Abstract: An improved deactivation hydraulic lash adjuster wherein the prior art lost motion spring or springs formerly located within the body of the DHLA and below the pin housing are either omitted completely or are reduced in length, spring force, and/or number and are augmented hydraulically, allowing a shorter, more compact lifter body and reduced overall lifter length. The prior art lost motion spring chamber becomes a hydraulic chamber connected to a new pressurized oil supply gallery containing an accumulator in the engine. An embodiment having no lost motion spring and solely hydraulic lost motion return can be even shorter than a spring-hydraulic hybrid because the potential hydraulic pressure to be brought against the pin housing is not a function of the length of the lost motion chamber, which length is limited only by the required displacement of the pin housing.

Abstract: A burner module for burning injected reformate mixed with engine exhaust in an exhaust pipe ahead of aftertreatment devices, comprising an exhaust flow divider that creates a localized region of exhaust flow for mixture of the reformate. The amount of reformate required to produce a burnable composition in the localized area is less than what is required in the prior art to provide the same composition over the entire cross-sectional region of the exhaust pipe. An igniter is provided within the localized region. Upon ignition of the reformate, the flow of reformate may be increased to the point of a stoichiometric mixture for the entire exhaust, to produce the maximum heat for warm up. The exhaust flow divider may comprise a divider tube mounted in the exhaust pipe or may be simply a protrusion from a wall of the exhaust pipe.

Abstract: A fuel cell stack is provided with a plurality of fuel cell cassettes where each fuel cell cassette has a fuel cell with an anode and cathode. The fuel cell stack includes an anode supply chimney for supplying fuel to the anode of each fuel cell cassette, an anode return chimney for removing anode exhaust from the anode of each fuel cell cassette, a cathode supply chimney for supplying oxidant to the cathode of each fuel cell cassette, and a cathode return chimney for removing cathode exhaust from the cathode of each fuel cell cassette. A first fuel cell cassette includes a flow control member disposed between the anode supply chimney and the anode return chimney or between the cathode supply chimney and the cathode return chimney such that the flow control member provides a flow restriction different from at least one other fuel cell cassettes.

Abstract: A pump includes a piston block defining piston bores, and pistons disposed in the piston bores. A swash device defines a swash bore about a swash central axis (CSW) and a swash rotation axis (CR). A pivotal connection pivotally connects each of the pistons to the swash device for rotation about a connection pivot point during relative movement between the swash device and the piston. The connection pivot points are aligned in a plane (P). A shaft supported by the housing passes through the swash bore and defines a shaft central axis (CSH). A hinge assembly pivotally supports the swash device about a hinge axis (CHI) disposed on the opposite side of the plane (P) from the piston block. The swash rotation axis (CR) of the swash device is offset from the plane (P) away from the hinge axis (CHI) and is radially offset from the swash center axis in a direction toward the hinge axis (CHI).

Abstract: An injection device for administering a reagent into an exhaust chamber of an internal combustion engine, comprising a device inlet and a device outlet and a sub-assembly held securely within a device housing. The sub-assembly comprises (i) valve housing defining a valve seat, (ii) valve means movable outwardly from the valve housing, away from the valve seat, to permit the reagent to be delivered into the exhaust chamber through the device outlet, whereby a force is applied to the valve means due to reagent delivered to the device inlet which serves to urge the valve means away from the valve seat, and (iii) bias means for applying a biasing force to the valve means which serves to urge the valve means against the valve seat so as to prevent delivery of the reagent through the device outlet into the exhaust chamber.

Abstract: A heat exchanger assembly including a first and second heat exchangers disposed in sandwiched relationship with one another. The tubes and air fins of the first and second heat exchangers are aligned with one another in a transverse air flow direction. A plurality of middle connecting portions are integral with and extend in the transverse air flow direction between the aligned first and second air fins of the two heat exchangers. Each of the middle connecting portions has a slot for impeding heat conduction between the first and second air fins, and each of the slots in the middle connecting portions is disposed closer to the first tubes than to the second tubes to maximize the effective length of the second air fin.

