The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for shaving the inside of barrels. In particular, the present invention relates to reconditioning used wine barrels by shaving the inside surface to a predetermined depth, ready for re-crozering, toasting, and re-use. Conventional shaving methods typically involve routing the internal surface by hand, but this technique is problematic in that it is a very slow process, the quality of the wood is often adversely affected, and there is no way of ensuring that the surface will be shaved to the same depth across the entire surface. Therefore, the resultant internal dimensions of the barrel are not reflective, relatively, of the original barrel surface. The apparatus of the present invention includes a scanning device adapted to scan the internal dimensions of the barrel, and a cutting device adapted to shave the internal surface to a predetermined depth relative to the scanned internal dimensions.

The present invention relates to a machine and method for selecting and organizing staves for making barrels. The machine includes an input unit, including a stave-measuring station, a storage assembly for storing the staves awaiting allocation and receiving the staves from the input and measuring unit, a calculation unit able to select staves from those measured in such a way as to form a collection of staves ready to assemble into a barrel, and an output unit, in relation with the storage assembly, equipped with a stave-reorientation system. Staves used by the machine and in the method may be asymmetric about a horizontal axis. The staves selected by the calculation unit are advantageously delivered to the output unit in an order and a configuration that make for easy assembly of the barrel.

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for shaving the inside of barrels. In particular, the present invention relates to reconditioning used wine barrels by shaving the inside surface to a predetermined depth, ready for re-crozering, toasting, and re-use. Conventional shaving methods typically involve routing the internal surface by hand, but this technique is problematic in that it is a very slow process, the quality of the wood is often adversely affected, and there is no way of ensuring that the surface will be shaved to the same depth across the entire surface. Therefore, the resultant internal dimensions of the barrel are not reflective, relatively, of the original barrel surface. The apparatus of the present invention includes a scanning device adapted to scan the internal dimensions of the barrel, and a cutting device adapted to shave the internal surface to a predetermined depth relative to the scanned internal dimensions.

An apparatus and method for shaving the inside of barrels. The invention relates to reconditioning used wine barrels by shaving the inside surface to a predetermined depth, ready for re-crozering, toasting, and re-use. Conventional shaving methods typically involve routing the internal surface by hand, but this technique is problematic in that it is a very slow process, the quality of the wood is often adversely affected, and there is no way of ensuring that the surface will be shaved to the same depth across the entire surface. The resultant internal dimensions of the barrel are not reflective, relatively, of the original barrel surface. The invention includes a scanning device to scan the internal dimensions of the barrel, and a cutting device to shave the internal surface to a predetermined depth relative to the scanned internal dimensions and where the scanning device and the cutting device may be supported by different robotic arms.

The present invention relates to a portable crozer adapted to be mounted above a new or used barrel for firstly creating a groove or “croze” along an inside surface to accommodate a barrel head, and secondly, for creating a bevelled top edge. In the case of used barrels, the croze is formed a short distance below the existing croze, and a new bevelled edge is formed to compensate for the lowered barrel head position. Conventional crozers are not adapted to be used on used barrels and have a number of inherent problems which are overcome by the present invention. In particular, conventional crozers are not portable which means they are not able to be used in mobile barrel reconditioning services, the time taken for each croze is significant, and they are generally in the form of bulky, quite expensive machinery.

A moisture metering calibration method and system for, e.g., determining the moisture lumber within a lumber drying kiln is disclosed. Calibration of moisture indicative electrical signals obtained from, e.g., moisture sensing capacitive plates spaced apart within a stack of drying lumber is performed, wherein long lengths (e.g., up to 1000 linear feet or more) of coaxial cable can be used for transmitting the signals, and effectively removing signal anomalies induced in such cabling so that accurate lumber moisture measurements result. Such extended cable lengths provides flexibility with respect to placement of electronic moisture metering equipment. This flexibility allows such equipment to be placed in an environmentally-controlled enclosure, rather than on the weather exposed exterior of a kiln whose lumber is being monitored.

A barrel includes a plurality of wood slats that have an inner face, an outer face and side edges, grooves formed in the edges of the slats and keys that join the slats by engaging grooves in the side edges of adjacent slats.

