Abstract: A door for an automotive vehicle has an inner metal stamping and an outer metal stamping that are secured together along a perimeter to form a shell that includes an upper window frame and a lower hollow body and a window regulator that is part of a window module that is assembled to the shell. The window module includes a structural belt beam, a drive assembly, a rack, a window pane and a window guide channel. The window guide channel has a front run, a header and a rear run, the window guide channel being attached to structural belt beam so that the front run is attached to a forward end of the belt beam and the rear run is attached to a rearward end of the belt beam. The window pane has a front edge that travels in the front run and a rear edge that travels in the rear run. The rack is disposed in the rear run and attached to the rear edge of the window pane. The drive assembly is mounted in a rearward end portion of the structural belt beam by a bracket that supports a reversible electric motor.

Abstract: A system for automatically resetting an oil condition alarm light after an oil change includes an in-vehicle digital processing apparatus electrically coupled to a warning lamp and to an oil sensor installed in an engine oil pan. The digital processing apparatus further includes a warning lamp reset module to automatically reset the oil sensor following an oil change, based on an oil parameter difference value.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a planar exhaust gas sensor for sensing the partial pressure of a gas in an exhaust. The sensing element has a modified, non-rectangular overall geometry. A terminal end of the element, onto which external sensor circuits can be attached, has a larger width than a sensor end of the element, in which is located the sensing cell. The reduced size of the sensor end of the element relative allows for more rapid attainment of operating temperature and lower energy consumption.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and a process for assembling a tube in a connecting element, and a housing for a braking assistance servomotor, in a device for controlling braking including such a system. The system for assembling a tube (10) with a female connecting element (11) comprising a longitudinal bore (14) provided with a transversal shoulder (14a), system in which a hollow end portion (18) of the tube is inserted in the said bore in abutment against its shoulder, is characterized by the fact that the longitudinal wall of the said end portion comprises a zone (23) deformed by compression between the said shoulder and the remainder of the tube and deformed transversally within the internal wall of the bore to provide mechanical connection and tightness between the tube and the connecting element.

Abstract: A method for controlling a four-wheel steering system of a vehicle includes recognizing a driver-selectable mode, receiving a signal preferably indicative of a front wheel steering-angle, and determining a rear-to-front steering-angle ratio in correspondence with the recognized mode and the received signal; and optionally includes receiving a signal indicative of vehicle speed, recognizing a current system state, determining a desired steering-angle, generating a command based on the desired and received steering-angles and the recognized system state, and diagnosing conditions in accordance with the received signals in order to enter a output disable mode.

Abstract: An electric caliper comprises a motor having a shaft, and a gear rotatable with the shaft and having at least one tooth projecting therefrom. A plunger is disposed on the shaft, and has at least one socket engagable with a corresponding tooth on the gear. A magnet disposed proximate the plunger is adapted to draw the plunger in a first axial direction, and a solenoid yoke disposed proximate the plunger is adapted to selectively draw the plunger in a second axial direction.

Abstract: A damper for dampening vibrations of a rotatable steering shaft of a motor vehicle comprises a rotor and means for rotating the rotor at a rate proportional to and greater than rotation of the steering shaft. Magnetorheological fluid is disposed at least partially around the rotor, and has a viscosity variable to vary a load on the rotor.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for monitoring the wear of brake linings in a disc brake assembly having a caliper mounted in a floating manner on a mounting bracket, by determining a relative distance between the caliper and bracket. Determining the relative distance may be accomplished by attaching a first housing to the mounting bracket, and attaching a second housing to the caliper, with the first and second housings each including a bore facing one another, and aligning the bores with respect to one another along a common translational axis. A plunger inserted in the bores moves along the translational axis within the bores in proportion to lining wear, and the remaining lining thickness is monitored by determining a position of the plunger along the translational axis within the bores. The position of the plunger in the bores may be used for initiating a change in electrical state of an electrical circuit indicative of the relative axial distance of the caliper from the bracket.

Abstract: The subject invention includes a composite material comprising a ferroelectric material and a ferromagnetic material having a loss factor (tan &dgr;) for the composite material which includes a dielectric loss factor of the ferroelectric material and a magnetic loss factor of the ferromagnetic material. The composite material achieves the loss factor of from 0 to about 1.0 for a predetermined frequency range greater than 1 MHz. The ferroelectric material has a dielectric loss factor of from 0 to about 0.5 and the ferromagnetic material has a magnetic loss factor of from 0 to about 0.5 for the predetermined frequency range. The ferroelectric material is present in an amount from 10 to 90 parts by volume based on 100 parts by volume of the composite material and the ferromagnetic material is present in an amount from 10 to 90 parts by volume based upon 100 parts by volume of the composite material such that the amount of the ferroelectric material and the ferromagnetic material equals 100 parts by volume.

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: A vehicle rollover detection apparatus and method are provided for detecting an overturn condition of the vehicle. The rollover detection apparatus includes an angular rate sensor sensing angular rate of the vehicle, and a vertical accelerometer for sensing vertical acceleration of the vehicle. A controller processes the sensed angular rate signal and integrates it to produce an attitude angle. The vertical acceleration signal is processed to determine an inclination angle of the vehicle. The rollover detection apparatus adjusts the attitude angle as a function of the inclination angle and compares the adjusted attitude angle and the processed angular rate signal to a threshold level to provide a vehicle overturn condition output signal. Additionally, the rollover detection apparatus detects a near-rollover event and adjusts the variable threshold in response thereto to prevent deployment of a vehicle overturn condition, thus providing immunity to such events.

