Abstract: An accumulator fuel system for an internal combustion engine having a plurality of engine cylinders, includes an accumulator fuel volume for supplying high pressure fuel to one or more of a plurality of injectors, each of which is arranged to supply fuel to an associated one of the engine cylinders. The accumulator fuel volume is integrated within an engine component, where the engine component provides a purpose other than that solely of an accumulator volume for storing high pressure fuel. The accumulator fuel volume is therefore defined in an existing engine component, to reduce part count, weight and cost. In one embodiment the accumulator fuel volume is defined within a rocker shaft of the engine and in another embodiment within the engine cylinder head.

Abstract: A multifunctional switch, especially a keyed seat adjusting switch, includes an actuating element which is positioned in a rotational manner and can be displaced in a crosswise manner in a housing which has associated switch contacts for acting on connection contacts and in which the switch contact associated with the rotational movement is integrated. A reversing lever co-operating with actuators and positioned on the housing side, is associated with the actuating element for each of its displacement directions in order to act on the corresponding switch contacts. The actuating element co-operates with the reversing levers by means of an axial guide flange.

Abstract: The plug contact element for the at least partial pushing through an opening, in particular a round opening, in an elastic material along a push through direction of the plug contact element comprises a housing part having at least two wall regions which are substantially planar and inclined with respect to one another at least at a front side of the housing part and which are connected to one another via an arched or bent connection region, with the housing part having at least one indentation which opens to a front side of the housing part which lies in the push through direction and of which the indentation edge at least partly forms a front-side edge of the arched or bent connection region, with the indentation edge having an apex or a tangent which is orthogonal to the push through direction, the apex or tangent being provided only at the boundary between the connection region and one of the bordering wall regions or at one of the bordering wall regions.

Abstract: An advance arrangement controls timing of fuel delivery by a fuel pump for use in an engine. The advance arrangement includes an advance piston, a servo piston, a light load piston, and an arrangement. The advance piston is slidable within a first bore and cooperates, in use, with a cam arrangement of a fuel pump to adjust the timing of fuel delivery by the pump. A surface associated with the advance piston is exposed to fuel pressure within a first control chamber. The servo piston is slidable within a further bore provided in the advance piston to control the pressure of fuel within the first control chamber. The servo piston is responsive to speed dependent fuel pressure variations within a servo control chamber, thereby to permit adjustment of the timing in response to engine speed. The light load piston is moveable relative to the advance piston against the action of a light load control spring in response to fuel pressure variations within a light load control chamber.

Abstract: The present invention includes a low insertion force connector assembly capable of providing an electrical interface to a circuit board. The connector assembly includes a housing and electrically conductive terminals mounted in the housing. The connector assembly further includes slide and wedge members which are inserted into the housing along with a connective end portion of a flexible flat cable pressing exposed conductors on the flexible flat cable against terminal contact arms.

Abstract: An arc quenching electrical connector has a male pin terminal which inserts longitudinally into a receptacle or terminal having a gassing wall engaged concentrically about the receptacle. During “hot unplugging” of the electrical connector, an arc is carried between a tip of the male pin and a contact surface of a leading end of the receptacle. The gassing wall extends over and is directly engaged to a portion of the contact surface. Because the gassing wall is also preferably an electrical insulator, the arc communicates electrically with the exposed contact surface and is biased directly against the gassing wall. The gassing wall, when heated by the adjacent arc, quenches or reduces the energy of the arc by releasing gas which eliminates arc erosion of the terminals.

Abstract: A steering column switch of a motor vehicle having a blinker switch and a wiper/washer switch in a common housing wherein the switches share an identical design thereby reducing manufacturing, and handling, and stocking costs.

Abstract: A method of controlling an injector or the like suitable for use in an internal combustion engine, includes providing a first data map having a plurality of first data map points, each of the first data map points representing a first data map output value, and providing a function map comprising a second data map having a plurality of second data map points, each corresponding to a respective one of the first data map points, and wherein the second data map is divided into at least a first-type data map region containing second data map points representing second data map output values only of a first type and a second-type data map region containing second data map points representing second data map output values only of a second type, wherein a portion of the second data map defines a hysteresis region.

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly has a male connector which houses and locks to a series of male bladed terminals and a female connector housing and locking to a series of female terminals. A blade of each male terminal extends into a chamber defined by a shroud of the male connector. Prior to mating of the electrical connector assembly, a self-aligning blade stabilizer is snap fitted into a pre-staged position with the male connector via a two-stage fastening feature so that the distal ends of the blades are disposed within respective apertures of the stabilizer and aligned to their respective female terminals. With the blade stabilizer held in a pre-staged position, the distal ends of the blades are protected from being inadvertently knocked and bent which would cause misalignment. Furthermore, the stabilizer prevents entry of debris into the chamber of the male connector which would hinder or prevent full mating of the electrical connector.

Abstract: A method and system for monitoring and reporting vehicle tire pressure information. The system includes tire pressure monitors mounted to the tires of a vehicle. The tire pressure monitors detect tire pressure information from their respective tires and transmit that information to transponders that are fixedly-mounted to the vehicle. Each tire pressure monitor corresponds to a single transponder. When a tire pressure monitor transmits tire pressure information, the corresponding transponder receives the signal and transmits the tire pressure signal along with a unique transponder identification code to a vehicle central system controller. Based upon the transponder identification code, the central controller associates the tire pressure information with a particular tire location. However, under certain conditions, a transmitted tire pressure signal is received by one or more of the non-corresponding transponders as well as the corresponding transponder.