The present invention therefore provides an improved apparatus and integrated method for producing barrel staves. The apparatus measures the profile of unfinished stave workpieces and based on the width and shape of the stave, as well as other parameters such as the type of barrel that is required, the edges of the stave are trimmed accordingly. This ensures fewer rejected staves, less waste in that the width of the unfinished stave is continuously measured across its entire length with minimum depth of cut required, and most importantly, barrel staves having extremely accurate jointed edges ensuring superior finished barrels have an internal surface that is free from undesirable spacing between the staves, utilizing less labor than hitherto known apparatus.

A hydraulic motor/pump regenerator system for recovering energy from the moving vehicle having high efficiency and precise control, thereby allowing the maximum amount of energy to be recovered and reused, is described. Three, fixed-displacement pump/motors are used to enable the system to recover and reapply energy at efficiencies expected to be above 70% in most circumstances. The invention is not limited to the use of three fixed displacement hydraulic units since using more units may in some drive cycles further improve efficiency. By selecting an appropriate combination of pump/motor units for providing the driveshaft torque required by the driver, embodiments of the present invention generate high recovery efficiency at any speed.

An exercise device (20) includes a frame (22) and a drive mechanism (100) attached to the frame. The drive mechanism includes a first shaft (122) having a first fixed gear (128) and a second shaft (124) having a second fixed gear (130). The first fixed gear and the second fixed gear are mechanically linked to cause the first shaft to rotate in an opposite direction than the second shaft. A first linear input is mechanically linked to the first shaft and a second linear input is mechanically linked to the second shaft.

A robotic arm especially suited for laparoscopic surgery, having a torsional joint and a flexural joint forming serially arranged joints is described. The joints provide respective degrees of freedom for the arm, which further receives drive means for such joints. The robotic arm also has transmission means placed between the drive means have and the joints. The transmission means a first and a second assembly of three gear wheels, preferably conical gear wheels, and a train of three additional gear wheels, preferably straight-cut gear wheels, which couple the first and second assembly to form a differential mechanism.

The arrangement of driven gears on a countershaft in a main speed change mechanism is shortened in an axial direction, whereby the main speed change mechanism can be made compact in the axial direction. Driven gears on a countershaft of a main speed change mechanism are successively arranged from front to rear in descending order of speed. A sub-low-speed drive gear for a sub-speed change mechanism is provided in front of the highest-speed driven gear on the countershaft, and the next-highest-speed driven gear serves as a sub-high-speed drive gear for the sub-speed change mechanism. A sub-low-speed driven gear and a sub-high-speed driven gear for the sub-speed change mechanism are provided on an output shaft to be engaged with the sub-low-speed drive gear and the next-highest-speed driven gear, respectively, and the highest-speed driven gear, the sub-low-speed drive gear, and the next-highest-speed driven gear are caused to overlap in a fore-and-aft direction.

A dual clutch transmission designed as a reduction gearing which has concentric central and hollow transmission shafts, exactly one layshaft, and two power shift elements. A hollow shaft is provided coaxially on the layshaft, which can be rotatably fixed to the layshaft, via one shift device, and to which at least two gears of the gear stages are rotatably fixed. A further hollow shaft is provided coaxially on either the central or the hollow transmission shaft, which can be connected, via one of the shift devices, with the central or the hollow transmission shaft and to which at least two further gears of the gear stages are rotatably fixed. At least three transmission ratios are obtainable as a result of engaging the shift element into the power flow in three of the gear stages, by which one transmission ratio results from engaging only one shift element into the power flow.

A control device for a dual clutch transmission includes a transmission control unit that determines immobility in an engaging-side clutch in a next stage as sticking and, when the engaging-side clutch in the next stage malfunctions and when a gear in a previous stage is out of engagement, engages the gear in the previous stage and thereafter controls a clutch torque capacity in the previous stage to a predetermined value, and a back torque limiter operates according to a predetermined condition to engage a release-side clutch in the previous stage.

