Abstract: A surface acoustic wave infrared line imaging array having a first interdigital transducer generating a first surface acoustic wave train amplitude modulated by the temperature profile of the substrate in response to a line segment of a received infrared image, a second interdigital transducer generating a parallel reference surface acoustic wave train, equal in amplitude but 180.degree. out of phase with said first surface acoustic wave train, and a third interdigital transducer for summing the amplitudes of said first and reference surface acoustic wave trains to generate a wave train signal in which the individual waves are amplitude modulated in accordance with the intensity profile of the line segment of the infrared image received by the substrate underlying the first interdigital transducer.

Abstract: A glow plug having a hollow cylindrical metal shell, an axial electrical terminal, and a heater member protruding externally from the shell. The heater member has a surface film heater element disposed on at least one surface of an electrically nonconductive cylindrical substrate. Electrical connections between the heater element, the shell and the axial electrode are made by conductive surface films. A first conductive surface film disposed on the external surface of the cylindrical substrate makes electrical contact with the shell. A second conductive surface film disposed on the internal surface of the cylindrical substrate makes electrical contact with the axial electrical terminal. The heating element is preferably a transition metal surface film which catalytically reacts with the air/fuel mixture to enhance combustion at lower temperatures. The thermal response time of the surface film heater element from ambient to an operating temperature exceeding 800.degree. C. is less than 5 seconds.

Abstract: A microminiature valve having a multilayer integral structure formed on a semiconductor substrate. The valve comprises a semiconductor substrate having inlet and outlet apertures and a raised valve seat. The substrate is overlayed with a nonporous top layer and an intermediate layer. The central portion of the intermediate layer is preferentially etched away to form an enclosed chamber connecting said inlet and outlet ports. The unetched portion of said intermediate layer peripherally supports said top layer above the valve seat. An electrically conductive electrode disposed on the unsupported portion of the top layer permits it to be electrostatically deflected to engage the valve seat and close the valve.

Abstract: A compact shock absorber having a continuous loop of webbing connecting a spool with a spatially separated bracket. The bracket has two spatially separated web shafts captivating the opposite ends of the continuous looped webbing. The central portion of the webbing is looped over the shaft of the spool. The entire assembly is potted with a resilient material to protect the webbing from environmental elements and provide a degree of structural rigidity to the assembly. The high tenacity, high elongation, and excellent elastic recovery of the webbing loop provide the shock absorber with excellent high load shock capabilities.

Abstract: A high conducting polymer-alloy blend is prepared by stress blending a polymer having Non-Newtonian rheological behavior with a low melting temperature alloy to form an interpenetrating polymer-alloy network. The blend is performed at a temperature intermediate the solidus and liquidus temperatures of the alloy where the alloy has a fractional solidus imparting to the alloy a viscosity corresponding to the viscosity of the polymer. In the resulting blend, the interpenetrating polymer network is the stabilizing component of the high conducting polymer-alloy interpenetrating network and the interpenetrating alloy network provides the high conductance path.

Abstract: A vacuum fluidized powder feed apparatus for filling an evacuated mold. The fluidized powder feed apparatus has a feed cup defining a cylindrical cavity for holding a quantity of powdered material and a powder exit aperture provided through the bottom of the feed cup mating with the fill aperture of the mold. A porous annulus disposed at the bottom of the cylindrical cavity has a conically shaped internal surface sloping toward and mating with the exit aperture of the feed cup. Vent holes provided in the side walls of the feed cup cause a fluid flow through the porous annulus into the interior of the cylindrical cavity which is connected to the evacuated mold cavity through the exit aperture. A pneumatic piston received in the cylindrical cavity engages the top of the powdered material and produces a force cavity urging the powdered material towards the exit aperture.

