Abstract: A seatbelt retractor is operably coupled to a belt dereeling retarder mechanism which utilizes a magnetorheological fluid and a coil for imposing a magnetic field on the fluid to selectively change the fluid properties and a braking or retarding effect imposed on the belt retractor during dereeling or payout of the belt. The retarder may include a piston coupled to a rotatable shaft coupled to the belt retractor reel and displacing fluid through the magnetic field in response to actuation of the belt. Alternate embodiments include a multiple disc brake coupled to the retractor reel through a gear drive speed increaser or a cylindrical housing and core member defining an annular space occupied by the magnetorheological fluid and connected to the belt retractor reel through a speed increasing gear drive.

Abstract: Analog signal conditioning circuitry is provided for processing an analog signal generated by a sensor to remove DC offset. The signal conditioning circuitry includes an amplifier having the first input receiving an analog input signal and a second input receiving a reference signal. The amplifier includes an output providing an analog output signal defined by an amplified representation of the analog input signal and the reference signal. The circuitry includes a feedback circuit having an input coupled to the amplifier output and an output coupled to the first input of the amplifier for providing an analog feedback signal. The feedback circuit includes an analog-to-digital converter for converting the analog amplifier output to a digital signal, a digital controller for processing the digital signal, and a digital to analog converter for converting the processed digital signal to an analog feedback signal.

Abstract: An electromagnetically energized actuator featuring low friction, low wear, low impact and low noise attributes. The actuator includes a polymer tube, a stop fixedly disposed in the tube and composed of a highly permeable material, a plunger reciprocably disposed within the tube and composed of a highly permeable material, a spring assembly including a spring which is formed at the facing ends the stop and the plunger which spring serves to bias the plunger away from the stop, a first plate composed of a highly permeable material which is connected to a first end of the tube, and a second plate composed of a highly permeable material which is connected to a second end of the tube. The tube is composed of a polymer which (relative to a conventional brass tube) allows tighter tolerances between the plunger and the tube resulting in lower wear, less sliding noise, reduction in corrosion, and elimination of thinned end of the tube. The preferred tube polymer is VESPEL® with TEFLON® mixture.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for real-time measurement of combustion characteristics of each combustion event in each individual cylinder coupled with an ability to control the engine based upon the combustion characteristics are shown. The invention includes using selective sampling techniques and wavelet transforms to extract a critical signal feature from an ionization signal that is generated by an in-cylinder ion sensor, and then feeds that critical signal feature into an artificial neural network to determine a desired combustion characteristic of the combustion event. The desired combustion characteristic of the combustion event includes a location of peak pressure, an air/fuel ratio, or a percentage of mass-fraction burned, among others. The control system of the engine is then operable to control the engine based upon the combustion characteristic.

Abstract: A sensing assembly senses varying parameters of a bearing mechanism. The bearing mechanism includes a circular bearing housing. The sensing assembly includes a sensor case. The sensor case is fixedly secured to the bearing mechanism. The sensor case includes a peripheral surface and a top plate with extensions protruding outwardly therefrom. The sensing assembly also includes a sensor housing that is removably insertable into the sensor case. The sensor housing selectively engages the extensions of the sensor case to secure the sensor housing in the sensor case at a location spaced from the bearing mechanism. The sensing assembly includes a sensor that is disposed within the sensor housing. The sensor senses the parameters of the bearing mechanism, wherein the sensor and the sensor housing may be removed from the bearing mechanism and replaced without replacing the bearing mechanism.

Abstract: An audio signal processing circuit reduces noise in an incoming audio signal and is particularly useful in telephone communication systems utilizing one or more hands-free microphones. A preferred embodiment of the audio signal processing circuit includes a pre-emphasis circuit receiving the audio signal from a microphone or other transducer, an amplifier circuit receiving the pre-emphasized audio signal from the pre-emphasis circuit and a de-emphasis circuit receiving the amplified signal from the amplifier circuit. An output of the de-emphasis circuit provides the processed audio signal having an improved signal to noise ratio with minimum audible distortion. A preferred embodiment of the amplification circuit includes an amplifier defining a non-linear transfer function therethrough which provides low gain to the lower amplitude noise signals and higher gain to the higher amplitude audio signals.

Abstract: A shaft assembly with recirculating ball roller joint unit for use with an automotive steering column or the like has an inner shaft extending lengthwise within an outer shaft. A recirculating ball joint is provided between the shafts. The ball joint includes a shell assembly having two shells which together surround the inner shaft. Each shell has an outer cage, an inner cage and a retainer defining ball races, with balls recirculating in the races in rolling engagement with the inner shaft.

Abstract: A vehicle braking system vacuum booster tandem power piston connection design such that the primary piston and the secondary piston are positioned together forming the tandem power piston. A connection design that provides direct alignment between the primary piston and secondary piston upon assembly and also provides an airtight seal between the primary piston and the secondary piston when assembling the tandem power piston.

Abstract: A system and method of controlling a brake system of a vehicle comprising determining a coefficient condition; determining vehicle yaw; determining a driver's corrective action; and determining a brake pressure control response based on the coefficient condition, vehicle yaw and the driver's corrective action.

