Abstract: A property of unconnected first and second fluid flows is matched, such as, but not limited to, matching the flow rate of the replacement water stream with the waste water stream in kidney dialysis. The first and second flow paths are interconnected so substantially the same flow from the first flow source encounters a first flow transducer which is in the first flow path and a second flow transducer which is in the second flow path. Transducer readings are taken for various identical values of the property of the first fluid flow. Then the first and second flow paths are disconnected, and the property, such as but not limited to flow rate, of one of the fluid flows in one of the flow paths is controlled using transducer readings and the previous interconnected-path transducer readings to match the property in the two flows. In one example, the transducers are uncalibrated transducers.

Abstract: Pressure in a brake master cylinder is sensed. An optical transducer is affixed to a master cylinder housing. A pressure signal is generated by the optical transducer in response to hydraulic pressure in the master cylinder. A vehicle including a system for sensing pressure in a master cylinder is provided. A brake master cylinder having an access point machined into the master cylinder housing to access a hydraulic chamber is provided. An optical pressure transducer is also provided. A transducer mount assembly affixing the transducer to the master cylinder at the access point and a controller operably coupled to the optical pressure transducer are provided.

Abstract: A tension sensing assembly for a seat restraint system in a vehicle includes a housing for operative connection to vehicle structure and at least one spring disposed in the housing. The tension sensing assembly also includes at least one magnet disposed in the housing and a Hall effect sensor disposed in the housing and cooperable with the at least one magnet. The tension sensing assembly further includes a movable mechanism at least partially disposed in the housing and cooperable with belt webbing of the seat restraint system and the at least one spring to move the at least one magnet relative to the Hall effect sensor to change an output of the Hall effect sensor to indicate a first tension level and a second tension level in the seat restraint system when the at least one spring is deflected.

Abstract: “An electrically operated power steering apparatus has an electric motor disposed parallel to a rack shaft. The system is designed such that the motor can be installed in any angle around a rack housing of smaller diameter. This permits easy installation and flexibility of design. The apparatus is also designed to accommodate off-the-shelf electric motors that are commercially available so as to eliminate the need to customize an electric motor for each application.

Abstract: A rotating machine is provided, including a rotor having a longitudinal axis with a connected fan and a stator surrounding said rotor. Front and rear frames rotatably support the rotor. At least one of said frames has a hub with a core with an opening for receiving a bearing mounting the rotor with said hub. The hub has an opening and ribs generally radially connecting the core with an outer rim of said hub. The ribs have a cross-sectional area being generally tilted with respect to a line extending generally parallel with the axis of said rotor.

Abstract: An electrical connection system (100) for a substantially flat electrical conductor (3) comprising housing means (8) having an axially extending bore (32); an electrical connector (102) having a body (1) capable of making a sliding fit in the axial direction (A) in the bore; securing means (7,11) on the housing means and the body for releasably securing the body in a predetermined position in the bore; wherein the body of the electrical connector further comprises a rear wall (20) for receiving the flat conductor; a through bore (28) extending from the rear wall through the body in the axial direction through which the flat conductor can pass; an upper contact surface (24) extending in the axial direction away from the inner opening (28′) of the through bore, the upper contact surface having an area (13) capable of exerting a force on the flat conductor in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axial direction and away from the upper contact surface; a front edge (22) adjacent the upper contact

Abstract: A catalyzed adsorber that is effective and durable in treating exhaust gas from internal combustion engines, and in particular, for adsorbing hydrocarbons contained in engine exhaust gas during cold start, releasing these hydrocarbons when the engine exhaust gas has heated the adsorber to normal operating temperature and catalyzing the conversion of these hydrocarbons to carbon dioxide and water. The catalyzed adsorber has a catalyst overlayer with a non-catalyst overcoat loading of about 1.0 g/in3 or less.

Abstract: A torque motor comprising a rotor assembly and a stator assembly, the rotor assembly including a permanent rotor magnet being diametrically oriented, and the stator assembly including a pair of upper and lower stator poles spaced circumferentially around the rotor assembly wherein the stator poles are asymmetric in construction.

Abstract: A cam phase control method for an internal combustion engine schedules cam phase to optimize emissions and fuel economy, but bounds the scheduled cam phase for continuous achievement of the desired inlet airflow. The volumetric efficiency required to achieve the desired inlet airflow at a specified intake manifold vacuum is compared to the maximum achievable volumetric efficiency at the specified vacuum. When the required volumetric efficiency is less than the maximum value, the cam phase is controlled according to the lesser of the scheduled cam phase and the highest cam phase for achieving the required volumetric efficiency; when the required volumetric efficiency is equal to or greater than the maximum value, the cam phase is controlled to a setting that maximizes the volumetric efficiency.

Abstract: Oil metering valve means in a hydraulic valve lifter configured such that a metering plate cooperates with a pushrod seat to meter the flow of oil in a forward direction. The metering means is also conducive to the flow of oil in the reverse direction, permitting an oil reservoir in the lifter to be filled by reverse oil flow, either after assembly of the lifter or upon engine shutdown. Embodiments of such oil metering valve means may include: a metering plate having one or more notches around its periphery to permit oil to flow past the plate and a feature supporting the plate; a metering plate having one or more apertures to permit oil to flow through the plate; a metering plate having one or more nonplanar areas along the edges of the plate to prevent sealing of the plate against the supportive feature; and a metering-plate supportive feature having one or more irregularities, such as grooves, bumps, or undulations to permit flow around the edge of the plate past the irregularities.

