Abstract: A CPA device located entirely on a first connector of a pair of interfitting connectors, wherein the CPA device is actuable only in the event that the two connectors are actually mated. A slide slides between a prestaged position and a staged position. The latter position is attained only upon release of a CPA actuation lock which automatically occurs upon mating of the connectors. The slide is then slid to the staged position, whereat the slide interferes with a clasp mechanism of the connectors so as to prevent unintentional release of the clasp mechanism.

Abstract: A lifting/sliding switch, in particular for the pop-up/sliding roof of a motor vehicle, comprising a housing (1), a first actuation element (5) for the sliding movement and a second actuation element (8) for effecting the pop-up movement of the roof, whereby the actuation elements (5, 8), automatically return to their home position due to a resetting arrangement and, respectively act on switch contacts (49, 50) by means of a switch member. The second actuation element (8) is an integral part of the first actuation element (5), whereby both actuation elements (5, 8) are supported in the housing (1) and the switch members are configured as rotary switch members (13, 34).

Abstract: A vehicle door latch has a forkbolt, a detent that holds the forkbolt in a latched position, a manually operated release mechanism that moves the detent to release the forkbolt, a lock mechanism for disabling the release mechanism, a double lock mechanism and a power operated unlatching mechanism that moves the detent to release the forkbolt independently of the manually operated release mechanism, the lock mechanism and the double lock mechanism. The power operated unlatching mechanism includes a power unlatching lever and a motor driven actuator having a jackscrew for moving the power unlatching lever.

Abstract: The control settings of a vehicle climate control system are adjusted in accordance with a relative ambient humidity correction to compensate for variations in relative ambient humidity, and the correction is based on normally measured system operating parameters. The ambient humidity correction value is determined according to a difference between the cooling performance of the system and the ambient heat energy absorbed by the system. The cooling performance of the system is determined during an initial period of vehicle operation based on the time required to reduce the initial evaporator temperature by a predetermined amount. Once steady-state operation of the system is achieved, the cooling performance of the system is determined by the steady-state deviation of the evaporator outlet air temperature from a target temperature of the system. The ambient heat energy absorbed by the system is determined based on the temperature of the ambient air and the flow rate of air through the evaporator.

Abstract: A system for reducing torque ripple in an electric motor, comprising an electric motor having a stator and a rotor, a first set of N Hall sensors, a second set of N Hall sensors, a controller, and wherein said N Hall sensors in each said set of Hall sensors is spaced 360/N electrical degrees apart and said first and second sets of Hall sensors are spaced T electrical degrees apart, and wherein said controller is adapted to provide increased current during an overlap period detected by said Hall sensors.

Abstract: A pressure balancing metering subassembly for use with a modular actuator of an EGR valve includes a metering base which defines a metering port and a pressure chamber. An elongate poppet includes a first end normally disposed in sealing engagement with the metering port. The poppet is selectively reciprocated to disengage the first end from sealing engagement with the metering port to thereby fluidly connect the metering port with the pressure chamber. Pressure balancing means balance the pressure at the first end of the poppet with the pressure at a second end of the poppet.

Abstract: The electric park brake of the present invention includes an electric caliper motor assembly. The electric caliper motor assembly includes a motor, which is operably coupled to a shaft. The motor and shaft are surrounded by a housing. A cogwheel is disposed axially and operably connected to the shaft within the housing. A solenoid mechanism is disposed on the housing and positioned axially in relation to the shaft. There is at least one guide pin that is associated with the solenoid mechanism for interacting with the cogwheel when the solenoid is activated. The interaction between the at least one guide pin and the cogwheel provides a park brake feature and prevents movement of the shaft.

