Abstract: A brake drum generally cylindrically shaped having a substantially closed end forming a drum face and an open end with airflow channels formed in the outside peripheral surface of the brake drum in substantial alignment with a plurality of wheel hand hold openings and a squealer band positioned at the edge of the open end to improve cooling of the tire bead area of the wheel rim by increasing the airflow between the brake drum and the wheel rim thereby reducing the heat transferred from the brake drum into the wheel rim.

Abstract: An electrical contractor device (80) for controlling the flow of electrical power from a source of electrical power to an electrical device according to a command signal from a controller utilizing a rotary disc assembly (90) rotated by an actuator (169) where the rotary disc assembly (90) is comprised of a rotary disc (100) supporting a disc conductor (102) having a pair of contact pads (106, 108) joined by a pair of conductor legs (109, 113) and a center section (111) where the conductor legs (109, 113) are parallel and offset one from the other straddling an axis of rotation (103) where high flow of electrical current through the disc conductor (102) generates an electro-magnetic torque in the rotary disc assembly (90).

Abstract: A light transmitting source for a color sensor utilizes a plurality of light emitting diodes emitting light in a predetermined narrow range of wavelength whose emitted light strikes a surface of a lightpipe whereupon the light is reflected and refracted and directed to a common reflection point and where each emitted light is attenuated by the reflection and refraction a desired amount and directed to illuminate an object whose color is to be measured.

Abstract: A vehicle wheel speed sensor incorporated on an axle spindle hub and hub cap assembly of the type using permanent magnets to generate a magnetic field having a magnetic path conducted through a plurality of teeth on a flange extending from the hub cap into a plurality of teeth on a stator with relative motion therebetween upon rotation of the wheel where the frequency of the change in the magnetic reluctance varies at a frequency proportional to the wheel speed. The stator is mounted to the end of the axle spindle by a securing bolt so that the stator can be easily removed for service without disturbing the axle bearings. As a part of the stator assembly, a locating plate is provided which allows the operating gap between the teeth formed in the flange and the teeth formed in the stator to be easily established upon assembly of the hub cap to the wheel hub by allowing the rotor to contact the locating plate when the hub cap securing bolts have been loosened and the axle is supported.

Abstract: A motor driven actuator having a mechanical stop radially protruding from the motor output shaft which contacts the output mechanism upon reaching an extreme of travel thereby stopping the rotation of the motor by imparting a tangential stopping force thereby stopping the movement of the output mechanism while minimizing forces generated in the actuator drive mechanism.

Abstract: A method of mounting a semiconductor device to a heat sink where an opening in the circuit board is formed and sized to allow the semiconductor device to pass therethrough, where a heat sink is positioned on one side of the circuit board and a load is introduced on a second side of the circuit board and applied to the semiconductor device forcing it against the heat sink.

Abstract: A vehicle wheel speed sensor of the type using permanent magnets to generate a magnetic field having a magnetic path which is conducted through a plurality of teeth on a rotor into a plurality of teeth on a stator with relative motion therebetween where the frequency of the change in the magnetic reluctance varies at a frequency proportional to the wheel speed. The stator is mounted to the end of the axle spindle by way of a securing bolt so that the stator can be easily removed for service without disturbing the axle bearings. As a part of the stator assembly, a locating plate is provided which allows the operating gap between the rotor and the stator to be easily established upon assembly of the hub cap to the wheel hub by allowing the rotor to contact the locating plate when the hub cap securing bolts have been loosened and the axle is supported.

Abstract: A multiple pole solenoid (10) having outer pole flanges 44a-44d and inner pole flanges 46a-46d magnetically act on outer armature flanges (32-35) and inner armature flanges (36-39) respectively, to move an armature (14) where an AC coil (16) and a DC coil (18) are simultaneously energized by an AC electrical source (20) and a DC electrical source (22) respectively thereby providing a high pull-in force and a high holding force with low noise.In a second embodiment, a four pole solenoid (48) is comprised of a first AC coil (62) wound on the second pole (56) and a second AC coil (64) is oppositely wound on a third pole (58) and a DC coil (66) is wound on both the second (56) and third (58) poles where the first (54) and fourth poles (60) are without coils and an armature (50) is pulled into the poles (54-60) and held in position by the simultaneous energization of both the AC coils (62,64) and the DC coil (66).

Abstract: A rotary solenoid having at least one AC coil and at least one DC coil where the AC coil and the DC coil are concurrently energized by an AC electrical source and a DC electrical source, respectively for enhanced actuation torque and low noise with decreased temperature rise and package size.

Abstract: A truck brake having a brake assembly mounted to an axle housing and a brake drum placed over the brake assembly attached to a wheel where the brake assembly has a pivoted cam acting against a cam roller mounted to a brake shoe where the cam pivot is located approximately midway between the outer diameter of an axle and the inner surface of the brake drum and the brake shoe has a slot in the brake table to allow removal of an actuation return spring and the drum has a plurality of generally axially extending airflow channels in an outer surface and a squealer band located at an edge of the brake drum opposite a partially closed face.

