Abstract: A method for generating a return torque signal in an electric servo steering system of a vehicle, including the steps of: determining a current steering wheel position; determining a current vehicle speed; generating a return torque signal as a function of the steering wheel position and the vehicle speed; determining a current directional relationship between a torque exerted on the steering wheel and a speed of steering wheel rotation; determining a scaling factor dependent on the directional relationship; and multiplying the return torque signal by the scaling factor in order to obtain a modified return torque signal. Also, a servo steering system which is designed to carry out such a method.

Abstract: A method for generating a return torque signal in an electric servo steering system of a vehicle, including the steps of: determining a current steering wheel position; determining a current vehicle speed; generating a return torque signal as a function of the steering wheel position and the vehicle speed; determining a current speed of steering wheel rotation; determining a scaling factor dependent on the speed of steering wheel rotation; and multiplying the return torque signal by the scaling factor in order to obtain a modified return torque signal. Also, a servo steering system which is designed to carry out such a method.

Abstract: An air bag module, comprising: a housing having at least one vent opening; an inflatable cushion being stored in an un-deployed position in the housing; an inflator for inflating the inflatable cushion, the inflator being in fluid communication with the inflatable cushion and having a plurality of inflation openings for allowing an inflation gas to pass therethrough, at least one of the plurality of inflation openings being in fluid communication with the at least one vent opening; a deployable member being secured to an interior surface of the inflatable cushion at one end and a portion of the airbag module at the other end; wherein the deployable member is configured to allow venting through the at least one vent opening when the inflatable cushion is in the un-deployed position and the at least one vent opening is covered by the deployable member when the inflatable cushion inflates towards a fully deployed position.

Abstract: A high temperature electrical connector suitable for use in a high temperature gas sensor. The electrical connector incorporates a ceramic connector body having a pair of opposing ceramic body portions which each house a plurality of conductive terminals. The body portions are in pivoting engagement and fixed in a connector body retainer which also enables their pivoting, hinged movement. The pivoting engagement permits the ceramic body portions and terminals to hinge open to receive a gas sensor with a low insertion force and a hinge closed to provide the desired contact force. The ceramic body portions may also include a taper section in a pivot portion with a taper angle that may be varied to control the pivoting, hinged movement of the electrical connector.

Abstract: In an SOFC stack system, a reformer supplies reformate to the stack. An anode tail gas portion is recycled into the reformer. An inline flowmeter indicates an apparent recycle flow rate. A map of anode tail gas composition as a function of fuel utilization efficiency U, reformer oxygen/carbon ratio O:C, and recycle percentage R is generated on a laboratory test bed at various recycle rates and fuel utilization rates. Compositions are sent through a flowmeter and a Coriolus mass flowmeter provide a Coriolus flow and sensor voltage function across the various compositions and flow rates to create an average curve and an average (reference) voltage at a given flow. A scale factor Z is calculated and used to determine a scaled sensor voltage X for use in an average flow polynomial curve fit equation to calculate tail gas mass flow rate at any flow value indicated by the flow meter.

Abstract: An enclosure for electronic circuitry is provided which has a first housing member having at least one protrusion formed in a wall and a second housing member having at least one slot for receiving the at least one protrusion and securing the second housing member to the first housing member. The second housing member and the first housing member have one or more continuous electrical ground contact surfaces. The second housing member is secured to the first housing member so that there is an interference fit between the at least one protrusion and at least one slot and so that there are one or more continuous electrical ground contact surfaces between the first housing member and the second housing member. A method of assembling an enclosure for electronic circuitry is provided.

Abstract: A steering column assembly includes a steering shaft rotatable about a longitudinal axis with a plurality of first plates fixedly mounted to the steering shaft. The first plates are spaced from each other to define a gap therebetween. A plurality of second plates are disposed about the steering shaft with at least one of the second plates disposed in each of the gaps. The plates abut each other for providing a frictional engagement therebetween to cause concurrent rotation of the steering shaft and the plates when a locking member is in an unlocked position. The locking member engages the second plates when in a locked position for preventing rotation of the second plates with the steering shaft and the first plates continuing to be impeded from rotating until the frictional engagement is overcome thereby allowing relative rotation of the steering shaft and the first plates relative to the second plates.

