Abstract: A tripot-type universal joint includes a drive shaft mounting a spider with three roller elements disposed in three corresponding guide channels of an outer drive housing. The housing is formed with a retention groove on an inner surface thereof in which a stamped metal retainer is disposed. The retainer includes stop portions which extend along the running surfaces of the guide channels for wedging engagement between the drive rollers and drive channels to limit the outward stroke of the inner drive member and prevent the removal of the rollers from the housing.

Abstract: A fuel injector includes a tubular injector body which has an open, upper end and defines an axial fuel passage. A solenoid actuator assembly is disposed in the injector body and includes a spool-like bobbin with a central through-bore and a wound wire coil supported thereon. A magnetic circuit pole subassembly includes a fuel tube, a valve guide, and a pole piece. The fuel tube has a tubular portion and a lower circular flange portion radially extending from a lower terminal end of the tubular portion to contact the open, upper end of the injector body. The nonmagnetic valve guide has a guide cylindrical portion, extending axially downward through the central throughbore and is closely encircled by the bobbin, and a guide circular flange portion radially extending from an upper end of the guide cylindrical portion and mating with the lower circular flange portion of the fuel tube.

Abstract: An adapter for interfacing, electrically and structurally, a flex-terminal receptacle to a barrel-terminal receptacle. The adapter has a first end configured as an inlaid pin terminal receptacle, and has a second end configured as a projecting pin terminal receptacle. The inlaid pin terminal receptacle includes a base plane having a plurality of pin slots having an inlaid pin forming thereat an inlaid pin terminal. Each pin slot is positioned so that the exposed contact surface thereof is interfaceable with the apex of a respective flex-terminal of a flex-terminal receptacle, and the dimension of the base plane is such as to interfit generally snugly within the flex-terminal receptacle. The projecting pin receptacle includes a shroud which is dimensioned to snugly receive therein a barrel-terminal receptacle, inclusive of the indexing tabs thereof. Each pin of each pin slot passes through a dividing wall of the adapter and therefrom projects as a projecting pin terminal within the shroud.

Abstract: An ignition control system for an internal combustion engine includes a control circuit, an ignition coil, a switch, and a sensing circuit. The control circuit is configured to interrupt a primary current, thereby establishing a secondary current which is discharged to cause a spark plug coupled to the secondary winding to produce a first spark. The sensing circuit is configured to generate a secondary current signal representative of a level of secondary current. The control circuit is responsive to the secondary current signal to terminate the discharge by closing the switch to cause the primary current to again flow in preparation of a second spark. The termination of the discharge occurs when the secondary current level reaches a secondary current threshold which is determined as a function of engine speed and ambient temperature.

Abstract: A ferrule (10) for attachment to the end of an optical fiber (28) comprising a tubular body (12) having a front face (14) and a rear face (16); a ring member (18) positioned adjacent the front face and having an internal diameter which allows a close sliding fit on the body; and a breakable membrane (20) connecting the ring member to the body; wherein the tubular body has an axially extending through bore (22) having a front portion (24) opening through the front face and being sized to receive an optical fiber in a close fit, and a rear portion (26) opening through the rear face and being sized to receive a sheath or jacket (30) of the optical fiber in a close fit; wherein the tubular body has two or more axially extending slots (32) which open into the rear portion of the bore and open through the rear face, and which define resilient arms (34) therebetween for gripping the sheath; and wherein the ferrule is moulded in one piece from plastics material.

Abstract: A vehicle fuel system has an integrated fuel rail and fuel pump that supplies high pressure fuel directly to the injectors mounted on the engine. The pump is a double acting single piston pump that has two pumping chambers formed co-axially in a single cavity. One pumping chamber is twice the size of the other pumping chamber thereby producing an output flow equal to one half the volume of the larger pumping chamber during each stroke. The smaller pumping chamber communicates with a co-axial fuel rail portion of the cavity. A plurality of outlet ports, one for each injector, are disposed in fluid communication with the fuel rail portion of the cavity.

