Abstract: A permanent magnet assembly wherein a permanent magnet is encapsulated in a metallic housing that hermetically seals the permanent magnet. The metallic housing is formed from two stainless steel parts that are joined by a continuous impervious seam weld. The stainless steel parts take the form of a retainer having a cup portion and a plate welded to a flanged portion of the retainer. The permanent magnet is disposed within the cup portion. The permanent magnet assemblies can be welded to the internal surface of a metallic frame of a dynamoelectric machine to provide field and frame assembly for the machine.

Abstract: An armature conductor to commutator bar connection. The bars of the commutator have radially extending slots that are defined by surfaces that taper outwardly. The ends of the armature conductors are formed to a generally wedge-shaped configuration such that the side surfaces are tapered inwardly. After the ends of the armature conductors have been formed to the tapered shape they are pushed into the slots of the commutator bars to such a depth that there is an interference fit between the side surfaces of the ends of the armature conductors and the tapered walls of the slot to lock the ends of the armature conductors to the commutator bars. After the ends of the formed armature conductors have been pushed into the slots, portions of the commutator bars are staked over into engagement with the top armature conductor end.

Abstract: An electric starting system for cranking an internal combustion engine that utilizes a starter having a solenoid that is provided with pull-in and hold-in coils. The solenoid includes a plunger which when shifted operates solenoid switch contacts and shifts a pinion into mesh with the ring gear of the engine to be cranked. The solenoid switch contacts are not closed until the pinion is meshed with the ring gear. The electric starting motor is connected in series with the pull-in coil of the solenoid and when energized causes the armature of the motor to rotate slowly prior to the time that the pinion is meshed with the ring gear. The hold-in coil is not energized until the gears are meshed, which may be just prior to the solenoid switch closure to apply full power to the motor.

Abstract: An ignition system for a distributorless internal combustion engine ignition system. Parameters related to the energization of a given ignition coil are stored and later utilized to control the dwell time for this same ignition coil. Another coil is energized and deenergized between the storing of parameters and the subsequent use of the parameters that relate to the given coil. The system causes a spark plug to be fired when a calculated spark timing signal is developed or at a time delayed from the occurrence of the calculated spark timing signal. Delayed spark plug firing occurs when certain conditions are not met prior to the time the calculated spark timing signal occurs. One of these conditions is that primary winding current has not attained a current limit value prior to the time that the calculated spark timing signal occurs.

Abstract: A starter drive for cranking an engine. The starter drive has a pinion. A bushing is press fitted to the bore of the pinion. The pinion and bushing are supported for rotation and sliding movement by a shaft or sleeve. A thin film of grease is located between the inner surface of the bushing and the outer surface of the shaft or sleeve. The inner surface of the bushing has a plurality of contaminant collecting grooves. The grooves collect the contaminants to thereby prevent grease degradation and wear out.

Abstract: A dual voltage motor vehicle electrical system wherein a pair of batteries are connected in series across the direct voltage output terminals of a bridge rectifier that is connected to a polyphase output winding of an alternating current generator. First and second groups of controlled rectifiers are connected between a junction of the batteries and the generator output winding. In low speed operation of the generator the groups of controlled rectifiers are alternately biased conductive. The time period of conduction of the groups of controlled rectifiers is controlled as a function of the difference in the voltages across the respective batteries. The phase voltages of the output winding are summed by a summing amplifier to provide a control signal. The system includes means responsive to the control signal for preventing simultaneous conduction of the groups of controlled rectifiers.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a stator lamination for a dynamoelectric machine. A length of steel wire is formed into alternate straight and undulated portions and is formed into a coil such that the inner turn of the coil coprresponds to the undulated portion and the outer turn corresponds to the straight portion of the wire. The coil of wire is placed in a die cavity of a die that has a configuration corresponding to a stator lamination. The loops of the undulated portion are placed in radially extending grooves of the die cavity and the outer turns of the coil are placed in an annular groove of the die cavity. The die and a punch are utilized to coin the wire to the shape of the die cavity.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling ultrasonic welding and determining whether the weld is of acceptable quality. Power input to ultrasonic welding apparatus is detected and converted to a signal indicative of energy input. When power input exceeds a power threshold level a timer begins to measure elapsed time and energy input begins to be monitored. Welding power is terminated when both elapsed time and energy level have exceeded predetermined values. If either elapsed time or energy level exceeded reject limit values when the weld was made the weld is rejected as being of unacceptable quality.

Abstract: A dual voltage motor vehicle electrical system. First and second batteries are series connected across the output terminals of a battery charging generator. A converter is provided that can charge the first battery from the second battery or charge the second battery from the first battery. The voltages across the batteries are sensed and the battery with the lower voltage is charged from the other battery. The system has current limit and temperature limit controls for protecting semiconductor switches that are utilized in the system.

Abstract: An inductive ignition system for a spark ignited internal combustion engine. An N-channel field effect transistor (FET) is connected in series with the primary winding of an ignition coil. The primary winding and the FET are connected in a high side drive connection. An NPN transistor has its collector-emitter circuit connected between the gate and source of the FET. When the FET is biased off a flyback voltage is developed across the primary winding which is used to bias the NPN transistor conductive thereby clamping the gate and source voltage of the FET together to keep the FET switched off.

