Abstract: A plastic component is attached to a mounting structure by a fastener that extends at least into a mounting hole in the plastic component. The mounting hole is located near an edge corner of a cantilevered mounting tab that forms part of the plastic component. The mounting tab comprises a generally flat plate that has a depending flange that extends around a rounded corner near which the mounting hole is located and a depending sleeve that is contiguous with the mounting hole. The mounting tab has a break away portion so that the plastic component can be removed for recycling easily. Three variations of the breakaway portion are disclosed.

Abstract: An electrical connector terminal housing adapted for carrying an electrical terminal, and including a rear wall, a front wall, and sidewalls longitudinally extending between the front and rear walls. A first transverse wall and a second transverse wall longitudinally extend at least partially between the rear and front walls. A cradle is disposed between at least one of the sidewalls and the second transverse wall and is adapted for engagement with corresponding surfaces of the electrical terminal.

Abstract: Impacts with a vehicle body panel are detected by sensing airflow inboard of the vehicle body panel. The airflow can be measured by heated element sensor, a Pitot tube sensor, a venturi sensor or other airflow-responsive sensor. For side impact detection, the sensor is located in a door or pillar on the side of the vehicle; for frontal impact detection, the sensor may be located behind the front bumper. Multiple sensors mounted in distributed locations can be used to determine the location and extent of an impact.

Abstract: Pressure-based combustion parameters of an IC engine are determined based on engine cylinder pressure measurements and crank angle dependent cylinder volume data, where the pressure in a given engine cylinder is periodically sampled at scheduled crank angles to provide a measurement resolution that varies over the combustion cycle for that cylinder, and the cylinder volume data is retrieved from a table of pre-calculated data. The combustion parameter calculations are customized to suit the variable resolution pressure data, and the crank angles used to retrieve the pre-calculated cylinder volume data are offset from the scheduled crank angles to compensate for misalignment of the pressure measurements relative to the scheduled engine crank angles.

Abstract: Substrate shrinkage that occurs during manufacture of an electronic assembly is compensated for by the incorporation of a horizontal line, having a plurality of vertical graduations, across a horizontal portion of a substrate and a vertical line, having a plurality of horizontal graduations, across a vertical portion of the substrate. The substrate is then cured and an amount of substrate shrinkage is determined, based upon a location change in the graduations of the horizontal and vertical lines. In this manner, solder can be properly provided on solder pads of the substrate responsive to the amount of substrate shrinkage. As such, electronic components can be properly mounted to the solder pads of the substrate.

Abstract: An electronics cabinet for storing a plurality of electronic devices therein is provided and includes a fan and an evaporative cooler. The fan draws a flow of air into the cabinet, circulates the flow of air through the evaporative cooler, and then across the electronic devices for removing heat produced by the electronic devices. The evaporative cooler removes heat from the flow of air by absorbing heat from the flow of air and then dissipating the heat by evaporating a liquid into a secondary airflow, which is directed out of the cabinet. The cabinet includes a cold air plenum having an actuator for adjusting a cross-sectional area of the cold air plenum to control the airflow through each of the supports.

Abstract: A fuel injection system includes a fuel injector socket including a first attachment feature and a fuel injector including a second attachment feature that corresponds with the first attachment feature. The first attachment feature engages with the second attachment feature connecting the fuel injector to the fuel injector socket and preventing rotational movement of the fuel injector relative to the fuel injector socket. The corresponding attachment features not only enable simple connection and disconnection of a fuel injector to a fuel injector socket of a fuel rail, but can also be integrated into existing injector to fuel rail assembly processes and are applicable in any fuel injection system. The corresponding attachment features may be used with metal fabricated fuel rail assemblies as well as for fuel rail assemblies where the manifold supply tube and the fuel injector sockets are overmolded with a plastic material.

Abstract: A detecting device for a vehicle and method thereof is provided. The device includes a first infrared detector, a second infared detector, and a controller. The first infrared detector is configured to repeatedly measure a temperature of a first target area by receiving infrared radiation of the first target area over a sampling period. The second infrared detector is configured to repeatedly measure a temperature of a second target area by receiving infrared radiation of the second target area over the sampling period. The controller is configured to receive and store the plurality of first and second signals, wherein the controller repeatedly compares a plurality of correlation values to a predetermined tolerance range above a minimum threshold value, wherein the correlation values are determined by repeatedly comparing a plurality of time delayed signals of the second plurality of signals to a real time signal of the plurality of first signals.

Abstract: A cam drive apparatus comprising a magnetic gear adapted to communicate rotational movement between a crankshaft and a cam shaft, wherein said magnetic gear comprises an outer member comprising a plurality of circumferentially spaced magnet means, said outer member being mounted for rotation with one of said crankshaft and camshaft, an inner member comprising a plurality of circumferentially spaced magnet means, said inner member being concentrically arranged within said outer member to define an annular gap therebetween, and an intermediate member comprising a plurality of circumferentially spaced ferromagnetic pole pieces located within said annular gap between said inner and outer members and being mounted for rotation with the other of said crankshaft and camshaft.

Abstract: A rotary knob and push button assembly comprising a rotary knob being configured to rotate, a rotary actuated potentiometer actuated by rotation of the rotary knob, and at least four actuators within the rotary knob. Each actuator is configured to selectively activate a selected circuit. The actuators do not rotate with rotation of the rotary knob.

