Abstract: A rear suspension structure includes left and right trailing arms, left and right hub carriers, and a lateral beam. Each hub carrier includes a front arm portion extending in a direction inward in the vehicle width direction and frontward of an axis of the rear wheels, and a rear arm portion extending rearward of the front arm portion. Each trailing arm has a rear end portion coupled to the hub carrier or the lateral beam via a first coupling portion that is a bushing. The lateral beam includes a left beam extending inward in the vehicle width direction from the rear arm portion disposed on a left side of the vehicle, a right beam extending inward in the vehicle width direction from the rear arm portion disposed on a right side of the vehicle, and left and right second coupling portions displaceably coupling the left beam and the right beam.

Abstract: A wire harness assembly includes a wire harness and a bracket fixedly secured to the wire harness by an overmold. The bracket includes a first wall fixedly secured to and facing the wire harness from a first radial angle with respect to a centerline of the wire harness such that a first wall normal line directed normal from the first wall intersects the centerline of the wire harness where the first wall is fixedly secured to the wire harness. The bracket also includes a second wall fixedly secured to and facing the wire harness from a second radial angle that is a different radial angle from the first radial angle with respect to the centerline of the wire harness such that a second wall normal line directed from the second wall intersects the centerline of the wire harness where the second wall is fixedly secured to the wire harness.

Abstract: A brake pedal assembly installation method includes installing a brake operation simulator to a lower part of a dashboard; pivotally mounting a brake pedal arm to a mounting feature associated with brake operation simulator; providing an elastic member with first and second free ends that are normally biased toward one another; securing the first free end of the elastic member to a yoke mounted to an end portion of the push rod; extending the elastic member and securing the second free end of the extended elastic member to the brake pedal arm; aligning an opening on the brake pedal arm with an opening on the yoke; and inserting a lock pin through the openings of the brake pedal arm and the yoke to secure the yoke to the brake pedal arm.

Abstract: A bracket for use in supporting a module within a vehicle. The bracket includes a first end, a second end, and a bracket body extending between the first end and the second end. The bracket body includes at least one attachment point defined at each of the first end and the second end, a first side that defines a mounting surface, and a second side opposite the first side. The bracket body also includes a reinforced side wall that extends about the at least one attachment point. The reinforced side wall is configured to define a bushing receptacle on both the first side and the second side of the bracket body.

Abstract: A brake pedal assembly installation method includes installing a brake operation simulator to a lower part of a dashboard; pivotally mounting a brake pedal arm to a mounting feature associated with brake operation simulator; providing an elastic member with first and second free ends that are normally biased toward one another; securing the first free end of the elastic member to a yoke mounted to an end portion of the push rod; extending the elastic member and securing the second free end of the extended elastic member to the brake pedal arm; aligning an opening on the brake pedal arm with an opening on the yoke; and inserting a lock pin through the openings of the brake pedal arm and the yoke to secure the yoke to the brake pedal arm.

Abstract: A bracket for use in supporting a module within a vehicle. The bracket includes a first end, a second end, and a bracket body extending between the first end and the second end. The bracket body includes at least one attachment point defined at each of the first end and the second end, a first side that defines a mounting surface, and a second side opposite the first side. The bracket body also includes a reinforced side wall that extends about the at least one attachment point. The reinforced side wall is configured to define a bushing receptacle on both the first side and the second side of the bracket body.

Abstract: An accelerator pedal assembly of a vehicle can include a pivotable arm including a moveable end that is movable through a plurality of pedal positions from an initial position to a fully engaged position. The accelerator pedal assembly can also include a pedal connected to the moveable end of the pivotable arm. The accelerator pedal assembly can further include a reaction force control assembly connected to the pivotable arm and configured to apply a reaction force to the pivotable arm. The reaction force control assembly can include a first mode in which the reaction force increases as the pedal position approaches the fully engaged position in accordance with a first relationship, and a second mode in which the reaction force increases as the pedal position approaches the fully engaged position in accordance with a second relationship that is different from the first relationship.