Abstract: A continuous fiber composite having carbon microfibers dispersed in the resin filling the interstices between the continuous fibers to enhance the transverse properties of the composite. The carbon microfibers are made by soaking carbon fibers in an intercalating acid solution comprising a mixture of fuming nitric and sulfuric acid to weaken the intercrystallite bonds. Gentle stirring of solution separates the carbon microfibers from the host fibers. The microfibers are then separated from the intercalating acid solution and washed to remove the residual acid.

Abstract: A unitized fuel injection system having a common fuel rail, a fuel pressure regulator permanently attached to one end of the fuel rail and a plurality of fuel injector valves having progressive die formed housings permanently attached to the fuel rail. Each fuel injector valve embodies a light weight movable valve member electromechanically actuated by a solenoid coil assembly, a stationary valve member having a conical valve seat and a metering plate having a metering orifice. The movable valve member has an armature and a valve stem having a spherical end surface mating with the conical valve seat. The displacement of the movable valve member is sufficient to allow the fuel flow to be controlled by the size of the metering orifice and virtually independent of the position of the valve stem. Design of the fuel injector valve is directed to minimize machining operations of the valve's component parts to reduce costs.

Abstract: A low friction self-locking adjust tongue having a pair of depressed lands provided in the tongue plate either side of the web aperture to form a lock bar well. Cutouts provided in the tongue plate's upstanding flanges form in conjunction with said depressed lands a bi-level lock bar slot extending rearwardly and upwardly from the lock-bar well to above the plane of the tongue plate. In the unlatched position of the tongue plate, the lock bar rests in the lock bar well permitting the seat belt webbing to pass thereover with negligable friction. In the locked position, the lock bar is displaced towards the rear of the bi-level lock bar slot which raises the lock bar above the plane of the tongue plate. In this position, the friction between the lock bar and the seat belt webbing is sufficient to lock the seat belt webbing in the tongue plate after it is snuggly adjusted about the occupants pelvic region.

Abstract: An ion mobility spectrometer system with improved specificity. The ion mobility spectrometer has a reaction chamber and a drift chamber, an ionization source disposed in the reaction chamber, an injection grid separating said reaction and drift chambers, a collector electrode disposed in the drift chamber and a sample input injecting the sample and carrier into the reaction chamber.A source injects acetone and/or carbon tetrachloride as reagents into the carrier gas prior to entering the sample input. The acetone reactant forms a dimer ion in the positive ion spectrum which impedes the clustering of water and provides a narrow fixed peak in the ion spectrum which serves as a reference point in the ion spectrum for the algorithm used in the electronic control unit generating an output characteristic of the sample. The carbon tetrachloride reactant forms a (H.sub.2 O).sub.n Cl.sup.- ion which provides a reference in the negative ion spectrum for the algorithm used in the electronic control unit.

Abstract: A web guide for a three point seat belt system integrated into a pillar of an automotive vehicle. The web guide has an annular race disposed in a circular aperture of a hollow vehicle pillar proximate the shoulder height of a seated occupant. A circular web guide member having a transverse web slot receiving the seat belt webbing is rotatably retained in the race. The end of the seat belt webbing external to the pillar is attached to a structural member of the vehicle. The end of the seat belt webbing internal to the hollow pillar is attached to a retractor.

Abstract: A dynamic control for a multi-link manipulator having a central processing unit, a linear dynamics control loop and a fast nonlinear dynamics control loop. The linear dynamics control loop has servo amplifiers and associated power amplifiers for actuating the links in response to the signals generated by the central processing unit and sensors generating the requisite feedback signals. The nonlinear dynamics control loop comprises a nonlinear dynamics control computer generating correction signals corresponding to the nonlinear dynamics of the manipulator links in response to the signals generated by the central processing unit and feedback signal and means for summing the correction signals with the signals generated by the servo amplifiers. The nonlinear dynamics control computer generates the correction signals for the first 3 links of the manipulator using Lagrangian dynamics and generates the correction signals for the remaining links using recursive Newton-Euler dynamics.

