Abstract: Access to a motor vehicle is controlled by periodically transmitting an interrogation signal from a control circuit on the vehicle. Upon receiving the interrogation signal, a hand-held remote control transmits a reply signal to the control circuit. The control circuit measures the strength of the reply signal and the activates a first function, such as unlocking a door of the vehicle, when the strength exceeds a first threshold level. Thereafter, when the signal strength exceeds a second threshold level, the control circuit activates a second function, for example enabling the engine to be started. When the signal strength drops below a third threshold activates a third function, such as locking the door.

Abstract: Whenever a dishwasher is operated a given number of times or whenever a given number of days transpire, an apparatus performs a process that removes minerals deposits that have built-up inside the dishwasher. The process commences by rinsing the dishwasher interior with water and draining the rinse water. A mixture of water and a chemical that dissolves the minerals is introduced into the dishwasher and a pump circulates the mixture inside the dishwasher for a period of time. Next the mixture is drained out and the dishwasher interior is rinsed again with fresh water.

Abstract: A patient monitor has a plurality of voice alarm messages stored in a memory. When the monitor detects an occurrence of an alarm condition, such as an usual physiological characteristic of the patient, a voice alarm message associated with that condition is played back through a loudspeaker. To enable the patient monitor to be used throughout the world, the end user is able to replace each of the prerecorded voice alarm messages. Thus the end user is able to store voice messages in the native language and dialect spoken where the monitor is used.

Abstract: A carbonated beverage is conveyed from a source to a closed reservoir at a first pressure level. The pressure in the reservoir is controlled by selectively venting gas and adding pressurized gas to the reservoir to maintain the carbonated beverage at a second pressure level that is less than the first pressure level and substantially greater than atmospheric pressure. The carbonated beverage is dispensed from the reservoir into a serving container by reducing the pressure in the reservoir to substantially atmospheric pressure and then opening an outlet valve. During prolonged periods when dispensing is not occurring, the pressure in the reservoir may be increased to prevent degassing of the carbonated beverage. In that case, the reservoir pressure is reduced to the second pressure level before another dispensing operation.

Abstract: Blood pressure of an human being is read by a process that places a cuff around a portion of the human being's body. The cuff is inflated to a predefined pressure which occludes the flow of blood and then the cuff is deflated in a controlled manner. At a plurality of deflation pressure levels, pressure oscillations that occur in the cuff are measured to produce a series of measurements representing the waveform of the oscillations. The systolic pressure and mean arterial pressure are derived from the measurements in conventional manners. A portion of the waveform for one cardiac cycle is analyzed by locating points which correspond to the occurrence of the systolic and mean arterial pressures. The diastolic pressure, which occurs at the minimum point of the waveform, is derived from those points and the systolic and mean arterial pressures.

Abstract: A valve assembly has a single piece body that houses a plurality of hydraulic valves. Each valve includes a spool which controls the flow of fluid between a pair of work ports in one side of the body and a pump inlet and a tank outlet. The valves are operated by selectively applying pressurized fluid to one end or the other of the spool. That pressure is provided by a conduit or a pilot valve that is attached to a control port in the one side of the body. Because the majority of the connections to the valve assembly are made to the one side of the body access is only required to that side.

Abstract: A regeneration method for a hydraulic system enables the fluid being forced from a first actuator to be used to power a second actuator. Often the force of the load acting on a hydraulic actuator is used to move the actuator into a given position which motion forces fluid from the actuator. Rather than simply draining that fluid to the system tank, the fluid is routed to a second actuator to be powered when the pressure of the fluid draining at the first actuator is greater than the pressure required to power the second actuator. At other times the draining fluid can be used to drive the pump which has been configured to operate as a motor thereby driving the prime mover connected to the pump. Alternatively the draining fluid can be routed to an accumulator where it is stored under pressure until needed to power an actuator of the system. A unique bidirectional pilot operated poppet valve.

Abstract: An detection system emits a light beam and has a photodetector that senses when light is reflected by objects to be detected. Because reflectivity of the objects varies greatly, the intensity of the reflected light varies over a large range. To prevent false object detection, an automatic sensitivity control mechanism is provided which controls the intensity of the emitted light beam and attenuation of the signal from the photodetector. That control is in response to the level of the photodetector signal.

Abstract: A object on a seat of a motor vehicle is classified by creating a video image of the area and forming a silhouette of the object. The silhouette is divided into two segments and a separate ellipse is positioned to approximate the shape of each segment. The parameters that define the location and size of the two ellipses form a feature vector for the object. A Bayesian classification function utilizes the feature vector to determine the probability that the object fits which each of a plurality of classes. A class for the object is determined based on the probabilities. This method can be used to control operation of an air bag in the motor vehicle in response to the class of the object on the seat.

Abstract: A hydraulic system controls the flow of fluid to and from several functions on a machine. Each function has a valve assembly through which fluid is supplied under pressure from a source to an actuator and through which fluid returns from the actuator to a shared return line connected by a return line metering valve to the system tank. There are several regeneration modes of operation in which fluid exhausted from one port is supplied into the other port of the same actuator, which eliminates or reduces the amount of hydraulic fluid that must be supplied from the source. In some regeneration modes, input fluid for an actuator is obtained from another hydraulic function via the shared return line. In these regeneration modes an electronic controller operates the return line metering valve to restrict fluid from flowing into the tank from the shared return line, so that the fluid will be available to be supplied into an actuator port.

