Abstract: A controlled suspension for a wheeled vehicle includes a damper between the vehicle body and wheel, the damper being switchable, at a frequency sufficient for the control of resonant wheel vibrations, between a first mode of operation characterized by a high damping force and a second mode of operation having a low damping force. A control repeatedly derives from sensed vehicle suspension related operating variables desired force to be applied between the body and wheel in order to produce a desired suspension behavior determines whether that force result in active or dissipative suspension power.

Abstract: Suspension apparatus provides a real time suspension tuning control for a motor vehicle. An actuator is connected to exert a variable force between the vehicle body and wheel. A control derives a control signal for the actuator from a linear combination of vehicle state variables derived from sensed vehicle variables, the linear combination being characterized by gains determining the relative contribution of each state variable to the control signal. The control further stores in memory a plurality of alternatives sets of gains, with each stored set of gains comprising gain values tending to produce a different suspension performance. The control is responsive to one of the sensed vehicle varibles in real time to select between the alternative sets of gains in deriving the control signal. The suspension tuning characteristics are thus easily and quickly changed in emphasis between isolation, wheel control and body attitude control in real time vehicle operation.

Abstract: Ultrasonic thickness measurement of layers of paint on a substrate produces pulse echoes indicative of each layer interface. Several ultrasonic waveforms are averaged in a digital oscilloscope and the resultant waveform is analyzed by a computer programmed to recognize wave forms resembling pulse echoes, compare such waveforms to stored reference waveform characteristics, and selecting the waveform having the best fit to the reference. Each selected pulse echo is graded based on amplitude, peak separation, peak symmetry, and spacing from a previous echo to determine the quality of the waveform. Layer thickness is calculated from the spacing between pulse echoes and the velocity of sound in the layer material.

Abstract: In a suspension control comprising a damper having a valve switchable at frequencies within a desired activation frequency range between high and low damping modes, an unfiltered damper signal is repeatedly derived from vehicle suspension related variables at a range significantly greater than the desired activation frequency range. An output filter derives a filtered damper signal from each successive binary actuator force signal by (1) resetting a timer each time the unfiltered damper signal changes value, (2) causing the filtered damper signal to be the same value as the unfiltered damper signal while the timer is inactive, and (3) maintaining the filtered damper signal value unchanged while the timer is active. The damper is controlled in response to the filtered damper signal, whereby unnecessary high frequency switching of the valve is reduced but the damper responds without unnecessary delay to signals within the desired activation frequency range.

Abstract: A variable reluctance rotation sensor comprises a rotatable toothed wheel and a magnetic pickup assembly comprising a pair of permanent magnets each having a pair of poles with an opposite one of said poles adjacent the toothed wheel. The permanent magnets are separated from each other by an arc equal to the arc between two of the teeth and joined by a magnetic flux member with a multi-turn electrical coil wound thereon. The flux member establishes a common main flux loop through the first and second permament magnets but also extends close to the toothed wheel to further establish additional flux loops separately through each of the permanent magnets. Passage of alternating teeth and slots as the wheel rotates produces a spatial fluctuation in the additional flux loops between the magnets to vary the flux linkages with individual coil turns and increase the electrical signal in the coil over the signal level that would be produced by variations in air gap of the common flux loop alone.

Abstract: A variable reluctance rotation sensor comprises a rotatable magnetic toothed wheel adjacent a fixed magnetic pickup assembly. The pickup assembly comprises a pair of permanent magnets, each with a similar pole adjacent the wheel and separated circumferentially by the arc between a tooth and a non-adjacent slot. A magnetic flux member with a coil joins the other poles of the magnets in series opposed relationship and extends in close proximity to the tooth wheel to establish separate flux loops for each magnet distributed along the coil. The flux loops are spatially determined by the teeth and slots between the permanent magnets, so that they fluctuate circumferentially and generate an electrical signal in the coil with wheel rotation by variation of the flux linkages to individual turns of the coil. The sensor thus uses spatial flux changes to produce a rotation signal at very low rotational speeds with a larger air gap than that of conventional sensors.