Abstract: A low profile socket connector has a shroud for receiving a plug connector and a connector lock for retaining the plug connector when it is plugged into the socket connector. The exterior wall of the shroud has through slots extending through the exterior wall to form a lock arm connected to the remainder of the exterior wall of the shroud by flexible straps. The lock arm has a lock nib that extends inwardly of the lock arm beam to provide the connector lock. The lock arm includes a depressible release lever and a fulcrum located between the lock nib and the depressible release lever that extends inwardly of the lock arm for engaging a fulcrum support of the socket connector whereby the lock nib is moved outwardly away from the plug connector when the depressible release lever is depressed to release the plug connector.

Abstract: A device for controlling motor operation for adjusting a car seat using at least two switches wherein one switch is a multi-function switch and the other switch is a selector switch. The multi-function switch controls horizontal, vertical, and incline adjustments and the selector switch selects the portion of the seat to which the adjustment of the multi-function switch will be directed.

Abstract: A fuel injector including a control valve arrangement for controlling fuel pressure within a control chamber comprises a control valve member which is movable between a first position in which the control chamber communicates with a source of high pressure fuel and a second position in which the control chamber communicates with a low pressure fuel drain and communication between the control chamber and the source of high pressure fuel is broken. The control valve arrangement includes a restricted flow path for restricting the rate of flow of fuel from the source of high pressure fuel to the control chamber when the control valve member is moved towards its first position. The provision of the restricted flow path prevents unbalanced hydraulic forces acting on the control valve member when it moves towards its first position, which can otherwise lead to valve needle dither between injecting and non-injecting states.

Abstract: A jump start protection circuit having a normally open switch and a resistor positioned in parallel intermediate to a battery and a jump start post. A controller manipulates the switch between an open position and closed position, the closed position connects the jump start post to the battery and the open position disconnects the jump start post from the battery. The controller measures voltages at the battery and jump start post and is capable of receiving one or more additional inputs. The controller closes the switch when acceptable jump start conditions are detected. The controller can open the switch or maintain the switch in an open position. The jump start circuit provides protection against attempts to charge a battery with incorrect polarity connections and attempts to charge a battery from a potentially hazardous higher voltage power source.

Abstract: An electrical connection is achieved via crimping a conventional terminal about a solid conductor. The terminal has first and second wings projecting laterally outward and in opposite directions from a base portion. An inner surface of the base portion is in electrical contact with the conductor side opposite the groove, and the outreaching wings are curled about the conductor and extend into the groove. An outer surface, opposite the inner surface, of the first and second wings engage each other within the groove to prevent spring-back of the wings out of the groove thereby assuring structural mechanical integrity of the electrical connection.

Abstract: A steering column switch having a switch element and a switch lever, wherein the switch lever is designed from first and second modules. Because of the modular design, different grip pieces can be accommodated by the same switch element.

Abstract: An advance arrangement for use in controlling timing of fuel delivery by a fuel pump comprises an advance piston which is moveable within a first bore and which cooperates, in use, with a cam arrangement of a fuel pump to adjust the timing of fuel delivery by the pump, a surface associated with the advance piston being exposed to fuel pressure within an advance piston control chamber. The advance arrangement also includes a servo-piston which is slidable within a further bore provided in the advance piston to control the pressure of fuel within the advance piston control chamber, a surface associated with the servo-piston being exposed to fuel pressure within a servo control chamber.

Abstract: An electrical clip connector has a terminal clip which is electrically mated to a ground stud by hand. The terminal clip is protected by an erogonomically friendly housing which supports the functional requirements of the terminal clip. The housing has a hoop portion which defines a through hole orientated concentrically to a bore defined by a resilient barrel segment of the terminal clip. Communicating transversely with the rough hole is a channel carried by a first portion of the housing which encases a first arm of the terminal clip engaged to a circumferential first end of the barrel segment. A second or activation arm of the terminal clip extends from an opposite end of the barrel segment and crosses over the first arm so that compression of the arms toward one-another causes the loop segment to enlarge for receipt of the ground stud. The second arm is encased by a second portion of the housing which is preferably hinged to the first portion near the hoop portion.

Abstract: An electrical clip connector has a terminal clip which is electrically mated to a ground stud by hand. The terminal clip is protected by an erogonomically friendly housing which supports the functional requirements of the terminal clip. The housing has a hoop portion which defines a through hole orientated concentrically to a bore defined by a resilient barrel segment of the terminal clip. Communicating transversely with the rough hole is a channel carried by a first portion of the housing which encases a first arm of the terminal clip engaged to a circumferential first end of the barrel segment. A second or activation arm of the terminal clip extends from an opposite end of the barrel segment and crosses over the first arm so that compression of the arms toward one-another causes the loop segment to enlarge for receipt of the ground stud. The second arm is encased by a second portion of the housing which is preferably hinged to the first portion near the hoop portion.

Abstract: A high-density electrical connector includes a rigid member having an array of electrical contact pads, a clamp housing attached to the rigid member, and a flexible printed circuit. The flexible printed circuit has a back surface, a front surface and a contact portion having a matching array of electrical contacts protruding outwardly of the front surface of the flexible printed circuit. The contact portion is disposed between the clamp housing and the rigid member and an elastomeric contact pressure pad is disposed between the clamp housing and the flexible printed circuit pressing each of the protruding electrical contacts into one of the electrical contact pads. The elastomeric pad is shaped and resiliently deformed by the clamp housing to provide a substantially uniform contact pressure to the array of electrical contacts.