Abstract: An integrated fuel reformer-engine system and method provides an on-board fuel reformer for preparing a hydrogen-rich reformate; an engine operating on one or a combination of reformate and liquid fuel, in combination with an exhaust catalyst for treating engine exhaust. The supply of air, reformate, and liquid fuel to the engine and exhaust catalyst is metered so as to provide low hydrocarbon and NOx emissions over a range of operating conditions from cold-start and idle through vehicle road-loads. In one embodiment, the system provides near-zero cold start hydrocarbon and NOx emissions with ultra-lean start using substantially 100% reformate fueling. In another embodiment, accelerated catalyst heating is provided by supplying reformate mixed with engine exhaust to the catalyst. Alternately, an ignition source is employed to ignite the engine exhaust or reformate-exhaust mixture.

Abstract: A method and computer usable medium, including a program, for vehicle stability control. A rear axle cornering stiffness coefficient in a linear handling range is determined. A first understeer coefficient in a linear handling range is determined. A desired lateral acceleration is determined based on the first understeer coefficient. A second understeer coefficient is determined based on a limited magnitude of the desired lateral acceleration. A desired yaw rate is determined based on the second understeer coefficient. A desired lateral velocity is determined based on the desired yaw rate and the rear axle cornering stiffness coefficient.

Abstract: A door trim assembly and method for making same for attachment to an inner panel of an automotive vehicle includes a plurality of components and a single carrier formed from a plastic material for attachment to the inner panel of the automotive vehicle and incorporating the plurality of components into the plastic material and a door trim substrate attached to the carrier.

Abstract: A fuel filter assembly for a fuel delivery module for a fuel system of a vehicle includes a filter housing adapted to be disposed in a fuel reservoir of the fuel delivery module and having a closed end and an open end. The fuel filter assembly also includes a fuel filter disposed in the filter housing and an end cap connected to the filter housing to close the open end. The fuel filter has an integral spring cooperating with the filter housing to urge the fuel filter toward the end cap.

Abstract: A steering actuator comprising an intermediate shaft, an electric motor, a transmission, a first stopping device, a second stopping device, and a controller is provided. The steering column transmits a first rotational force to the intermediate shaft. The electric motor generates a second rotational force on a rotor shaft upon application of an electric current. The transmission transmits either or both of the first rotational force and the second rotational force to a lower shaft of a steering gear. The first stopping device prevents the first rotational force from being transmitted to the rotor shaft. Similarly, the second stopping device prevents the second rotational force from being transmitted to the steering column. The controller operates the steering actuator in a first mode, a second mode, or a third mode by selectively applying the electric current to the electric motor and the stopping devices.

Abstract: An electromagnetic fuel injector comprises a body having a fuel inlet and a fuel outlet and a base comprising a valve seat sealably connected to the body. A disk-shaped armature disposed at the fuel outlet for controlling the flow of fuel has an upper surface and a lower surface that comprises a sealing interface with the valve seat. A ring-shaped flexural element comprising a plurality of spaced flexural legs is in contact with the injector body and the upper surface of the armature and provides a spring bias between the body and armature upper surface. When the injector is closed, spring bias between the body and armature upper surface maintains the armature in a sealing position with the valve seat, and when the injector is open, increased spring bias between the body and armature upper surface impels the armature to return to a sealing position with the valve seat.

Abstract: A method of making a composite powder metal disk for a rotor assembly in a surface permanent magnet machine. The method includes filling inner and outer annular regions of a disk-shaped die with soft and hard ferromagnetic powder metals, compacting the powders, and sintering the compacted powders. By this method, a disk is formed that includes permanent magnets on the surface of an inner ring of magnetically conducting powder metal compacted and sintered to a high density. In one embodiment, non-ferromagnetic powder metal is filled into regions of the die such that the permanent magnets are separated by magnetically non-conducting powder metal compacted and sintered to a high density. The method may also include forming a rotor assembly by stacking a plurality of the composite powder metal disks axially along a shaft with their magnetic configurations aligned.

Abstract: An accumulator dehydrator assembly for use in a refrigeration cycle of an air conditioning system having an inner housing for separating the liquid component from the vapor component of the refrigerant and an integral outer shell being cup shaped and having a bottom and side walls extending upwardly from the bottom to an upper edge defining an opening is disclosed. The inner housing is disposed within and spaced from the outer shell and defines a chamber therebetween. At least one spacer is positioned between the inner housing and the outer shell and positioned annularly around the side walls and is compressed for holding the outer shell onto the inner housing. The spacers define a predetermined distance between the inner housing and the outer shell to establish the chamber while securing the outer shell onto the inner housing.

Abstract: The present system and method relate to power generation utilizing an exhaust side solid oxide fuel cell. Fuel is burned in an engine in the presence of air. The engine exhaust passes through a solid oxide fuel cell where it is consumed in the production of electricity and ionization of oxygen in an air stream also introduced to the solid oxide fuel cell. The solid oxide fuel cell effluent fuel stream and/or air stream can be recycled through the engine, directed through a turbine to recover additional energy therefrom, and/or passed through a catalytic converter. The resulting system exhaust has negligible to zero amounts of nitric oxides, hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and particulates.

