Abstract: Turbocharger operational condition is monitored using vibration and temperature sensors to project probable bearing failure. Baseline or nominal vibration levels and heat generation are established under conditions when bearing condition can be taken with confidence to be close to nominal. Departure in operating temperature and vibration at a threshold level from baseline operational condition is taken as an indication of probable failure.

Abstract: A motor bus body (8) has multiple wall extrusions (18, 48) that join respective sides to the roof (16). Each extrusion has an exterior wall (20) that when viewed lengthwise of the extrusion is concave toward an interior passenger space (10) and convex away from the interior passenger space to form a rounded exterior corner of the body. The extrusion also comprises an interior wall (22) that is concave toward the exterior wall (20) and that cooperates with the exterior wall to enclose a space that contains additional walls (36, 38) of the extrusion joining with the interior and exterior walls (20, 22).

Abstract: A vehicle is constructed of three modules including a front end module having a monocoque one piece body, a tail module having a monocoque one piece body and a power train module adapted for installation under at least one of the front end module and the tail module. The front end module has a trailing edge and the tail module has a leading edge along which the tail module and front end module may be temporarily connected for service use. A power train module is provided adapted for installation under at least one of the front end module and the tail module. An expansion band formed in a monocoque one piece section and having a leading edge and a trailing edge is provided allowing temporary installation between the front end module and the tail module to adjust the length of the vehicle.

Abstract: A rear axle/suspension module (18) is associated with a chassis frame (10) in a way that facilitates installation and removal to provide more efficient assembly plant operations with fewer parts and less floor space. Also provided is a method of re-equipping a truck that has one particular model of drive axle and suspension module with a different model.

Abstract: A battery assembly is disclosed having an enclosure with a top and sides, one of the sides having an opening for receiving the batteries therein. A plurality of batteries in electrical communication with one another are disposed within the enclosure. Each battery has a pair of parallel tubular openings extending through the battery, with one tubular opening being in electrical communication with the positive pole and the other tubular opening being in electrical communication-with the negative pole of the battery. When the batteries are aligned with one another within the enclosure, the tubular openings are axially aligned with each other. A conductor rod threaded at each end extends through and is in electrical communication with each tubular opening in each battery. A threaded fastener is secured to each of the threaded end of each of the conductor rods.

Abstract: A protection structure is formed from a platform and a forward pair and a rearward pair of load bearing members, where each load bearing member is attached at a lower end to the platform. A first and second pair of side beams are attached to the outer side of one of each of the pair of load bearing members, respectively. A pair of upper corner beams are attached to an upper end of each of the load bearing members and attached to an end of each of a forward pair and a rearward pair of transverse members, where a beam is attached to the opposite end of each of the pair of transverse members. Body panels may be attached to the protection structure to define and enclose the occupant compartment.

Abstract: A vehicle battery cable has a plurality of subsidiary or daughter cables where the subsidiary cables have the same length and gauge and exhibit closely matched resistance. The vehicle battery cable connects a plurality of batteries in parallel to a load in a way that each battery carries the same proportion of the load as every other battery.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein relate to a cooling system for a motor vehicle. One embodiment comprises a visor apparatus that includes an exterior visor having an inner face, and an opposite outer face, and a heat exchanger attached to the inner face of the exterior visor. The heat exchanger has an inlet and an outlet. An exchange bed is in fluid communication with the inlet and the outlet. A cooling system circuit is located within the motor vehicle and is in fluid communication with the inlet and the outlet.

Abstract: A hydraulic suspension system for a tractor includes a first rock shaft generally parallel to a second rock shaft, a frame rail attached to the first rock shaft and the second rock shaft, a first trailing arm attached to the first rock shaft and having fixed rotation with the first rock shaft, and a second trailing arm attached to the second rock shaft and having fixed rotation with the second rock shaft. The suspension system also includes a first rear axle attached to the first trailing arm, and a second rear axle attached to the second trailing arm. A hydraulic cylinder is connected to the first rock shaft and to the second rock shaft.

Abstract: A vehicle is constructed of three modules including a front end module having a monocoque one piece body, a tail module having a monocoque one piece body and a power train module adapted for installation under at least one of the front end module and the tail module. The front end module has a trailing edge and the tail module has a leading edge along which the tail module and front end module may be temporarily connected for service use. A power train module is provided adapted for installation under at least one of the front end module and the tail module. An expansion band formed in a monocoque one piece section and having a leading edge and a trailing edge is provided allowing temporary installation between the front end module and the tail module to adjust the length of the vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicle battery cable has a plurality of subsidiary or daughter cables where the subsidiary cables have the same length and gauge and exhibit closely matched resistance. The vehicle battery cable connects a plurality of batteries in parallel to a load in a way that each battery carries the same proportion of the load as every other battery.

