Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for forming the sensor comprises: disposing capacitance electrodes and a heater on green layers; disposing the layers such that the capacitance electrodes are disposed between adjacent green layers and the heater is disposed on a side of a green layer opposite one of the capacitance electrodes; disposing a gap insert in physical contact with the capacitance electrodes, wherein the gap insert has a higher sintering temperature than the green layers; sintering the green layers; and removing the gap insert.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for coating an article, comprises: masking an area of an article with a mask comprising elemental tungsten at least on a surface of the mask opposite the article, heating a coating material, directing the material at the article and the mask, and forming a coating of the material on the article. In another embodiment, the method for coating an article comprises: masking an area of an article with a mask comprising a material having melting point of greater than or equal to about 2,000° C., a start of oxidation temperature of greater than or equal to 400° C., in air, heating a material, directing the heated material at the masked article, and forming a coating of the material on the article. A difference in a mask coefficient of thermal expansion and a coating material coefficient of thermal expansion is greater than or equal to about 10%.

Abstract: A coil assembly includes a spool having a wire wound therearound to establish a coil. A spool terminal extends from the spool and the end of the wire is wound around the spool terminal. A connector housing is coupled to the spool and a connector terminal extends therefrom. A portion of the connector terminal is adjacent to a portion of the spool terminal. Thus, the connector terminal can be relatively easily resistance welded or soldered to the spool terminal.

Abstract: A storage apparatus has a container having an inlet, an outlet and a regeneration air opening. Active carbon is provided as the storage medium in the container. Furthermore, a monolith is disposed in the container.

Abstract: A suspension damper comprises a cylinder tube and a control partition. The cylinder tube is disposed within a reservoir tube to define a fluid reservoir, and has at least one first hole. The control partition is disposed in the fluid reservoir, and communicates with the at least one hole.

Abstract: A power system used for transferring power between a plurality of power sources is provided. A power system according to the present invention is comprised of a plurality of power sources, wherein each source includes a pair of terminals. The power system is further comprised of a power converter, including a pair of switches for each one of the plurality of power sources. Each of these switches are connected to the respective pairs of terminals for each source. Each switch further includes an associated diode, and each switch pair includes a common node. The power converter further includes a plurality of inductors numbering one less than the number of power sources, wherein each inductor is connected across two of the common nodes. The power converter further includes a control unit configured to actuate the switches in accordance with, and to carry out, one of a plurality of modes of operation.

Abstract: An indicator knob assembly 10 is provided including a translucent base 26 including an outer surface 14 having an upper portion 22 and a lower portion 24, a halo section 40 located on the lower portion24, an appliqué element 28 mounted on the translucent base 26, and an opaque over mold 30 mounted on the appliqué element 28 and covering a portion of the outer surface 14 not including the halo section 40.

Abstract: Integrated circuit moisture resistant apparatuses (10) are provided for preventing moisture absorption by an integrated circuit (24). The moisture resistant apparatuses include at least one integrated circuit housing (12) that has a plurality of inner walls (18), which form at least one inner cavity (28). A desiccant body (30) is coupled to at least a portion of the plurality of inner walls (18) and absorbs moisture within the inner cavity (28). A method for performing the same is provided. Also, a manufacturing method of preventing moisture absorption by the integrated circuit (24) is provided.

Abstract: A method for automatically adjusting a vehicle stability enhancement (VSE) system is disclosed. The VSE system is used in conjunction with a steering system having a plurality of driver-selectable steering modes associated therewith. In an exemplary embodiment, the method includes configuring a reference model within the VSE system to generate desired vehicle handling aspects, the desired vehicle handling aspects being a function of one or more driver inputs to the steering system. Then, a determination is made as to which of the plurality of driver-selectable steering modes is activated, wherein each of the desired vehicle handling aspects generated is made further dependent upon a specific steering mode selected.

Abstract: The piston for a magneto-rheological fluid system is manufactured from a piston skirt of a material having a high magnetic permeability and a piston plate which closes one end of the piston skirt having a low magnetic permeability and therefore must be made out of a material such as stainless steel. The piston is manufactured by placing the plate on one electrode and clamping another set of electrodes against the outer circumferential surface of the piston ring or skirt. The plate and ring are brought into contact with one another while applying a current through the piston ring and the piston plate, thereby heating interfering portions of the ring and plate and permitting the plate to be forced inside of the ring while at the same time allowing the softened or plastic portions of the ring and plate to intermingle with one another and thus form a solid state bond.

Abstract: An antenna module provides signals received by an antenna to a communication system, such as a vehicle radio, wireless telephony system, or keyless entry system. The antenna module includes antenna circuitry having a terminal. When a compressible contact is compressed, it electrically couples this terminal to another terminal, which is disposed on a surface. A cover disposed over the antenna circuitry compresses the compressible contact when the cover is adhesively mounted to the surface. As a result, the terminals need not be soldered to the glass or other surface. Accordingly, the manufacturing process can be simplified. For example, the antenna module can be installed independently of other manufacturing processes.

