Abstract: An electronic package has a circuit board including a substrate electrical circuitry including circuit traces and first and second contacts for connecting to surface mount device(s). The first and second contacts each have multiple components including first and second pads. The first pad is separate from the second pad to allow for low cost and easy testing of the electrical circuit.

Abstract: An electrical connector comprises a connector body having rows of longitudinal terminal cavities that are separated by internal partition walls of the connector body and that extend from an insertion end to a mating end for receiving electrical terminals attached to conductor wires. The connector body has primary terminal locks in the terminal cavities for retaining the electrical terminals in the terminal cavities. The connector body has a transverse slot that extends through a floor and intersects the rows of terminal cavities. A secondary lock fits into the transverse slot for retaining the electrical terminals in the terminal cavities. The secondary lock has lock nibs that engage internal partition walls of the connector body to hold the secondary lock in a preload position that permits insertion of the electrical terminals into the terminal cavities via openings at the insertion end of the connector body.

Abstract: A system and method of integrating geometric models, comprising identifying a product to design or manufacture, generating a product template, initiating the generation of at least one geometry, associating knowledge with the geometry, performing operations on the geometry, comparing results of the operations to rules, modifying the geometry and the knowledge, propagating the modifications to at least one second geometry, and updating the template.

Abstract: A chemical vapor sensor is provided that measures a chemical species of interest with high sensitivity and chemical specificity. In an aspect, an ethanol vapor sensor is provided, sized for being inconspicuous and on-board a vehicle, having a passive measurement mode and an active breathalyzer mode, for detecting a motor vehicle driver that exceeds a legal limit of blood alcohol concentration (BAC), for use with vehicle safety systems. For the passive mode, a vapor concentrator is utilized to amplify a sampled vapor concentration to a detectible level for use with an infrared (IR) detector. In an aspect, ethanol vapor in a vehicle cabin is passively measured and if a predetermined ethanol level is measured, a countermeasure is invoked to improve safety. In an aspect, an active breathalyzer is used as a countermeasure. The active breathalyzer can be imposed for a number of vehicle trips or for a predetermined time period.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a planar sensor, comprises disposing a film of a material on a substrate, wherein the material is selected from the group consisting of platinum, rhodium, palladium and mixtures and alloys comprising at least one of the foregoing materials; annealing the material; measuring a resistance value of the material; laser trimming the annealed material; heat treating the laser trimmed material; and laser trimming the heat treated material to form the sensor.

Abstract: An electronic assembly is provided having a thermal cooling fluid, such as a liquid, for cooling an electronic device within a sealed compartment. The assembly includes a housing generally defining a sealed fluid compartment, an electronic device disposed within the housing and a cooling liquid for cooling the electronic device. The assembly includes inlet and outlet ports in fluid communication with the sealed fluid compartment for allowing the cooling liquid to pass through the compartment to cool the electronic device. Fluid flow channels are formed in thermal communication with the electronic device within the housing. The fluid channels include channels that allow liquid to flow in thermal communication with the electronic device to cool the device.

Abstract: An electronics assembly is provided including a circuit board substrate having a top surface and a bottom surface and a plurality of thermal conductive vias extending from the top surface to the bottom surface. At least one electronics package is mounted to the top surface of the substrate. A heat sink device is in thermal communication with the bottom surface of the substrate. Thermal conductive vias are in thermal communication to pass thermal energy from the at least one electronics package to the heat sink. At least some of the thermal conductive vias are formed extending from the top surface to the bottom surface of the substrate at an angle.

Abstract: A fuel cell module having four sheet metal parts stamped from flat stock. The parts do not require any forming operations such as folding or dishing. Each part may have a different thickness to suit its function. The first part is a cell mounting frame for receiving and supporting a PEN fuel cell element. The second part is a cathode spacer, the thickness of the spacer determining the height of the cathode air flow field. The third part is an anode spacer, the thickness of spacer determining the height of the anode fuel flow field. The fourth part is a separator plate for separating the anode gas flow in one cell from the cathode air flow in an adjacent cell in a fuel cell stack. The four plates are joined by welding or brazing and may be assembled in any order or combination which suits the assembly process. Any desired number of modules may be stacked together to form a fuel cell stack.

Abstract: A distributorless ignition coil has two high voltage secondary windings wound around a primary winding, with each secondary winding being electrically connected to a respective spark plug. A shield surrounds the secondary windings. The secondary windings share a common center tap between them, and the center tap is electrically connected to the shield, which thus acts as a conductor to convey current back to an end of the shield that conveniently may be connected to ignition components to complete the electrical path, thus obviating the need for an interior wire extending from the center tap inside the coil to the end of the coil case.

Abstract: A device for invasively measuring fluid pressure is disclosed. The device includes a disposable housing having a fluid contacting area and a non-fluid contacting area. A disposable diaphragm in a substantially non-elastic state is disposed within the housing and separates the fluid contacting area from the non-fluid contacting area. A side of the diaphragm is adapted to contact the fluid, and the diaphragm has sufficient flexibility to move a distance axially within the non-fluid contacting area in response to fluid contact. The distance is substantially proportional to the fluid pressure. An electronic sensing device is removably attached adjacent the non-fluid contacting area of the housing, and is spaced from the diaphragm. The electronic sensing device is capable of determining the fluid pressure.

