Abstract: An ignition coil cassette having bushings retained by an irregularity of the bushings being encased by epoxy. As a result, the process by which the bushings are installed into the ignition coil cassette avoids the cost associated with the overmolding installation process, and further avoids the potential for damage associated with the ultrasonic insertion process. The irregularity is located generally adjacent one end of each of the bushings and may be, for example, in the form of an undercut or a protrusion.

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 member has at least one outlet port a predetermined dwell distance from the valve seat when the valve member is in the closed position and allows fluid flow past the valve seat when the valve member is in the open position.

Abstract: An energy absorbing assembly (20) providing variable energy absorption from an energy transmitting component (10) is mounted upon a mounting bracket (16) for mounting the energy absorbing assembly (20) to the energy transmitting component (10). An elongated strap (22) immovably secured at a first end (24) absorbs energy received from the energy transmitting component (10) during a collision. Cooperating anvils (30A,B) are slidably received by the mounting bracket (16) and the elongated strap (22) is interwoven between the anvils (30). The anvils (30A,B) include generally parallel axes (a) along which each anvil (30A, 30B) defines stepped diameters (A,B,C,D), and are slidable along the axes (a) in response to a predetermined force to provide variable energy absorption relative to the stepped diameters (A,B,C,D).

Abstract: A control arm clamp and shaft assembly for fine adjustment of angular position of the clamp on the shaft. An adjustment bolt and nut includes a socket head located eccentrically relative to the centerline of the bolt shaft so that the bolt head can function as a cam lobe when the bolt is turned. The control arm clamp includes a primary shaft clamping means. The shaft has a diametric bore. The control arm clamp has an axially-slotted opening into which the bolt head fits and engages opposing walls of the opening. When the primary clamping means is loosened, rotation of the adjustment bolt head against the opening wall causes an angular rotation of the control arm relative to the shaft. After the control arm is repositioned, the primary clamp is retightened and the adjustment bolt nut is tightened. The adjustment bolt may also take the form of a removable pin.

Abstract: A method of glass frit bonding wafers to form a package, in which the width of the glass bond line between the wafers is minimized to reduce package size. The method entails the use of a glass frit material containing a particulate filler material that establishes the stand-off distance between wafers, instead of relying on discrete structural features on one of the wafers dedicated to this function. In addition, the amount of glass frit material used to form the glass bond line between wafers is reduced to such levels as to reduce the width of the glass bond line, allowing the overall size of the package to be minimized. To accommodate the variability associated with screening processes when low volume lines of paste are printed, the invention further entails the use of storage regions defined by walls adjacent the glass bond line to accommodate excess glass frit material without significantly increasing the width of the bond line.

Abstract: This braking force amplifier with dual amplification ratios includes a thrust assembly (71) comprising a reaction rod (82) connected to the master-cylinder of the corresponding brakes and mounted to be axially displaceable under the control of a plunger (22) between a first braking state corresponding to a first ratio of amplification of the braking force, and a second braking state corresponding to a second ratio of amplification of the braking force, and a deformable reaction disc (96) interposed between a piston (70) and the plunger on the one hand, and the reaction rod on the other. The thrust assembly includes means (104) for absorbing the deformations of the reaction disc, the said deformations contributing to determining the braking force for which passage between the first and the second braking states takes place.

Abstract: A non-thermal plasma reactor for conversion of exhaust gas constituents is characterized by a reactor element prepared from a curved, swept-shaped substrate specifically designed for fabrication via extrusion. The as-extruded curved substrate comprises a thick outer wall surrounding a plurality of channels separated by dielectric barriers. Selected channels are coated with a conductive material to form conductor channels. The prepared reactor element preferably comprises multiple concentric exhaust channels, multiple concentric conductor channels having alternating polarity, each connected to its respective polarity via bus paths, in-line structural support ligaments for providing optimal structural support while preventing exhaust leakage, and thick outer walls providing high crush resistance and allowing robust mounting into the reactor housing. The nested, concentric arrangement and curved shape substrate advantageously enhances the reactor's ability to adapt to fit various vehicle sizes.

