Abstract: A radio frequency antenna comprising an inner conductor or antenna surrounded by and spaced from an outer sleeve, the space between the inner conductor and the outer sleeve being filled with a granular or powder insulating material. A sealant material covers a first end of the outer sleeve for sealing and retaining the insulating material in the antenna. A method of making the antenna includes the step of bending the inner antenna and the outer sleeve during assembly following the steps of filling the space between the inner conductor and the outer sleeve with the insulating material and sealing the insulating material in the antenna. In one embodiment, the radio frequency antenna is adapted for transmitting and receiving radio frequency signals in a radio frequency vehicle exhaust control and sensor system.

Abstract: An RF emissions sensing system including RF sensors for transmitting/receiving RF signals to and from engine system emission control components, a control unit for collecting/processing information from the RF signals and controlling system outputs. The RF emissions sensing system includes a means and method for the characterization of the operating state and/or performance of the engine system including the use of time-based or historical RF information and system outputs, the application/monitoring of pertubations to the engine system, the comparison of system outputs to baseline/reference system outputs, the periodic activation of the engine system after shut-down, the monitoring of changes in the electric or temperature profiles of the engine system emission control components, and communication with external sources to improve the accuracy of the system outputs.

Abstract: Piezoelectric crystal elements are provided having preferred cut directions that optimize the shear mode piezoelectric properties. In the discovered cut directions, the crystal elements have super-high piezoelectric performance with d15, d24 and d36 shear modes at room temperature. The d15 shear mode crystal gives a maximum d value and is free from the cross-talk of d11 and d16. The d36 mode is extremely reliable compared to other shear elements due to its ready re-poling capability. The crystal elements may be beneficially used for high-sensitive acoustic transducers.

Abstract: A transducer comprising a transducer element including a plate with a through-hole and a collar projecting from the plate and defining an interior cavity in communication with the through-hole. A piezoelectric bender includes at least first and second wafer layers stacked together. The bender is coupled to a peripheral end face of the collar. The first and/or second piezoelectric wafer layers bend at a resonant frequency and generate ultrasonic waves that flow through the collar interior cavity and the plate through-hole and create an in-air pressure pattern and acoustic field at a location spaced from the transducer. A plurality of transducers may be made by providing a monolithic transducer element structure including a plurality of the transducer elements formed thereon, coupling either a plurality of benders or a monolithic bender to the plurality of transducer elements, and then cutting the monolithic transducer element structure to define a plurality of individual transducers.

Abstract: A ceramic monoblock RF filter for the transmission of an RF signal comprising a block of dielectric material including opposed top and bottom surfaces, opposed longitudinal side surfaces, and opposed transverse side surfaces. A plurality of spaced apart through-hole resonators extend through the block and terminate in openings in the top and bottom surfaces of the block. A second plurality of grounded RF signal blocking through-holes extend through the block and terminate in respective openings in the top and bottom surfaces of the block. The grounded through-holes are located and positioned in a relationship off-set and on opposite sides of the first plurality of through-hole resonators for blocking the coupling of the RF signal between RF signal input/outputs and selected ones of the first plurality of resonators and also between non-adjacent ones of the first plurality of resonators.

Abstract: A modular vehicle engine component actuator comprising a first module including a motor, a printed circuit board, and a motor shaft. A second module includes a gear train and an output shaft. The first module is coupled to the second module in a relationship with the motor shaft extending into the second module and into coupling relationship with the gear train in the second module. The first and second modules define respective first and second openings and interior cavities in communication with each other. The first and second modules are coupled together in a relationship with the printed circuit board positioned between the motor in the first module and the gear train in the second module. The motor shaft extends through a hole in the printed circuit board and into coupling relationship with the gear train in the second module.

Abstract: A vehicle pedal with a contacting sensor that comprises a pedal arm coupled to and rotatable relative to a pedal housing. A rotor includes a first end coupled to the pedal arm and an opposed end with contactors abutting and adapted to slide against a resistive element in response to the rotation of the pedal arm. A head on the rotor includes means for preventing the over-deflection of the contactors. In one embodiment, the means for preventing the over-deflection of the contactors comprises an extension on the head of the rotor that defines a stop limiting the deflection of the contactors. In another embodiment, the means for preventing the over-deflection of the contactors comprises the combination of a tab on the head of the rotor and a wall in the interior of the pedal housing. The tab abuts against the wall and prevents the movement of the rotor in the direction of the resistive element.

Abstract: An electronic vehicle clutch pedal comprising a pedal housing and a pedal arm coupled to and rotatable relative to the housing and including a distal drum rotatable relative to the pedal housing and defining a contact surface including at plurality of surface segments with different slopes. A force lever is pivotable about the pedal housing and has a first end abutted against the contact surface on the drum of the pedal arm. A compressible member has a first end abutted against a lower surface of the pedal arm and a second end abutted against a second end of the force lever. The pedal arm is rotatable about the pedal housing to cause the pivoting of the force lever relative to the pedal housing and cause the first end of the compressible member to exert a variable force against the pedal arm.

Abstract: A magnetic sensing device including a U-shaped magnet with a pair of legs and a base defining a first interior channel and a distal plane. A sensor assembly in the first interior channel includes a sensor that extends above the distal plane. The magnet generates a first region of low or no flux above the distal plane in a first position of the magnet, a second region of low or no magnetic flux in the interior channel in a second position of the magnet, and a third region of magnetic flux above the distal plane in the second position of the magnet which causes the sensor to activate a control signal. The base includes steps and a second interior channel that opens into the first interior channel.