Abstract: An electric power generating system comprising: a generator including an alternator and regulator, the regulator including a normal field control and a redundant field control with a default field command and a selector for selecting between the normal field control and the redundant field control. Further disclosed, is a method of providing excitation to an alternator, comprising: receiving a field default signal indicative of an inoperative normal field control and a normal field command responsive to the normal field control, indicative of a desired duty cycle command to a field coil of an alternator. The method further includes determining if a supply voltage is greater than a selected value and formulating a default field command; transmitting a field drive responsive to the default field command to a field coil of the alternator if the field default signal is asserted.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided to deliver a pair of output signals indicative of engine rotational speed and/or generator rotational speed. The signals are compared to each in order to determine if a generator is operating properly. At least one output signal is delivered to, or developed internally and used by, a voltage regulator of the generator. One output signal is generated based on a ripple on a positive voltage input to the voltage regulator from a generator. The other signal is indicative of the voltage at the rectifier bridge.

Abstract: A method is used to identify a plurality of tires of a motor vehicle by location allowing a sensed parameter of each of the plurality of tires to be monitored. The method incorporates the use of a central receiver, a plurality of sensors, a plurality of transmitters and a mobile training unit. The method includes the steps of moving the mobile training unit to a location adjacent one of the plurality of tires. Once there, the operator inputs manually the location of one of the plurality of tires with respect to the motor vehicle. The mobile training unit transmits the location to the adjacent sensor. The sensor identification is paired with the location in the sensor to create paired data.

Abstract: A self-backdriving jackscrew apparatus including a biasing member connected to a screw portion of a jackscrew that exerts backdriving force on the screw to turn the screw in a rotational direction that returns a nut portion of the jackscrew to a home position on the screw.

Abstract: An energy absorbing device for a collapsible steering column has a plurality of plastically deformable straps each with one end connected to the steering column and an opposite end bent around an anvil connected to stationary vehicle support structure. When the steering column collapses, the straps unwind from the anvils, thereby resisting steering column collapse and absorbing energy. One or more of the straps may be cut in two by a knife at the time of the collision, thereby removing it from the energy absorbing system. In another form of the invention, an energy absorbing strap extends around a piston which has two or more different size anvils. The piston is axially movable in a cylinder to positions surrounding one or another of the anvils. The strap is drawn over the anvil it surrounds when the steering column collapses, thereby resisting collapse of the steering column and absorbing a certain amount of energy depending on the size of the anvil.

Abstract: An active energy absorbing system including a steering column housing movable on a collapse stroke. An energy absorbing device is mounted on the steering column housing and exerts a resistance force against the movement of the steering column housing along its collapse stroke. The energy absorbing device includes a base unit having an adjustable deforming member disposed within. A deformable strap is also housed by the base unit and is attached at one end to a vehicle structure. The deformable strap engages the adjustable deforming member. An actuator is associated with the base unit and adjusts the adjustable deforming member. A spring attachment member is associated with the base unit and includes an adjustment portion that engages the adjustable deforming member and provides for movement of the adjustable deforming member to vary the total active surface area engaging the deformable strap.

Abstract: Method of making Li-intercalateable electrodes for a lithium-ion battery by applying a first film onto a first face of an electrically conductive grid, which film comprises a plurality of Li-intercalateable particles dispersed throughout a mixture of a polymeric binder and a plasticizer for the binder. Thereafter, a film-forming slurry having the same composition as the first film, plus a solvent therefor, is applied to a second face of the grid opposing the first face so as to provide a second film and such that the solvent in the slurry dissolves at least a portion of the first film and promotes solvent bonding of the films with the grid embedded therein. A polymeric backing film defining a separator is used as a manufacturing process aid, thereby eliminating the step of using a carrier film onto which the electrodes are fabricated and stripping off the carrier and discarding the same.

Abstract: A condenser that is to be brazed in a radiant energy oven has a significant, localized mass differential which would, without further treatment, create a significant temperature differential across the condenser in the braze oven. This is compensated for, in the method of the invention, by thermally spraying onto the surface of the higher mass portion a rough surface layer of a compatible material that increases the emissivity of that portion sufficiently, relative to the rest of the condenser, to decrease the temperature differential that would otherwise occur.

Abstract: A heat sink for cooling electrical or electronic devices comprises a spreader plate having a top surface and having a bottom surface for attaching to the electronic device. A folded fin formed from a strip of heat conducting material comprising alternating planar portions and curved portions has one edge abutted to the top surface such that the curved portions extend upwardly from the top surface substantially at a right angle.

Abstract: A system for measuring oil condition in large engines includes a bypass valve that is installed in a lubrication system along a fluid line between an oil pan and an engine. The bypass valve communicates with a measurement chamber and when energized by a control module, the bypass valve diverts oil from the lubrication system to the measurement chamber. An oil condition sensor is disposed within the measurement chamber and is used to determine the condition of the oil that is diverted to the chamber. After the condition of the oil is determined, the bypass valve is energized to release the oil from the measurement chamber back into the lubrication system.