Abstract: A watercraft steer-by-wire control system comprising: an input device; at least one transducer in operable communication with the input device; a rudder control system in operable communication with the input device and configured to control a rudder of a watercraft; and a bow thruster control system in operable communication with the at least one transducer and configured to control a bow thruster of the watercraft. A method for the maneuvering if a watercraft. The method comprises: applying a force in a first degree of freedom of an input device; measuring the movement of the input device in the first degree of freedom; converting the movement into a signal proportional to the amount of movement; and transmitting the signal to a bow thruster control system.

Abstract: An integrated circuit package includes a first non-conductive substrate having a first inner surface and a second non-conductive substrate having a second inner surface. A die having a first thickness is disposed between the first and second inner surfaces. A leadframe includes a member having a proximal end and a distal end. The proximal end has a second thickness less than the first thickness. The distal end is disposed between the first and second inner surfaces. The distal end is undulated such that the distal end has an effective thickness greater than the second thickness.

Abstract: A circuit board is inserted into an open-ended housing and potting material is dispensed onto the exposed face of the circuit board in a single step to seal the circuit board to the housing. One or more electrical interconnects such as a connector header or a ribbon cable attached to the circuit board extend upward through the potting material so that the potting material also forms an environmental seal around the electrical interconnects.

Abstract: The rationality of a measured temperature of transmission fluid is assessed by comparing it to an engine coolant temperature. The rationality assessment is enabled when the ambient air temperature is reliably determined and deemed normal, a sufficient soak condition is confirmed, and the measured temperature, the engine temperature and the ambient air temperature are all within prescribed ranges. The rationality assessment monitors the ambient temperature relative to the initial engine temperature during the assessment period, and the assessment is disabled if the ambient air temperature deviates from the initial engine temperature by more than a calibrated value.

Abstract: An electronic component arrangement includes a discrete electronic component having first and second terminals and a centre-exposed pad. A substrate has a first electrical conductor electrically connected to the first terminal, a second electrical conductor electrically connected to the second terminal, and a third electrical conductor. A thermally conductive element is in direct thermal communication with both the centre-exposed pad of the electronic component and the third electrical conductor of the substrate.

Abstract: A heat exchanger is disclosed. A plurality of guides are integrally formed with the walls of a header tank and are used to position an oil cooler inside the tank to align a pair of fittings carried by the cooler with a pair of spaced openings in the tank.

Abstract: A CO-selective catalyst comprises a catalytic material, wherein the catalytic material is selected from the group consisting of Pt, Pd, Rh, Ir, Os, Ru, Ta, Zr, Y, Ce, Ni, Cu, and oxides, alloys, compounds, and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing; a modifying agent selected from the group consisting of Pb, Bi, Ge, Si, Sb, As, P, and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing; and a support. In one embodiment, the method for forming the CO selective catalyst comprises combining a catalytic material and a support with about 2 to about 25 atomic percent of a modifying agent, based on the total surface atoms of the catalytic material, to form a modified catalyst-containing support and disposing the modified catalyst-containing support on or into a substrate.

Abstract: A method of making composite electric machine rotor assembly of a desired magnetic pattern. Magnetic segments and non-magnetic segments are separately formed to green strength, and then arranged adjacent to each other in a desired magnetic pattern. A small amount of powder material is added in-between the segments, and the whole assembly is then sintered to form a sinterbonded composite component of high structural integrity.

Abstract: An ignition apparatus having twin spark high-voltage outputs incorporates features of a pencil coil wherein at least a portion of a transformer assembly is disposed within a spark plug well when installed in an internal combustion engine, thereby reducing the space required on the top of the engine. A secondary winding spool is configured to retain a secondary winding in first and second portions, wound either the same way for use in waste spark ignition systems or in opposite orientations for two-plug-per-cylinder systems. An alternate configuration includes an isolated shield that is internal to the case.

Abstract: A magnetostrictive strain sensor (10) includes a magnetostrictive core (12) comprising a magnetostrictive material, such as a nickel-iron alloy, able to conduct a magnetic flux and whose permeability is alterable by application of a strain. A conductive coil (14) is proximate the magnetostrictive core (12) to generate the magnetic flux when electrically excited. A shell (16) surrounds the conductive coil (14) and the magnetostrictive core (12) for providing a conductive return path for the magnetic flux. An excitation source (18) is electrically connected to the conductive coil (14) for electrically exciting the conductive coil (14) with an alternating current having a constant magnitude. An in-phase voltage circuit (22) is electrically connected across the conductive coil (14). The in-phase voltage circuit (22) senses an in-phase voltage that is in-phase with the alternating current. The in-phase voltage varies correspondingly to the strain subjected to the magnetostrictive core (12).

Abstract: A fuel cell assembly comprising a plurality of individual fuel cells, especially a solid-oxide fuel cell assembly. The cells are organized into a plurality of stacks, preferably two stacks, disposed side-by-side rather than end-to-end as in a prior art monolithic single stack. This arrangement makes the assembly compact physically, which can be highly desirable in some fuel cell applications. The stacks are connected conventionally in series electrically but are supplied with air and fuel in parallel to shorten the distribution manifolds and improve uniformity of distribution and exhaust among all the cells.