Abstract: A brake pedal for a motor vehicle brake-by-wire brake system including a pedal lever resiliently flexible in beam bending, a foot pad on the pedal lever, and a mounting for the pedal lever on a body of the motor vehicle which constitutes the pedal lever a variable stiffness cantilever spring. The mounting for the pedal lever includes a socket for an inboard end of the pedal lever, a stationary reaction surface on the body of the motor vehicle, and a pedal lever reaction surface on the pedal lever which faces and diverges from the stationary reaction surface in a release position of the pedal lever. The stationary reaction surface and the pedal lever reaction surface become progressively engaged concurrent with resilient flexure of the pedal lever in cantilever spring bending to vary the stiffness of the cantilever spring.

Abstract: A constant velocity joint provides an increase in maximum joint angle without a corresponding increase in joint package size. The joint has a modified radial groove profile which significantly decreases ball movement radially inward of the ball center radius so that the ball cage may be increased in diameter without a corresponding increase in ball center radius. The radial groove profile provides a required predetermined funnel angle for ball control at the ball centered point of contact but minimal change in distance from the joint center over most of the axially inner side of the grooves in the outer joint member. One embodiment provides a circular arc centered on the joint center axially inward of the ball center point of contact, a circular arc centered on a point offset from the joint center on the axially outer side of the ball centered point of contact and a straight line on the axially inner side of the ball centered point of contact joining and tangent to both arcs.

Abstract: An air conditioning system (10) for a passenger compartment of a motor vehicle comprises a first heat exchanger (14) positionable outside the passenger compartment; a second heat exchanger (18) positionable inside the passenger compartment; an expansion device (16) positioned in a first fluid passage (22) between the heat exchangers; an electronically controlled variable stroke compressor (12) for pumping fluid into the second fluid passage and either in a first direction (X) or in a second direction (Y); reverse flow means (32) in the second fluid passage for controlling the direction of the flow of fluid; first sensing means (36) providing a first output signal indicative of the actual temperature of the air leaving the second heat exchanger; second sensing means (40) providing a second output signal indicative of the humidity of the air leaving the second heat exchanger; third sensing means (46) providing a third output signal indicative of the temperature of the air in the passenger compartment; and contr

Abstract: A courtesy light fixture for an automotive vehicle includes a housing having a base, a header wall and a supporting portion connecting the header wall to the base. The base includes a plurality of resilient clips which snap onto a support member of a door module. Resilient fingers of the base bear against the support member and urge the base inward to seat the clips against the support. The header wall mounts a lamp receptacle. A seal surrounding the receptacle engages a flange of a lens assembly on a trim panel of the door module so that a lamp in the receptacle is held in a fixed relation with the lens assembly for best illumination of the lighted area. The lens assembly is removable from the trim panel for changing the lamp without removing the trim panel from the door.

Abstract: An ignition coil for a spark ignition engine includes a cylindrical magnetic core having opposite first and second ends. Preferably, the magnetic core has a circular cross section. Permanent magnets similarly shaped as the core are disposed at the ends of the magnetic core. The magnets are made from a microencapsulated magnetic material, resulting in increased resisitivity and decreased eddy current loss. By using the microencapsulated magnets, the voltage output of the ignition coil is increased while requiring no additional input energy. A primary winding is wound about the magnetic core between the first and second ends. A secondary winding assembly is disposed about the primary winding and the core. The secondary winding assembly includes a spool and secondary winding wound thereon. The secondary winding is inductively coupled to the primary winding. An outer case is disposed about said magnetic core, magnets and the primary and secondary windings.

Abstract: A biasing circuit for an ion current measurement system draws power from a primary side of the ignition coil, and applies a positive polarity bias voltage to a low voltage side of a secondary winding of the ignition coil. The biasing circuit includes a silicon-controlled rectifier (SCR) which has an on state for carrying spark current during a spark interval of operation, and further includes an off state which prevents the stored biasing voltage on a capacitor from being shunted to ground, thereby allowing ion current sensing through the low voltage side of the secondary winding. The low on-state voltage drop of the SCR during conduction of spark current minimizes losses of spark energy.

Abstract: A jounce bumper plate for a damping module of a type commonly employed automotive suspension system having a hydraulic cylinder with an upper end cover, a piston rod slidably extending from the upper end of the cylinder and ajounce bumper mounted upon the piston rod. The jounce bumper plate mounted on an upper end of the cylinder and includes a central bore therethrough to allow slidable passage of the piston rod, and includes a series of arches extending about the outer periphery of the plate. The arches increase in curvature from the central bore to the outer periphery, thereby forming gaps between the jounce bumper plate and the associated hydraulic cylinder to facilitate the expulsion of moisture and contaminants from the upper end of the hydraulic cylinder during compression and extension cycles of the associated cylinder.