A bevel gear drive (1) comprises a spur bevel gear (2) and a pinion which both mesh with one another. The spur bevel gear and the pinion are arranged within a housing (3). An abutment plate (4) is provided so as to avoid displacement of the spur bevel gear (2), under high operating loads. The abutment plate (4) is integrated in the housing (3) and supports the spur bevel gear (2) when forces, that can cause displacement of the spur bevel gear (2), act upon the spur bevel gear (2).

A locating beam and a robot linear motion unit having the same, wherein the locating beam comprises a first support beam and a second support beam which are parallel to each other, a crossbeam connected between the first support beam and the second support beam and is vertical to the beams, and a joints between the crossbeam and the beams is provided with a right-angle connecting piece. The robot linear motion unit includes a motion track and a transmission mechanism arranged along the extension direction of the motion track, and the motion track is arranged on a surface of the locating beam. Arranging the crossbeam and right-angle connecting pieces between the first support beam and the second support beam in the locating beam, improves the mechanical structure strength, reduces deflection deformation and twist deformation of the locating beam, and improves the impact resistance of the robot linear motion unit.

The present disclosure relates to various shift selector assemblies having a shift gate with a plurality of indentations corresponding to transmission shift selections. At least one of the indentations is configured to have a flexible depth so as to selectively restrict and accept a pawl pin, thereby mitigating shift position overshoot.

A modified delta linkage robot uses a reverse orientation arm linkage that includes an inwardly direct lower arm. This reverse arm orientation provides a number of advantages with respect to access over an extending surface such as may occur in a home, office or other environments shared with people. The delta linkage may also have application in certain factory environments, particularly when combined with an omni wheeled base. The linkage and the preferred linkage and omni wheeled base provide a stable movable platform. In addition this combination can advantageously include a number of sensors to take active steps to discourage and/or reduce the effect of sudden forces applied thereto.

An XY all-directional precision alignment platform is provided and includes an XY-axes moving platform including X-axis moving platform and Y-axis moving platform, the X-axis and Y-axis moving platforms being stacked together, and a θ-angle rotating platform, the θ-angle rotating platform stacked onto the carrier surface thereof; wherein the θ-angle rotating platform is driven to perform precise θ-angle rotation achieving 360° and is of a four-layered thickness only, achieving the goal of having a light and thin product.

A securing element (1) with an annular body (3, 12a, 26) and with holding tongues (4) which emerge from the annular body (3, 12a, 26) and end at a hole (6) in the securing element (1), which hole is centered with respect to the center axis (5) of the securing element (1), wherein the hole (6) leads axially in the same direction as the center axis (5) through the securing element (1) and, at the radial narrowest points of the hole (6), is bounded at least by end edges (7) formed on the end sides of the holding tongues (4), and wherein in each case at least two surfaces (8, 9) bounding part of the holding tongue (4) meet and end at the respective end edge (7), and of which one of the surfaces (8) is formed on the front side of the holding tongue (4).

A steering column assembly comprises a steering column shroud comprising an inner and an outer tubular member, a support bracket which is fixed to part of the vehicle, and a clamp assembly which includes a cab mechanism having a fixed portion and a moving portion and a clamp pin which passes through arms of the support bracket, the clamp pin being provided with a first reaction member located towards one end of the pin outside of one arm of the support bracket and a second reaction member located towards the other end of the clamp pin outside of the other arm of the support bracket such that the arms of the bracket are located on the clamp pin between the reaction members and with the cam assembly located between the outside of one arm and one of the reaction members. The fixed cam portion is mechanically connected to the support bracket such that at least during an initial release phase of the clamp assembly the force required to produce a rotational movement of the fixed cam portion relative to the support bracket exceeds any rotational force exerted on the fixed part due to strain energy stored in the assembly.

A device for preventing an inward shifting of a brake pedal during a collision. The device includes a mounting bracket. A pedal housing is combined with the mounting bracket such that the pedal housing is movable in a rearwards direction from the mounting bracket. A pedal arm is hinge-coupled at upper and middle parts thereof with the pedal housing and a push rod, respectively. A unit for preventing the inward shifting of the pedal arm has a separating plate which, as the pedal housing is moved rearwards, presses against a fixing pin to decouple the fixing pin from the pedal arm, enabling the pedal arm to turn outwards about a hinge point at the middle part.

