Abstract: The housing comprises a bottom 1 in the thickness of which the extension of an input/output pin 5 of the housing is embedded. This extension ends in a contact terminal 15 which lies flush with the surface of a substrate 7 carrying passive or active electronic components 11, 12 and interconnecting conductor tracks 10, 10', 10". A conductor track 10 passing over an opening 6 in the substrate which accommodates the terminal 15 is soldered onto this terminal in order to interconnect a terminal 14 of the component 12 with the input/output pin 5 of the housing. An interconnection via side terminals 13, 13', 13", . . . , which complicates the layout of the conductor tracks to be provided for this purpose, is thus no longer required.

Abstract: A clutch fan has a new and unique blade design that results in quieter and more efficient operation. The blade design involves the leading edge having inner, intermediate, and outer regions such that the intermediate region is of increasing skew in the direction of rotation and the outer region is of decreasing skew. The pitch ratio increases as a function of increasing blade radius. Along the outer region, the blade increases in pitch on a defined curvature as a function of blade radius and angle to form a tip curl.

Abstract: A system for accomplishing solenoid control of engine valves places a soldnoid valve between an oil gallery and the lost-motion actuator for each valve. Although the basic phasing for the valves is established by a camshaft, the actual phasing is accomplished by causing the valve actuators to execute lost-motion. The amount of lost-motion establishes the actual opening and closing phase angles for the valves. The amount of lost-motion of each actuator is established by the timing of the opening and closing of the corresponding solenoid valve. Oil that is pumped from the actuators can be stored in an accumulator that is connected to the gallery for subsequent use in replenishing the actuators.

Abstract: High resolution microstepping of an unipolar stepping motor 18 is accomplished by applying from a look-up table the values of the SINE and COSINE of a given angle to the control circuit of a unipolar stepping motor. The difference between the present position and the desired position is calculated and depending upon the magnitude of the difference, the degree of microstepping is determined from four steps per ninety electrical degrees of motor rotation to thirty-two steps. By such selection, the positioning of the output shaft of the motor 18 is smoothly and accurately accomplished.

Abstract: A fuel pressure regulator valve of the type commonly used in automobile fuel injection systems. The invention relates to improved retention of the valve element within the mount that is carried by the diaphragm assembly. The valve element is a truncated sphere and the retention is by means of a circular washer that fits into a circular recess formed in the mount around the cavity that contains the sphere. The truncated circular face of the sphere protrudes through the washer so that it can coact with the valve seat. The inside diameter of the washer is closely controlled and this controls the allowable travel of the sphere within the cavity. The washer is retained on the mount by crimping the edge of the circular recess over the outside diameter of the washer.

Abstract: Autocalibration of the camshaft phasing sensor of a closed-loop variable valve timing system of an internal combustion engine. The camshaft phasing adjustment mechanism comprises a cam that changes the camshaft phasing. This cam is provided with a dwell that occurs at a known true phasing of the camshaft. The cam is commanded to operate to the dwell, and the lack of change in the sensor output indicates when the dwell is reached. At this time the sensor output should exactly indicate the known camshaft phasing that is produced by the adjustment cam dwell. If it does not, the difference is calculated and forms an offset that is algebraically applied to the sensor output thereby calibrating the sensor.

Abstract: The circuit according to the invention controls the supply to an inductive load by a power transistor of the N-channel MOS type, placed on the side of the positive terminal of a supply source delivering a voltage +Vbat. The conduction of the transistor is maintained by means of a gate voltage Vs>+Vbat supplied by a voltage multiplier. On cutting off this voltage, there is blocking of the transistor and discharge of the load, which rapidly develops a high negative voltage. An interconnecting transistor than prevents the return to conduction of the power transistor while, according to the invention, a transistor of the P-channel MOS type isolates the gate of the interconnecting transistor to authorize the application to said gate of the negative voltage developed by the inductive load. The invention has application to the control of actuators for the automobile industry.

Abstract: A dual stream thin edge orifice disk is defined as a disk having a pair of orifices positioned to direct the flow of fluid from the interior portion of a valve into two different streams. The dual streams may be parallel or typically diverge at an angle for directing the stream to two adjacent engine valves in the situation wherein the valve is an electromagnetic fuel injector for an internal combustion engine. To have the dual streams flow in a direction that is not parallel, the area of the disk surrounding the dual orifices is embossed and the orifices are positioned along the sides of the embossment between the base and the apex thereof. The manufacturing of the accurately sized orifices in the disk is accomplished by means of a progressive die. One of the stations of the die provides a coining operation on the orifice. Such coining operation is adjustable by means of a micrometer adjustment.

Abstract: An integrated tuned air induction system for an internal combustion engine comprises an air intake leading to an air filter compartment. The air filter compartment leads to a tube that extends horizontally past a bank of cylinders that is served by the system. The tube leads to a tubular extension piece that creates a 180 degree turn. After this turn, the airflow passes through an air body containing a valve that controls the induction airflow. After the air body, the airflow passes to a plenum zone that lies parallel to the first tube. Spiral runners arranged transversely to the length of the plenum zone communicate the plenum zone to the intake of each cylinder in the bank. The first tube, the runners, and the plenum zone are formed by a single plastic part. The air filter compartment is defined by an end wall of this part and a removable cover. An integral wall of the part serves to mount the part on the engine while providing support for the runners.

Abstract: An axial flow ring fan has improved efficiency and reduced noise by making the leading edge of each blade a generally sinusoidal shape and projecting this geometry throughout the blade by imparting fall off to each blade.

