A compact deployable/retractable running board assembly for a motor vehicle including a running board, linkage coupled to the running board, and a motor assembly coupled to an actuator, the running board moveable between at least one stowed position and at least one deployed position. The linkage includes a drive arm connected to a pivot shaft within a housing at a location on the pivot shaft between two bushings that are coupled to the pivot shaft within the housing. The linkage also includes an idler arm connected to a pivot shaft within an idler housing. The actuator is operably coupled to the linkage to cause rotation of the linkage to move the running board between the at least one stowed position generally under the motor vehicle and at least one deployed position to provide a step surface for a user.

A freewheeling system for tandem axles, the system including a wheel hub, a wheel hub cover attached to an end of the wheel hub, the wheel hub cover having tines predicted thereon, an actuator chamber, a piston, a sleeve, an axle shaft, and at least one air input. The at least one air input feeding the actuator chamber in which is accommodated the piston that is engaged in the sleeve concentrically mounted in an end of the axle shaft having axial mobility, wherein the sleeve has a flange endowed with tines that mechanically cooperate with the tines predicted on the wheel hub cover.

A system and method are provided for hybrid electric internal combustion engine applications in which a motor-generator, a switchable coupling and a torque transfer unit are arranged co-axially-arranged with the front end of the engine crankshaft in the constrained environment in front of an engine in applications such as commercial vehicles, off-road vehicles and stationary engine installations. The motor-generator is preferably laterally offset from the switchable coupling. The switchable coupling is an integrated unit in which a crankshaft vibration damper, an engine accessory drive pulley and a clutch overlap with an axial depth nearly the same as a conventional belt drive pulley and engine damper. The system includes an electrical energy store that receives energy generated by the motor-generator when the coupling is engaged. When the coupling is disengaged, the motor-generator may drive the pulley portion of the clutch-pulley-damper to drive engine accessories using energy returned from the energy store.

An auxiliary power take-off assembly (32) for a transmission (6) of a motor vehicle (2) having a torque converter (8). A driveshaft (30) is permanently connected to a drive motor (4), via the pump shaft (24) of the torque converter (8). In addition, the auxiliary power take-off assembly (32) has a transmission drive chain which includes at least a drive input element (34) and a drive output element (42) connected to an additional assembly (66) to be driven, and a shifting element (64, 68). The shifting element (64, 68) is functionally arranged between the driveshaft (30) and the drive input element (34) of the transmission chain for the optionally connecting the driveshaft (30) to the drive input element (34).

A compact deployable/retractable running board assembly for a motor vehicle including a running board, linkage coupled to the running board, and a motor assembly coupled to an actuator, the running board moveable between at least one stowed position and at least one deployed position. The linkage includes a drive arm connected to a pivot shaft within a housing at a location on the pivot shaft between two bushings that are coupled to the pivot shaft within the housing. The linkage also includes an idler arm connected to a pivot shaft within an idler housing. The actuator is operably coupled to the linkage to cause rotation of the linkage to move the running board between the at least one stowed position generally under the motor vehicle and at least one deployed position to provide a step surface for a user.

A pneumatic and hydraulic elevating seat tube assembly of a bicycle includes an outer tube and a movable inner tube in the outer tube. An elevating adjustment unit in the movable inner tube has a fixed inner tube in the movable inner tube, a fixed piston in the fixed inner tube, a floating piston in the fixed inner tube, and an elastic isolator in the floating piston which is between a bottom end of the movable inner tube and the fixed piston so that a gas chamber is formed between the floating piston and the movable inner tube and a lower oil chamber is formed between the floating piston and the fixed piston. The elastic isolator has first and second annular grooves facing toward the lower oil chamber and the gas chamber respectively. The elastic isolator under pressure is extended radially, thereby effective in isolating oil from gas positively.

A vehicle comprising a base, a grille and a bumper. The grille is supported by the base, and is movable between a retracted position and an extended position. The bumper is supported by the base below the grille. In the retracted position a front terminal portion of the grille is offset from a front terminal portion of the bumper, and in the extended position the front terminal portion of the grille is generally aligned with the front terminal portion of the bumper.

A container locking device on a vehicle, for locking a container having a corner fitting to be transported on a loading surface of the vehicle, the device including a lock housing (1), a locking bolt (2) and a first drive (3). The locking bolt (2) has a shaft (20) and a locking head (21) which, in the unlocked state, can be introduced via an opening in the corner fitting of the container and, in the locked state, secures the container via projections engaging behind the opening in the corner fitting. The lock housing (1) with the locking bolt (2) can be lowered and raised again by means of a lever mechanism (7) from a locking position, in which the locking head (21) projects sufficiently above the loading surface for locking with the corner fitting of the container, into a rest position, in which the locking head (21) does not project above the loading surface. The first drive (3) is operatively connected solely to the locking bolt (2), and a second drive (6) is operatively connected to the lever mechanism (7).

An air-drag reduction mechanism for a vehicle is provided. The mechanism includes a shell structured to be deployable in a direction away from a vehicle, the shell including a plurality of telescoping shell segments. The shell segments are structured to form a shell having a shape which tapers or narrows in a direction away from the vehicle. The air-drag reduction mechanism may be incorporated into an air-drag reduction system including an actuation mechanism operatively coupled to the telescoping shell and operable to deploy the shell.

A bicycle telescopic apparatus includes a first tube, a second tube, an actuating member, and a hydraulic positioning structure. The first tube defines an axial direction. The second tube is telescopically received in the first tube in the axial direction. The actuating member is movable relative to the first tube in the axial direction of the first tube. The actuating member is configured to move the second tube relative to the first tube in the axial direction. The hydraulic positioning structure is configured to position the first tube and the second tube relative to each other in the axial direction.