Abstract: A starting system for cranking an internal combustion engine that has a starter that is comprised of a solenoid and an electric cranking motor. The solenoid has pull-in and hold-in coils which when energized cause a pinion gear to be shifted into mesh with the ring gear of the engine to be cranked. Energization of the coils is controlled by at lest one N-channel field effect transistor which has its source connected to the negative terminal of a direct voltage source. A start switch is connected between the positive terminal of the voltage source and the gate of the transistor. When the start switch is closed the transistor is biased conductive to energize the pull-in and hold-in coils. The system may include a plurality of parallel connected N-channel transistors. The system inhibits turn-on of the transistor in the event that an excessive voltage is applied to the system. The system has transient voltage protection features.

Abstract: A dual voltage motor vehicle electrical system wherein batteries are series connected across the direct voltage output terminals of a generator. The system has a DC to DC converter that operates in a first mode as an equalizer to maintain the batteries in a substantially equal state of charge. When an electric starting motor is energized to crank the engine of the vehicle the converter is switched to a second mode of operation wherein it provides a substantially constant output voltage that is applied to certain electrical loads on the vehicle that require a stable voltage. The converter responds to a first reference voltage that is provided by a voltage divider connected across the batteries when operating in the first mode and responds to a second reference voltage provided by a constant voltage device when operating in the second mode. The system switches between the reference voltages, depending upon the mode of operation that is being used.

Abstract: An ignition system for a distributorless internal combustion engine ignition system. Parameters related to the energization of a given ignition coil are stored and later utilized to control the dwell time for this same ignition coil. Another coil is energized and deenergized between the storing of parameters and the subsequent use of the parameters that relate to the given coil. The system causes a spark plug to be fired when a calculated spark timing signal is developed or at a time delayed from the occurrence of the calculated spark timing signal. Delayed spark plug firing occurs when certain conditions are not met prior to the time the calculated spark timing signal occurs. One of these conditions is that primary winding current has not attained a current limit value prior to the time that the calculated spark timing signal occurs.

Abstract: An ignition module that is adapted to be secured to an internal combustion engine. The module has a plastic housing and a metallic cover that is adapted to be secured to an engine. A plurality of ignition coils are located within the housing and cover. The lower wall of the plastic housing has conductors embedded therein that electrically connect the secondary windings of the coils to electrical connector assemblies that are carried by the housing and which are adapted to slip over the spark plugs of an engine. The connector assemblies include means for making an electrical connection to the terminals of the spark plugs. The ignition coils have laminated cores that are clamped between the housing and the cover. The cores directly contact the metallic cover so that the cores have a heat transfer path to the cover and are electrically connected to the cover.

Abstract: An electric starter for cranking an internal combustion engine. The starter has a solenoid which has a motor terminal. The motor terminal is connected to the electric cranking motor of the starter by conductor means which are located entirely internally of the starter. The solenoid has a battery terminal that is provided with a threaded bore that is adapted to receive a connector bolt.

Abstract: A dual voltage motor vehicle electrical system wherein a pair of batteries are connected in series across the direct voltage output terminals of a bridge rectifier that is connected to the output winding of an alternating current generator. First and second groups of controlled rectifiers are connected between a junction of the batteries and the generator output winding. In low speed operation of the generator the groups of controlled rectifiers are alternately biased conductive. The time period of conduction of the groups of controlled rectifiers is controlled as a function of the difference in the voltages across the respective batteries. At a higher speed of the generator one of the two groups of controlled rectifiers is biased conductive, dependent upon the relative magnitudes of the voltages across the batteries.

Abstract: An overmolded electrical connector in which a flexible spring finger contact is encased in a rigid plastic material in such a manner that the spring finger is not restrained from flexing by the rigid plastic material. The connector comprises an assembly that includes a terminal block, a cover and a terminal that has the flexible spring finger. The terminal is assembled to the terminal block such that the spring finger is located in a cavity in the block. The cover is now attached to the block and the assembly is overmolded by injection molding apparatus. The cover and block have a cooperating tongue and groove to prevent molding material from entering the cavity that contains the spring finger. The cover has crush ribs that engage a tab portion of the terminal that extends from the cavity to a point exterior of the assembly.

Abstract: A concentric collector PNP transistor is utilized in electrical circuits to determine when the voltages of different parts of a circuit are very close to each other. The transistor has an emitter zone, an inner collector zone that surrounds the emitter zone and an outer collector zone that surrounds both the emitter zone and the inner collector zone. When the voltage of the emitter is slightly higher than the voltage of the inner collector a signal is developed at the outer collector which is used as a trigger or control signal. An oscillator-voltage doubler circuit and a series pass voltage regulator circuit are disclosed that utilize the concentric collector transistor.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining the location of the top dead center position of a piston of an internal combustion engine. A light sensor is provided to sense the infrared radiation generated by the heating of air in the combustion chamber of the engine during the compression stroke. The light sensor is connected to an electronic circuit that develops a curve that represents light intensity. This curve has a peak and the crankshaft angle at which the peak occurs is detected and utilized in conjunction with an engine speed related correction factor to determine the crankshaft angle corresponding to the top dead center position of the piston.

Abstract: A fastening arrangement for securing the solenoid of an electric engine starter to an aluminum starter housing. The solenoid has a steel casing formed with a plurality of outer circumferentially spaced radially extending cylindrical bores. The portion of the casing that has the bores is located within a tubular portion of the aluminum starter housing. Portions of the material of the housing, that overlie the bores, is flowed into the bores by a tool that is moved in a generally conical path and which is capable of rotating about its own longitudinal axis. The material that is flowed into the bores secures the solenoid to the starter housing.