A window balance assembly may include a carrier, a spring element, and a mounting bracket. The spring element may include first and second portions. The first portion may be coupled to the carrier. The mounting bracket may engage the second portion of the spring element and may selectively engage the carrier.

A door silencing mechanism and methods to eliminate latch noise associated with a door latch having a spring latch bolt and a bolt housing are described. This mechanism and methods can include an actuator having a first end and a second end and moveable between a first position and a second position. This mechanism can also include a device coupled to the first end of the actuator to maintain the spring latch bolt within a bolt housing using the second end of the actuator when the device holds the actuator in the first position and to release the spring latch bolt from within the bolt housing by moving the second end of the actuator in response to the actuator moving to the second position in response to contact with a doorjamb.

A vehicle includes a slope device configured to perform deployment and storage of a slope, a camera, and a door and slope control device configured to communicate with a server including a getting-on reservation database including attribute information of a passenger, and perform deployment and storage of the slope by the slope device, in which the door and slope control device is configured to, when the vehicle is stopped to allow the passenger to get on the vehicle, confirm the attribute information of the passenger acquired from the getting-on reservation database of the server based on an image of the passenger captured by the camera, and perform deployment of the slope depending on the confirmed attribute information.

Hinge members and foldable structures incorporating the same are described herein. A foldable structure includes a section, a brace, and a hinge member attaching to the section to enable the section to move between a folded position and an extended position. The hinge member includes a first bracket and a second bracket that are hingedly joined to each other. The first bracket includes a first flange that is integrally formed and extending from the first bracket. The first brace is attached, between the first flange of the first bracket and a surface of a different structure, to the first hinge member.

In one embodiment, systems and methods include to fluid transfer hinge used to transfer fluid from one surface to another. The fluid transfer hinge comprises a first housing. The fluid transfer hinge further comprises a second housing, wherein the first housing is coupled to the second housing, wherein the first housing is rotatable about the second housing along a central axis of the fluid transfer hinge. The fluid transfer hinge further comprises a fluid inlet, wherein the fluid inlet is disposed about at least a portion of the thickness of the first housing. The fluid transfer hinge further comprises a fluid outlet, wherein the fluid outlet is disposed about at least a portion of the thickness of the second housing.

A window balance assembly may include a carrier, a spring element, and a mounting bracket. The spring element may include first and second portions. The first portion may be coupled to the carrier. The mounting bracket may engage the second portion of the spring element and may selectively engage the carrier.

Provided is a hinge that can prevent a defect, a failure, or the like with greater certainty, and enables inspection and repair work to be efficiently carried out. A hinge comprises a first wing member that is connected to a first connection object and a second wing member that is connected to a second connection object. The hinge rotatably connects the second connection object to the first connection object. The hinge comprises a sensor that detects a change inside the hinge or in a prescribed external environment change in the external environment detected by the sensor to the outside via a sensor that detects a prescribed component constituting an odor, a gas sensor that detects a prescribed gas, a dust sensor that detects the amount of dust, and a illumination sensor that detects brightness.

A system for use with an autonomous working machine such as a robotic lawn mower. The system may allow communication (directly or indirectly) between the machine and a gate or other barrier opening to allow unattended or remotely-controlled passage of the machine through the gate. In some embodiments, the mower may include a vision system operable to detect unknown objects within an area adjacent to the gate.

A handicap accessibility assistance device includes a drone. The drone has a wedge mechanism at a first end. A controller is configured to cause the drone to approach a door, wedge the wedge mechanism under the door, shift the drone to an opening end of the door, and push the door open.

A single-axis hinge includes a base, a movable plate, a limiting block, a rotating shaft and a stand set. The base includes a first shaft mounting hole, a stand drive shaft mounting hole and a path. The movable plate is formed with a second shaft mounting hole and a limiting notch. The limiting block is installed in the path. The rotating shaft passes through the first and second shaft mounting holes and includes a driving block and a first cam. An edge of the driving block is formed with a transmission teeth portion not completely surround the edge. The stand set includes a stand drive shaft disposed in the stand drive shaft mounting hole, and a support stand driven by the stand drive shaft. The stand drive shaft includes a gear and a second cam formed with a positioning notch.