Abstract: A lightweight spacer for mounting a vacuum brake booster on a panel provides integral flexible sealing lips to seal the interfaces between the panel, spacer, and booster. Integral retaining tabs are provided for holding the spacer in place on the booster during shipping and installation of the booster. Tubular inserts within the spacer are retained and cushioned against rattling by a thin web of material extending over the end of the insert.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for conducting dynamometric testing of an internal combustion engine at a test site under a simulated atmospheric pressure that differs substantially from an actual ambient atmospheric pressure existing at the test site. The internal combustion engine has an air inlet for supplying an intake airflow for combustion within the internal combustion engine and an exhaust outlet for exhausting an exhaust flow exiting from the internal combustion engine. The method includes the steps of subjecting the air inlet to the simulated atmospheric pressure, subjecting the exhaust outlet to the simulated atmospheric pressure and operating the internal combustion engine while both of the air inlet and the exhaust outlet are subjected to the simulated atmospheric pressure.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for detecting misfire or partial burn and for controlling spark retard in the cylinders of an internal combustion engine operated under the control of a microprocessor and utilizing signals indicative of the pressure in said cylinder at crank angle positions before and after initiation of combustion. A ratio of the actual pressure to the motored pressure in the cylinder at one or more predetermined crank angles is used to estimate the fraction of fuel burned which, in turn, enables a determination of combustion failure in said cylinder cycle. Confirmation of said misfire or unacceptable partial burn leads to correction of engine operation by said controller and/or to a diagnosis of possible damage to the vehicle's catalytic converter. This method also permits better engine operation under conditions of high spark retard.

Abstract: According to the present invention, an in-line compounding and extrusion deposition compression molding apparatus and method for producing a fiber-reinforced molded structural component is provided. The apparatus comprises an extruder device having an internal cavity formed therein and an extruder screw rotatably disposed within the internal cavity for producing a polymer melt. A deposition die head is disposed at a first end of the device, the deposition die head having a die channel disposed therein for receiving the polymer melt from the device. The apparatus includes at least one fiber element for feeding at least one reinforcing fiber element into the die channel for compounding the at least one reinforcing fiber element with the polymer melt to produce a fiber-reinforced polymer compound. The apparatus additionally includes a mold for receiving the fiber-reinforced polymer compound to form the fiber-reinforced molded structural component.

Abstract: A flexible circuit film oil sensor includes a flexible circuit film surrounded by a flexible border. A core support flap and a weld flap are attached to opposite ends of the flexible border. The flexible circuit film includes an oil level sensing electrode surface, an oil condition sensing electrode surface, a resistive temperature device, and a common electrode surface. The flexible circuit film engine oil sensor is wrapped around a core structure so that a spiral oil chamber is formed. Accordingly, the spiral oil chamber is at least partially filled with oil and electrical signals are provided across the electrode surfaces in order to monitor the level and condition of oil within the sensor. Additionally, the resistive temperature device provides a signal representative of the temperature of the oil within the sensor.

Abstract: An improved vehicle crash sensing apparatus quickly and reliably characterizes frontal impacts with only minimal data processing requirements. Two or more longitudinally separated piezoelectric strips strategically located in a frontal portion of the vehicle produce impact signals that are analyzed to characterize the type of impact and the structural crush rate. In a simple implementation involving only two piezoelectric strips, a first strip extends laterally along a forward portion of the front bumper, and a second strip extends laterally along a forward portion of the hood panel, above and rearward of the first strip. In cases where an impact signal is developed by only one of the two strips, a high (under-ride) or low (over-ride) impact is indicated. If impact signals are developed by both strips, the intervening time is measured as an indication of the structural crush rate.

Abstract: An error detection circuit for an airbag deployment control system includes a delay circuit receiving an analog acceleration signal, a difference circuit producing a difference signal based on a time difference between the original and delayed acceleration signals, and a first comparator circuit comparing the difference signal to first and second threshold signals. If the difference signal falls within an error region defined between the first and second threshold values, a decision circuit inhibits an otherwise pending airbag deployment event. If, on the other hand, the difference signal falls outside of the error region, the decision circuit allows airbag deployment with minimal delay.

Abstract: The steering column tilt assembly has a tilt housing that is pivotally attached to a fixed housing. A fixed shoe is attached to the fixed housing. A pivoted shoe is pivotally attached to the tilt housing. A shoe release lever has a wedge surface that holds the pivoted shoe in engagement with a fixed shoe when in a locked position. The shoe release lever has two trunions that are received in bores in the tilt housing. A release lever slot between the bores receive the pivot end shank portion. An open quadrant of the lower bore portion permits the shank portion to be moved into the slot. A spring urges the shoe release lever toward the locked position.

Abstract: A corrosive resistant electronics assembly 10 is provided including at least one heat generating electronics component 12 mounted on a substrate 14 and positioned within potting material 18. A thermally conductive block element 24 is thermally mounted to the at least one heat generating electronics component 12 and positioned within the potting material 18, thereby providing a corrosive resistant electronics assembly 10 with improved thermal dissipation.