Abstract: An assembly for actuating a parking brake comprises a screw, a nut mounted for translation on the screw, and a cable connected between the brake and the nut. A compliant element is mounted on the screw, and is adapted to expand axially with a change in tension in the cable.

Abstract: One aspect of the control system provides a hydraulic control system for a transfer case that includes an actuator for generating fluid pressure. The system also includes an isolation valve and a control valve in fluid communication with the actuator. The isolation valve is in a normally closed position and the control valve is in a normally open position. The system further includes a piston for applying fluid pressure to a device of the transfer case. Another aspect provides a method for controlling the hydraulic pressure to a transfer case.

Abstract: An EGR valve for use in an engine includes a valve body defining an internal passage for the passage of exhaust gas through the valve and a bearing supported in the passage having a bearing surface including an end portion adjacent to the internal passage, with at least one groove formed within the bearing surface sufficient to create an air pocket that resists fluid intrusion into the bearing. A valve member is movable in the valve body for controlling exhaust gas flow through the passage and includes a shaft supported for reciprocating motion along the bearing surface of the bearing. A lubricious insert may also be provided in the bearing surface of the bearing adjacent the end portion of the bearing surface for inhibiting the formation of coking within the bearing.

Abstract: A mounting fixture for an engine knock sensor is provided. The fixture includes a base and a support member. The support member is joined to the base with a press fit joint. The base includes an aperture and the support member is inserted in the aperture. The support member can be a bolt or a sleeve. The invention can also include a lip, associated with the support member for retaining a spring washer. The spring washer can be deflected between the support member and a knock sensor component for pressing the knock sensor component against the base.

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 engine fuel control detects combustion instability due to the use of high DI fuel during cold start and warm-up and compensates the fuel control for detected combustion instability through temporary enrichment of the delivered air/fuel ratio. When the engine idle speed error magnitude is less than a calibrated threshold, usage of high DI fuel is detected by identifying a surge signal based on the engine speed error fluctuation in a predetermined frequency range attributable to combustion instability due to the presence of high DI fuel in a cold engine. When the average amplitude of the surge signal exceeds a calibrated surge threshold, the presence of high DI fuel is detected. Additionally, the method is disabled for a prescribed period following commanded load transitions associated with the air conditioning system and the automatic transmission.

Abstract: A plastic honey comb mounting bracket having a center passage surrounds a mast jacket of the steering column. The top of the plastic mounting bracket is clamped flush against a flat panel on a body of the motor vehicle by a pair of spring washers supported below respective ones of a pair of platforms on the mounting bracket by a pair of rigid studs on the vehicle body. The rigid studs are exposed through a pair of vertical slots in the mounting bracket. In some embodiments the spring washers release the plastic mounting bracket for linear translation as a unit with the mast jacket with the path traversed by the mast jacket being defined by the vertical slots in the mounting bracket. In another embodiment, the plastic mounting bracket remains stationary and the path traversed by the mast jacket during its collapse stroke is defined by the center passage in the plastic mounting bracket.

Abstract: A method for generating a compensated torque command signal to be applied to an electric power steering motor is disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, the method includes generating an assist torque command signal responsive to a measured vehicle speed and an input steering torque signal. An assist dependent damping torque signal is generated, the assist dependent damping torque signal responsive to the assist torque command signal, the measured vehicle speed and a compensated motor velocity output value of the electric power steering motor. The assist dependent damping torque signal is then subtracted from the assist torque command signal.

Abstract: A vehicle damper includes a valve having of an imperforate, deflectable variable orifice disk with an outer periphery that is only partially clamped against a valve seat, during low velocity operation of the damper, by a variable orifice support disk having an outer periphery that is not coextensive with the outer periphery of the variable orifice disk. The portion of the outer periphery of the variable orifice disk that is not clamped against the valve seat deflects away from the valve seat during low velocity operation of the damper, in response to force on the variable orifice plate generated by pressure of fluid in flow apertures closed off by the variable orifice plate, to provide a variable orifice for fluid flow through the valve and digressive performance of the damper. The valve may take the form of a compression or rebound valve on the piston of the vehicle damper, or a base valve in a dual tube damper.

Abstract: An electric power steering system for a vehicle comprising a hand wheel in operable communication with a shaft, a motor in mechanical communication with the shaft, and a non-compliant torque sensor located between about a midpoint along the shaft and an upper end of the shaft.

Abstract: A magnetorheological piston includes a magnetorheological-piston coil and a magnetorheological-piston core. The magnetorheological-piston coil has a longitudinal axis. In one expression, the magnetorheological-piston core includes at least two separate core pieces, wherein each of the core pieces is a powder-metal core piece, and wherein the coil is positioned to circumferentially surround at least a portion of at least one of the core pieces. In another expression, the magnetorheological-piston core includes separate upper core, center core, and lower core pieces. The center core piece is located longitudinally between the upper core and lower core pieces and has a circumferential surface positioned radially inward from the inner-diameter portion of the coil. The coil is longitudinally positioned between the upper core and lower core pieces. In one example, each of the upper core, center core, and lower core pieces is a powder-metal core piece.