Abstract: An improved, highly portable, collapsible scooter having a front frame extending upwardly from a front portion of a lower frame and being pivotally secured thereto. The front frame is secured at its upper end to steering means, and a front wheel is rotatably secured to the steering means. A rear wheel is rotatably secured to a rear portion of the lower frame, and a platform for supporting a rider is secured to the lower frame between the front and rear wheels. Lock means releasably lock the front frame and lower frame in an operating position or in a collapsed position in which the front frame extends rearwardly from the front portion of the lower frame. An engine is preferably coupled with the rear wheel of the scooter using a belt drive system which preferably includes toothed pulleys and a notched drive belt.

Abstract: In order to reduce the risk of head injuries in a passive safety belt system, the upper anchoring fitting provided with a buckle insert is automatically pivoted in response to loads typical of an accident to a safety position in which the anchoring fitting projects only a minimal amount into the region of a passenger head in a passenger compartment of a vehicle.

Abstract: An inflatable air bag restrains a vehicle occupant when inflated. The air bag comprises a first portion having a first plurality of folds disposed in a stacked relationship. The first portion of the air bag includes a surface area which is to be adjacent the torso of the occupant when the air bag is inflated. A second portion of the air bag has a second plurality of folds disposed in a stacked relationship. The second portion of the air bag includes a surface area which is to be adjacent the vehicle windshield when the air bag is inflated. A part of the air bag extends along the first plurality of folds for retarding an initial flow of inflating fluid into the first portion of the air bag and for directing an initial flow of inflating fluid into the second portion of said air bag.

Abstract: An exemplary engine mounting system provides two sets of rails along which the engine can travel in the event of an impact. A first set of rails is longitudinally mounted within the vehicle with the inwardmost portions thereof curving towards the ground to prevent intrusion by the engine into the passenger compartment. A second set of rails, orthogonal to the first set, permits side-to-side movement of the engine and first set of rails. The second set of rails may be curved downward to lengthen the path of engine travel. Springs are used for biasing against both longitudinal and transverse movement, as well as for dampening of engine vibration. The two sets of rails may be used in conjunction with bumpers attached directly to the engine.

Abstract: A modular wheelchair that may be rapidly assembled and disassembled includes an adjustable chassis for releasably attaching a wheel module and a seating module having a detachable leg rest module. The one-piece chassis is constructed from composite materials and has hollow or foam filled longitudinal sides and cross-bars connecting the sides, and two cantilevered or trussed forwardly extending arms which connect swivel castors. The sides include mounts for adjustably attaching the seat module at a selectable center of gravity and height. The composite materials of the arms provide shock and vibration protection and further provide a space behind the arms and beneath the seating assembly for storing and attaching optional equipment. The wheel assembly includes drive wheels constructed from composite materials, smaller travel wheels for traversing narrow openings, anti-tip wheels and wheel locks.

Abstract: A supporting structure for an upper link of a vehicular suspension whose camber is adjusted by a cam plate attached to the upper link, has a pair of U-shaped upper link brackets which are fixed side by side to a side member of a vehicle. A generally U-shaped shock absorber is fixed to both the upper link brackets to support a shock absorber and the upper link. A rebound bumper unit is installed to the upper link berackets to absorb a shock from the upper link.

Abstract: A mechanical sensor for a vehicle seat belt system comprises a casing, an inertia body mounted on the casing for movement in response to an inertial force imposed on it and an output member separate from the inertia body. A spring is coupled between the casing and the output member and biases the output member to move it relative to the casing. A release member is normally engaged between the output member and the inertial body such as to restrain the output member against movement under the bias of the spring in the absence of an inertial force on the inertia body in excess of a predetermined magnitude. Upon movement of the inertial body by an inertial force in excess of the predetermined magnitude, the inertia body releases the release member, which in turn moves out of engagement with the output member, whereupon the spring displaces the output member.

Abstract: An air bag inflator is provided with a new and useful auto-ignition device. The auto-ignition device comprises a thermoelectric battery, preferably located outside of the inflator housing. The thermoelectric battery is adapted to become electrochemically active in a predetermined temperature range (e.g. 300.degree.-400.degree. F.), and to provide an electrical signal which actuates the inflator.

Abstract: In a sensor for releasing the preload of a pretensioner spring in a seat belt pretensioner, a displacement-aiding spring is provided to apply a spring force in the direction of the displacement of an inertial body by an inertia force. When acceleration is detected, the force of the displacement-aiding spring and the inertia force of the inertial body combine to release the preload of the pretensioner spring.

Abstract: An airbag sensor for triggering the inflation of an airbag forming part of an airbag restraint system for an automotive vehicle, during a vehicle collision. The airbag sensor is arranged to be locked to disable the triggering function during maintenance and test run upon loosening a locking releasing bolt, and to be unlocked to normally function during norman driving of the vehicle upon tightening the bolt. A sufficient tightening of the locking releasing bolt provides closing of an electric circuit to operate a warning device which informs a mechanic of completion of the locking releasing.

Abstract: A vehicle stabilizer bar end link includes a force absorbing and force transmitting arm having a ball stud connector at each end. The force transmitting arm portion is fabricated by crimping together two similarly configured stampings to provide a rigid torsion resistant arm. Each ball stud connector is secured between the stampings during assembly to form a ball and socket joint and includes a threaded portion extending generally at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the arm. The invention may be used in one form as a connecting link between various suspension components of a vehicle chassis.