Abstract: A hybrid powertrain system includes a combustion engine, a battery buffer for storing electric energy by converting it onto chemical energy, which can be converted back into electrical energy when need, a fuel cell unit having multiple fuel cells each of which is an electrochemical energy conversion device that converts hydrogen and oxygen into water, producing electricity and heat in the process, a power level control unit for capturing electrical energy from the fuel cell unit for delivering zero power, full power, or any power level in between, and an electric motor having inputs for receiving energy from the combustion engine, the battery buffer and the fuel cell auxiliary power unit, and an output for generating activation power to a transmission providing a driving force to a vehicle.

Abstract: An electrical assembly comprises a lower housing, a circuit board mounted in the lower housing, and an insulator block mounted on an upper surface of the circuit board holding a plurality of terminals that have contact heads extending above the insulator block and connector tails extending below the insulator block and attached to the circuit board. The contact heads extend through a face seal. An upper housing having an integral upstanding shroud is attached to the insulator block and/or the lower housing so that the contact heads are disposed within the shroud and the face seal is compressed between the insulator block and the upper housing. The shroud has an outer periphery and the insulator block has an outer periphery that is spaced inwardly of the outer periphery of the shroud to provide a space beneath the upper housing for attaching electrical and/or electronic components to the circuit board adjacent the insulator block.

Abstract: Electrical connection device, for arrangement between a steering wheel and a steering column module of a vehicle, which includes a rotor part (2) and a stator part (3) for enclosure of at least one electrical conductor connected to it at the end, in which the rotor part (2) inserted into the stator part (3) is non-rotatably connected with a guide ring (6) mounted in the stator part (3), and a blocking rocker (12) acted upon by a compression spring, to be released by mounting the steering wheel (1), is present for fastening the rotor part (2) in an assembly position. The blocking rocker (12) acts between the guide ring (6) and the stator part (3) so that a relative rotation is prevented when the steering wheel (1) is not installed.

Abstract: A thermal radiation detector for detecting thermal energy in multiple coverage zones is provided. The detector includes a heat sink support structure, a first thermal detection sensor coupled to the support structure and arranged to detect thermal energy in a first coverage zone, and a second thermal detection sensor coupled to the support structure for detecting thermal energy in a second coverage zone. The detector also has a shared optical lens coupled to the support structure and arranged to direct thermal energy from the first coverage zone to the first thermal detection sensor, and to direct thermal energy from the second coverage zone to the second thermal detection sensor. The detector is useful to detect heat emitting objects in a blind spot region of a vehicle.

Abstract: A system for controlling the operation of a diesel engine of a motor vehicle equipped with means for supplying fuel to the cylinders thereof in accordance with at least one main injection and a delayed injection of fuel as a function of a predetermined desired value for the crank angle interval separating the delayed injection from the main injection, wherein it comprises means for estimating the crank angle interval separating the delayed injection from the main injection in at least one cylinder and means for controlling the supply means capable of slaving this estimated interval to the desired interval value.

Abstract: A system for controlling the operation of a diesel engine of a motor vehicle comprising means for supplying fuel to the cylinders thereof, the system comprising means for acquiring the pressure of a reference cylinder and means for controlling the supply means as a function of the pressure acquired and a predetermined desired fuel supply value for each cylinder, wherein the control means includes slaving means suitable for slaving the supply of fuel to the reference cylinder to its desired supply value as a function of the pressure acquired, means for acquiring the drive shaft rotation speed generated by the displacement of the piston of the reference cylinder and the drive shaft rotation speed generated by the displacement of the piston of at least one other cylinder and actuating means suitable for actuating the supply of fuel to this at least one other cylinder as a function of the speeds acquired by slaving the drive shaft rotation speed generated by the displacement of the piston of this at least one oth

Abstract: A flip chip package and method for conducting heat from one or more flip chips within the package. The package includes a substrate having a first surface to which the flip chips are attached with solder connections, a second surface with solder balls electrically connected to the solder connections on the first surface, and a heat-spreading member bonded to the flip chips and to the first surface of the substrate with bond materials. The method includes reflow soldering the flip chips to the first surface of the substrate, attaching the solder balls to the second surface of the substrate, applying a bond material to the flip chips and a second bond material to the substrate, placing the heat-spreading member on the bond materials, and then applying heat to bond the heat-spreading member to the flip chips and substrate with the bond materials.

Abstract: A circuit assembly containing a surface mount (SM) IC package wire bonded to a substrate and configured to conduct heat from the package into a heat sink through a heat-conducting member instead of the substrate. The package contains an IC device with input/output pads on a surface thereof that are connected with leads to conductors on the substrate. The heat sink is located adjacent the package so as not to be separated from the package by the substrate. The heat-conducting member is positioned adjacent the surface of the device opposite its input/output pads, and is bonded to the device and heat sink to provide a heat path between the package and heat sink that does not pass through the substrate.

Abstract: A hydraulic actuator comprises piston that divides the interior into a piston chamber and a rod chamber and a valve disc assembly to regulate flow of hydraulic fluid between the piston chamber and the rod chamber through a passage in the piston. The disc valve assembly includes a washer, a valve pack that includes at least one flexible disc valve, and a spacer arrangement spacing the valve pack apart from the washer. During operation, the valve pack flexes to open and close the passage. The spacer arrangement includes a first support point supporting the valve pack relative to the washer and at least one second support point spaced apart from the flexible portion of the disc valve pack. In the open position, the valve pack engages the second support point to reduce stress build-up at the first support point, thereby reducing work fatigue of the valve disc and extending the useful life of the hydraulic actuator.