Abstract: A tension sensing assembly for a seat restraint system in a vehicle includes a rigid frame of a seat restraint buckle of the seat restraint system. The tension sensing assembly also includes a movable member operatively supported by the rigid frame and adapted to be connected to vehicle structure. The movable member is movable relative to the rigid frame. The tension sensing assembly includes a strain member operatively supported by the moveable member and the rigid frame. The tension sensing assembly further includes a strain gage sensor operatively supported by the strain member to indicate a tension level in the seat restraint system when the strain member is displaced by the movable member.

Abstract: An actuator suitable for use with a fluid flow control valve includes a frame, a bobbin, a coil and a plunger assembly. The frame is generally cylindrical and has a longitudinal axis. The bobbin, which is wound with the coil, includes a central cavity. The plunger assembly is received within the central cavity and includes a plunger portion and a rod portion. The plunger portion is formed of magnetic material. The rod portion may be snapped on the plunger portion to form the plunger assembly. The plunger assembly is configured to move within the cavity in response to an actuator control signal applied to the magnetic coil. Separating the plunger portion and the rod portion improves manufacturability as well as reduces the occurrence of rod damage.

Abstract: A capacitive load cell apparatus includes upper and lower capacitor plates and an intermediate dielectric in the form of a synthetic knit spacer material having upper and lower fabric layers interconnected by an array of deflectable synthetic fibers. When occupant weight is applied to the seat, the synthetic fibers deflect to locally reduce the separation between the upper and lower capacitor plates, and the consequent change in capacitance is detected as a measure of the applied weight. The load cell or just the dielectric may be encased in a polymeric sheath to prevent intrusion of foreign matter, and a fluid such as silicone may be dispersed in woven dielectric.

Abstract: A method for metallurgically joining a tube to a member. A tube having a flange is obtained, and a member is obtained. A welding/brazing electrode wheel is obtained having an axis of rotation and having a rim. The tube and the member are positioned with the flange contacting the member directly and/or indirectly through an intervening welding/brazing joining material. The rim of the electrode wheel is positioned in direct contact with the flange. A resistance welding/brazing current path is created through the flange and the member using at least the electrode wheel creating a seam weld/braze zone which includes at least some of the flange and at least some of the member. During the current path creation step, the electrode wheel is rotated about the axis of rotation.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for increasing the convective heat transfer capabilities of a liquid cooler coupled to various system and vehicle components. The apparatus includes a structure placed within a hollow tubing of the liquid cooler to distort the laminar flow of fluid within a center portion of the hollow tubing, which decreases the temperature rise of the fluid along an outer wall of the hollow tubing associated with laminar flow. In preferred embodiments, the structure has an elongated baffle wire or an extruded elongated ridge member. The structure allows the outer surface of the tubing to have increased cooling at a particular liquid flow rate. As a result, there is an increase in heat transfer capability to a coupled system or vehicle component.

Abstract: A thermally enhanced electronic module includes a thermally conductive case, a self-aligning thermally conductive heat sink and an integrated circuit (IC) package. The case includes an aperture sized for receiving a portion of the heat sink. The IC package includes a first surface and a second surface, opposite the first surface, and is mounted to a substrate with the first surface of the IC package facing the substrate. The second surface of the IC package is in thermal contact with the heat sink, when the heat sink is positioned in the aperture and secured to the case.

Abstract: A torque-based occupant weight estimation apparatus for a vehicle seat includes front and rear torsion bars through which the seat frame is coupled to a set of floor brackets. The torsion bars are rotatably mounted on the floor brackets, and linkage arms rigidly coupled to opposing ends of each torsion bar are rotatably coupled to the seat frame so as to convert occupant seat weight into torsion bar torque. Torque sensors coupled to the torsion bars provide an indication of occupant weight.

Abstract: A lock-pin cartridge for a valve deactivation rocker arm assembly. The cartridge comprises a body having an axial bore having first and second ends, the second end having a closure and a passage therethrough. A piston assembly comprising a locking pin and a piston is disposed in the bore. The locking pin extends through the second end passage to provide latching and unlatching of rocker arm elements. The piston is spaced apart from the ends to define a hydraulic chamber and a spring chamber within the bore on opposite sides of the piston. A spring is disposed in the spring chamber for urging the piston assembly toward one of the first and second ends. The hydraulic chamber includes means for communicating with a supply of hydraulic fluid for actuating the piston assembly.

Abstract: A connector assembly has a slide mechanism for releasably securing and locking together a first connector body and a second connector body. To initially connect together the first and second connector bodies, mounting tabs and lock tabs of the second connector body are disposed in corresponding mounting slots and lock tab slots, respectively, in the first connector body. To releasably lock the connector bodies together, an arm of the slide mechanism is disposed in a channel of the first connector body with a portion of the arm overlying the lock tabs of the second connector body to prevent withdrawal of the lock tabs from the lock tab slots. Thus, removal of the second connector body from the first connector body is prevented while the slide mechanism overlies the lock tabs.

Abstract: A fuel injector for use in an internal combustion engine, comprising a supply passage for high pressure fuel and an injection nozzle for receiving high pressure fuel. The injection nozzle includes a valve needle which is engageable with a valve needle seating to control fuel delivery from the injector. A surface associated with the valve needle is exposed to fuel pressure within a control chamber and a first restricted flow path provides communication between the supply passage and the control chamber. A supplementary flow path also provides communication between the supply passage and the control chamber under the control of a control valve, so as to allow high pressure fuel to flow from the supply passage into the control chamber through two flow paths when it is required to terminate an injection of fuel.

