Abstract: A closing system for doors having a container provided in a handle. The container has a touch surface that is placed in a window-type recess of the handle, and a switching element that is arranged in the container can be actuated by the touch surface. The switching element is used to switch the control electronics of the closing system between two states, namely a state that prevents opening of the door and a state that allows the door to be opened.

Abstract: An anti-backup device for a power conveyor system is provided and includes a mounting plate, a mounting shaft, a spline cut cog, a multi-position cam, and a bias spring. Both the spline cut cog and the multi-position cam have multiple teeth that engage each other to permit rotation of the multi-position cam in a forward direction and prevent rotation of the multi-position cam in a backward direction.

Abstract: A power steering apparatus includes a housing defining a chamber. A rack is disposed within the chamber and is moveable along a longitudinal axis. A pinion extends into the chamber for meshing engagement with the rack. A bearing supports the rack relative to the housing and is moveable relative to the housing to re-position the rack relative to the pinion. An adjustment mechanism continuously biases the bearing in response to loosening of the meshing engagement to re-position the rack. A dampener resists the movement of the bearing to slow the re-positioning of the bearing. Preferably, the dampener includes a plastic fluid having a very high viscosity. The plastic fluid is disposed between adjacent moving parts to resist the relative movement between the bearing and the housing.

Abstract: A cast metal connecting rod of the type used in a reciprocating piston engine has a beam section between two end sections. The beam section and the end sections are integral with one another and are at least partially made of a cast metal material. At least the beam section of the connecting rod includes an insert made of a sintered powder metal material. The insert is at least partially encapsulated by the cast metal material of the connecting rod. The insert reinforces the connecting rod and can help match characteristics of surrounding or mating parts of the engine that are made of materials more similar to the material of the insert than the cast metal of the connecting rod. The cast metal material, for example aluminum alloy, of the connecting rod can also provide localized regions of high machinability where needed.

Abstract: A composite transmission housing includes resin transfer molding or vacuum assisted resin transfer molding manufacturing processes combined with discontinuous fiber preforms. The preforms are assembled in a prepared injection and cure mold with additional details and fillers. The preforms are constructed such that the preforms are assembled into the mold in a specific order to assure proper arrangement. Using a combination of vacuum and pressure, a resin is injected into the mold to completely infuse the assembled preforms. At completion, the mold is heated to the resin cure temperature and held at this temperature for sufficient time to insure complete cure.

Abstract: An oval gear set for use in a flow meter comprises first and second gears that are identical to each other and that are configured to engage at a fixed center-to-center distance such that the first and second gears mesh at all angular positions. Each gear of the oval gear set comprises a hub and a plurality of gear teeth. The hub comprises an oval body having a major axis and a minor axis extending through a center of the hub, and a root profile wall circumscribing the major and minor axes. The plurality of gear teeth extend from the root profile wall. Each of the gear teeth has a pair of contact surfaces with circular involute curve profiles.

Abstract: A friction drive actuator, comprising: a vibration member which is configured to be driven to vibrate by expansion and contraction of a piezoelectric displacement portion which is included in the vibration member and driven by a driving signal; a sliding member which is in contact with the vibration member and is driven by the vibration member in a first direction with respect to the vibration member; a pressing member which causes the vibration member and the sliding member to come into a pressure contact therebetween; and a control member which is provided on each of the vibration member and the sliding member at a contact portion therebetween for controlling a relative movement of the sliding member with respect to the vibration member in a direction perpendicular to the first direction when the vibration member and the sliding member are pressedly contacted with each other by the pressing member.

Abstract: A pedal is rotated in a forward rotational direction by a pedal force applied from a driver and is rotated in a reverse rotational direction by a restoring force exerted from a double coil spring arrangement. A friction member generates friction between the pedal and the friction member. The friction member includes a sliding part, a holding part and a resiliently deformable part. The sliding part slidably engages the pedal, and the holding part is held by a housing. The resiliently deformable part is resiliently deformable between the sliding part and the holding part to permit displacement of the sliding part relative to the holding part.

Abstract: A remote manipulation arm comprising a master arm (5) mechanically separated from a slave arm (1) with the slave arm comprising a tubular segment and a manipulation tool 12 at one end thereof and further comprising an interface system including a control portion (7) and a mechanical power portion (8) for driving the slave arm (1) through a mechanical transmission (26,27) of the slave arm wherein the mechanical power portion (8) comprises a stationary motor, a stationary casing, a drum attached to the tubular segment and a transmission capable of rotating the tubular segment (3) and wherein the remote manipulation arm further comprises a winder (32) of electrical cables leading to control motors and a circular arc shaped part between the drum and a cylindrical portion of the stationary casing.

Abstract: An eddy-current actuated balancer includes a barrel having a locating wall at one end thereof; two balancing wheels mounted around the barrel and carrying a respective counterweight at the border, a washer set between the balancing wheels, an elastic ring and a lock ring and a pulsed magnetic field generator mounted on each balancing wheel. The balancing wheels, the washer and the elastic ring are clamped between the locating wall of the barrel and the lock ring. Each pulsed magnetic field generator is controlled to generate a pulsed magnetic field acting upon the associating balancing wheel during its rotation for inducing an eddy current that causes the associating balancing wheel to make an angular displacement relative to the barrel for balance adjustment.

