Abstract: An ignition coil for an internal combustion engine includes a magnetically-permeable core a primary winding disposed outward of the core, and a secondary winding disposed outward of the primary winding and inductively coupled to the primary winding. The secondary winding has a left secondary winding section and right secondary winding section. A first end of the left secondary winding section is in electrical contact with a first terminal for delivering a first spark-generating current to a first spark plug. A first end of the right secondary winding section is in electrical contact with a second terminal for delivering a second spark-generating current to a second spark plug. A second end of the first secondary winding and a second end of a the second secondary winding is connected to a third terminal for delivering a third spark-generating current to a third spark plug.

Abstract: A solid state sintered material is described that includes a mixed oxide of lanthanum, strontium, cobalt, iron and oxygen, and CaCO3 inclusions. The solid state sintered material can also include calcium oxide, which can form from thermal composition of calcium carbonate. The solid state sintered material can also include a pore-forming particulate material such as carbon black and/or a doped ceramic metal oxide ionic conductor such as Sm-doped ceria uniformly dispersed in the solid state sintered material. The solid state sintered material can be formed from a two-step process in which a portion of the CaCO3 is mixed with the mixed oxide materials and heated to form porous agglomerates, and the remaining CaCO3 is added during the formation of a sintering paste. The solid state sintered material described herein can be used as a cathode material for solid oxide fuel cell.

Abstract: An electronic device assembly that includes a die and a substrate, and optionally a lead frame and a heat spreader. The die is characterized as an electronic device in die form, and has a polished die region. The substrate has a polished substrate region in direct contact with the polished die region. The polished die region and the polished substrate region have surface finishes effective to attach the die to the substrate by way of an atomic bond. The lead-frame has a polished lead-frame region, and the heat spreader has a polished heat spreader region. These polished regions may also be attached to the polished die region or the polished substrate region by way of an atomic bond.

Abstract: A sensor assembly that integrates a camera and a radar sensor is described herein. The sensor assembly includes a housing configured to partially enclose the camera and the radar sensor, and define a partial radome that partially intrudes into the radar beam. The partial radome is configured such that after passing through the partial radome a first phase angle of the first portion of the radar beam differs from a second phase angle of the second portion of the radar beam by an amount substantially corresponding to an integer number of three hundred sixty degrees (360°) of phase angle shift. The partial radome provides glare shield to the camera, protection to assembly, and is configured to minimally effect radar performance.

Abstract: An evaporative emissions control system for reducing the amount of fuel vapor emitted from a vehicle includes a canister containing a sorbent material and a cartridge heater disposed at least partially within the canister in direct contact with the sorbent material. Electrical terminals for applying power to a heating element within the heater are disposed external to the canister. At least one heat sink may be included within the canister in direct contact with the heater. A method of manufacturing an evaporative emission control system that includes a cartridge heater disposed in a canister is also presented.

Abstract: A wire retention clip includes a first compartment for allowing at least a first wire to pass through the compartment uninterrupted and for retaining the at least one wire to the wire retention clip. The wire retention clip also includes a second compartment that is distinct from the first compartment and contains and electronic device.

Abstract: An electrical distribution center includes an upper housing, a circuit board disposed in the upper housing, and a lower housing having a plurality of lower terminal receiving cavities and a plurality of alignment cavities. A plurality of terminals is mounted on the circuit board such that each terminal is in electrical communication with a respective electrically conductive member. The terminals have contact portions below the circuit board and disposed in the lower terminal receiving cavities such that each of the terminals extends from the circuit board no more than a first predetermined distance. A plurality of alignment posts are fixed to the circuit board and received within the alignment cavities such that each of the alignment posts extends from the circuit board at least a second predetermined distance which is greater than the first predetermined distance.

Abstract: A lightweight radio/CD player for vehicular application includes a case and frontal interface formed of polymer based material molded to provide details to accept audio devices and radio receivers, as well as the circuit boards required for electrical control and display. The case and frontal interface are of composite structure, including an insert molded electrically conductive wire mesh screen that has been pre-formed to contour with the molding operation. The wire mesh provides shielding and grounding of the circuit boards via exposed wire mesh pads and adjacent ground clips.

Abstract: A helical torsion return spring and a throttle body assembly for urging a throttle plate of a throttle body assembly to a default position when a throttle motor of the throttle body assembly is disabled. The return spring includes a middle portion, a first end portion, a second end portion, a first spring leg, and a second spring leg. The throttle body assembly includes a throttle shaft, a first bushing, a second bushing, and the spring defined above. A first end portion center axis defined by the first end portion and a second end portion center axis defined by the second end portion are offset from a middle portion center axis defined by the middle portion.

Abstract: An autostereoscopic display configured to display a three dimensional (3D) image of a scene. The autostereoscopic display uses a single projector to project a plurality of projected images into a mirror arrangement fixedly positioned in the projection field of the single projector to reflect the plurality of projected images onto the holographic diffuser from distinct directions such that a 3D image is perceived by a person viewing the holographic diffuser.

