Abstract: An oil change sensing system for an internal combustion engine, having an oil pressure sensor adapted to provide an oil pressure signal to an engine control module; an oil temperature sensor adapted to provide an oil temperature signal to the engine control module; wherein the engine control module comprises an algorithm which determines the oil's viscosity by using the measured oil temperature and oil pressure and the determined oil viscosity and a fresh oil viscosity are used to determine whether the oil is in a preferred operating range.

Abstract: A vehicle suspension system comprising a damper having a lower mount end and an upper mount end and a spring having a lower end and an upper end positioned around the damper. The spring and the damper have a common central axis. An adjustment assembly is operably attached at the lower mount end of the damper and the lower end of the spring is operably attached to and supported by the adjustment assembly thereby allowing the position of the lower end of the spring to continuously vary along the central axis of the damper. The method comprising supporting a lower end of a spring positioned around a damper and moving the end of the spring for adjusting vehicle ride height.

Abstract: A circuit for measuring mechanical stress impressed on a printed circuit board includes a number of electrically conductive pads formed on at least one outer surface of the printed circuit board, and a resistive material applied in a pattern to the printed circuit board and defining a resistor between first and second ones of the number of electrically conductive pads. The resistive material exhibits an electrical resistance that varies as the resistive material is deformed so that the resistor exhibits an electrical resistance value that varies as a function of mechanical stress impressed on the printed circuit board sufficient to deform the resistive material defining the resistor. Any number of such resistors may be formed on or within the printed circuit board, and any such resistor may form part of an external resistor bridge network configured to monitor changes in its resistance value.

Abstract: The subject invention provides a pivot assembly for rotatably connecting a rotor to a swash plate in a variable displacement compressor. The rotor and swash plate each having pivot arms supporting pivot pins. A hinge is mounted to both of the pivot pins for operatively connecting the rotor to the swash plate. The hinge includes a first mounting portion receiving one of the pins and a second mounting portion receiving the other pin with a central planar region disposed between the first and second mounting portions. A tab extends from the central planar region toward each of the first and second mounting portions to engage the pins and fixedly secure the pins within their respective mounting portions. The pins therefore remain mounted to the hinge during an operation of the variable displacement compressor.

Abstract: An electronic position sensor for use with a power operated vehicle accessory, such as a power liftgate. The position sensor includes an elongated resistive circuit that is mounted such that it is stationary and extends along the path of a track portion of the power operated accessory. The position sensor further includes a contact nub mounted to a link member that moves within the track portion such that the contact nub is slidingly biased against the elongated circuit. As the link member moves under the force of a motor-driven output gear, the contact nub slides along the surface of the resistive circuit, thereby affecting the overall resistance of the circuit. The position sensor uses the overall resistance to provide an electronic position signal to an ECU, wherein the signal is indicative of the absolute position of the power operated accessory.

Abstract: A method and system for estimating a parameter of an electric machine, including a controller and a switching device, the controller responsive to at least one of: a current sensor, and a temperature sensor. Where the controller executes a parameter estimation process, which is responsive to at least one of: a current value, a torque command and the resultant of the parameter estimation process representing an estimated parameter of the electric machine. The parameter estimation includes a method for estimating a temperature of the electric machine comprising: a temperature sensor operatively connected to and transmitting a temperature signal corresponding to a measured temperature to a controller, which executes a temperature estimation process responsive to a temperature signal from a temperature sensor.

Abstract: A method and assembly for controlling a plunger of a magnetic actuator includes generating a magnetic flux at the plunger that opposes a first bias from a first spring having a first preload. A second spring opposing the first bias is disposed in series communication with the first spring. The second spring has a second preload less than the first preload and is configured to be adjustable to control the amount of magnetic flux needed to overcome a net total preload opposing the magnetic flux. A second magnetic flux higher than the first magnetic flux is generated biasing the plunger to overcome the net total preload from the first and second springs in series communication.

Abstract: A fuel swirler plate for improving atomization of fuel in a fuel injector. A plurality of identical fuel supply passages is formed in the plate, each passage including an outer fuel reservoir region; a region having converging walls wherein fuel is accelerated and turned partially tangential to the axis of the plate and fuel injector; a metering region wherein flow is regulated; and an exit region wherein the fuel is combined with similar fuel flows from the other passages to form a high velocity swirl annulus between the swirler plate and a pintle ball of the fuel injector. An advantage of the novel swirl plate over prior art plates is that, when the injector valve is closed, only a very small volume of fuel resides in the swirl annulus between the pintle ball and the exit region of the plate, and such residual fuel is urged rotationally and becomes the leading edge of a new vortex the next time the valve is opened, thus minimizing SAC spray formation.

Abstract: A sensor and method are provided for transmitting sensor generated output signals in a pulse width modulated output signal. The sensor includes a pressure sensing element for sensing pressure and temperature sensing circuitry for sensing temperature. Output circuitry outputs a pulse width modulated signal containing an indication of the pressure and temperature. The pressure is transmitted as a function of duty cycle of the pulse width modulated output signal, and the temperature is transmitted as a function of frequency of the pulse width modulated output signal.