Abstract: A vehicle window washer in which the pump outlet pressure is varied in an inverse manner with temperature of the washer fluid so as to maintain a more consistent fluid deposit on the window as fluid viscosity changes with temperature. In particular, it uses a motor driven pump which provides a higher pump outlet pressure with the motor driven in a first direction than with the motor driven in the opposite direction and switches activation of the motor between the two directions based on sensed temperature of the fluid in the washer fluid reservoir.

Abstract: A motor vehicle has front and rear electric motor driven wiper mechanisms including front and rear control switches effective to independently activate and deactivate front and rear wiper operation and front and rear park switches effective to independently provide, for each of the front and rear wipers, automatic wiper parking when the respective control switch is turned off. The vehicle has a driveline transmission with a reverse indicator and a control circuit responsive to the reverse indicator to interconnect the rear wiper motor with the front wiper control switch and disconnect the rear part switch when vehicle reverse operation is indicated.

Abstract: To detect a short circuit condition between guide paths embedded in the floor for automatic guided vehicles, a detection relay has a pair of current transformers having primary windings connected into a guide path circuit at points on the source and the return side of the circuit, the transformer secondary windings being connected in opposition to yield a null signal when there is no short and a finite signal when primary current inequalities are present. Amplifier circuitry discriminates between null and finite signals and controls a relay which activates an annunciator.

Abstract: A combustion engine has apparatus effective to provide a fuel mixture of one or more liquid fuels such as gasoline of variable aromatic content, normal alcohols, cosolvents, octane improvers and hydrocarbons having different energy contents in an unknown combination and combine it with air in a controlled A/F ratio with an input from a fuel mixture dielectric constant sensor. The sensor comprises a capacitor in the fuel line near the engine so that the dielectric constant of the fuel mixture about to enter the engine determines the capacitance, a resistor in series with the capacitor, an oscillator providing an oscillating voltage across the resistor and capacitor at a high frequency of at least 1 MHz but less than a frequency requiring microwave components, and an electric circuit responsive to a capacitively determined electrical parameter of the capacitor such as the voltage thereacross to determine the capacitance thereof and therefore the dielectric constant of the fuel mixture.

Abstract: This invention is an annular sensor that measures combustion chamber pressure in an internal combustion engine. The sensor is located in an engine component opening, such as a spark plug well, and is engaged with first and second walls that define the ends of the opening. The first wall is located near the combustion chamber and flexes in response to varying combustion chamber pressure. The second wall is located away from the combustion chamber and remains relatively rigid. Movement of the first wall relative to the second wall due to varying combustion chamber pressure transmits a load to the sensor. The sensor generates an output signal that corresponds to that load which may subsequently be used to control engine functions.

Abstract: A MOS integrated circuit in which a plurality of MOS devices on a substrate are interconnected with each other and with signal, power and ground pads in first and second electrical circuits adapted to process separate electrical signals. The pads are formed of first metal members below a passivation layer and second metal members in a second metallization layer projecting through openings in the passivation layer to contact the first metal members.

Abstract: A liquid float gage assembly for a fluid reservoir includes magnet containing float in a vertical tube having an adjacent vertically spaced reed switch arrangement. The float is capsule shaped with an extended round cylindrical portion having rounded axial ends; and the magnet tends to be attracted to the closest reed switch to bias the float against the inner surface of the tube. The tube has a horizontally cross-sectional shape substantially matching and just larger than an axial section of the float so that the float has a stable floating orientation with a horizontal axis and is capable of rolling during vertical movement within the tube to reduce friction due to liquid surface tension between the float and the tube. The magnet has poles at axially opposing ends thereof within the float and a circumferentially consistent spacing relative to the outer surface of the float so as to provide a substantially non-varying magnetic field strength radially adjacent the float as the float rolls.