Abstract: A pedal bracket (3) affixed to a dash panel (1) pivotably supports a pedal unit (2) via a first pivot shaft (13) and a pivotable lever (5) via a second pivot shaft (17). A shaft retainer (51) prevents a downward displacement of the first pivot shaft (17) under normal conditions, whereas the pivotable lever (5) goes into contact with a side member (33) of a vehicle body and pivots on the second pivot shaft (17) in a specific direction in the event of a vehicle collision, thereby thrusting and displacing the first pivot shaft (13) downward and disengaging the pedal unit (2) from the pedal bracket (3). At this time, the shaft retainer (51) draws back from underneath the first pivot shaft (13), for instance, as a result of pivoting of the pivotable lever (5) and goes into a nonrestrictive state in which the shaft retainer (51) allows a displacement of the first pivot shaft (13).

Abstract: An electronic communication wire connecting an input speed sensor and a computer controller in a transmission system is provided. The electronic communication wire connects at one end to the input speed sensor through a first aperture in the transmission case and at the other end to the computer controller through a second aperture in the transmission case. Thus, the electronic communication wire is attached at both ends to internal devices but it partially exists external to the transmission case along the length of the electronic communication wire. The connection between the electronic communication wire and the input speed sensor is sealed with at least a single O-ring while the connection between the electronic communication wire and the computer controller is sealed with at least a pair of O-rings. A method of electronically connecting the input speed sensor and the computer controller externally of the transmission case is also provided.

Abstract: An electronic pedal assembly including a treadle, a pedal arm connected to the treadle, and a rotor assembly about which the pedal arm rotates. The assembly also includes one or more Hall sensors positioned within a cavity in the rotor assembly and one or more magnets that fixedly attached to the rotor assembly. The Hall sensors detect the position of the treadle by monitoring the positions of the magnets. Also, a method of monitoring an electronic pedal assembly using one or more magnets and one or more Hall sensors.

Abstract: A lever lockout assembly includes a pair of lever supports and a pair of slide supports mounted on a housing. A lever member is rotatably supported by the lever supports. The lever member has a pair of arms separated by a notch. A lockout slide is slidably supported by the slide supports. The lockout slide has a ridge portion and a recess portion. The lockout slide is slidable to a lockout position wherein the ridge portion is received by the notch and the ridge is engagable with the arms to prevent rotation of the lever member. The lockout slide is also slidable to an unlocked position wherein the recess portion is aligned with the notch and the arms are rotatable through the recess portion. A handle projects from an end of the lockout slide. The lockout slide is a rigid bar with a polygonal cross-sectional shape. An edge of the bar forming the ridge portion. The lockout slide includes a pair of detent recess formed in a surface thereof.

Abstract: A rotary knob assembly (100) includes a fixed raised boss (110) having a boss cavity (107) and a knob (102) optionally having a rotary switch stem (104) therein. The knob can include a portion that axially resides within the boss cavity such that impacts to the knob transfers to the fixed raised boss. The knob can further include a rigid core member (106) and an outer over-molded portion (108) over-molded on to the rigid core member. The fixed raised boss can include an outer circumference (118) and an inner circumference (116). The inner circumference of the boss and a portion of the rigid core member and the outer circumference of the boss and the outer mover-molded portion form a knob-boss interface (117) that sustains impacts to the rotary knob assembly while isolating a rotary switch (112) from impacts.

Abstract: A cam and cam follower apparatus translates linear cam bar movement to perpendicular valve stem actuation in an injection molding system. The cam bars reciprocate up and down on linear bearing rails such that an actuation plate, fitted with a plurality of valve stems, is cycled normal to the direction of the cam bar movement via cam followers traveling within cam slots in the cam bars. The cam slots in the cam bars are profiled such that the cam followers affect the speed and force at which the valve stems travel while at the same time reducing frictional effects and their associated power requirement. The cam followers of the valve stem actuation plate travel in cam slots in the cam bars from a valve stem forward position, to a valve stem retracted position and ultimately, the entire actuation plate may be removed from the cam bars for maintenance via open ended slots in the cam bars.

Abstract: A handlebar grip for a bicycle includes a handlebar, two hard shells detachably combined with each other to form a clamping housing which presses an outer wall of the handlebar and is provided with at least one hollow portion, and a soft inner sleeve clamped between an inner wall of the clamping housing and the outer wall of the handlebar and having an outer wall provided with at least one soft protruding portion extending through the hollow portion of the clamping housing and protruding outwardly from an outer wall of the clamping housing to form a soft holding surface. Thus, the two shells of the clamping housing and the inner sleeve can be changed individually according to a user's requirement, thereby enhancing the versatility of the handlebar grip.

Abstract: A handlebar clamp which can be removably affixed to the transverse clamping plate of any type of bicycle thereby allowing the bicycle to accommodate a multiplicity of handlebars. The handlebar clamp can be fitted to accommodate a multiplicity of different transverse clamping plates. The clamp is held in position by a quick-release attachment to the transverse clamping plate of a bicycle. The clamp has two jaws, the lower of which has at least two different sized partial openings, one each on its upper and lower sides, so that the lower jaw, upon rotation, accommodates different sized handlebars.

Abstract: A variable stiffness support has a support housing that is configured to adjust the orientation of an internal elastomer assembly. The support housing includes an adjustment mechanism, and the elastomer assembly includes an outer ring that encircles an elastomeric material, a central bushing embedded in the elastomeric material, and a plurality of shims embedded in the elastomeric material in a parallel planar fashion.

Abstract: A torque limiting handle assembly is described. One member of a two member torque limiting handle assembly has resiliently depending legs extending about its rotational axis. The second member has features arranged such that on rotation of the first member, the features contact the legs so that when a reaction torque of the second member is less than a threshold value, the second member rotates with the first member and when a reaction torque of the second member is greater than the threshold value, the legs resiliently deflect so that the features simply pass across the legs and the second member does not rotate with the first member.