A pendulum absorber system attenuates torsional vibrations within a drive train of a vehicle. The system can be incorporated between an engine and an automatic transmission, for example, within a flex plate assembly attached to an engine's crankshaft, within a pump housing cover of a torque converter, or as a stand-alone unit between a flex plate assembly and a torque converter. The system includes at least one pendulum weight that dynamically moves along a predetermined path in response to variations in rotational velocities of a housing of the system and that is tuned to attenuate excitation of torsional vibrations within the drive train. A limiter assembly, which can include multiple limiters, is provided within the system for stopping movement of the weight when it reaches endpoints of the predetermined path, by mechanically impeding further movement at both of a first and second end of the weight.

A clutch arrangement, in particular for use in the drive train of a motor vehicle, including a flywheel which is arranged on the drive side and is coupled via a spring arrangement to a secondary disk and is part, with said secondary disk, of a two-mass flywheel. The secondary disk has at least one centrifugal force pendulum, and a threaded sleeve is screwed with an outer thread into an inner thread of the secondary disk, and a clutch housing is screwed to an inner thread of the threaded sleeve via a fastener.

A crankshaft and method for manufacturing the same are disclosed. The crankshaft may comprise a web and a rod journal disposed adjacent to the web. The rod journal includes a fillet disposed proximal to the web. The fillet includes a tapered undercut having a concave shape with a graduated depth. The undercut is defined by a sweep angle and an offset angle.

A vehicle transmission includes at least one rotatable component and is disposed in an environment at a first pressure. A transmission housing includes a sump portion disposed near a bottom portion of the transmission housing, where the transmission housing substantially encloses the at least one rotatable component. A hydraulic fluid is disposed at least partially in the sump portion of the transmission housing and a vacuum source is in pneumatic communication with the transmission housing. The vacuum source at least partially evacuates a gas from the transmission housing so that an interior of the transmission housing is at a second pressure. The at least one rotatable component is partially exposed to a gas at the second pressure and partially submerged in the hydraulic fluid when the transmission is under a predetermined dynamic load.

A housing for a transmission is disclosed. The housing may have a plurality of integrally-formed walls that together create an enclosure with an open first end and an open second end disposed axially opposite the first end. The housing may also have a first flange located at the first end of the enclosure and configured to engage an input housing of an engine, and a second flange located at the second end of the enclosure and configured to engage a differential housing. The plurality of integrally formed walls includes a lower wall having at least one impingement protection feature.

A system includes a fan and a duct system. The fan is configured to be attached to the steering wheel. The duct system has a first portion and a second portion, and is configured to be coupled to an exterior surface of an armature of the steering wheel and enable air from the fan to be communicated from the fan to a surface of the steering wheel. The first portion includes a section extending along the armature of the steering wheel, and the second portion includes a plurality of nozzles extending radially from an outer surface of the first portion toward an outer surface of the steering wheel.

The present invention relates to a tilt or tilt and telescopic steering apparatus for use in a vehicle. According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a conventional structure, which should be provided with both of tilting fixing gears and telescopic fixing gears for locking after a tilt or tilt and telescopic operation, is improved in such a manner that the tilt or tilt and telescopic operation may be locked by a locking member and a linear protruding portion. As a result, an improper tooth-engagement phenomenon (tooth-on-tooth phenomenon) between gear teeth can be prevented, the tilt operation and the telescopic operation can be simultaneously locked, and required components can be reduced such that material costs can be reduced.

A cam and lever system comprising a cam having a side perpendicular to an axis of rotation of the cam and a channel on the side of the cam, the channel having a bottom wherein the channel is at least partially defined by a first wall and a second wall that diverge as the distance from the bottom increases, a lever, having a pin extending into the channel and an axis of rotation that is generally parallel to the axis of rotation of the cam, and having a configuration sufficient to provide point contact with the walls of the channel.