Abstract: A DHLA including a hydraulic lash adjustment mechanism disposed within a plunger slidably disposed within a pin housing that is slidably disposed within an axial bore in an adjuster body. A lash ring disposed in a groove near the outer end of the DHLA body includes a portion extending into the bore to limit travel of the pin housing and thereby set the internal mechanical lash in the DHLA. The lash ring has a thickness selected to provided a predetermined amount of mechanical lash in the assembled lifter, which thickness varies from assembly to assembly to compensate for manufacturing variation in the components. A biasing means such as a wave ring, a Belleville washer or a beveled retaining ring is also installed in the annular groove to urge the lash ring against the lower surface of the groove under all DHLA operating conditions.

Abstract: An interconnect element for electrically connecting an anode and a cathode in adjacent fuel cells in a fuel cell stack, wherein said interconnect element has at least one featured surface including dimples, bosses, and/or pins arranged in a two-dimensional pattern. Preferably, both surfaces are featured, as by mechanical dimpling, embossing, or chemical etching, so that protrusions of the interconnect surface extend into either or both of the adjacent gas flow spaces to make electrical contact with the surfaces of the anode and cathode. This permits conduction of heat from the anode. The protrusions create turbulence in gas flowing through the flow spaces, which increases hydrogen consumption at the anode and hence electric output of the cell.

Abstract: A hybrid input differential engine system comprising a planetary gear set. Preferably, an ICE is connected to the planet gear carrier, the output shaft is connected to the ring gear, and the sun gear is connected to a supercharger/expander and an electric or hydraulic motor/generator. As engine torque increases, the supercharger speeds up, increasing torque still further, enabling a small displacement engine to have very high torque at low RPM. In cruise conditions, the sun gear direction is reversed by the motor/generator, causing the supercharger to act as an expander for efficiently throttling the engine. The motor/generator modulates the speed/torque relationships between the engine and the supercharger/expander. A second motor/generator may be used on the output shaft. The electric machines and electric storage may be downsized because less electrical power is needed for the operation of the system.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting faults in an injector arrangement is described. The injector arrangement comprises a plurality of piezoelectric injectors that are located in parallel branches of an injector bank circuit of an injector drive circuit. Each branch of the injector bank circuit comprises a high side isolation switch. The high side isolation switches are each operable to enable an associated piezoelectric injector in the injector bank circuit when closed, and disable the associated piezoelectric injector in the injector bank circuit when open. The fault detection method comprises the steps of operating the high side isolation switches so as to enable one of the piezoelectric injectors and disable the other piezoelectric injector(s), and performing diagnostics to detect the presence or absence of faults on the enabled piezoelectric injector.

Abstract: An automatic transmission is disclosed that includes a clutch pressure control module housing having therein: (1) a plurality of solenoid valves, each of the solenoid valves configured to receive an input of the pressurized hydraulic fluid and to provide a variable output pressure of pressurized hydraulic fluid in response to an electric control signal; (2) means for sensing output pressure from each of the solenoid valves of the plurality of solenoid valves; and (3) electronic control means configured to generate electric control signals to one or more of the solenoid valves of the plurality of solenoid valves in response to (i) a clutch pressure command signal or a solenoid pressure command signal, and (ii) a solenoid output pressure signal from the means for sensing output pressure. The solenoid valves provide hydraulic control signals to clutch hydraulic pressure control valves, which in turn provide hydraulic power to clutch actuators.

Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator for use in a diesel engine. The actuator comprises a piezoelectric element which is encapsulated such that a layer of gas at a pressure above atmospheric pressure surrounds the piezoelectric element. The presence of the gas within the encapsulation around the element avoids the need to passivate electrodes exposed on the surface of the element.

Abstract: A method for controlling a glow plug at a desired temperature. In a glow plug off state, the glow plug temperature status is monitored to prepare for the next combustion event. When ignition is requested, a determination is made as to how long full voltage can be applied to bring the glow plug to ignition temperature. A resistance/temperature map is provided to determine the resistance as a function of temperature. Another map is provided of temperature as a function of powering time at a full battery voltage in a First Heating Phase to ensure that the surface temperature of the glow plug will reach a predetermined temperature required to start combustion of an air/fuel mixture. A third map is provided of a PWM duty cycle for a Second Heating Phase to maintain the temperature of the glow plug to ensure flame propagation without damage to the glow plug.