Abstract: Method and winding apparatus for winding a coil that may be used in a high voltage coil assembly. The method allows providing a bobbin. The bobbin may include at one end thereof a start wedge having a wedge angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the bobbin. Relative alignment is provided between the bobbin and a wire feeder device so that a strand of wire from the wire-feeder device is fed perpendicular relative to a layer of winding that, upon rotation of the bobbin, progressively propagates along the longitudinal axis of the bobbin with a predefined winding angle.

Abstract: A tethering restraint system is provided which restrains an inflatable air bag cushion during an extended period of inflation rather than limiting such restraint to the final stages of inflation. Maintaining tethering restraint during the inflation cycle increases the time over which energy is transferred between the air bag cushion and an occupant to be protected thereby reducing the instantaneous force transferred between the occupant and the air bag cushion as contact takes place.

Abstract: A torque sensor apparatus and method for use with an automotive steering system is disclosed. The torque sensor apparatus includes a shaft having a primary shaft coaxially connected to a secondary shaft and a first substrate operably connected to the primary shaft oriented substantially perpendicular to an axis defining the shaft. A second substrate is operably connected to the secondary shaft oriented substantially perpendicular to the axis. First and second substrates each have an aperture therethrough configured to receive an alignment pin therethrough. First and second substrates are substantially parallel to each other defining an electrical interface therebetween that is configured to generate a signal indicative of an amount of torque applied to the shaft.

Abstract: A steering column assembly has a tilt head for rotating a steering column. A spring lock assembly locks the tilt head in any of an infinite number of pivotally adjusted positions and includes a locking bar and a coil spring. The coil spring has coils which are wrapped around and grip the locking bar to lock the tilt head in a selected pivotally adjusted position. A tilt release is provided to release the grip of the coils on the locking bar to enable the tilt head to be pivoted to another pivotally adjusted position.

Abstract: A system responds to detection of a vehicle situation by comparing a sensed eye gaze direction of the vehicle operator with data stored in memory. The stored data defines a first predetermined vehicle operator eye gaze direction indicating a high probability of operator desire that an alert signal be given and a second predetermined vehicle operator eye gaze direction indicating a low probability of operator desire that an alert signal be given. On the basis of the comparison, a first or second alert action is selected and an alert apparatus controlled accordingly. For example, the alternative alert actions may include (1) generating an alert signal versus not generating the alert signal, (2) generating an alert signal in a first manner versus generating an alert signal in a second manner, or (3) selecting a first value versus selecting a second value for a parameter in a mathematical control algorithm to determine when or whether to generate an alert signal.

Abstract: A pack-bonded, multiphase composite material is provided. The multiphase composite material has at least two layers of a matrix material pack-bonded with at least one layer of a reinforcement material. The reinforcement material is oriented in a pack-bonded direction such that the reinforcement material is uniformly dispersed between the matrix materials. Additionally, the matrix materials and the reinforcement material are chemically dissimilar. The matrix material is selected from the group consisting of lead and lead alloys, and the reinforcement material is a plurality of non-conductive, large length-to-diameter ratio, low-density fibers.

Abstract: A composite powder metal disk for a rotor assembly in a circumferential type interior permanent magnet machine. The disk includes an inner ring of magnetically conducting powder metal compacted and sintered to a high density. The disk further includes an outer ring of permanent magnets separated by magnetically non-conducting powder metal compacted and sintered to a high density. The permanent magnets additionally are radially embedded by magnetically conducting powder metal compacted and sintered to a high density with optional intermediate non-conducting powder metal bridges extending radially from the permanent magnets to the outer surface of the disk. A rotor assembly is also provided having a plurality of the composite powder metal disks mounted axially along a shaft with their magnetic configurations aligned. A method for making the composite powder metal disks is further provided including filling a die with the powder metals, compacting the powders, and sintering the compacted powders.

Abstract: An improved series-pass over-voltage protection circuit includes a P-channel enhancement mode MOSFET (PFET) continuously coupling a DC voltage supply such as a motor vehicle storage battery to one or more electrical loads. The source of the PFET is connected to the positive terminal of the DC voltage supply, and in normal operation, low quiescent current draw is achieved by coupling the gate of the PFET to the negative terminal of the power supply through a low-current current sink. A gate discharge amplifier including a high current capability transistor connected across the source-to-gate circuit of the PFET is activated by a controlled current sink when an over-voltage occurs at the drain of the PFET, and the inherent high impedance of the current sinks relative to the gate discharge amplifier provides high immunity of the PFET to input voltage transients. The result is a practical and highly effective over-voltage protection circuit for continuously powered electrical loads.

Abstract: A steering shaft assembly has a tubular main body and a shaft, with a spring and a sleeve disposed at least partially therebetween. The shaft is disposed at least partially in the tubular main body and the sleeve is disposed at least partially between the spring and the main body. The sleeve acts to urge the spring into frictional contact with the shaft to impart an axial resistance force supporting the shaft against axial displacement in response to application of an axial force on the shaft less than the axial resistance force. The sleeve enables axial displacement of the shaft in response to application of an axial collapsing force exceeding the axial resistance force. In another construction of a steering shaft assembly, a shaft is disposed at least partially in the tubular main body and the spring is disposed at least partially in the tubular main body between the tubular main body and the shaft. The spring acts to impart a radial load between the shaft and the tubular main body.