Abstract: An ultrasound interior space monitoring system for a motor vehicle includes at least one ultrasound transmitter and at least one ultrasound receiver that can be attached in the interior space of the motor vehicle and are configured for the contactless monitoring of the interior space. The system is operable in an operating mode which is active when a monitoring mode in which the monitoring of the interior takes place is inactive, wherein a position, a movement speed and/or a movement direction of an object, in particular of a hand of a vehicle occupant, can be determined and at least one fitting element of the vehicle can be actuated in dependence on the position, on the movement speed and/or on the movement direction by means of the at least one ultrasound transmitter and by means of the at least one ultrasound receiver in the operating mode.

Abstract: An electro-valve for discharging a common rail while maintaining a minimum pressure, comprising an electro-magnetic coil inside which is arranged a movable plunger, controlling the displacements of a movable axis engaging a ball valve, said movable plunger being urged in the closing position of the ball valve by a spring housed inside a bearing cap, wherein a bottom wall of the bearing cap surrounds an external surface of the movable plunger, wherein a clearance between the external surface of the plunger and an internal wall of the bearing cap is filled with a film of fuel, the opening movement of the plunger causing the fuel to flow from a room situated on top of the plunger to a bore in which the axis is arranged, wherein a sleeve of a controlled thickness is arranged around the plunger within the clearance to set the thickness of said film of fuel.

Abstract: An electrical coil assembly includes a first housing and a second housing that surroundingly encloses the first housing. The coil assembly includes a ferrite layer and a thermally-conductive silicone layer that overlies the ferrite layer. A wire conductor surrounds the first housing. A structure is received in an opening defined in the first housing to be in thermal communication with the thermally-conductive silicone layer. Another thermally-conductive silicone layer overlies the first housing and the structure so that the structure is also in thermal communication therewith. A metal layer further overlies the thermally-conductive silicone layer that overlies the first housing. The second housing includes a non-dielectric cover and a dielectric cavity portion that receives the first housing. The coil assembly is associated with an electrical charging system that electrically charges an energy storage device disposed on a motorized vehicle.

Abstract: A lightweight radio/CD player for vehicular application includes a case and frontal interface formed of polymer based material molded to provide details to accept audio devices and radio receivers, as well as the circuit boards required for electrical control and display. The case and frontal interface are of composite structure, including an insert molded electrically conductive wire mesh screen that has been pre-formed to contour with the molding operation. The wire mesh provides shielding and grounding of the circuit boards via exposed wire mesh pads and adjacent ground clips. The PCB architecture integrally forms a resilient beam portion adjacent an edge thereof carrying a grounding pad.

Abstract: A system and method for operating a power transistor. Parasitic impedances naturally present in a circuit board or other interconnect structures exhibit a parasitic impedance effective to generate a parasitic voltage signal in response to operating the power transistor. The parasitic voltage signal is monitored in order to better control the power transistor. In particular, the threshold voltage of the power transistor can be determined and used to more optimally control the power transistor.

Abstract: A control device, in particular for a motor vehicle, including a rotary switch and a peripheral display zone which are arranged on a board and which are back-lit by a back-lighting device, the rotary switch including a knob which is mounted in rotation relative to the board about an axis, the knob being provided with an illuminated pointer turning with the knob, the peripheral display zone including fixed illuminated symbols arranged around the rotary switch, characterized by the fact that the back-lighting device includes at least one light source which cooperates with a light guide lighting both the illuminated pointer and the peripheral display zone.

Abstract: An electrical connection system includes a first connector housing including electrical contacts and a second connector housing including corresponding electrical mating contacts. The first connector housing and electrical contacts are configured to mate with the second connector housing and the electrical mating contacts along a mating axis. At least one of the first and second connector housings includes a sealing member that surrounds the electrical contact associated with the at least one of the first and second connector housings and further contains a retaining means to retain the sealing member therein. The retaining means is integrally formed with the connector housing. A method to construct the electrical connection system that includes the sealing member and the integral retaining means is also presented.

