Abstract: The expandable rack bushing has a tubular portion with front slots and rear slots. An axial overlap between the front and rear slots permits expansion and retraction of the tubular portion. Retainer blocks on the tubular portion are received in a radial groove in a rack and pinion housing to axially fix the rack bushing. When the steering rack is positioned in the rack bushing, the retainer blocks cannot be removed from the radial groove. Radial forces on the steering rack expand the rack bushing and move the steering rack toward one side of the rack housing bore. Spring fingers absorb energy as the rack bushing is expanded. These spring fingers continuously urge the steering rack toward the housing bore center.

Abstract: A process to perform a flaring operation on a rotating electrical device (stator) designed with a number of these spaced axially oriented splines around its perimeter. The design of the stator requires that these perimeter splines possess a flared outer end, creating a rounded cavity contour between adjacent splines to effectively retaining the stator winding in place. The method of this invention reduces damage to the stator windings and allows more wire fill during the manufacturing process.

Abstract: A hydraulic engine mount includes opposed mounting members secured to an elastomeric body and a base, respectively, with an orifice plate assembly interposed the body and the base to define a pumping chamber and a reservoir for hydraulic fluid to flow therebetween through an orifice track formed by the orifice plate assembly. An elastomeric decoupler disk is secured in a recess formed between two orifice plates of the orifice plate assembly and defines a gas spring or cushion space which may be filled or vented by a removable plug in one of the orifice plates. Improved dynamic rate and damping at low amplitude inputs to the mount are provided by the gas cushion biased decoupler as compared with a decoupler type mount without the gas cushion bias. The mount provides an advantage over conventional decoupled hydraulic mounts in that very strict dimensional tolerances are relaxed and performance characteristics, as well as ease of manufacturing, are improved.

Abstract: An air bag cover assembly including a cover element of generally profiled configuration and including one or more mounting posts extending downwardly from the interior surface of the cover element. A reaction plate of generally curved surface contour substantially matching the contour of the inner surface of the cover element is held in place at a position below the cover element. A membrane horn switch is disposed in sandwiched relation between the reaction plate and the cover element. The matching contour of the inner surface of the cover element and the reaction plate establishes a substantially uniform operative separation between the cover element and the membrane horn switch.

Abstract: An encoder for a brushless motor of an Electric Power Steering (EPS) system that includes a commutation track coupled to a shaft for the generation of a commutation signal. The commutation signal in turn is used to generate an index signal every electrical cycle. The encoder further includes a set of high-resolution quadrature signal tracks. The set of high-resolution quadrature signal tracks generate a set of high-resolution signals which are phased at a set angular displacement with respect to one another. A set of sensors sense the commutation signal and the set of high resolution quadrature signals.

Abstract: A single die MR array composed of a plurality of MR elements, wherein each MR element is composed of a number of serially connected MR segments. The MR elements are arranged and configured so as to produce a variety of MR array geometries. In one form, an MR array is formed to provide angular sensing schemes wherein angular measurement redundancy is incorporated therein. In a second form, an MR array is formed to provide angular sensing schemes wherein angular measurement redundancy and reference redundancy are incorporated therein.

Abstract: A brake system (10) comprises a disc brake (30) and a drum brake (50), and a hub (20). The hub (20) comprises a mounting portion (20a) generally having the shape of a hollow cylinder. The disc brake (30) comprises a disc (32) mounted on our outer surface of said portion (20c) of the hub for rotation with the hub, the disc (32) also being mounted for axial sliding movement on the hub (20). The drum brake (50) comprises frictional material shoes (56) which are moveable into engagement with an internal cylindrical surface (20e) of said mounting portion (20c) of the hub (20) to act as a parking brake.

Abstract: An electrical connector utilizing two elongated terminals each having dual contact blades extending laterally from an elongated support section forming a U-shaped cross section. A recess for each terminal is defined by the respective dual contact blades and support sections The first blade of the dual blades for the first terminal mates within the recess of the second terminal and the first blade of the dual blades for the second terminal mates within the recess of the first terminal. A laterally bisected S-shaped insert device engages electrically between the blades of the terminals. The insert device comprises a first and a second member each having a series of inward bent ribs for engaging the adjacent blades. The ribs extend in the same direction as the mating movement of the opposing terminal. An arrangement of tangs and prongs of each member hold and lock the insert device within the recesses by engaging the leading and trailing edges of the blades of each terminal.

Abstract: An adjustable voltage controlled oscillator has an input for receiving a voltage signal and an integrator coupled to the input for generating a ramp signal. The circuit also includes an adjustable current supply coupled to an output of the integrator for supplying an adjustable amount of current. A comparator compares the ramp signal with a predetermined voltage. The circuit further includes an output for generating a frequency output as a function of the comparison, wherein the circuit is calibratible by adjusting current generated by the adjustable current supply.

Abstract: A closed-loop control of a servo motor in which multiple closed-loop terms of a motor command are adaptively tuned and selectively activated to achieve both stable operation and improved performance. The motor command includes a first term proportional to an error signal, a second term based on the integral of the error signal, and a third term based on the rate of change of the measured feedback signal, and representing the kinetic energy of the system. The first term is continuously active, whereas the second term is only activated when the rate of change of the measured feedback signal is below a threshold, and the third term is only activated when the error signal is within a reference window, thereby allowing relatively high gains while ensuring stable operation.

