Abstract: An inflator for an inflatable vehicle occupant restraint system comprises a housing with an arcuate stress concentration groove therein of reduced cross section relative to the remainder of the housing whereby the groove ruptures upon the occurrence of a predetermined pressure internally of the housing.

Abstract: A gas generator comprises a propellant container having a plurality of propellant grains therein, an igniter for igniting the propellant grains, and a shock wave barrier disposed in closely spaced relation to the igniter for attenuating a shock wave emanating therefrom so as to preclude fragmentation of the propellant grains.

Abstract: A system (10) for simulating vehicle crashes for testing or evaluating the reliability of a vehicle crash sensor (20) includes a model waveform generator (16) which utilizes a method of modeling an actual vehicle crash waveform to generate an infinite set of model crash waveforms, and subsequently inputs these sets of modeled crash waveforms into a thruster apparatus (12). The thruster apparatus (12) mechanically exerts a force onto the crash sensor (20) corresponding to each input model waveform. The crash sensor response is tracked and analyzed by a test analyzer (18). The model crash waveforms are generated by breaking down a predetermined crash waveform into a crash pulse (signal of interest) and multiplicative noise signal. The multiplicative noise signal is then statistically characterized as a function of time.

Abstract: An optical filter 10 for filtering spatial frequencies from an output of an optical imaging system comprises a substantially transparent, or reflective, optical element 12 having a plurality of light refracting, or reflecting, segments 18 arranged on a surface thereof. Each of the plurality of segments 18 is provided with a predetermined angle of refraction, or reflection, distinct from adjacently located segments 18, wherein the different angles of refraction, or reflection, and the arrangement of the segments 18 on the optical element 12, are determined based on a desired spatial frequency transfer function for the filter 10. The optical spatial filter 10 reduces errors in optically formed images by accurately confining a broadened Point Spread Function (PSF) to a desired spot size.

Abstract: A composite wing for an aircraft comprises a plurality of elongated hollow one-piece composite spars arranged in juxtaposed generally parallel relation in an array defining an airfoil with a composite skin disposed about said assembled spars.

Abstract: An air seal valve comprises an annular valve body having a circular valve plate disposed internally thereof with a pair of axially spaced valves thereon defining a fresh air plenum, one of said valves comprising a truncated conical plate having a radially outer edge engageable with the valve body to effect a seal thereagainst.

Abstract: An annular combustor for a gas turbine engine having a rotatable fuel slinger has a first plurality of effusion cooling holes for directing air flow radially inwardly toward said fuel slinger and circumferentially in the direction of rotation of the fuel slinger and a second plurality of effusion cooling holes on the opposite side of the fuel slinger for directing air radially inwardly and circumferentially in the direction of rotation of the fuel slinger, thereby to produce a pair of annular axially spaced helical air flow patterns having a confluence in the direction of fuel flow radially outwardly from the fuel slinger.

Abstract: A system for mounting an airbag and airbag inflator comprises an airbag inflator having a plurality of clips that are engagable with a mounting plate. The airbag is interposed between the inflator and the mounting plate when the clips on the inflator are engaged with the mounting plate so as to support the airbag and seal the interface between the inflator and mounting plate. Gas flow incident to deflation of the airbag is vented through the mounting plate.

Abstract: A reverse flow cooling system for an internal combustion engine wherein coolant flows first into the cylinder head cooling chamber and then downwardly into the cooling chambers surrounding the cylinders comprises a thermostatically controlled valve having a valve spool movable between spaced and aligned inlet and outlet ports to control flow therethrough. The inlet port and outlet ports of the valve are sized so as to exhibit a combined resistance to flow equal to or less than the resistance to flow of the inlet port whereby coolant flowing through said thermostat exhibits minimum pressure drop.

Abstract: A braking and stabilizing system for use by a roller blade skater comprises an elongated shaft adapted to be manually held by the skater and having a roller on at least one end thereof adapted to be biased against a skating surface and a brake mechanism controllable by the skater for braking rotation of the roller.

Abstract: A conical microlith catalyst reaction system for use in automotive catalytic converters or gas turbine catalytic combustors advantageously utilizes a microlith catalyst bed formed from a wire cloth (10) woven into a spiral wound flat helix (or coil). The spiral windings of the wire cloth helix are wound to form a uniform angle less than 90.degree. relative to a ceramic housing formed from an inner ceramic hub (102) and an outer ceramic shroud (104). Warp wires (12) further carry electrical current via bus bars (106, 108) for electrically heating the catalyst bed. Lightoff time for the bed is significantly reduced due to the heating. The angled spiral windings create the conical shape to prevent buckling of the spiral windings due to thermal stress caused by the microlith catalyst bed becoming hot.

