Abstract: A dielectric barrier discharge non-thermal plasma reactor system and method for treating a combustion exhaust stream includes admitting an exhaust stream into a non-thermal plasma reactor having at least one segmented non-thermal plasma element including a plurality of individually energizable electrodes defining a plurality of corona volumes. In a preferred embodiment, the individually energizable electrodes are progressively smaller in size in the exhaust flow direction to provide optimum plasma volume variation. Individually energizable electrodes are selectively activated to effect variable corona volumes for treating an exhaust stream. Additional electrode segments may be activated such as during periods of high exhaust flow. The segmented elements may comprise a variety of shapes, such as C-shaped elements, I-shaped elements, planar elements, swept-shaped elements, inter-digitized elements prepared from comb-shaped elements.

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.

Abstract: A voltage regulator having a single I/F terminal is disclosed. According to the teachings of the present invention, the I/F terminal of the present invention precludes the use of an I terminal alternator model and a separate F terminal model. The I/F terminal provides the function of both the I and F terminal which were heretofore provided in separate voltage regulator models.

Abstract: The vehicle steering linkage connects a rack of a steering system to a knuckle. The steering linkage includes a tie rod, an inner ball joint and an outer connector assembly for transmitting steering forces between a rack and a knuckle. The outer connector assembly includes a primary connector and a secondary connector. The primary connector includes a socket in a socket member, a ball retained in the socket and a shank that is integral with the ball and secured to an arm of the knuckle. The secondary connector includes a slot in the socket member and a bolt. A bolt shank passes through the slot and screws into the arm. Upon failure of the primary connector, the secondary connector transmits steering forces to the arm.

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: The invention is a two-stage, two-poppet prime valve assembly for use in high pressure applications such as vehicle braking systems. The valve assembly has two valve seats and two plungers for allowing the valve assembly to open under high pressure while providing minimal internal flow restrictions to enhance cold temperature and low pressure operation. The two-stage, two poppet valve assembly contains two separate flow paths, one being high pressure, relatively low flow called a stage one, and the other being relatively low pressure, high flow called a stage two. In addition, the valve incorporates a reverse flow bypass feature that is capable of controlling flow at very high pressure and allowing reverse flow with a very low pressure drop.

Abstract: A steer-by-wire handwheel actuator in a vehicle is presented. The handwheel actuator comprises a controller operative to accept as input thereto data from the steer-by-wire system and generate therefrom control signals; a driver input shaft; a gear train connected to the driver input shaft; a variable stop motor responsive to the control signals from the controller and variably geared to the gear train; a feedback motor responsive to the control signals from the controller and geared to one of the driver input shaft and the gear train; and a stop mechanism attached to a housing and coupled to one of the feedback motor and the gear train.

Abstract: A planet gear includes a toothed portion having an axial bore, a hub disposed within the axial bore such that a space is defined between the hub and the toothed portion, and an elastomeric isolator disposed in the space. A gear is quieter in operation through configuration such that the gear includes a toothed portion having an axial bore and a hub coaxially orientable within the axial bore, and an elastomeric isolator is positioned between the hub and the toothed portion.

Abstract: A variable load limiting restraint retractor for a seat restraint system in a vehicle includes a housing for operative connection to vehicle structure. The variable load limiting restraint retractor also includes a take-up spool operatively connected to the housing and connected to a belt of a seat restraint system for winding and unwinding the belt. The variable load limiting restraint retractor includes a rotatable shaft operatively connected to the take-up spool and the housing, the take-up spool being mounted on the shaft. The variable load limiting restraint retractor further includes a load limiting assembly operatively connected to the shaft for variably limiting load on the belt when the seat restraint system is in a buckled position.

Abstract: The fine increment tilt mechanism for a vehicle steering column includes a steering column support housing and a tilt housing pivotally connected to the support housing for pivotal movement about a tilt axis. A plurality of fixed teeth on the support housing are engaged by a plurality of pivoted shoe teeth on the tilt housing to fix the tilt housing relative to a tilt axis. A shoe release lever includes a wedge that is moved to a position in which the pivoted shoe teeth are held in engagement with the fixed teeth after the tilt housing is pivoted about the tilt axis to a selected position.

Abstract: A valve shaft scraping and filtering device for use in an engine valve includes a woven mesh annulus disposed within a valve assembly and surrounding the valve shaft such that the annulus gently scrapes the valve shaft as the valve shaft reciprocates within the valve assembly without interfering with shaft actuation. The annulus may be made with a high density weave and utilized as a filter or particulate seal to trap loose particulates which may be present within the valve.