Abstract: A simplified, low cost method for preparing a non-thermal plasma reactor comprises forming cell building blocks of material having a high dielectric constant, printing a conductive print onto the cell walls, assembling the cells into a multi-cell stack, providing electrical connections for connecting said cells to a high voltage source, applying insulation to said multi-cell stack, and inserting the multi-cell stack into a non-thermal plasma reactor housing. The simplified design eliminates the need for spacers between individual cells, thus reducing the total number of components. The method employing formed shape building blocks provides flexibility and may be used in conjunction with conventional processing methods. The printing sequence is defined from the top of the multi-cell stack to the bottom, further minimizing the number of components. Use of a three-dimensional conductive print further simplifies preparation by eliminating the need for a secondary conductive print along the edge of the stack.

Abstract: In a proton exchange membrane fuel cell assembly, a plurality of bores is provided in each anode plate and each cathode plate at a standard distance from the active area of each plate. The bores in the anode plate are stepped. Non-conductive stepped pins, each having a well in a large-diameter portion thereof, are inserted concentrically into the bores of adjacent anode and cathode plates to form a bipolar plate subassembly. The pins extend through the bipolar plate subassembly and have a reduced-diameter portion for engaging the wells of adjacent pins in an adjacent bipolar plate subassembly. Preferably, bores and pins are provided in rotational symmetry near opposite edges of each plate. The pins thus both align an anode and cathode to form a bipolar plate subassembly and also align a plurality of bipolar plate subassemblies, in combination with a plurality of proton exchange membranes therebetween, to form a fuel cell stack having all anode plates accurately aligned with all cathode plates.

Abstract: A voltage power supply circuit is provided that uses the voltage output of an oscillator to provide a high voltage DC output to drive a liquid crystal display device. A controller IC opens and closes an FET to allow the EMF of an inductor to generate a DC voltage that exceeds the battery voltage source for the liquid crystal display device. Accordingly, the oscillator circuit that drives a back light display for a liquid crystal device is simultaneously used to generate the high voltage DC source for the liquid crystal display device.

Abstract: A fuel injector flow director plate assembly having a conventional flow director plate and a director plate retainer disposed in a recess in the fuel injector, the retainer having any of several novel structures for reducing buildup of fuel in the corner between the plate retainer and the recess wall and eliminating dripping of fuel. For example, the retainer may be provided with a long skirt having a small diameter; a shorter skirt; a spherical skirt; a skirt stepped axially; a skirt formed as an axial flange on a separate ring member which is installed outside the retainer itself, the flange protruding through the retainer; a separate ring member installed outside a retainer and having an opening of diameter smaller than the opening in the retainer; and a separate ring member installed inside the retainer and having an opening of diameter smaller than the opening in the retainer.

Abstract: Fault detection circuitry is provided for a PWM driver responsive to a PWM input signal to produce a PWM output signal, and includes a first circuit producing a scaled switching signal as a scaled representation of the PWM input signal. A second circuit is configured to produce a combined switching signal as a combination of the PWM output signal and the scaled switching signal, and a third circuit is configured to convert the combined switching signal to an analog output signal indicative of one or more fault conditions associated with the PWM driver. A number of comparators may be included with each responsive to the analog output signal and to a different one of a corresponding number of different references voltages, to produce a fault signal indicative of a particular one of the one or more fault conditions.

Abstract: The present invention provides an antenna unit that eliminates the need for an EMI shield to protect the sensitive components of the antenna unit's circuit board from EMI. The antenna unit includes a planar member composed of a material operating as a ground plane for the antenna unit, the ground plane defining a cavity; a circuit board secured to the ground plane, the circuit board including a platform and at least one circuit board component, the platform covering the cavity so as to enclose the circuit board component within the cavity, and an antenna positioned adjacent to the platform and in communication with the circuit board.

