Abstract: An improved control apparatus that automatically maintains line balance and prevents part jam up in a manufacturing process by selectively removing parts from a conveyor line coupling successive manufacturing stations. The apparatus includes a stationary proximity sensor and air knife mounted with respect to the conveyor line, a timer, a solenoid-operated air valve for coupling the air knife to a source of compressed air, and an excess part bin adjacent the conveyor line. When the proximity sensor is closed for more than a first predetermined interval, an impending jam-up of parts is detected, and the timer activates the solenoid-operated air valve for a second predetermined interval, causing the air knife to blow one or more parts from the conveyor line into the excess parts bin. A manually operated switch may be provided for continually activating the air valve to remove all parts during maintenance operations.

Abstract: A method for monitoring engine coolant warm-up behavior utilizing a model-based algorithm which provides a moving threshold for accumulated air or accumulated fuel entering into the engine. The algorithm allows for coolant temperature monitoring under a wide range of transient and steady state driving conditions while maintaining safeguards that prevent a false detection. The accumulated air (or fuel) delivered to the engine during the warm-up interval is used to represent the total heat generated by the engine during the warm-up interval. A time-varying moving calculated accumulated air threshold is therefore defined which can deliver accurate pass-fail decisions in conjunction with a predetermined target temperature.

Abstract: A control for a power transmission has a neutral idle circuit comprised of a signal valve, a control valve and a shuttle valve. The signal valve supplies a bias pressure to the control valve, which has an output control pressure proportional to the input torque to the transmission. The output control pressure and transmission line pressure act on the shuttle valve to direct the control pressure to a clutch in the transmission when the output pressure is below a predetermined percentage of the transmission line pressure and to direct line pressure to the clutch when the predetermined percentage is exceeded. This permits the clutch to be controlled at or below a slipping engagement state.

Abstract: A pump and filter assembly including a filter housing secured in a pump housing. The filter housing has a filter outlet portion with a central filter outlet passage. A plurality of nozzle passages are disposed adjacent and radially outward of the filter outlet passage. The nozzles communicate with an annular recess formed in the filter outlet portion. The annular recess receives return bypassed hydraulic fluid from a regulator valve for distribution through the nozzles into an inlet stream of fluid flowing through the filter outlet passage. The inlet stream velocity is increased which increases the pressure at the pump inlet. The increased pressure at the pump inlet allows the pump to operate at higher speeds without cavitation.

Abstract: A control for a continuously variable unit (CVU) provides control pressures to the variable sheave portions of the CVU pulleys. A first of the pulleys has a direct control pressure and the second of the pulleys has a control pressure proportional to the direct control pressure. The proportional pressure is established by a pair of control valves. One of the control valves issues a bias pressure, proportional to the commanded ratio in the CVU, to the other of the control valves. The other control valve communicates a sheave control pressure, proportional to or equal to the bias pressure, to the second pulley to control the relative position of the variable sheave.

Abstract: An electro-hydraulic transmission control has a pair of solenoid valves which are energized individually to provide a forward drive or a reverse drive. A mode mechanism downstream of the solenoid valves is actuated to a forward or reverse mode depending on which solenoid is actuated. The hydraulic fluid downstream of the solenoid valves is also effective to actuate one of two disable valves. When the forward solenoid is selected, the reverse disable valve is actuated and vice versa. In the event that hydraulic pressure is inadvertently directed to the forward and reverse drives simultaneously, both disable valves are actuated and the transmission control is placed in neutral.

Abstract: An inlet port for a spark-ignition reciprocating-piston internal combustion engine is provided with means for altering the direction of approach flow of the conducted gas to an inlet valve leading to a combustion chamber for producing a desired swirling of the charge selectively in the combustion chamber. The means consists of an expansion body which is arranged asymmetrically on the wall of the inlet port, consisting of a supporting body abutting against the wall and an elastomer portion connected to the latter at the edges gas-tightly and liquid-tightly. The expansion body can be expanded through a connection piece by pumping in a fluid so that it forms a ramp which predetermines the direction of approach flow of the conducted gas to the inlet valve. The cross-section of the inlet port is not impaired when the ramp is not required.

