Abstract: An electrical connector assembly is presented. The electrical connector assembly includes an electrical socket terminal having a frustoconical body that defines a first cylindrical cavity configured to receive a corresponding electrical plug terminal. The frustoconical body defines a plurality of axially slots extending to the first cylindrical cavity. The terminal further includes a cylindrical member extending from the frustoconical body. The cylindrical member defines a circumferential flange extending from an outer surface of the cylindrical member. The electrical connector assembly also includes a terminal cartridge formed of a dielectric material and defining a generally U-shaped slot having an open end, a closed end, two side walls, and a floor. The U-shaped slot is configured to receive the circumferential flange of the socket terminal. The floor defines a locking protrusion configured to contact the flange and retain the socket terminal within the U-shaped slot.

Abstract: An electrical shield connector configured to be attached to an end of a shielded cable having a conductive wire and a shield conductor longitudinally surrounding the conductive wire. The shield connector includes a connection portion that is configured for connection with a corresponding mating electrical shield connector and a cable attachment portion that is configured to longitudinally receive an end of the shield conductor. The connection portion defines a shroud surrounding an electrical terminal attached to the conductive wire. The cable attachment portion and/or crimp wings projecting therefrom define a projection that is configured to contact and indent the shield conductor, thereby mechanically and electrically connecting the shield connector to the shield conductor. The cable attachment portion may also define a knurled pattern in an interior surface of the cable attachment portion, such as a knurled pattern having a number of rhomboid-shaped indentations.

Abstract: A heater includes a fuel cell stack assembly disposed within a heater housing and includes a plurality of fuel cells which convert chemical energy from a fuel into heat and electricity through a chemical reaction with an oxidizing agent. A combustor disposed within the heater housing receives an anode exhaust and a cathode exhaust from the fuel cell stack assembly and combusts a mixture of the anode exhaust and the cathode exhaust to produce a heated combustor exhaust. The combustor includes a combustor exhaust outlet for discharging the heated combustor exhaust into the heater housing. A baffle disposed around the fuel cell stack assembly and the combustor defines a heat transfer channel radially between the heater housing and the baffle. A flow director in fluid communication with the combustor exhaust outlet and the heat transfer channel communicates the heated combustor exhaust to the heat transfer channel.

Abstract: The circuit board assembly includes a first circuit board having a first plurality of electronic components attached to a major surface of the first circuit board. The first plurality of electronic components is electrically interconnected to a first plurality of conductive pads defined on the major surface of the first circuit board. A second circuit board has a second plurality of electronic components attached to a first major surface of the second circuit board. The second plurality of electronic components is electrically interconnected to a second plurality of conductive pads defined on a second major surface of the second circuit board. The first and second circuit board are attached by coupling the first and second plurality of conductive pads. A portion of the first plurality of electronic components on the first circuit board are disposed within a cavity defined by the second major surface of the second circuit board.

Abstract: An electrical assembly including a first element, such as a connector body, formed of a conductive composite material and a second element formed of a solid metallic material, such as a sheet metal electromagnetic interference shield, defining a fibrous conductive region formed of a plurality of metallic filaments. The conductive composite material forming the first element completely surrounds a portion of the fibrous conductive region. Conductive fibers in the conductive composite material are in intimate contact with the fibrous conductive region, forming a very high number of electrical contact points between the conductive fibers in the conductive composite material and the fibrous conductive region and thereby providing a robust electrical connection between the first element and the second element.

Abstract: An improved SOFC repeating fuel cell unit comprising three flat plates and a cell retainer. The three flat plates are metallurgically joined (brazed or laser welded) into a subassembly to which is added the fuel cell and cell retainer (which may also be joined as a second subassembly). Each flat plate performs a specific set of functions and can be optimized for those functions. Since the plates are flat and designed to overlap in loaded areas, the fuel cell unit is not prone to dimensional collapse which eliminates the internal reinforcements of the prior art design. The cell retainer is formed to provide a self-locating and locking feature for the fuel cell and decouples thermal stresses from the thin ceramic fuel cell.

Abstract: A camshaft phaser includes an input member connectable to the crankshaft of the internal combustion engine; an output member connectable to the camshaft of the internal combustion engine and defining an advance chamber and a retard chamber with the input member; a valve spool coaxially disposed within the output member such that the valve spool is rotatable relative to the output member and the input member, the valve spool defining a supply chamber and a vent chamber with the output member; and an actuator which rotates the valve spool in order to change the position of the output member relative to the input member by supplying pressurized oil from the supply chamber to one of the advance chamber and the retard chamber and venting oil to the vent chamber from the other of the supply chamber and the advance chamber.

Abstract: A connector system is described herein. The connector system includes cam lever devices to assist the mating of the connector bodies of the connector system to one another. The handles of the cam lever devices are movable from an extended position that provides increased leverage to a retracted position that can be used to stow the handles after the connector bodies of the connector system have been successfully mated. A method of assembling such a connector system is also described herein.

Abstract: A control module includes a fixed control apparatus which is provided with a touch-sensitive surface so as to provide a control signal representative of the position or of the movement of a finger on the sensitive surface. The sensitive surface of the control apparatus includes a toroidal portion arranged about a main axis. The control module includes a control unit which is designed to detect an axial component and a circumferential component of a tactile movement on the sensitive surface so as to produce a processed control signal which is a function of these two components.

Abstract: A wireless electrical charging system and a method of operating same wherein operating parameters from a remote portion of the system are wirelessly transmitted to a charging controller controlling the output voltage of an alternating power supply. The charging controller executes an adaptive model control algorithm that allows the charging controller to update the output voltage at a greater rate than the transmission rate of the operating parameters from the remote portion of the system.