Abstract: A method for making a ball-nut includes cutting a 360-degree closed-loop surface groove in the inner-circumferential wall portion of a ball-nut body using a whirling-type internal-diameter cutting machine. The closed-loop surface groove surrounds the longitudinal axis of the wall portion, is adapted for receiving a plurality of ball bearings, includes a helical-grooved portion substantially coaxially aligned with the longitudinal axis, and includes a crossover-grooved portion. A method for making a ball-screw includes cutting at least one 360-degree closed-loop surface groove in the outer-circumferential wall portion of a ball-screw body using a whirling-type external-diameter cutting machine. The closed-loop surface groove surrounds the longitudinal axis of the wall portion, is adapted for receiving a plurality of ball bearings, includes a helical-grooved portion substantially coaxially aligned with the longitudinal axis, and includes a cross-under-grooved portion.

Abstract: The invention provides a piezoelectric actuator having a stack body comprising a plurality of piezoelectric elements, each element having a positive and negative electrode pair which are electrically isolated from one another by the piezoelectric elements, the electrode pairs being arranged in groups of one or more electrode pairs, each group having a conducting arrangement in electrical connection therewith. The piezoelectric actuator further comprises a distribution electrode arrangement for connecting the conducting arrangement to a power supply, in use, wherein the distribution electrode arrangement includes a fuse arrangement. In the event of a short circuit between electrodes of a pair within one of the groups, the fuse arrangement breaks the electrical connection between the power supply and the conducting arrangement.

Abstract: The invention provides a heat exchanger having a plurality of plates stacked in alternating mirrored relation with one another. Each of the plurality of plates has a plate length extending along a plate longitudinal axis between first and second ends. Each of the plurality of plates also has a plate width extending transverse to the plate longitudinal axis. The plurality of plates cooperate to define a fluid receiving cavity extending along a receiving axis substantially perpendicular to the plate longitudinal axis. The plurality of plates also cooperate to define a fluid exiting cavity extending along an exiting axis substantially perpendicular to the plate longitudinal axis and spaced from the receiving axis. A plurality of plate cavities are defined between alternating pairs of adjacent plates and extend along the plate length. The plurality of plate cavities fluidly communicate with both of the receiving and exiting cavities.

Abstract: A heat sink assembly for removing heat from an electronic device and comprising a base, a lid in spaced relationship with and parallel to the base, and an outer wall spiraling radially outwardly about an inlet axis from an inner exit position to an outer exit position to define a tangential outlet between said exit positions. Each of a plurality of curved fins presents a concave surface and a convex surface and extends from an inner circle with radius concentric with the inlet axis to an outer circle with radius concentric with the inlet axis to define a plurality of curved channels between adjacent fins for directing the flow of cooling fluid radially from the inlet axis. Each of the curved channels is disposed at a constant distance between next adjacent fins for a major length there along from the inner circle with radius toward the outer circle with radius.

Abstract: An apparatus for gathering weather related information is disclosed, in particular wind related information and rain related information, along with associated methods of using the apparatus. The apparatus may calculate at least one of a wind speed, a wind direction, and a rainfall amounts. The apparatus may include a controller, a sensor, and a communication member.

Abstract: An electrical connection system comprises a female connector having a plurality of female terminals, and a male connector having a plurality of male blade terminals having projecting portions that plug into the plurality of female terminals respectively when the female connector and the male connector are mated. The male blade terminals are staggered having a first population with their tips at a first relative position and a second population with their at a second different relative position so that the first tips and the second tips do not touch and fully engage the mating female terminals and the plurality of male blade terminals at the same time thereby lowering the peak engagement force required for mating the female connector and the male connector. In an alternative arrangement, the female terminals, rather than the male blade terminals are staggered.

Abstract: A method for engine control in a motor vehicle is specified, in particular a method for controlling a combustion engine in a motor vehicle, namely for optimally adjusting a quantity of exhaust gas, which is recirculated, in an exhaust gas recirculation branch, from an exhaust manifold situated after the engine on the output side to an intake manifold situated before the engine on the input side, and a device functioning according to the method, which enables controlling and, where applicable, regulation of the recirculated exhaust gas quantity, whereby the regulation, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, is supplemented with possibilities for parameter adaptation.

Abstract: An electronic throttle control unit includes an air bypass channel having a removable obstruction that opens in response to receiving an electronic throttle control fault signal and thereby allowing the vehicle a limp home condition. The throttle plate defaults to a fully closed position upon engine-off to substantially prevent evaporation and escape of hydrocarbons from the intake manifold to the atmosphere.

Abstract: A process for determining the operating parameters of an injection device of a combustion engine includes the steps of: (a) selecting an injector to test; (b) calculating a mean velocity associated with a preceding injector arranged before the injector to test; c) applying to the injector to test an injection control signal including at least one test pulse having an adjustable parameter; (d) calculating a mean velocity associated with the injector to test; (e) calculating a difference between the mean velocity calculated in step d) and the mean velocity calculated in step b); (f) repeating steps b) to d) for at least another engine cycle, each time varying the parameter of the test pulse; (g) determining a value of the parameter of the test pulse for which the mean velocity difference exceeds a predetermined threshold; and storing the parameter value.

Abstract: The invention provides a steering column for a vehicle. The steering column includes an outer member having a first portion and a clamping portion cantilevered from the first portion. The clamping portion includes first and second projections and a first aperture defined between the first and second projections. The steering column also includes an inner member received in the first aperture for telescoping movement relative to the outer member along an axis. The steering column also includes a clamping mechanism disposed to selectively urge the first and second projections closer to one another to change a size of the first aperture. The first aperture is relatively smaller when the first and second projections have been urged relatively closer together by the clamping mechanism to lock the inner and outer members relative to one another.