Abstract: A method of removing bias drift from the output signal of a sensor is provided. The method includes sensing a condition with a sensor and generating an output signal, differentiating the output signal, and comparing the differentiated output signal with a threshold change. The method also includes the steps of determining the presence of bias drift based on the comparison, generating a bias adjustment command signal based on the determined presence of bias drift, and adjusting the sensed signal generated by the sensor in accordance with the bias adjusted command signal so as to remove bias drift from the output signal.

Abstract: Cold temperature performance of a pump for a controlled braking systems is enhanced, and internal flow restrictions of the pump are minimized, by placing the poppet return spring in a separate cavity out of the flow path through the pump. The separate spring cavity also allows travel of the poppet to be limited, thereby also limiting the loss of volumetric efficiency due to flow forces generated by cold, viscous fluid pushing the poppet an increasing distance from the seating area.

Abstract: A haptic braking method and system is disclosed. A controller operates a pump to apply brake fluid to a brake when it is necessary to decelerate a wheel during an active cruise control mode of a vehicle. The controller further operates one or more valves to cyclically vary a pressure level of the brake fluid to cause one or more haptic movements of the brake.

Abstract: A hydraulic mount for automotive engine and powertrain applications includes an elastomer body, a base and a partition interposed the body and the base to form a fluid-pumping chamber and a reservoir. Circumferentially spaced axial extending holes or slots or an annular orifice track are formed in the partition together with a magnetic coil operable to impose a magnetic field on the holes, slots or orifice track to control the shear properties of a magnetorheological (MR) fluid in the pumping chamber and reservoir. An elastomeric decoupler member is in communication with at least one of the pumping chamber and the reservoir to reduce the mount dynamic stiffness for isolating low-displacement relatively high-frequency vibrations. Vibrations of multiple frequencies may be isolated by tuning the mount with a controller.

Abstract: A vehicle steering column has a rake adjustment mechanism which includes a rake bracket having a rake slot provided with rake slot teeth. A tooth lock is supported in the rake slot with teeth opposing the rake slot teeth. A rake bolt is rotatable to a first rotative position to move the tooth lock to a retracted position with the teeth of the tooth lock out of engagement with the rake slot teeth. The bolt is axially rotatable to a second rotative position permitting the tooth lock to be moved to a locking position by a spring in which the teeth of the tooth lock engage the rake slot teeth. The bolt, when in the second rotative position, is movable, in response to an application of an impact force on the steering column to collapse the steering column, into bearing engagement with the tooth lock to positively retain the tooth lock in the locking position. The steering column is also provided with a release mechanism having shear pins and an energy absorption mechanism.

Abstract: A disc brake caliper assembly is provided that includes a housing having a bore. A piston is arranged within the bore and is movable between normal retracted and knock-back positions. A linkage is adjacent to the piston and is movable between first and second positions with a clearance between the piston and the linkage in the first position. The clearance undesirably permits the piston to move to the knock-back position during severe operating conditions. An actuator, which also may be used as part an electric parking brake, moves the linkage from the first position to the second position to eliminate the clearance when the linkage is moved from the first position to the second position where the linkage abuts the piston. The linkage is connected to the caliper housing by a support. The linkage prevents the piston from moving from the normal retracted position to the knock-back position.

Abstract: A vehicle brake control providing understeer correction through an increase in differential brake pressure favoring the inside wheel applies the increase, in the absence of anti-lock braking activity, across the rear wheels unless one or more sensors indicates a likely low traction condition on the inside rear wheel, in which case the increase is applied to the front pair of wheels. Preferred sensors include a suspension position sensor for the inside rear wheel or other sensor derived information from a suspension control system that indicates large body roll in a turn together with forward body pitch. In the absence of a suspension control system, preferred sensors include vehicle lateral and longitudinal accelerometers indicating vehicle roll and pitch together with a steer angle sensor indicating a significant turn. An indication could also be derived from a normal force sensor on the wheel or normal force information derived from other sensors such as a tire pressure sensor.

Abstract: An air bag cushion deployable from a location along the roof rail the vehicle interior over an expansive area adjacent to an occupant to be protected. The air bag cushion is of a partially segmented construction including a main body portion deployable downwardly away from the roof rail and an expansible upper portion expansible between the header portion of the roof rail and the head of an adjacently seated vehicle occupant. The main body portion and the inflatable upper portion of the air bag cushion are attachable to the roof rail structure along a common line of attachment. The inflatable upper portion and the main body portion of the air bag cushion may be inflated by a common source of inflation gas so as to utilize a single common inflator.

Abstract: A passenger van is equipped with a drive mechanism for power operation of a slideable side door. The drive mechanism has a flexible drive member that travels in a closed loop which includes travel through a center track that supports and guides a hinge and roller assembly that is attached to the rear of the side door. The flexible drive member has a cogged portion that is driven by an electric motor to open and close the side door. The remaining portion is uncogged for economy o f manufacture and for releasing the flexible drive member from a clutch of the hinge and roller assembly to open the side door manually very easily. An electromagnetic clutch may also be included to reduce manual operating effort.