Abstract: A parking brake actuator includes a mounting bracket, a cover plate. A brake operating assembly includes a lever and a locking sector gear. A locking clutch spring assembly includes a pinion rivet, a shaft, a flange, first and second tubular portions and a pinion with a plurality of teeth. A torsion spring is wrapped about the first tubular portion and the pinion. A first leg of a release spring abuts a first arm of a release lever. A release cable is connected to a second arm of the release lever. A brake cable is connected to an adjusting sector gear, which is engageable with an adjusting clutch spring assembly.

Abstract: Case parts of an adjustment mechanism for a seat adjustment device of a motor vehicle can be joined together along a parting line via joint surfaces. The joint surfaces are provided for the purpose of reciprocal placement of the case parts by way of a joining process. Contact surfaces of the case parts are present in addition to the joint surfaces The contact surfaces are in non-parallel alignment to the joint surfaces. Transferred gear forces running parallel to at least a section of the joint surfaces are absorbed by the contact surfaces. The case parts are fastened to one another by way of screw connections. The contact surfaces of the one case part are respectively held in position with respect to the contact surfaces of the other case part solely due to the screw connections. With such a case, high loads can be absorbed in spite of a small size.

Abstract: A motion transmitting remote control cable assembly includes a conduit having first and second ends and a central axis. A core wire is disposed along the central axis of the conduit and includes first and second ends. A slide housing having opposing top and bottom walls, opposing side walls, and opposing first and second ends has a guide passage extending from the first to the second end of the slide housing. A slide member including opposing top and bottom surfaces, opposing side surfaces, and opposing first and second ends is coupled to the core wire at the first end of the core wire. The slide member is disposed within the guide passage and includes notches formed on one of the opposing side surfaces. A gear assembly is rotatably connected to the slide housing and meshes with the notches formed on the slide member. A torsion spring having first and second ends is disposed about the gear assembly and is attached to the gear assembly at the first end of the spring.

Abstract: An electrical control device for a motor-driven derailleur for bicycles. The control device has a supporting body adapted for attachment to the handlebars of the bicycle. A brake lever is mounted on the supporting body so that it can oscillate. A pair of switches, for controlling gear change, are carried by the supporting body. The switches are preferably mounted on a supporting plate that is located on the supporting body. Preferably, the switches are pre-assembled on the support plate before the plate is positioned on the supporting body.

Abstract: A crank device includes a crank arm having an opening formed in one end and defined by an outer peripheral fence for attaching to a crank shaft, and an orifice formed in another end and defined by an outer peripheral wall for coupling to a foot pedal, and the crank arm includes one or more apertures formed in the other end and formed in the outer peripheral wall for weight reducing purposes. The aperture may be laterally formed in the other end of the crank arm, or formed through the outer peripheral wall of the crank arm and communicating with the orifice of the crank arm. The crank arm may further include one or more depressions for further weight reducing purposes.

Abstract: A motion transmitting remote control cable assembly includes a conduit having first and second ends and a central axis. A core wire is disposed along the central axis of the conduit. A molded fitting having first and second ends and a central bore is disposed at a first end of the conduit. The core wire extends through the central bore of the molded fitting. A hollow slider body including an outer peripheral surface and opposing first and second ends includes a central bore extending from the first to the second end. The core wire extends through the central bore of the hollow slider body. The hollow slider includes a slot formed through a top of the outer peripheral surface that defines a lock cavity. The molded fitting is movably disposed in the central bore of the hollow slider body. A spring that engages the hollow slider body in the molded fitting biases the hollow slider body and molded fitting apart.

Abstract: A bicycle toe positioning device comprises a treadle having a main body which is formed with an axial hole, an axial rod and a bearing set. The treadle is further formed with a first clamping portion and a second clamping portion. A tightening unit has a first positioning end and a second positioning end. In assembly, the first clamping portion is buckled to a rib and a pair of wings of the first positioning end. The second clamping portion is secured to the second positioning end so that the treadle is secured to the toe positioning unit. The first clamping portion has a buckling block which is fixed to the treadle by using an pivotal rod. A spring is retained in the first clamping portion and an adjust unit serves to adjust the tightness of the buckling block.

