A two-stage stiffness driveshaft includes a hollow cylinder having first and second ends and a hollow cylinder stiffness. An inner shaft having first and second ends and an inner shaft stiffness extends through the hollow cylinder. The inner shaft's first end and the hollow cylinder's first end are engaged via a rotational clearance fit. The inner shaft's second end is rotationally fixed to the hollow cylinder's second end to permit the inner shaft's first end to twist through a predetermined angle relative to the inner shaft's second end. The inner shaft's stiffness defines the driveshaft's first-stage stiffness, while the combined stiffness of the inner shaft and the hollow cylinder defines the driveshaft's second-stage stiffness. A damping element positioned between the inner shaft and the hollow cylinder controls variation in torque transmitted by the driveshaft and generates gradual transition between the first-stage stiffness and the second-stage stiffness.

A strut assembly for a suspension corner employed in a vehicle having a vehicle body and a road wheel includes a damper. The strut assembly also includes an elastic unit having at least one spring module acting in concert with the damper to suspend the vehicle body relative to the road wheel. Each spring module has a positive stiffness spring arranged in parallel with a negative stiffness spring. A vehicle that has a suspension corner employing the elastic unit and is configured to maintain contact between the road wheel and the road surface and provide isolation of vibration between the road wheel and the vehicle body is also contemplated.

A catapult is disclosed. The catapult according to an embodiment of the present invention, comprises: a take-off assisting member contacting an aircraft to push the aircraft; a power source coupled to the take-off assisting member to drive the take-off assisting member; and a winch coupled to the take-off assisting member.

The disclosure relates to a dampening system useful for reducing the shimmying or movement of caster on suspension systems of harvesters, such as self-propelled windrowers. The suspension system utilizes hydraulic cylinders on harvesters which are operably linked to the caster and that respond to movement of the caster and/or caster wheel during operation of the harvester in a high-speed operable mode.

For driving a power plant with linear motion, an arc clutch engages and drives a power plant shaft in response to the arc clutch being rotated in a first angular direction and disengages from the power plant shaft in response to the arc clutch being rotated in a second angular direction that is opposite the first angular direction. The power plant is driven by the rotating power plant shaft. A motivator is physically connected to the arc clutch and transfers a linear motion to the arc clutch.

Various embodiments of a spiral shaped element and wavy suture are disclosed for use in a shock mitigating material to dissipate the energy associated with the impact of an object. The shock mitigating material can be used in helmets, bumpers, bulletproof vests, mats, pads, military armor, and other applications. One embodiment, among others, is a shock mitigating material having spiral shaped elements, each having a circular cross section and each being tapered from a large outside end to a small inside end but also having a suture or sutures that can induce shear waves to mitigate the shock pressure and impulse. Another embodiment is a shock mitigating material having sutures (wavy gaps or wavy materials). In this embodiment when the material is impacted, the wavy gap or material will induce a mechanism in shear to dissipate the impact energy.

The present invention provides an anti-sprain and shock-absorbing balance sole and a footgear including the same, the anti-sprain and shock-absorbing balance sole includes an upper sole and a lower sole, a cavity is sandwiched between the upper sole and the lower sole, multiple compressible and reboundable shock-absorbing elements are embedded in the cavity. The shock-absorbing elements in the sole can buffer the impacts from the ground to the feet, and has good shock-absorbing effect. Second, the balance beams connecting the two shock-absorbing elements in each row can provide opposite roll torque when the road is uneven or the user stamps on stones. Third, the opposite roll torque above can prevent the sole from further rolling over, therefore improves the balance stability when walking. This can further effectively prevent the occurrence of spraining, and avoid sports injury during exercises.

A yielding fuse for use in a brace assembly includes a first body portion configured to be connected at one end to a side of a brace member of the brace assembly, and a second body portion configured to be connected at one end to another side of the brace member of the brace assembly. The first and second body portions are positioned so as to be disposed on opposite sides of an axis defined by the brace member, with each of the first and second body portions further including a base displaced from the axis, a plurality of yielding arms extending from the base towards the axis and at least a first connecting plate rigidly connecting the first body portion to the second body portion. Preferably, a second connecting plate is also provided.

A vehicle structure for a two-track vehicle provided with an auxiliary frame for a vehicle axle, in particular a rear axle, which is provided with a wheel suspension on the articulation points for wheel link on the superstructure side, which are connected to articulation points on the wheel carrier side, connected to a wheel carrier carrying a vehicle wheel, and which is equipped with a spring and/or damper unit, which is supported between a vehicle superstructure and the wheel suspension, wherein the wheel frame is connected to at least one auxiliary frame bearing in a manner that is decoupled from oscillations at the vehicle superstructure, and wherein the wheel and/or damping unit is equipped with a rotational damper. According to the invention, the auxiliary frame bearing is provided with a connection point at which is connected the rotational damper.

A shock-absorbing device includes a first holding member, a second holding member movably assembled to the first holding member, and an elastic element disposed between the first and the second holding member with two ends of the elastic element pressing against the two holding members. With the elastic element, an elastic shock-absorbing space is defined between the first and the second holding member.