Abstract: An on demand vehicle drive system monitors vehicle performance and operating conditions and controls torque delivery to the vehicle wheels. The system includes a plurality of speed and position sensors, a transfer case having primary and secondary output shafts driving primary and secondary axles and a microcontroller. The sensors include a vehicle speed sensor, a pair of primary and secondary drive shaft speed sensors, and brake and driveline status sensors. The transfer case includes a modulating electromagnetic clutch controlled by the microcontroller which is incrementally engaged to transfer torque from the primary output shaft to the secondary output shaft. When the speed of either the front or the rear drive shafts overruns, i.e., exceeds, the speed of the other drive shaft by a predetermined value related to the vehicle speed, indicating that wheel slip is present, clutch current is incrementally increased to increase clutch engagement and torque transfer to the secondary axle.

Abstract: A cart for storing and transporting gardening tools and materials includes a shell, a wheel assembly journalled to the shell for transporting the shell and a steering assembly fixed to a rear portion of the shell for guiding the shell during transport. The shell has a rectangular bottom and front and side walls formed from arrays of tubular pots, each for receiving a tool through an open upper end thereof. The wheel assembly includes an axle extending transversely across the shell at approximately its midpoint and through the side walls. The wheels are large in relation to the shell and are disposed in wells defined by the bottoms of the tool pots contoured substantially to an hemispherical arc concentric with the wheels. At least one of the rearmost pots of each shell side wall extends below the shell bottom as legs which, together with the wheels, supporting said shell in a substantially level condition.

Abstract: A drive assembly for a motor vehicle, having two drivable axles, a first axle being driven permanently by a drive unit and at least a second axle being connectable via a double coupling assembly so as to be externally controllable. The double coupling assembly comprises a common drivable coupling carrier with outer plates and individual sets of inner plates each connected to the axles of the second driving axle. The double coupling is actuated by a common actuating device, thereby permitting both sets of plates of the double coupling to be loaded by the same amount of actuation forces.

Abstract: An adjustable mount for the upper end of a motor vehicle suspension strut located in a bush (12) wherein a flange (22) is located between a clamping plate (13) and a face plate (14) with studs (17) passing from the clamping plate through enlarged apertures (15) in the flange (22), holes (16) in the face plate (14) and aligned holes (18) in the top of the vehicle chassis suspension tower (11), and being secured by nuts (19). Before the nuts (19) are tightened, the flange (22) may be moved in a sliding fashion between the clamping plate (13) and face plate (14) to locate the bush (12) and upper end of the strut into the desired location for correct castor and camber settings. Reference is also made to the provision of screwdriver slots (25) to permit the flange (22) to be levered into the desired location using a screwdriver when the suspension is under load.

Abstract: An air bag module (10) includes a housing (12) having a front portion (14) and a rear portion (16). An inflator (18) is connected with the front portion (14) of the housing (12). An air bag (20) is folded and stored in the rear portion (16) of the housing (12). The air bag (20) is secured to a retaining ring (22). Each one of a plurality of fasteners (120-134) interconnects the retaining ring (22), the front portion (14) of the housing (12), and the rear portion (16) of the housing (12).

Abstract: A system for sensing the presence, position and type of an occupant in a passenger seat of a vehicle, as well as for sensing the presence of a rear-facing child seat therein, for use in enabling or disabling a related airbag activator. The sensor system employs sensor-fusion, a process of combining information provided by two or more sensors, each of which "sees" the world in a unique sense. In a preferred embodiment, occupancy sensor samples two detectable properties, a first being a thermal signature and associated motion, and a second is acoustically measured distance and the associated motion. Infrared sensor inputs and an ultrasonic sensor input are combined in a microprocessor circuit by means of a sensor fusion algorithm to produce an output signal to the air bag controller. The output signal results from preselected confidence weighing for feature parameters generated by the two sensors and upon a fusion process which ultimately makes a decision which is extremely reliable.

Abstract: A cross member for a motor vehicle subframe is disposed between at least two adjoining sides extending lengthwise of the vehicle as a receptacle for a wheel suspension. The cross member comprises two supports of identical configuration, located in a transverse plane and made angular. The upper transverse legs of the supports each have a tongue located endwise, and the tongues overlapping in a vertical plane. Each tongue has a thickened receptacle for supporting a threaded nut and another receptacle for supporting a bolt head of mounting bolts located in a horizontal plane.

