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

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.

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.

Disclosed is a vehicle side wing anti-collision system, including a telescopic assembly fixed on a vehicle frame; and a collision panel located in a groove of a vehicle side body and provided correspondingly to the telescopic assembly. The groove is provided with a connection hole and the telescopic assembly is extended out of the connection hole towards two sides in a transverse direction of the vehicle to drive the collision panel to extend out of the groove till protruding from the vehicle side body when the collision panel is subjected to a collision. Through the telescopic assembly and the collision panel, protection layers are formed on two sides of the vehicle, and thus the anti-collision ability of the vehicle side wing is enhanced.

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.

Disclosed is a vehicle side wing anti-collision system, including a telescopic assembly fixed on a vehicle frame; and a collision panel located in a groove of a vehicle side body and provided correspondingly to the telescopic assembly. The groove is provided with a connection hole and the telescopic assembly is extended out of the connection hole towards two sides in a transverse direction of the vehicle to drive the collision panel to extend out of the groove till protruding from the vehicle side body when the collision panel is subjected to a collision. Through the telescopic assembly and the collision panel, protection layers are formed on two sides of the vehicle, and thus the anti-collision ability of the vehicle side wing is enhanced.

Exemplary embodiments of a system and method for cargo height observation are disclosed. Certain embodiments are configured such that a user, such as a tractor operator, may verify that an overall height of the car hauler, as may be dictated by the height positions of one or more vehicles positioned on ramps associated with an upper deck of the car hauler, is below a predetermined allowable height for the car hauler when being transported over public or private roadways.

Exemplary embodiments of a system and method for cargo height observation are disclosed. Certain embodiments are configured such that a user, such as a tractor operator, may verify that an overall height of the car hauler, as may be dictated by the height positions of one or more vehicles positioned on ramps associated with an upper deck of the car hauler, is below a predetermined allowable height for the car hauler when being transported over public or private roadways.