Abstract: A vehicle steering column control cable mounting clip for an automatic transmission indicator dial system permitting the indicator pointer to be readily aligned with the dial indicia. The system includes a curvilinear looped flexible plastic tubular conduit having one end molded to the indicator housing and its other end molded to an adjustment slide selectively movable on a tongue portion of the clip by means of an adjustment screw interconnecting the slide and the clip. A flexible cable is slidable within the shielding conduit having one unshielded end connected to a pointer carrier and its other unshielded end fixed to a column rotatable shift tube actuator arm extending through an aperture in the column outer jacket. The clip has a pair of spring legs adapted for snap-in reception into the column jacket aperture and includes an integrally hinged lock-bar operative for positively capturing the clip in the aperture.

Abstract: A storage pack is provided comprising at least two stacked and nested trays each loaded with a plurality of semicircular split ring bearing halves. Each tray includes a plurality of elongated compartments each of which has a rib structure on the bottom wall thereof defining a herringbone-type arrangement. Bearing halves are loaded into each tray compartment on one edge thereof with the ribs separating adjacent bearing halves. The ribs are of less height than the width of the bearing halves so that when one loaded tray is stacked and nested on another, the bearing halves assume the vertical load without loading the ribs.

Abstract: An improved combination of a circuit board and mounted electrical device with means to indirectly secure the electrical device to the circuit board. A pin of the electrical device extends through an aperture in the circuit board. An electrically conductive connector overlies the circuit board and has an end portion configured to releasably grip the pin thus securing the electrical device to the circuit board. The connector also includes a tab extending through a second aperture in the circuit board adjacent an electrical pad thereon so that the tab may be soldered to the pad to both secure the connector and to provide electrical power to the pin through the connector.

Abstract: A dual planetary gear reduction assembly for a two-wheel/four drive vehicle transfer case mechanism providing an exact two-to-one gear reduction ratio during full-time four wheel drive operation. The dual planetary is uniquely designed to provide a grounded carrier supporting inner and outer sets of planetary gears operative to rotate an ungrounded annulus gear and a meshing annulus plate in the same direction as the input shaft. A sun gear, having a predetermined number of helical teeth, is formed on the input shaft while the annulus gear has a predetermined number of internal teeth exactly twice the number of sun gear teeth. A clutch collar is internally splined on the output shaft and has external splines operative, when the collar is shifted into its low-range mode, to engage internal splines on the annulus plate and drive the transfer case output shaft at the two-to-one gear reduction ratio.

Abstract: An impact absorbing device is provided for a vehicle having a bumper. The device comprises an energy absorber having an axis along which it is reducible in length at a substantially uniform rate in response to an impact force to absorb the energy of impact. At last one bendable plate is secured between the vehicle frame and bumper adjacent to but spaced vertically from the energy absorber. When the bumper is impacted with a force at an angle to said axis, the plate will bend in a direction generally perpendicular to the axis and constrain the energy absorber to reduce in length along the axis and absorb the impacting force.

Abstract: A rear wheel steering driving mechanism is provided for a vehicle having a front wheel steering system and a rear wheel steering system. The drive mechanism includes an input shaft adapted to be operatively connected to the front wheel steering system for rotation thereby whenever the front wheel steering system is activated and an output shaft adapted to be operably connected to the rear wheel steering system to selectively transmit front wheel steering system activity to the rear wheel system.

Abstract: A vehicle headlamp assembly locator is provided for proper positionment of a vehicle headlamp assembly in a vehicle in alignment with the hood of the vehicle. The locator includes an elongated spacer element for determining the horizontal distance between a designated portion of the vehicle headlamp assembly and a forward portion of the vehicle hood. An upright spacer element is provided to position the elongated spacer element in the desired vertical position.

Abstract: Automatic locking of the vehicle door locks by a relay controlled by sine and cosine voltage signals from a frequency to voltage (F/V) converter. A pulse-train signal whose pulse repetition rate varies with the speed of the vehicle is used to supply frequency information to the F/V converter.

