Abstract: An inflatable cushion for an air bag module, the inflatable cushion comprising: an inflation opening for providing fluid communication to an interior of the inflatable cushion; a first tether having a cushion securement end and a mounting end, the cushion securement end being fixedly secured to the inflatable cushion and the mounting end having a mounting member, the mounting member being capable of pivotal movement with respect to the mounting end, wherein the mounting member is an integral portion of the first tether folded and secured upon itself to define the mounting member; and wherein the mounting member is capable of being positioned between a first position and a second position, the first position being orthogonal to a portion of the first tether and the second position being parallel to a portion of the first tether.

Abstract: An optical system for vehicle operating monitoring is disclosed. The optical system includes at least one illuminator that illuminates a profile of a vehicle operator and an imager in optical communication with a reflector that captures a reflected image of the vehicle operator profile from the reflector. A method is also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention provides a compressor with a shut off valve disposed between the crank case and the suction cavity. The valve is moveable between an open and closed position in response to the pressure in the discharge cavity of the compressor. The valve is an on/off valve and is operable rapidly depressurize the interior of the crank case when the compressor transitions from a minimum stroke. The valve can define first and second fluid pathways. The first fluid pathway can be larger than the second fluid pathway and be selectively opened and closed. The second fluid pathway can be permanently open and act as a bleed between the crank case and the suction cavity.

Abstract: A method of making a fluid cooled microelectronic package in which fluid is circulated through the package in fluid-carrying channels defined at least in part by voids in an encapsulant that surrounds the package components. Preferably, the encapsulant channels are defined in part by heat producing components of the package so that coolant fluid directly contacts such components. The coolant fluid can be electrically conductive or non-conductive depending on the type of components being cooled. The coolant channels are formed by insert-molding a form in the encapsulant, and removing the form following the molding process. Alternately, the encapsulant is formed in two or more pieces that are joined to form the package, and the coolant channels are defined by recesses formed in at least one of the encapsulant pieces.

Abstract: A sensors casing supports torque sensors and the position sensors and segment magneto-sensitive elements to detect the relative rotation between an input shaft and an output shaft and the angular position of the shaftsin a steering column housing. The sensor casing is removeably attached to the support housing by a mounting flange for detaching the electrical components from the steering column housing assembly.

Abstract: In a process for forming a methane-enriched fuel, a hydrocarbon feedstock that includes hydrocarbons having molecular weights greater than that of methane (CH4) is mixed with an oxidizable gaseous reactant that includes water (H2O) and is free of molecular oxygen (O2). The mixture, which has a H2O/total hydrocarbon (H2O/C) ratio of less than about 1, is heated to an elevated temperature in the presence of a catalyst to form a methane-enriched pre-reformate product. At least a portion of the feedstock hydrocarbons having molecular weights greater than that of methane is converted to methane (CH4) in the process.

Abstract: A fluid-cooled electronic assembly including a base having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet therein, a cap attached to the base to form a fluid containment chamber therebetween, wherein the fluid containment chamber is in fluid communication with the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet, and an electronic device disposed within the fluid containment chamber and connected to the base, the electronic device having a plurality of microchannels adapted to receive a cooling fluid flow therethrough, wherein the cap is shaped to direct a fluid flow from the fluid inlet to the microchannels such that a pressure drop between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet is reduced.

Abstract: A vane-type camshaft phaser for varying the timing of combustion valves in an internal combustion engine. The phaser includes a seat formed in the sprocket at the appropriate position of intermediate rotor rotation and a locking pin slidably disposed in a vane of the rotor for engaging the seat to lock the rotor to the stator at the intermediate position. A bias spring system disposed on a cover plate urges the rotor toward the intermediate locking position from any position retarded of the locking position but does not engage the rotor during valve timing-advance motion thereof from the intermediate locking position.

Abstract: A receiver includes a channel decoder select circuit, a plurality of communication channels, at least one maximum ratio combiner circuit, and a forward error correction circuit. The plurality of communication channels receive wireless information from channel demodulators and are in communication with respective channel decoder circuits, which are in communication with the channel decoder select circuit. The at least one maximum ratio combiner circuit receives the wireless information from the plurality of communication channels. The output of the maximum ratio combiner is communicated to the forward error correction circuit, the output of which is communicated to the channel decoder select circuit. A pseudo bit error measurement feedback signal communicated to the maximum ratio combiner from one of the plurality of channel decoder circuits. A method for finding wireless satellite signals that minimizes errors in a receiver system is also disclosed.

Abstract: The CAM signal of a four-stroke internal combustion engine that also includes a CRANK signal having a sync feature is decoded by defining an observation window of predefined duration with respect a pulse transition of the CAM signal. The CAM signal is uniquely decoded during the observation window by monitoring for a pulse transition of the CAM signal and the sync feature of the CRANK signal.

Abstract: A fuel injector for an internal combustion engine, the injector comprising an injector body having a tip portion defining at least one spray aperture; a pintle extending within the tip portion, the pintle having a head portion engageable with a valve seat to close the spray aperture, the pintle being axially moveable between a closed position wherein the head portion abuts the valve seat and an open position wherein the head portion is spaced from the valve seat; actuating means for selectively urging the pintle towards its open position; guide means being provided within the injector body guiding the pintle for axial movement between its closed and open positions; a fuel supply chamber being defined within the injector body between the spray aperture and the guide means, characterized in that the diameters of the guide means and valve seat are selected such that the pintle is substantially pressure balanced.

