Abstract: The invention provides a sensor assembly which can sense human tissue in a protected area of a machine. An emitter plate and a plurality of sensor plates are disposed co-planar to each other and adjacent to the protected area of the machine. An electric field is generated between the emitter plate and the sensor plates and directed towards the protected area. The sensor plates produce electrical signals corresponding to the electric field received at the sensor plate. The electrical signals are amplified, measures, and analyzed to determine if human tissue is within the protected area. If human tissue is detected, a machine interface circuit will shut down the machine to prevent injury.

Abstract: A non-woven acoustic sleeve and method of construction thereof provides routing and protection for elongate members and suppression of noise generation from the elongate members while in the sleeve. The sleeve has an elongate wall with opposite sides that are self-wrapping about a longitudinal axis to define a generally tubular cavity. The opposite sides are extendable away from one another under an externally applied force to allow the elongate members to be disposed radially into or removed from the cavity. When the external force is released, the opposite sides of the wall to return to their self wrapped configuration to enclose the elongate members and suppress noise therefrom.

Abstract: A system and method for testing the operation of fuel pump is disclosed. The apparatus includes a pressure measurement portion, a flow measurement portion, an electrical diagnostic portion, and a fault simulation portion, where a user can simulate a number of potential fuel system failures to determine the diagnostics of the fuel system. The method includes the steps of measuring an electrical value related to the fuel pump, measuring a pressure related to the fuel pump, measuring a fuel flow related to the fuel pump, simulating a fuel system failure condition, and determining an operating status of the fuel pump.

Abstract: A spark plug assembly (22) includes a center electrode (34) having a high performance metal sleeve (50) attached at its sparking end. The sleeve (50) is fitted to a tenon on the end of the center electrode (34) and fixed in place by a weld line (58) produced by laser beam pulses (56). The weld line (58) is applied by overlapping a plurality of spaced-apart beads in a single, continuous circumscribing line. The sleeve (50) is permitted to expand and contract under the influence of thermal cycling without constraint except for the fixation weld line (58). Therefore, the sleeve (50) does not experience stress build-ups resulting from differing rates of thermal expansion relative to the center electrode (34), which is preferably made from a nickel or other composition dissimilar to that of the high performance metal sleeve (50). Various ground electrode (30, 60) configurations are possible.

Abstract: A spark plug having a multilayer firing tip that minimizes the amount of precious metal used and a method of assembling a spark plug with a multilayer firing tip. The firing tip includes a discharge end and a weld end, with the weld end being connected to a center electrode, and more specifically to a base electrode on the center electrode. The weld end has a coefficient of thermal expansion, which is not between the values for the coefficients of thermal expansion for the discharge end and the base electrode. More specifically, the weld end has a coefficient of thermal expansion which is greater than the coefficients of thermal expansion for the discharge end and base electrode. The weld end is formed from Nickel and Chromium with a limited amount of additional elements. The spark plug is assembled by providing a first elongated material formed from the material used for the discharge end and a second elongated material formed from a material used for the weld end.

Abstract: A spark plug (10) having an elongated ceramic insulator (12) includes numerous design features in various strategic locations. At least the ground electrode (26) is fitted with a rimmed, hemispherical metallic sparking tip (56) which controls rogue electrical arcing (62) and facilitates attachment techniques due to increased surface contact with the ground electrode (26). The various features of the spark plug (10) cooperate with one another so that the physical dimensions of the spark plug (10) can be reduced to meet current demands of newer engines without sacrificing mechanical strength or performance.

Abstract: A fuel supply system for an outboard marine engine includes a vapor separator (28) having a uni-directional vapor vent device (36) for preventing fuel leakage when the engine (12) is tipped on its side. The vapor separator (28) includes an enclosed interior chamber (50) which is filled with liquid fuel by a suction pump. A separate, high pressure pump transfers the liquid fuel from the interior chamber (50) to a fuel injection system (32) of the engine (12). The vapor vent device (36) includes a generally tubular casing having an enclosed top end permeated by an escape passage (84), and a float (94) slidably disposed within the casing (82) for movement toward and away from sealing engagement with the escape passage (84).

Abstract: A connecting rod for a piston assembly includes first and second guidance members for guiding a piston assembly within a cylinder during piston stroke along a first axis. The guidance members are supported by first and second support ribs extending from a shaft of the connecting rod and include first and second sliding surfaces for contacting side walls of the cylinder. The connecting rod includes an attachment boss disposed at a first end of the shaft and defines a second axis perpendicular to the first axis. The first and second support ribs extend radially outwardly from the attachment boss and are spaced radially about the second axis by approximately 180 degrees.

Abstract: A high voltage ignition wire (10) has a ferrite core, a coiled wire (14) surrounding the core, and an insulating sheath surrounding the coiled wire. The coiled wire (14) is made from theoretically pure copper having a strand diameter of 0.081-0.099 inches. The coiled wire (14) is wound around the core between 140 and 160 turns per inch. The specific construction of this high voltage ignition wire (10) achieves an advantageous resistance of 13.5-16.5 ohms/ft.

Abstract: A piston (120) and method for making a piston (120) for a fuel-injected diesel engine adapted to withstand the damaging effects of fuel injection plume-induced oxidation in the regions of the piston bowl (134) and rim (130). The surfaces of the piston crown (126) targeted by the fuel injection plume (138) are first coated with a corrosion-resistant and oxidation-resistant composition applied as a slurry or by a thermal spraying technique, such as HVOF or plasma spraying. Thereafter, a high energy industrial laser beam irradiates the as-sprayed coating to increase its density, while simultaneously reforming its microstructure so as to fuse, alloy, and materially bond the coating material with the underlying steel substrate, thereby resulting in a durable protective surface for the steel piston crown (126).

Abstract: This invention introduces a new category of engineered surfaces and corresponding production processes for better wear resistance and lower friction loss. The structured surfaces can be applied on many automobile components with frictional surfaces. The composite structure settles the usual conflicts between surface functions and stresses. Two sets of multiple-step processes are introduced to achieve high production efficiency and low cost. Unlike traditional surface technologies that generate single and uniform layers on the whole part surface, the new technology processes the part surface selectively for more effective surfaces with versatile functions.