Abstract: A system and method for the detection and correction of purge corruption in the adaptive memory portion of a control system controlling, in part, the fuel to air ratio during the cold start up of an internal combustion engine. This is achieved by performing two calibrations (or updates) of the adaptive memory cells (or locations) during the previous engine operation. The adaptive memory is first updated with the purge system off. The memory locations addressed at this time are denoted as the purge free adaptive memory cells. Next, the adaptive memory is updated with the purge system on. These memory locations are denoted as the normal adaptive memory cells. During the next cold engine start, purge corruption of the adaptive memory is detected when the difference between the two calibrations exceeds a value representing an absence of purge corruption.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a wire harness retainer stud adhesively bonded to an automobile body panel. This stud is used to mount a wire harness to automobile body panels. The stud contains a contact adhesive and an uncured adhesive. The contact adhesive is used to mount the stud to the body panel until the stud and panel are heated to cure the uncured adhesive, thereby bonding the stud to the panel. A method of, and apparatus for, automated assembly of the stud is also disclosed.

Abstract: An electronic oil pressure transducer circuit interfaces a piezoresistive pressure sensor to magnetic needle movement and lamp or electronic instrument control computer for reliable automotive engine oil pressure instrumentation. Circuit design uses standard components suited for automotive under-hood environment. Calibration is performed at the design level, eliminating the need for expensive on-line procedures. Circuit assembly is designed for automated, high-volume production.

Abstract: A coupler to connect spaced apart ends of a pair of aligned shafts of an odometer assembly, for example, a shaft supporting permanent or total mileage indicating wheels and another shaft supporting trip indicating wheels. The coupler has a generally tubular body with spaced side walls, each side wall having a slot to receive an adjacent shaft end which is configured with a pair of ground flats. The coupler also has an integral catch portion with a movable end portion adopted to pass between the spaced shaft ends when the coupler is inserted over the shaft ends and subsequently to expand outward for preventing removal of the coupler.

Abstract: A door actuating mechanism is provided for opening and closing of door structures over recessed headlights in a vehicle. The actuating mechanism includes means to cause pivoting of the doors to the open or closed positions and simultaneous sliding of the doors sideways with respect to the opening for the recessed headlightsto prevent engagement of the doors with the side edges of the opening during opening and closing of the door.

Abstract: A serial data direct memory access system including a control circuit that shares control with a master computer of an interface bus of a DMA storage system. Serial data is supply to the control circuit via a fiber optic cable. The control circuit employs means responsive to status code bits of the message words for gaining control from the master computer of the interface bus and for directly accessing the computer controlled bus memory storage system. This system is capable of handling data streams of infinite lengths. Also, means are provided for preventing bit errors from interfering with critical message words.

Abstract: A seat cushion frame is mounted on a vehicle floor panel by a composite anchor member adapted to be snap-fitted into position in a panel aperture. The anchor member includes a plastic lower shell part bonded to an upper rubber seal ring part. The shell part has an oval-section hollow socket portion with its upper open end, adapted to receive a frame mounted striker, formed with a peripheral inverted U-section collar portion ending in a V-section terminal spring flange. The rubber seal ring provides a right-angled section defining a horizontal sealing lip portion and vertical neck portion formed with a resilient shoulder adapted to lockingly engage the rolled edge of the floor panel aperture. The seal ring part is formed with a U-shaped loop bonded to the inner surface of the shell socket defining vertically disposed wedge-shaped ribs having opposed ramp faces establishing a lead-in gaped notch.

Abstract: A combination is provided comprising a shipping rack and a support pallet therefor. The shipping rack includes a bottom wall and upstanding end walls. The shipping rack is provided with casters so that it may be rolled along a surface. The pallet includes support structure for holding the shipping rack slightly above the ground when the pallet is placed therebeneath so that the casters do not engage the ground thereby preventing unwanted movement of the shipping rack.

Abstract: A pin terminal secondary locking bar effects locking of keepers in circular slot of pin termainals that have two outer laterally directed triangular shaped fingers and at least one rectangular shaped finger disposed therebetween. The outer fingers are flexed inwardly upon insertion into or removal from a receiving cavity disposed under a housing holding the pins.

Abstract: A vehicle lamp assembly includes a retainer for a head lamp socket received within a receptacle in a reflector. The retainer has a body with a central opening and slots peripherally spaced around the opening to correspond with a predetermined alignment of projections on the socket body. The head lamp assembly can include high beam and low beam bulb and socket assemblies having distinguishable predetermined alignments of projections, and the retainer is particularly configured to inhibit forced installation of an incompatible socket within the receptacle. The retainer ring includes fingers adjacent each slot in a first circumferential direction for retaining each socket projection in pressed engagement against the reflector. An auxiliary nub is formed on at least one finger to restrict displacement of the projection from the finger toward the slot.