Abstract: A multi-speed transmission control has a CPU which utilizes a pre-programmed computer to control the interchange of the friction devices in the transmission. A routine within the CPU is executed by the computer at least when an impending ratio interchange is sensed. The routine uses stored data which includes friction disc parameters, engine operating parameters and vehicle performance parameters to determine if the impending shift will result in sufficient excess heat energy to cause the temperature of components in the friction device to exceed a predetermined design limit. If the temperature design limit will be exceeded, a reduced energy ratio interchange is commanded utilizing adaptive parameters for the upcoming shift; and if the temperature design limit will not be exceeded, the ratio interchange proceeds without adaptive parameters.

Abstract: An improved anti-coking air injection reaction system in which individual air passages in the engine cylinder head are provided with electrical resistance heating elements that are periodically activated to develop radiant energy that bums off coke deposits formed on the passage side-walls. The heating elements are conveniently implemented with conventional glow plugs. A controller monitors engine operating parameters to identify conditions likely to result in the formation of coke deposits, and schedules activation of the heating elements in relation to the frequency of the identified conditions or the cumulative time of engine operation. The heating elements may be activated sequentially or in banks to reduce electrical loading, and the activation is preferably scheduled during non-critical operating conditions defined by specified ranges of coolant temperature and engine speed and/or load.

Abstract: Automotive internal combustion engine fuel volatility is estimated during cold start operations by stabilizing air admission to the engine and analyzing engine speed over a modeling period following an engine coldstart after engine speed has stabilized and prior to closed-loop engine operation. If engine speed deviates significantly away from an expected engine speed for the current engine intake air and fuel, a fuel volatility deviation is diagnosed. The magnitude of the fuel volatility deviation away from a nominal fuel volatility is determined as a function of the magnitude of the engine speed deviation. A fuel volatility correction value is updated as a function of the engine speed deviation and is applied throughout an ignition cycle, including during the modeling period to compensate for the fuel volatility deviation.

Abstract: Slip across a torque converter of an automotive powertrain is estimated using powertrain operating parameters throughout a powertrain operating cycle for use in powertrain control and diagnostic operations. Slip across the torque converter is estimated and is periodically updated in accordance with an adaptive control procedure to maintain model accuracy over time. The slip is estimated for both torque converter coupling and torque multiplication scenarios, with the greater of the estimates identified as indicating current slip. Current slip is applied to generate actual transmission gear ratio which is compared to commanded gear ratio when a transmission shift maneuver is not in process to identify transmission solenoid fault conditions, and which is applied for precise transmission shift enhancement control during a transmission shift maneuver.

Abstract: A power transmission has a hydraulic control from which oil is distributed to various transmission components, a cooler and reservoir. A flow direction control valve is disposed in the distribution system to direct oil in transit to the reservoir during cold operation and to a transmission lubrication circuit or cooling circuit during normal operating temperatures.

Abstract: An all wheel drive transmission has a transfer gearing apparatus disposed in axial alignment between a hydrodynamic input drive and an input member of a planetary transmission. The transfer gearing apparatus delivers power from the hydrodynamic drive to the planetary transmission and from a differential output of the planetary transmission to a first output drive member. A second output drive member is connected to the differential output. One output drive member is connectable with the front drive wheels of a vehicle and the other output drive member is connected with the rear drive wheels of the vehicle.

Abstract: A torque transmitting device has a plurality of friction discs alternately splined to a housing and a hub. A fluid operated piston is slidably disposed in the housing and is fluid actuated to enforce frictional engagement between the friction discs and establish a torque transmitting interface between the housing and the hub. A one-way device is disposed in the housing at a location axially spaced from the piston. The one-way device has one member splined to the housing and another member splined to the hub. A plurality of actuating elements are disposed between the one-way members to enforce axial separation thereof upon a speed differential between the one-way members in one direction. The axial separation causes engagement of the friction discs to halt the speed differential and provide a one-way torque transmitting apparatus independent of the piston.

