Abstract: Method of rapidly making casting, comprising: designing a computer graphic model of the casting; sectioning the graphic model into graphic members which are at least one of blocks and slabs; carving a solid member for each of the graphic members, the solid members being (i) constituted of a meltable or evaporative solid material (i.e. wax or polystyrene), (ii) proportional to and enveloping its corresponding graphic member, and the carving being carried out by accessing two or more sides of each solid member to at least essentially duplicate the corresponding graphic member; forming a mold around the pattern, and casting metal within the mold while removing the pattern from such mold either by evaporation during pouring of the molten metal thereinto or by melting prior thereto.

Abstract: A method of applying a refractory coating to densified foundry sand cores having micropores between the sand grains having the steps of: (a) mixing a dry powder refractory material (anhydrous MmgOSiO2 talc) with a dry powder impacting media, the refractory material having a particle size in the range of 5-40 microns and the weight ratio between the refractory material and the impacting media; (b) fluidizing the mixture in a contained zone by introducing positive air pressure at one end of the zone and applying a negative pressure at the other end of the zone; and (c) quickly and entirely immersing the sand cores in the zone containing the fluidized mixture and substantially immediately thereafter withdrawing (without reciprocal movement) such sand cores without the need for added motion to be coated with essentially only the refractory material as impacted by the impacting media. The cores will be coated continuously with the refractory material, impacted with the micropores of the sand core.

Abstract: A method of optimizing cycle time and/or casting quality in the making of a cast metal product which has been defined by a CAD product model.

Abstract: A hood latch mechanism having interengaging pivot elements and pins for pivotally carrying the elements, first and second parts of a frame which are placed on opposite side of the pivot elements, the parts being held together tightly by pins pivotally carrying the pivot elements on the frame parts, springs biasing the pivoting elements to predetermine positions away from the hasp catched position, the pivotal elements and pins having a coating thereon of non-conductive resin and lubricious solid film with the frame and springs having a cathodic electropainted coating thereon, the coatings permitting manual override of the springs to facilitate release of the catched position.

Abstract: A method of conditioning an automotive catalyst by (a) electrolyzing water on-board the vehicle to derive and store separate quantities of hydrogen and oxygen at pressures in the range of 50-100 psi; (b) immediately upon initiation of engine starting, rapidly transferring stoichiometric proportions of the separated and stored hydrogen and oxygen to a front face location of a catalyst substrate to heat the catalyst substrate by spontaneous catalytic recombination of the hydrogen and oxygen and thereby raise the temperature of the catalyst substrate rapidly to a temperature at which certain emissions can be catalytically converted; (c) complete cranking of the engine to admit emissions laden with CO and HC to the catalyst substrate while continuing to transfer stoichiometric proportions of the hydrogen and oxygen to said front face location for raising the substrate temperature to about 300° C.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method of making an automatic temperature compensating gas spring strut, the method comprising providing an outer cylinder having opposite ends with one end closed and the other end apertured to permit movement of the strut therethrough; nesting an inner cylinder within the outer cylinder with radial space therebetween, the inner cylinder being apertured at opposite ends; partitioning the space between said cylinders into a first chamber adjacent the closed end of the outer cylinder and a second chamber remote from such closed end; inserting a piston in sliding, sealing relation with the interior of the inner cylinder, the piston having a piston rod extending from said piston and sealingly out through the aperture of the outer cylinder; after injecting a high pressure, non-condensing gas in the first chamber, inserting a measured quantity of solid carbon dioxide (“dry ice”) in the second chamber at ambient conditions and closing said second chamber while sealingly allowing movem

Abstract: A method of making a low distortion frame construction, the construction having joint regions formed by first and second overlapping members defining a lapped interface, the joint regions being comprised of material that can be converted to a solid state deformable plastic condition by friction heat, comprising: (a) providing a stir friction welding tool having (i) a rotatable thermally conductive body presenting a shoulder to engage the joint region for storing friction-generated heat, and (ii) a friction generating pin rotatable with said body about a pin axis and selectively extendable from the shoulder to progressively penetrate the overlapping members as the joint region in contact with the pin becomes plastic; (b) placing the tool shoulder against the joint region with the pin axis transverse to the lapped interface and spinning the body while progressively extending the pin at a rotational speed effective to generate friction heat that converts the adjacent material of the joint to a plastic condition

Abstract: A body flap for the tank filler neck with an electrical remote unlocking mechanism having a locking bolt that can be engaged with a spring and disengaged with a solenoid, from a closure part on a body flap, the solenoid and the locking bolt arranged in the side limbs of a U-shaped plastic component, which has a U-shaped cross section, and the armature rod of the solenoid connected to the locking bolt via a two-armed lever which is mounted such that it can pivot on a pivot in the base of the U-shaped plastic component.

Abstract: Method of simultaneously carrying out manufacturing and product engineering integrated with knowledge networking.

Abstract: Method of automatic finishing of a free-form contoured metal or hard die surface, comprising: providing a rotating brush with a central hub carried by a driving spindle for rotation about the hub axis; providing the brush hub with a plurality of closely spaced resilient and independently flexible strands possessing abrasive polishing particles, each strand being secured at one end in the hub and having its other end extending radially away therefrom to present an apparent curved surface of closely spaced strand ends (the series of touching or closely spaced strand ends forming at least a portion of a spherical surface); and rotatingly driving the hub and strands at a constant torque while dragging the ends of said strands across the die surface while in contact therewith to effect the desired degree of polishing. The coating of abrasive polishing particles can be selected from the group of aluminum oxide, silicon oxide or silicon carbide.