Abstract: Magnetic ring systems for attachment to a shaft and methods of making and using are provided. According to an embodiment, a magnetic ring system for attachment to a shaft comprises: a magnetic ring; and an adaptor configured to fit, inside the magnetic ring, the adaptor comprising an inner wall spaced from an outer wall, wherein the inner wall comprises a plurality of grooves for engaging the shaft.

Abstract: An extrudable wiring harness clip has an elongate base for taping the wiring harness clip to a bundle of cables and an integral self expanding head for attaching the bundle of cables to a support panel or the like. The extrudable wiring harness clip has a constant cross section extending from a front face to a rear face that are preferably parallel to each other. The bottom surface of the elongate base is preferably flat or at least not curved in a direction that is parallel to the length of the elongate base. The extrudable wiring harness clip is made by slicing a portion from an extrusion strip.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method for degrading and disabling a vehicle's engine throttle. The vehicle disable system includes a throttle position sensor that generates a throttle position signal, an electronic control module (“ECM”) input connected to the ECM on which the throttle position sensor provides the throttle position signal to the ECM, and an override input that enables an idling signal to be transmitted to the ECM instead of the throttle position signal. The method of the present invention includes the steps of receiving an input signal related to the state of the driver input mechanism, interpreting the input signal, and at least one of degrading and disabling the throttle based on the interpretation of the input signal.

Abstract: A fuel injector including a filter 30 provided within the tip portion 12 of the injector body 10, down stream of the fuel inlet port 14 and upstream of the spray aperture 14. The filter 30 is in the form of a hollow truncated cone with a base region 32 having an outer diameter dimensioned to be a press fit against the inner sides of the tip portion 12 such that the filter is a press fit within the tip portion. The top or upper region of the cone terminates in an aperture 34 through which the pintle 16 passes, the aperture having an inner diameter dimensioned to be a close sliding fit over the pintle 16.

Abstract: A dual mode hydraulic actuator, comprising: a housing; a rod secured to a piston, the rod and piston being slidably received within the housing; a first chamber positioned on one side of the piston; a second chamber positioned on another side of the piston; a sealed reservoir; a fluid disposed in the first chamber, the second chamber and the reservoir; a bidirectional pump for moving the fluid between the first chamber, the second chamber and the sealed reservoir; a bi-mode control valve for providing selective fluid communication between the first chamber, the second chamber and the sealed reservoir, wherein the bi-mode control valve is spring biased into a neutral position wherein fluid communication between the first chamber, the second chamber and the sealed reservoir is prevented; and wherein the bi-mode control valve is capable of being manually manipulated into a manual mode position wherein fluid flow from the first chamber to the second chamber is provided and fluid flow from or to the sealed reservo

Abstract: A duplexer assembly is provided and includes a circuit board and a duplexer connected to the circuit board by a joint material, wherein the joint material provides a joint thickness of at least about 10 mils.

Abstract: A steering column assembly includes a steering column having a selectively collapsible structure that enables said column to collapse in the event of an impact force resulting from a vehicle crash. An adaptive energy absorbing device is associated with said column and operates in a first condition to absorb a first level of energy of the collapsing column and in a second condition to absorb a second level of energy of the collapsing column. The assembly includes a telltale detection device that is associated with the adaptive energy absorbing device and is responsive to a change in condition of the energy absorbing device prior to a collapse event to provide a signal to a user of the condition of the energy absorbing device.

Abstract: The universal joint includes an outer joint member having a rotational axis and three guide grooves extending parallel to its rotational axis. The three guide grooves are equally circumferentially spaced about the axis and each has opposed side portions. The universal joint also includes an inner joint member disposed inside the outer member. The inner joint member has a rotational axis and three arms equally spaced about this rotational axis extending radially into the guide grooves of the outer joint member. Each aim carries a roller having an external surface which engages the opposed side portions of the guide groove into which the arm extends. The roller is constrained to roll along the guide groove and each roller being able to rotate about, move lengthwise of, and tilt relative to the arm by which it is carried.

Abstract: A capacitive sensor apparatus is disposed between the bottom cushion and frame of a seat. The sensor apparatus includes first and second mutually parallel rigid force translation plates biased apart by a set of springs, first and second conductor plates centrally affixed to inboard faces of the first and second force translation plates, and a control circuit responsive to the gap capacitance between the first and second conductor plates. The force translation plates are joined in a manner to maintain the conductor plates parallel to each other while permitting movement of either force translation plate relative to the other in a mutually perpendicular direction.

Abstract: A light analyzer device and a method for detecting objects utilizing the light analyzer device are provided. The light analyzer device includes a focal plane array configured to receive the light that has passed through a light filter and to generate a first digital image based on the light that has passed through the light filter. The light analyzer device further includes a microprocessor operably coupled to the focal plane array. The microprocessor is configured to receive the first digital image, and to determine whether the first digital image corresponds to a stored digital image. The light analyzer device further includes a light emitting device operably coupled to the microprocessor. The microprocessor is further configured to induce the light emitting device to output a visual indicator indicating that the first digital image corresponds to the stored digital image.