Abstract: An apparatus and a method for robotic control that allows an unbalanced pendulum robot to raise its Center of Mass and balance on two motorized wheels. The robot includes a pair of arms that are connected to the upper body of the robot through motorized joints. The method consists of a series of movements employing the arms of the robot to raise the robot to the upright position. The method comprises a control loop in which the motorized drives are included for dynamic balance of the robot and the control of the arm apparatus. The robot is first configured as a low Center of Mass four-wheeled vehicle, then its Center of Mass is raised using a combination of its wheels and the joint located at the attachment point of the arm apparatus and the robot body, between the rear and front wheels; the method then applies accelerations to the rear wheels to dynamically pivot and further raise the Center of Mass up and over the main drive wheels bringing the robot into a balancing pendulum configuration.

Abstract: Generally disclosed is a traction bar with a telescoping slider and related methods of use. The traction bar restricts wheel hop and axle wrap in vehicles and the traction bars telescoping slider allows the vehicle's suspension to maintain a full range of motion.

Abstract: A control system for a vehicle having first and second wheels is provided that includes a differential apparatus adapted to distribute torque between the first and second wheels and a traction controller for controlling operation of the differential apparatus from vehicle launch up to a predetermined vehicle speed. The traction controller is configured to engage the differential apparatus in a first operating state according to at least one vehicle operating parameter indicative of a low traction operating condition and to further control engagement of the differential apparatus in a second vehicle operating state during the low traction operating condition according to a difference between an actual vehicle yaw rate and a predetermined target vehicle yaw rate. The control system also includes a stability controller for controlling engagement of the differential apparatus at or above the predetermined vehicle speed.

Abstract: A system for mitigating hop in a propelled machine is provided. A controller is operable to receive an aggressiveness command based on an operator input. A sensor is operable to measure a parameter indicative of hop and output a hop signal indicative of a magnitude of machine hop, based on the measurement. A manager is operable to reduce an aggressiveness indicated by the aggressiveness command in proportion to the indicated magnitude of machine hop.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling driving forces supplied to left and right wheels of a vehicle, for effectively inhibiting oversteer and understeer states, includes driving force adjusting device for adjusting driving forces supplied to the left and the right rear wheels, first controlling device for controlling the driving force adjusting device such that a wheel speed difference between the left and the right rear wheels coincides with a target wheel speed difference, and second controlling device for controlling the driving force adjusting device such that a yaw momentum of the vehicle coincides with a target yaw momentum. If the vehicle is in an understeer state, the contribution of the second controlling device is increased relative to that the first controlling device and if the vehicle is in an oversteer state, the contribution of the first controlling device is increased relative to that of the second controlling device.

Abstract: A back-torque limiting slipper clutch. An engine including such a slipper clutch separate from its conventional gearbox clutch. A motor vehicle including such an engine having separate slipper clutch and gearbox clutch. A motorcycle having separate slipper clutch and gearbox clutch. The slipper clutch friction stack tension can be altered statically or dynamically. The slipper clutch may include a secondary output shaft which moves the final output to a point not coaxial with the slipper clutch, such as to move the final output to a different vertical height with respect to a swingarm pivot of the motorcycle.

Abstract: A vehicle, for driving over a ground surface, has a body with a left side, a right side, a front and a back. The vehicle includes left and right drive mechanisms. Each mechanism includes first and second traction elements for engaging the ground surface and transmitting a driving force between the vehicle and ground surface. Each mechanism includes first and second arms coupled to the first and second traction elements for relative rotation about first and second axis respectively. Each mechanism includes a rotor having a third axis, the rotor coupled to the body for rotation about the third axis and coupled to the first and second arms for relative rotation about the third axis. The mechanism includes first and second drive motors for driving the first and second traction elements and first and second transmissions, driven by the first and second motors and engaging is the rotor.

Abstract: A two-axle four-wheel tractor is equipped at its front and rear ends with working implements, individually, which are of the same type, opposite in working direction and shiftable between a working position and a nonworking position. The tractor has a steering system for steering the front and rear four wheels in the same direction through the same angle, a running transmission system for driving only the wheels positioned toward one of the working implements which is lifted to the nonworking position or, in a special case, a system for restraining the wheels positioned rearward with respect to the direction of advance of the tractor in a straight running position without permitting steering.