Abstract: A paint spray cell and air plenum assembly, comprising (a) a paint spray cell having a perforate air inlet wall occupying at least a substantial portion of one side of the cell and having at least one electrostatic paint sprayer to direct charged spray particles along a desired path to a receptive target, (b) a plenum having an undivided air supply and an outlet joined to the cell inlet wall to admit the air uniformly therethrough, and (c) variable density filter media at the plenum outlet to create differential velocity flows through said inlet wall that affect paint particles differently in different locations to both optimize paint transfer efficiency to the target and reduce paint particle adherence to objects other than the target.

Abstract: An electrochemical method of modifying the surface hardness of a non-allotropic metal member 10, comprising: (a) forming the member to near net-shape with at least one surface 12 to be hardened; (b) subjecting the surface 12 to rapid melting and resolidification by incidence of an electrical discharge between an electrode 16 and the surface 12 closely spaced thereto, the spacing containing an electrolyte with plasma forming capability, the surface 12 being hardened by crystallographic change of the globules resulting from substitutional alloying; and (c) cropping the surface grains 29 of the surface to increase load bearing capacity while retaining liquid retention capacity.

Abstract: A vehicle door sealing system includes a flexible weatherstrip containing magnetizable particulate material. Selected areas of the weatherstrip are magnetized to enhance the sealing action at hard-to-seal zones, such as curved corner areas along the door perimeter. The magnetic action is confined to the hard-to-seal areas so that the magnetic action will not make it excessively difficult for a person to open the vehicle door.

Abstract: The isolator core cooperates with companion core elements in a casting operation to form a short coolant jacket surrounding the upper portion of each engine cylinder adjacent the air/fuel combustion chamber and an air pocket that surrounds the lower region of the cylinder. Drainback passage core elements may be formed integrally with the isolator core thereby reducing the total number of cores in the casting mold package during a casting operation, the finished casting thereby eliminating dividing walls between the isolator and the oil drain cores thus reducing the number of core elements and reducing the cost and complexity of the casting operation as well as reducing the weight of the finished casting. The isolator core may be used independently of cylinder liners during the casting operation.

Abstract: A microelectronic device is hermetically sealed at the wafer level. A substrate is provided having associated electronics and at least one metal bonding pad. A dielectric layer, such as pyrex glass film, is sputter deposited atop the substrate to form a glass/metal seal. A glass film is thereafter planarized, preferably by chemical-mechanical polishing, to remove surface variations. A cover wafer is thereafter anodically bonded to the dielectric layer/glass film so as to define a sealed cavity for housing and protecting the substrate electronics. The resultant microelectronic device is packaged in its own hermetically sealed container at the wafer level.

Abstract: An automotive door latching system can include a first latch for locking one vehicle door, a second latch for locking a second vehicle door, and an electric switch controlled by the first switch for supplying current to an electrically-operated latch release means associated with the second latch. The latching system requires that the first latch be in the door release state before the second latch can be moved to the door release state. Consequently the doors are openable only in a predetermined sequence.

Abstract: A method which utilizes flip chip technology to provide interconnection between printed circuit boards and integrated circuits is disclosed. The method involves metallization of the bond pad and multiple, novel bump compositions and coating compositions to provide an interconnection which is reliable and which withstands differences in the coefficient of thermal expansion between the silicon device and the bump material.

Abstract: A lift-gate dual latch mechanism utilizing both a primary spring and an auxiliary spring operates to provide the additional force needed to release a striker member from both stop positions of a dual latch. Without the auxiliary spring as mentioned above, the lift-gate, being a heavy member typically stays in the latching mechanism when the lift-gate key is actuated to the open position. This requires additional lift forces, such as added springs between the lift-gate and the back panel of the vehicle to open the lift-gate from the mandated second lock position. Gas cylinders are shown to assist the opening of the lift-gate when required.

Abstract: A method of interconnecting a dual media component assembly for an automotive vehicle instrument panel includes the steps of mounting a first component to a first surface of a unitary bracket, fixing a second component to a second surface of the unitary bracket so as to create a dual component subassembly, and placing the subassembly within a chassis for mounting within the instrument panel.

Abstract: An expanding bush and captive bolt assembly (1), comprising a bolt (2), a generally cylindrical bush (4), and a ring clip (6) that retains the bush on the bolt. The bush (2) has an inner surface with a portion (22) that has a frustoconical taper, a channel (12) that extends circumferentially inside the bush, and an expansion split or slot (7) so that the bush may be expanded radially. The bolt (2) has a threaded portion (10) for engaging with a socket that has a matching thread, a head (8) by which the bolt may be rotated to tighten the bolt (2) to the socket and to squeeze axially the bush (4), a shaft (18,20,23) between the head (8) and the threaded portion (10), said shaft having a portion (20) with a taper that engages with the tapering portion (22) of the bush to expand the bush (4) as it is squeezed axially between the taper (20) and the socket, and a channel (16) that extends circumferentially around the shaft and which opposes the channel (12) of the bush.