Abstract: A blade root cover segment suitable for fitting to a wind turbine blade to span a gap between the blade and a spinner cover. The blade root cover segment includes a first end and a second end and further includes a curved flange for abutting against a correspondingly curved surface of the wind turbine blade; a cover wall extending radially from the flange; and a tensioning band associated with the flange. The tensioning band includes a first end proximate to the first end of the blade root cover segment and a second end proximate to the second end of the blade root cover segment. The first end and the second end of the tensioning band include connection means for connecting with and applying tension between a like blade root cover segment. A blade root cover and a method of assembling a blade root cover are also provided.

Abstract: A vehicle bedliner includes a floor panel, a forward panel and a pair of side panels. The floor panel is configured to be disposed on a floor of a cargo box of a truck. The forward panel extends upwardly from the floor panel. Each of the pair of side panels has a main body extending upwardly from the floor panel and extends from a lateral side of the forward panel. First side panel of the pair of side panels includes at least one opening and a severable portion that at least partially overlies the opening.

Abstract: A vehicle bedliner includes a floor panel, a forward panel and a pair of side panels. The floor panel is configured to be disposed on a floor of a cargo box of a truck. The forward panel extends upwardly from the floor panel. Each of the pair of side panels has a main body extending upwardly from the floor panel and extends from a lateral side of the forward panel. First side panel of the pair of side panels includes at least one opening and a severable portion that at least partially overlies the opening.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes an accessory mounting system for vehicles. The mounting system is reconfigurable between collapsed and expanded configurations, and includes first and second brackets. The first bracket is configured for releasable connection to a vehicle (e.g., via a utility track), and the second bracket is movably connected to the first bracket and configured to support an accessory, such as a speaker, a television, a monitor or other such display, and the like. The first bracket includes a rotatable locking mechanism that is engageable with the second bracket, as well as at least one fastener that is configured to releasably engage the vehicle (e.g., the utility track). The at least one fastener is positioned between the first and second brackets such that the at least one fastener is inaccessible when the mounting system is in the collapsed configuration.

Abstract: A cargo area structure has a retractable step installed to the cargo area structure beneath a floor and a first side wall thereof. A handle assembly has a base and a grip handle supported to the base. The base is attached to an upright surface of the first side wall. The base also has a position locking mechanism configured such that in response to manual operation of the position locking mechanism, the grip handle is movable from a stowed orientation and an in-use orientation such that in the in-use orientation the grip handle is positioned such that an individual using the step to enter the cargo area grabs the grip handle for assistance in stepping up into the cargo area.

Abstract: A system for forming stacked material includes a housing defining an interior space. The housing includes a bottom wall and a side wall coupled to the bottom wall. At least one tool is configured to shape the stacked material. The at least one tool is disposed within the interior space. A membrane extends at least partially over the bottom wall and is spaced a distance from the bottom wall. The membrane is configured to move towards the bottom wall. At least one intensifier mechanism is disposed in the interior space and is configured to induce a force against a portion of the stacked material and against the at least one tool as the membrane is moved towards the bottom wall.

Abstract: A vehicle body structure with a cargo area structure, a retractable step and a handle assembly. The cargo area structure has a floor, a first side wall and a tailgate at least partially defining a cargo area. The handle assembly has a base and a grip handle. The base is attached to an upright surface of the first side wall. The grip handle is movable relative to the base between a stowed orientation in which the grip handle is at a location lower than an upper surface of the first side wall and a gripping orientation in which at least a portion of the grip handle extends higher that the upper surface of the first side wall. With the grip handle in the gripping orientation an individual using the step to enter the cargo area grabs the grip handle for assistance in stepping up into the cargo area.

Abstract: A vehicle body structure having a cargo structure, a retractable step and a handle assembly. The cargo structure has a floor, a first side wall and a tailgate. The retractable step is installed to the cargo structure beneath the floor and the first side wall and adjacent to the tailgate. The handle assembly has a base and a grip handle extending from the base. The base is attached to an upright surface of the first side wall. The base is shaped and contoured such that the grip handle is positioned adjacent to and spaced apart from an upper surface of the first side wall within the cargo area above the floor and above the step. An individual using the step to enter the cargo area grabs the grip handle for assistance in stepping up into the cargo area.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes an accessory mounting system for vehicles. The mounting system is reconfigurable between collapsed and expanded configurations, and includes first and second brackets. The first bracket is configured for releasable connection to a vehicle (e.g., via a utility track), and the second bracket is movably connected to the first bracket and configured to support an accessory, such as a speaker, a television, a monitor or other such display, and the like. The first bracket includes a rotatable locking mechanism that is engageable with the second bracket, as well as at least one fastener that is configured to releasably engage the vehicle (e.g., the utility track). The at least one fastener is positioned between the first and second brackets such that the at least one fastener is inaccessible when the mounting system is in the collapsed configuration.

Abstract: A cargo area structure has a retractable step installed to the cargo area structure beneath a floor and a first side wall thereof. A handle assembly has a base and a grip handle supported to the base. The base is attached to an upright surface of the first side wall. The base also has a position locking mechanism configured such that in response to manual operation of the position locking mechanism, the grip handle is movable from a stowed orientation and an in-use orientation such that in the in-use orientation the grip handle is positioned such that an individual using the step to enter the cargo area grabs the grip handle for assistance in stepping up into the cargo area.