Abstract: A sub-cooled condenser for an air conditioning system, having a condenser portion, a sub-cooler portion located below that of the condenser portion, an adjacent receiver tank having a first fluid port in hydraulic connection with the condenser portion and a second fluid port in hydraulic connection with the sub-cooler portion, and a refrigerant diverter assembly disposed in the receiver tank. The refrigerant diverter assembly is configured to divert a refrigerant from the first fluid port to a location beneath the surface level of a refrigerant retained within the receiver tank without impacting the surface level. The refrigerant diverter assembly includes a refrigerant port in hydraulic connection with the first fluid port, axial and annular refrigerant passageways, and a refrigerant conduit having an inlet end in hydraulic communication with the annular passageway and a second fluid port beneath the surface level (S) of the liquid phase refrigerant.

Abstract: A system, controller, and method for aligning a stereo camera of a vehicle mounted object detection system that includes a first camera and a second camera mounted spaced apart on a vehicle. An image from each camera at two different times is used to determine an observed displacement of an object relative to the vehicle. A predicted displacement of the object relative to the vehicle is also determined using either a difference of vehicle position measured based on other vehicle measurements or GPS, or a difference of size of the object in images taken at the two different times. Alignment is provided by determining a triangulation correction based on a difference of the observed displacement and the predicted displacement to correct for misalignment of the cameras.

Abstract: A fuel reformer includes a feedstream delivery unit and a catalytic reactor. The feedstream delivery unit is configured to receive reactants and to provide the reactants to the catalytic reactor. The reformer further includes a flame arrestor disposed between the feedstream delivery unit and the catalytic reactor, and at least one spacer disposed between the feedstream delivery unit and the catalytic reactor, wherein the spacer is configured to allow the reactants to flow therethrough while inhibiting thermal radiation therethrough. In a further aspect, the surfaces of the feedstream delivery unit that come into contact with the reactants in use include coatings that eliminate catalytic reactions of the feedstream within the feedstream delivery unit.

Abstract: A sintered solid composite material is disclosed that includes a metal and a calcium alumina compound. The metal can be a noble metal. This composite material can bond to a ceramic material, and an article is disclosed that includes a first ceramic layer bonded to a second layer of the composite material of metal and calcium alumina compound. The ceramic can be a mixed ionic and electronic conductor (MEIC), and/or have a perovskite crystal structure, and/or be a mixed oxide comprising lanthanum, strontium, cobalt, iron and oxygen. The article can be used as an electrode such as a cathode of a solid oxide fuel cell.

Abstract: An Anode Protection Systems for a SOFC system, having a Reductant Supply and safety subsystem, a SOFC anode protection subsystem, and a Post Combustion and slip stream control subsystem. The Reductant Supply and safety subsystem includes means for generating a reducing gas or vapor to prevent re-oxidation of the Ni in the anode layer during the course of shut down of the SOFC stack. The underlying ammonia or hydrogen based material used to generate a reducing gas or vapor to prevent the re-oxidation of the Ni can be in either a solid or liquid stored inside a portable container. The SOFC anode protection subsystem provides an internal pressure of 0.2 to 10 kPa to prevent air from entering into the SOFC system. The Post Combustion and slip stream control subsystem provides a catalyst converter configured to treat any residual reducing gas in the slip stream gas exiting from SOFC stack.

Abstract: A fuel pump is provided for pressurising fuel in a high-pressure fuel injection system. The fuel pump comprises a pump head, a pumping element, a frame and a casing. The pump head has a pumping chamber that is arranged to receive fuel to be pressurised. The pumping element is arranged to reciprocate responsive to movement of a driving element, the pumping element defining, in part, the pumping chamber so that, in use, as the pumping element reciprocates, a force, transferred from the driving element, is applied to the fuel within the pumping chamber to pressurise the fuel. The frame is arranged to support the driving element and the pump head. The casing defines an internal volume for containing fluid, wherein at least a part of the frame, at least a part of the drive element, and at least a part of the pumping element are received in the casing.