Abstract: A pressure transducer for measuring high differential pressure media in a harsh environment where a diaphragm assembly is mounted to an intermediate support number which is mounted to a main support member where the high pressure media impinges on the diaphragm to create a force opposing that provided by the diaphragm support structure thereby loading the diaphragm in compression. The strain sensitive piezoresistive elements are protected and sealed from the low pressure media by a passivation layer and electrical signal leads are attached to bonding pads formed on the diaphragm assembly which are sealed to the intermediate support member by a sealing cap.

Abstract: A brake retention pin rotatively mounted in a brake shoe having a spring cam portion secured to the brake retention pin where the spring cam engages a brake return spring hook as the brake retention pin is rotated thereby extending and translating the return spring for engagement with the retention pin.

Abstract: An electrical device mounting system employing a plurality of heat conductive layers embedded in a printed circuit board where heat conduction therebetween is facilitated by a plurality of heat conduction channels passing through one layer to another where the heat generated by the semiconductor device is conducted into the conducting layers via the heat conduction channels and into a heat dissipation device, such as an aluminum heat sink.

Abstract: An adaptor bracket for the mounting of a color sensor head and a support pad held in a specific orientation such that the light emitted from the color sensor head strikes the support pad in a manner that the reflected light is directed back towards the color sensor head while the support pad serves as a low friction surface over which a flexible translucent material can be passed for measurement of its color quality.

Abstract: A device (1) for photoelectrically sensing the color of an object (18) includes a plurality of light emitting diodes (4, 6, 8) emitting light in a narrow range of wavelengths and where the light is transmitted through a corresponding fiber optic bundle (10, 12, 14) with a diameter in proportion to the transmission loss of the bundle and in inverse proportion to the emitted light energy of the corresponding light emitting diode and in proportion to the spectral response of a receiving photodiode (24). A receiving section (22) utilizes a PIN type photodiode (24) with an input section (40) that matches the shape of a receiving optical fiber bundle termination (42) where the photodiode (24) converts the reflected light from the object (18) into electrical signals which are then processed by a microprocessor (28) which also controls the activation of the light emitting diodes (4, 6, 8) and outputs a signal indicative of the color of the object (18).

Abstract: A control system for an engine throttle valve actuator uses an actuator position feedback loop with a compensation factor which applies a reverse voltage having an amplitude based on actuator momentum to a DC motor to effectuate an electrical braking action to achieve high speed response with positional accuracy. A separate position limiting feedback loop is used to prevent excessive actuator excursions. The engine throttle valve is controlled to a selected position by using a throttle valve position feedback loop and a compensation factor to provide a feedback signal to a summing junction.

Abstract: A pressure transducer (50) of the type utilizing a diaphragm (8) with strain sensitive elements (14) formed in the diaphragm surface where the strain sensitive elements (14) are connected to an electronics assembly (4) to produce an electrical output in response to deflection of the diaphragm (8). A diaphragm assembly (26) is bonded to an intermediate support member (28) which is in turn bonded to a main support member (32) which is joined to a support collar (42) and hermetically sealed thereto with a sealing glass (40) where each element (2, 28, 32, 42) has a substantially matched coefficient of thermal expansion so as to reduce any induced thermal stresses and resultant measurement errors where the sealing glass (40) and the support collar (42) have a greater coefficient to produce a compressive type seal at high temperature.

Abstract: A dynamic braking means for a variable speed dynamoelectric eddy current drive consists of an ac motor (4) rotationally coupled through a shaft (6) to an inductor drum assembly (13) of an eddy current coupling (3), where an annular field coil 12 generates an electromagnetic field which couples the inductor drum assembly to a pole assembly (10) which is rotationally coupled to an output shaft (16) which drives an inertial load (20). Upon command to stop and brake, a controller (30) signals a motor switch (26) to disconnect the ac motor from the ac source and connect it to a dc source, causing a braking torque to be produced. Concurrently, the controller signals a coupling switch (28) to go to an open position momentarily until the motor decelerates to approximately zero speed, whereupon the coupling switch is again closed, coupling the inertial load to the motor, thereby providing a braking action.

Abstract: An optoelectronic position-sensitive detector (PSD) is disposed within a protective housing. An operator is movably mounted to the housing to be mechanically displaced by an object whose position is being sensed. A light projector within the housing is moved in response to operator movement to move a narrow light beam along a surface of the PSD corresponding to the position of the operator. A control system receives signals from the two output terminals of the PSD, compares and processes the same and produces a single analog signal indicative of the position of the object. The operator may be axially reciprocally movable or rotatable, and may have direct or indirect coupling with the light projector.

Abstract: An optoelectronic position-sensitive detector (PSD) is used with a light emitting diode (LED) in a through-beam photoelectric sensor application to detect the lateral position of an edge of an article or the lateral position or size variation of a thin object such as a small diameter fiber. The LED is offset toward one end of the PSD to establish a higher output signal at one end of the PSD than at an opposite end, thereby maintaining a positive output signal for the sensor. The LED and the PSD are potted with clear epoxy within holes in aluminum housing plates to provide RFI and EMI shielding.