Abstract: A pressure sensor probe has a first port connectable to a relatively low pressure source in a compressor crankcase and a second port connectable to a relatively high pressure source at the output of an oil pump. A shuttle is slidably disposed in a bore and has a first end which closes the first port when the difference in pressure between the two ports indicative of normal operation exceeds a selected value determined by the relative areas of the shuttle exposed to the respective pressures and by a coil spring which biases the shuttle away from the first port. A passage is formed between the shuttle and the bore leading from the second port to a force receiving surface on the high pressure side of the shuttle. The length and cross sectional area of the passage is selected to provide a desired dampening or time delay between the high pressure source and the force receiving surface.

Abstract: A fluid pressure switch is shown including first and second discs each having convex-concave surface configurations on opposite sides thereof adapted to invert its configuration upon being subjected to selected pressure levels. A slidably disposed plural stage pressure converter having a flexible membrane on one side thereof is operatively coupled to the discs to transfer force from fluid pressure received by the membrane. A motion transfer member extends from the second disc to an electric switch. At a first range of pressures the first disc prevents actuation of the switch, at a second range of pressures the curvature of the first disc has inverted allowing actuation of the switch while at a third range of pressures the curvature of the second disc has inverted resulting in deacuation of the switch.

Abstract: A temperature responsive valve particularly adapted for use in a manual valve of a vehicular automatic transmission control is shown in which the temperature responsive valve has a generally cylindrical housing with a reduced diameter section and a cylindrical valve element rotatably received in the reduced diameter section. A thermostatic coil is coupled to the valve element to control the angular position of the valve element. Apertures are provided in both the housing and the valve element forming a variable orifice for pneumatic fluid which flows into an open end of the housing and out of a minimum fixed orifice in the reduced diameter section and, depending on the temperature, may also flow through the variable orifice.

Abstract: A thermally responsive electric switch has an open ended, cup shaped, thermally and electrically conductive housing containing a thermostatic disc. A base of electrically insulative material, mounting a stationary contact arm, is received in the open end of the housing and captures an end of a movable contact arm between the base and the housing. The movable contact arm extends through a window in the stationary contact arm and has an opposite end disposed adjacent to the outer periphery of the disc and is adapted to be moved by the disc when it snaps from an unactuated to an actuated configuration to thereby control switch actuation.

Abstract: A resettable, current-responsive, circuit interrupter device has two wide but thin terminals embedded up to a substantial part of their thickness in a side wall of an insulating housing so that sides of the embedded terminal portions are exposed from the housing material along the side wall inside the housing. Terminal ends extend from the bottom of the housing to be connected in a circuit and extend through the top of the housing to be accessible for test purposes. An electrical contact is mounted on the exposed side surface of one embedded terminal portion and a thermostatic strip element is secured to the exposed side surface of the other embedded terminal portion to extend closely along the one housing side to normally engage the contact in a very compact, closed circuit position of the device. A lid overlies the thermostatic strip element.

Abstract: A circuit breaker device has a chamber in which is disposed a single break contact system using low contact resistance material mounted on movable and stationary supports arranged in a loop configuration in order to direct arcs between the contacts through an arc chute into a remote portion of the chamber. A push-button is connected through a kinematic linkage which transfers motion using minimal frictional engagement to a movable contact to bring the movable contact into and out of engagement with a stationary contact and to latch the contacts in engagement during normal operation. A cantilevered current carrying bimetal transfers motion caused by I.sup.2 R heating of the bimetal to an ambient compensating bimetal connected to the latch mechanism. The kinematic linkage includes a latch surface which engages a rollable cylindrical reaction surface of the latch mechanism to cause the movable contact to come into engagement with the stationary contact upon depression of the push-button.

Abstract: A cover for an automotive vapor canister has a heat-spreading member heated by a self-regulating electrical resistance heater of positive temperature coefficient of resistivity for heating air which is periodically introduced into the canister for purging the canister. The cover has a first cover means of thermally insulating material defining a thin inner air flow path section to pass air being introduced into the canister over the heat-spreading member for transferring heat to the air and to receive additional heat within the first cover means and has a second cover means of thermally insulating material defining a thin outer air flow path section overlying and connected with the inner air flow path section to pass the air over the first cover means prior to being advanced into the inner flow path section for withdrawing said additional heat from the first cover means to preheat the air and improve air heating efficiency.

