Abstract: A dual NOx trap system for reducing NOx emissions from an internal combustion engine. The system is plumbed and controlled such that the NOx adsorption time of a trap is decoupled from the NOx regeneration time. A trap is taken out of service for regeneration only for the minimum required regeneration time and then is placed back into service. Because regeneration times are short relative to adsorption times, during most of the working life of the assembly both of the traps are in service in NOx-trapping mode. Thus, higher NOx-trapping efficiencies are provided over most of the working life of the system because each unit volume of catalyst is in service for more than 50% of the time, permitting a smaller volume of catalyst for each trap than in a prior art system. Further, shorter off-line regeneration times result in reduced cooling of the traps during regeneration.

Abstract: A system and a method for streaming data between a portable server computing device and a client computing device are provided. The method includes transmitting an RF signal having streaming data from a first audio file from the portable server computing device to a client computing device. The method further includes emitting sound corresponding to the streaming data in the RF signal from the client computing device, in response to the client computing device receiving the RF signal.

Abstract: The invention relates to a connection unit for the connection of electrical and/or electronic components to a pole of a motor vehicle battery comprising a first conductor section that can be connected to a battery pole; a second conductor section originating from the first conductor section and including a main conductor and a bypass conductor, to which the at least one respective electrical and/or electronic component can be connected; an interruption unit, by which an electrical and/or electronic component connected to the main conductor can be electrically isolated from the battery; and at least one sensor for the measurement of a battery current and/or of a battery voltage.

Abstract: A variable venting assembly for an inflator, the assembly comprising: a nozzle having an inlet opening and an outlet opening; a valve member movably mounted to the nozzle for movement between an open position and a closed position, the valve member having a shaft member and a head portion secured to the shaft member, the head portion being configured to seal the outlet opening when the valve member is in the closed position; a biasing member located between a portion of the nozzle and a surface of the shaft member, the biasing member providing a biasing force to maintain the valve member in the closed position; and a bleed orifice providing a fluid path through the nozzle, the bleed orifice providing the fluid path regardless of the position of the valve member.

Abstract: An electrical connector includes a terminal and a connector body. The terminal has a recess and has one or more tabs. The connector body has a cavity that is constructed and sized to receive the terminal. The connector body has a nib protruding into the cavity, and has one or more rails protruding into the cavity. When the terminal is received in the cavity, the nib mates with the recess and the tab bears against the rail.

Abstract: An electrical connector has a connector body in the form of a molded plastic pass through article that has a cylindrical portion that is inserted into a panel hole. The article has a flange at one end of the cylindrical portion engaging an insertion side of the panel, and a plurality of supports extending from an opposite end of the cylindrical portion in an axial direction away from the cylindrical portion. A plurality of flexible transverse lock arms are attached to the plurality of supports and extend therefrom in cantilever fashion. The plurality of flexible transverse lock arms are spaced from the cylindrical portion in the axial direction and terminate in lock feet that engage the back side of the panel.

Abstract: A sensor circuit is coupled to a sensing element for determining a property, such as a dielectric constant, of a fuel. The circuit includes an excitation voltage signal generator, a synchronization trigger and a processing circuit configured to generate an output signal indicative of the fuel property. The excitation signal is applied to the sensing element to produce an induced current signal. The synchronization trigger generates a trigger signal when the excitation signal crosses zero volts, at which time the real (resistive) component of the induced current signal is zero. The induced signal is therefore wholly representative of the imaginary component attributable to a capacitance of the fuel, which in turn is dependent on the dielectric constant (and thus ethanol concentration) of the fuel blend. The processing circuit is configured to sample the induced signal in response to the trigger signal and produce the output signal.

Abstract: An inflatable cushion for use in an airbag module is provided. The inflatable cushion generally includes a primary inflatable chamber configured for deployment from the air bag module, the primary inflatable chamber having an inlet opening for receipt of an inflation gas and the primary inflatable chamber defines a first volume. A secondary inflatable chamber secured to the primary inflation chamber, the secondary inflatable chamber defining a second volume, the second volume being less than the first volume and the secondary inflatable chamber being in fluid communication with the primary inflatable chamber such that the inflation gas must travel through the primary inflatable chamber prior to reaching the secondary inflatable chamber.

Abstract: A communication port is susceptible to contaminates such as dirt, dust, and moisture if not properly protected. A communication port that automatically protects against contaminates includes a housing defining an opening and configured to receive a device connector. A face plate is disposed on the housing. The face plate defines a window generally aligned with the opening. A door is slideably disposed on the housing and biased toward a position covering the opening and the window. Exerting a force on the door exposes the opening and the window.

Abstract: A fuel cell APU system comprising a plurality of fuel cell modules connected in parallel. Each module includes a local controller connected to a master controller that coordinates the modules to achieve a desired power output at any given time. Each module is operated within an output range to maximize efficiency of the system. When load demand on a first module exceeds the desired output range of the module, an additional module is brought online in parallel with the first. As the load increases further, additional modules are brought online in cascade fashion to permit all modules to be operated efficiently. If a module is disabled, it is automatically switched out of service and replaced by a standby module. The master controller keeps track of the total operating time of each module and varies the sequence in which different modules are brought into service to balance deterioration among the modules.

Abstract: A cam phaser apparatus comprising a triple member gear system for transferring a driving torque from a drive member to a driven member and for selectively adjusting the angular relationship between the drive and driven members, said triple member gear system comprising a first member comprising a driving part, a second member comprising a driven part connectable to a cam sprocket or pulley, and a third member comprising an adjusting means connectable to a camshaft, said third member being connected to means for rotating said third member or applying a braking torque and/or a motoring torque to said third member to vary the angular relationship between the first and second members, wherein the cam phaser apparatus further comprises a selectively actuable coupling means for selectively coupling two of said first, second and third members. In one embodiment the coupling means comprises a magnetic coupling.

