Abstract:
A vehicle seat arrangement having a plurality of air cells therein for supporting a user including a plurality of air cells (100) with expandable chambers comprising a fixed array; a controller (110) for connecting said plurality of air cells and a fluid supply system that includes fittings for cutting off one or more of the air cells from the controller to conform the fixed array of air cells to one of a plurality of vehicle types (100, 112, 118).
Abstract:
A hydraulic brake system (50) for a vehicle such as a golf car or the like uses the same brakes (52) and same brake pedal (80) for both service braking and park and hold braking. The brakes (52) are selectively engaged, locked in their engaged position, and released using an integrated control assembly including a brake pedal (80), an accelerator pedal (82), and a brake pedal locking mechanism (84). The brake pedal locking mechanism (84) is configured to automatically latch the brake pedal (80) in a locked position thereof and to automatically unlatch the brake pedal (80) from its locked position upon either subsequent movement of the brake pedal (80) into an overtravel position or subsequent actuation of the accelerator pedal (82). In addition, a hydraulic accumulator (62) stores part of the energy generated upon brake pedal depression and consequent manual actuation of a master cylinder (60) of the system to maintain the brakes (52) in their fully engaged state when the brake pedal (80) is latched. The stored energy can also be used to help return an applied brake pedal (80) to its released position, in which case return fluid flow to the master cylinder (60) is damped to avoid undesirable severe kickback of the brake pedal. The accumulator (62) preferably comprises a modular spring and retainer assembly that can be preassembled separately from the remainder of the system and subsequently mounted on the system as a unit.
Abstract:
A system of inflatable air cells is constructed and installed in a seat at locations that are strategic to the comfort of the user. The air cells are connected to a pump (134) trough a manifold (130) which sequentially connects each cell independently to the pump (134). The manifold (130) controls the flow of fluid in the air cell distribution system by means of a system of valves (130a-130h), and senses the pressure in each cell by means of a transducer (139). A microcomputer (128) is programmed with data representing a desired comfort level for each of the air cells. By sequentially activating individual manifold valves (130a-130h), a pressure signal from the transducer (139) can be generated for each cell. The pressure signals are received by the microcomputer (128) and are correlated with the predetermined comfort data to generate a control signal which activates the pump (134).
Abstract:
A top shell (84) for use on a link of a flexible linkage (82), the top shell (84) comprising a molded body having a top portion with a top surface and a bottom portion defining an underside. The underside includes a recess into which is disposed a decorative material (86) that is visible from the top surface. The top portion defines a lens that refracts incident light on the top surface to the decorative material to form an image associated with the decorative material.
Abstract:
A structural reaction injection molded motor vehicle bumper beam comprises a preform (22) formed of layers of interlaced glass fibers (26) and chopped glass fibers (28) wherein most of the interlaced fibers are oriented longitudinally of the bumper beam. A two-component, non-filled reaction injection molding polymeric/pure polyurethane based resin with a neat elongation in excess of about 50 % bonds the fiberglass layers (26, 28) together in a composite bumper beam structure wherein the fiberglass provides substantial strength and stiffness and the highly compliant resin allows extensive beam deflection without catastrophic cracking to enable the bumper beam without other assistance to absorb sufficient energy in repeated impacts to meet in-service requirements.
Abstract:
A method of manufacturing a direct drive servovalve including the steps of providing a completely packaged drive motor and a hydraulic stage positioning the drive motor upon the hydraulic stage and in engagement with a valve contained within the hydraulic stage applying a signal to the motor which is proportional to a desired output signal from the hydraulic stage moving the motor while measuring the output from the hydraulic stage and when the predetermined desired output is obtained from the hydraulic stage, then securing the motor to the hydraulic stage.
Abstract:
A weapon stabilization system (50) for an unbalanced gun tube (52) pivotally mounted on a tank turret. The system includes a muzzle position controller which accounts for flexion of the gun tube (52) and which comprises a muzzle reference sensor (58) and a muzzle deflection feed back circuit (60). The system includes a feedforward controller (96) to compensate for the positive pressure feedback (24') due to dynamic external accelerations action on the unbalanced gun tube (52). The feedforward controller (96) comprises one or more sensors that detects these accelerations and a feedforward circuit responsive to the sensors to compensate for the positive feedback.
Abstract:
A light-weight and compact hand actuated hydraulic tool (20) for the setting of fasteners (172) having a sleeve (174) and stem (170) is disclosed. The tool comprises a housing (22, 222), sleeve engaging nose piece (44, 244) connected to a piston (43, 243) which is slidable in the housing (22, 222), a fluid reservoir (34, 234), hand-operated pump lines, and a drawbolt (52, 252) which has stem gripping jaws (60, 260) connected thereto. The stem (170) of a fastener (172) is gripped by the jaws (60, 260), and the sleeve (174) of the fastener (172) is engaged by the nose piece (44, 244). In an initial stage, a pump plunger (58, 258) compresses liquid in first and second chambers (102, 106 and 302, 306) into a piston chamber (116, 316), which affects movement of the housing (22, 222) and drawbolt (52, 252) in relation to the piston (43, 243), pulling the stem (170) in relation to the sleeve (174). As the pulling force increases, and thus the necessary hand pumping force, pressure in the piston chamber (116, 316) opens a valve (124, 129 and 348), allowing fluid in the first chamber (102, 302) to return to the reservoir (34) so that only the second plunger chamber (106, 306) is used to compress the liquid into the piston pressure chamber (116, 316), lessening the force necessary to actuate the pump lever (88, 288). In one arrangement, a pilot piston (332) that opens the valve (348) includes an internal relief valve (338) that allows liquid in the piston chamber (316) to return to the reservoir (34) in response to predetermined maximum piston chamber pressure or in response to manual pressure.
Abstract:
A method for forming a hidden tear seam (14) in the cover (12) for a safety air bag assembly includes the steps of filling a heated open mold with liquid plastisol or dry powder composed of polyvinyl materials; forming a gel layer of polyvinyl chloride material on an open heated thin metal mold; dumping excess polyvinyl chloride plastisol material from the gel layer; fusing the gel layer; stamping a tear seam (14) in a fused layer while it is still plastic by providing an anvil having a surface thereon of a first predetermined area and including an embossment thereon extending outwardly of the first predetermined area and stamping the tear seam (14) by directing the embossment into the fused layer until the surface engages the fused layer and wherein the first predetermined area is sized to produce a reaction force on the anvil to determine the depth of penetration of the embossment and thereafter finally curing and cooling the fused layer and removing the layer from the thin metal mold.
Abstract:
A composite cylinder constructed from a cylindrical liner (12) having an outer surface (18) which is dome shaped adjacent each end. A plurality of layers (30) of resin impregnated carbon filaments are wound on the outer surface (18) of the liner (19) and over the dome shaped portions. Preferably the filaments are helically wound and are wound at an angle with respect to the access of the cylindrical liner (12) such that radial stress as applied during operation will not tend to displace the filaments wound over the dome shaped portions of the liner (12). The composite cylinder is useful as an integral part of a hydraulic actuator used to position flight control surface on aircraft.