Abstract: A wheel bearing assembly for supporting a wheel is provided. The assembly includes a spindle defining a rotational axis and a support member for supporting the spindle. A wheel hub has a flange for securing the wheel thereto. The wheel hub is supported on the spindle and is rotatable about the rotational axis. A bearing assembly has first and second bearing members in spaced relationship from one another with a plurality of bearings interposed between the bearing members to permit relative rotation between the bearing members about the rotational axis. The first bearing member is arranged adjacent to the spindle and the second bearing member is arranged adjacent to either the wheel hub or the support member. An inner surface of the first bearing member has an annular counterbore. The spindle is deformed into the counterbore to axially secure the first bearing member to the spindle and prevent relative rotation between the spindle and the first bearing member about the rotational axis.

Abstract: In one aspect of the invention, a temperature sensing system, including: control components; and an infrared sensor to provide a temperature input signal to the control components, the infrared sensor being located remotely from the control components. In an additional aspect of the invention, a circuit board for an infrared temperature sensing system, including: a first portion; a second portion coplanar with the first portion; and at least one necked down portion joining the first portion and the second portion. In a further aspect of the invention, a housing for an infrared temperature sensing system, including: a base member; and first support members attached to the base member to permit an infrared temperature sensor to be mounted in a selected one of two positions.

Abstract: A power distribution module utilizes a planar substrate having an array of repeating slots configured to accept two types of relays, one having four terminals and the other having five terminals. Both relays can mate with the slots of the substrate in a variety of orientations, including reverse orientations wherein the relay terminal footprint can be rotated 180 degrees and still mate with a corresponding, yet shifted, slot footprint.

Abstract: A fuel injector comprises a first needle, and a second needle slidably within a passage formed in the first needle. The needles are engageable with respective seatings to control fuel delivery through respective groups of outlet openings. Load transmitting means are provided whereby movement of the first needle can be transmitted to the second needle. Also described is an injector in which a second needle is provided with formations defining an integral resilient biasing arrangement.

Abstract: A full function antilock brake valve including a master cylinder port, a wheel port, and an accumulator port. The valve includes a first fluid path coupling the wheel port and the master cylinder port, and a second fluid path coupling the wheel port and the accumulator port. The valve has a normally open valve portion for controlling the flow of fluid through the first fluid path, and the normally open valve portion includes an armature having a plunger that engages a seat. The first fluid path includes an inflow portion that delivers flow from the wheel port to the normally open valve portion. The valve further includes a normally closed valve portion for controlling the flow of fluid from the wheel port to the accumulator port, the normally closed valve portion including an armature having a plunger that engages a seat.

Abstract: An object sensing system is capable of masking certain detected objects such that the system does not provide an alarm. Initially, a projected path of the vehicle is determined by using a current steering angle of the vehicle. Next, a desired warning distance is determined based upon the current steering angle. Then, a current distance to a sensed object, as derived from an object sensor, is determined. Finally, an alarm is provided only if the sensed object is within the desired warning distance.

Abstract: An air bag module includes an air bag and an inflator being activatable to discharge inflator gas for inflating the air bag. The inflator has at least one discharge port through which inflator gas is discharged. A housing includes at least one inflator vent opening aligned with the discharge port. A variable inflation device is mounted on the inflator and includes a movable member alignable with the vent opening. The movable member is movable relative to the vent opening for opening and closing the vent opening at a predetermined time during inflator activation to control the amount of inflator gas discharged into the air bag and the amount of inflator gas expelled out through the vent opening of the housing. Preferably, the variable inflation device includes an initiator device being activatable during activation of the inflator to move the movable member relative to the vent opening at the predetermined time during inflator activation.

Abstract: An improved deployment method for a vehicular supplemental restraint system having an acceleration sensor and a restraint device to be deployed for occupant protection in a crash event, where the deployment threshold is adaptively adjusted based on the magnitude and rate of change of a filtered acceleration signal and the progression level of the sensed event. The deployment threshold is periodically adjusted based on the rate of change of the filtered acceleration signal, if the magnitude of the filtered acceleration signal is within a range specified for the progression level of the sensed event. The maximum amount of adjustment is also specified based on the progression level of the event. As a result, the deployment threshold tends to follow or track the filtered acceleration signal, particularly for non-deployment events where the magnitude of the filtered acceleration signal is within the specified range, thereby preventing deployment of the restraints.

Abstract: An improved vacuum fluorescent (VF) display panel includes a VF display device having an integral VF light source that is shielded from viewer of the display, and that provides illumination for panel indicia formed in the vicinity of the VF display. The integral light source for indicia illumination is produced at one or more marginal areas of the VF display by secondary anode segments and an integral reflector structure that directs the light produced by the secondary anode segment(s) laterally through a transparent side glass of the display housing. A light-pipe structure adjacent the VF display receives the laterally directed light, and uses the received light to illuminate the panel indicia.

Abstract: A compact disc player includes an optical pickup supported by a carriage and a microprocessor for controlling the movement of a coarse actuator and a fine actuator. The coarse actuator controls the movement of the carriage and maintains its position when power is interrupted to the coarse actuator. The fine actuator is disposed between the carriage and the pickup and provides fine movement for the pickup when power is supplied to the actuator. The fine actuator moves the pickup to a neutral position when power is interrupted. A resume function is provided that restores the position of the pickup after a power interruption to its position before the interruption. A value indicative of the position of the pickup relative to the carriage is stored in memory. When power is restored to the disc player, the value is read from memory. The disc control microprocessor directs incremental movements of the fine actuator until the position of the pickup corresponds to the position represented by the stored value.