Abstract: A magnetic actuator includes a spool surrounded by a coil, a primary plate disposed at a first end of the spool, and a secondary plate disposed at a second end opposite the first end. A plunger is slidably disposed within respective annular portions defined by the spool and the secondary plate and surrounded by the coil energizable to urge the plunger toward the primary plate. A first spring biases a ball against a supply valve seat configured in either the primary plate or a valve seat assembly, while a rod having a first portion is in operable communication with the plunger and a second portion is in contact with the ball opposite the first spring. A second spring biases the plunger and rod toward an exhaust valve seat configured in either the primary plate or valve seat assembly, opposite the supply valve seat, wherein the supply exhaust valve seats are in fluid communication with each other via a bore therebetween connecting the supply exhaust valve seats.

Abstract: A method of determining the rubbing friction torque involves characterizing fuel cutoff engine deceleration, and calculating the rubbing friction torque for any combination of engine speed and powertrain temperature is calculated in accordance with a base point rubbing friction torque RFTbase determined at a base powertrain temperature Tbase and fuel cutoff characterization data. The calibration data characterizing fuel cutoff engine deceleration is obtained by alternately enabling and cutting off engine fuel delivery to cycle the engine speed between specified set points, and measuring and recording the engine deceleration during intervals of fuel cutoff.

Abstract: Method for providing current regulation and a current controller (10) for an electric machine (30) are provided. The method includes receiving a state vector time signal (36) indicative of a time interval when a switching state vector is activated and comparing the received state vector time signal to a commanded state vector time signal (38). The method further includes using the result of the comparison to regulate a direct axis current signal (42, 44) input to an electric machine controller. The current controller (10) includes a state vector error comparator for comparing a received state vector time signal to a commanded state vector time signal and generating a state vector time error. This error is processed by a PI controller, coupled to the state vector error comparator, for providing a direct axis current signal output responsive to the state vector time error to an electric machine.

Abstract: A sensor assembly for sensing angular position of one object relative to another object. A capacitor is formed between a transmitter capacitor plate having a pair of transmitter electrodes and a receiver capacitor plate having preferably eight receiver electrodes forming four receiver electrode pairs. A dielectric rotor rotates between the plates, the rotor having first and second segments each subtending 67.5 which are mutually separated by a vacancy subtending 45 degrees, and further having a third segment subtending 45 degrees disposed between the first and second segments diametrically opposite the vacancy. An electrical circuit measures net charge induced on each of the receiver electrode pairs, wherein the charges indicate the angular position of said rotor relative to said transmitter and receiver capacitor plates.

Abstract: An exhaust gas recirculation valve having a reciprocating pintle shaft supported by a sleeve bushing and having a labyrinthine pathway between a valve operating chamber and a shaft/bushing interface to minimize intrusion of exhaust gases into the interface. The labyrinthine pathway is formed between fixed annular elements of the valve body and shaft bushing and a movable annular element of the valve head telescopically disposed between the fixed elements.

Abstract: A solenoid-actuated pintle valve assembly having a pintle shaft extending from a metering base sub-assembly into a solenoid actuator sub-assembly, the pintle shaft being equipped with a radially-extending fixed shield outside the metering base sub-assembly. The shield moves axially with the pintle during valve actuation and is located on the shaft so that when the pintle is in the valve-closed position, the shield cooperates with the pintle bushing to form an effective impedance to gas leakage from the metering base sub-assembly along the pintle shaft. When the valve is in the fully open position at the opposite extreme of pintle travel, the shield cooperates with an armature shield in the actuator to prevent entrance of gases into the solenoid. The invention is especially useful for exhaust gas recirculation valves on internal combustion engines.

Abstract: An electronic control unit (ECU) includes a central processing unit (CPU), a non-volatile memory bank, a volatile memory bank and a state machine. The state machine is in communication with the CPU and functions to selectively capture information available on an internal bus of the CPU on a cycle-by-cycle basis and store the captured information in the volatile memory, which is also coupled to the CPU.