Abstract: A power semiconductor die is sandwiched between upper and lower heat conducting laminate structures to form a surface mount component that is configured for double-sided cooling. The upper heat conducting laminate structure electrically couples top-side die terminal(s) to conductors formed on the inboard face of the lower heat conducting laminate structure, and all of the die terminals are electrically coupled to conductors formed on the outboard face of the lower heat conducting laminate structure. The die package can be placed in a test fixture for full power testing, and when installed in an electronic assembly including a circuit board and upper and lower heatsinks, the die is thermally coupled to the upper heatsink through the upper heat conducting laminate structure, and to the lower heatsink through the circuit board and the lower heat conducting laminate structure.

Abstract: An electromechanical camshaft phasing system comprising a first pinion gear mounted on the end of an engine camshaft and engaged by a worm gear mounted on a transverse shaft extending from and journalled by bearings in a phaser drive sprocket to cause the camshaft to rotate in response to the engine crankshaft. The first pinion gear is surrounded by a ring gear having a hub keyed to an armature or stator shaft of a motor mounted on the engine coaxially of the camshaft and first pinion gear. A second pinion gear mounted on the worm gear shaft engages the ring gear such that motor rotation of the ring gear about the first pinion gear causes rotation of the second pinion gear, worm gear, first pinion gear, and thus the camshaft with respect to the sprocket, thus varying the phase of the camshaft with respect to the crankshaft.

Abstract: A pyroelectric sensor for determines a charge output of a ferroelectric scene element of the sensor by measuring the hysteresis loop output of the scene element several times during a particular time frame for the same temperature. An external AC signal is applied to the ferroelectric scene element to cause the hysteresis loop output from the element to switch polarization. Charge integration circuitry is employed to measure the charge from the scene element. The ferroelectric of the scene element is made of strontium bismuth tantalate, or derivative thereof, disposed directly between top and bottom electrodes. The polarization of the reference element which is compared to and subtracted from the polarization of the scene element for each cycle. The polarization difference measured for each cycle over a set time period are summed by an integrating amplifier to produce a signal output voltage.

Abstract: A technique for providing secondary data in a single frequency network (SFN) provides a first forward error correcting (FEC) decoder for decoding a received coded orthogonal frequency division multiplex (COFDM) signal. A second FEC decoder is also provided for decoding a received COFDM signal. When the received COFDM signal includes valid primary data, the first FEC decoder is utilized to decode the received COFDM signal to provide general information, i.e., music, sports, etc. When a received COFDM signal includes valid secondary data, the second FEC decoder is utilized to decode the received COFDM signal to provide regional information, e.g., emergency broadcasting information. The received COFDM signal includes one or more defined COFDM symbols inserted by a transmitter of the COFDM signal to indicate the valid secondary data and the invalid primary data.

Abstract: An RF receiver system is provided having a plurality of selectable antennas. The system includes a receiver for receiving RF signals from one of the plurality of antennas at a time. The receiver includes processing circuitry for processing the RF signals and generating a control signal to control selection of one of the antennas at a time. The system further includes a switched diversity module having a plurality of switches coupled to the plurality of antennas for selecting one of the antennas at a time. The switched diversity module further includes logic receiving the control signal generated by the receiver and generating logic output signals to control selection of one of the antennas at a time.

Abstract: A CPU cooling assembly includes a copper cold plate in which a pattern of ultra thin fins and channels are formed, and a copper manifold-cover in which a series of alternating inlet and outlet channels are formed, at right angles to the fin pattern. The manifold cover is sealed to the cold plate by a resistance welding technique that melts and closes up a perimeter welding seam just as the bottom edges of the manifold channels lightly engage the top edges of the micro fins. The result is a fully sealed assembly in which the channels and fins form an effective, very finely divided and regular checker board flow pattern for a suitable cooling fluid, with no deformation or clogging of the ultra thin flow channels.

