An adequate mechanical stiffness and strength are afforded to a tumble seat or a vehicle seat having a latch mechanism provided in a rear end of the seat cushion. A cushion frame (F1) of the seat includes a side frame (5) extending in a fore and aft direction, and the side frame includes a first member (10) comprising a channel member having an open side facing sideways and a second member (11) attached to the first member so as to form a closed cross section jointly with the first member, and extending downward further than the first member. A latch mechanism is positioned under the first member and attached to the second member.

An adequate mechanical stiffness and strength are afforded to a tumble seat or a vehicle seat having a latch mechanism provided in a rear end of the seat cushion. A cushion frame (F1) of the seat includes a side frame (5) extending in a fore and aft direction, and the side frame includes a first member (10) comprising a channel member having an open side facing sideways and a second member (11) attached to the first member so as to form a closed cross section jointly with the first member, and extending downward further than the first member. A latch mechanism is positioned under the first member and attached to the second member.

A utility vehicle includes a frame, a first ground-engaging element coupled to a first portion of the frame, a second ground-engaging element coupled to a second portion of the frame, an operator platform supported by the frame, and a suspension system coupled between the operator platform and the frame to accommodate motion of the frame relative to the operator platform. The suspension system includes a first linkage assembly coupled to the operator platform and operable to accommodate motion of the second portion of the frame relative to the operator platform and a second linkage assembly having a first end coupled to the frame to secure the suspension system to the frame and a second end coupled to the first linkage assembly. The second linkage assembly being operable independent of the first linkage assembly to accommodate motion of the first portion of the frame relative to the operator platform.

The operation in a closing direction and the operation in an opening direction of a storage rack are performed efficiently with small force. Fixed frames and a storage rack are connected by link mechanisms, and the link mechanism includes fixed-side links linked to the fixed frame and movable-side links linked to the storage rack. When a position of one ends of the movable-side links is located closer to one ends of the fixed-side links than a balanced point, the elastic member biases the storage rack in an open-position direction. In the open position, since the elastic member biases the storage rack in the opening direction, an open state is maintained as long as the position of the one ends of the movable-side links does not return to the change point position. Accordingly, the open position can be held by a simple structure without using electric power.

To cause an appropriate damping force to work according to a relative displacement with a simple configuration. A movable inner cylinder 3 slidable in an outer cylinder 2 in an axial direction and having orifices 31 formed in its peripheral wall 31 is provided, a piston 5 around which a linear member 52 that generates a frictional force is wound is further provided in the movable inner cylinder 3, and a viscous liquid 7 is filled in the outer cylinder 2 including the inside of the movable inner cylinder 3. Accordingly, when the piston 5 moves together with the movable inner cylinder 3, a high damping force is not exerted, whereas when the piston 5 relatively moves in the movable inner cylinder 3, the high damping force is exerted owing to viscous friction between the piston 5 and the movable inner cylinder 3 and the viscous resistance of the viscous liquid passing through the orifices.

An assembly for absorbing energy in an overload event has an energy absorber for reducing the load on an object being transported on a loading unit. The energy absorber, in the case of a one-off overload event with an energy input that is sufficiently high that damage to the object would be possible or highly likely in the absence of the energy absorber, to absorb energy in order to reduce the load on the object. Measured values relating to the current state of the loading unit are periodically acquired by a sensor device. A control device identifies an overload event from the acquired measured values. A weight of the object to be transported and a limit value for a load on the object are determined. Following identification of the overload event, damping by the energy absorber is controlled to keep the load on the object below the limit value.

A generally vertical pillar extends between a floor and a ceiling of a vehicle chassis and carries a seat. A damper is secured between an attachment point on the pillar and an attachment point vertically offset therefrom on the vehicle chassis. This damper comprises a plurality of C-shaped springs each attached at one of the attachment points to the pillar and extending therefrom at an angle of 45° relative to the pillar and an opposite end attached at the other attachment point to the chassis and extending therefrom at an angle of 45° relative to the pillar. The springs each are elastically deformable and form force absorbers that return to a starting shape after elastic deformation. Each C-shaped spring defines a gap open at an acute angle to the vertical and that varies in dimension on deformation of the respective spring.

A utility vehicle includes a frame, a first ground-engaging element coupled to a first portion of the frame, a second ground-engaging element coupled to a second portion of the frame, an operator platform supported by the frame, and a suspension system coupled between the operator platform and the frame to accommodate motion of the frame relative to the operator platform. The suspension system includes a first linkage assembly coupled to the operator platform and operable to accommodate motion of the second portion of the frame relative to the operator platform and a second linkage assembly having a first end coupled to the frame to secure the suspension system to the frame and a second end coupled to the first linkage assembly. The second linkage assembly being operable independent of the first linkage assembly to accommodate motion of the first portion of the frame relative to the operator platform.

A vehicle seat includes a first seat component such as a seat pan or seat frame, and a second seat component such as a seat back. The first seat component is rotatably coupled to the second seat component by a rotatable coupling, and a laterally oriented vibration isolator is positioned between the first seat component and the second seat component at the rotatable coupling. Transmission of vibration from the first seat component to the second seat component through the rotatable coupling is suppressed by the vibration isolator. In some cases, the vibration isolator is a quazi-zero-stiffness (QZS) isolator.

An adequate mechanical stiffness and strength are afforded to a tumble seat or a vehicle seat having a latch mechanism provided in a rear end of the seat cushion. A cushion frame (F1) of the seat includes a side frame (5) extending in a fore and aft direction, and the side frame includes a first member (10) comprising a channel member having an open side facing sideways and a second member (11) attached to the first member so as to form a closed cross section jointly with the first member, and extending downward further than the first member. A latch mechanism is positioned under the first member and attached to the second member.