Abstract: Moldable intumescent thermoplastic elastomer materials are disclosed based on suitable proportions of polyethylene, chlorinated polyethylene and a silicone elastomer with silphenylene siloxane monomer moieties and stabilizers, all with foamers, char formers and fillers. Examples of suitable silphenylene-siloxane monomer moieties are 1,4-phenylene-hexamethyltrisiloxanyl and 1,4-phenylene-1,1,3,5,5-pentamethyl-3-vinyltrisiloxanyl where the respective methyl groups may be replaced with suitable phenyl groups or other lower alkyl groups and their fluorinated analogs.

Abstract: A vapor canister and fuel tank assembly for a vehicle includes a fuel tank having an interior chamber and a tank opening communicating with the interior chamber. The vapor canister and fuel tank assembly also includes an insert disposed in the interior chamber and the tank opening and forming a vapor plenum chamber in the tank opening and a canister chamber therein. The vapor canister and fuel tank assembly includes a canister bed disposed in the canister chamber to absorb vapor fuel in the vapor plenum chamber. The vapor canister and fuel tank assembly further includes a coaxial line having one end for connection to an engine of the vehicle and another end connected to the vapor plenum chamber to allow liquid fuel to communicate with the interior chamber and vapor fuel to communicate with the vapor plenum chamber.

Abstract: A multi-station machine for filling storage batteries has an unloading station, a loading station and a filling station. At the unloading station, a filled battery case is removed from a pivotally mounted cradle assembly including an acid container. At the loading station, adjacent the unloading station, the battery case is loaded in the cradle assembly in a vertical orientation and then tilted to and latched in an angular orientation. At the filling station, the battery case and acid container are further tilted to a horizontal orientation, the container is filled with acid and then returned to the tilted and latched orientation. When all of the cradle assemblies are filled with battery cases and acid container are filled with acid, the cradle assemblies, are spun at a speed sufficient to rotate the assemblies to a more tilted orientation to cause centrifugally induced flow of the acid into the battery case while simultaneously unlatching the cradle assemblies.

Abstract: A diagnostic circuit (18) for a potentiometric sensor (10) having an electrically resistive means (12) and a sliding contact (14) in connection with the resistive means and providing an output from the sensor at a sensor output terminal (16), the diagnostic circuit comprising a low pass filter (36) connectable between the sliding contact and the sensor output terminal; alternating voltage supply means (20,21,22,24) having a high impedance connectable to the sliding contact; and amplitude modulation demodulating means (30,32,34) connectable between the sliding contact and a diagnostic output terminal (38), the voltage at the diagnostic output terminal providing an indication of the contact resistance between the sliding contact and the resistive means of the sensor. Monitors the contact resistance without interfering with the sensor output.

Abstract: A door trim assembly and method for making same for attachment to an inner panel of an automotive vehicle includes a plurality of components and a single carrier formed from a plastic material for attachment to the inner panel of the automotive vehicle and incorporating the plurality of components into the plastic material and a door trim substrate attached to the carrier.

Abstract: A novel high energy density electrode for rechargeable lithium batteries, and process of making same has been developed. The process forms a composite which (1) comprises submicron particles of lithium-alloying sp elements embedded in a conductive matrix of carbon, graphite or a lithium-containing, ionically-conductive glass, and (2) is capable of reversibly accepting and donating lithium. The particles are produced within the conductive matrix through the reaction of halides (e.g., Cl) of the sp elements with Si, B, S or P, which forms volatile halides (e.g., SiClx, SCIx, BCIx and PCIx) and submicron size (i.e., less than 0.1 micron, and preferably nanometer size) sp element particles distributed throughout the matrix. By sp element is meant an element whose valence electrons reside in the s and p orbitals of the atoms and are found in the third, fourth and fifth rows of the group III, IV and V elements of the periodic table.

Abstract: A pivot and slide door system for an automotive vehicle includes a door adapted to be disposed in a door opening of a vehicle body. The pivot and slide door system also includes a pivot assembly attached to the vehicle body and cooperating with the door to pivot the door from a closed position to a pivot position. The pivot and slide door system further includes a slide assembly cooperating with the pivot assembly to slide the door from the pivot position to an open position.