame together.

Abstract: A hub device for a bicycle includes a hub case which is attached to a center of a wheel for receiving a load exerted from a rim to which a tire is fitted, and formed to have each inner diameter of both end portions larger than a diameter of a center portion, a sleeve with plural slits in a circumferential direction and a cylindrical shape integrally attached to the hub case at the inner diameter side, which serves to transfer the load exerted to the hub case to a shaft, a bearing for receiving the load exerted to the sleeve and rotatably supporting a whole structure of the wheel, a shaft for rotatably supporting the whole structure of the wheel via the bearing, and spherical washers attached to both end portions of the shaft.

Abstract: A wheel frame for a vehicle including a unitary cylindrical body having a radially inward facing surface and a radially outward facing surface surrounding a wheel axis and extending from an integrally formed mounting flange to an open hub end. The radially inward facing surface of the body including a portion adjacent the hub end of the body that is enlarged for receiving at least a portion of an electric motor assembly.