Abstract: A circuit arrangement for controlling the read-out of stored information composed of first and second random access memories each having a plurality of addressable memory locations having a preferred order of write-in, an address input, an information input, and an information output, a first signal source connected to the information input of the second memory for writing information values into the memory locations of the second memory in the preferred write-in order, a second signal source connected to the information input of the first memory for writing into the memory locations of the first memory signals representing respective addresses of the second memory, and signal conducting device connected between the information output of the first memory and the address input of the second memory for delivering address signals to the second memory derived from values stored in successive memory locations of the first memory.

Abstract: A circuit board system resiliently mounts a plurality of daughter boards with high circuit interconnection density on a mother board using pairs of mating connectors having welded contact members accommodated in novel arrangements in the respective connectors to permit high density of electrical interconnection with convenience and reliability. Contact parts of substantial size are welded into contacts in one connector to detachably interconnect with contact parts of similar size in mating connector to improve interconnection releability. Novel contact arrangements permit accommodation of those parts of substantial size in the mating connectors. Sheet metal spring or post parts welded into the contacts in both connectors permit the contacts to be conveniently loaded into connector bodies and permit large numbers of contact springs or posts to be soldered to terminal pads or circuit paths on mother or daughter boards with high density.

Abstract: A pressure sensor comprises an improved capacitive pressure transducer having a first capacitor plate secured to a limited portion of a first surface of a relatively rigid ceramic substrate and having a diaphragm with an electrically conductive surface forming a second capacitor plate, the diaphragm being secured to the ceramic substrate at a location spaced inwardly from the periphery of that first substrate for disposing the second capacitor plate in spaced, overlying relation to the first capacitor plate to be movable in response to applied pressure for varying the capacitor formed by the plates. Support means bear against opposite surfaces of the ceramic substrate at the periphery of the substrate for mounting the transducer with the diaphragm thereof substantially free of mounting stresses to be exposed to a pressure force in a pressure zone to be monitored.

Abstract: A keyboard unit is shown having a substrate in which portions of the substrate are physically displaced to provide a cavity, an embossment and a plurality of protuberances for each switching station. The embossment, in registry with a button contact area, projects upwardly from the floor of the cavity a selected distance with a discontinuous annulus contact area extending around its respective cavity in generally the same plane as that in which the top surface of the substrate lies. The cavity includes a channel shaped portion extending through the discontinued portion of the discontinuous annulus. The protuberances project upwardly from the general plane of the substrate's top surface and serve to laterally locate a snap-acting disc over the contact areas. The disc may be selectively coated with highly electrically conductive material to optimize electrical switching. A piece of flexible, electrically insulative sheet may be placed over the unit to seal it from the environment.

Abstract: A cylinder pressure transmitter has piezoelectric means to provide an electrical signal corresponding to pressure in a cylinder of an automotive internal combustion engine during engine operation and has electronic means to amplify the signal for transmission to computer control means for use in regulating spark advance to improve engine efficiency and performance and reduce engine knocking. The pressure transmitter has a generally cylindrical body having a chamber open at both ends for attachment to an engine cylinder, has a diaphragm secured over one end of the chamber, and has the piezoelectric means held against the diaphragm with a selected preload compressive force by backing means which are threadedly engaged with the body inside the chamber for adjustment to provide the desired force.

Abstract: A thermal protective device for semiconductor devices and the like comprises a housing of electrically insulative plastic material made in cup form having at the open end a seat for lodging a bimetallic disc and means for applying the cup to the semiconductor device with the bimetallic disc in direct heat exchange relation therewith. One or more electric terminals is incorporated in the housing at the time of molding and is connected in power supply circuits of the semiconductor device and/or alarm and signaling circuits. The bimetallic disc acts on said electric terminals so as to interrupt or modify the power supply to the semiconductor device or to actuate an alarm signal.

