Abstract: In an embodiment, an electric parking brake system is disclosed. The system may include or comprise a pair of parking cables each connected to a brake. Additionally, the system may include or comprise a motor and a drive gear. The system may also include or comprise a planetary gear unit including or comprising a sun gear connected to the drive gear, a plurality of planetary gears gearedly connected with the sun gear, an internal gear formed along a revolving path of the planetary gears, and an output carrier connected to the planetary gears. The system may further include or comprise a screw-nut unit including a screw member and a nut member screwed to the screw member, the screw-nut unit being connected to the output carrier, and the parking cables being connected to opposite ends of the screw-nut unit, respectively.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a shock absorbing and indicating bumper. The bumper includes, a spherical shaped body with a surface mountable to a corner of a device to which shock is to be absorbed. The bumper includes a crushable conical member engaged with a conical recess of the spherical shaped body, the crushable conical member having a hole therethrough from the vertex to the center of the base, and a shell with a substantially hollow semispherical shape slidably engaged with a surface of the spherical shaped body. The bumper further includes a rigid shaft with a first end fixedly attached to a central portion of the hollowed side of the shell and a second end pivotally engaged with the spherical shaped body at substantially the center of the spherical shaped body, the shaft extending through the hole in the crushable member and aligned thereby.

Abstract: An magnetorheological damper useful in structural vibration control has a damper body and a moveable portion relative to the damper body. The damper includes an magnetorheological material contained within the damper body for resisting movement of the moveable portion. Rheology changes can be generated in the magnetorheological material owing to changes in a magnetic field, to which the magnetorheological material is exposed. The damper further includes at least a sensor embedded in the damper for monitoring an external force exerted on the damper, and for generating a signal to control the magnetic field and hence the resulting yield force and rheological damping of the damper in response to a variance in the external force.

Abstract: A damping force control valve, which includes a high pressure region in communication with a tension chamber of a cylinder and a low pressure region in communication with a reservoir chamber, and controls a damping force by adjusting pressure of a pilot chamber by first and second variable orifices, the first and second variable orifices having channels controlled to open or close by a spool. The damping force control valve comprises a main valve opened or closed according to pressure of the high pressure region, initial preload and pressure of the pilot chamber, the main valve allowing working fluid to flow from the high pressure region to the low pressure region when being opened; a first fixed orifice formed between the high pressure region and the first variable orifice; and a back pressure forming channel for making the first fixed orifice and the pilot chamber communicate with each other.

Abstract: An electrohydraulic brake system having a muscle-force-actuatable auxiliary brake and an external-force-actuatable service brake includes operating mode switchover valves triggerable by an electronic control unit for switching from the service braking state to the auxiliary braking state. A piston/cylinder unit with a pressure medium connection between a master cylinder and a wheel brake which is interrupted by the switchover valves to simulate the pedal travel in the service braking state. The piston/cylinder receives the pressure medium displaced in the master cylinder by actuation of the brake pedal by the driver's foot. The piston/cylinder unit can be hydraulically blocked in the auxiliary braking state so that pressure medium positively displaced in the master cylinder is available to the greatest possible extent for building up pressure at the wheel brakes. The subjection of the piston/cylinder unit to pressure medium is controlled via one of the operating mode switchover valves.

Abstract: A hydraulic motorcycle brake system includes an accommodating member for the hydraulic connection of two master brake cylinders to the front-wheel brake and rear-wheel brake having several pressure channels for the front-wheel circuit and rear-wheel brake circuit, and allowing manufacture in a simplest possible manner, and a pair of wheel brake connections connectable to the rear-wheel brake and front-wheel brake open into a lateral surface of the accommodating member, the wheel brake connections being arranged between a pair of pressure connections that are connectable to the two master brake cylinders.

Abstract: An electric parking brake including a housing, an actuator, a gear box assembly, a driven gear, a spindle, a screw nut, an equalizer through which the spindle is penetrated and the screw nut is rotatably inserted, brake cables connected to opposite sides of the equalizer, respectively, each brake cable having a first end formed with a coupling piece for the connection of the equalizer and a second end connected to an associated one of wheel brake devices, and an emergency release device including cam units and operating levers and adapted to slacken the brake cables in an emergency release situation, so as to release the parking brake. In the case of any emergency situation, such as electric discharge of a vehicle or failure of the parking brake, the parking brake is released by a simple cable pulling action.

Abstract: An opposed piston disc brake caliper has a caliper housing arranged for mounting brake shoes on each of opposite sides of a rotor. The rotor in use is disposed between the brake shoes with each brake shoe having a backing plate and a friction lining applied to the backing plate. The caliper housing has side walls extending generally in a plane parallel to a plane of the rotor and on opposite sides of the plane of the rotor which accommodate a piston. The caliper housing has mounting members for engagement with each of the side edges of each backing plate between the radially inner edge and the radially outer edge of the friction lining. The engagement is such as to substantially limit movement of each brake shoe other than in a direction toward or away from the rotor with at least one of the mounting members being removable from the caliper housing to facilitate removal of the brake shoe from the caliper housing.

Abstract: A shock absorber includes an external valve which controls the damping characteristics of the shock absorber. The external valve controls the flow of fluid between the lower working chamber of the shock absorber and the reservoir chamber and between the upper working chamber of the shock absorber. The damping characteristics are dependent on the amount of current being applied to a solenoid valve which controls the movement of a plunger.