Abstract: A heat shield for a motor vehicle includes an elongated planar shield body for separating an exhaust pipe and a fuel tank of the motor vehicle, the shield body extending longitudinally along a longitudinal axis between the exhaust pipe and the fuel tank, the shield body having a generally concave surface extending from the axis to first and second vertical walls along first and second edges of the shield body, a forward attachment portion for attaching the shield body to a frame of the motor vehicle longitudinally forward of the fuel tank, a rearward attachment portion for attaching the shield body to the frame of the motor vehicle longitudinally rearward of the fuel tank, and a water escape port in the first vertical wall.

Abstract: A heat shield for a motor vehicle includes an elongated planar shield body for separating an exhaust pipe and a fuel tank of the motor vehicle, the shield body extending longitudinally along a longitudinal axis between the exhaust pipe and the fuel tank, the shield body having a generally concave surface extending from the axis to first and second vertical walls along first and second edges of the shield body, a forward attachment portion for attaching the shield body to a frame of the motor vehicle longitudinally forward of the fuel tank, a rearward attachment portion for attaching the shield body to the frame of the motor vehicle longitudinally rearward of the fuel tank, and a water escape port in the first vertical wall.

Abstract: Some embodiments are directed to a duct assembly for cooling a brake assembly of a vehicle. The duct assembly can include a hollow inlet section that is disposed at the vehicle sub-frame and configured to capture air from beneath the vehicle sub-frame; and a hollow intermediate section that communicates with the inlet section so as to form a contiguous channel therewith. The intermediate section can be disposed entirely within the vehicle sub-frame. A hollow outlet section can communicate with the intermediate section so as to form a contiguous channel between the inlet, intermediate and outlet sections. The outlet section can be disposed and configured to direct the air captured by the inlet section to the front end of the brake assembly to thereby cool at least a portion of the brake assembly.

Abstract: Some embodiments are directed to a duct assembly for cooling a brake assembly of a vehicle. The duct assembly can include a hollow inlet section that is disposed at the vehicle sub-frame and configured to capture air from beneath the vehicle sub-frame; and a hollow intermediate section that communicates with the inlet section so as to form a contiguous channel therewith. The intermediate section can be disposed entirely within the vehicle sub-frame. A hollow outlet section can communicate with the intermediate section so as to form a contiguous channel between the inlet, intermediate and outlet sections. The outlet section can be disposed and configured to direct the air captured by the inlet section to the front end of the brake assembly to thereby cool at least a portion of the brake assembly.

Abstract: A disc brake device for applying brake to wheels by pressing a disc rotor between pads, the disc brake device includes: pads disposed at a position to press the disc rotor; a first piston which can press one pad; a cylinder which slidably supports the first piston; and a body frame which can press the other pad, the body frame having: a pad connection portion which connects to the other pad in a push-pull manner; and a sliding portion which is slidably supported by the cylinder. The disc brake device includes a caliper bracket which supports the pads not to limit a movement in the axial direction, but to limit a movement in any direction other than the axial direction on disc-rotor-rotating-in and disc-rotor-rotating-out sides of the disc brake device, the caliper bracket being provided integrally with the cylinder and separated from the pad connection portion.

Abstract: In a disk brake for a vehicle, an electric motor is attached to a caliper body so as to exhibit a power for urging a friction pad toward a disk rotor. The electric motor includes a brush holder for holding brushes which contact a commutator at positions at even distances in a circumferential direction of an armature. Internal feed terminals are disposed in the brush holder so as to provide connection between the brushes and feed wires respectively leading to the brushes. A rotational angle detecting sensor is disposed in the brush holder so as to detect a rotational angle of the electric motor. The rotational angle detecting sensor is disposed in the brush holder on a side opposite from the internal feed terminals with respect to the armature. Thus, it is possible to improve assemblability of the rotational angle detecting sensor to the brush holder, and facilitate operation of connecting the feed wires to the brush holder.