Abstract: An ignition coil for an internal combustion engine includes a magnetically-permeable core a primary winding disposed outward of the core, and a secondary winding disposed outward of the primary winding and inductively coupled to the primary winding. The secondary winding has a left secondary winding section and right secondary winding section. A first end of the left secondary winding section is in electrical contact with a first terminal for delivering a first spark-generating current to a first spark plug. A first end of the right secondary winding section is in electrical contact with a second terminal for delivering a second spark-generating current to a second spark plug. A second end of the first secondary winding and a second end of a the second secondary winding is connected to a third terminal for delivering a third spark-generating current to a third spark plug.

Abstract: A horizontal scroll compressor assembly for compressing a working fluid and lubricated with an oil, including a housing having an axis, an interior surface, and a suction sump for collected oil located in the suction plenum, and a compression mechanism including an orbital scroll member having a thrust surface, the thrust surface and the housing interior surface axially superposed. The thrust surface is provided with an oil distribution channel extending at least partially about an axis. Oil from the suction sump received into the distribution channel urged along the distribution channel and delivered to locations between the superposed surfaces during movement of the orbital scroll member about the axis relative to the housing.

Abstract: A solid state sintered material is described that includes a mixed oxide of lanthanum, strontium, cobalt, iron and oxygen, and CaCO3 inclusions. The solid state sintered material can also include calcium oxide, which can form from thermal composition of calcium carbonate. The solid state sintered material can also include a pore-forming particulate material such as carbon black and/or a doped ceramic metal oxide ionic conductor such as Sm-doped ceria uniformly dispersed in the solid state sintered material. The solid state sintered material can be formed from a two-step process in which a portion of the CaCO3 is mixed with the mixed oxide materials and heated to form porous agglomerates, and the remaining CaCO3 is added during the formation of a sintering paste. The solid state sintered material described herein can be used as a cathode material for solid oxide fuel cell.

Abstract: An electronic device assembly that includes a die and a substrate, and optionally a lead frame and a heat spreader. The die is characterized as an electronic device in die form, and has a polished die region. The substrate has a polished substrate region in direct contact with the polished die region. The polished die region and the polished substrate region have surface finishes effective to attach the die to the substrate by way of an atomic bond. The lead-frame has a polished lead-frame region, and the heat spreader has a polished heat spreader region. These polished regions may also be attached to the polished die region or the polished substrate region by way of an atomic bond.

Abstract: An evaporative emissions control system for reducing the amount of fuel vapor emitted from a vehicle includes a canister containing a sorbent material and a cartridge heater disposed at least partially within the canister in direct contact with the sorbent material. Electrical terminals for applying power to a heating element within the heater are disposed external to the canister. At least one heat sink may be included within the canister in direct contact with the heater. A method of manufacturing an evaporative emission control system that includes a cartridge heater disposed in a canister is also presented.

Abstract: A sensor assembly that integrates a camera and a radar sensor is described herein. The sensor assembly includes a housing configured to partially enclose the camera and the radar sensor, and define a partial radome that partially intrudes into the radar beam. The partial radome is configured such that after passing through the partial radome a first phase angle of the first portion of the radar beam differs from a second phase angle of the second portion of the radar beam by an amount substantially corresponding to an integer number of three hundred sixty degrees (360°) of phase angle shift. The partial radome provides glare shield to the camera, protection to assembly, and is configured to minimally effect radar performance.

Abstract: A wire retention clip includes a first compartment for allowing at least a first wire to pass through the compartment uninterrupted and for retaining the at least one wire to the wire retention clip. The wire retention clip also includes a second compartment that is distinct from the first compartment and contains and electronic device.