Abstract: A casing for encapsulation of an electrical component, for example a piezoelectric actuator, comprising an outer layer of a semipermeable material and an inner layer comprising a chemically active, hydrophilic substance that chemically combines with water to form a compound.

Abstract: A heated fuel injector system and controller that includes a temperature sensing means to provide closed-loop control of a heating element heating fuel dispensed by a heated fuel injector. Closed-loop control provides more accurate temperature control of the heating element so that fuel heating is provided as quickly as possible while also protecting the fuel from being boiled and protecting the heated fuel injector from being damaged by excessive temperature. By monitoring how the signal from the temperature sensing means varies over time, fault conditions such as a lack of fuel flow, and fuel ethanol percentage may be detected.

Abstract: A communication system and method thereof are provided, wherein the system includes a first satellite configured to re-transmit at least a first transmitted signal at a first frequency band, a second satellite configured to re-transmit the first transmitted signal at a second frequency band, and a first terrestrial repeater configured to re-transmit the first transmitted signal at a third frequency band. The system further includes a third satellite configured to re-transmit a second transmitted signal at the third frequency band that is different than the first transmitted signal re-transmitted by the first and second satellites, such that the first signal re-transmitted by the first terrestrial repeater, and the second signal re-transmitted by the third satellite interfere with one another, wherein the first signals re-transmitted by the first satellite, the second satellite, and the first terrestrial repeater includes substantially the same data.

Abstract: A cable assembly includes a terminal crimped to a conductor. The terminal has a plurality of crimps spaced from one another and a transition crimp disposed therebetween. A method includes deforming the terminal about the conductor to define the plurality of crimps having different crimp heights, and deforming the terminal about the conductor to define the transition crimp between each of the plurality of crimps. The transition crimp has a crimp height different than each of the plurality of crimps.

Abstract: The assembly includes a pair of heat exchangers, each including an upper and lower manifold, parallel and spaced relative to one another. Tubes extend between each set of upper and lower manifolds with fins disposed between each of the tubes. A valve system controls fluid flow between the upper manifolds and the lower manifolds. The valve system is movable between a maximum cooling mode with fluid flow form the first upper manifold through both of the tubes and to said first lower manifold. A temperate mode allows fluid to flow from the first upper manifold to the first lower manifold and from the second upper manifold to the second lower manifold to prevent flash fogging. A maximum cooling mode allows fluid to flow from the second upper manifold through both of the first and second tubes to the lower manifolds.

Abstract: An exhaust gas sensor and a method for determining concentrations of exhaust gas constituents are provided. The exhaust gas sensor includes a NO2 Nernst cell that generates a first voltage indicative of a NO2 concentration in the exhaust gases communicating with the NO2 sensing electrode. The exhaust gas sensor further includes a NOx Nernst cell that generates a second voltage indicative of a NOx concentration in the exhaust gases communicating with the NOx sensing electrode. The exhaust gas sensor further includes a NH3 Nernst cell that generates a third voltage indicative of a NH3 concentration in the exhaust gases communicating with the NH3 sensing electrode.

Abstract: Elimination of sodium contamination at the negative terminal of an electrical stri resistance heater (1, FIGS. 2 and 4) for a gas sensor (3) can be accomplished by providing a grounding plane (-18?) electrically connected to system ground and located between the heater (1) and the sensor (3).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for the recognition and tracking of a moving object, in particular of a pedestrian, from a motor vehicle, at which a camera device is arranged. An image of the environment including picture elements is taken in the range of view of the camera device (20) by means of the camera device at regular time intervals and those picture elements are identified with the help of an image processing system which correspond to moving objects to be tracked.

Abstract: A diverter valve assembly is used in a material handling system and may include a diverter valve, an actuator, a chute, and a material handling line. The diverter valve has a body that defines an inlet bore and a pair of outlet bores. A rotor is located within the body and rotates, depending on factors, between the pair of outlet bores. The actuator is connected to the rotor in a way that it can rotate the rotor. The chute communicates with the inlet bore. And a material handling line communicates with each of the pair of outlet bores.

Abstract: A method of operating a fuel injector including a piezoelectric actuator having a stack of piezoelectric elements, and wherein in use the injector communicates with a fuel rail, the method comprises: applying a discharge current to the actuator for a discharge period so as to discharge the stack from a first differential voltage level across the stack to a second differential voltage level across the stack; maintaining the second differential voltage level for a period of time; and applying a charge current to the actuator for a charge period so as to charge the stack from the second differential voltage level to a third differential voltage level; wherein the third differential voltage level is selected in dependence on at least two engine parameters, the at least two engine parameters selected from: rail pressure; the electric pulse time; and the piezoelectric stack temperature.

Abstract: An improved probabilistic lane assignment method for detected objects in the scene forward of a host vehicle. Road/lane model parameters, preferably including an angular orientation of the host vehicle in its lane, are estimated from host vehicle sensor systems, taking into account measurement uncertainty in each of the constituent parameters. A probabilistic assignment of the object's lane is then assessed based on the road/lane model parameters and object measurements, again taking into account measurement uncertainty in both the road/lane model and object measurements. According to a first embodiment, the probabilistic assignment is discrete in nature, indicating a confidence or degree-of-belief that the detected object resides in each of a number of lanes. According to a second embodiment, the probabilistic assignment is continuous in nature, providing a lateral separation distance between the host vehicle and the object, and a confidence or degree-of-belief in the lateral separation distance.