Abstract: A method of forming a bond between a resilient rubber member with a chlorinated surface and a bracket, especially in a vehicle mount assembly, includes forming a cured epoxy coating on the bracket member and heating the bracket member and the chlorinated surface of the rubber body to a bonding temperature while pressing them together to form a bond between them.

Abstract: An assembly for rotably supporting a magnet, the assembly has an outer ring member with a bearing member rotably mounted within the outer ring member and the bearing member has an inner opening for receiving and engaging a magnet. The magnet has an inner opening and a shaft at one end engaged within the inner opening of the magnet and the other end of the shaft is coupled to a mechanism for providing a rotational force to the shaft. A Hall effect sensor is mounted to the outer ring member and the Hall effect sensor is receptive to the angular position of the magnet.

Abstract: A micro-electro-mechanical structure including a semiconductor layer mounted to an annular support structure via an isolation layer wherein the semiconductor layer is micromachined to form a suspended body having a plurality of suspension projections extending from the body to the rim and groups of integral projections extending toward but spaced from the rim between said suspension projections. Each projection in said groups has a base attached to the body and a tip proximate the rim. The structure includes a plurality of inward projections extending from and supported on the rim and toward the body. Each such projection has a base attached to the rim and a tip proximate the body; wherein the grouped projections and the inward projections are arranged in an interdigitated fashion to define a plurality of proximate projection pairs independent of the suspension elements such that a primary capacitive gap is defined between the projections of each projection pair.

Abstract: A fuel injector of the outwardly opening type comprising a nozzle body provided with a first bore, a valve needle slidable within the bore and engageable with a seating to control the supply of fuel from the bore, first and second control chambers for receiving fuel under pressure and a control valve arrangement for controlling the fuel pressure within the first and second control chambers. The valve needle is moveable in response to a change in fuel pressure in at least one of the first and second control chambers.

Abstract: A power operating system for opening and closing a vehicle liftgate has a pair of drive units supported on the vehicle roof and connected to the liftgate for opening and closing the liftgate. Each drive unit includes a housing having a curved track and a curved gear rack that is bodily movable endwise in the housing and guided by the curved track, the rack also serving as the drive link between the housing and the liftgate. The combined rack and drive link is extended and retracted by a pinion gear that is journalled interiorly in the housing and engages the teeth of the curved gear rack. The pinion gear is rotated by the output shaft of the motor, which in turn is fastened to the side of the housing. The motor is a reversible electric motor and is adapted to be operably coupled to the vehicle ECU unit and preferably includes an internal transmission and electrically operated clutch controlled by the ECU unit.

Abstract: A method of minimizing the torque ripple produced by unbalanced phase currents in a sinusoidally excited motor is disclosed. The method comprises measuring the position of the motor; sampling the phase currents of the motor generating thereby at least one phase current; synchronizing the at least one phase current of the motor with the position of the motor; determining the imbalance in the magnitudes of the at least one phase current of the motor; generating a set of modulation index terms for reducing the imbalance in the magnitudes of the at least one phase current to ensure acceptable torque ripple characteristics over the operating velocity of the motor; and generating a set of minimized line-to-ground voltage commands.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the invention, an enclosure for an electronic component and a plurality of lead traces that connect the electronic component to a circuit board is used. The enclosure has a flexible diaphragm on one side and a sealing flange supporting said diaphragm and providing an attaching surface to fix the enclosure to the circuit board. This enclosure surrounds the electronic component and creates a barrier resistant to the external environment.

Abstract: An analog signal gain circuit includes an input receiving an analog input signal defined by an ac signal component due to a driving force and a dc offset component independent of the driving force and an output providing an analog output signal defined by an amplified representation of the analog input signal and a dc offset component corresponding to a reference signal. A digital/analog feedback circuit includes a comparator having the reference signal as a switching threshold connected to an up/down counter having a number of digital outputs. The outputs of the up/down counter are connected to a D/A converter which converts the digital count to an analog feedback signal. The feedback signal is provided to the input of the analog signal gain circuit to minimize variations in the dc offset signal component of the analog output signal by compensating for the dc offset signal component of the analog input signal.

Abstract: An accumulator-dehydrator assembly for use in an air conditioning system including an evaporator and a compressor. The accumulator-dehydrator assembly also includes a canister with an upper portion, an inlet, an outlet and a delivery tube with a first tube end positioned in the upper portion of the canister and a second tube end connected to the outlet. A baffle is disposed within the canister that includes a first end connected to the canister and a second end positioned to define a partition between the first tube end of the delivery tube and the inlet. The purpose of the baffle is to reduce pulsations that result from pressure fluctuations in the air-conditioning system.

Abstract: The pump has a multi-vane rotor operating within a cam ring to pump oil to a component such as a power steering gear. The pump rotor sandwiched between stationary thrust and pressure plates is supplied with oil from a surrounding fluid chamber through aligned intake ports in the two plates. Fluid chambers formed between the reciprocating vanes of the rotor discharges oil into axially aligned discharge ports of the thrust and pressure plates. The discharge port of the thrust plate is hydraulically connected to the discharge port of the pressure plate . Pressure oil in the discharge port of the pressure plate feeds into a system pressure chamber outboard of the pressure plate. Oil in the system pressure chamber is fed back to a first side chamber of the rotor through at least one simple flow passage in the pressure plate. The first side chamber is formed between inner and outer lands on the rotor.