Abstract: A method of making stabilizer bar pivot bushings (10). At least one length of a substantially plastic material (26, 28) that in transverse cross section has a shape that is arcuate about a central axis passes lengthwise through an extrusion die where an annular elastomeric body (22) is extruded onto the plastic. Then the body is transversely cut, including cutting through the plastic, at locations along the length of the extrusion, thereby creating individual bushings in which the plastic forms at least one shear plate.

Abstract: A vision enhancement system 10 which aids the driver in visually identifying a sensed object 16 without diverting his/her attention from the road ahead. One or more sensors 20 used to collect information about the vehicle's environment are operatively coupled with a controlled source of illumination 38. A processor 24 receives input from the sensors and intelligently determines whether a particular object sensed in or near the current path of the vehicle requires alerting the driver. If so, the processor outputs a control signal 30 to effect illumination of the sensed object. The source of illumination is controlled so as to continuously direct light onto the identified object, even as the vehicle and/or object move simultaneously with respect to one another.

Abstract: A method for controlling mode transitions, such as from stratified to homogeneous mode, in a direct injection engine adjusts an intake manifold outlet control device, such as a cam timing, to rapidly control cylinder fresh charge despite manifold dynamics. In addition, a coordinated change between an intake manifold inlet control device, for example a throttle, and the outlet control device is used to achieve the rapid cylinder fresh charge control. In this way, engine torque disturbances during the mode transition are eliminated, even when cylinder air/fuel ratio is changed from one cylinder event to the next.

Abstract: A torque control strategy control for management of regenerative braking in a motor vehicle. A first processor (12) processes throttle request data (20) and torque modification data (40) from a second processor (14) to develop motor torque request data (28) for controlling rotary electric machine torque. The second processor processes brake request data (26), the throttle request data, and operating data from the at least one operating data source to develop friction brake torque data (30) for controlling friction brake torque applied to the vehicle and the torque modification data for the first processor.

Abstract: In a bearing bracket for pedals in motor vehicles comprising a supporting bracket (8) having its base fixed to a substantially vertical region (2) of the bulkhead/cowl panel assembly (1) and a bearing bracket (9) having its base fixed to a substantially horizontal region (3) of the bulkhead/cowl panel assembly (1), with the pivot axle (7) of the pedals, for example of a brake pedal (6), being held stably and pivotally, the pedals, e.g. a brake pedal (6), are provided with a stop arm (11) projecting upwardly above the pivot axle (7) and cooperating with a rest stop (12) to determine the rest position of the pedals, the pivot axle (7) of the pedals is pivotally mounted solely in the bearing bracket (9), in bearing openings (10), and the rest stop (12) is located on the supporting bracket (8).

Abstract: A wheel suspension assembly 10 for use with a vehicle having a wheel 11. Assembly 10 includes a tie rod 12, a knuckle 14 having an integrally formed knuckle arm 16, and a ball joint 18 which rotatably couples the tie rod 12 to the knuckle arm 16. Tie rod 12 includes an outer end 24 having an integrally formed ball socket 26 and a pair of opposed and outwardly extending members 28, 30, which include a pair of orthogonally projecting foot members or “feet” 32, 34. Knuckle arm 16 includes an end portion 40 which is attached to a ball stud 44. Ball stud 44 is mated with socket 26 and cooperatively forms ball joint 18. End portion 40 includes a generally circular bottom surface 52 disposed in a substantially parallel relationship to “feet” 32, 34. Two resilient elements or “pads” 62, 64 are abuttingly disposed between “feet” 32, 34 and surface 52.

Abstract: An extracting assembly for extracting a component signal generated by a component source from a composite signal is disclosed wherein a reference sensor generates a reference signal relating to activity of the component source, a composite sensor senses the composite signal, an adaptive filter is operatively connected to the reference sensor and the composite sensor to filter the component signal from the composite signal as a function of the reference signal generated by the reference sensor, and a normalizer operatively connected to the adaptive filter for normalizing the step size of each iteration taken by the adaptive filter to minimize the time to adapt the adaptive filter to transform the reference signal into the component signal.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a metal and polymeric composite article by the following steps. Droplets of spray deposited metal and spray deposited polymeric material are combined to form an article having the polymeric material interspersed within the metal. A carrier or form that shaped to receive the metal and polymeric layers is provided. The carrier may be made either stationary or movable. Layers of spray deposited metal and spray deposited polymeric material are applied atop the carrier. The spray deposited metal is between 90 and 95 percent by volume of the article. The polymeric layers do not completely cover the metal layers. Succeeding spray deposited metal layers contact bond to previous metal layers. The polymeric material between imbedded between the interconnected metal layers.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a curved glass/plastic laminate sheet for lightweight automotive glazing is disclosed. A flat laminate is build up with two thin glass layers, one inner and one outer, and a thick middle layer of thermoplastic. The flat laminate is heated to a plasticity temperature of the thermoplastic and it may be fit into a mould so that bending occurs mainly due to plastic transverse shear deformation of the plastic layer. Glass bending is limited to elastic bending of the single glass layers. Residual bending stresses in the glass layers are avoided by preferably incorporating pre-bending stresses in the flat glass layers. Strengthening of the final glass layers is achieved by incorporating compression stresses on the bent pane through heat treatment and having different thermal expansion coefficients of glass and plastic.

Abstract: A master cylinder (12) and pedal feel emulator (10) useful in a brake-by-wire system. A bore (18) of the master cylinder contains three pistons (22, 34, and 28), in tandem, that divide the bore into various zones (26, 24, 32, 30). The emulator contains a piston (74) that divides a bore (72) into two zones (76, 78), and a spring (80) disposed in one of those zones. The zones of the emulator are hydraulically communicated in certain ways with zones of the master cylinder to enable the emulator to be effective during brake-by-wire controlled braking to displace the emulator piston to compress the emulator spring, thereby emulating pedal feel that occurs during hydraulic braking.