Abstract: A vehicle exhaust aftertreatment system for controlling emissions from an engine includes, in serial order: an exhaust outlet from the engine, an exhaust catalyst assembly that is in fluid communication with the exhaust outlet and includes a first NOx component coupled with a downstream oxidation catalyst, and a second NOx adsorber that is downstream from and in fluid communication with the oxidation catalyst of the exhaust catalyst assembly.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for diagnosing an airflow control system of an internal combustion engine, the method comprising: determining if a valve is in a stable position; commanding the valve of the airflow control system to move from a first position to a second position; determining a period of time for the valve to move from the first position to the second position; providing a first signal if the period of time is greater than or less than a predetermined period of time, the predetermined period of time corresponding to an amount of time necessary to move the valve from the first position to the second position under predetermined conditions; and providing a second signal if the period of time is within a range defined by the predetermined period of time.

Abstract: A configurable printed circuit board can be used with a bussed electrical center in a vehicle and has a dielectric body. The dielectric body defines an array of plated through-holes that are constructed to receive a terminal of an electrical adaptor. A conductive trace is also adhered to a surface of the dielectric body and is routed through some of the plated through-holes for carrying current between them. An aperture is defined through a portion of some of the plated through-holes and the respective conductive traces to electrically isolate one side of the conductive trace from another side; and thus the printed circuit board can accommodate more than one electrical device in a single section.

Abstract: A connector body retainer for a high temperature electrical connector used in a high temperature gas sensor retains the ceramic body portions while also permitting their hinged movement. The connector body retainer includes a pair of retainer bands each having a generally u-shaped or c-shaped profile with a base portion and a pair of opposed extending legs, the legs of each band extending toward the other in opposing arrangement to provide the retainer, with each retainer band having an outer surface, an inner surface, a hinge end and an insertion end. The legs of the respective bands which are in opposing arrangement are joined together by a respective pair of outwardly arched hinges proximate the hinge end and will allow the ceramic body portions to hinge open to receive a gas sensor at a relatively low insertion force and hinge closed to provide a relatively higher contact force.

Abstract: A solid-oxide fuel cell system wherein a reformate combustor is disposed in the reformate flow path between a hydrocarbon reformer and a fuel cell stack. At system start-up, reformate is partially burned within the combustor by admitting combustion air, and the partially-burned reformate is passed through the anode chambers of the stack to warm the anodes. In addition, reformate is passed through a cathode-air heat exchanger to warm combustion air entering the cathode chambers of the stack. The combustor may continue to be supplied with a low level of air during steady-state operation of the SOFC, thereby providing a moist environment within the anode chambers to prevent coking of the anodes and providing additional heat to the reformate. The combustor decouples the reformer from the stack thermodynamically, permitting the reformer and the stack each to run in its own optimal temperature range.

Abstract: A quick acting clutch, the quick acting clutch comprising: a friction plate; a clutch plate movably mounted to the friction plate about a center of rotation of the friction plate and the clutch plate, the clutch plate being configured to rotate with respect to the friction plate; an actuator arm pivotally mounted to at least one of the friction plate or the clutch plate, the actuator arm being configured to amplify movement of a first end of the actuator arm and rotational movement of the friction plate relative to the clutch plate moves the first end of the actuator arm; and a lock pawl pivotally mounted to the clutch plate for movement between a locking position and an unlocking position, the lock pawl and a second end of the actuator arm each being configured to contact each other and rotational movement of the friction plate with respect to the clutch plate causes movement of the first end to be amplified at the second end such that the second end of the actuator arm and the actuator arm contacts the lock

Abstract: A vane-type camshaft phaser includes a rotor having a plurality of vanes disposed in a stator having a plurality of lobes, the interspersion of vanes and lobes defining a plurality of alternating valve timing advance and valve timing retard chambers. Each vane and lobe tip is provided with an axially extending groove having an outward expansion of width. A wiper seal element, formed by stamping and folding from a single piece of sheet material, has folded wings that extend under compression into the groove. The spring loading of the wings against the tapered walls of the groove acts to urge the wiper seal element out of the groove and toward the opposing stator or rotor wall, thus ensuring a continuous forced sealing contact of the wiper seal element with the opposing wall and the groove walls during operation of the camshaft phaser.

Abstract: An electrical jack cable assembly includes a jack cable connector and an adaptor coupling for attaching the connector to a support. The adaptor coupling has a face plate and a tray that extends to a rear wall. The connector body is retained in the tray behind the abutment wall so that the rear wall resists any movement of the connector body with respect to the adaptor coupling in the plug-in direction. The jack cable assembly is made by providing a jack cable connector providing an adaptor coupling having a tray that extends rearwardly to a rear wall and assembling the connector body to the tray by slanting the connector body and inserting the slanted connector body into the tray until it passes over the rear wall of the tray. The rear end of the connector body is then pushed down for retaining the connector body firmly and positively in the tray.

Abstract: The invention relates to a drive circuit for an injector arrangement having a fuel injector, and a method of detecting faults in the drive circuit. The drive circuit includes a diagnostic tool that senses a measured voltage between the injector and a known voltage level. The measured voltage is biased with respect to the known voltage to a predicted voltage unless the drive circuit has a fault. A fault signal is provided on sensing of a measured voltage that differs from the predicted voltage. The drive circuit may additionally, or alternatively, include a diagnostic tool. The diagnostic tool senses a detected current to provide a fault signal upon detection of the fault when the detected current is at variance from a threshold current.