Abstract: A cleaning system and method of cleaning filters that removes the ash in the plugged regions is disclosed. The filter is subjected to vibrations, which serve to loosen trapped and packed retentate from the filter. The loosened retentate is then captured by a collection bin. The cleaning system can be integral with the intended application, such as within an automobile. In another embodiment, the cleaning system is a separate cleaning station, where the filter is removing from its intended application, cleaned, and then reinstalled.

Abstract: A vehicle pedal comprising a housing for a pedal arm with a drum, a rotor coupled to the drum and including a contractor that slides against a strip of resistive material in the housing, and an assembly for setting and locking the index position of the rotor. In one embodiment, the rotor extends through a window that is defined in the housing and limits the movement of the rotor during the index setting operation. In one embodiment, a plastic pin that is either separate from or unitary with the rotor is fitted into a slot defined in the drum. In another embodiment, a potting material is deposited and cured in the slot in the drum for locking the pin in the slot. In another embodiment, the pin is unitary with the drum of the pedal arm and is press-fitted into a slot in the rotor. In a further embodiment, the drum and rotor include respective plates and the pin is a clip that locks the plates together.

Abstract: An axial brushless DC motor comprising a stator including a plurality of coils, a rotor including a magnet with a plurality of pairs of magnetic poles and adapted for movement relative to the stator in one or more full steps, and a coil phase circuit adapted for moving the rotor relative to the stator a fractional step less than the one or more full steps and/or holding the rotor at the fractional or one or more full steps.

Abstract: An actuator comprising a housing defining an interior cavity for a motor, gear assemblies, and a printed circuit overlying the motor and the gear assemblies. An elastomeric seal band is located between the housing and the cover for sealing the interior cavity of the housing. The seal band includes a plurality of compressible elastomeric beads that abut against the cover and exert a force against the printed circuit board respectively for preventing the vibration of the printed circuit board in the housing. A plurality of curved clips are received in respective clip brackets formed on the housing and the cover respectively for clamping a cover to the housing.

Abstract: A radio frequency system and method for monitoring an engine-out exhaust emission constituent. The system comprises a housing containing the emission constituent, one or more radio frequency sensors extending into the housing and transmitting and receiving radio frequency signals, and a control unit for controlling the radio frequency signals and monitoring changes in the emission constituent based on changes in one or more parameters of the radio frequency signals. In one embodiment, the control unit measures a rate of change in one or more of the parameters of the radio frequency signals for monitoring a rate of change of the emission constituent including for example the emission rate, accumulation rate, and/or depletion rate of the emission constituent.

Abstract: A radio frequency sensing, control, and particulate matter diagnostics network and system and method and, more specifically, a radio frequency particulate filter diagnostics system comprising a housing including an inlet connected to a source of particulate matter, a particulate filter in the housing and adapted for filtering the particulate matter, and a radio frequency sensor adapted to detect conditions of abnormal particulate filter or system operation and including at least one radio frequency probe configured to be in contact with the housing for the particulate filter housing and adapted to receive radio frequency signals and a radio frequency control unit in communication with the radio frequency probe.

Abstract: A vehicle pedal assembly with a stationary plastic pedal shaft structure made of different plastic materials and more specifically a vehicle pedal assembly with a pedal shaft including an exterior bearing surface adapted for abutting bearing contact with the surface of the drum of the pedal shaft. The bearing surface is made of a different plastic material that minimizes wear and friction between the shaft surface and the pedal drum surface. The pedal shaft includes opposed key shaped ends that are inserted into respective key hole shaped through-holes defined in the pedal assembly housing for aligning and securing the pedal shaft in the pedal housing.

Abstract: A dielectric wave guide filter comprising a block of dielectric material defining a plurality of resonators separated by an interior layer of conductive material. A first direct path for the transmission of an RF signal is defined by the plurality of resonators. An external substrate is coupled to an exterior surface of the block of dielectric material and defines a pair of RF signal input/output transmission vias filled with a conductive material and an interior RF signal transmission line extending between and interconnecting the pair or RF signal input/output transmission vias and providing an indirect cross-coupling path for the RF signal between two of the resonators separated by the interior layer of conductive material.

Abstract: A vehicle pedal with a contacting position sensor. The pedal includes a housing with an interior housing wall that divides the housing into first and second interior housing chambers. The drum of the pedal arm is located in the first interior housing chamber and the sensor rotor is located in the second interior housing chamber. First and second housing side covers cover the first and second interior housing chambers respectively. The drum is mounted on and supported by the interior housing wall and the first housing cover for rotation of the drum in the first interior housing chamber relative to the pedal housing. A retainer with a pin and a clip extend through respective through-holes in the rotor and into respective slots in the drum and the clip engages against an interior shoulder in the drum for locking the rotor on the drum.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to high frequency piezoelectric crystal composites, devices, and method for manufacturing the same. In adaptive embodiments an improved imaging device, particularly a medical imaging device or a distance imaging device, for high frequency (>20 MHz) applications involving an imaging transducer assembly is coupled to a signal imagery processor. Additionally, the proposed invention presents a system for photolithography based micro-machined piezoelectric crystal composites and their uses resulting in improved performance parameters.

Abstract: An active vibratory pedal assembly including a pedal and means integrated with the pedal for causing the vibration of the pedal which, in one embodiment, comprises a vibration generation assembly located and mounted to the underside of the pedal plate which includes an electric motor and an eccentric coupled to and rotatable relative to the motor and adapted to generate a force that causes the vibration of the pedal plate for providing an operator with a sensory signal of a vehicular condition or event such as, for example, a vehicle's excessive speed.