Abstract: A system includes a gripper device to grasp a disposable proxy. The gripper device is moveable to position a pressure sensitive adhesive in contact with the disposable proxy and apply a pressure force to adhere the pressure sensitive adhesive to the disposable proxy. The gripper device is moveable to position the pressure sensitive adhesive in contact with an edge portion of a first layer of a plurality of layers and apply a pressure force to adhere the pressure sensitive adhesive to the edge portion of the first layer. The system further includes a cutting device moveable to apply a cutting force to separate a sacrificial corner portion of the first layer proximate the edge portion of the first layer from a remaining portion of the first layer. The gripper device is movable to peel the remaining portion of the first layer from one or more remaining layers of the plurality of layers.

Abstract: A vehicle body structure includes a vehicle cargo structure and a handle assembly. The vehicle cargo structure has a floor and a first side wall at least partially defining a cargo area at a rearward end of a vehicle. The handle assembly has a base and a grip handle. The base is attached to the first side wall above the floor within the cargo area. The grip handle is movable relative to the base between a stowed orientation in which the grip handle is at a location lower than an upper surface of the first side wall and a gripping orientation in which at least a portion of the grip handle extends higher than the upper surface of the first side wall. With the grip handle in the gripping orientation an individual entering the cargo area grabs the grip handle for assistance in stepping up into the cargo area.

Abstract: A method and an automatic layup system for making a stack of a plurality of composite plies are presented. The automatic layup system includes a stacking assembly located in a first plane and a layup tool located in a second plane parallel to the first plane. The stacking assembly and the layup tool are movable towards each other. The method includes the steps of (a) providing one or more composite sheets between the layup tool and the stacking assembly, (b) generating a first composite ply from the one or more composite sheets, (c) placing the first composite ply on the layup tool by the stacking assembly by bringing the stacking assembly and the layup tool close to each other, and (d) repeating the steps (b) and (c) for generating and placing a second composite ply on the first composite ply, which is placed on the layup tool.

Abstract: A wind turbine is presented. The wind turbine includes a tower, a rotor coupled to the tower, and a plurality of blades coupled to the rotor, wherein each of the plurality of blades comprises a root and a plurality of root inserts positioned circumferentially along the root. Each of the root inserts includes a metal bushing including an outer surface and a plurality of grooves formed at least on the outer surface, a core coupled to the metal bushing, and a plurality of layers wrapped around the metal bushing and the core, wherein a layer of the plurality of layers comprises a different fiber orientation from a fiber orientation of another layer of the plurality of layers.

Abstract: Support structure (11) for supporting a functional component of an apparatus (1) for additively manufacturing at least one three-dimensional object (2) by means of successive layerwise selective consolidation of layers of a build material (3), wherein the support structure (11) comprises at least one support structure element which is built of a material or material structure having a coefficient of thermal expansion of 8×10?6 K?1 or below 8×10?6 K?1.

Abstract: A vehicle body structure has a cargo area structure, a retractable step and a handle assembly. The cargo area structure has a floor, a first side wall and a tailgate at least partially defining a cargo area. The retractable step is installed to the cargo area structure beneath the floor and the first side wall and adjacent to the tailgate. The handle assembly has a base and a grip handle fixedly attached to the base. The base is attached to the first side wall with a portion of the base overlaying a corresponding portion of the upper surface of the first side wall and with an attachment assembly extending through the at least one opening in upper surface of the first side wall with a first portion of the grip handle extending inboard over the floor of the cargo area.

Abstract: An automated in-line feed-through system and method, integrates the ability to control one or more variables during part fabrication with the layup of one or more fiber tows to form a composite part. The system includes an automated layup system configured to receive a feed-through of one or more fiber tows as an input material. The automated in-line feed-through system further includes a controller configured to respond to measurement data obtained by one or more samplings of the input material and/or a plurality of laid up plies that form a laminate. The controller in response to the obtained measurement data provides adjustment of the feed-through of the one or more fiber tows to compensate for a variation in one or more of the weights from a reference weight.

Abstract: A vehicle body structure has a cargo area structure, a retractable step and a handle assembly. The cargo area structure has a floor, a first side wall and a tailgate at least partially defining a cargo area. The retractable step is installed to the cargo area structure beneath the floor and the first side wall and adjacent to the tailgate. The handle assembly has a base and a grip handle fixedly attached to the base. The base is attached to the first side wall with a portion of the base overlaying a corresponding portion of the upper surface of the first side wall and with an attachment assembly extending through the at least one opening in upper surface of the first side wall with a first portion of the grip handle extending inboard over the floor of the cargo area.

Abstract: A vehicle body structure includes a vehicle cargo structure and a handle assembly. The vehicle cargo structure has a floor and a first side wall at least partially defining a cargo area at a rearward end of a vehicle, The handle assembly has a base and a grip handle. The base is attached to the first side wall above the floor within the cargo area. The grip handle is movable relative to the base between a stowed orientation in which the grip handle is at a location lower than an upper surface of the first side wall and a gripping orientation in which at least a portion of the grip handle extends higher that the upper surface of the first side wall. With the grip handle in the gripping orientation an individual entering the cargo area grabs the grip handle for assistance in stepping up into the cargo area.

Abstract: A vehicle body structure with a cargo area structure, a retractable step and a handle assembly. The cargo area structure has a floor, a first side wall and a tailgate at least partially defining a cargo area. The handle assembly has a base and a grip handle. The base is attached to an upright surface of the first side wall. The grip handle is movable relative to the base between a stowed orientation in which the grip handle is at a location lower than an upper surface of the first side wall and a gripping orientation in which at least a portion of the grip handle extends higher that the upper surface of the first side wall. With the grip handle in the gripping orientation an individual using the step to enter the cargo area grabs the grip handle for assistance in stepping up into the cargo area.