Abstract: A system and method for determining when a vehicle safety device should be actuated includes a sensor whose analog output is filtered and then sampled to provide acceleration data. The acceleration data is integrated to obtain a value representative of vehicle velocity V. Consecutive values of the sampled data are also stored in a RAM and thereafter totaled or averaged to provide at least two acceleration values for calculating vehicle jerk and the square of vehicle acceleration. One of the acceleration values is added to the negative value of another of the acceleration values to obtain an approximation of the slope, or jerk J, of the data; and one of the acceleration values is squared to provide a squared acceleration value A.sup.2. The jerk J is then multiplied by the velocity V to obtain the velocity-jerk product, V*J, which is subsequently added to the squared acceleration value A.sup.2 to obtain a value proportional to the rate of change of power for the sensor's seismic mass.

Abstract: A system and method for triggering deployment of a vehicle air bag in response to a crash or sudden vehicle deceleration responsive to values for modified velocity, predicted acceleration, high-frequency velocity, and high-variance velocity. The air bag is triggered when at least two of the values for modified velocity, predicted acceleration, high-frequency velocity, and high-variance velocity exceed their respective thresholds.

Abstract: An acceleration sensor having a sensing mass supported relative to a frame by a plurality of beams having a plurality of resistors integral therewith. The resistance of the beam resistors varies as the sensing mass is displaced relative to the frame in response to acceleration of the frame in a direction generally normal to the plane of beam extension. The displacement of the sensing mass due to such acceleration produces a corresponding change in the output of a Wheatstone bridge incorporating the beam resistors in the legs thereof. At least one leg of the bridge additionally has a resistor of variable resistance in series with the beam resistor thereof, the resistance of which is controlled by a microprocessor, whereby the bridge output is adjusted to compensate for temperature effects and manufacturing tolerances.

Abstract: A system and method for triggering a vehicle safety device in response to a crash or sudden vehicle deceleration includes conversion of an analog signal generated by an acceleration sensor and representative of instantaneous vehicle acceleration to a digital value and using a ROM lookup table to determine its natural log. An autocorrelation of the log values of the acceleration data is determined and thereafter used to calculate first and second basis vector values. A safety device trigger signal is generated by a signal space discriminator when a value calculated from the first and second basis vector values exceeds a threshold value therefor.

Abstract: An air bag firing circuit comprises a firing path which includes in series a safing sensor, a squib, and a FET operated under microprocessor control in response to the output of an electronic crash sensor. A power supply maintains a known voltage across the firing path sufficient to explode the squib upon simultaneous "closure" of both the safing sensor and the FET operated by the microprocessor in response to crash sensor output. Normally, upon detection of a failure in the electronic crash sensor, its supporting electronics, or the FET actuated in response thereto, the microprocessor reconfigures the firing threshold of the safing sensor, as by applying a current to its integral test coil to increasingly bias the sensor's inertial mass away from its switch contacts. However, if a failure of the safing sensor is detected, reconfiguration of its threshold is inhibited notwithstanding the failure of other circuit components to prevent inadvertent deployment of the air bag.

Abstract: A flow control valve comprising a pair of parallel, circular butterfly disks that are connected to a shaft for rotation about an axis extending diametrically of a cylindrical valve housing. The parallel disks form a valve plenum within the housing when the valve is in a closed position. A pair of annular flanges on the inner periphery of the valve housing each align radially with a respective one of the butterfly disks when the valve is in the closed position. A small gap is provided between each flange and corresponding disk to facilitate thermal expansion of the valve components. At least a portion of the shaft is hollow and extends externally through the housing. The hollow portion of the shaft is provided with a first aperture located within the valve plenum and a second aperture located external to the valve housing. An external pressure source connects to the second aperture to pressurize or vent the valve plenum to prevent any fluid leakage through the valve.

Abstract: A seat belt buckle adapted to releasably engage a latch plate 42 having an aperture 40 therein, the buckle comprising a rigid frame 10 including a base 12 having an opening therein, upstanding side walls 14 adapted to guide the latch plate longitudinally of the frame, a bar 16 extending transversely of the frame between the side walls, the bar being spaced above the base, a locking member 24 pivotally mounted on the frame and pivotal between a lower latched position and an upper unlatched position, the locking member carrying a downwardly projecting locking element 38 engageable in the aperture 40 in the latch plate 42 to retain the latch plate in place and passing into the opening, a slider 44 slidable longitudinally of the locking member between a first position in which it is located under the bar 16, to retain the locking member in the lower latched position and a second position in which it is resiliently engaged against the rear of the bar to retain the locking member in its upper unlatched position, a

Abstract: A compliant hydrodynamic gas bearing comprises a nonlinear spring arrangement for supporting a plurality of tilting arcuate pads which hydrodynamically carry radial journal loads. The nonlinear spring support arrangement enables the bearing to provide increasing load-deflection capacity under extreme loads to limit deflection to a predetermined clearance. The spring arrangement provides nonlinear load-deflection capabilities while operating with a designed constant bending stress.

