A through the road (TTR) hybridization strategy is proposed to facilitate introduction of hybrid electric vehicle technology in a significant portion of current and expected trucking fleets. In some cases, the technologies can be retrofitted onto an existing vehicle (e.g., a trailer, a tractor-trailer configuration, etc.). In some cases, the technologies can be built into new vehicles. In some cases, one vehicle may be built or retrofitted to operate in tandem with another and provide the hybridization benefits contemplated herein. By supplementing motive forces delivered through a primary drivetrain and fuel-fed engine with supplemental torque delivered at one or more electrically-powered drive axles, improvements in overall fuel efficiency and performance may be delivered, typically without significant redesign of existing components and systems that have been proven in the trucking industry.

A fixing structure includes a housing including a first hole, an input member including a second hole, and rotating relative to the housing, depending on input of rotational force, a torsion spring being biased so as to return, to a predetermined reference position, a position of the input member relative to the housing, and a fixing member inserted into the first hole and the second hole in a state where the input member is rotated against biasing force of the torsion spring from the reference position to a predetermined rotational position. The fixing member includes a first insertion portion including a part press-fitted into and fixed to the first hole, and a second insertion portion including a part inserted into the second hole, and fixes the input member at the predetermined rotational position.

An illustrative example MEMS device includes a base and a plurality of mirror surfaces supported on the base. The plurality of mirror surfaces are respectively in a fixed position relative to the base. The plurality of mirror surfaces are at respective angles relative to a reference surface. The respective angles of at least some of the mirror surfaces are different from the respective angles of at least some others of the mirror surfaces.

A work vehicle includes a vehicle frame and an operator control station coupled to the vehicle frame. An implement arm assembly is affixed to the vehicle frame outside the operator control station. The implement arm assembly is movable relative to the vehicle frame and the operator control station. The implement arm assembly has an exterior surface. The work vehicle includes at least one sensor to detect positional information of the implement arm assembly. A visual indicator is positioned on the exterior surface. A power source of the work vehicle is in selective communication with the visual indicator to power the visual indicator. The work vehicle further includes a controller to receive a signal from the at least one sensor indicative of the positional information and electrically couple the power source to the visual indicator in response to a portion of the implement am assembly reaching a threshold position.

A windrowing work vehicle with a swath flap arrangement is disclosed. The swath flap arrangement includes a swath flap that is supported for movement by a support structure between a raised position and a lowered position. The swath flap is configured to at least partially shape a windrow of a crop material. A method includes receiving, by a processor of a control system from a memory element, a stored position setting that corresponds to a position of the swath flap relative to the support structure. The method further includes processing, by the processor, a positioning control signal based, at least in part, on the stored position setting. Also, the method includes moving, with an actuator, the swath flap relative to the support structure between the raised position and the lowered position according to the positioning control signal.

A device (1) for moving through a granular medium, the device comprising: a body (2); a rotatable part (4A, 4B) for rotational movement relative to the body about a rotational axis (6), wherein the rotatable part is externally-exposed and arranged to cause agitation of an adjacent portion of a granular medium in which the device is to be provided; a motor configured to cause the rotational movement of the rotatable part; and a protrusion (8) arranged to extend from the body and to limit rotational movement of the body about the rotational axis relative to the granular medium when the motor causes rotational movement of the rotatable part relative to the granular medium.

A power control system may include at least one of batteries, a motor, and a data logic analyzer that can interpret certain variable conditions of a transport, such as a tractor trailer, moving along a road or highway. The data can be used to determine when to apply supplemental power to the wheels of a trailer to reduce fuel usage. One example device may include at least one of: a power creation module that generates electrical power, a battery which store the electrical power, a motor affixed to a trailer axle of a trailer which provides a turning force to the trailer axle when enabled to operate from the stored electrical power of the battery, and a motor controller configured to initiate the motor to operate according to a predefined sensor condition.

A through the road (TTR) hybridization strategy is proposed to facilitate introduction of hybrid electric vehicle technology in a significant portion of current and expected trucking fleets. In some cases, the technologies can be retrofitted onto an existing vehicle (e.g., a trailer, a tractor-trailer configuration, etc.). In some cases, the technologies can be built into new vehicles. In some cases, one vehicle may be built or retrofitted to operate in tandem with another and provide the hybridization benefits contemplated herein. By supplementing motive forces delivered through a primary drivetrain and fuel-fed engine with supplemental torque delivered at one or more electrically-powered drive axles, improvements in overall fuel efficiency and performance may be delivered, typically without significant redesign of existing components and systems that have been proven in the trucking industry.

Systems and methods for managing shift changes of a multi-speed automatic transmission of a vehicle are provided. The multi-speed automatic transmission being capable of establishing a plurality of forward speed ratios. The vehicle may include a transmission shift selector having at least one operator selectable shift request input to request a shift change of the multi-speed automatic transmission. A control circuit operatively coupled to the multi-speed automatic transmission is provided which shifts the multi-speed automatic transmission from a first forward speed ratio to a second forward speed ratio in response to shift criteria. The shift criteria may be based on a plurality of operational characteristics related to the vehicle.

A through the road (TTR) hybridization strategy is proposed to facilitate introduction of hybrid electric vehicle technology in a significant portion of current and expected trucking fleets. In some cases, the technologies can be retrofitted onto an existing vehicle (e.g., a trailer, a tractor-trailer configuration, etc.). In some cases, the technologies can be built into new vehicles. In some cases, one vehicle may be built or retrofitted to operate in tandem with another and provide the hybridization benefits contemplated herein. By supplementing motive forces delivered through a primary drivetrain and fuel-fed engine with supplemental torque delivered at one or more electrically-powered drive axles, improvements in overall fuel efficiency and performance may be delivered, typically without significant redesign of existing components and systems that have been proven in the trucking industry.