Abstract: In a linear position encoder, a support is provided upon which a pair of phase quadrature windings are mounted. The windings are arranged to have a sinusoidal magnetic sensitivity characteristic along the length of the support. Mounted on a movable element there is a resonant circuit including a coil and capacitor that can magnetically couple with the windings. When the circuit is excited, it induces currents in the windings that are dependent upon the position of the circuit within a period Ts of the windings. An excitation and processing unit is provided to energize the circuit and to process the signals induced in the windings. The excitation and processing unit is operably coupled to an external high permeability rod extending along the measurement path in a first plane having the windings but removed therefrom. The rod has first and second excitation coils connected in series and wound around the rod and disposed at opposite ends defining a length of the rod.

Abstract: A method and assembly (10) for conducting heat from a semiconductor device, such as a power flip chip (12). The assembly (10) is generally constructed to dissipate heat from the flip chip (12) when mounted to a flexible or rigid substrate (20). Heat is conducted from the flip chip (12) through upper and lower pedestals (26, 28) each of which includes a pliable pre-cured silicone adhesive pad (32, 36). The pre-cured silicon adhesive pads (32, 36) promote thermal contact while also decoupling any lateral mechanical strains that may arise as a result of different thermal expansion and movement between the flip chips (12). The housing portions (16, 18) form a housing (14) when assembled, with each housing portion (16, 18) including a configured edge (37, 41) that controls the travel of the pedestals (26, 28) toward each other, to thereby limit the pressure exerted on the flip chip (12) disposed therebetween.

Abstract: A magnetostrictive force sensor universally usable in any environment with similar signals unaffected by the surrounding material. To this end, a sensor comprising a shaft of magnetostrictive material with an inductance coil wound around the shaft is provided with a magnetic shell enclosing the coil only or both the coil and the shaft. Upon application of the magnetic field, the resultant flow of magnetic flux is confined to a path through the shaft and the magnetic shell. By confining the magnetic flux path, the dependency of the sensor signal on the surrounding material and environment is essentially eliminated.

Abstract: A check valve for a fuel pump of a vehicle includes a valve housing adapted to be disposed in an outlet member of the fuel pump and a valve seat formed on the valve housing. The check valve also includes a valve member disposed in the valve housing and having a closed position to engage the valve seat to prevent fuel from flowing through the outlet member and an open position to allow fuel to flow through the outlet member. The valve housing has a vortex abating geometry located near the valve seat to add turbulence to fluid flow past the valve seat when the valve member is in the open position.

Abstract: A pressure sensor module is provided with an isolation platform which isolates stress. The pressure sensor module includes a base structure and a cantilever member formed in the base structure by an isolation gap. A pressure sensing element is located on the cantilever member such that the cantilever member provides stress isolation to the pressure sensing element.

Abstract: A magnetic sensor provides an output voltage range having first and second linear slopes. Proper selection of magnetic sensor dimensions enables changes in magnetic flux density upon the passage of at least one tooth and one slot of a target wheel past the magnetic sensor to be represented as a linear magnetic sensor output comprised of at least one linear range whereby linear interpolation of position is possible with appropriate signal processing algorithms.

Abstract: An air bag system for cushioning restraint of a vehicle occupant during an impact event. The air bag assembly includes an inflatable air bag cushion adapted to be inflated from a storage chamber to an inflated deployed condition within an occupant compartment. A gas emitting inflator is housed in fluid communication with the air bag cushion. At least one drag-inducing member engages the air bag cushion as the air bag cushion is inflated from the stored condition to the inflated deployed condition such that the period of energy transfer between the air bag cushion and the occupant is increased relative to unrestrained deployment from the storage chamber.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for spin forming a portion of a workpiece where the formed portion has a formed axis that is non-coaxial with the non-processed axis of the workpiece includes at least two rollers rotatable about a spin axis. Each one of the rollers is axially and radially offset from the others. An axial drive mechanism reciprocates the rollers or workpiece to causes the first roller and then the second roller to sequentially engage the workpiece. A pivoting mechanism rotates the rollers or workpiece about a pivot point from a first angular position to a second angular position during a forming operation to create a formed portion that is oblique to the non-processed portion or is substantially curved. A higher reduction ratio is achieved which enables improved efficiency. The present invention reduces floor space requirements as the forming operation may be completed on a single machine.

Abstract: A frontal air bag system for a vehicle includes an air bag module having a housing for mounting to vehicle structure of the vehicle and an air bag operatively connected to the air bag module. The frontal air bag system also includes an inflator disposed in the housing for inflating the air bag with an inflation gas. The frontal air bag system further includes at least one tether interconnecting the air bag and either one of the housing and the inflator to cause some of the inflation gas to vent through the housing to atmosphere.

Abstract: A disc brake assembly has a hub that is rotatable about an axis and at least a pair of discs supported on the hub for relative axial movement along the axis of the hub with the discs having opposite sides presenting braking surfaces. A non-rotatable support structure supports a plurality of friction elements for relative axial movement into and out of frictional braking engagement with the braking surfaces of the discs. An electric actuator is mounted on the support structure adjacent at least one of the friction elements and is operative when actuated to move the friction elements into frictional braking engagement with the braking surfaces of the discs.