Abstract: The posture of the automotive vehicle body is controlled by supplying or discharging the operating fluid to or from the cylinder unit for each wheel, which is interposed between a sprang weight and an unsprung weight. When an incident occurs to such an extent that the control over the posture of the vehicle body cannot be implemented in a normal way, the control is suspended. When such an incident occurs during cornering of the vehicle body, the suspension of the control over the posture of the body is so modified as to implement a special control, preferably control being made so as to lower the vehicle height by forcibly discharging the operating fluid from the cylinder unit. This prevents the vehicle body from being leaned after the end of the cornering. A decision as to cornering is made by taking advantage of the state of operation of the steering wheel or the magnitude of transverse acceleration.

Abstract: A vehicle suspension comprises dampers changeable between low and high damping modes and normally operated in the low damping mode. A damper control stores a plurality of sets of reference numbers as a function of vehicle velocity, the reference numbers of each set representing limit values of throttle velocity for the low damping mode for a given transmission gear mode. The reference numbers of each set increase in value with increasing vehicle velocity in a continuously non-linear manner so as to compensate for the decreasing acceleration and body lift produced by a given throttle velocity as vehicle velocity increases. The control changes the damper from low to high damping during vehicle acceleration for a predetermined time when the throttle velocity exceeds a throttle velocity limit reference derived from the reference number corresponding to the vehicle velocity in the set corresponding to the selected transmission gear mode.

Abstract: An improved inflatable passenger side air bag safety device for motor vehicles for detecting the presence or absence of a passenger positioned on or in front of a particular passenger vehicle seat. The safety device comprises a control unit for the intelligent triggering of the propellant charge for the air bag when a triggering event is detected, such as an impending collision, and the presence of a passenger is also detected. The control unit receives signals from a pair of switches, electrically connected in parallel to one another, including a first seat switch for detecting the presence or absence of a sitting passenger and a second foot switch for detecting the presence or absence of a standing, kneeling, or sitting passenger in the region in front of the vehicle seat. In the preferred embodiment both switches are flat, contact type switches, each having a broad surface area and are activated when subjected to the weight of a passenger from above.

Abstract: An active suspension system for an automotive vehicle is provided. This suspension system includes generally a hydraulic circuit which supplies pressurized fluid to hydraulic cylinders for controlling vehicle height and attitude. The hydraulic circuit includes a line pressure holding unit and a line pressure control unit. The line pressure holding unit is operable to hold the line pressure when the line pressure is lowered below a preselected pressure level after stopping supply of the pressurized fluid to the hydraulic cylinders. The line pressure control unit restricts a flow rate of the pressurized fluid to the hydraulic cylinders to build up the line pressure gradually until the line pressure reaches the preselected pressure level after starting the supply of pressurized fluid to the hydraulic cylinders to allow smooth adjustment of vehicle height and attitude.

Abstract: A suspension system for vehicles, in which the supporting center on the vehicle body side of an assist link is offset from the axial center of a bush of a suspension arm member so as to control the swinging locus of the suspension arm member at bumping of the wheel by the different swinging locus of the assist link. By the supporting center on the wheel support member side of the suspension arm member which is offset from the central axis of rotation of the wheel, the wheel at bumping is made toe-in for oversteering tendency to enhance turning ability at turning or is made toe-out for understeering tendency to enhance driving stability at turning and the camber angle of the wheel is made larger for enhancing straight driving stability or is made smaller for enhancing riding comfort and reducing steering power required for turning. Thus, the present invention makes it possible to change properly the toe-control and the camber-control according to characteristics of each kind of vehicle.

Abstract: A drawbar of a tractor is coupled to a tongue of an implement such as a mower conditioner. A primary drive line is connected between a power-take-off shaft on the tractor and an input shaft on the implement to deliver power from the tractor to the implement. The primary drive line includes a telescoping drive shaft with a constant velocity joint at one end for connection to the tractor power-take-off shaft. Another constant velocity joint at the other end of the telescoping drive shaft is adapted for connection to the implement input shaft. An extension is attached to the implement tongue at an angle thereto, and a hitch pin pivotally connects the extension to the tractor drawbar. The hitch pin defines a pivot point for the implement tongue.

Abstract: In a clutch control method of a motor-driven power steering apparatus, a clutch is disconnected when a change width of a steering angle detected by a steering angle sensor is a predetermined angle or less and a steering torque detected by a torque sensor is a predetermined torque or more in both the steering directions. A clutch controller of a motor-driven power steering apparatus includes a first transistor arranged between one terminal of the clutch coil and a power source, a second transistor arranged between the other terminal of the clutch coil and an earth, and a current sensor connected in series with the first and second transistor.

Abstract: A suspension apparatus of an automotive vehicle controls a posture of the vehicle body by controlling supply and discharge of an operating liquid to and from a cylinder unit interposed at each of the wheels between a sprung weight and an unsprung weight. The pressure within a high-pressure line for supplying the operating liquid of a high pressure to the cylinder units is released to the reservoir tank at a faster speed when a trouble occurs which cannot normally perform a control of the posture of the vehicle body and at a slower speed when an ignition switch has been turned off.

Abstract: A vehicular suspension system incorporates, at each wheel, a liquid spring which internally utilizes a compressible liquid to generate spring and damping forces that yieldingly resist vertical wheel deflection relative to the vehicle frame. The liquid spring includes a dual piston assembly which divides a main cylinder into bounce and rebound chambers. A rotary metering valve is interposed between the bounce and rebound chambers for controlling the flow of compressible liquid from one chamber to the other during bounce and rebound. The dual piston assembly includes a tubular piston having a modulation chamber coupled in flow communication with the bounce chamber. The spring and damping characteristics of each liquid spring are computer adjusted during vehicle operation by modulating the bounce chamber pressure in response to sensed variations in various liquid spring and vehicle operating parameters.