Abstract: The collapsible vehicle steering column has a jacket slideably supported by a jacket support bracket and by at least one severable steering column support capsule. A steering wheel is journaled in a housing on the upper end of the jacket assembly. A bearing is supported by the jacket support bracket. A collapsible upper shaft is connected to the steering wheel and is slideably supported by the bearing. A collapsible intermediate shaft is connected to the upper shaft by a universal joint. Force on the steering wheel initially severs the support capsule from the jacket assembly, moves the upper steering shaft and the jacket rearward collapsing the intermediate shaft. After a stop surface on the upper shaft contacts the bearing, the upper shaft starts to collapse and the jacket housing envelopes the universal joint.

Abstract: Vehicle suspension movements are transmitted to an anti-roll mechanism which is pivotally mounted on the vehicle for movement about the pitch axis thereof to accommodate normal ride motion of the vehicle in which wheels on opposite sides of the vehicle move equally. Vehicle roll is controlled by an anti-roll mechanism includes a torsion bar which is loaded by the suspension movement. Roll stiffness is controlled by adjusting the lever arm through which suspension movement is transmitted to the torsion bar by a lever arrangement commonly referred to as a Watt's link to assure that the change in the length of the lever arm is directly proportional to the change in the control in the cockpit. Accordingly, linear control is assured, and the torsion bar and lever arms do not appreciable deflect during cornering.

Abstract: A wear resistant fuel pump for a vehicle includes a pump section having a flow channel and a rotatable impeller cooperating with the flow channel. The wear resistant fuel pump also includes a motor section disposed adjacent the pump section and having a motor to rotate the impeller. The wear resistant fuel pump further includes an outlet section disposed adjacent the motor section to allow pumped fuel to exit the fuel pump. The pump section includes a plurality of plates disposed axially adjacent to and cooperating with the impeller. The impeller and plates are made of a compound having an abrasion wear resistance on a predetermined surface that improves abrasion wear characteristics.

Abstract: A rack and pinion steering gear including a housing, a rack bar having a rack gear thereon, a pinion gear rotatably supported on the housing, and a rack bearing which slidably engages the rack bar and resiliently thrusts the rack gear against the pinion gear. The pinion gear and the rack bearing constitute a first bearing supporting the rack bar on the steering gear housing for back and forth linear translation. A bushing on the steering gear housing remote from the pinion gear and the rack bearing constitutes a second bearing supporting the rack bar on the steering gear housing for back and forth linear translation. An outboard bearing on the steering gear housing on the opposite side of the pinion gear from the bushing thrusts the rack bar parallel to the direction of the rack bearing and includes an asymmetrically resiliently compressed elastomeric ring on a seat on the steering gear housing and a sleeve mounted eccentrically on the elastomeric ring and slidably engaging the rack bar.

Abstract: A system and method of vehicle stability enhancement control during ABS operation, the method comprising the steps of determining whether ABS mode is active; determining whether VSE is required; calculating a target wheel speed for each wheel if ABS mode is active and VSE is required; calculating an adjusted wheel slip for each wheel by subtracting the wheel speed for each wheel from the target wheel speed for each wheel and dividing the difference by the target wheel speed for each wheel; and determining an ABS control mode for each wheel using the adjusted wheel slip. The method further provides the step of calculating the target wheel speed for each wheel, in which the step of calculating the target wheel speed for each wheel further comprises adding a VSE modification term for each wheel to the vehicle speed to calculate the target wheel speed.

Abstract: Method and system for bi-directionally controlling power flow between two separate direct current power sources in a multi-stage power converter system are provided. The method allows providing at least first and second power converter stages coupled in parallel circuit to one another. The method further allows providing a first switching controller coupled to selectively actuate a pair of switching devices in the first power converter stage, and a second switching controller coupled to selectively actuate a pair of switching devices in the second power converter stage. One of the first and second switching controllers is selected as a master controller, and the other one of the first and second switching controllers is selected as a slave controller. An average voltage measurement is determined at a respective node of each the power converter stages. A compensating signal is generated based on the difference of the average voltage measurements at the respective nodes of each of the power converter stages.