Abstract: A blower motor assembly for use in a heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system of a vehicle and a method of diverting water are disclosed. The blower motor assembly may include a motor housing, configured to surround internal components of the blower motor assembly, and including a cooling channel/air intake opening. The blower motor assembly may also include a motor support flange extending radially outward from the motor housing and having an upward facing surface, and at least one water diversion vane extending upward from the upward facing surface and extending radially outward in an arcuate shape to divert water off of the flange.

Abstract: A circuit assembly containing a surface mount (SM) IC package wire bonded to a substrate and configured to conduct heat from the package into a heat sink through a heat-conducting member instead of the substrate. The package contains an IC device with input/output pads on a surface thereof that are connected with leads to conductors on the substrate. The heat sink is located adjacent the package so as not to be separated from the package by the substrate. The heat-conducting member is positioned adjacent the surface of the device opposite its input/output pads, and is bonded to the device and heat sink to provide a heat path between the package and heat sink that does not pass through the substrate.

Abstract: An injection nozzle for an internal combustion engine includes a nozzle body having a first nozzle outlet, a second nozzle outlet and a delivery chamber for fuel, an outer valve needle engageable with an outer valve seating to control fuel injection through the first nozzle outlet and an inner valve needle engageable with an inner valve seating to control fuel injection through the second nozzle outlet. The outer valve needle is provided with an axial bore within which the inner valve needle is slidable. The injection nozzle further includes a sleeve member coupled to the inner valve needle and a ring member coupled to the outer valve needle, wherein the ring member is brought into engagement with the sleeve member when the outer valve needle is moved axially through a distance that is greater than a predetermined distance ‘L’ so as to cause axial movement of the inner valve needle.

Abstract: A heat exchanger assembly for thermally conditioning a stream of air. The assembly includes a first and second manifolds extending in spaced and parallel relationship. A plurality of tubes extend transversly between the manifolds to establish fluid communication therebetween. A plurality of corrugated air fins is disposed between adjacent tubes with the cross-section of each air fin presenting a plurality of legs extending transversly between the flat sides of adjacent tubes. Each leg defines a plurality of front louvers including a leading half louver disposed adjacent the front edge of the leg and a plurality of leading louvers spaced from each other and from the leading half louver. A plurality of smaller trailing louvers are spaced from the leading louvers. A plurality of rear louvers being spaced from each other is disposed between the trailing louvers and the rear edge of each leg.

Abstract: A heat exchanger assembly includes an outlet header extending along an outlet axis to define an outlet cavity and an inlet header defining an inlet cavity. A plurality of refrigerant tubes extends from the inlet header through the outlet header and into the outlet cavity. A collector conduit having a generally semi-circular conduit cross-section defining an arced surface and a chord surface interconnected with rounded ends is disposed in the outlet header and includes a conduit body portion and at least one conduit end portion interconnected by a conduit transition portion with the conduit body portion being offset from the conduit end portion. The conduit body portion is engaged to an interior surface of the outlet header to space the conduit body portion from the refrigerant tubes and the conduit end portion is coaxial with the outlet header axis to provide a central outlet for the refrigerant vapor.

Abstract: A steering column assembly includes a column jacket having a jacket portion and a compression bracket attached thereto. The compression bracket includes a planar wall spaced from the column portion and a sidewall extending between the planar wall and the jacket portion. The sidewall defines a telescope slot extending along a longitudinal axis. A shaft extends through the telescope slot of the sidewall. A roller is supported on and rotatable about the shaft, and in rolling engagement with the planar wall. The roller positions the shaft within the telescope slot to prevent sliding frictional engagement between the shaft and the sidewall. The rolling coefficient of friction between the roller and the planar wall is less than the sliding coefficient of friction between the shaft and the sidewall to reduce a frictional load produced during longitudinal collapse of the steering column assembly.

Abstract: A pyromechanical disconnecting device that includes a housing having a receiving space for an ignition element and a supporting floor. A disconnecting tool is disposed in the housing and movable along a path toward a disconnecting point of a current conductor rail. Also disposed in the housing is an ignition element adapted to propel the disconnecting tool along the path to sever the current conductor rail. The ignition element includes an end having a conical flank facing the supporting floor of the housing. An elastic sealing element is arranged about the conical flank and the supporting floor to act as an axial tolerance compensator between the ignition element and the supporting floor of the housing.