Abstract:
A clutch selectively transmits torque and rotary motion from a spindle having an axis of rotation to a drum. First and second shoe members disposed radially between the spindle and the drum move radially with respect to the axis of rotation between an engaged position and a disengaged position with respect to the drum. The first and second shoe members are responsive to acceleration for moving into the engaged position and responsive to rotational speed for moving into the disengaged position. A biasing spring normally maintains the first and second shoe members in the disengaged position when the spindle is at rest.
Abstract:
A locking unit for a motor which is to be locked in which a plurality of fingers at the ends of flexible arms, coupled to a locking motor, move into and out from engagement with a plurality of spaces bounded by ridges in a member which is connected to the shaft of the motor to be locked.
Abstract:
In a vehicle wiper system of the type having a frame tube fixed to the vehicle body, an improved mounting of a housing to the frame tube includes an inwardly tapered cradle portion on the housing that matches an inwardly tapered mounting portion of the tube, with deformable ribs on the housing cradle that are sheared by the tube when the housing is attached so as to assure solid, intimate contact between the housing and tube.
Abstract:
A drive for overlapping wipers includes a pair of wiper shafts offset to different sides of a drive shaft, each driven by a spatial mechanism, which, by virtue of the offset from the drive shaft, creates a position and speed differential between the wipers that prevents them from colliding at inner wipe.
Abstract:
A reverse to park mechanism of the type in which a crank arm is eccentrically pivoted relative to a reversable drive shaft axis. The crank arm is held in a first position by a drive lug on one side of the crank arm that prevents it from pivoting in one direction, and a latching lever pivoted to the crank arm that engages a latching pin to prevent it from pivoting in the other direction. The orientation of a keeper surface of the latching lever relative to the cylindrical surface of the latching pin that it contacts is designed to provide a very strong resistance to slip off, while allowing a reversal activated torque means to easily move the keeper surface off of the latching pin to release the crank arm.
Abstract:
A windshield washer control for a vehicle is responsive to vehicle speed to vary the speed of an electric motor driven pump so as to vary the pump pressure with vehicle speed and thus counteract the downward dislocating effect, increasing with vehicle speed, of air rushing over the windshield, whereby the cleaning fluid is applied to a predetermined target area of the windshield regardless of varying vehicle speed. In addition, the pump may be activated for a time varying inversely with vehicle speed to counteract the variation of volume flow with varying pump pressure and thus cause a substantially constant volume of cleaning fluid to be applied to the windshield for each activation of the pump.
Abstract:
Rebound and compression damping action of this hydraulic damper is set by rotating a selector plate within the damper piston to a number of positions to control orifice selection in parallel to flow through the disk plate pack and thereby control the rate of oil flow through the piston during rebound.
Abstract:
A commutator has a plurality of spaced, electrically conducting segments, each of which has a physical dimension determining the relative time duration of brush contact with said segment during commutator rotation with audible brush noise being generated between the brush and said consecutive segments, the noise including a fundamental frequency component at a frequency related to the frequency at which the consecutive segments pass the brush. The physical dimension of the consecutive segments varies from each segment to the next according to a predetermined pattern effective to vary the relative time of brush contact from each segment to the next during rotation and thus reduce the amplitude of the fundamental frequency components to make the brush noise less tonal in character and thus less annoying.
Abstract:
An antenna mount for a retractable antenna has a collapsible spacer to permit the antenna mount to conform to the shape of the surface to which the antenna is mounted. The collapsible spacer has a plurality of cantilever springs formed thereon which permit one end of the spacer to angulate relative to the centerline of the spacer while the spacer collapses in a direction generally parallel to the centerline thereof without significant change in the diameter of the spacer.