Abstract: A supplemental car seat belt for protecting users with stomas comprising a belt positionable about the waist of a wearer with a stoma, the belt being formed of two components with interior ends and exterior ends, the exterior ends being fabricated with intermating fasteners to allow the coupling and uncoupling thereof; a cushion fabricated of an elastomeric foam with long upper and lower edges and short vertical side edges and with a front surface positionable away from the wearer and a rear surface positionable adjacent to the wearer, the foam having a cover layer over its entire surface, and also including attachments to permanently secure the inboard edges of the belt halves to the cushion at an interface between the side edges and the rear face; and loops to couple the cushion and the belt to a vehicle seat belt.

Abstract: Apparatus providing a pivot axis for rear wheels of a vehicle is disclosed. The vehicle has a chassis, an arm pivotally attached to the chassis and four rear wheels divided into two forward wheels and two rearward wheels. The apparatus of the present invention has two halves, wherein each half includes a rocking member and a ground directing member. The rocking member is pivotally attached to the arm at a central location on the rocking member and rotatably connected to one forward and one rearward wheel at front and back locations, respectively, of the rocking member. The ground directing unit is pivotally attached to the arm and to the rocking member near the rearward wheel. Accordingly, the ground directing unit provides a force to the rearward wheel while no force is provided to the forward wheel.

Abstract: An air bag inflator including a housing formed of sheet metal includes an annular base having a central opening and a cover for containing gas generating pyrotechnic material including an annular top wall spaced from the base having a central opening in coaxial alignment with the central opening of the base and a cylindrical, ported, outer side wall integrally formed around a periphery of the top wall extending downwardly thereof and having a lower edge secured to a portion of the base outwardly of the central opening. The housing includes a hollow, igniter-containing, rivet having an upper end wall closing over the central opening of the top wall and having a tubular, ported, side wall integrally formed with the upper end wall thereof extending downwardly through the central openings of the base and the top wall.

Abstract: For securing a generally cylindrical gas generator cartridge (14) in the housing block (10) of a belt tensioner drive unit the housing block is provided with a bore (12) in which the gas generator cartridge (14) is inserted. On the outer head portion (14a) of the gas generator cartridge incorporating an electric igniter a sleeve (18) is fitted which has at its axial end a radially inwards oriented flange (20) adjacent the end surface of the gas generator cartridge (14). At its opposite axial end the sleeve (20) is provided with rims (22) oriented radially outwards which permit insertion in the bore (12) by axial guide channels (12a, 12b) so that when the sleeve (18) is rotated in a prescribed sense of rotation the rims (22) engage in a groove (28) provided circumferentially in the bore, the guide channels (12a, 12b) merging in the groove (28).

Abstract: An apparatus and method for making a low cost, self-venting, inflatable protective cushion of simple and structurally efficient design with a shape and construction that optimizes the cushion's ability to withstand inflation pressures and impact when deployed which includes a sheet defined by at least one fold line and a plurality of flap portions, each flap portion having a base edge corresponding to a fold line and at least two side edges each extending outwardly from a base edge and ultimately converging to meet each other, the flap portions being folded at the fold line(s) and being joined at corresponding side edges to define an inflatable chamber. The inflatable protective cushion and method for making same may further include a lightweight, low permeability, fabric that optimizes the cushion's ability to withstand inflation pressures and impact when deployed and minimizes the packed volume of the cushion when stored.

Abstract: In a passive restraint system for a vehicle occupant using an inflatable air bag, an open base end of the air bag is clamped between an air bag housing for accommodating the air bag in its folded state and an inflator housing for receiving an inflator for producing the inflating gas therein. Thus, the base end of the air bag can be attached securely and tightly to the air bag system in a highly simple manner. The air bag housing diverges toward the opening for deploying the air bag, and the air bag can be therefore rapidly deployed without encountering any substantial resistance from the air bag housing. Also, the diverging shape of the air bag housing allows the air bag housing to be laterally deformed to absorb the energy of impact applied thereto.