Abstract: A resonator and method of designing a resonator including a cavity having an effective length that exceeds ?/8 such that a standing wave having an anti-node will form in the cavity. First and second necks each having first ends are attached to and in fluid communication with the cavity, the first neck being positioned adjacent the anti-node and thereby operable to interfere with said standing wave.

Abstract: An electromechanical VVA system for controlling the poppet valves in the cylinder head of an internal combustion engine. The system varies valve lift, duration, and phasing in a dependent manner for one or more banks of engine valves. A rocker subassembly for each valve or valve pair is pivotably disposed on a control shaft between the camshaft and the roller finger follower. The control shaft may be displaced about a pivot axis outside the control shaft to change the angular relationship of the rocker subassembly to the camshaft, thus changing the valve opening, closing, and lift. A plurality of control shafts for controlling all valvetrains in an engine bank defines a control shaft assembly. The angular positions of the individual control shafts may be tuned to optimize the valve timing of each cylinder. The system is applicable to the intake and exhaust camshafts of diesel and gasoline engines.

Abstract: A thermoelectric material having enhanced Seebeck coefficient is characterized by a microstructure comprising nanoscale Pb inclusions dispersed in matrix substantially composed of PbTe. The excess Pb is obtained either by adding Pb in an amount greater than the stoichiometric amount needed to form PbTe, or by adding an additive effective to getter Te so as to produce the desired excess. The method is generally applicable to enhance thermoelectric properties of compounds of Pb, Sn or Ge, and Te, Se, or S.

Abstract: A circuit board assembly having a laminate construction of multiple layers, such as a LTCC ceramic substrate, with conductor lines between adjacent pairs of layers. A heat sink is bonded to a first surface of the substrate, and a cavity is defined by and between the heat sink and the substrate such that a base wall of the cavity is defined by one of the layers with conductor lines thereof being present on the base wall. A surface-mount circuit device is received within the cavity, mounted to the base wall, and electrically connected to the conductor lines on the base wall. The device is received within the cavity such that a surface of the device contacts a surface region of the heat sink. The surface of the device is bonded to the surface region of the heat sink to provide a substantially direct thermal path from the device to the heat sink.

Abstract: A power assist steering system including a valve housing and a proportional control valve supported within the valve housing, further includes a pressure transducer arranged with respect to the proportional control valve for determining an amount of actuation of the proportional control valve. A pressure signal is sent from the pressure transducer to a control for determining an amount of current to be sent to an electromagnetic apparatus within the power assist steering system for overcoming a pull force.

Abstract: A system, method, and storage medium for determining packaging design for one or more containers are provided. The method includes selecting at least one 3-D CAD model of a manufactured part. The method further includes selecting a first 3-D CAD model of a first container defining a first receiving region. The method further includes automatically generating a first plurality of 3-D part packaging designs for the first receiving region wherein each 3-D part packaging design comprises a distinct orientation or positioning of at least the 3-D CAD model of the manufactured part and a second 3-D CAD model and selecting a first 3-D part packaging design from the first plurality of 3-D part packaging designs. The method further includes generating a first dunnage design based on the first 3-D part packaging design and the first receiving region, wherein a first volume defined by the first 3-D part packaging design and the first dunnage design can be held within the first receiving region.

Abstract: A control method for a fuel injection system having a spill valve (20), a nozzle control valve (22) and a valve needle (12) which is engageable with a seating to control fuel injection, wherein the method comprises applying a first drive current signal (30) to the spill valve (22) to move the spill valve (22) into a closed state and applying a second drive current signal (40) to the nozzle control valve (22) to move the nozzle control valve (22) to an open state, thereby to lift the valve needle (12) from the seating to initiate a main injection of fuel. The first drive current signal (30) is modified so as to move the spill valve (20) to an open state during “a spill valve opening period” during which the second drive current signal (40) is modified to move the nozzle control to valve (22) from the open state to a closed state. As a result the valve needle (12) is seated to terminate the main injection of fuel.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of compensating for the error of a signal indicative of the mass of air flow output from an air mass flow sensor for an internal combustion engine, the method comprising deriving an air mass flow value from an air mass flow sensor output, calculating a compensated air mass flow value based on the air mass flow value and a compensation value, calculating an estimated air mass flow value from engine operating parameter values, calculating a new compensation value based upon the compensated air mass flow value and the estimated air mass flow value and using the new compensation value for subsequent calculations of the compensated air mass flow value.

Abstract: An object tracking method tracks a target object between successively generated infrared video images using a grey-scale hat filter to extract the target object from the background. The filtered image is binarized, and candidate binary blobs are extracted. The binary blob that minimizes the Euclidian spatial distance to the previous position of the object and satisfies a specified appearance model is selected, and its center of mass is taken as the current position of the object. Where the object is a person's eye, the eye state and decision confidence are determined by analyzing the shape and appearance of the binary blob along with changes in its size and the previous eye state, and applying corresponding parameters to an eye state decision matrix.