A motor drive assembly can prevent a two-way roller clutch of the current speed ratio and a two-way roller clutch of the next speed ratio from engaging simultaneously, and includes a first-speed friction plate formed with engaging protrusions on the first-speed side, and a shift ring formed with engaging recesses. While the shift ring is in a first-speed shift position SP1f, the engaging protrusions are adapted to be engaged in the engaging recesses, thereby preventing rotation of the shift ring relative to the first-speed friction plate. The shift ring is provided with projections on its inner periphery. The drive assembly further includes an annular protrusion formed with cutouts. When the projections are axially and circumferentially displaced from the respective cutouts, the projections are adapted to interfere with the annular protrusion, thereby preventing axial movement of the shift ring between the first-speed shift position SP1f and a second-speed shift position SP2f.

At least a rotor fixing portion and a bearing fitting portion are combined to form a hollow rotary shaft. The rotor of a rotary motor portion is fixed on the rotor fixing portion. A thrust radial bearing is fitted on the outer periphery of the bearing fitting portion and a screw nut is fitted to the bearing fitting portion. The rotor fixing portion and the bearing fitting portion are coupled with screw member(s) which are inserted into the hollow rotary shaft from one axial end of the hollow rotary shaft and axially extend inside the bearing fitting portion and the rotor fixing portion. A flange portion of the screw nut is fixed on an abutment portion of the bearing fitting portion in abutment with an end surface of an inner race of the thrust radial bearing that is located on the one axial end side.

An injection-molded resin face gear that can suppress deterioration of gear accuracy caused by shrinkage of resin material after injection molding and allow accurate and smooth rotation transmission is provided. An injection-molded resin face gear 1 includes a boss 3, a disk-shaped web 4, and a teeth section 5. The boss 3 has an axis hole 2. The web 4 is formed on an outer circumferential side of the boss in an outward radial direction. The teeth section 5 is formed on an outer circumferential edge of the web 4. The teeth section 5 includes a cylindrical section 13, a disk-shaped section 14, and a plurality of teeth 15. The cylindrical section 13 is connected to the outer circumferential edge of the web 4. The disk-shaped section 14 is formed on one end side of the cylindrical section 13 in the outward radial direction. The teeth 15 are formed evenly spaced on an outer circumferential side of the cylindrical section 13 such that one side surface of the disk-shaped section 14 is a bottom land 16. The web 4, the cylindrical section 13, and the disk-shaped section 14 have almost the same thicknesses. The outer circumferential edge of the web 4 is connected between an end surface 19 and an end surface 22 of the cylindrical section 13, in almost the center in a direction along a rotational center axis CL.

A tractor includes a prime mover, a driven implement selectively engaged with the prime mover, and a switch for selectively engaging and disengaging the driven implement with the prime mover. The switch has three positions including a disengaged position, a momentary position, and an engaged position located between the disengaged position and the momentary position. The prime mover can be started with the switch in the disengaged position. The prime mover can be started with the switch in the engaged position when the switch was previously moved to the momentary position before being moved to the engaged position, such that after operation of the prime mover is stopped, the prime mover can be restarted without changing the position of the switch.

A vibratory device comprises a rotor and an eccentric weight. The eccentric weight is mounted to the shaft and has a center of mass that is offset from the shaft axis. The vibratory device is configured such that the eccentric weight is in a first rotational orientation relative to the shaft and rotates with the shaft when the shaft rotates in a first direction about the shaft axis and such that the eccentric weight is in a second rotational orientation relative to the shaft when the shaft rotates in an opposite second direction about the shaft axis. The vibratory device is further configured such that the eccentric weight automatically transitions from the first rotational orientation to the second rotational orientation when the shaft is switched from rotating in the first direction to rotating in the second direction.

A hydraulic arrangement by which a plurality of shift rails of a transmission are actuated, including one double acting cylinder per shift rail by which the respective shift rail can be moved back and forth. A first hydraulic valve is connected upstream of the plurality of shift rails and has a first output and a second output, by which a first shift pressure and a second shift pressure for actuating the shift rails can be provided. A second hydraulic valve is connected between the first hydraulic valve and two of the shift rails, and by which it is selectively possible for the first output of the first hydraulic valve to be associated with one of the double acting cylinders of the two shift rails, and the second output of the first hydraulic valve to be associated with the other double acting cylinder of the two shift rails.