Abstract: An object-detection system suitable for use in an automated vehicle includes a transceiver, and object-detector, and a controller. The transceiver is suitable to install on a host-vehicle. The transceiver is used to receive an indicated-location of an object proximate to the host-vehicle. The object-detector is suitable to install on the host-vehicle. The object-detector is used to detect a relative-location of the object relative to the host-vehicle. The controller is in communication with the transceiver and the object-detector. The controller determines a confirmed-location of the object relative to the host-vehicle based on the indicated-location and the relative-location.

Abstract: A method is presented for diagnosing a particulate matter sensing system, where the system includes a sensing element having two electrodes spaced from one another. The method determining at a first time during a cool-down event a first sensing element temperature and a resistance of the sensing element, and determining at a later second time during the cool-down event a second sensing element temperature and the resistance of the sensing element. The method further includes calculating a predicted sensing element resistance at the second sensing element temperature, based on the first sensing element temperature, the resistance of the sensing element determined at the first time, and a predetermined model of the resistance vs. temperature characteristics of the sensing element. A fault condition for the system may be indicated based on a comparison of the predicted sensing element resistance at the second sensing element temperature and a measured sensing element resistance.

Abstract: A camshaft phaser for controllably varying the phase relationship between a crankshaft and a camshaft of an internal combustion engine includes a housing connectable to the crankshaft and having a housing bore extending therethrough along an axis. A back cover is attached to one axial end of the housing while a front cover is attached to the other axial end of the housing. An output hub connectable to the camshaft is disposed coaxially within the housing and captured axially between the back cover and the front cover. A harmonic gear drive unit is disposed operationally between the housing and the output hub and is connected to a rotational actuator for imparting rotation on the harmonic gear drive unit such that rotation of the harmonic gear drive unit by the rotational actuator causes relative rotation between the housing and the output hub.

Abstract: A radar system includes a radar antenna and a controller. The antenna includes a reference element, an alpha element spaced apart from the reference element by one half-wavelength of the reflected signal, and a beta element spaced apart from the reference element by an even number of half-wavelengths of the reflected signal. The controller is configured to determine an alpha phase difference between detected signals from the reference element and the alpha element, determine a beta phase difference between detected signals from the reference element and the beta element, and determine a first virtual phase difference that corresponds to the reflected signal expected to be detected by a first virtual element located halfway between the reference element and the beta element. The first virtual phase difference is based on the beta phase difference divided by two.

Abstract: The invention is a control device intended for the choice and the selection of functions in a vehicle. The device comprises three binary active sensors, arranged on an electronic board fixed in a case, the sensors switch on the passage of passive markers arranged on a support displaceable by means of a manipulable control element. The support being displaceable in translation along a first longitudinal main axis towards a front position and a rear position and perpendicularly along a second transversal main axis towards a right position and a left position, and in rotation about a normal axis perpendicular to the main axes in the clockwise direction and in the anticlockwise direction. The marker support and the control element are moreover connected to an indexing and return means which biases them permanently towards a neutral position.

Abstract: A metal interconnect for a fuel cell stack is formed from an electrically conductive metal sheet having at least four stamped slots through the metal sheet, and often many more than four slots. The stamped slots individually extend lengthwise parallel to the direction of fluid flow during operation of the fuel cell stack assembly and are disposed on the metal sheet in a pattern extending parallel and perpendicular to the direction of fluid flow, so as to define at least one metal strip portion between adjacent slots extending parallel to the direction of fluid flow and at least one metal strip portion between adjacent slots extending perpendicular to the direction of fluid flow. The metal strip portion(s) include portions of reduced thickness that allow for fluid flow between adjacent slots and portions of greater thickness that provide discrete locations of electrical connection between the separator plate fuel cell electrode.

Abstract: A connector assembly includes a first connector that includes a ramp. A second connector has a pump handle that includes laterally spaced legs joined at a hook. The hook is configured to interlock with the ramp in an intermediate assembled condition that provides continuity between the first and second connectors. The pump handle has a lower surface. A positional assurance element is movably supported on the second connector and includes a tongue that is arranged between the legs. The tongue includes an upper surface that extends beyond the lower surface such that the tongue and the pump handle overlap one another with the first and second connectors in a nested but unassembled condition. The positional assurance element is configured to move from a retracted position to an extended position while in the intermediate assembled condition to provide a fully assembled condition.

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly comprising a connector housing; and a mate assist mechanism comprising a lever pivotably arranged on the connector housing. The lever is movable from a preliminary mating position to a fully mated position, and is configured to be releasably held in the preliminary mating position by a holding means. The holding means comprises a locking protrusion and a corresponding locking reception receiving said locking protrusion when the lever is in the preliminary mating position.

Abstract: A method of controlling fuel injection in an internal combustion engine having at least one cylinder with an associated fuel injector for performing injection events is proposed, wherein for each injection event a pulse width is determined with which the injector is kept open to spray a desired quantity of fuel. When the quantity of fuel of a given fuel injection event is greater than a learning threshold, a split fuel injection is performed, whereby a first, low injection pulse and a second, complementary injection pulse are executed. Data representative of a closing time and/or an opening time of the fuel injector is determined in respect of the first, low injection pulse and a learned correction value is elaborated based on the closing time and/or opening time, the learned correction value being subsequently used for injection control.

Abstract: An electrical connector system including a male connector having a male terminal that defines a first blade longitudinally projecting from the male terminal and a second blade longitudinally projecting from the same male terminal. A first blade width is less than a second blade width and a first blade length is less than a second blade length. The male terminal further defines a pair of crimp wings configured to attach the male terminal to a wire cable. The system further includes a female connector having a first female terminal configured to receive the first blade and a second female terminal configured to receive the second blade, thereby electrically interconnecting the first female terminal, the second female terminal, and the wire cable.