Abstract: An accordion spring that replaces traditional coil springs in suspension systems. The accordion springs are made of a fiberglass composite and can be designed to have a linear or progressive spring rate upon compression. To achieve a linear spring rate, the shape of the accordion spring is symmetrical with both the top and bottom surfaces of each of the plurality of central regions of the spring are flat, wherein contact between the upper and lower surfaces of adjacent central regions will not occur until the accordion spring has bottomed out. A series of complementary bent regions are introduced to the spoked regions of the accordion spring that varies the spring rate of the spring as the spring is compressed. The accordion spring can be manufactured using a three-dimensional weaving process and offer improvements in weight reduction, mass reduction, packaging space reduction compared to traditional steel coil springs.

Abstract: A liquid spray for depositing a coating on a surface of a substrate includes a support bracket and a liquid atomizer operatively connected to the support bracket to spray a liquid spray system also includes an auxiliary air nozzle operatively connected to the support bracket to spray a stream of air to meet the liquid spray just above the surface of the substrate. The support bracket is positioned at a predetermined angle relative to the surface of the substrate for depositing a liquid spray coating on the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing regenerative and friction braking on a vehicle having one or more wheels driven by a drive motor includes a master cylinder (28), a hydraulic control unit (30), a brake control unit (38), a drive motor control unit (52) and a drive motor (18). The drive motor control unit determines a coast down regenerative torque signal and a driver brake command regenerative torque signal and commands the drive motor to regeneratively brake the driven left and right wheels in response to whichever of the coast down regenerative torque signal and the driver brake command regenerative torque signal is greatest, thereby maintaining a desirable proportioning of front to rear braking.

Abstract: A four-stroke reciprocating internal combustion engine that uses stratified exhaust gas recirculation to improve combustion is disclosed. The engine includes at least one combustion chamber defined by a cylinder, a reciprocating piston contained within the cylinder, and a cylinder head. Each combustion chamber is in fluid communication with at least one intake port and at least one exhaust port. At least one intake port includes an associated intake valve and an intake flow motion generating device for creating an intake fluid flow near the intake port. At least one exhaust port includes an exhaust valve that opens during the intake stroke at part load, and an exhaust flow motion generating device for creating an exhaust fluid flow near the exhaust port during the intake stroke at part load.

Abstract: A spring compression plate (40), (46), (50), (60) for retaining the active material (28) that adsorbs fuel vapor in a fuel vapor storage canister (16). The plate (40), (46), (50), (60) has a wiper seal (44), (54), (68), (80) around its outer periphery that is capable of moving upwardly or downwardly within the shell body (34) of the canister (16) while maintaining substantial sealing to an inside portion of said shell body (34), thereby preventing leakage of the active material (28) when the canister (34) expands or contracts thermally. The spring compression plate (40), (46), (50), (60) is designed to maintain the integrity of the active material (28) over the lifetime of the vehicle in which it is placed. The spring compression plate (40), (46), (50), (60) also contains perforations (42) , (52), (66), (78) for allowing fuel vapor and air to freely flow through the canister (16).

Abstract: A four-stroke reciprocating internal combustion engine that uses stratified exhaust gas recirculation to improve combustion is disclosed. The engine includes at least one combustion chamber defined by a cylinder, a reciprocating piston contained within the cylinder, and a cylinder head. Each combustion chamber is in fluid communication with at least one intake port and at least one exhaust port. At least one intake port includes an associated intake valve, an intake flow motion generating device and an associated intake flow direction control device for creating an intake fluid flow near the center of the cylinder. At least one exhaust port includes an exhaust valve that opens during the intake stroke at part load, an exhaust flow motion generating device and an associated exhaust flow direction control device for creating an exhaust fluid flow near the outer periphery of the combustion chamber during the intake stroke at part load.