Abstract: A method for applying and controlling current applied to an air reference oxygen sensor included in a vehicle exhaust system is disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the method includes measuring an output voltage across the oxygen sensor when the exhaust system is initially activated and applying a current through the oxygen sensor when the output voltage reaches a value determinative of light off of a catalyst within the exhaust system. The magnitude of the applied current corresponds to a predefined purge value.

Abstract: An improved method of assessing the frequency response of an in vehicle exhaust gas air/fuel ratio sensor by measuring and analyzing the sensor response to a predetermined perturbation of the fuel delivered to the engine. In a first test mode that provides both quantitative and qualitative assessments, the perturbation is achieved by applying fixed biases to the fuel pulse widths of individual engine cylinders to create a rich/lean perturbation in the exhaust gas, and by adjusting the engine throttle to gradually vary the engine speed over a test interval so that the rich/lean perturbation correspondingly varies in frequency. Since the biases are fixed, intake port wall-wetting effects are minimized. In a second test mode that provides a qualitative assessment, the perturbation is achieved by applying an alternating fuel bias multiplier to every engine cylinder, with the engine operating at a fixed speed and load setting that is of interest for diagnostic purposes.

Abstract: A multi-vane hydraulic motor for accessory drive in which the vanes of a hydraulically balanced rotor are primarily urged into operative engagement with a surrounding cam by forces of the hydraulic fluid in undervane passage produced by an associated hydraulic pump to eliminate requirement for biasing springs and spring attachment of prior art motor. A high pressure chamber provided between the motor housing and a pressure plate mounted therein is hydraulically connected to the vane chambers of the rotor of the motor for the hydraulic drive thereof. An end cap closing the motor housing has the hydraulic input and output lines operatively connected thereto.

Abstract: A spring includes intermediate coils of larger and smaller diameter so that upon compression of the spring the smaller diameter coil may nest within one of the large diameter coils, thereby reducing the overall length of the spring without causing the coils to come in contact with one another. The spring may be used in automotive vehicle suspension assemblies and other applications. The axis of the smaller coil may be offset from the axes of the other coils, thereby providing a spring in which one side is softer and the other is stiffer, so that upon compression the spring bows or deflects along a curved line. In addition to the small diameter coil being offset from the remaining coils, the wire diameter of one or more of the coils may be changed to affect the local stiffness of the spring.

Abstract: A magneto-rheological damping device comprises a core element capable of acting as a magnetic circuit which carries a magnetic flux, and a case element surrounding a portion of the core element. A passage exists between the case element and core element, and an amount of magneto-rheological fluid is positioned between the core element and case element to flow within the passage. A magnetic flux generator is positioned adjacent a portion of the core element and is operable to generate a magnetic flux which acts upon the magneto-rheological fluid in the passage to affect the flow of fluid in the passage. The core element comprises a plurality of stacked laminations, which form a series of individual magnetic poles with gaps therebetween. The magnetic flux generator is operable to generate a magnetic flux in the poles and case element and across the gaps to affect the fluid flow in the passage.

Abstract: A system and method for monitoring brake pad wear are provided. The system provides a vehicle disc brake caliper assembly including a boot assembly and least one friction pad. The system further provides at least one caliper bolt including a caliper bolt switch point, the caliper bolt movably positioned within the boot assembly. A conductive element is positioned a predetermined distance from the caliper bolt switch point. An electrical circuit is switched when the conductive element contacts the switch point. The contact is established when the friction pad wears to a predetermined level corresponding to the predetermined distance. The method provides a caliper bolt including a caliper bolt switch point. A conductive element is positioned a predetermined distance from the caliper bolt switch point. The predetermined distance is progressively decreased as the brake pad wears. An electrical circuit is switched when the conductive element contacts the caliper bolt switch point.

Abstract: A vane pump includes a cylindrical rotor rotatable inside of an oval-shaped rotor chamber defined by a cam ring around the rotor. A thrust plate and a pressure plate on opposite sides of the cam ring cover the rotor chamber and are squeezed together by a pressure force attributable to fluid in a discharge chamber of the vane pump at a discharge pressure thereof. A first thrust face of the thrust plate is pressed against an end wall of a cavity of a pump housing in which the components are installed. Fluid at the discharge pressure is ported to one or more balance chambers between the thrust plate and the end wall of the housing. The balance chambers are defined by a gasket received in a groove of the first thrust face.

Abstract: A passive low pass filter of a surface mounted device configuration has counter-wound coils and at least one capacitor. Each coil has a centerline. The centerlines are parallel to one-another and perpendicular to a plurality of plates of the capacitor. The windings of the coils and the plates of the capacitor are encased in a dielectric encapsulant.