Abstract: An airtight damper, an input axis, and a flywheel are mounted to the input axis with a bolt. A torque transmitter, a torque transmitter attachment unit of the flywheel, and a support plate are united with each other using a bolt. The torque transmitter includes a spline unit. A pressure plate engaged with the spline unit is pressed by a pressure spring so as to press a friction plate and a torque transmitter plate against the support plate. Since the torque transmitter plate is fixed to a drive plate by a rivet, the torque from the input axis can be transmitted to the drive plate. Although the torque from the engine is larger than an allowable value, a friction member can slip at a constant torque depending on the pressure of the pressure spring, thereby protecting the damper against an excess load.

Abstract: A braking system for a vehicle, which can prevent an alteration in brake pedal toe force when a brake hydraulic pressure is increased or decreased based on a regenerative braking force obtained by a drive motor in an electric vehicle or hybrid vehicle, and a braking method thereof.

Abstract: A hydraulic brake system for a vehicle includes a brake having a wheel cylinder that applies a braking force to a wheel, and a pressurizing device. The pressurizing device pressurizes the brake liquid and includes a suction portion for sucking a brake liquid, and additionally includes an output portion connected to the wheel cylinder. A linear solenoid valve includes at least one housing, and is connected to the wheel cylinder and to the suction portion of the pressurizing device. The solenoid valve includes a valve portion having a reciprocating valve member and a valve seat opposed to the valve member. A biasing member biases the valve member in one direction and a solenoid applies a drive force to the valve member in an opposite direction. In addition, a hydraulic-pressure-decrease restraining device restrains a decrease of pressure of the brake liquid in the housing.

Abstract: A torsional vibration damping disk with a base body which has a circumferential edge on the outside which is partially turned back in order to form receiver spaces for spring elements, in particular for bow spring elements. In order to create a torsional vibration damping disk which has a long service life at high rotational rates, a reinforcement strap, the free end of which is fastened to the base body, extends out from the circumferential edge in the area of at least one receiver space.

Abstract: An electric brake comprises an actuator module including a module housing, a reciprocating ram, and an electric motor operatively connected to the reciprocating ram for selectively extending and retracting the reciprocating ram with respect to the module housing. The ram has an inner portion of non-circular cross-section and an outer portion of circular cross-sectional, and the housing has a guideway for the ram, which guideway has an inner portion of non-circular cross-section for interacting with the inner portion of the ram to prevent rotation of the inner portion of the ram, and an outer portion of circular cross-sectional. The actuator module can be equipped with a bi-stable holding brake having a first state permitting at least retraction of the ram and a second state preventing at least retraction of the ram.

Abstract: The invention provides a brake control apparatus that improves the controllability of a vehicle in the control for restraining slip of the wheels. The brake control apparatus includes: wheel cylinders that apply braking force individually to wheels by supplying a working fluid; retention valves that are provided respectively upstream of the wheel cylinders and that are opened and closed so as to restrain slip of the wheels; a common control valve provided upstream of the retention valves to supply the working fluid to the wheel cylinders; and a control portion that controls the common control valve by different control laws to restrain fluctuations in pressure on a primary side of the retention valves caused by fluctuations in a capacity to which the working fluid from the common control valve is supplied, by opening or closing of the retention valves.

Abstract: An anchoring sleeve assembly for securing a plurality of component systems to an axle tube housing. In one aspect, the anchoring sleeve assembly is pre-machined prior to installation on the axle tube housing to reduce the need for further machining operations once coupled to the axle tube housing. In particular, the anchoring sleeve assembly includes an annular portion defining a sleeve bore and a plurality of fixation apertures positioned about the annular portion. The anchoring sleeve assembly includes a plurality of extended portions projecting outwardly from the annular portion. Each extended portion from the plurality of extended portions fixedly receives a respective component system from the plurality of component systems to ultimately secure the component system to the axle tube housing.

Abstract: A shock absorber piston has an upper half, a lower half and a tuning disc disposed between the upper and lower halves. The design for the openings in the tuning disc can be selected to individually tune the high and low speed damping characteristics in both compression and extension movements of the shock absorber.

Abstract: A brake system for a vehicle includes an electrically operated parking brake drive device which generates an operating force for operating the wheel brakes or dedicated parking brakes in response to energization, and which operates even upon cancellation of the energization while in the operated state. A braking force related amount detector detects a physical quantity related to a braking force exhibited by each of the hydraulic pressure operated wheel brakes. When a detected physical quantity exceeds a reference value in a stopped state of the vehicle, a controller energizes the electrically operated parking brake drive device. Thus, the frequency of operation of the electrically operated parking brake drive device is decreased while eliminating inconvenient operations required to operate the electrically operated parking brake drive device, thereby reducing noise and improving durability.

Abstract: In a preferred embodiment, an apparatus, including; telescoping inner and outer members; a release collar circumferentially encircling the outer member; at least one rotatably mounted pawl disposed in the outer member; the at least one rotatably mounted pawl being depressed into at least a first depression formed circumferentially in the inner member by the release collar; and the at least one rotatably mounted pawl being movable between unlocked and locked positions. A vibration damper for the hold open rod is also provided.

Abstract: A brake lever assembly for actuating a hydraulic system is shown and described. The brake lever assembly comprises a housing, a master cylinder disposed in the housing, and a master piston disposed in the master cylinder. The master piston has an adjustable dead band. A lever is connected to the housing and has an adjustable reach. The lever is pivotable about a first axis to adjust the reach and is pivotable about a second axis to actuate the master piston.