Abstract: In an adaptive vehicle speed control system, a method and system for controlling the speed of the vehicle while the vehicle is traversing a curved path. The method and system include sensing the yaw rate of the vehicle, determining the yaw acceleration based on the yaw rate, and determining a maximum allowed speed of the vehicle on the curved path based on the yaw rate and the yaw acceleration. The method and system also include limiting the speed of the vehicle on the curved path to a value no greater than the maximum allowed vehicle speed.

Abstract: When a motor vehicle is not in motion, an algorithm for establishing the initial zero point offset values for a yaw rate sensor as may be used in motor vehicle software control systems. The initial values are the manufactured values and are downloaded into the vehicle ECU at the time of the manufacture of the ECU. When the vehicle is waken at the vehicle assembly and the ignition is first turned on, the initial actual value of the zero point offset is stored both as a maximum and minimum value. At subsequent adjusting times when the vehicle is not moving, but the ignition is on, the spread between the maximum and minimum values are checked. If the spread becomes greater than a desired predetermined spread, the value, be it the maximum or minimum value reflects the measured value and the other value is adjusted to be within the desired spread. When the ignition is turned off and the vehicle is not moving, the zero point offset maximum and minimum values are stored in memory.

Abstract: A hydraulic pump [10] for use in a power steering system includes a power steering fluid chamber [24] for receiving power steering fluid from a fluid source. The power steering fluid chamber [24] is in fluid communication with a fluid passageway [26] which transfers fluid to a pressure wave attenuator [46] for receiving power steering fluid from the power steering fluid chamber [24] such that fluid borne noise in the power steering system is minimized.

Abstract: A non-corrosive fuel pump housing (36) that can be used in high-pressure applications and with aggressive or flex fuels. The fuel pump housing (36) is comprised of a pump cover (40) and pump body (38). The pump cover (40) and pump body (38) each have a narrow seal ring (101, 104), a cavity circle (103, 106), and a tapered seal ring (102, 105) extending radially from the narrow seal ring (101, 104) to the cavity circle (103, 106) that reduce friction between the impeller (34) and pump housing (36) and limit leakage between the impeller (34) and the pump housing (36). The pump housing (36) is composed of a thermosetting or thermoplastic material; as such material and manufacturing costs are less than traditional anodized aluminum pump housings.

Abstract: A hydraulic pump [14] for an electro-hydraulic power steering system is positioned in a fluid reservoir [16] in a pump housing [12]. The pump [14] has an upstream end [40] that receives fluid from a fluid source and a downstream end [42] that is in communication with fluid expelled from the pump [14]. The pump housing [12] has an integral dampening chamber [36] formed therein adjacent the downstream portion [42] of the pump [14]. The dampening chamber [36] helps minimize pressure pulsations before the fluid is passed through an outlet opening [18] in the housing [12] to a steering gear.

Abstract: A powertrain control method for an internal combustion engine responsive to an accelerator pedal input, the engine having a throttle responsive to a commanded throttle position. The method comprises the steps of determining the engine speed, determining the accelerator pedal position, and generating a desired throttle position value as a function of at least the accelerator pedal position and engine speed. If the commanded throttle position is greater than the desired throttle position value, the commanded throttle position is limited to the desired value.

Abstract: A strategy for decreasing hydrocarbon emissions from a plastic fuel tank assembly having a multilayer plastic fuel tank (10) and at least one overmolded fuel tank attachment (100). The strategy consists of two basic components. First, the swelling properties of the overmolded outerlayer (116) of the fuel tank attachments 100 are exploited to close possible leakage paths between the barrier resistant core (101) and the overmolded outerlayer (116) of the fuel tank attachment (100). Second, the barrier properties of the barrier resistant core (101) of the fuel tank attachments (100) are exploited to increase the length of the diffusion path of hydrocarbon molecules out of the multilayer plastic fuel tank assembly.