Abstract: An automotive vehicle body can be sanded with a robotic sanding (polishing) disk that is carried on a robotic head, such that the sanding disk has a relatively constant unit pressure on the vehicle surface as the head moves the sanding disk along the vehicle surface. An automatic supply mechanism can be employed to periodically remove a worn sanding disk from the head, and replace the worn sanding disk with a new sanding disk.

Abstract: A shutdown method for an internal combustion engine having deactivatable intake and exhaust valves is disclosed in which unburned fuel existing within the engine at the time of shutdown is managed to prevent its release into the atmosphere.

Abstract: A lithium ambient graphite fiber battery includes a battery inner case in which there are provided a series of adjacent cells. Within each of the cells is provided a cubical electrode bundle. The bundle is composed of a pair of flat, elongated carbon fiber electrodes. The electrodes may be of a triaxial or biaxial braid or may be of a unidirectional arrangement. The pair of electrodes is folded, one fold upon the other, to form the general shape of a cube. The cubical electrode bundles are placed adjacent one another in the cells defined within the inner battery case. A cell-to-cell interconnect is made by electrode extensions which carries the electrode over from one cell to the next in semi-bipolar form. Given the known susceptibility of lithium batteries to water, the inner battery case is hermetically sealed within an outer battery case. A pair of terminals are provided.

Abstract: A method for operating a four-stroke internal combustion engine which allows the combustion-chamber pressure to be equalized in a cylinder-selective manner consistent with the cycle, in which the quantity of exhaust gas retained with valve closure overlap selected is controlled or preset as a function of the engine speed and load by an exhaust throttle valve affecting all the combustion chambers, and the pressure in the individual combustion chambers when the inlet members are opened is equalized by corresponding cylinder-selective activating injection in a manner consistent with the cycle.

Abstract: A system for electronically locating particular vehicles from within a large plurality of vehicles parked on a holding lot of an assembly plant. A control system transmits a signal encoded with a particular Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) to a plurality of signal repeaters disposed on lamp posts or other fixed items throughout the holding lot, where the lamp posts or other like items are disposed in a grid pattern or network over the holding lot. The signal repeaters transmit VIN-encoded low power radio frequency signals covering the entire holding lot. Each vehicle includes a Single Body Engine Controller (SBEC) which includes the VIN of the vehicle and a Body Control Module (BCM) in communication with its associated SBEC which is capable of activating the Vehicle Theft Alarm (VTA) of the vehicle, to thereby activate the horn and/or lights of the vehicle. The VTA includes an RF receiver associated therewith which receives the RF signal from the repeaters.

Abstract: An anti-theft protection device for a motor vehicle. In an exemplary application, the anti-theft protection device for a motor vehicle includes a passenger door watershield having a pass-through slit formed therein and an anti-theft sleeve located proximate thereto which encloses and protects the passenger door link rods.

Abstract: An apparatus for allowing pivotal movement of a top portion of a seat relative to a bottom portion, is provided. The apparatus includes a mounting bracket, a fixed portion, and a rack portion. The mounting bracket is mounted to the bottom portion of the seat. The fixed portion has a plurality of fixed portion teeth extending from the fixed portion base and is mounted to the mounting bracket. The rack portion has a plurality of base portion teeth extending from the base portion towards the fixed portion. The end portion of the rack portion is pivotally connected to the top portion. An engaging member is pivotally connected to the mounting bracket. The engaging member moves the rack portion in a direction generally toward the rack portion and to lock the rack portion and the fixed portion in an engaged relationship in response to movement of a handle in one direction. A disengaging member is pivotally connected to the mounting bracket.

Abstract: An apparatus for a motor vehicle which reinforces the body side panel comprises an unitarily constructed reinforcement member. The reinforcement member includes first and second hinge mounting portions interconnected by an intermediate portion. The reinforcement member is fixedly secured to the B-pillar and the hinge plates of a passenger door are interconnected to the first and second hinge mounting portions. In one embodiment, the reinforcement member includes first and second spaced apart flanges which extend substantially in an inboard direction. The first and second spaced apart flanges are welded or otherwise securely attached to the B-pillar. Further, in the preferred embodiment, the reinforcement member includes a first tab upwardly extending from the first hinge mounting portion and a second tab downwardly extending from the second hinge mounting portion which provide additional points for securing the reinforcement member to the B-pillar of the body side panel.

Abstract: An exterior cladding attachment for a motor vehicle includes a main body portion and a plurality of carets integrally formed therewith which extend in an inboard direction. Each of the plurality of carets is adapted to engage an aperture provided in a body side panel of the motor vehicle and is formed to include a base portion and an engagement portion. The engagement portion passes through the associated aperture and has a stop surface for retaining the caret therein. The base portion includes first and second spaced apart sides having a thickness adjacent to the main body portion which is approximately 25% or less than the nominal thickness of the main body portion. To further secure the main body portion to the motor vehicle, the cladding attachment includes an adhesive strip disposed adjacent horizontally extending adjacent a lower edge of the main body portion.

Abstract: In a fastened joint where two or more joint members are secured together, a method for improving the sealing properties of the joint. The method includes the incorporation of one or more depressions into at least one joint surface of the joint members. The depressions are positioned to reduce the tendency of the joint members to transmit clamping forces between non-sealing areas, thereby increasing the magnitude of the clamping forces transmitted through sealing areas and reducing the opportunity for leakage.