Abstract: A bicycle sprocket crank assembly is comprised of first and second crank arms joined to a spindle. One of the crank arms and the spindle may be fabricated as a unitary structure, or both cranks arms may be formed as separate structures and joined together. In either case the spindle has at least a first coupling end with an internally tapped axial bore defined therein and the second crank arm forms at least a first socket at its axle end. At least a first wedging sleeve is provided and is disposed about the first coupling end of the spindle. The first wedging sleeve conforms to the shapes of both the first coupling end of the spindle and the hollow cavity in the first socket. Either the coupling end of the spindle or the hollow cavity is axially tapered, and the wedging sleeve is tapered to match.

Abstract: A bicycle sprocket crank assembly is comprised of first and second crank arms joined to a spindle. One of the crank arms and the spindle may be fabricated as a unitary structure, or both cranks arms may be formed as separate structures and joined together. In either case the spindle has at least a first coupling end with an internally tapped axial bore defined therein and the second crank arm forms at least a first socket at its axle end. At least a first wedging sleeve is provided and is disposed about the first coupling end of the spindle. The first wedging sleeve conforms to the shapes of both the first coupling end of the spindle and the hollow cavity in the first socket. Either the coupling end of the spindle or the hollow cavity is axially tapered, and the wedging sleeve is tapered to match.

Abstract: A Bowden-type cable containing a cable (14) is provided with proximal (14P) and distal extremities arranged in a jacket (18) having proximal (18P) and distal extremities blocked by proximal (20P) and distal arresting units. At least the first extremity (18P) of the jacket (18) is connected to the first arresting unit (20P) with the aid of a liaison unit (22) which is arranged on the first extremity (18P) of the jacket (18). In a preferred embodiment, the liaison unit is moulded on the first extremity (18P) of the jacket (18) and welded by ultrasound to the first arresting unit (20).

Abstract: A track fitting used to secure a covering to a track extending along an item includes a body and a plunger. The body of the track fitting has at least one foot, adapted to be received in one of a series of openings defined by the track, and the body is also adapted to receive and secure a portion of the covering. The plunger of the track fitting is placed adjacent to and is vertically moveable with respect to the body. The plunger generally moves between a first position that allows movement of the track fitting along the track and a second position in which the plunger engages one of the openings defined by the track, preventing further movement of the track fitting along the track.

Abstract: A pedal box for an automobile is designed to collapse in the event of a front-end vehicle collision. A pedal box supports a control pedal of the automobile. The pedal is pivotally mounted on a main pivot shaft which goes through a preferably arcuate elongate slot in the pedal. The main pivot shaft is normally held at one end of the slot by a blocking plate which is held between a pivotal access below the slot and a latch member above the slot. In the case of a frontal impact of the automobile causing entry of the pedal box into the driver's compartment, a relatively rigid member of the automobile contacts the latch member and releases the latching engagement, permitting the blocking plate to fall away and allowing the main pivot shaft to traverse a slot in the pedal together with rotation of the pedal away from contact with the feet of a driver of the automobile.

Abstract: A ratchet assembly includes a threaded rod and a support collar that defines a bore. A portion of the threaded rod is disposed in the axial bore of the support collar. A ratchet pawl is pivotable carried by the support collar between locked and unlocked positions. The ratchet pawl has at least one tooth that threadably engages the threaded rod when the ratchet pawl is in the locked position to allow the threaded rod to threadably rotate with respect to the support collar for fine position adjustments. The ratchet pawl automatically pivots to the unlocked position when the threaded rod is forced in a direction from the first end toward the second end to allow for gross position adjustments.