Abstract: A powertrain mount comprises an orifice plate including two tracks, a control track and an isolation track. The control track is spirally formed within the orifice plate, which has an exit and entrance on either side of the plate. The control track provides damping to control damping from engine bounce; whereas, the isolation track controllably provides dynamic rate dip. The isolation track is formed between an alignment plate and rotatable track member, each having an exit and entrance, respectively. The rotatable track member and the alignment plate are sealingly engaged and affixed to a decoupler and an annular area disposed about the orifice plate of the powertrain mount. The exit of the alignment plate is adjacent the decoupler. The rotatable track member forms a cavity with the molded body of the powertrain mount, with the entrance exposed to fluid within the cavity for controlling and minimizing vibrations within the powertrain.

Abstract: A method and circuit for detecting a change in inductance of a variable inductance element. An oscillating signal has a frequency that varies with inductance of the element. An intermediate voltage is produced at a level that varies according to frequency of the oscillating signal. The intermediate voltage is scaled to produce an output voltage.

Abstract: A control system for a steering system in a vehicle comprising: a reference model responsive to an operator input that computes desired states of the vehicle; a feedforward controller in operable communication with the reference model. The feedforward controller computes a first control value based on input from said reference model and based on at least one of: a lateral velocity, a rate of lateral velocity, a lateral acceleration, and a combination, wherein the combination includes a yaw rate with at least one of a lateral velocity, a rate of lateral velocity, and a lateral acceleration of the motor vehicle. The system also includes an actuator for affecting the steering system based on the first control value, the actuator in operable communication with the feedforward controller.

Abstract: The relative speed of each of the tires of a vehicle is monitored as an indication of the operating state of the vehicle, wherein if the vehicle is not operating in one of a number of predetermined states, the relative speed is monitored as an indication of relative pressure of the vehicle tires, and further wherein differences in relative speed not related to the predetermined states, and not related to differences in relative pressure, are accounted for. In addition, a single tire pressure sensor is employed to account for over or under inflation of substantially equal proportion in the tires.

Abstract: In an automobile electrical system having an alternator drivingly connected to a vehicle engine the alternator has a polyphase output winding producing a polyphase output in the form of a polyphase alternator voltage for each phase. A load dump apparatus and method for varying the output of the alternator employs a bridge coupled to the polyphase output winding and having a pair of direct voltage output terminals. The bridge has lower and upper switchable elements for each corresponding phase winding, the switchable elements are forward biased and connected in series across the output of the bridge and have a common or neutral input note connected to the corresponding phase winding. Each switchable element is controllable in accordance with a respective conduction signal applied thereto.

Abstract: An energy absorbing device for a collapsible steering column of a vehicle is able to compensate for the severity of a crash and the weight of the driver to better manage the absorption of energy in a crash event. A housing has at least one fixed abutment surface, and at least one adjuster disposed in the housing for selective lateral slidable movement. At least one anvil is disposed adjacent an initial abutment surface of the adjuster in spaced relation to the fixed abutment surface of the housing in a first position of the anvil associated with high energy absorption. A plastically deformable strap is supported between the anvil and the housing. The adjuster slides out of the path of the anvil in a crash event in response to input of a control signal allowing the anvil to slide into contact with the fixed abutment surface of the housing to define a second position of the anvil associated with lower energy absorption.

Abstract: A propulsion mechanism is provided for driving a vehicle having a frame and socket. The propulsion mechanism has a spherical ball disposed within the socket and adapted to frictionally engage the ground surface. First and second powered drive members are frictionally engaged with the spherical ball and powered to rotate the spherical ball to propel the vehicle. The first and second powered drive members drive the spherical ball in first and second directions and may be operated simultaneously.

Abstract: A flash programmable microprocessor-based control module is operated in a manner to protect the integrity of event data stored in the programmable memory of the module while permitting authorized manufacturing and field alteration of the programmable memory with a Download and Execute routine. The Download and Execute routine is resident in a designated sector of the module's read-only memory, and download access to the module's random access memory after module manufacture has been completed is denied. During manufacture of the module, and during field programming of the controller prior to the writing of event data, the programmable memory may be externally altered by an authorized service tool by transferring the Download and Execute routine from read-only memory to random access memory for execution by the module's microprocessor, and downloading the new data or code over a data link coupling the service tool to the module.

Abstract: A connector arrangement for use in a fuel system, the connector arrangement comprising a bridge member shaped for cooperation with at least first and second members to be connected to a housing, and a clamp arrangement for clamping the bridge member to the housing, the bridge member transmitting a clamping load from the clamp means to the first and second members. The invention also relates to a connector arrangement comprising a plurality of high pressure fuel pipes which are supplied with fuel from a common inlet passage, the common inlet passage being arranged, in use, to receive fuel from a high pressure fuel supply. Each of the pipes comprises one or more outlet region which is connectable with an inlet region of a respective injector forming part of the fuel system to permit high pressure fuel to be supplied to said injector.

Abstract: A conductive adhesive material characterized by metallurgical bonds between electrically-conductive particles dispersed in a polymer matrix of the material. The polymer matrix has a fluxing capability when heated to reduce metal oxides on the surfaces of the particles. At least the outer surfaces of the particles are formed of a fusible material, so that sufficiently heating the conductive adhesive material will reduce metal oxides on the particles, and at least partially melt the fusible metal, enabling the particles to metallurgically bond to each other and to metal surfaces contacted by the adhesive material.

Abstract: A motorized valve assembly for use in a vehicle heating, ventilating, and air conditioning module comprises a valve having at least one flap and is pivotable about a pivot axis. A drive unit is affixed to the valve, and a drive interface is operably connected to the drive unit for inducing a pivoting force about the pivot axis.