Abstract: A bushing for a hole in a structural member includes a flange with an aperture there through. A plurality of tabs are hinged to the flange at locations around the aperture. During installation of the bushing, the plurality of tabs are inserted into the hole with the flange being located on one side of the structural member. The plurality of tabs then are flared outward on the opposite side of the structural member to prevent the bushing from being extracted from the hole. A plurality of latches retain the tabs in the flared position.

Abstract: An assembly of a pair of electrically operated bidirectional proportional control valves and a four-way direction control valve governs the flow of fluid to and from a hydraulic cylinder. The four-way direction control valve alternately connects a pump supply line to one of a pair of intermediate conduits and a tank return line to the other intermediate conduit. That connection determines the direction of movement of the cylinder piston. The intermediate conduits are coupled to chambers of the cylinder by a separate one of the proportional control valves which meters the fluid flow to or from the respective chamber. Thus the proportional control valves control the rate of piston movement.

Abstract: A cheese processing system utilizes a liquid flume to convey blocks of cheese between two components of the system. A staging section is provided in the flume to accumulate cheese blocks into groups that are more easily handled by the component at the outlet of the flume. The staging section has a first movable stop mechanism against which the cheese blocks are detained. When a predefined amount of cheese blocks have accumulated, a second stop prevents additional cheese blocks from entering the staging section until the accumulated one can be released by the first movable stop mechanism. A unique flume structure is provided to direct the liquid flow into different channels to aid in rapidly forcing the detained blocks of cheese into and from the staging section.

Abstract: Blood pressure of an human being is read by a process that places a cuff around a portion of the human being's body. The cuff is inflated to a predefined pressure which occludes the flood of blood and then the cuff is deflated in a controlled manner. At a plurality of deflation pressure levels, pressure pulses that occur in the cuff are integrated to produce a plurality of integral values. A diastolic pressure of the human being is derived in response to the deflation pressure level at which occurred the integral value that is greatest in magnitude.

Abstract: A twist-on connector for electrical wires has a shell of insulating material and a metal coil inserted into an aperture in the shell. The aperture extending from one end of the shell and has an outer tapered section which is threaded to engage the electrical wires. A beveled section of the aperture extends inwardly from the outer tapered section to an intermediate tapered section. The intermediate tapered section is formed by a threadless region which is proximate to the beveled section and a threaded region extending inward from the threadless region. A closed end section of the aperture adjoins the intermediate tapered section. The coil is frusto-conical with several turns at the larger end engaging the threadless region of the aperture and the smaller end engaging the closed end section of the aperture. The middle coil portion is spaced from the shell.

Abstract: A integrated assembly form a parallel arrangement of a relief valve, an orifice and a check valve. A body has a first flange with a perimeter surface that engages a wall of a bore in which the assembly fits. An number of apertures extend through the flange. A second flange extends from the body and has an annular lip which defines a recess cavity at one end of the body. The body has a passage extending between the other end and the recess. A check valve member is slidably mounted on the body and closes the aperture when pressure adjacent the second end is greater than pressure adjacent the first end. A plurality of disks are mounted on the body and engage the annular lip to form an orifice between the disks and the lip. The disks disengage the annular lip when pressure in the bore adjacent to the second end is greater than predefined level.

Abstract: A discharge valve is provided to open an electrically controlled pilot valve in emergency situations such as during an electrical or hydraulic failure. The discharge valve has a poppet that operates in response to a pressurized control signal, which may be produced by a hand operated pump. When the poppet opens in response to the control signal, a path is established for fluid to flow from a control chamber of the pilot valve, thereby opening the latter valve.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for dispensing carbonated beverages into an open container uses a bottom filling technique in which the outlet port of the nozzle is proximate to a bottom of the open container when dispensing is initiated. The carbonated beverage is maintained in a pressurized state within the nozzle and the remainder of the system, until immediately prior to opening a valve to dispense the carbonated beverage into the open container. Prior to opening valve, the pressure of the carbonated beverage nozzle is reduced to an appropriate dispensing pressure, preferably slightly above atmospheric pressure, by slightly enlarging the nozzle volume.

Abstract: Operation of an electrically operated valve is calibrated by applying a gradually increasing electric current to the valve. While that is occurring pressure at either the inlet or outlet of the valve is measured to detect when the valve opens. When the valve opens the level of the electric current then being applied to the valve is employed to determine an initial current level to use subsequently whenever the valve is to be opened.

Abstract: A sensor for measuring pH of a solution includes a housing with an exterior surface for exposure to the solution. A measuring glass electrode within a tubular circuit ground electrode extends through the exterior surface. A reference glass electrode is received in a neutral pH solution in the housing and is coupled by a salt bridge to the exterior surface. An electric circuit within the housing has a first preamplifier connected by a first conductor to the measuring glass electrode and has a second preamplifier connected by a second conductor to the reference glass electrode. The first and second conductors have substantially equal lengths so that ambient electrical noise equally affects signals from the electrodes. The electrical cable that carries output signals from the electric circuit passes through a ferrite sleeve which inhibits high frequency electric noise that is induced in the cable from reaching the electric circuit.