An automatic shift device for an automated transmission for a vehicle includes a rotation shaft, a clutch ring, a clutch hub, a sleeve, a dog clutch portion, a shaft moving apparatus, and a control portion. The control portion includes a push force reduction control portion performing a push force reduction control reducing a push force of the sleeve that the shaft moving apparatus applies on the clutch rear teeth in response to a back and forth movement of the sleeve after the sleeve reaches an end surface of the clutch rear tooth. The control portion includes a retry control portion performing a retry control that re-applies the push force of the sleeve in response to a predetermined retry condition after the push force reduction control is performed.

A vehicle driving apparatus where brake and acceleration functions are combined with a single stick includes: a lever moving to an acceleration position, an idle position, or a brake position as rotating forward and rearward about a shaft fixed to a vehicle body at a predetermined angle; a hand acceleration means opening an engine throttle to cause a vehicle to be accelerated; a hand brake means pushing a booster rod of a brake booster so that a brake operates to cause the vehicle to be stopped; a guide means installed on the left and right sides of the lever to prevent the lever from being shaken leftward and rightward; a hand brake locking means allowing the hand brake to be continuously applied; and a cruise control means allowing the lever to stay in the acceleration position even if the driver takes his hand off the lever.

A steering apparatus for a vehicle includes a main housing formed in a box form provided with a pair of side walls extending in an axial direction of the main housing with an opening between the pair of side walls, and provided with opening portions at opposing ends in the axial direction. The steering apparatus also includes a movable column member formed in a tubular form accommodated in the main housing through one of the opening portions at the opposing ends of the main housing in the axial direction. The steering apparatus further includes a resilient member, which is a plate spring, formed in one piece configured to fix to the main housing at the pair of fixing portions in a state where the pair of thrust portions, via thrust members, are thrusting the movable column member.

An adjusting device is equipped with a rod and a holder disposed movably in the direction of the length of the rod at an end of the rod, and adjusts the allowance length of the inner cable coupled to the rod and (or) holder. The adjusting device is provided with a lock-discriminating member protruding from the periphery of the holder and a cover covering the periphery of the holder including the lock-discriminating member and the lock. The lock piece does not protrude from the periphery of the holder in the lock state and protrudes to the same height with the lock-discriminating member in the unlock state.

A pedal apparatus for a vehicle may include a pad, a bracket which may be disposed below the pad, wherein the bracket may be coupled to the pad and a pedal arm at each opposite end of the pad and the pedal arm, respectively, a link section which may be disposed in the bracket, wherein the link section may be coupled to a lower portion of the pad and an intermediate portion of the bracket, respectively, such that the bracket may be movable in a longitudinal direction thereof, and a hinge-adjusting section which may be disposed above the link section such that an angle of the pad may be adjusted as the link section moves in the longitudinal direction thereof.

An accelerator pedal is supported by a support member. A biasing member biases the accelerator pedal to the full close position. A resistance application unit increases a frictional force to increase a rotational resistance applied to the accelerator pedal, as a rotation angle of the accelerator pedal increases. A slidable portion is mounted to the support member and slidable on the accelerator pedal. A first latch portion and a second latch portion define an interspace therebetween in a rotational direction. The support member includes a rotation restrictive projection fitted between the first latch portion and the second latch portion.

There is provided an opening and closing apparatus for a fuel lid, including: a pushrod configured to shift between a locking posture and an unlocking posture and to reciprocate between a pushed-in position and a pushed-out position; a follower assembled to the pushrod so as to rotate relatively to the pushrod about the center line and to move together with the pushrod in the axial directions; and a case supporting the pushrod, the follower and a biasing member. The case includes a rod cam portion for rotating the pushrod and a follower cam portion for rotating the follower. The follower cam portion includes a plurality of follower securing portions for securing the follower so as to hold the pushrod in the pushed-in position against biasing force exerted by the biasing member.