Abstract: An automotive transmission control is shown having pressure switches to sense the state of actuation of solenoid valves to provide logic signals to a microprocessor type of transmission control. The pressure switches, which sense the pressure of hydraulic fluid used to actuate the solenoid valves, use a dished shaped metallic diaphragm characterized in that the pressure-deflection curve of the center of the diaphragm has minimal hysteresis and reflects that the diaphragm is relatively stiff having a positive coefficient of pressure with increasing deflection up to and above a range of set point pressures within which the effective spring rate of the diaphragm changes with the diaphragm being relatively supple but having little or no negative coefficient of pressure.In a first embodiment a housing is shown in which a conductive lead pattern is molded in the housing with a plurality of switching stations.

Abstract: A dual condition responsive switch is shown including first and second discs each having convex-concave surface configurations on opposite sides thereof adapted to invert its configuration upon being subjected to selected conditions. A motion transfer member extends from the second disc to an electric switch. At a first range of conditions the first disc prevents actuation of the switch, at a second range of conditions the curvature of the first disc has inverted allowing actuation of the switch while at a third range of conditions the curvature of the second disc has inverted resulting in deactuation of the switch.

Abstract: A housing has a switch chamber in which an electric switch is placed and a recess in which is received a snap acting, thermally responsive disc which actuates and deactuates the switch upon snapping from one configuration to another. A thermal biasing assembly used to modify the operating temperature of the disc has a pair of cylindrical film type resistors electrically connected in parallel circuit relation and physically connected to a pair of rivets. Resistors of a rating chosen for a particular application are dropped into the recess with the leads of the resistors received in bores provided in the housing. A rivet is then inserted into each bore making good electrical connection with the leads without welding by deforming them a selected amount. The rivets are attached to suitable terminals and the disc is then placed over the thermal biasing assembly to provide a multiple temperature operating thermostat.

Abstract: A thermostatic switch is shown having a body supporting a temperature sensing probe formed of a rod of one thermal coefficient of expansion connected to a channel of a different thermal coefficient of expansion. The difference in expansion between the rod channel is translated through a hinge to an overbalance type switch mounted on the body. The temperature at which the switch actuates is adjustable through an element movable toward and away from the switch by a cam mechanism as well as an independent threaded adjustment. The switch is shown in one embodiment as having an integral movable switch arm and loading spring and in a second embodiment as having a discrete movable switch arm and a discrete loading spring.

Abstract: A plurality of differential analog input channels are multiplexed into a programmable gain amplifier providing four input ranges. The circuit is self-calibrating under microprocessor control with periodic measurements taken of internal channels for analog ground voltage, analog reference voltage and the voltage reference temperature in addition to the analog input signals. The output of the isolation amplifier is fed into a sample and hold circuit and, under the control of an analog input register into an analog to digital converter. An earth barrier separates a primary side which includes the input channels, optically isolated bidirectional MOSFET relays coupled to the input channels, a programmable, selectable gain multiplexer and the input to an isolation amplifier from a secondary side by means of opto isolators bridging the earth barrier.

Abstract: A connector for mounting and electrically connecting a chip carrier unit in an electrical circuit has a plurality of electrical contacts secured in openings in the bottom of an electrically insulating body to permit cantilever spring deflection of the contacts in accommodating a chip carrier unit within the connector between the contacts. The contacts comprise wire members of round cross section each having an opposite end bent to be slidable along a narrow line of engagement with an inclined ramp surface on an adjacent side wall of the connector body. Each contact has a bowed portion intermediate the contact ends which is bowed away from the adjacent ramp surface to slidably engage terminals on the chip carrier unit as the unit is inserted into the connector.

Abstract: A temperature sensitive probe plug in which connector wires are crimped to the terminals of the plug. The power lead wires can be attached to the connector wires by crimping connectors, the base of the plug beneath the crimping connectors being shaped as anvil portions so that it is merely necessary to insert the wires into the crimping connectors and the application of a crimping tool will crimp the connectors about the wires by the reaction of the tool against the anvil.