Abstract: A thrust transmitting plate 14b on a cylinder hole bottom side portion of an adjuster nut 14, a drive side cam plate 12, and a cam spring 15 for biasing the thrust transmitting plate 14b toward the drive side cam plate 12 are accommodated in a generally cylindrical housing 16. Parts of the arc face of the circumferential wall of the housing 16 are deformed inwardly to form flat portions 16d. Engaging apertures 16e are formed in the flat portions 16d such that the engaging protrusions 14d are movable only in the cylinder axis direction when they are engaged. Portions of the circumferential wall of the housing 16 are protruded outwardly in convex shapes by presswork to form plural locking parts 16g arranged in the circumferential direction. The housing 16 is configured so as to be mounted in a cylinder hole 8 by latching those locking parts 16g to a circumferential groove 8f formed in the cylinder hole 8.

Abstract: A disk brake for a vehicle, includes: an electric motor which has a motor shaft provided with an armature and which is attached to a caliper body so as to exhibit a power for urging a friction pad toward a disk rotor; and a Hall IC for detecting a rotational angle of the electric motor. The Hall IC is disposed within the electric motor so as to be located on an outer side of a pulser mounted on the motor shaft, and is retained by a motor case of the electric motor and a sensor cover made of a synthetic resin and detachably attached to the motor case. Thus, it is possible to reduce the number of parts by eliminating a special sealing measure.

Abstract: In a vehicle disk brake, a motor housing houses in a housing recess a case into which an end of an output shaft liquid-tightly protrudes, and is mounted to a caliper body. A reduction mechanism having an output rotating member is sealed in the case while part of the output rotating member fluid-tightly protrudes from the case so as to be coaxially and operatively connected to a rear portion of the screw shaft. Grease is charged into the case. Thus, the case for housing the reduction mechanism is simply configured while preventing leakage of the grease charged into the case, and mounting of the case to the caliper body is facilitated.

Abstract: An opposed-piston caliper body includes a pair of acting portions adapted to be disposed one on each side of a disc rotor. Each of the acting portions has at least one cylinder bore defined therein, and a piston slidably inserted in the at least one cylinder bore. A bridge interconnects the acting portions. The cylinder bores defined in the acting portions are disposed out of axial alignment with each other. One of the acting portions has through holes defined therein in confronting relation to the cylinder bores defined in the other of the acting portions.

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: An electric disk brake for a vehicle, includes an electric motor in which a brush coming into slide contact with a commutator provided on an output shaft rotatably supported in a motor housing is held by a brush holder secured to the motor housing, and a rotation angle detection sensor for detecting a rotation angle of the electric motor. A brake piston driven by the electric motor is slidably fitted to a caliper body. A detected portion to be detected by the rotation angle detection sensor housed and placed in the motor housing is provided on the output shaft in the motor housing. Thus, the rotation angle detection sensor can be provided without any special waterproof seal and with a reduced number of components.

Abstract: A thrust transmitting plate 14b on a cylinder hole bottom side portion of an adjuster nut 14, a drive side cam plate 12, and a cam spring 15 for biasing the thrust transmitting plate 14b toward the drive side cam plate 12 are accommodated in a generally cylindrical housing 16. Parts of the arc face of the circumferential wall of the housing 16 are deformed inwardly to form flat portions 16d. Engaging apertures 16e are formed in the flat portions 16d such that the engaging protrusions 14d are movable only in the cylinder axis direction when they are engaged. Portions of the circumferential wall of the housing 16 are protruded outwardly in convex shapes by presswork to form plural locking parts 16g arranged in the circumferential direction. The housing 16 is configured so as to be mounted in a cylinder hole 8 by latching those locking parts 16g to a circumferential groove 8f formed in the cylinder hole 8.