Abstract: A drum compressor rotor (10) for use in a gas turbine engine comprises a plurality of high strength, low density filaments (18a-d) which are covered with a high temperature adhesive resin and tightly wound around the hub (12) between rows of fan blades (14). The filaments allow an increase in the maximum compressor rotor operating speed thereby increasing the potential performance of the turbine engine. The filament windings (18a-d) are significantly lighter and less expensive than conventional welded metal support disks (106a-c).

Abstract: A reflexive fuel heating system for fuel entering the fuel filter of an engine comprises a heat exchanger disposed between a fuel tank and the fuel filter for transferring heat generated in a gear type fuel pump to the fuel.

Abstract: A method for making a wound field for an electric motor, generator or alternator includes the steps of continuously winding an insulated conductor into a coil having a first plurality of windings wound in a first direction, and a second plurality of windings wound in a second direction opposite the first direction flattening the coil into a two-layered flat web, and rolling the flat, two-layered web end-to-end into a cylindrical configuration. In one embodiment, a multiphase wound field can be made by winding a plurality of insulated conductors about a common axis to form a group of adjacent coil units. After the first group of coil units is wound, second and subsequent groups can be wound, in alternating directions of winding with respect to the first group, to form an elongate winding assembly. The entire assembly, is then flattened and rolled end-to-end.

Abstract: A system for alternately applying and releasing pressure on the muscles of the back comprising a plurality of spaced elasomeric balls that are rotatably supported by a carrier. The balls are positioned between the user's back and a vertical surface with the balls orientated on opposite sides of the spinal column. Vertical movement of the user's back due to bending of the knees effects movement of the balls relative to the user's back and controlled massage of the user's back muscles.

Abstract: A motorized vehicle anti-theft system which is passive by being automatically armed (i.e., does not require a vehicle occupant to set the system). Once power has been turned on to the vehicle, detection of an attempt to start the vehicle motor or the opening of a vehicle door (514) starts a predetermined time cycle (518). If a first reset signal is not received before the end of the time cycle, a vehicle disabling circuit is set (524). After that, a detection of actuation of the vehicle brake (526) will cause the disabling circuit to disable the vehicle (530) and set off an alarm (532). Only proper generation of the first and a second reset signal will allow the vehicle to be enabled again.

Abstract: An acceleration sensor having a sensing mass supported relative to a frame by a plurality of beams having a plurality of resistors integral therewith. The resistance of the beam resistors varies as the sensing mass is displaced relative to the frame in response to acceleration of the frame in a direction generally normal to the plane of beam extension. The displacement of the sensing mass due to such acceleration produces a corresponding change in the output of a Wheatstone bridge incorporating the beam resistors in the legs thereof. At least one leg of the bridge additionally has a resistor of variable resistance in series with the beam resistor thereof, the resistance of which is controlled by a microprocessor, whereby the range of bridge outputs is adjusted to initially compensate for manufacturing tolerances and thereafter compensate for temperature effects and component aging.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a fully integrated single stage centrifugal air compression system that exhibits a relatively high flow rate at relatively low pressure. The air compression system comprises a single impeller that is driven through a belt drive by a conventional electric motor. A novel parallel wall axially split diffuser converts the high kinetic energy of air leaving the impeller into pressure energy. Cooling of the air compressor is achieved by an integral fan on the motor pulley which draws filtered ambient air into a plenum. Plenum air is ducted through a novel system of heat exchangers which draw heat from the compressor bearings. A passage through the center of the compressor drive shaft conducts pressurized air from the plenum through the drive shaft to cool the bearings, resulting in a bearing running temperature slightly above ambient.

Abstract: An aft fan gas turbine engine comprises a coaxially related compressor, compressor turbine, fan turbine, and aft fan. An annular fuel tank is disposed about the compressor and an annular combustion chamber is disposed between the compressor and turbine.

Abstract: A subatmospheric pressure swing filter is integrated with a vapor cycle refrigeration system so as to provide both air filtration and air conditioning.

Abstract: A propulsion system comprises a gas turbine engine having sructurally integrated support systems that maximize structural efficiency and minimize cost.

Abstract: An acceleration sensor comprises a tube formed of an electrically-conductive, nonmagnetic material; an annular magnetically-permeable element, such as an iron washer, encircling a longitudinal portion of the tube; a magnetic sensing mass in the tube which magnetically interacts with the washer so as to be magnetically biased towards a first or "rest" position in the tube characterized in that a longitudinal portion of the sensing mass is situated within the portion of the tube encircled by the washer, the sensing mass being displaced from its rest position in the tube towards a second position therein in response to an accelerating force exceeding the magnetic bias thereon; and a switch operated by the sensing mass when the sensing mass is displaced to its second position in the tube.