Abstract: A valve assembly includes a housing with a housing control bore, a supply port in selective fluid communication with the housing control bore for receiving working fluid from a working fluid source, a control port in fluid communication with the housing control bore for communicating the working fluid to and from a working device switchable from a first mode of operation to a second mode of operation at a predetermined pressure, and a vent port in fluid communication with the housing control bore for selectively returning the working fluid to the working fluid source. A supply valve member is selectively seated and unseat with a supply valve seat. A bleed orifice is provided for communicating the working fluid from the supply port to the control port at a second pressure that is less than the predetermined pressure when the supply valve member is seated with the supply valve seat.

Abstract: Signaling device designed to be arranged on the reflective element forming a mirror of a rear-view device comprising at least an illumination unit and at least an optical device, characterized by the fact that the optical device includes a symbol generation unit which is provided with at least a diffraction grating designed to form an illuminated image corresponding to a first illuminated symbol, the symbol generation unit being generally transparent and the diffraction grating being formed on the surface of the symbol generation unit without affecting its transparency.

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly for mating with a mating connector includes a housing having spaced apart sidewalls and first and second slides slide slideably supported in the housing. The first and second slides each include at least one mating slot adapted to receive a mating portion of the mating connector and slideable with respect to the housing between a pre-staged position where the electrical connector is removable from the mating connector and an engaged position where said electrical connector assembly is locked to said mating connector. A slide assist lever is pivotally interconnected with the housing and each of the slides to move the slides between the pre-staged position and the engaged position such that recesses are formed in the housing with the slides when said slides are in the engaged position. The electrical connector assembly also includes an environmental cover positionable to substantially prevent debris from entering the recesses.

Abstract: A system and component for generating a drive signal suitable to operate a fuel injector. The drive signal includes one or more injector pulses. Each injector pulse is characterized by a desired pulse profile. The system includes an injector driver and a controller. The injector driver is operable to apply a supply voltage to the fuel injector. The controller is configured to store a plurality of state definitions that determine an operation state of the injector driver when a selected definition of the plurality of state definitions is communicated to the injector driver. The controller is further configured to receive a sequence of state values that determine an order that the state definitions are communicated to the injector driver to generate piecewise an injector pulse exhibiting the pulse profile, and thereby generate the drive signal.

Abstract: An electronic device assembly that includes a die and a substrate, and optionally a lead frame and a heat spreader. The die is characterized as an electronic device in die form, and has a polished die region. The substrate has a polished substrate region in direct contact with the polished die region. The polished die region and the polished substrate region have surface finishes effective to attach the die to the substrate by way of an atomic bond. The lead-frame has a polished lead-frame region, and the heat spreader has a polished heat spreader region. These polished regions may also be attached to the polished die region or the polished substrate region by way of an atomic bond.

Abstract: A terrestrial receiver recovers universal services in a satellite radio transmission system including discrete signal sources producing overlapping spot beam loci within a coverage area, wherein the signals forming the beams each contain repeating time aligned universal services having a master synchronizing frame, at least one common channel, and at least one spot specific channel with differing frequency and/or polarization. The receiver switches among antenna elements. A portion of antenna elements receive a transmitted signal, including a plurality of sub-channels that are transmitted in predetermined time intervals. A switching device switches among single antenna elements to receive the transmitted signal. A controller commands the switching device to select each of the antenna elements separately in predetermined periods of time based upon the predetermined time intervals of each of the master synchronizing frames.

Abstract: A lightweight radio/CD player for vehicular application includes a case and frontal interface formed of polymer based material molded to provide details to accept audio devices and radio receivers, as well as the circuit boards required for electrical control and display. The case and frontal interface are of composite structure, including an insert molded electrically conductive wire mesh screen that has been pre-formed to contour with the molding operation. The wire mesh provides shielding and grounding of the circuit boards via exposed wire mesh pads and adjacent ground clips.

Abstract: An instrument cluster assembly suitable for installation into a vehicle to display information to an operator of the vehicle. The assembly includes a reconfigurable display, a substrate, and a pointer. The reconfigurable display is configured to display an image. The substrate is movably supported over at least a portion of the display. The substrate is formed of material characterized as sufficiently transparency to see the image through the substrate. The pointer is fixedly coupled to the substrate such that movement of the substrate is effective to orient the pointer to indicate a feature of the image to the operator.

Abstract: A contoured display that includes a faceplate configured to propagate an image in a collimated manner from an interface surface of the faceplate configured to receive the image from a display device to a display surface of the faceplate. The display surface is contoured to provide a three-dimensional (3D) contoured surface that provides designers with artistic freedom when designing a display shape, and a convenient way to contour a display surface to reduce the effects of glare on the display surface.

Abstract: An instrument cluster assembly suitable for installation into a vehicle to display information to an operator of the vehicle. The assembly includes a reconfigurable display, a mirror, and a pointer. The reconfigurable display is configured to display an image. The mirror is oriented to reflect the image toward the operator. The pointer is movably overlying the minor such that the pointer is effective to indicate a feature of the image to the operator. The pointer may be mounted on a rotatable shaft passing through a hole in the minor such that rotation of the shaft is effective to orient the pointer.