Abstract: A method of leak testing a walled tank (16) that has multiple joints containing closures or closure devices (18, 20, 22, 24) closing openings in the wall. Rims (38) of multiple cups (26, 28, 30, 32) are disposed against the tank wall to place the cup interiors in substantial sealed covering relation to underlying zones of the tank wall containing joints to be checked. A tank seal (52) is disposed fluid-tight against a fill spud (18) in the tank wall, and a test gas, helium, is introduced into the interior of the tank. Gas from within the interior of each cup is sampled via a respective sampling conduit (48), and a purge gas is introduced into the interior of each cup via a respective purge conduit (46) while the gas from the interior of each cup is being sampled via the respective sampling conduit.

Abstract: In an electric power-steering gear, in particular for motor vehicles, having a steering shaft (1) which is actuated by a steering wheel and which forms an input for a step-down gear in the form of a harmonic drive (2) and which makes available an output, in the form of a steering element (3), to a conventional steering gear, sensors which output a signal for the steering torque which is applied being arranged on the steering shaft (1) in a known fashion, and said sensors leading, via a corresponding amplifier circuit, to an electric motor (10) which is arranged coaxially with respect to the steering shaft (1) and the steering element (3), the stator of the electric motor (10) is arranged fixed in terms of rotation in the externally toothed flexible rotor (4) and the elliptical driver (6) of the harmonic gear (2) acting, as a result of the elastically deformable, externally toothed flexible rotor (4), with migrating engagement on the internally toothed annular stator (5), which is fixed in position, and the fl

Abstract: A method and article for attaching an electronic component, such as a semiconductor die, to a substrate includes applying a relatively low-melting-temperature solder preform to the substrate; and applying a bead of a curable bonding material to the substrate around the periphery of the solder preform in an amount sufficient to substantially contain the solder material and bridge the gap between the die and the substrate upon a subsequent collapse of the solder preform along its thickness dimension. After placing the die atop the solder preform so as to at least partially overlie the bonding material, the method includes heating the solder preform and the bonding material so as to reflow the solder, whereupon the solder preform collapses to allow the bonding material to engage the underside of the die, and to subsequently cure the bonding material.

Abstract: An integrated intake module (10; 100; 200) for an internal combustion engine (22) has an air box (14) that encloses an internal space and contains a particulate filter (24) that separates a clean air space (26) from a dirty air space (28). A throttle body assembly (16) receives clean air from the air box and delivers the air to a plenum (18). Runners (20) that have respective inlets at which clean air from the plenum enters extend lengthwise to respective outlets for delivering clean air to cylinders of the engine. At least a portion of the length of each runner is disposed on the air box wall about the dirty air space.

Abstract: A slip spline assembly is provided including a slip yoke with a splined bore and an open end. A plug is sealingly secured to the open end of the slip yoke. The plug has an aperture which is sealed after the yoke is plated.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a receiver forming an aperture therethrough. A steering column armature assembly is received within the receiver aperture and includes a steering column. The steering column armature assembly includes a tilt locking feature for selectively locking the steering column at desired tilt locations with respect to the receiver, and a telescope locking feature for selectively locking telescoping movement of the steering column armature assembly with respect to the receiver. A single handle is operatively connected to the tilt locking feature and to the telescope locking feature for selectively disengaging the tilt locking feature and telescope locking feature for adjustment of the steering column.

Abstract: A stabilizer bar apparatus for use in a suspension of a motor vehicle includes a hollow tubular member (22) having first and second arms (24,26) disposed at opposite ends of a center section (28). The center section is adapted to be rotatably attached to a chassis and the first and second arms are adapted to attach to first and second wheel suspensions, respectively. A first radial protrusion (38) is circumferentially formed on an outer surface of the hollow tubular member and extends radially outward from the outer surface to a first predetermined height sufficient to retain the stabilizer bar under lateral loading. Additionally, a stress dispersing formation is (46) formed on an inner surface of the hollow tubular member opposite the first radial protrusion so as to disperse stress that would otherwise concentrate in the hollow tubular member adjacent to the first radial protrusion.