Abstract: A glow plug for a compression ignited or Diesel engine having a base member, an axial electrode and a heater member. The heater member comprising a conductive surface film heater element disposed on the surface of a dielectric substrate. The surface film heater element having one end in electrical contact with the base member and the other end in electrical contact with the axial electrode.

Abstract: A child chair adapted to be secured by conventional vehicle seat belt systems. The chair is provided with a safety belt system including a belt which is attached to the chair and a combined tongue and anchor plate to form a lap belt portion and a pair of shoulder belt portions. The safety belt system also includes a tongue latch which is connected to the chair by means of a crotch belt and releasably connects to the tongue.

Abstract: A lock-up mechanism for a vehicle sensitive automotive seat belt retractor having a shuttle displaceable with the winding and unwinding of the seat belt webbing from the retractor's spool and a lock pawl activated by the shuttle to pivot the retractor's lock bar into engagement with the retractor's lock bar. The lock pawl is pivoted to a reset position by the shuttle disengaging the lock pawl from the retractor's lock bar permitting the webbing to be extracted from the retractor's spool in a normal manner. An overcenter spring holds the lock pawl in either the locked position pivoting the lock bar into engagement with the retractor's ratchet wheel or the reset position with the lock pawl disengaged from the lock bar.

Abstract: A fuel distribution control for an internal combustion engine having a fuel control computer and fuel delivery means for delivering fuel to the engine in response to electrical signals.

Abstract: An electric power assisted steering mechanism for a automotive vehicle having a torque shaft interconnecting the vehicles steering wheel with the steering gear box. Electrical power is applied to the output end of the torque shaft by a low speed, high torque electrical motor through a low gear ratio planetary gear system disposed concentrically about the torque shaft. The electric motor is energized by a power amplifier in response to a torque signal generated by a torque sensor responsive to the magnitude and direction of the torque applied between the input and output ends of the torque shaft. The power amplifier has an anti-log gain characteristic eliminating the need for a vehicle speed input to reduce or eliminate the authority of the power steering mechanism a nominal and higher vehicle speeds.

Abstract: A heterojunction bipolar transistor having an n- type epitaxial indium phosphide collector layer grown on a semi-insulating indium phosphide substrate with an n+ buried layer, a p- type indium phosphide base and an epitaxial, n- type boron phosphide wide gap emitter. The p- type base region is formed by ion implantation of magnesium ions into the collector layer. The transistor is applicable to millimeter wave applications due to the high electron mobility in the indium phosphide base. The wide gaps of both the boron phosphide (2.2 eV) and indium phosphide (1.34 eV) permit operation up to 350.degree. C. The transistor is easily processed using metal organic-chemical vapor deposition (MO-CVD) and standard microelectronic techniques.

Abstract: A phase angle detector for computing the phase angle of the individual impulses imparted to the crankshaft of an internal combustion engine having means for computing the sin and cos functions of each torque impulse in response to the instantaneous rotational velocity of the engine's crankshaft, means for detecting a change in the rotational velocity of the engine's crankshaft at the beginning and end of each torque impulse, means for correcting the value of the generated sin function as a function of the difference the crankshaft's rotational velocity at the beginning and end of the torque impulse, and means for computing the phase angle of the torque impulse from the cos and corrected sin functions.

Abstract: An apparatus for molding complex powder articles having a two part dilatant mold resiliently coupled. The two halves of the mold are resiliently pressed into physical contact with each other by external means. A vacuum pump connected to the mold produces a fluidized powder material flow from a powder feed mechanism into the mold cavity. A vibrator vibrates the mold during the filling of the mold cavity with powdered material with a force sufficient to slightly separate the two halves of the mold cyclically dilating the volume of the mold cavity. The dilation of the mold cavity in combination with the fluidized powder feed permits the mold cavity to be uniformly filled with powder material. Dilation of the mold cavity also compacts the powder material received in the mold.