Abstract: Provided is a variable ratio steering system for a vehicle which can maintain the relationship between the steering angle at the steering wheel and the behavior of the vehicle substantially constant without regard to the travelling speed of the vehicle. A rotational movement of a steering wheel is converted into a linear movement of a conversion shaft which is provided with a radial pin. An annular rocking movement member consisting of an outer ring and an inner ring surrounds the conversion shaft. The outer ring is rotatably supported by a casing so that its inclination angle relative to the axial line of the conversion shaft may be varied, and the inner ring is coaxially and freely rotatably received in the outer ring. The radial pin of the conversion shaft engages with the inner ring via a spherical joint. Therefore, the linear movement of the conversion shaft is converted into a rotational movement of the conversion shaft which is in turn converted into a steering movement.

Abstract: A hydraulic mechanism for driving a vehicle, and having right and left laterally spaced hydraulic motors which drive respective ground engaging wheels, an axle structure extending laterally between the right and left hydraulic motors for receiving operating loads from the ground engaging wheels, the right and left hydraulic motors being coupled with the axle structure for generally enclosing and sealing the axle structure, said generally sealed axle structure being adapted for containing hydraulic fluid and serving as a fluid reservoir, a hydraulic pump which drives the hydraulic motors, said pump being in operative fluid communication with the interior of the axle structure for drawing fluid therefrom, the pump being positioned outside the axle structure. The motors include input and output ports which are positioned within the axle structure, and hydraulic lines extend between the pump and the input and output ports.

Abstract: An automatic powered, self-tracking system for the rear axles of large vehicles which experience difficulty in cornering manueverability. A motion sensing device is placed in proximity to a steering component of the vehicle and is operable to sense and distinguish between right and left-hand turns in both forward and reverse travel. The motion sensor connects to a plurality of axle-pivoting mechanisms which are positioned to exert a force on preselected components of the vehicle's suspension system. The force exerted by the mechanisms is directly proportional to the degree of the turn, so that the associated axle is caused to pivot by an amount which directs it in an arcing path through the turn without skidding or cutting a curb or other obstacle short.

Abstract: A vehicle having a load support body, and a pair of front ground engaging wheels and a pair of rear ground engaging wheels connected to the body to support the body is shown, with each wheel being displaceable relative to the body in a generally vertical direction. A double acting fluid ram has a piston and is interconnected between each wheel and the body. Each ram includes a first and second fluid filled chamber on opposite sides of the ram piston, with the first and second chambers varying in volume in response to vertical movement between the respective wheel and the body. First conduits provide fluid communication between the first chambers of the front and rear rams on the same side of the vehicle, and second fluid conduits provide communication between the second chambers of the front and rear rams on the same side of the vehicle.

Abstract: A device for transporting food and food related items including an insulated container having foldable all-terrain wheels, foldable tray members, and telescoping handle. Tie-down hooks are provided to permit securement of a saddlebag to the device. The saddlebag will provide increased transporting capacity. The tray members may be locked into a horizontal use position to support plated, beverages, food containers, etc. An auxiliary support pole may be attached to the container to support an umbrella or light.

Abstract: A wheel and leg assembly fastened to one short side of a travel bag at the bottom, including a leg assembly which fits over one corner of the short side and has an oblong hole on a horizontal extension thereof, and a wheel assembly, which fits over an opposite corner of the short side and has an oblong hole on a horizontal extension of the wheel holder thereof, the oblong hole on the leg assembly being overlapped on the oblong hole on the wheel holder and connected with it to the travel bag at the bottom by a rivet.

Abstract: A motor vehicle with an on-board propelling power source and operator control functions for steering, increasing and decreasing the vehicles rate of motion. The vehicle includes a chassis with an operator seat for receiving a human operator; a front wheel that can be laterally directed by the operator so the operator can steer the vehicle; a front wheel which is connected to an electronic motor for propelling the vehicle; a drive-gear train assembly for transferring the rotational power of the electronic motor to rotational power of the front wheel; a pair of rear wheels spaced laterally relative to each other for supporting and assisting in maneuvering the vehicle; and a pair of front stabilizing wheels spaced laterally from the front wheel with the front wheel intermediate to the front stabilizing wheels. The steering mechanism, drive-gear train assembly, and electronic motor are attached to a steering shaft and rotate with the steering shaft.