Abstract: A method is provided for assembling a pole piece into an internal fuel passage of a fuel injector. The assembly method includes the steps of: (a) providing an endoskeletal injector tube, where the injector tube provides the fuel passage for the fuel injector; (b) forming at least one depression into an outer surface of the injector tube; (c) inserting an injector valve into the injector tube; (d) inserting the pole piece into the injector tube, wherein the pole piece is adjustable thereafter; and (e) affixing the pole piece within the injector tube, where an outer surface of the pole piece is in contact with an inner surface of the injector tube corresponding to the depressions, thereby creating a spring fit between the pole piece and the tube.

Abstract: An actuator includes a cylinder having a central axis and a side wall. The side wall has an inner surface. A clutch is disposed within the cylinder, and includes a hub and at least one clutch arm. Each clutch arm includes a negative opposing finger, a positive opposing finger, a negative opposing spring and a positive opposing spring. The negative opposing finger has a first end attached to the hub and a fingertip end engaging the inner surface of the side wall. The positive opposing finger has a first end attached to the hub and a fingertip end engaging the inner surface of the side wall. The negative opposing spring has a first end attached to the negative opposing finger. The positive opposing spring has a first end attached to the positive opposing finger. A control input is configured for engaging a second end of a selected one of the negative opposing spring and the positive opposing spring.

Abstract: A vehicle variable reluctance sensor includes a hollow generally cylindrical sensor housing with an open proximal end. Within the interior of the sensor housing is a coil wound around a “T”-shaped spool. The coil is connected to two electrical terminals by two electrical leads. A channel is formed in the spool between the coil and the electrical leads and the electrical leads are disposed within the channel. The channel is flanked on each side by a lip that extends outwardly from the spool. If the electrical leads become slack under extreme temperatures, the configuration of the channel, in conjunction with the lips, prevents the electrical leads from coming out of the channel and unwinding the coil. As such, it is not necessary to tape the coil or otherwise immerse the coil in varnish to prevent the coil from unwinding.

Abstract: A valve seat for a fuel pressure regulator includes a valve body adapted to be disposed in the fuel pressure regulator and a passageway extending axially through the valve body. The passageway is tapered through the valve body to reduce fluid flow cavitation by limiting expansion of the fuel.

Abstract: Heat sinks are provided that achieve very high convective heat transfer surface per unit volume. These heat sinks comprise a spreader plate, at least three fins arranged radially around the spreader plate and an array of porous reticulated foam blocks that fills the space between adjacent fins.

Abstract: The present invention provides a fuel injector comprising a nozzle body within which first and second valve needles are slidable. The first valve needle is engagable with a first seating to control fuel injection from a first outlet opening provided in the nozzle body and the second valve needle is engagable with a second seating to control fuel injection from a second outlet opening provided in the nozzle body. The fuel injector further comprises first and second control chambers for fuel, whereby fuel pressure within the first and second control chambers controls movement of the first and second valve needles away from their respective seatings so as to permit fuel delivery from a selected outlet opening. The first and second valve needles being arranged adjacent to one another.

Abstract: A air bag module comprises an inflator, a unitary polymeric housing, and an air bag retainer of the same or similar material. The housing has integral walls forming an inflator chamber which include an inflator mounting stud aperture, a plurality of integral supports for the inflator, an integral peripheral rim forming an airbag chamber, and an integral upper wall having inflator gas diffuser apertures. An inflator stud fastener secures the inflator to the housing. The retainer and housing have integral cooperating fasteners for securing the retainer to the housing. A polymeric cover closes the retainer and confines the attached air bag. The housing and retainer are formed of the same recyclable material such that the air bag assembly can be recycled by simply removing only the stud fastener and the inflator. Several embodiments of the housing, retainer and fasteners are disclosed. In one embodiment, an inflator gas diffuser that is integral with the housing.

Abstract: A damper piston assembly includes a rod, a piston, a rivet disk, and a spring. The piston surrounds the rod between a riveted end and a longitudinal stop of the rod. The piston includes a valve assembly having a valve body with an orifice extending therethrough. The rivet disk surrounds the rod and has an opening for fluid communication with the orifice. The rivet disk is longitudinally secured between the piston and the riveted end of the rod. The spring is positioned in compression longitudinally between the rivet disk and the longitudinal stop of the rod.

Abstract: A rocker arm assembly has a first arm for following a first or opening camshaft lobe, a second arm for following a second or closing camshaft lobe, and a pivot axis of the rocker arm therebetween. A captive roller follower on the first arm follows the first lobe, and a slider on the second arm follows the second lobe. The position of the slider with respect to the roller and to the pivot axis is mechanically and controllably adjustable to optimally set the mechanical lash among these components after installation of the rocker arm assembly into a variable valve mechanism of an internal combustion engine.

Abstract: A speed sensor for sensing a rotating speed of a wheel is provided. The speed sensor includes a thermoplastic sensor body. A mounting ring is connected to the sensor body. The mounting ring can include a flange portion. A plastic insert is integrally molded into the sensor body adjacent the mounting ring. An active sensor element is located in a lower end of the plastic insert, a face of the active sensor element being vertically spaced a predetermined distance from the flange portion. A pair of terminals is electrically connected to the active sensor element. The pair of terminals extends from an upper end of the plastic insert. The flange portion, when pressed onto a hub associated with the wheel, is adapted to space the active sensor element an operating distance from a tone wheel mounted to the hub.

Abstract: A rear window module is designed for the rear window of a truck passenger cab. The rear window module is pre-assembled as a single unit having a housing attaching rigidly to a frame. The housing inserts into the cab from a rear opening. The frame attaches to a peripheral edge of the cab which defines the rear opening. The housing supports a motor actuated pane movement mechanism capable of moving a central pane positioned within the frame in a vertical direction. The rear window module may also include side vents capable of pivoting to an open position.