Abstract: An emergency shutdown apparatus for a solid-oxide fuel cell system, including a fuel cell stack, comprises a reservoir containing a reducing fluid, a valve enabling or preventing flow of the reducing fluid from the reservoir to the fuel cell stack, a timing circuit operating and controlling the valve, and a battery powering the timing circuit. The apparatus for an emergency system shutdown is able to operate independently of the main power plant and does not require any active control from the solid-oxide fuel cell system. The disclosed apparatus is entirely a stand-alone component that may be added to any conventional solid-oxide fuel cell system. The apparatus in accordance with the invention can be recharged, allowing the same hardware to be used over and over, however, a disposable unit could be used if found to be desirable.

Abstract: A method of making a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) stack that includes the steps of applying a seal enhancing coating and a conductive coating onto respective surfaces of a separator plate and simultaneously co-firing the coatings in a reducing atmosphere. The method may also include, prior to the step of co-firing, the step of assembling a plurality of separator plates with complementary cell-retainer assemblies to form a plurality of fuel cell cassettes. The fuel cell cassettes are then stacked with a glass sealant applied between the fuel cell cassettes to form a SOFC stack. The entire SOFC stack is then co-fired in a reducing atmosphere such that the seal enhancing and conductive coatings are bonded into the respective surfaces and the glass sealant devitrify to form a glass seal joining and sealing the cassettes of the SOFC stack.

Abstract: A combustor generates and supplies hot combustion gases to a fuel reformer. The combustor includes a housing defining a combustion chamber. The combustor also includes a fuel vaporizer having a fuel tube with an electric heating element. The fuel tube is positioned such that a portion thereof extends into the combustion chamber and is exposed to the hot combustion gases exiting the combustion chamber. An electric current is supplied to the electric heating element to vaporize the liquid fuel within the fuel tube when the temperature within the combustion chamber is below is a predetermined temperature. Substantially no electric current is supplied to the electric heating element when the temperature within the combustion chamber is at least the predetermined temperature and the hot combustion gases passing over the portion of the fuel tube extending into the combustion chamber vaporize the liquid fuel within the fuel tube.

Abstract: A multi-stack fuel cell system is disclosed where multiple fuel cell stacks can be efficiently connected together. The fuel cell system includes a plurality of fuel cell modules include a sealed planar fuel cell stack that has internal manifold channels for transport of fuel and air to fuel cells within the stack and transport of tail gas and spent air away from fuel cells within the stack. Each of the fuel cell stacks is mounted on a base manifold, and the base manifold has side openings in fluid communication with the stack internal manifold channels. The side openings on the base manifold are configured so that the modules can be efficiently connected together.

Abstract: An occupant detection system with noise reduction, a controller having noise reduction for an occupant detection system and a method for reducing noise in an occupant detection system. A high order digital filter is used to filter harmonics of a noise signal from an electrode signal used to determine an occupant presence or absence of the occupant. A way of sampling the electrode signal and the implementation of the high order digital filter cooperate such that the signal processing can be performed by a lower cost general purpose microprocessor as opposed to using a higher cost digital signal processor.

Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell stack having a plurality of cassettes and a glass composite seal disposed between the sealing surfaces of adjacent cassettes, thereby joining the cassettes and providing a hermetic seal therebetween. The glass composite seal includes an alkaline earth aluminosilicate (AEAS) glass disposed about a viscous glass such that the AEAS glass retains the viscous glass in a predetermined position between the first and second sealing surfaces. The AEAS glass provides geometric stability to the glass composite seal to maintain the proper distance between the adjacent cassettes while the viscous glass provides for a compliant and self-healing seal. The glass composite seal may include fibers, powders, and/or beads of zirconium oxide, aluminum oxide, yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ), or mixtures thereof, to enhance the desirable properties of the glass composite seal.

Abstract: A chemical reactor is provided that includes: a plurality of tubes having a catalytic reactor substrate therein, each of the tubes having an inlet at one end for receiving a fluid flow and an outlet at an opposing end for discharging fluid flow, and a longitudinal axis parallel to the direction of fluid flow through the tube, the longitudinal axis of each tube being parallel to one another; and a plurality of heat exchange fins disposed on and extending radially from the exterior surface of each tube; the heat exchange fins on each tube independently having a profile along a cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of each tube, and the tubes being arranged with respect to one another, such that the heat exchange fin profiles together form a tessellated pattern in a plane that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the tubes.

Abstract: A fuel injector-engine component assembly includes an engine component with a stepped bore defined along an axis and having a stepped bore stop surface facing axially upward. A fuel injector extending along the axis is disposed in the stepped bore and includes a fuel injector stop surface facing axially downward and axially opposing the stepped bore stop surface. An isolation ring is disposed between the engine component and fuel injector stop surfaces for axially isolating the fuel injector from the engine component. The isolation ring includes a rigid support member for limiting the axial motion of the engine component and fuel injector stop surfaces together. The isolation ring also includes a resilient and compliant isolation member located axially between the engine component and fuel injector stop surfaces to provide acoustic and thermal isolation between the fuel injector and the engine component below a predetermined pressure of the fuel injector.

Abstract: A fuel cell system is disclosed comprising a plurality of fuel cell modules including a sealed planar fuel cell stack, the stack including internal manifold channels for transport of fuel and air to fuel cells within the stack and transport of tail gas and spent air away from fuel cells within the stack. Each of the fuel cell stacks is mounted on a stack footprint area of a top member of a base manifold. The base manifolds are configured to allow for interconnection of a number of fuel cell stack modules to provide a fuel cell system capable of producing power outputs that otherwise would have required large surface area cells or stack with a large number of cells.