Abstract: A rotary power actuator has an oscillating input member and an intermittent rotary output member. A controllable one-way mechanism, which is drivingly connected between the oscillating input member and the rotary output member, accommodates the intermittent motion of the output member. The input member and the one-way mechanism are controlled by hydraulic fluid during power actuation. The input member is returned to a neutral central position by a mechanism system consisting of a spring and ball arrangement while the one-way is maintained in the overrun condition. The output member is connected with a rotary valve member which is stepped to selected valve positions when the actuator is powered and retains the selected valve position when the input member is returned to the neutral central position.

Abstract: An automatic transmission comprising a housing (12); a planetary gear train (14) mounted within the housing; an input drive shaft (16) for providing input drive to the planetary gear train; an output drive shaft (18) connected with an output drive from the planetary gear train; a first clutch (C1) connected between the input drive shaft and a first drive input (22) to the planetary gear train; a second clutch (C2) connected between a first reaction input (28) to the planetary gear train and the housing; a third clutch (C3) connected between a second reaction input (30) to the planetary gear train and the housing; a fourth clutch (C4) connected between a third reaction input (32) to the planetary gear train and the housing; and a fifth clutch (C5) connected between a second drive input (24) to the planetary gear train and the input drive shaft; wherein for first forward gear ratio the first and second clutches are engaged; for second forward gear ratio the first, second and third clutches are engaged; for thir

Abstract: An internal combustion engine idle air control system including an idle air control actuator coupled to an idle air control valve for varying the position of the valve within an engine intake air passage for engine inlet air control under idle operating conditions adjusts the time rate of change in position of the idle air control valve in response to change in barometric pressure to account for change in air density passing across the valve and to account for change in torque load acting against the valve to precisely respond to torque load changes during idle operations without violating idle air control actuator stability margins.

Abstract: A coupler that provides a selectively releasable connection between first and second relatively movable members. Such a coupler has a receiver that is secured to the first relatively movable member. The receiver is bifurcated to present a gudgeon having laterally spaced, generally parallel, side walls. A socket is located in each side wall to be disposed in spaced opposition. Each socket has guide surfaces that flare outwardly from a first race to terminate in an entrance. The second relatively movable member presents a transversely oriented trunnion. The trunnion has bearing surfaces that are selectively insertable within the opposed sockets operatively to engage said first races. A generally U-shaped locking verification clip has a base wall and laterally spaced first and second side walls. A pair of pedestals extend from the base wall in laterally spaced, substantially parallel, disposition between the side walls. Each pedestal terminates in a second race.

Abstract: A neural network IC 31 includes n dedicated processing elements (PEs) 62, an output register 66 for storing the PEs' outputs so that they are immediately accessible to all of the PEs, a number of output circuits 78 that are connected to selected PEs to provide binary outputs, and a timing circuit 74. Each of the PEs includes a weight memory 90 for storing input, output and bias weight arrays, a first in first out (FIFO) memory 88 for storing input data, a dot product circuit 92 and an activation circuit 94. The dot product circuit computes a dot product of the input weight array and the contents of the FIFO memory, a dot product of the output weight array and the contents of the output register, a dot product of the bias value and a constant, and sums the three results. The activation circuit maps the output of the dot product circuit through an activation function to produce the PE's output.

Abstract: A planetary gearing arrangement has a compound planetary gear set and a simple planetary gear set. The planetary gear sets are continuously interconnected at the sun gear members and are interconnectable through the selective engagement of two proportioning clutches which change the interaction of the gear sets. A single member, a ring gear, is continuously connected to an output shaft. The arrangement also includes two input clutches and two brakes which in combination with the proportioning clutches permit the establishment of five forward ratios and one reverse ratio. Two of the forward ratios are underdrives and two of the ratios are overdrives. All of the forward ratio interchanges, the neutral to forward ratio change and the neutral to reverse ratio change are of the single transition type.