Abstract: The present invention provides an engine cooling method and apparatus. The engine cooling apparatus includes a cylinder block having a cylinder head mounted thereto. The cylinder block defines an inlet passage and a block jacket in fluid communication with the inlet passage. The cylinder head defines a lower cylinder head jacket in fluid communication with the block jacket, and an upper cylinder head jacket in fluid communication with the lower cylinder head jacket. The lower cylinder head jacket includes a plurality of nozzles configured to direct engine coolant and thereby provide cooling to portions of the cylinder head located near a plurality of exhaust ports, a plurality of injector ports, and a plurality of intake ports.

Abstract: A coolant jacket for an engine cylinder bank having longitudinally aligned cylinders includes upper, lower and side walls defining two inlet flow galleries extending along the intake and exhaust sides of the cylinder bank and communicating with the upper ends of the cylinders. Two outlet flow galleries extend along the intake and exhaust sides of the cylinders and communicate with the lower ends of the cylinders and pairs of side flow slots extend between the upper and lower galleries and around the intake and exhaust sides of each of the cylinders. The side flow slots are separated along longitudinal edges from the slots of adjacent cylinders. Preferably, cooling fins extend into the flow galleries, forming pockets at the ends of the flow slots, the fins being impacted by coolant flow directed into the pockets to improve cooling of siamesed portions of the cylinders. Additional features are disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a start-stop “mild hybrid” vehicle with a starting system which utilizes traditional engine and transmission architecture. The present invention separates the pinion actuator solenoid from the starter motor power switching circuit. A power relay is provided to switch the starter motor. The pinion gear in the present invention is pre-shuttled to, and held in mesh with, the flywheel ring gear during engine stop conditions. A “prime current” is then applied to the power relay just below that which is required to energize the power relay. Upon request for an engine start, the current will increase to energize the relay and allow the starter motor to spin. A significant amount of time lag is thusly removed from the starting system permitting an expedient restart and launch. The pinion actuator solenoid in this invention may also have two coils which may be selectively energized.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes a crankcase and an upper oil pan. The crankcase includes a plurality of main bearing caps extending between a pair of side walls, with openings in the main bearing caps and in the side walls. The upper oil pan is configured to sealingly engage the crankcase, and includes openings therethrough, which align with the openings in the main bearing caps and the side walls when the upper oil pan engages the crankcase. Fasteners structurally tie the upper oil pan to both the crankcase side walls and the main bearing caps. The engine may further include a lower oil pan defining a sump and attached to the upper oil pan. The upper oil pan preferably includes an oil filter manifold, an oil scraper, and a plurality of oil passages, while also providing a windage tray.

Abstract: A method and system for selecting one of a plurality of voltage signals generated by a plurality of sensors in response to a common sensor input. The method determines which sensor to use based on a comparison the of the output of the sensors to each other and to known values.

Abstract: A control system (20) for controlling the state of charge in an energy storage device (28) by manipulating the voltage of a fuel cell (24) through dynamic system modeling of predetermined parameters (21) for the fuel cell (24) as well as the energy storage device (28). According to the method (100) of the present invention, manipulation (108) of predetermined parameters related to the fuel cell and the energy storage device control the energy storage device to a desired state of charge or divides the load current between the two devices.

Abstract: A method for controlling a positioning device (34) of an internal combustion engine includes the step of providing an electric motor (30) for actuating a positioning device (34). A user employs an actuator (21) to command the throttle plate (34) to change to a commanded position. A motor effort sensor (38) then detects a control effort required by the motor (30) to change to the commanded position. A throttle control unit (28) determines whether the control effort exceeds a threshold for a predetermined time period. If the control effort exceeds the threshold for the predetermined time period, the throttle control unit (28) actuates the motor (30) to reduce the control effort.

Abstract: An alternator rotor assembly 30 is provided, including a rear pole piece 34 having a rear pole base portion 58 and a plurality of rear pole finger portions 60 each having a rear pole fingertip 62. The plurality of rear pole finger portions 60 are positioned to form a plurality of rear pole finger gaps 64. The alternator rotor assembly 30 further includes a front pole piece 32 having a front pole base portion 50 and a plurality of front pole finger portions 52 each having a front pole fingertip 54. The plurality of front pole finger portions 52 are positioned to form a plurality of front pole finger gaps 56. The rear pole piece 34 and the front pole piece 32 are assembled such that the rear pole finger portions 60 are positioned within the front pole finger gaps 56 and the front pole finger portions 52 are positioned within the rear pole finger gaps 64. The alternator rotor assembly 30 further includes a plurality of link elements 70.

Abstract: An adaptive seat belt system (10) for an automotive vehicle (12). The system (10) includes a seat belt (16) extensible about an occupant (42) of a seat system (14). A seat belt tension sensor (18) is coupled to the seat belt (16) and generates a seat belt tension signal. A seat belt actuator (20) is mechanically coupled to the seat belt (16) and adjusts tension of the seat belt (16). A controller (26) is electrically coupled to the tensioner sensor (18) and the actuator (20). The controller (26) generates a seat belt tension adjustment signal in response to the seat belt tension signal and adjusts tension of the seat belt (16) in response to the seat belt tension adjustment signal. A method for performing the same is also provided.