Abstract: A circuit for generating a regulated negative voltage output pulse for use in calibrating a transducer, such as used in sensing an acceleration profile of a moving object, comprises a transistor responsive to a periodically generated control pulse for reversing the polarity charge on a capacitor. A negative voltage charge on the capacitor activates a negative voltage regulator to generate the desired regulated negative voltage calibration pulse. A pair of resistors are series connected to the regulated negative voltage output and a positive voltage reference source to provide an output for an external monitoring device to verify the generation of an accurate regulated negative voltage calibration pulse. The pair of resistors also provide a bypass of the negative voltage regulator when no external control pulse is present, thereby establishing a positive voltage output for the calibration pulse generating circuit when a regulated negative voltage calibration pulse is not being generated.

Abstract: The safety belt pre-tension assembly comprises a support 14, a safety belt buckle 10 mounted on the support for axial displacement relative to the support, a housing 40, a winding reel 44 mounted within the housing and a helical power spring 52 associated with the reel to cause rotation of the winding reel. A flexible cable 34 has one end connected to the winding reel, so that the flexible cable will be wound thereon upon operation of the power spring. The other end of the flexible cable 34 is connected to the buckle 10 to move the buckle axially in a first direction effective to tension a safety belt held by the buckle. Actuation means 54-70 are provided to trigger actuation of the spring 52 upon the actuation means being subjected to a deceleration greater than the predetermined value. Locking means 26-32 are provided to allow the buckle to move in the first direction only, but not in the opposite direction.

Abstract: A method of protecting an electronic component from the environment comprising the steps of providing a bag made from thermoplastic heat shrink material, inserting said electronic component into said bag, injecting a liquid polymerizable resin into said bag, heating said bag to shrink it about said electronic component and said resin, and curing said resin.

Abstract: A single unit, shell and tube fume incinerator utilizes a baffle (34) structure proximate a combustion zone (24) to control the flow of combustion exhaust gas. The baffle (34) is located proximate the hot ends of a plurality of heat exchange tubes (20) to deflect the hot exhaust gases from the combustion zone (24) away from the ends of the tubes (20), and back to the outside of the tubes (20), thereby controlling the "time at temperature" for contaminants in the impure gas feed. Baffle (34) provides a slip fit around tubes (20) to permit thermal expansion thereof.

Abstract: A machine for hemming an edge portion of an arcuate panel having a fixed die with an arcuate contour complementary to the panel, a moveable die head having prehemming and hemming dies thereon with edge contours, respectively, complementary to the edge contour of said panel. A single fluid actuator and a cam controlled linkage effect both vertical and lateral movement of both the hemming die and prehemming die relative to the fixed die upon operation of the actuator. A pair of arms are pivotally attached to the prehemming die to form a radius of rotation which controls horizontal and vertical movement of the prehemming die relative to the moveable die head to provide proper clearance and disengagement between the prehemming die and the edge portion of the arcuate panel and/or the fixed die after completion of the prehemming operation.

Abstract: A liner for a pipe comprises a pair of imperforate sleeves telescoped within one another and having a resin absorbant fiber mat and resin supply tube disposed therebetween. A polymerizable resin is injected between the sleeves through the resin supply tube. The resin tube may be withdrawn from the pipe. The liner is folded to a U-shaped cross section to facilitate insertion into the pipe.

Abstract: A rod wiper for disposition about the rod of a fluid actuator comprises an annular wiper element of relatively high durometer having a pair of axially spaced lips engageable with the rod of the actuator, and an annular elastomeric element of relatively lower durometer disposed radially outwardly of said wiper element. The elastomeric element is normally engaged with only the wiper element and with an axial wall of a rod housing. However, the elastomeric element is movable into engagement with a radial wall of the rod housing in the presence of dirt and scale on the rod. The axial force on the elastomeric element results in an increased bias of the lips of the wiper element on the rod.

Abstract: An aqueous reverse-flow cooling system comprises a pump for delivering coolant to a combustion chamber coolant chamber having a gas outlet, at a high point thereof, for the discharge of coolant and gases through a restriction to a gas separator/condenser circuit having an outlet in fluid communication with a lower pressure area of the coolant circuit.

Abstract: A method of modeling a vehicle crash waveform to generate an infinite set of crash waveforms comprises breaking down a predetermined crash waveform into a crash pulse (signal of interest) and multiplicative noise signal. The multiplicative noise signal is then statistically characterized as a function of time. Randomly variable waveforms from a white noise generator are then modified with the statistical characterization and multiplied with the signal of interest to generate the infinite set of model crash waveforms. These model crash waveforms can then be used to evaluate the performance of crash detection system in accordance with a "Monte Carlo" probability determination technique.