Abstract: A hydraulic mount for an automotive vehicle or machine includes opposed mounting members secured to an elastomeric body and a base, respectively. An orifice plate assembly is interposed the body and the base to define a pumping chamber and a reservoir for fluid to flow therebetween through an orifice track of the orifice plate assembly. An electroactive polymer decoupler member is secured in a cavity formed between two orifice plates of the orifice plate assembly. The decoupler member is operably connected to a controller for imposing an electric field on the decoupler member to change its shape and thereby selectively vary the dynamic stiffness of the mount.

Abstract: A process for forming a roller bearing comprising the steps of providing a cylindrical slug that comprises at least 0.7 weight percent carbon and up to 1.6 weight percent of at least one alloying element. The slug has lateral and side surfaces. A centered indentation is formed in each side surface. A circular chamfer surface is formed at the intersection of each side and each lateral surface, thereby producing an upsetting slug. The upsetting slug is cold formed, thereby deepening the centered indentations and forming a blank. The blank has a web separating the deepened indentations and end surfaces and chamfer surfaces that are substantially at net shape for the roller bearing. The web is removed from the blank, thereby forming a pierced blank having a through hole with an inner surface. The inner and lateral surfaces of the pierced blank are finished to the specified inner and outer diameters for the roller bearing.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a system for acoustically controlling an automotive or aircraft vehicle's automatic climate control system. The acoustic HVAC control system determines an average air temperature using an ultrasonic transducer. The transducer transmits and receives an ultrasonic pulse along a pre-selected path within the vehicle's interior and concurrently measures the interval time between sending and receiving the pulse. An average air temperature is calculated based on the interval time. The determined average air temperature is evaluated against a pre-selected setpoint temperature and determines whether the vehicle's automatic climate control system controller controls an air blower fan speed, discharge temperature, and air delivery mode to the cabin to adjust the vehicle's interior air temperature near an occupant to a desired temperature.

Abstract: A radiation furnace assembly for use in heating parts. The radiation furnace assembly includes a muffle having a top side, a bottom side, and a first side wall The muffle defines a chamber with a main heating portion and a first side heating portion. Disposed adjacent to the muffle are top and bottom heating elements. A first control device is used to adjust the temperature of at least one of the top and bottom heating elements thus controlling the temperature within the main heating portion of the chamber. A first side heating element is disposed adjacent to the first side wall of the muffle. A second control device is used to adjust the temperature of the first side heating element independently of the top and bottom heating elements to increase the temperature within the first side heating portion of the chamber relative to the main heating portion.

Abstract: A head up display (HUD) has multiple light sources of varying intensities for projecting a high quality image under various lighting conditions. The light sources provide illumination through an electronic display (e.g. an AMLCD) in the HUD. A high brightness light source illuminates the electronic display during bright or day light conditions. A low brightness light source illuminates the electronic display during night or low light conditions. Both light sources illuminate the electronic display during intermediate lighting conditions. A light panel conducts and diffuses light from the light sources to illuminate the rear of the electronic display. An optional light mixer reduces uneven lighting of the high brightness light source. In operation, the intensities of the light sources are controlled as a function of ambient lighting conditions to optimize the projected image quality.

Abstract: The problem of directing a bullet end of a brake cable, which may have become curved during storage, into seated engagement with a bullet retention slot in a brake apparatus is reduced through the use of a spring affixed to the brake means for guiding the bullet end of the brake cable into seated engagement with the bullet retention slot, as the bullet end is inserted into the brake assembly along an installation path. The spring may also be utilized for retaining the bullet end in seated engagement with the bullet retention slot after installation of the cable.

Abstract: A containment structure for housing an inflatable air bag cushion and inflator. Extrusion processes are used to form the portion of the containment structure which houses the inflatable air bag cushion while non-extrusion processes are used to form the portion of the containment structure which houses the inflator in fluid communication with the inflatable cushion. The portion of the containment structure which houses the inflatable air bag cushion is preferably formed from a lightweight, readily deformable material and will preferably be formed from extruded aluminum or plastic. The portion of the containment structure housing the inflator is preferably formed by a deep drawing or molding process so as to include an integral chamber sized for the acceptance and storage of the inflator therein.

Abstract: A system for reducing torque ripple in an electric motor, comprising an electric motor having a stator and a rotor, a first set of N Hall sensors, a second set of N Hall sensors, a controller, and wherein said N Hall sensors in each said set of Hall sensors is spaced 360/N electrical degrees apart and said first and second sets of Hall sensors are spaced T electrical degrees apart, and wherein said controller is adapted to provide increased current during an overlap period detected by said Hall sensors.

Abstract: A wear resistant fuel pump for a vehicle includes a pump section having a flow channel and a rotatable impeller cooperating with the flow channel. The wear resistant fuel pump also includes a motor section disposed adjacent the pump section and having a motor to rotate the impeller. The wear resistant fuel pump further includes an outlet section disposed adjacent the motor section to allow pumped fuel to exit the fuel pump. The pump section includes a plurality of plates disposed axially adjacent to and cooperating with the impeller. The impeller and plates are made of a compound having an abrasion wear resistance on a predetermined surface that improves abrasion wear characteristics.

Abstract: An improved weight-based occupant characterization method reliably distinguishes between an empty seat and a seat occupied by an ultralight child seat. The seat occupancy is initially characterized using a primary classification technique in which the measured seat pressure is compared to an allow threshold representative of a minimum weight adult. If the primary classification technique determines that the seat is empty and a seat belt for the passenger seat is buckled, a secondary classification technique is initiated to compare the measured seat pressure to a predetermined pressure range characteristic of occupied ultralight child seats. If the measured pressure falls within the ultralight child seat range, characterization of the primary classification technique is discarded in favor of the characterization of the secondary classification technique.