Abstract: A vehicle sub-structure includes an array of electrical power cells, the electrical power cells being ordered into groups of serially connected cells. A switch set provides for selectively interconnecting the plurality of groups of electrical power cells in a selected one of a plurality of possible orders, allowing the first and last cell in the series of cells to be changed. An auxiliary storage element is nested within the electrical power cells and both the auxiliary storage element and the arrays of electrical power cells are housed in a conformal enclosure.

Abstract: A school bus rollover protection structure is formed from a vehicle support platform and a forward pair and a rearward pair of vertically extending load bearing members where each vertically extending load bearing member is attached at a lower end to the vehicle support platform. A first and second pairs of longitudinally extending side beams are attached to the outer side of one of each of the pair of vertically extending load bearing members, respectively. A pair of upper corner longitudinally extending beams are attached to an upper end of each of the vertically extending load bearing members and attached to an end of each of a forward pair and a rearward pair of transverse load bearing members, where a center upper longitudinally extending beam is attached to the opposite end of each of the pair of transverse load bearing members. Non-structural body panels may be attached to the school bus rollover protection structure to define an occupant compartment.

Abstract: A motor bus body (8) has multiple wall extrusions (18, 48) that join respective sides to the roof (16). Each extrusion has an exterior wall (20) that when viewed lengthwise of the extrusion is concave toward an interior passenger space (10) and convex away from the interior passenger space to form a rounded exterior corner of the body. The extrusion also comprises an interior wall (22) that is concave toward the exterior wall (20) and that cooperates with the exterior wall to enclose a space that contains additional walls (36, 38) of the extrusion joining with the interior and exterior walls (20, 22).

Abstract: A battery assembly (100) is disclosed having an enclosure (102) with a top (104) and sides (102), one of the sides (108) having an opening (110) for receiving the batteries (112) therein. A plurality of batteries (112) in electrical communication with one another are disposed within the enclosure (102). Each of the batteries (112) has a pair of parallel tubular openings (116, 118) extending through the batteries, with one of the tubular openings (116) being in electrical communication with the positive pole (120) of the battery (112) and the other of the tubular openings (118) being in electrical communication with the negative pole (122) of the battery (112). When the batteries (112) are aligned with one another within the enclosure (102), each of the positive tubular openings (116) are axially aligned with each other and each of the negative tubular openings (118) are axially aligned with each other.

Abstract: A rear axle/suspension module (18) is associated with a chassis frame (10) in a way that facilitates installation and removal to provide more efficient assembly plant operations with fewer parts and less floor space. Also provided is a method of re-equipping a truck that has one particular model of drive axle and suspension module with a different model.

Abstract: A chassis frame (10) uses channels as right and left side rails (12, 14). A lower “clam” (22) has a horizontal bottom wall (26L) that bridges the side rails and is disposed against bottom flanges (20R, 20L) of the side rail channels and vertical side flanges (28L, 30L) that extend from opposite sides of the bottom wall upward and against a face of a respective one of vertical walls (16R, 16L) of the channels that is exterior to the interior of the respective channel. An upper “clam” (24) is a mirror image of the lower “clam” and fits over the side rails. Spacer structure (30, 31, 38A, 38B, 40A, 40B) is disposed between and in abutment with the side rail channels and between and in abutment with the “clams” in inwardly spaced relation to the side rail channels. Fasteners (48, 50, 56, 62) fasten various parts together to complete the cross member that is formed by the “clams” and the spacer structure.

Abstract: A rear axle/suspension module (18) is associated with a chassis frame (10) in a way that facilitates installation and removal to provide more efficient assembly plant operations with fewer parts and less floor space. Also provided is a method of re-equipping a truck that has one particular model of drive axle and suspension module with a different model.

Abstract: A rear axle/suspension module (18) is associated with a chassis frame (10) in a way that facilitates installation and removal to provide more efficient assembly plant operations with fewer parts and less floor space. Also provided is a method of re-equipping a truck that has one particular model of drive axle and suspension module with a different model.

Abstract: A chassis frame (10) uses channels as right and left side rails (12, 14). A lower “clam” (22) has a horizontal bottom wall (26L) that bridges the side rails and is disposed against bottom flanges (20R, 20L) of the side rail channels and vertical side flanges (28L, 30L) that extend from opposite sides of the bottom wall upward and against a face of a respective one of vertical walls (16R, 16L) of the channels that is exterior to the interior of the respective channel. An upper “clam” (24) is a mirror image of the lower “clam” and fits over the side rails. Spacer structure (30, 31, 38A, 38B, 40A, 40B) is disposed between and in abutment with the side rail channels and between and in abutment with the “clams” in inwardly spaced relation to the side rail channels. Fasteners (48, 50, 56, 62) fasten various parts together to complete the cross member that is formed by the “clams” and the spacer structure.