Abstract: A bicycle crank arm assembly is provided with a bicycle crank arm with a first end configured to be coupled to an axle of a bottom bracket and a second end with a pedal attachment bore for receiving a bicycle pedal shaft. A tubular member is press fitted into the bore of the bicycle crank arm. The tubular member has an external circumferential with serrations that is surface non-releasably press fitted into the pedal attachment bore of the bicycle crank arm, and an internally threaded surface adapted to be coupled to the bicycle pedal shaft. The crank arm preferably has a counterbore at one axial end of the pedal attachment bore with a washer disposed therein such that the washer partially overlaps the tubular member.

Abstract: A pedal assembly for use in association with a vehicle includes a pedal support adapted for mounting to the vehicle. The pedal support includes a pivot shaft extending along a pivot axis and having an outer bearing surface. A pedal arm is rotatably engaged to the pivot shaft to allow pivotal movement of the pedal arm about the pivot axis. A clamp arm is pivotally coupled to the pedal arm and has a compression surface. A biasing member is engaged between the pedal support and the clamp arm and is arranged to apply a biasing force to the clamp arm to pivot the clamp arm relative to the pedal arm and toward the pivot shaft.

Abstract: A pedal assembly including a bracket, a pedal lever pivotally mounted to the bracket, a spring mounted to the bracket, and a cam pivotally mounted to the bracket. The cam engages one end of the spring so as to load the spring while the cam pivots. The cam has a pre-determined profile and the pedal lever engages the cam profile to pivot the cam and load the spring during the stroke of the pedal lever, thus enabling the assembly to provide a pre-determined force versus stroke profile.

Abstract: An object clamp includes first and second clamp portions having recesses therein defining a generally circular cylindrical opening for receiving an object to be clamped. The first and second opposing clamp portions have at least one pair of opposing ends when in a preclamped state and at least one fastener for urging the ends towards each other when in a clamped state. At least one relief area is formed in the recesses and is deflected into engagement with the object when the object clamp is in the clamped state. The object to be clamped may be a bicycle steering tube, a bicycle handle bar, or a bicycle seat tube, for example.

Abstract: A connecting rod of an internal combustion engine, comprising a connecting beam section serving as a main body of the connecting rod. Big and small ends are located at the opposite ends of the connecting beam section. A first joining section is located between the connecting beam section and the big end to connect the connecting beam section and the big end. A second joining section is located between the connecting beam section and the small end to connect the connecting beam section and the small end. In this connecting rod, each of the first and second joining sections gradually and continuously decreases in cross sectional area toward the connecting beam section and has a strength distribution in which a strength increases with a decrease in the cross sectional area.

Abstract: A method is provided for filtering out rotational vibrations transmitted by a drive shaft (11, 111) to an output shaft (19, 119, 219). The method comprises the following steps. First, a filtering device is provided that includes a drive shaft damper (20, 120, 220) mounted to the output shaft 19 and an electromagnetic modulating device. The drive shaft damper (20, 120, 220) is selectively tuneable by the electromagnetic modulating device to a frequency of a rotational vibration which is inside the range of frequencies of the rotational vibrations to be damped out. Then, a frequency of a rotational vibration transmitted by the drive shaft (11, 111) is measured. Subsequently, the frequency of the rotational vibration of the drive shaft damper (20, 120, 220) is matched to the frequency of the rotational vibrations transmitted by the drive shaft (11, 111).

Abstract: A regulator (27) automatically adjusts a drive cable (3, 4) or Bowden cable (15) to drive a vehicle brake by means of a drive element such as a brake lever or a handbrake lever (21), the regulator (27) comprising two pivotally supported resetting arms (1, 9) prestressed by at least one spring element (13) and which can be connected each to the drive cable (3, 4) resp. leading to the brakes, further comprising a blocking system (28) to block the pivoting motion about a common pivot axis (19) of the resetting arms (1, 9) in case of actuation of the drive element coupled by a Bowden cable (15) to the resetting arms (1, 9). At least one guidance inset (7) is seated in irrotational manner in a clearance (5) of a resetting arm (1) as a pivot bearing for the other resetting arm (9), the latter being supported at the guidance inset (7) so as to be pivotable about the pivot axis (19) and the blocking system (28) is supported at or in the guide inset (7) so as to be radially displaceable about the pivot axis (19).