Abstract: A hybrid electrical machine having a permanent magnetic rotor field in addition to an electrically excited rotor field is disclosed. The generator rotor (320) has a first claw segment (326) and a second claw segment (328) mounted at opposite ends of a rotor shaft (322). A third, center claw segment (332) is mounted on the rotor shaft, between the first and second claw segments. A wound field coil (324) is mounted on the rotor shaft (322) between the first and third claw segments, and a permanent, axial flux magnet (336) is mounted on the rotor shaft between the second claw segment and the third claw segment. In some embodiments, one or more permanent magnets may be provided about the periphery of the first, second, and/or third claw segments.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling a vehicle suspension system comprise determining a relative velocity between a wheel and a corresponding corner of the vehicle, and determining responsive to the relative velocity a raw wheel demand force. The method and system also comprise determining a relative position between the wheel and the corresponding corner of a vehicle body, determining a scale factor responsive to the relative position of the wheel, modifying the raw wheel demand force as a function of the scale factor to determine a scaled wheel demand force, and controlling the vehicle suspension system responsive to the scaled wheel demand force.

Abstract: A ferromagnetic particle sensor includes a housing having a first electromagnet and a second electromagnet attached to the interior surface thereof. A mass sensitive surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensor is disposed between the electromagnets. The sensor is submerged in lubricating fluid and as the electromagnets are energized they produce magnetic forces that draw fluid-borne ferromagnetic particles past the SAW sensor. The SAW sensor is used measure the mass of the ferromagnetic particles and determine when the volume of particles in the lubricating fluid increases.

Abstract: A radiation furnace assembly for use in heating parts. The radiation furnace assembly includes a muffle having a top side, a bottom side, and a first side wall. The muffle defines a chamber with a main heating portion and a first side heating portion. Disposed adjacent to the muffle are top and bottom heating elements. A first control device is used to adjust the temperature of at least one of the top and bottom heating elements thus controlling the temperature within the main heating portion of the chamber. A first side heating element is disposed adjacent to the first side wall of the muffle. A second control device is used to adjust the temperature of the first side heating element independently of the top and bottom heating elements to increase the temperature within the first side heating portion of the chamber relative to the main heating portion.

Abstract: A slip ring assembly includes an insulator body with an rotor-facing first side and second, opposing side, and a pair of slip rings. The slip rings are formed to include respective coupling terminals that generally axially extend from the second side of the insulator body. The insulator body further includes a pair of through-bores that are parallel to but radially offset from a main axis of the insulator body, and are configured for routing the rotor winding leads from the rotor-facing side of the insulator body to the second, opposing side. The coupling terminals each comprise a pair of radially inwardly extending legs and a central, axially extending leg. The leads emerge from the through-bores, and are folded over the radially extending legs. The central, axially extending leg is then folded over the lead to mechanically secure the lead end, which is soldered to ensure electrical connectivity.

Abstract: A hydraulic brake master cylinder assembly includes a central or center port compensation valve mounted in respective brake actuator pistons and having a variable length stem which may be adjusted to predetermine the amount of valve travel between open and closed positions in response to actuation of the brake cylinder piston or pistons. The variable length stem includes a hub and a sleeve which is force fit over the hub and may be moved to set the length of the stem. The amount of gap or open position of the valve in the primary piston may be determined by installing the primary piston in the master cylinder, holding the piston in a fixed position and installing a seal retainer and washer for engaging the primary piston pin to move the pin to set the length of the valve stem.

Abstract: An ignition apparatus includes a suppression device comprising a suppression winding that is in series with the secondary winding and is further located outside of a magnetic circuit. The suppression winding is made from the same wire as used in the secondary winding and is wound on a reduced diameter portion of a secondary winding spool. A carbon resistor is disposed in series with the suppression winding in another embodiment. Nickel wire may be substituted for the suppression winding and carbon resistor in order to obtain both inductance and resistance characteristics for the suppression device.