An arrangement for adjusting the position of handlebars on a vehicle including a first mechanism for effecting rotation of the handlebars about a first axis in response to a first control signal; a second mechanism for effecting translation of the handlebars along a longitudinal axis in response to a second control signal; and a control system for providing the first and second control signals. In the illustrative embodiment, the inventive system includes a first support secured to the vehicle; a second support operationally coupled to the first support and adapted for rotational movement about a first axis; a first actuator for rotating the second support over an angular extent about the first axis; a third support coupled to the second support for translational movement along a second axis, the second axis being coaxial with a longitudinal axis of the third support and transverse to the first axis; a second actuator for effecting movement of the third support relative to the second support; and a control system for driving the first and second actuators.

A bicycle handle assembly for a handlebar contains a body including a peripheral fringe and a side fringe connected together to define a receiving space. The receiving space includes a first side and a second side. The peripheral fringe includes a first engaging portion, a first connecting portion and a fixing portion connected with two ends of the first engaging portion. A movable retaining member is installed in the receiving space and includes a second engaging portion, a second connecting portion and a moving portion connected with two ends of the second engaging portion. The second connecting portion is used to connect with the first connecting portion of the body. A locking element is used to force the moving portion toward the fixing portion of the body, so that the external fence of the handlebar is retained tightly between the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion.

A restraining system is configured to secure and release a rider's footwear to a vehicle footrest in response to inputs to a control interface. The vehicle is typically a motorcycle or bicycle. In the case of a motorcycle, a rider's boot is restrained to a motorcycle foot peg by the action of a restraining device. Exemplary restraining device embodiments include an electromagnet or a mechanical latch. The control interface may be located on the motorcycle handlebar or on the rider's helmet. The rider can provide the inputs directly to the control interface. Alternatively, the inputs may be received from a wireless source.

A durable system is disclosed for controlling variable valve actuation of an engine valve corresponding to a cylinder of an automobile engine. The system is designed to have a durability that exceeds the expected life of a conventional automobile engine. The system includes first crowned cam having a first lift profile, a second crowned cam having a second lift profile, and a rocker arm assembly. The rocker assembly includes a first arm having an end connected to said engine valve, having a high impact roller following the first crowned cam operating the engine valves according to a first lift profile. The rocker arm assembly also includes a second arm having slider pads riding on the second crowned cam to operate said engine valve according to a second lift profile. The slider pads have a sliding surface covered with an impact-resistant multilayer coating with its outermost coating being a wear-resistant coating. A latch having adjustable latch lash secures the second arm relative to the first arm when in a latched position causing the valve to operate according to a second lift profile when the latch is in a latched position, and the valve is operated according to a first lift profile when the latch is not in a latched position.

Centrifugal pendulum device including pendulum masses arranged on axial sides of a pendulum mass support rotatable about an axis of rotation to form a pendulum mass pair. To form the mass pair, the masses are fastened to each other by means of a fastener passing through a cutout in the mass support. The mass pair is pivotable relative to the mass support due to a rolling element arranged to roll in a recess of the mass support and of the mass. In a section axially covering the recess of the mass support, the rolling element has a first outer diameter. In a section axially covering the recess of the pendulum mass, the rolling element has a second outer diameter. The rolling element further comprises a section axially located between the first and second diameters and has a third diameter, which is smaller than or equal to the first outer diameter.

An electromechanical actuator for a movable flight control surface of an aircraft, the actuator comprising an electric motor having an outlet shaft with first and second directions of rotation, a movement transmission arranged to connect the outlet shaft of the motor to the movable flight control surface, and a control unit for controlling the motor. The transmission incorporates a pawl device arranged to oppose the transmission of movement in the first direction of rotation, and the control unit is connected to a pawl declutching member for declutching the pawl and enabling movement to be transmitted in the first direction of rotation.

In an embodiment of the invention, an anti-rotation assembly for a steering column is provided. The anti-rotation assembly includes a bushing and a pin having a detent for engaging the bushing when the pin is inserted into the bushing.