Abstract: The subject invention provides a heat sink for a liquid cooling system. The heat sink includes a spreader plate for contacting an electronic device and a body having a plurality of channels extending through the body and arranged in layers. Each layer includes a quantity of the channels decreasing in number with an increase in the distance from the electronic device, thus giving the heat sink a trapezoidal cross section perpendicular to the channels.

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 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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.

Abstract: An event discrimination methodology executes multiple versions of the same or different event discrimination algorithms and logically or arithmetically combines their outputs to distinguish between specified events and non-events. One given algorithm is repeatedly executed with different sets of calibration data, or alternately, a number of different algorithms are executed. In cases where the algorithm results are arithmetically combined, the weights accorded to each algorithm result are dynamically adjusted based on driver input or vehicle dynamic behavior data to accord highest weight to the algorithm(s) calibrated to identify events associated with the detected driver input or vehicle dynamic behavior.

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: 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 technique for manufacturing an electronic assembly uses a mold that has a first mold portion and a second mold portion. The first mold portion includes a plurality of spaced mold pins extending from an inner surface. A cavity of the first and second mold portions provides a mold cavity, when joined. A backplate is also provided that includes a plurality of support pedestals and an integrated heatsink extending from a first side of the backplate. A substrate includes a first side of an integrated circuit (IC) die mounted to a first side of the substrate. The backplate and the substrate are placed within the cavity of the second mold portion and the support pedestals are in contact with the first side of the substrate. The first and second mold portions are joined and the mold pins contact a second surface of the substrate during an overmolding process.

Abstract: A circuit board assembly with a substrate having a laminate construction of ceramic layers, such as an LTCC ceramic substrate. The substrate is configured for the purpose of improving the thermal management of power circuit devices mounted to the substrate. Thermally-conductive vias extend through the substrate from a first surface thereof to a second surface thereof. A circuit device is mounted to the first surface of the substrate and is electrically interconnected to conductor lines of the substrate. The device is also thermally coupled to the thermally-conductive vias with a first solder material. A heat sink located adjacent the second surface of the substrate is bonded to the thermally-conductive vias with a second solder material, such that the first solder material, the thermally-conductive vias, and the second solder material define a thermal path from the device to the heat sink.

Abstract: A heat exchanger assembly including a plurality of pairs of plates disposed in series for fluid flow from a pass through one pair of plates to a pass through the next pair of plates. Each pair of plates includes a central rib to define a U-shaped passage having a fluid entering leg and a fluid exiting leg interconnected by an open bottom interconnecting the legs below the lower end of the engaging central ribs. A plurality of dimples project into the passage to interact with fluid flow through the passage and each of the dimples has a hemispherical shape and a divider rib is disposed in the passage to co-act with the hemispherical dimples to reduce whistling noise.