Abstract: An input push rod for applying an input force from a brake pedal to a power booster of a brake system. The input push rod includes a sensor that is capable of generating an electrical output having a magnitude that varies with the amount of force applied to the input push rod by the brake pedal. Preferably, the sensor generates an output voltage signal that is generally proportional to the input force applied to the input push rod. The output signal generated by the sensor is applied to a brake light control system that uses the signal to determine whether the vehicle brake lights should be illuminated.

Abstract: An exhaust treatment system is provided for use with an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle. The exhaust treatment system includes a parallel plate, monolithic plasma reactor for reducing nitrogen oxides in the exhaust gas from the engine, an electric power source for providing an electrical signal to the electrodes of the plasma reactor, and a controller interconnected between the electric power source and the plasma reactor for modulating the electrical signal to the plasma reactor. More specifically, the electric power source provides an alternating current electrical signal and the controller modulates the electrical signal off in accordance with a predetermined duty cycle, thereby achieving uniform barrier discharge in the plasma reactor.

Abstract: An air bag assembly for cushioning restraint of an occupant in a vehicle during an impact event. The air bag assembly includes an inflator activatable to discharge inflation gas upon the occurrence of predetermined vehicle conditions and an air bag cushion including an interior surface in fluid communication with the inflator such that upon discharge of inflation gas from the inflator the air bag cushion is inflated to a deployed state. At least one profile restraining tether element is operatively connected to the air bag cushion such that the profile restraining tether element restrains the expansion of the air bag cushion upon introduction of the inflation gas to the air bag cushion.

Abstract: A hydraulic engine mount includes opposed mounting members secured to an elastomeric body and a base, respectively, and an orifice plate assembly interposed the body and the base to define a pumping chamber and a reservoir or opposed pumping chambers for fluid to flow therebetween through an orifice track formed by the orifice plate assembly. One or two elastomeric decoupler discs may be secured in recesses between two orifice plates of the orifice plate assembly and form spaces which are operable to be in communication with a vacuum source to impose vacuum pressure on the decouplers at selected frequencies as controlled by solenoid operated valves and a controller. The mount may be operated at a substantially reduced dynamic stiffness lower than the static stiffness of the mount to provide improved low amplitude vibration isolation, in particular.

Abstract: The pump has a multi-vane rotor operating within a cam ring to pump oil to a component such as a power steering gear. The pump rotor sandwiched between stationary thrust and pressure plates is supplied with oil from a surrounding fluid chamber through aligned intake ports in the two plates. Fluid chambers formed between the reciprocating vanes of the rotor discharges oil into axially aligned discharge ports of the thrust and pressure plates. The discharge port of the thrust plate is hydraulically connected to the discharge port of the pressure plate . Pressure oil in the discharge port of the pressure plate feeds into a system pressure chamber outboard of the pressure plate. Oil in the system pressure chamber is fed back to a first side chamber of the rotor through at least one simple flow passage in the pressure plate. The first side chamber is formed between inner and outer lands on the rotor.

Abstract: A side-impact air bag having an internal self-tensioning tether/lace interlaced within the side air bag. The side air bag is secured to the vehicle along the roof rail between the front and rear pillars. The tether or lace is secured to the air bag and traverses a plurality of predetermined guide points disposed within the air bag. When the side impact air bag is inflated the distance between the guide points increases and any slack in the tether/lace is taken up. Moreover, the air bag assembly is formed with a pair of legs that are either pulled into or clustered about the airbag during inflation to enhance curtain stability. Thus, the stability of the air bag is improved.

Abstract: A vehicle restraint control system provides sophisticated, adaptable control of occupant restraints through the use of a system level architecture to predict the nature of a crash event at the earliest possible time and an occupant injury model to tailor the restraint deployment in an adaptable way to characteristics of the protected vehicle occupant(s) and the nature of the crash event. The occupant injury model derives the potential for injury in a particular vehicle crash in real time as a function of occupant mass, vehicle interior stiffness and occupant impact velocity with respect to the vehicle interior. Peak vehicle crush zone velocity is used as a predictor of occupant impact velocity with the vehicle interior. Predicted occupant impact velocity is preferably adjusted in response to derived impact angle factor, which is derived from orthogonal lateral and longitudinal accelerometers in the vehicle occupant compartment.

Abstract: A fluid reservoir system (10) for a master cylinder (12) having first and second fluid chambers each with associated pistons, the system comprising a main reservoir (16); a first secondary reservoir (18) for mounting on the master cylinder to supply fluid to the first fluid chamber; a second secondary reservoir (18) for mounting on the master cylinder to supply fluid to the second fluid chamber; a first fluid pipe (22) fluidly connecting the main reservoir with the first secondary reservoir; and a second fluid pipe (24) fluidly connecting the main reservoir with the second secondary reservoir; wherein the first secondary reservoir has a fluid capacity which is substantially equal to, or greater than, the capacity of fluid required by the first fluid chamber during full stroke of the associated master cylinder piston; and wherein the second secondary reservoir has a fluid capacity which is substantially equal to, or greater than, the capacity of fluid required by the second fluid chamber during full stroke of

Abstract: An end fitting for a fiber optic cable for connection to a mating connector, said end fitting comprising a connector body surrounding an end of at least one fiber optic cable and an element movable relative to said connector body from the first position covering an end of said at least one fiber optic cable to a second position in which said end of said fiber optic cable is aligned with said mating connector and in which said movable element prevents separation of said end fitting and said mating connector.