Abstract: A fuel pump for use in an internal combustion engine, the fuel pump comprising a pumping plunger for pressurising fuel within a pump chamber during a plunger pumping stroke, a rider member co-operable with a drive, and an interface member, for example a foot of the plunger or an intermediate tappet, for imparting drive from the rider member to the pumping plunger to perform the plunger pumping stroke. The interface member comprises an arcuate contact surface co-operable with the rider member. The inventive concept also extends to a pumping plunger for pressurising fuel within a pump chamber of a fuel pump, the pumping plunger comprising a foot having an arcuate contact surface for engaging a rider member of a fuel pump in use.

Abstract: An apparatus and method is described for testing a multi-hole fuel injector nozzle. The apparatus comprises mounting means for the multi-hole nozzle and fuel supply means for supplying fuel to the multi-hole nozzle. The multi-hole nozzle is mounted outside a measurement chamber for capturing the fuel spray from an individual spray hole outlet of the multi-hole nozzle. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a spray target plate, located within the measurement chamber, at which the fuel spray is directed. The spray target plate (28) is connected to a remote pressure sensor, which is used to determine the spray force of the fuel spray acting on the spray target plate. The apparatus is further arranged to determine the mass flow rate of the fuel spray. A new parameter, referred to as ‘momentum efficiency’ is defined, and calculated using the determined values of spray force and mass flow rate.

Abstract: In a pressure control system having a solenoid-operated fluid valve that has an output hydraulic pressure which varies in accordance with a solenoid input signal, a dynamic learning block is configured to adjust the initial, default values for control points stored in a pressure-current (P-I) data table based on observed (measured) operating points that reflect the solenoid's actual transfer characteristic. A feed forward control block is configured to generate the solenoid input signal having a level based on the adjusted control points in the data table, which improves the accuracy of the solenoid input signal. An adjustment method uses a plurality of circular buffers each configured to store observed operating points falling within a respective range, and provides a mechanism to allow adjustment of the control points based on only partial data.

Abstract: An igniter for igniting combustible gases in a hot zone, such as in a solid oxide fuel cell, comprising a subassembly including an electrical resistance heating tip comprising SiC, metal leadframe clips formed of a nickel-based superalloy and attached to the heating tip, wire leads formed of a nickel-chromium alloy and connected to the leadframe clips for supplying electric current to the heating tip, and a nickel-based braze alloy comprising palladium and cobalt for connecting the leadframe clips to the heating tip and to the wire leads; an alumina ceramic body for receiving the brazed subassembly; and a potting compound comprising zirconia for potting the subassembly into the alumina ceramic body.

Abstract: A method for controlling the displacement of a stack of a piezoelectric actuator adapted for use in a fuel injector in order to control the fuel injection rate and volume. The method comprises driving a varying current through the stack during an opening phase including a first opening stage and a second opening stage; driving the stack during the first opening stage with a first opening current level for a first opening time period and driving the stack during the second opening stage with a second opening current level for a second opening time period. The second opening current level is less than the first opening current level and the current levels are selected so that the fuel injection rate in the opening phase includes a first portion corresponding to the first opening stage having a gradient that is steeper than a second portion corresponding to the second opening stage.

Abstract: A deactivating hydraulic lash adjuster comprising a pin housing slidably disposed in a body and having at least one lock pin disposed in a transverse bore for extending into a receiver feature in the body to lock the two together during periods of engine operation in valve non-deactivation mode. The present improvement consists in providing a first orienting feature for the lash adjuster body that engages a second orienting feature on an engine head to provide a preferred and fixed orientation of the body within a bore in the engine head. In a currently preferred orientation, the axis of the at least one lock pin is parallel to the axis of the engine camshaft. The orientation of the lock pin(s) to the body is made invariant by insertion of a pin through a radial bore in the body into a longitudinal groove in the pin housing.

Abstract: A standard cam phasing OCV may be employed as a virtual check valve to choke the backflow of oil during negative cam torque conditions, including execution of a duty cycle command in an event-based manner. Normally, OCV duty cycle commands are made on a time basis, but for VCV the duty cycle output change must be synchronized with engine events. A method is disclosed for calculating and delivering the VCV duty cycle so that both time-based and event-based controls are maintained and work together. Phase alignment of response time of the OCV solenoid is based upon cam target wheel edges and is event-based. An initial phase rate vs. phase angle is monitored by the Engine Control Module (ECM). Adjustment of the phase angle is provided to achieve maximum cam position phase rate.