Abstract: A method and system for monitoring and reporting vehicle tire pressure information. The system includes tire pressure monitors mounted to the tires of a vehicle. The tire pressure monitors detect tire pressure information from their respective tires and transmit that information to transponders that are fixedly-mounted to the vehicle. Each tire pressure monitor corresponds to a single transponder. When a tire pressure monitor transmits tire pressure information, the corresponding transponder receives the signal and transmits the tire pressure signal along with a unique transponder identification code to a vehicle central system controller. Based upon the transponder identification code, the central controller associates the tire pressure information with a particular tire location. However, under certain conditions, a transmitted tire pressure signal is received by one or more of the non-corresponding transponders as well as the corresponding transponder.

Abstract: A hydrocarbon emissions scrubber for use in an evaporative emissions control system of a motor vehicle includes a scrubber element having an elongate body. The body defines a plurality of passageways for the flow of fluid therethrough. The plurality of passageways are one of coated with or constructed of a sorbent material. The sorbent material is adsorptive of hydrocarbons.

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.

Abstract: A near-field radar apparatus includes a fixed beam planar radar antenna and a radiation pattern adaptation device disposed substantially at the near-field boundary of the antenna. The adaptation device comprises a plurality of dielectric elements that individually constitute or approximate different surface portions of an idealized quasi-spherical or quasi-cylindrical radome reflector. The dielectric elements can be maintained physically separate or combined about the diffraction point of the antenna to form a single dielectric element. The dielectric elements may be mounted on a radome that is otherwise transparent to the radiation pattern, or otherwise suspended at or near the near-field boundary of the antenna.

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly has a male connector which houses and locks to a series of male bladed terminals and a female connector housing and locking to a series of female terminals. A blade of each male terminal extends into a chamber defined by a shroud of the male connector. Prior to mating of the electrical connector assembly, a self-aligning blade stabilizer is snap fitted into a pre-staged position with the male connector via a two-stage fastening feature so that the distal ends of the blades are disposed within respective apertures of the stabilizer and aligned to their respective female terminals. With the blade stabilizer held in a pre-staged position, the distal ends of the blades are protected from being inadvertently knocked and bent which would cause misalignment. Furthermore, the stabilizer prevents entry of debris into the chamber of the male connector which would hinder or prevent full mating of the electrical connector.

Abstract: A fuel pressure regulator including a valve head having a centerline offset from the centerline of a corresponding fuel orifice. The valve head may be offset with respect to the valve seat and orifice, the orifice may be offset within the seat with respect to the head and diaphragm assembly, or the axes of the head and seat may be non-coaxially biased. Because the vector of the valve closing force does not align with the centerline of the valve head and diaphragm assembly, a resulting torque on the valve head keeps the head in a stable, pivoted position at all flow rates. The valve head always makes contact with the valve seat at a predetermined point during regulator operation, eliminating pressure instabilities and noise experienced in prior art pressure regulators.

Abstract: An oil change sensing system for an internal combustion engine, having an oil pressure sensor adapted to provide an oil pressure signal to an engine control module; an oil temperature sensor adapted to provide an oil temperature signal to the engine control module; wherein the engine control module comprises an algorithm which determines the oil's viscosity by using the measured oil temperature and oil pressure and the determined oil viscosity and a fresh oil viscosity are used to determine whether the oil is in a preferred operating range.

Abstract: A technique for mounting an electrical component to a circuit board includes deforming each of a number of electrical terminals extending from the electrical component to form a mounting portion and a tip portion extending away from the mounting portion. The circuit board defines a number of bores extending therein from a first surface to a second opposite surface, and the electrical component is mounted to the circuit board with the mounting portion of each of the number of electrical terminals supporting the component against the first surface of the circuit board with each of the tip portions extending into separate ones of the number of bores. The mounting portion of each of the electrical terminals is mechanically and electrically affixed to corresponding electrically conductive pads to thereby surface mount the electrical component to the circuit board. The disclosed technique is particularly advantageous for surface mounting display units.

Abstract: An improved method of using multiple point crash sensing and multiple sensor occupant position sensing for classifying a crash event and determining which restraints should be deployed. A central controller collects crash data from multiple crash sensors and combines severity characterization data from each of the multiple sensors to construct a characterization table or matrix for the entire system. Each possible crash event classification is represented by a characterization value mask, and the various masks are sequentially applied to the system characterization table until a match is found, with a match identifying the appropriate crash event classification. The classification decision, in turn, is used to determine which, if any, of the restraint devices should be deployed based upon the crash severity. Similarly, the controller collects data from various occupant position sensors to construct a characterization table or matrix for the occupant position detection system.

Abstract: A voltage regulated transistor driver receives an electrical communication of a source voltage from a voltage source, and in response thereto, electrically communicates a regulated driver voltage to one or more transistors for the purpose of driving the transistor(s). In a voltage multiplier mode of the transistor driver, the regulated driver voltage is greater than the source voltage. In a voltage follower mode of the transistor driver, the regulated driver voltage approaches the source voltage to thereby equal or approximate the source voltage.

Abstract: A low profile socket connector has a shroud for receiving a plug connector and a connector lock for retaining the plug connector when it is plugged into the socket connector. The exterior wall of the shroud has through slots extending through the exterior wall to form a lock arm connected to the remainder of the exterior wall of the shroud by flexible straps. The lock arm has a lock nib that extends inwardly of the lock arm beam to provide the connector lock. The lock arm includes a depressible release lever and a fulcrum located between the lock nib and the depressible release lever that extends inwardly of the lock arm for engaging a fulcrum support of the socket connector whereby the lock nib is moved outwardly away from the plug connector when the depressible release lever is depressed to release the plug connector.