Abstract: A lifting/sliding switch, in particular for the pop-up/sliding roof of a motor vehicle, comprising a housing (1), a first actuation element (5) for the sliding movement and a second actuation element (8) for effecting the pop-up movement of the roof, whereby the actuation elements (5, 8), automatically return to their home position due to a resetting arrangement and, respectively act on switch contacts (49, 50) by means of a switch member. The second actuation element (8) is an integral part of the first actuation element (5), whereby both actuation elements (5, 8) are supported in the housing (1) and the switch members are configured as rotary switch members (13, 34).

Abstract: An electrical distribution center having a terminal connector body overlying a housing. The connector body has a plurality of cavities. Terminals have blades which project from the housing into the cavities through an inner surface of the connector body. A sealing member is interposed between the housing and the connector body and seals around each of the blades and against the inner surface of the connector body around each of the cavities. The sealing member has a substrate layer covered on both sides by layers of silicone rubber. Cable terminals are adapted to be inserted into the cavities through an outer surface of the connector body to make electrical contact with the blades projecting from the housing.

Abstract: An improved weight-based occupant characterization method distinguishes between an empty seat and a seat having a small object on it using primary and secondary classification techniques. The primary classification technique is initiated prior to vehicle movement, and characterizes the seat occupant based on measured seat pressure. If deployment of the restraint is suppressed due to the characterization of the primary classification technique, the seat occupancy is characterized by a secondary classification technique based on variation of the measured pressure once the vehicle is in motion. Once the secondary classification technique has characterized the seat occupancy, the characterization of the primary classification technique is discarded in favor of the characterization of the secondary classification technique.

Abstract: A seal assembly for a fuel tank having a tank opening and a component disposed therein includes a seal adapted to be disposed between the component and a tank surface of the fuel tank. The seal assembly also includes an encapsulated studded ring assembly for attachment to the tank surface and adapted to be disposed about the tank opening. The seal assembly further includes a locking ring cooperating with the encapsulated studded ring assembly for engagement with the component to secure the component to the fuel tank and to seal the tank opening via the seal.

Abstract: An evaporator used in a vehicle air conditioner has vertical plates with a hybrid corrugated fin between the plates. The leading section of the fin as horizontally oriented corrugations, as is normal, while the trailing section has vertically oriented corrugations. Air passes through louvers in the vertical corrugations, and their vertical orientation aids in water drainage.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling a vehicle suspension system comprise determining a relative velocity between a wheel and a corresponding corner of the vehicle, and determining responsive to the relative velocity a raw wheel demand force. The method and system also comprise determining a relative position between the wheel and the corresponding corner of a vehicle body, determining a scale factor responsive to the relative position of the wheel, modifying the raw wheel demand force as a function of the scale factor to determine a scaled wheel demand force, and controlling the vehicle suspension system responsive to the scaled wheel demand force.

Abstract: A rack and pinion steering gear including a housing, a rack bar having a rack gear thereon, a pinion gear rotatably supported on the housing, and a rack bearing which slidably engages the rack bar and resiliently thrusts the rack gear against the pinion gear. The pinion gear and the rack bearing constitute a first bearing supporting the rack bar on the steering gear housing for back and forth linear translation. A bushing on the steering gear housing remote from the pinion gear and the rack bearing constitutes a second bearing supporting the rack bar on the steering gear housing for back and forth linear translation. An outboard bearing on the steering gear housing on the opposite side of the pinion gear from the bushing thrusts the rack bar parallel to the direction of the rack bearing and includes an asymmetrically resiliently compressed elastomeric ring on a seat on the steering gear housing and a sleeve mounted eccentrically on the elastomeric ring and slidably engaging the rack bar.

Abstract: Method and system for bi-directionally controlling power flow between two separate direct current power sources in a multi-stage power converter system are provided. The method allows providing at least first and second power converter stages coupled in parallel circuit to one another. The method further allows providing a first switching controller coupled to selectively actuate a pair of switching devices in the first power converter stage, and a second switching controller coupled to selectively actuate a pair of switching devices in the second power converter stage. One of the first and second switching controllers is selected as a master controller, and the other one of the first and second switching controllers is selected as a slave controller. An average voltage measurement is determined at a respective node of each the power converter stages. A compensating signal is generated based on the difference of the average voltage measurements at the respective nodes of each of the power converter stages.

Abstract: The electric park brake of the present invention includes an electric caliper motor assembly. The electric caliper motor assembly includes a motor, which is operably coupled to a shaft. The motor and shaft are surrounded by a housing. A cogwheel is disposed axially and operably connected to the shaft within the housing. A solenoid mechanism is disposed on the housing and positioned axially in relation to the shaft. There is at least one guide pin that is associated with the solenoid mechanism for interacting with the cogwheel when the solenoid is activated. The interaction between the at least one guide pin and the cogwheel provides a park brake feature and prevents movement of the shaft.

Abstract: A method of assembly of a fuel injector having a valve plunger reciprocable in a guide tube for movement from a closed position engaging a valve seat to an open position engaging a valve stop by energizing of a solenoid coil to move the plunger against a biasing spring, wherein the method includes setting the valve stop at a position effective to establish the desired valve stroke, and fixing the valve stop to the guide tube by first laser spot welding the valve stop in the guide tube to fix the position of the valve stop without changing the set gap, and then laser seam welding the valve stop in the guide tube at an axial location beyond the spot welds, relative to a plunger-engagable end of the valve stop, to provide a hermetic seal around the valve stop.