Abstract: A vehicle engine fuel control adapted for multi-fuel operation uses a fuel injection system in which fuel in a liquid mixture of first and second combustible fuels is injected in pulses of controlled duration at a predetermined pressure to achieve a predetermined air/fuel ratio. The first and second combustible fuels have different viscosities, so that the viscosity of the mixture changes with its composition as well as fuel temperature. The duration of the portion of the pulse duration in which fuel flows is varied in response to fuel composition and fuel temperature so as to compensate for the variation in viscosity of the fuel mixture and thus deliver the required amount of fuel with each pulse.

Abstract: A washer fluid monitor comprising a pair of electrically conducting probes projecting downward into a washer fluid reservoir and incorporated into part of the positive feedback loop of a Wien bridge oscillator. One of the probes is grounded; and the Wien bridge oscillator is modified with an additional capacitor isolating the other probe from the DC supply and intermediate voltages so that it is essentially grounded at the oscillator frequency to greatly reduce or eliminate ionic currents in the washer fluid and resulting probe degradation without the need for an isolating transformer.

Abstract: A fuel control for an engine using a liquid mixture of two fuels such as gasoline and methanol and derives a fuel control parameter from the output of a fuel composition sensor in a first mode of engine operation and locks the value of the fuel control parameter at the end of the first mode of engine operation for use throughout a second mode of engine operation including closed loop control in response to an air/fuel ratio sensor, as long as the fuel composition does not change more than a predetermined amount during the second mode. The stable operation of the fuel control in the second mode is thus protected from instabilities introduced by small fluctuations in the fuel composition signal. In an engine with adaptive learning control, the adaptive learning control mode is reserved for particularly stable modes of engine operation including closed loop stoichiometric control and thus serves well as the second mode of engine operation.

Abstract: Valve spring assemblies are checked for proper assembly of keys by ultrasonically scanning a plurality of assemblies along a path crossing the stem, keys and cap to acquire profile data; compensating for temperature effects by determining the average time of flight to the stems, which are nominally the same distance from the ultrasonic sensor, and searching for each individual stem in a window centered on the average time of flight; then defining windows for the keys and cap offset from the measured surface of each stem; and searching the data for points within the respective windows to determine proper positioning of each element. The apparatus includes ultrasonic equipment, a scanning manipulator to move the ultrasonic sensor over the part, and a computer interfaced to the ultrasonic equipment and manipulator for control and data analysis.

Abstract: A fuel control for an engine using a liquid fuel mixture of two fuels such as gasoline and methanol acts in closed loop on a vehicle exhaust mounted oxygen sensor to maintain a stoichiometric air/fuel ratio. The closed loop portion of the control compares the oxygen sensor output voltage to a reference or reference window in the process of indicating a lean or rich mixture; and the fuel control is responsive to a fuel composition sensor to shift the reference or reference window with changing fuel composition to maintain a consistent relationship between the reference or reference window and stoichiometry as the fuel composition changes.

Abstract: A fuel control for an engine using a liquid fuel mixture of two fuels such as gasoline and alcohol has a fuel composition sensor and stores a fuel composition value derived from the sensor near the end of one period of engine operation. That value is used in place of the actual fuel composition sensor output for a predetermined time at the start of the next period of engine operation. The predetermined time is at least long enough for the fuel movement caused by the fuel pump to remix separated fuel in the vicinity of the fuel composition sensor and may conveniently be the period of time from the initiation of fuel pump activity until the time that fuel from the tank would be expected to at least reach the sensor.

Abstract: A fuel control for a vehicle engine using a liquid mixture of two fuels includes a fuel vapor canister open to the fuel tank and canister purge apparatus effective to allow fuel vapors to be drawn from the canister to the engine at a controlled purge rate during engine operation. The canister purge apparatus is responsive to a fuel composition sensor to vary the purge rate as a function of the fuel composition. If the two fuels are gasoline and methanol, the canister purge rate is varied, in a predetermined range of fuel temperature, so as to provide a higher purge rate for mixtures of gasoline and methanol, in at least some proportions, than for either gasoline or methanol alone. The canister purge rate may further be varied in response to fuel temperature.