Abstract: A variable valve timing system utilizes a closed-loop control for controlling the valve phasing wherein the closed-loop control receives a command input from the engine ECU. The command input is a pulse width modulated waveform that is synchronized with engine TDC.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine has two differently tuned sets of runners leading to the cylinders. A wave deflector element transversely spans a particular runner for one cylinder and the corresponding particular runner for an adjacent cylinder, and there is one wave deflector element for each pair of cylinders. The wave deflector elements are selectively operated in unison by an actuator to either open or close the runners of the set with which they are associated depending upon the operating state of the engine. The actuator is controlled by an electronic control unit. Each wave deflector element comprises a shaft and a pair of wave deflectors integrally formed of plastic so as to be of one-piece construction. The wave deflector element is resiliently flexible by bending for installation in the runners that it controls.

Abstract: An inertia switch for a supplemental inflatable restraint system. The switch comprises a casing that is divided into two chambers by an axially movable diaphragm. The diaphragm carries an electrical contact on one face and an inertial mass on the other. A pair of terminals are disposed in the path of travel of the electrical contact so that when the switch is subjected to axial deceleration force the contact is urged toward the terminals. Actual contact is made when the deceleration force equals or exceeds a predetermined deceleration characteristic. The deceleration characteristic is a function not only of the diaphragm, the electrical contact, and the mass, but also of a control orifice located in an orifice that communicates the two chambers with each other. The chambers are constructed such that air is forced from one chamber into another through the control orifice when deceleration occurs and this imparts a dampening to the motion of the diaphragm.

Abstract: A canister purge solenoid valve is constructed and arranged to provide reduced operating noise and decreased armature wear as the armature reciprocates within a bore in response to solenoid energization and de-energization. The armature contains an elastomeric valve head that is biased normally closed against the valve seat. When the solenoid assembly is energized, the armature is retracted. The armature's momentum is initially absorbed by the elastomeric valve head making contact with the solenoid assembly at one end of the bore. Final absorption of the armature's momentum is shared by continuing contact of the valve head with the solenoid assembly and by an elastomeric limit stop that is disposed between the armature and the stator. In this way the elastomeric limit stop is not required to absorb the full momentum of the retracting armature.

Abstract: The circuit comprises a comparator 1 fed by a quasi-sinusoidal signal delivered by a source 2 for converting the positive alternations of the signal into pulses acceptable by digital computing means. According to the invention, the circuit comprises a current source 7 selectively connectible to the circuit in order to vary its sensitivity and to thus enable an evaluation of the amplitude of the signal delivered by the source 2. Application to the diagnosis of the operating state of a variable reluctance sensor delivering a quasi-sinusoidal signal representing the speed of rotation of a shaft fitted in a motor vehicle.

Abstract: An axial flow ring fan has improved efficiency and reduced noise by making the leading edge of each blade a generally sinusoidal shape.

Abstract: An encoder delivers a pulse input signal in phase with equal angular steps of a rotary component, such as a toothed wheel driven by the crankshaft of an internal combustion engine. A missing tooth defines a reference position at which a synchronizing signal is also delivered. A counter is incremented by the pulse input signal and is reset by the synchronizing signal. A comparator compares the count in the counter with a number in a memory circuit to deliver a signal for triggering an event when the count in the counter coincides with the number in the memory circuit. The counter comprises a first counting circuit providing the least significant outputs of the counter and a second counting circuit providing the most significant outputs. The first counting circuit is reset by the input signal, and the second counting circuit by the synchronizing signal.

Abstract: A mass airflow sensor is fabricated on a semiconductor substrate and which includes (1) a dielectric diaphragm, (2) p-etch-stopped silicon rim, (3) thin-film heating and temperature sensing elements, and (4) tapered chip edges. The dielectric diaphragm is formed with thin silicon oxide and silicon nitride in a sandwich structure and provides excellent thermal insulation for the sensing and heating elements of the sensor. The diaphragm dimensions, including thickness, are accurately controlled through the use of the heavily-p-doped silicon rim to help ensure uniform and reproducible sensor performance.

Abstract: Self-contained hydraulic variable valve timing systems for use with internal combustion engines include an especially adapted valve cover which integrally includes a hydraulic lifter, a solenoid valve, and fluid passageways fluid connecting the lifter and solenoid valve. In one embodiment, separated cam follower and valve actuating pistons form respective fluid-connected chambers in a case integral with the valve cover, these chambers also being in fluid communication with the solenoid valve via a control passageway. Cam-following motion of the cam follower piston may be hydraulically transferred to the valve actuating piston when the selenoid valve is operated so as to open one valve of the engine, or to simultaneously open a number of valves. An overhead cam may be mounted within the valve cover with the hydraulic lifters disposed between the cam and the valves of the engine.

Abstract: A mass airflow sensor is disclosed which uses a small, thin dielectric diaphragm providing good thermal isolation for thin-film heating and temperature sensing elements, resulting in high flow sensitivity and low current operation of the heating element. The dielectric diaphragm is bounded by a p-etch-stopped silicon rim. The mass airflow sensor includes a primary sensor circuit which maintains a heated primary temperature sensing element and an ambient air temperature sensing element at a constant temperature difference. A slave sensor circuit, which includes a plurality temperature sensing elements, monitors heat loss due to airflow at a particular location on the diaphragm and generates an output signal indicative of airflow which is independent of ambient air temperature.