Abstract: A differential assembly 10 is provided, including a first differential side gear 24 and the second differential side gear 26. An eddy current retarder 40 is utilized to create an adjustable resistant torque between the first differential side gear 24 and the second differential side gear 26.

Abstract: A method of securing fuel rail dampers within a fuel rail using clips and fingers that engage the damper and rail surfaces while providing substantially no motion between the rail and the damper assembly.

Abstract: A mass air flow sensor 10 including a housing 14, an air foil element 16, and at least one sensor element 22 mounted on the surface of the air foil element 16, whereby disruption to the air flow is minimized and performance of the mass air flow sensor 10 in lower air flows is improved.

Abstract: An electromechanical engine valve actuation system 10 is provided including a control element 16, a first actuator 18, a second actuator 20, an armature element 26 and a motion detector 32. The control element 16 controls the first actuator 18 and the second actuator 20 in response to the motion detector 32 in order to reduce the impact of the armature element 26.

Abstract: A method for determining valve timing events to optimize operating parameters of an engine having a variable valve timing system over an entire operating range of the engine. The method includes setting combinations of intake valve opening and closing timing events and exhaust valve opening and closing timing events for a given engine speed. For each combination, a fuel conversion efficiency measure and an emissions measure of the engine at the given engine speed is obtained. Combinations which optimize a weighted cost function of the fuel conversion efficiency measure and the emission measure for a range of engine output torque settings at the given engine speed are then selected. This is repeated for each given engine speed across a range of engine speeds. A feed-forward map based on the selected combinations for the entire operating range of the engine is then assembled.

Abstract: An anti-shudder constant velocity universal joint of the tripod type is provided having an outer joint member including three circumferentially distributed, axially extending longitudinal tracks formed therein, and an inner joint member having three circumferentially distributed radial journals arranged to engage the longitudinal tracks when the joint is assembled. The end of each journal is mated with and supports rotation of a roller bearing assembly, while rotating and pivoting within the roller bearing assembly upon articulation of the joint. This reduces the frictional forces on the roller bearings created by maintaining the roller bearings in a relatively proper/parallel orientation within the tracks by allowing the journal ends to freely rotate and pivot therein. A spherical-to-spherical contact surface is provided between the journal ends and an inner ring of the respective roller bearing assemblies to lower Hertzian stresses by distributing forces over a larger region of contact.

Abstract: A steering column having a composite steering column support housing formed from a fiber reinforced matrix material. By layering the fibers within the matrix material of the support housing to a specific orientation, controlling fiber length, and controlling fiber and polymer type, the performance of the steering column can be manipulated to optimize NVH, structural stiffness, load path, crash energy management, mass balance, and cost. The column support housing contains at least one mounting hole for coupling to either an instrument panel or engine compartment wall. The column support housing may have a protruding region for stabilizing the steering column to the instrument panel when the support housing is mounted to the engine compartment wall. The mounting hole can also contain an elastomeric washer or a filler material for improving dampening characteristics, and further may have a circular fiber orientation immediately surrounding the mounting hole to further improve performance characteristics.

Abstract: A fuel delivery module for an automotive fuel delivery system includes a reservoir and a fuel pump. The fuel pump delivers fuel from the tank to the reservoir via a fuel tank inlet and reservoir outlet and from the reservoir to the engine via a reservoir inlet and engine outlet. The reservoir is formed with a plurality of contaminant traps for collecting contaminants contained in the fuel as the fuel is pumped through the reservoir such that the contaminants settle unto said contaminant traps thereby reducing the amount of contaminants entering the reservoir inlet.

Abstract: A misalignment detection system (12) for steering systems of an automotive vehicle (10) includes a logic device (14) coupled to a vehicle speed sensor (18) and a steering wheel angle sensor (20). The logic device is also coupled to a memory (16) that is used to store a steering wheel ratio map and a historic steering wheel angle or a wheel angle value derived from an automobile manufacturer's wheel alignment specification. The logic device (14) compares the signal from the steering wheel angle sensor (20) with the stored value of either the historic steering wheel angle or the value derived from the manufacturer's alignment specifications at a given vehicle speed to determine error. An indicator (28) may provide an indication to the vehicle operator to signal the presence of the misalignment condition of the steering system.

Abstract: An electrical machine such as an alternator (10) has a first fan (12) and second fan (14) rotatably disposed within a first housing portion (16) and a second housing portion (18). The fans (12, 14) each comprise a continuous ring (54), a plurality of blades (56), and a plurality of tabs (58). The continuous ring (54) is disposed in a top plane and connects the plurality of blades (56) extending therefrom. The plurality of tabs (58) extends from the plurality of blades (56) into a bottom plane so as to be parallel to the continuous ring (54) disposed in the top plane.

Abstract: A apparatus and method for dissipating heat from the disk portion of a multimedia radio. The apparatus and method uses the Von Karman Viscous Pump Principle to strategically introduce holes in the housings and brackets of the multimedia radio to improve the air flow across at least one of the surfaces of an installed and operational disk. The amount, size, and configuration of these holes are a function of the type and size of disk used and the rotational speed of the disk in operation. This reduces the possibility of hot media and reduces the possibility of heat shutdown of disk components.